Nice showing - ripe fruit with plenty of rich doughy, biscuit, and faint hazelnut and vanilla cream notes, but more restrained and focused than I expected when I saw the vintage. Surprisingly bright acids beneath give it nice lift, and the overall package is very pleasant if rather young and undeveloped right now.

Liked but didn't love this - a bit more focused and energetic on the palate than the Dom showed, but at the same time it comes across a touch simple with bright, tart citrus and pear fruit tinged with yeasty and crackery notes, but not a whole lot of depth beyond it.

OK, now I think I get why Adrian likes Boillot so much. This is flat out awesome. Rich; powerful; opulent; layered with ripe fruit, hazelnut, stony minerality, and faint reductive notes on the nose, with herbal and lightly floral notes emerging with even more air. So much depth here on the nose and palate, and the balance is impeccable - the texture is round, almost glossy, but it never feels lacking in focus or acidity. Superb.

Understated, graceful, and impeccably balanced as Prüm always is. It takes a little air to fully emerge aromatically, but it's worth waiting for. A beautiful scent with delicate citrus and green apple fruit, floral notes, lemon cream, smoke, and all sorts of other mature, savoury notes that keep unfolding with more air; just lightly sweet on the palate with good acidity balancing it perfectly, and all too easy to drink. Glad I have a couple more bottles.

Stewed and undrinkable.

I had no idea I'd come across Montevertine in Indiana (maybe Jay M. doesn't buy it all), but this is delightful. Lots of bright red fruit, high toned floral and herbal notes, and more savoury earthy and faintly leathery notes that emerge with some air. The fruit's quite ripe but by no means overwhelmingly so - there's also plenty of acidity beneath, and a very silky, polished texture. Lovely wine.

Classic Ridge - a cedary, slightly oaky scent frames rich red fruited flavours and more savoury low-toned earthy and tree bark notes that develop with more air. Medium weight on the palate, yet the flavours are quite intense and linger for a while with each sip. Drinking perfectly now with the tannins fully integrated, and even better with lamb.

From a late release from Jaboulet, brought in by Atherton. A great showing, with layers of rich red fruit, black olives, leather, smoke, and other savoury meaty elements all coming together very seamlessly on a frame that conveys power and elegance at the same time. The balance here is fantastic, and it only gets more fragrant and layered with time in the decanter. Outstanding Syrah; this is everything I expect from Hermitage.

Painfully young, but so compelling and impressive right now. Layers of rich red and dark fruited flavours, tar, smoke, and higher toned rose petal and other floral notes all coming together, with remarkable purity and intensity to the flavours here. It's a big wine, but the acidity holds it in check very well, and there's a lot of fine grained tannin on the finish that keeps suggesting this needs a lot more air. Impressive - though I imagine this is going to be amazing with a LOT of time.

A lovely showing - graceful and understated, perhaps slightly tired on the nose at first but it perks up with more air to show a beautiful scent of gentle red fruits, mushrooms, earth, and mature leathery and other savoury notes. The savoury, bass-y notes dominate here, with a faint rusty/iron-like element emerging on the back end with some more time. Drinking perfectly now with the tannins fully integrated and the wine appearing at peak - this is a pleasure. Thanks Jim.