Nicolas Belfrage: Quite deep and fairly youthful. No wine yet opaque [eighth wine of the tasting]. Some class oak on nose, not necessarily small. Ripe and smooth, good acidity and firm tannins. Fruit needs to come out more, but this has potential. 15

Stephen Brook: Sumptuous black-fruit nose, lush and hedonistic. Rich and plump, with good concentration and acidity. Very ripe but has ample tannic grip and structure. Clearly youthful and a touch raw, but it’s vivacious and puppy-like. The fruit is solid and seamless, but it’s not monolithic; indeed, it’s nuanced and subtle and complex. The excellent length makes this a persuasive wine, but it will take a few years for it to become fully expressive. 17.5

Andrew Jefford: Dark, clear red-black in color. This wine is remarkably sweet-fruited still for a five-year-old: red cherries and blackcurrants deftly mixed, with a drift of tobacco complexities as passing clouds above. Purists might object to the sweetness, but it appeals to this drinker. On the palate, too, that sweet-fruited character makes this wine an easier Brunello than many to approach, with an appealing round-shouldered submissiveness in the mouth. Nonetheless, there is plenty of girdle and brace beneath, shaping the flesh, and the finish tautens and tightens agreeably. Harmonious, attractive and well managed—a thoroughly enjoyable bottle for the mid-term. 15