Intensity and depth, this shows just how well built the 2000 vintage was in its youth, and how slowly it has come around. Now at the point where the tannins are starting to melt into the structure but still very much cradling the fruit. Cigar box and tobacco leaf, grilled coffee beans and mandarin peel, plenty of blackberry and bilberry fruits, great quality, full of St Julien finesse, ready to drink but with decades ahead, love this, and it's an upscore from my last tasting as it comes into its drinking window. Harvest September 22 to October 10, 60% new oak, 53hl/h yield.

Lovely warmed plum and black currant confiture flavors are starting to settle into a secondary phase as sweet tobacco, lightly singed alder and a perfumy incense note weave around. Nice focused, fine-grained finish. Textbook.—Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). JM

Deep ruby/purple in color, with a sweet nose of black currants, earth, licorice, and mineral, the 2000 is relatively powerful and dense for the normally restrained and elegant Beychevelle. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and chewy, it is showing even better out of bottle than it was from cask. While it appears to be the finest example made at Beychevelle since the 1989 and 1982, patience will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020.

A deep garnet core with brick rim. The nose has good intensity with blackberry, wild hedgerow, cedar and a touch of damp earth. Good delineation and focus. The palate is full-bodied with good acidity and depth, fine tannins, still quite traditional in style with a degree of austerity and glycerine that really complements this great Beychevelle that has a nice prickle on the finish. Excellent. Drink now-2020. Tasted May 2008.

Good ruby-red. Exotic, highly aromatic nose features leather, cedar, roast coffee, minerals and chocolate. Smooth on entry, then a bit pinched in the mid-palate, with a faint peppery herbaceousness. Not overly tannic but seems a bit dry for a 2000.

Mid crimson with lots of sweetness. Very gentle and a definite 2000. Good vintage definition from Beychevelle! Easy and only very slightly inky. Long and rich. (JR)