Medium, medium-pale cherry-red colour. The aromatics are wide, perhaps a little high-toned and alcoholic but over a denser slightly savoury fruit core. A little dissolved gas on the palate, good red fruits and young tannin – accentuated by the gas. There’s a nice burst of interest on the mid-palate and there’s good, if slightly prickly, acidity (gas again). This needs a year in the cellar, and the performance will be far better than described above if you decant an hour before serving. Excellent value wine in an elegant package.

Wide, high-toned aromatics that quickly tighten in the glass, perhaps a trace of caramel. The palate shows a little more tannin than the 07’s, but there is the depth of concentration to match and a super dimension of fruit too. Slightly lower acidity also than the 07’s but still mouth-watering, lingering flavours. This is excellent