Tasted blind. Medium colour. The nose starts a little tight with some barrel notes, then marzipan, pear-drops slowly becoming a little spicy and creamy. The palate just makes you say ‘Ooh!’. It’s amazingly complex, long, long, long and ever-changing. Gorgeous texture, simply a tour de force. The multidimensional palate was exactly as I remembered the 2002, but the acidity seemed less gushing than when last tasted, so I made a flying guess at a lower acid vintage – 1997 – I was wrong it was the 02!

Less than half the production of Romanée-Conti. Pale gold. Gives up a wide, indeed panoramic nose with a medium butterscotch depth and a spicy – though not detracting – wood note. The most striking aspect of this wine (for me) is the sweet, almost gushing, acidity, you’re washed along the rapids (my wife points out that it’s cheaper to go white-water rafting) followed by a momentary lull before the wave that is the finish hits you. It’s a really fit wine, no added fat – all my analogies seem to involve speed – like a racehorse and one that sprints rather than slows to the line. The finish lasts fully 2 minutes, this is a special experience.

The colour is tending towards gold but I’d still describe it as medium lemon yellow. The nose is not obviously fruity, but shows amazing depth – you fall into a bottomless pit of butterscotch, fresh bread and faint vanilla. The nose really set me up for what I expected to be a very fat and powerful wine – I was only half right: the palate is neither fat nor in any way heavy. The very fine acidity carries the lace-like texture into an incredible finish – I had to go away and eat some bread as I could still taste this wine when I was supposed to be tasting the Échézeaux. An almost ethereal experience – I was truly impressed.

Medium-pale yellow with just a tinge of green to the rim. Citrus, apple, peach and toasty bread all glued together with a botrytis note – lots of things you can find on the nose. Once you put your lips to the glass you’re in for quite an experience – the wine is just so fat you can’t believe that it can be balanced – but balanced it is. Somehow seems to have a mineral streak running through its centre too. Very long. Yep – I’m impressed!