Andrew Jefford: Deep though not opaque black-red. Oh, dear: what’s happened here? Pronounced stemmy- green and/or damp-ash aromas. Troubled ripeness, which no one wants from Pomerol. Too much canopy? Misjudged whole bunch? A hail issue? Problems with oak? Yet it’s still 14.5%? Multiple issues. The palate accordingly; a compromised Le Gay for some reason. | 79

Michael Schuster | Dense, faintly herbal, clearly mineral, fairly imposing nose; full-bodied, fairly tannic, ample; deep, fleshy, ripe-fruited, complex, and minerally wine, long and spicy across the palate, and with lovely aromatic length. Firmly defined, but sumptuous Pomerol, long, satisfying, savory; rewarding already, but with so much long-term promise, it would be a pity to broach this too early. Delicious long-term wine. 2026–40+. | 93