Fresh, ripe and complex earthy red fruit aromas introduce big, rich and sweet flavors that deliver plenty of punch but they're not robust or unduly hard because while the tannins are very firm, they are well-integrated. There is an element of reserve here yet the flavors are delicious and possess plenty of flesh. Lovely stuff that will age well. *Outstanding*

The 2004 Clos des Chênes will be a lovely bottle, but it will need another six or seven years of bottle age to really blossom and come into its own. Today the wine is still a bit marked by its post-bottling “pepperiness”, but also offers up the precision and transparency down to the soil that are the hallmarks of the best wines of the 2004 vintage. The nose is a fine blend of red plums, cherries, woodsmoke, herb tones, soil and a touch of cedary wood. On the palate the wine is fullish, peppery and tangy, with good mid-palate depth, moderate tannins and good length and grip on the soil-driven finish. I had loved this wine out of barrel, and as it emerges again from its post-bottling funk, it may well prove to be even better than my present score indicates. All this lovely middleweight will need is some time in bottle. 91+