Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. Now, this is a great Certan-de-May. The nose demands a great deal of coaxing from the glass: mulberry, wild strawberry, bright red cherry and crushed stone, opening up nicely but very gradually with aeration as if teasing you. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, grippy tannins. Very focused, classy, tight but destined to give pleasure after ten years in bottle. Tasted January 2012.

Good bright red-ruby. Complex nose melds dark fruits, licorice, flowers, mint, camphor and medicinal herbs. Youthfully clenched and seriously structured wine, with sweet dark berry fruit currently dominated by solid tannins. Quite backward and long on the aftertaste. Lay this one down.

Deep inky ruby. Lovely, aromatic nose combines dark spicy plum, pine and balsamic vinegar. Quite suave on entry, then densely packed and vibrant, with mouthcoating flavors of blackberry, blueberry jam and licorice. Finishes with ripe, integrated but still noticeable tannins and a lingering violet perfume. Always a supple, flamboyant wine, this seems to be a more complete wine than those of the previous two vintages.

This potentially outstanding, dark ruby/plum-tinged 2008 reveals notes of caramel, cedarwood, herbs, earth, foresty and red as well as black fruits, excellent to outstanding density and medium body. The tannins remain elevated so this offering will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age. It should last for 15+ years.