Inky purple in colour. This begs to be taken slowly, as even visually you can see that the texture is rich and velvety and will benefit from a few more years softening in bottle. Dark chocolate and orange zest on the nose, this performs the levitating trick of heading upwards through your palate with mouthwatering acidities while pulling you downwards towards the tannins that are underpinning the whole experience. In between the two you find cassis, bilberry, raspberry and strawberry puree, just a whole array of pure, chiselled but juicy fruits.This is living up to promise, but needs more time, still a trace of austerity on the finish right now, even though the complexity and the layers are hard to resist. Sculpted, intense and concentrated. Harvest September 22 to October 20 - a full leisurely month, mirrored by the unhurried pace that this takes through your palate. 60% new oak.

A purity of fruit here with plum and dark chocolate undertones. Spices and treacle tart as well. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a long, long finish. Very fine indeed. Fit, fruity and reserved. Superb.

While outwardly this wine is generous and opulent with great juicy sweetness, the core is structured and powerful. The wine is concentrated and complex, with dark tannins and a brooding, dense texture. This is a wine with a long-lived future. *Cellar Selection* (RV)