A nice young-looking medium cherry-red colour. High toned nose, slightly powdery red fruits – good purity. Classic ’96 expression of intense fruit buffered by lots of acidity. Many years ahead of this wine – hopefully should be very good.

Looks both concentrated and young – there’s still a purple edge to the deep cherry colour. The nose is very fresh and pure cherry – red & black. The palate is exactly what many 2000’s are not, a little austere but has concentrated, linear, primary fruit. Very good acidity and tannins that have a little grain about them. Still drinkable but this wine will amply repay 5 or 6 years in the cellar. Super.

Deep ruby colour, but there’s still a hint of cherry at the rim. The nose starts with deep black cherry then gives way to coffee, then gives way again to a pronounced meaty note. Fresh acidity with drying slightly grainy tannins. Good concentration black fruit here but despite this, the wine doesn’t come across as very ‘fat’. Seems very well balanced, perhaps a touch austere even – but no rush to open the next bottle. Should be good, but I’ll wait another couple of years before the next.

Medium ruby colour, lighter at the rim. Nose has sweet medium toast oak obscuring some plummy fruit at the bottom and just a lift of raspberry on the end. For a vintage so badly maligned about ‘rough’ tannins, this is superbly smooth with velvet tannins. The acidity is long and lingering together with good density red fruits. This wine is very primary still, but very enjoyable for all that. Given a couple of hours, the acidity becomes a little astringent in the finish – no problem with food though. Still very good