Jan/Feb 2003 disgorgement. I got to the event late and was poured from the bottle of the bottle about 2-3 hours after it was opened and it was still getting better in the glass! Toast, lemon, sea spray, nutty and straw on the nose. The palate is explosive with powerful fruit but also great depth and complexity. Superbly long - smashingly good.

Honeyed, old wood, orange peel and caramel. Rounded sweetness on the palate but it's lifted by acidity and fruit that is clinging on. Medium length, showing great!

Floral, lemon, coconut and some sea spray. Fantastic on the palate, super young still but it is showing the beginnings of complexity. Great style and texture. Loved it!

Cork sealed. Toasty and orange aromas. Acidity rushes through and cleanses the palate really well and yet it still feels a bit dull. Probably the least excellent of the bottles I've had.

Really good spice as well as musk and lemon curd on the nose. The palate is young and fresh but doesn't show any real depth yet - this needs another 5 years where I think it should be near its peak.

Rubbery and very odd. Palate is a little better but still doesn't seem right?

Rose and grapefruit aromas. There is a touch of sugar to it but the acidity is very good and it provides a great cleansing element. Would like to see this again.

Golden coloured. Wheat, toast, honey and limes. Fantastic texture and still shows fruit power which is rounding out but gaining depth as well. Had been open for a couple of hours by the time I got to taste it but it was still showing really well. Excellent stuff.

Strawberry, white florals, citrus and cherry - it smells great! There is a cut and elegance to the palate which is of great appeal as well as a little grip to give it a little serious note. Very interesting wine.

Stalks, strawberry, raspberry and some earthy spices. Really good acidity along with bright fruit that has just the right amount of power to it. Medium bodied and with good length, this was right up my alley.

From magnum. Licorice, black currant, some mint and a little bit of a meaty element to it. Medium bodied with good fruit power, there is plenty of structure and it is still showing really youthful. Give it another 5 (will I say the same again in 5 years time?)

Chocolate, oak, earth and pepper on the nose. Still showing good fruit and tannin, though it is starting to show signs of being ready to drink. Really enjoyable now and I wouldn't count it out to improve further.

Cherry, graphite, tar and a light violet character to it. Beautiful on the palate, this is long and delicate with framing tannins that are well integrated, plus fine acidity. Drinking great right now.

Pretty violet aromatics with mint, earth and spices. The palate isn't quite as good as the nose for me, there is a thinness to it and the more I taste it, the less interested I feel towards it. Maybe just too young, but I wasn't feeling it tonight.

Leafy and vegetable characters start off along with plenty of red berries and an great earthy kick. Vibrant on the palate, this is finely balanced - with powerful fruit but still recognisable Cabernet character. Very good.

Chocolate, cola and vanilla with big florals behind. The fruit is plush and it needs to be in order to keep up with the oak. Good length. I have a high tolerance for oak but this was pushing it and a half glass was enough for my curiosity.

Redcurrant, spice, chocolate and cherry aromas. Bold with compact and driven fruit power. Firmly structured and has persistent acidity which both help offset the density of the fruit. Excellent wine with a long future ahead.

I started off liking this but each time I came back to it I liked it a little less. Earthy with menthol and meaty notes and a medicinal character that seemed to start to show over the top of the fruit. Medium bodied, the length here is good but I don't find much complexity. Good but not great.

Meaty, floral, graphite and some blackberry - this has really grown in complexity and depth over the past 9 years. The strong fruit remains but the balance is great and there is a lot of interest. Drinking fantastically well at this moment.

Corked.

Sultana, blackcurrant, kirsch and meat. The nose doesn't show the alcohol but I find it on the palate with some spirits showing over the rich fruit. Plenty of life left as it has good structure, it's just imperative that the fruit holds to ward off the spirit.

Smoke, raspberry, tobacco and earth. Has good flavour and it's still showing plenty of tannin. Still seems very youthful and has more to give but this was more approachable than a bottle around a year ago.

Served blind. Raspberry, vanilla and cola. Seems to have residual sweetness to the palate, it's not overly rich/bold though and while it is simple it is fine to drink. Easy to see why people enjoy it.

Brett shows through and keeps growing along with undergrowth and chocolate. I like the elegance on the palate but the brett was a bit too much for me this time.

Orange peel, christmas cake and licorice aromas. Palate is good, not complex but mid length and the sweetness makes it pleasant. Has enough acid to just drive it through. Drink now.

Quince, coconut, spice and lemon aromas. The palate is holding up really well with good intensity remaining on the sweetness and balance through acidity and some brightness of the fruit. Drink now.

Faded.