A négoce wine. Medium-plus cherry-red colour. The nose has decent width but better depth, but note that it has an appreciable oak base. In the mouth the concentration is almost good and there is plenty of tannin though it seems more wood than grape-driven. The length is good, but despite it being a decent enough and very drinkable effort, indeed a wine you may be happy to have in your cellar in 10 years time, I see this as well behind the better village cuvées from the 2005 vintage.

Medium cherry-red. A lingering nose of cream-tinged cherry fruit. Linear in presentation, an athletic pose though perhaps could do with a little more concentration. Good acidity and understated tannin. The length surprises and is more in line with the depth of the nose than the width of the palate. Tasty and enjoyable but with just a hint of disappointment too.

The hotel I stayed in had exclusively wines from the 1980’s! First bottle was medium ruby with an amber rim. The nose was aged but still quite fruity. The palate was on the downslope though with a nice light bodied profile which was just a little metallic – nice finish though. Bottle two was deeper coloured, slightly more alcoholic and less interesting nose. The palate was actually quite fat and interesting. Still good length. First bottle was almost good, second was good!