With an unbelievable nose of licorice, tapenade, black cherry and blackcurrant liqueur, as well as full body, super-sweet tannin, and astonishing richness and length, this prodigious effort in 2005 announced the resurrection of this great terroir on the slopes near Château Pavie. Dark garnet/plum/purple, this is compelling stuff and drinkable already, but capable of lasting another 25-30 years. This beauty is not to be missed! Only 3,000 cases were produced, from a blend of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Almost shockingly young, tannic and tightly wound for a wine of its age, the 2005 is positively stellar. The continual interplay of fruit richness and tension in the 2005 is simply mesmerizing. Even so my biggest takeaway from this tasting is just how young the 2005 is.

Ruby-red. Superripe, vibrant nose offers cherry, blueberry, blackberry, mocha and fruity dark chocolate. Rich and wonderfully fine-grained, with excellent acidity leavening the impression of superripeness and giving cut to the intense dark berry, plum and mineral flavors. Finishes very long and lush, with a fine dusting of tannins and noteworthy subtlety. With its 14.5% alcohol, this is a big boy, but its energy and balance are impressive for such an opulent wine.

Tasted single blind at Southwold. Ripe sweet macerated dark cherries, sloes and cassis on the nose - lots of extraction here and it actually reminds me more of the Napa than Saint Emilion. It is undeniably very smooth on the entry, layers of new oak so that it is difficult to get to the wine underneath. Svelte but lacking complexity and personality. Tasted January 2009.