Bright, full deep red. Pungently mineral aromas of raspberry, dried flowers, flint, smoke, mocha and underbrush. A monumental wine of ungodly intensity and extract without any impression of excess weight. The dusty, tactile extract fills the mouth with spicy, minerally, high-toned perfume, and the wine ascends to an even higher level on the peacock's tail of a finish, which boasts great energy and persistence. I drank this bottle over a period of four nights (one of us has to show some restraint), and oxygen couldn't kill, much less flatten, its treble tones, even as its volume and sweetness expanded. I hope I have a chance to revisit this at its peak, in about 20 years.

Deep colour and very headily seductive nose. Amazing concentration and layers. Without simply being sweet and rich. Admirable superiority. Great racy dry texture but with truly throat warming fruit. Really exciting stuff. Long, concentrated yet dry and delicate. Great freshness. (JR)