Medium, medium-plus colour looks wonderful in the glass. The nose is wide and deep, lots of red fruit action that tends towards confiture. This is a lovely, ever evolving, involving nose – at times there is even a smoky, stem element. The palate starts a little racy and linear with forward but reasonably well-textured tannins, but the tannins also seem to have more than a hint of bitterness about them. There is a core of slightly bitter, tart fruit that is actually very long in the finish. Time in the glass slowly brings out a sweeter side to this wine – I started to warm to it. Lovely aromatics, but this is a wine that needs to improve to gain table space – hopefully it will come with age.

Medium ruby red, looking very pretty in the sunshine. The nose has a touch of raisin, redcurrant and eventually strawberry. There’s a mineral, soil inflected aspect to the palate, good acidity and smooth tannin. Overall there’s a nice balance and good fruit too, perhaps a little more secondary and spicier than many 99’s but it’s very, very drinkable.

Medium-plus cherry red. The nose is a subdued strawberry and raspberry number – very smooth. Lovely mouthfeel, lots of high-toned fruits, good acidity and medium, velvetty tannins. Persistent finish too. This is a very good villages wine.