Stephen Brook: Very deep red. Dense, brooding, smoky nose, abundant black fruits, impressive opulence. Rich but so silky, with fine acidity to balance the depth of fruit. Highly concentrated but not extracted, with a lot of spice to keep it lively on the mid-palate. The tannins are firm but well integrated, and this should age well. Majestic for Margaux. Very long. Shows much better than when last tasted. 18.5

Andrew Jefford: Dense, dark black-red. Such a contrast to Lascombes: This is all sweet serenity and leafy, refreshing, perfumed elegance. Has the aromatic intricacy of Rauzan-Ségla but with better ripeness, matching the arresting aromatic complexity of Pichon-Lalande. Much to analyze and pore over here: bravo. And seductive, too. Lovely wine: dashing, fresh and lively, chic, yet close-grained and complex. The edgy ripeness of the vintage has been perfectly captured here, in that it is both edgy and beautifully, sweetly ripe. The tannins are ample yet wonderfully suede and penetrating: first-growth class in that sense. All that it lacks is a sense of abiding warmth and inner power: Nature just didn’t turn up with that this year. But this is deft, disarming, both deep and light, and certainly fresh and refreshing—all the qualities that modern claret is meant to have lost. So, nostalgics, get stuck in! 17.5

Michael Schuster: Refined, freshly ripe fruit to smell; elegantly balanced, rich, medium-full wine with a fine, firm, dry tannin; a fleshy, close-grained, complex, ripe blackberry and mineral fruit core, long in the mouth and long to finish; very scented both on the palate and on the finish; but with a firm oak and grape tannin that will require time to integrate. Ripeness, volume, refinement; very classy Margaux. 2014–30. 17