Andrew Jefford | Dark and promisingly deep black-red. Slightly classier fruits than Capbern, but slightly more mixed ripeness here, too; fresh and balanced just now, but a wine better drunk over the mid-term than the long term. Hay and box/privet with the fragrant blackcurrant—but a dollop of chocolate all the same. On the palate, it is generous, softer in texture than the Capbern, but with a richer and perhaps more allusive palate, whose fruits are a little less comprehensively in thrall to acidity. Drunk young, this is probably as youthfully delicious as anything in St-Estèphe this year. | 89

Michael Schuster | Closed and minerally to smell; medium-full, fresh, finely tannic, nicely balanced claret; long, fine, tasty, subtly gravelly, classy, and complete, a very fine second wine, needing a couple of years, but it will be rewarding, satisfying, and probably very good value. 2022–30+. | 90