Andrew Jefford | Dark, dense black-red, opaque at the core. Smooth, fleshy, almost creamy blackcurrants with subtly attractive sweet tones behind— beautiful use of wood, here, and the ripeness seems assured. A little incense spice and a little cologne spice, too: chic. Deep, pure, plunging, and round-contoured: a big bowl of black fruits. The cream and spiced refinement apparent on the nose isn’t yet echoed on the youthful, primary palate, and the tannins are light and fine. The fruit also has a cooler tone than the aromas suggested. A huge amount to enjoy here nonetheless, and a decade’s aging will certainly up the harmony. | 91

Michael Schuster | Dense, mineral-tinged blackcurrant Cabernet; medium-full, fresh in acidity, finely firm in tannin. Bright, juicy, blackcurrant Cabernet in flavor, with a nice complexity and good length. Clearly not a grand LB but a very satisfyingly fleshy one in the 2017 context. Will need time. 2028–40+. | 91