Plummy and spicy, red berry, liquorice, slightly dusty almost Indian spice notes. Very soft. The merlot is less prevalent on the palate though - red berry is more in balance in the plum Tannins are fine and soft. Medium plus length. Nice if not a little dull.

Red and black berry and currant, cedar dusty notes, sweet spice. Soft, slightly plummy initial then more red and black fruit, quite sweet and, surprisingly for me, pretty. Tannins are present and drying on the front of the mouth but by no means dominant. Rather splendid and, perhaps, a little polished, Actually with time this begins to gain a little more tertiary leatheryness and, with that , more complexity. Yum.

There is a wonderful floral and fruity elegance and purity here over dill and truffles and mushrooms as well as a touch of wet spice. The palate is softly spiced berries, juicy and fine, whisper thin tannins backed by slight tarragon. It's broad as well and exceedingly long. An education, perhaps, for me as a left bank devotee...mind you it's 2/3 cabernet franc and sauvignon so, hmm, perhaps not . Also this reinforces my "with time everything tends to Burgundy" theory. This is a superb wine.

Popped and poured. Sweet plummy fruit backed by slight oranges, almost mandarin, and sweet spice. Also touches of vanilla, chocolate, coconut and five spice. In the mouth it's plummy and spicy with quite sharp acidity and warm spice. Drying tannins with time in the glass it begins to soften and ease up. Very much vinfanticide but getting there...

Barrel sample. Plain chocolate, sweet spice red berry and plum and a fair amount of new oak. Prettier and, unsurprisingly, more concentrated than the 2014. Quite perfumed as well. In the mouth it' juicy, tannins are soft and silky though very present, fruit persists long. Well balanced with a little wet freshness. Red berry and plum fruit. Like a silk fist in a silk glove battering my tongue with a silk kerchief.

Sweet, slightly jammy, plums, touches of ginger bread, cream/milky notes. Touch of red berry tending to raspberry. More of the same on the palate and a tiny touch of harshness to the tannins lends an almost peppery spice to the gently fruit finish. Pleasant enough for what it is though years will be required I suspect.

Leather, very slight wet cellar, brambly fruit, slight bonfire and earthy notes. A touch of sous bois as well. Softly juicy, brambly fruit, almost a little citrus, fully resolved tannins, leathery and spicy.

Fresh with raspberry fruit and sweet spice. A touch of white pepper and some volatile acidity. On the palate it's juicy, with flavours of coffee and raspberry, soft and full resolved tannins. Very pleasant as it is but, over the 2 hours we consumed the wines, this one is the one that falls over completely

Cocoa powder, red berry and plum…surprisingly primary aromas initially then, with time, some slight leather begins to encroach. On the palate it's rich and fleshy but with sufficient acidity to keep things clean and, again, quite primary. Rather splendid.