Average 40 yo vines. Herbs and a more diffuse red fruit – perhaps because there’s a little minerality too. Nicely fresh – the acidity helping to push the intensity. Long finishing on a good mineral note.

Initially tigher at the core – slightly darker red fruit aromas – it took a while, but the last drops smell lovely; that 2008 precision engineering. Fine width and very good acidity yet with sufficient padding. The flavour grows well in the mid-palate.

The nose shows hints of leaves against a core of fruit. Lots of sweetness here, decent width too. There is plenty of tannin too that needs the sweetness of the fruit to buffer a little astringency. Clearly a child of the vintage, but there is balance enough to drink and even enjoy today.

Medium, medium-plus ruby-red. The nose has a dense core, but is generally hard to get at for over an hour – after, it has some savoury hints, faint estery top-notes but stronger and almost good red fruit in the middle. In the mouth there’s good balance – perhaps a little ‘thin’ in the mid-palate, but just now that’s a 2002 thing, it’s definitely not just this wine. Despite that, there’s a nice cushioned texture and a reasonable finish. Decent intensity in the mid-palate. This is a value wine and was enjoyed.