Simon Field | Deep, resonant, purple-black hue; a very narrow rim. Camphor and blueberry, spice, figs, and dark chocolate; very elegant but persistent and powerful tannins, which, despite their evident ripeness are of such a magnitude that they still dry the mouth. The fruit character impresses, however: is symphonic in scope and unrelenting in its Brucknerian crescendo. | 93

Andrew Jefford | Another very deep, saturated, black-purple wine with an opaque core. Rather singular aromas: Lavish cereal-grain sweetness and black fruits, but the former rather lords it over the latter. When retasted against other top wines an hour later, the aromas have cleared and harmonized impressively, and warm, ripe, black fruits are in the driving seat. On the palate, this is a grand, full-scale, and exuberant Cahors built on a fine core of deep, aromatic, vapory, almost brandied fruits; the aromatic notes almost recall Cognac behind the rich damson and sloe. It’s exciting drinking—lots of licorice root and other root spices, too. Rich tannins, and high energy from first sip to last: superb. The high country at full throttle. | 95

Anthony Rose | Deep and dense in its relatively youthful color, this is sweetly fragrant, with plum and blackberry notes. There’s a lovely succulent fruit quality here, intense in flavor, quite firm and sinewy in texture, but not excessively so despite the muscularity. Chewy, yes, but that chewiness brings a dimension to, rather than detracting from, a densely concentrated, rich, dark fruit whose damson-like freshness is complemented by light, charry-sweet oak. With plenty of vigor, this has a lot going for it in a future that should last a good decade. | 93