Simon Field | Regal and very complete color: deep ruby with an engaging brightness and softening rim. The nose juxtaposes berry fruit, briary, soy, and hints of lavender; wild strawberry, olive, and laurel—sui generis, in other words. The palate successfully marries the ripeness that is the birthright of a year such as this, an enticing and herbal backdrop and a support mechanism that revolves around the firm natural acidity and the chalky precision of the tannins, which are not at all drying. Yet there is plenty of vim and vigor here, much to talk about, and a great potential for development and future pleasure. | 93

Andrew Jefford | Dark, deep black-red. Sweet vanilla and menthol aromas dominate the aromatic profile to rather drying effect, and the fruits are a little raisin-like. On the palate, the wine is round, smooth, and full, not in the end drying, and the fruits prove dimpled rather than raisined. It’s not the most concentrated or pristine wine in our tasting, but there is much to enjoy here, and the extracts and tannins would give it ample mealtime force. | 90

Anthony Rose | The color is already starting to evolve, the aromas are quiet, and the wine, while showing some incipient black-fruit sweetness, is somewhat engulfed by a chunkiness that gives it more of a rustic feel than a traditional one. | 86