Fabulous aromas of dried apple, cream, mango and ginger follow through to a full, dense palate, but it's very, very fine. The bead is so, so fine. The texture is like silk. Truly superb quality. I love the contrast between richness and freshness. It builds slow on the palate and finishes so long and rich. This was 10 years on the lees. Mostly pinot noir. So superlative to drink. This follows 2000, 1999, 1996 and 1995. (JS)

The 2002 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is the stunning 2008's closest challenger in the decade, bursting with aromas of confit citrus, stone fruits, mandarin, sweet dried fruits, smoke and iodine. Full-bodied, layered and vinous, it's deep and multidimensional, with broad shoulders, terrific concentration and a long, resonant finish. In style, this shares all of 2012's breadth and flesh but brings more structure and tension to the equation. Still youthful today, the 2002 will drink well for the next two decades from a cold cellar. (WK)

More about structural fascination than aromatic pleasure. With its high acidity and simultaneously rich and impressive depth, this is reminiscent of the heroic 1996, and is equipped to develop far into the future. (RJ)