Andrew Jefford: Deep black-red, though now just off opacity. Aromatically, this is very ripe, warm, full, open, rich... almost to excess. It’s hard to find much fresh fruit here; overall, it has quite a raisiny cast and cereal fullness. On the palate, it is slightly concentrated, raisiny, burnt, tangy, and lacking freshness of fruit, though there seems to be plenty of acidity. It tastes of stressed vines and unhappy grapes to me, though this may be a vintage difficulty. Faintly bitter end. I can’t say I’d like to drink this, though the concentration gives it force of personality, and there is something here that suggests that it is not, in fact, the wrong variety for the site. Australia? 13

Anthony Rose: Good bright youthful color. Youthful sweet strawberryish aromas here, with a veneer of vanillin oak spice, almost primary still, with a slight underlying vegetal note that brings a fresh twist to the aromas. Nicely richly concentrated sweet, red-berry fruit juiciness on the palate, evolving well with integrated spicy vanillin oak and, behind the red-berry-fruit sweetness, a substantial layer of quite chunky tannins and savory fresh acidity. There’s a linear purity here: a fine expression of Pinot Noir. New Zealand. 17.5

Joanna Simon: Deep and quite bright. Intense, sweet, spicy, and fresh aromas, with an attractive floral lift. Full, ripe palate showing quite a bit of oak but balanced by the preciseness and purity of the fruit, the silky texture, and the clean finish. New Zealand? 16