Medium-plus golden colour. The nose is slightly tropical, and certainly ripe. In the mouth there is a roundness of shape and okay acidity – the mid-palate flavour has a good extra dimension that goes long in the finish. Just missing a little energy, but smuch better than I expected!

Medium-pale lemon yellow. The nose is wide and fresh, just a little faint cream behind fruit that’s redolent of fresh-cut pears. Good texture and penetrating acidity that pushes the intense finish long. There’s a strong impression of savoury – though not toasty – oak as you enter the mid-palate. The oak just takes away a little of the fresh vivacity found in today’s tastiest 2004’s but this is still a very good wine that gets even better with aeration.