(Magnum) There’s a deep nose here, red dense fruit. The palate is soft and supple, impressively opening out with more power and intensity. Still a young wine, and dense too, but plenty of interest.

Two bottles in two months – only one left now. Medium-plus ruby at the core still showing some cherry red at the rim. The nose is understated with red berry fruit and floral elements. Similarly beautiful texture to the 1998 but without the tannic rasp on the finish. Fat with concentrated redcurrant and cherry fruit. Good acidity and refined tannins that only show on the long finish. The double decanting did the trick as this showed in much more exuberant fashion to the last bottle. Lovely now and still a long life ahead.

Medium-plus ruby at the core still showing some cherry red. The nose is a little subdued with bright red berries and rose petals. Lovely fat with pure, concentrated redcurrant and cherry. Good acidity and tannins that you need to search for. Some vanilla on the long finish. A lovely bottle which showed in a subdued way – perhaps in it’s shell? Even if not, there’s more than enough material to safely leave this for a few more years.

Deep ruby core still some cherry flashes towards the rim. Nose hasn’t the intense ‘griottes’ of the 2001/2002 barrel samples tasted in the Drouhin cellars two weeks ago – but they’re definitely still there in a subdued form, perhaps rose petals too. In the mouth this wine comes across as fat and smooth with intense red fruits complimenting good acidity. Well covered tannins give way to a well integrated vanilla tinged finish. This is very, very good.