There has been some obvious seepage from the cork, but the bottle/label remains clean. A medium-plus garnet colour. The nose starts deep and brooding, perhaps a little sweet – but little else – the last drops in the glass, however, are of a lovely penetrating red berry. The palate is lithe, quite well concentrated and pleasingly fresh. The fruit remains nicely sweet but is set against slightly bitter tannin which is the main note of the finish. Aeration softens the bitter edge but never quite removes it. No obvious heat damage and very drinkable, but the 1994 is better.

Horribly corked! Experiment time, I’d heard that polythene bags (not sure PE or PP) can remove TCA – so stuffed a clear bag into the bottle and recorked – next day TCA was gone! Truly amazing but as I had no vacuvin the wine was oxidised instead…

This was the first year for elevage of Griotte by René Leclerc. Medium-plus colour, fading to amber at the rim. The nose starts a little diffuse, With extra aeration the wine gives up a creamy red fruit compote set against a faintly earthy background. Silky texture with good acidity and fine mouth coating tannin. The concentration is still in the ascendant. Just starting to come into it’s drinking window. A lovely Griotte and another very fine 1994

Deep cherry red colour. Beautiful pure red fruits on the nose – raspberry and deep red cherry. A deep, concentrated cherry palate too – this is gorgeous – lovely acidity and nice tannins that finish with a little graininess. Long and creamy finish with super length. Excellent.