Colour is mahogany verging into cola. Still offering interesting notes of dried figs and dates, shoe polish, dark chocolate, damp earth, licquorice and rancio. Of course, its over the hill', but certainly not dead yet.

Light straw yellow, faint grey/green hue. Very fresh and a little sharp in the nose. Very herbaceous (rosemary, thyme, verbena) on the nose and palate. Prominent acidity. Only after mid-palate, when the aftertaste has started, this is showing something of its charm and lascivious nature: lime juice, lemon oil, granny smith, dash of vanilla and coconut. Very backward wine. 17/20

Medium red. Bright red currants, bell pepper, slightly vegetal. Austere palate showing tobacco leaves, red currants again, cold coffee, considerable tannines. Good wine, agreeable. Wait? 15/20

Musty basement, cardboard palate. Sharp and green. No thank you, sir. 12/20

Dark red, long legs. Cassis, blueberry yoghurt, nice interplay of oak. Clean nuances of coffee, leather, blackberries and raspberries. Round and plush, soft tannines. Very pretty wine to drink now or in 3 years. 16.5/20

Purple hue. Mixed spice, soft cassis fruit, black cherries, olives and school paint. Excellent concentration. Tannines are nice and ripe, yet not enough integrated. This is a backward, dark, solemn effort with lots of restrained power. 17.5/20

Still a minimal purple glimpse. A little bit less concentrated than Poujeaux 96, somewhat fresher in style. But very nice. Tres Bordeaux. Grafite, underbrush, wet wood, some cherry fruit and a peppery spicyness. Very satisfying for the producer. 16,5/20

Clearly a ringer... But a very nice one. Sultry and sweet. Balsamic notes, mint, eucalypt oil. Soft tannic structure. Finish is slightly clipped. 16.5/20

Dark red. Gingerbread, smoke chocolate. Intense and unctuous. SOft, plush, ripe, lovely. Quite complex. A Point. Alas, it's deminishing in the glass. 17.5/20

Barnyard, animal fur, black olives, blueberries, ink. Wonderful concentration, also in tannines. Requires some more time in the cellar. 17.5/20

Restrained nose of iron, meat juice, dried currants, white pepper and cherries. Austere and rustic palate, plenty of acidity, mint. ceder and cigars. Adequate length. 17/20

Reticent bouquet of dried cherries, currants, pipe tobacco, gravel and toasted oak. Succulent, soft and tasty. Great wine. 18/20

Modern, clearly Merlot dominated. Lavas, earth, plum, dairy. A tad short, I would say. Yet very good. 16.5/20

Medicinal nose, band-aid, yeasty too. Good texture and mouthfeel, but aromatics are all tangled up. Disjointed. Might have been tainted. 14.5/20

Recognisable as a Left-Banker, though not as muscular as I expected it to be. Seems a little thin in mid-palate. But all in all, this is a very nice wine, with pure bright fruit and introducing secondary nuances of maturity now. 16.5/20

Bright golden colour with an orange hue. Slightly oxidative. Lots of acid and bitterness to compensate for the abundant sweetness. Not much finesse, very concentrated. Syrupy, honey-and-thyme aromas, orangepeel. Nice and decent, that's it. 15,5/20

Light yellow. Very grapey, refreshing acidity. Good tension and concentration. Medium length in the aftertaste which is a tad sticky. Nice and pure botrytis. A very nice wine, if not lacking some complexity. 17/20