Medium straw. Rich, full if slightly mute nose. Medium/full bodied, rich, moderate acidity, serious. touch of creaminess then honey and pear. Finishes long. Much better with food. ***

Pale/medium lemon. Nose is quite oaky, with vanilla, sesame seed but this has pleasing weight on the palate with creamy fruit, sesame seed, attractive fresh acidity leading into a medium/good length lightly orangey finish. Nice, despite the overt oakiness. ***

Deep ruby/garnet. Black fruited nose, touch of tapenade, quite aromatic, some mulchy development. Slightly sharp on the palate with acidity taking over the finish but still very drinkable. ***

Nose shows slightly baked red fruit, florals, spice, touch of cream. Medium bodied, creamy red fruit with good palate presence, soft tannins and a long harmonious red-fruited finish. Excellent, especially in the context of the vintage. ****

Slightly sulphury at first, blowing off to revel savoury dark fruit, bacon, spice. Attractive on mid-palate, tannins a touch drying on the finish. ***1/2

Lovely pure, ripe dark fruit on the nose, touch of black olive, medium/full, spicy, lightly smoky dark fruit on the mid-palate, fine but still pertinent tannin, long, fresh finish. Lovely, still with plenty in hand ****1/2.

Oxidised.

Medium garnet. Aromatic, red and black berry fruit, tapenade, touch of earth. Medium bodied, vibrant acidity, attractively flavoured though perhaps a touch angular on the finish. ***1/2

Aromatic, black fruit, tapenade, touch of florals. High-toned dark fruit on the palate, vibrant acidity, decent length finish. Excellent, though perhaps fading in the glass a touch. ****

Ripe dark fruit, plenty of vanilla oak, creamy, even a touch of chocolate. Medium/full bodied, dark chocolatey fruit, vanilla, fresh acidity, some drying tannin on the finish. Obvious quality underneath quite a lot of oak which remains prominent 20 years from the vintage. ***