Medium ruby-red, just a hint of amber at the rim. For the first hour or so there was very interesting, truffley red fruit with an undercurrent of mushrooms, after an hour, no mushrooms and rather a minty red fruit with a little herb crust – from 4 bottles opened over 10 days, this was the only one with the mushrooms. Over the tongue it has a comforting texture and just enough acidity to balance the warm fruit. The tannin can still be found if you chew. Quite smooth in a non-traditional Fixin way. A good, sweet finish – as mature as is possible whilst still retaining real fruit flavours. I think I could drink a few of these heartwarming bottles during the closing summer weeks.

Medium, medium-pale colour. On the nose it shows soft, powdery red fruit and a deeper, sweeter core. Mouth-filling without overt concentration. Some tannin and good acidity underpinned by a creamy background. This is very nice.

The nose is much tighter with dried red fruits. This is also rather mouth-filling but just a little softer. The acidity is a little more forward though the tannin is finer. I feel a little more intensity but this is less friendly today than the 2006. Good length.

Lovely red berry nose, though slightly ‘spikey’. The palate is relatively sweet with a nice depth of fruit. Good, though slightly tart acidity. A little rustic but still worth leaving for a while. Good