Intense, biscuity, yeasty, citrus, fine mousse, deep and long. Precise.

Youthful appearance - deep ruby/garnet core, medium pale garnet rim. Medium intense nose showing dusty red fruit, gravelly notes, slight bitter edge. Medium/full bodied, reasonably deep and layered with earthy and mineral notes, some dusty red fruit and a reasonably harmonious finish. OK **

Difficult to get past the cheesy, petrolly nose. Similar on the palate. NR

A pleasant surprise, with an attractive if light earthy nose, joined by some slightly crunchy dried red fruit on the palate, a touch dilute and then firm on the finish but quite drinkable. **

Youthful, intense, blackcurrant, vanilla, notes of blood and meat. Deep, rich and full on the palate, long finish with some unresolved tannin. A little backward in comparison to other recent bottles, but excellent. ****(*)

Closed at first, opens out to show pure red fruit, floral notes, gravelly minerals. Medium bodied,lighter than 96, quite elegant if not so deep, with a savoury red fruit and minerally finish - slightly firm still. Very good. ****

Corked

Corked

Moderate intensity, light red fruit, earth, hints of tea. A little on the light side, but attractively mature. Slightly gritty on the finish. ***

This shows darker fruit than the 83, with a distinct gravelly mineral edge, notes of coffee and earth. Quite full and rich with a slightly firm finish. ****

Glorious copper/mahogany colour. Sweet, gentle nose, but complex showing creme brulee, figs. Medium bodied on the palate, no obvious botrytis, sweet on initial entry with figs, caramel and a note of custard, perhaps falling away a little on the finish but lengthened and sweetened when eaten with (bonus) fresh fig and ice cream dessert. Lovely. ****1/2