Andrew Jefford | Dark black-purple-red, just off opacity. Both fresh and warm, with raspberry as well as blackcurrant fruit. Round-contoured and soft- focused, but agreeable and inviting. Fresh, round, soft-textured, with less tannin than many and with less shocking fruit that many, too, almost as if the wine somehow picked up a little extra maturity from somewhere. (It is not in any way oxidized, I should make clear.) Approachable and satisfying central palate, though it does grow a little fresher and leafier toward the close. | 88

Michael Schuster | Light, fine, gently cedary claret nose; medium-full, fresh to crisp, the 2017 context making for a firmer expression of Langoa than normal; but this is elegant and moderately complex, and will doubtless come round in the long term. Good wine, good St-Julien, but certainly without its usual softer “early appeal” charm. 2028–40+. | 91