Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve: For us, this is the most amazing of the “other” wines of this vintage, with all the nobility, texture, and originality of the grand vin but a bit more accessible. Required drinking for all great connoisseurs. 18.5

Michael Schuster: Dense and fat to smell, with a pronounced mineral element; a rich, powerful, tannic wine; an immediate mass in the mouth, with a very juicy blackcurrant character to the fruit; rich, warm, tannic, but finely so; warm, powerful fruit, something slightly southern hemisphere about this in character; long in the mouth, even, spicy fruit, fleshy, ample, powerful, and very long and slightly warm to finish, with a touch of bitterness. One wouldn’t guess this was a “second wine”! Impressive Clarence. Certainly the opposite end of the spectrum in power and style from the more aromatic complexity and restraint of the 2008s. It will benefit from time: 10 years minimum? 2020-30+. 16.5/17