Stephen Brook: Very deep red. Reticent nose: plums and blackberries and some Oriental spice, but still brooding. Medium-bodied and svelte, without the intense concentration of some, but has an enticing freshness and zest. No lack of tannin and structure, and refreshing acidity on the mid-palate and finish. At present, it doesn’t seem especially complex, but it has balance and purity so should age well. I expect I would score this higher in another three years. 16

Andrew Jefford: Dark black-red. Warm, full, a little unsettled at this stage: blackberry fruits, a touch of chocolate, all very subtle and nuanced but not yet perfumed or refined. Weightier, fuller, and richer than La Conseillante, with impressive ripeness for the vintage; well on the way to the substance and depth of a good year. Sustained, persistent, pure, with very subtle oak. A smooth performance of remarkable classicism. 16

Michael Schuster: Persistent, ripe, creamy, new-oak-tinged fruit to smell; very nicely balanced, rich middleweight with a very fine, dry tannin; sweet in fruit, but fresh, too, a long, gently fleshy, gently mouth-coating, complex, scented flavor—plums, vanilla, subtle minerality, and with lovely, fragrant length. Particularly refined Pomerol, understated, but with great scope. Not grand, but stylish and impressive. Accessible relatively early, but such polish and harmony that there is no hurry. 2012–24+. 17.5