Medium cherry red, perhaps shading to a more ruby hue at the rim. The nose starts more oaky and with disappointingly thin fruit – it needs the oak to dissipate to give a more interesting balance, and dissipate it does leaving a nice high-toned expression. Eventually it’s a sweet mix of slightly caramel-tinged red fruit. Nice mouthfeel, less apparent concentration and not such a long finish, though the acidity is almost good. Tasty, very well balanced and serious but ultimately less serious than the excellent 2001.