The 2001 Potensac has a clean, fresh bouquet of blackberry, raspberry and cedar scents, just a touch of mint emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, quite firm and structured but pleasingly fresh after 20 years. Perusing an old note from 2007, I see that I was scathing in my review, but this solid, dense Potensac has held up well.

Deep ruby. Inky, austere aromas of cassis, shoe polish and mint. Then supple and sweet in the mouth, with good ripeness and broad tannins that avoid dryness. Not especially vibrant today, but has good material. The selection here was 60%, the severest to date for this property.

Always impressively made by Jean-Hubert Delon (the proprietor of Leoville Las Cases and Nenin), Potensac’s 2001 is an elegant, medium-bodied Medoc offering dried herb and berry fruit characteristics in an open-knit, attractively fruity, pure style. Restaurants should be buying this one by the case for their patrons to enjoy now and over the next 7-8 years.

Very deep purple. Lively edge. Underripe herbaceousness on the nose. Green and inky start, but good ripeness on the palate and then quite dry. Uncomfortable. (JR)