Nicolas Belfrage: Color code 8; bright. Notes of brown sugar on the nose, plus dried bananas. An amazingly thick, syrupy wine, good for pouring on your ice cream; viscous and penetrating, with fairly good acidity that carries through to a finish of reasonable length. Fig juice/nectar of date, but just needs that extra touch of acidity. The texture and flavors are terrific. 16

Michael Edwards: Deep, tawny brown but clear and bright. Rich, Mediterranean black fruits on both nose and palate, with figs predominating. A rich, unctuous, successful style. 15.5

Jancis Robinson: Blackish treacly, with a greenish rim. Strong mousiness on the nose. Then very sweet and syrupy on the front palate. Very different from most Vin Santo because it is so heavy. If you want a Vin Santo that is simply very sweet, this wine is for you. But it is a bit cloying and dusty to me. Drink 2005–10. 16

Franco Ziliani: Banyuls or Puglia Aleatico color: brown, mahogany, chestnut honey. The nose is very creamy and rich, intense and ripe, with garrigue and Mediterranean bush notes, slightly wild, notes of tobacco, dried fig, apricots, and so on… Creamy, fat, intense, and endless on the palate; sweet but not too much so, with masses of dried fruit, well balanced by a vibrant, salty acidity and a good freshness. Pure velvet on the palate, an absolute delight. 18