Alex Hunt: On the nose, a well-judged balance of bright, youthful berry fruit and high-quality oak. For once, the oak does not overwhelm the palate but is matched by both concentration and freshness of fruit. While not yet harmonious, a little bottle age should allow the ingredients to knit. Nicely done- 16

Andrew Jefford: Saturated black-red. Sweet, warm, enticing—this suddenly seems much more southern. Pleasant, attractive wine that I am assuming comes from a much lower-latitude location than everything thus far. But that affability also means that we have lost the diagnostic shock and challenge that make Cabernet Franc so compelling in higher latitudes. It’s nice wine, but it’s not singular— whereas almost everything thus far has been very singular. Is it a high-percentage Bordeaux Cabernet Franc? Anyway, I’d love to sit down to dinner with it, but I miss the confronting quality of the other wines in this tasting- 15

Simon Larkin: As soon as you nose this wine, the impact of new oak is evident. The palate continues in a similar vein: glossy, scented with vanillincoated dark fruit. Very toasty, quite drying, without sufficient volume of fruit to absorb the influence. Very, very toasty on finish. It just dries out the succulence that was inherent in the wine. Some appealing berry fruit but an overworked style for my palate- 8