Again there’s a creamy edge to the aroma of red fruit. More extract here with finely grained tannin. The flavour builds a little in the mid-palate then holds a linear course into the finish. The flavour is a little stony in the finish.

The fruit has a darker complexion, initially less open but finely detailed – finally there is a more red fruit too. Lots of extract, not super-sweet for an 09, again with plenty of fine-grained tannin. This wine seems a little looser knit than the Estournelles but the supporting intensity is good, as is the length. Needs some time for focus I think.

Medium, medium-plus relatively young colour. The nose starts wide but diffuse, slowly focusing to give a really impressive red cherry note. To start with the major impression in the mouth was the tart fruit/acid balance, this was moderated by food and seemed okay later – perhaps that was just me – the acidity remains ‘intense’ though is buffered by quality red fruit. Very little tannin and a finish that lingers as long as the mouth-watering acidity supports it – which is quite a while. Intense without obvious density, primary in both aroma and flavour – but engaging enough. Very young, it’s rather good, though it’s not ‘great’. Reminds me of many a ’96, with more primary fruit.

Medium, medium-plus colour – paler than the Mazy. The nose starts quite dark and oaky – some dark toast notes that take at least 30 minutes to lift. Redder, less dense fruit is the result, though the dark oak slowly turns to make a nice coffee ‘coating’. Nicely balanced concentration with background velvet tannin. Truth be told it has more of a 1er cru weight, the only distinct grand cru element is the mid-palate flavour – pretty red fruit with a distinct creamy edge and excellent length. Some distance behind the quality of the Mazy, and there are probably better premier crus, but they will cost more than this bottle – value has always been the watchword on the Esmonin GCs, and there is plenty of value in this bottle.