A later harvest for this wine – another 10 days after the ban des vendanges to allow the phenolics to ripen. Medium, medium-plus cherry red. The nose is sweet and starts a little heavy, slowly becomes a little higher toned over vanilla notes. The palate is fat, ripe and sweet, just a little purer cherry fruit at the back of the palate that follows into the vanilla driven finish. Tannins and acidity are conspicuous by their absence – actually everyone loved this, but I suspect it will be at it’s apogee over the next 5 or 6 years, rather than 15-16, not too much obvious ‘Vosne character’ either at this pre-release stage.

Medium cherry-red. The nose takes a little while to lose a dense woody note, but once gone there’s a slightly heavy and quite ripe morello cherry, becomes purer still and higher-toned with time. The palate is medium density and also needs a few minutes to iron-out the oak, but it’s well balanced and shows good length. The style is of a light to middle-weight with an extra, slightly vanilla tinged dimension on the finish. Like the nose there’s an ever improving impression to this wine, particularly the finish and the nose – I’d give this at least 3 or 4 years before returning – should be more than worthwhile.

Medium, medium-plus colour. Instantly deep, oak inflected nose – behind lies a red and black confit, spicily edged with ginger. Lovely mouthfeel, the entry is soft and the mid palate bursts into life. Silky smooth with juicy acidity, sweet, but not too sweet fruit and a lingering creamy note. The oak recedes and the quality of the fruit on the finish reminds me very much of a 1993… Very impressive.

Medium cherry red, perhaps shading to a more ruby hue at the rim. The nose starts more oaky and with disappointingly thin fruit – it needs the oak to dissipate to give a more interesting balance, and dissipate it does leaving a nice high-toned expression. Eventually it’s a sweet mix of slightly caramel-tinged red fruit. Nice mouthfeel, less apparent concentration and not such a long finish, though the acidity is almost good. Tasty, very well balanced and serious but ultimately less serious than the excellent 2001.