Andrew Jefford | Dark black-red, with scarlet glints at the rim. Warm and earthy on the nose. There is less primary fruit than for many wines in this vintage, but lots of meaty, earthy warmth to entice nonetheless. Just a touch pruney. On the palate, by contrast, that pruniness is rather marked. Dense and complex wine, and ambitious, too, but the diagnostic freshness of fruit of 2016 has rather eluded it. | 86

Michael Schuster | Ripely sweet and lightly oak-vanilla-marked nose; full-bodied on the palate, fresh, lightly tannic; sweetly ripe, straightforward flavor, a touch oak-dry for the moment, with very nice fruit persistence. The year’s juicy fruit very appealing here, and the new oak will be easily absorbed by food. Nice lesser claret, drinkable young but with the ability to age for a few years as well. Now to 2026. | 88