2012 ««««« Drink now to 2035.

Medium-deep crimson. Lovely blackberry, mocha and liquorice aromas. Warm/ generous fleshy wine with deep-set blackberry flavours, plentiful ripe-chalky tannins, superb mid-palate richness and integrated mineral acidity. Finishes chocolaty firm with an long, inky plume. Grippy, but not abrasive. Really good.

Grippy but not abrasive with impressive blackberry, spicy and slightly zesty aromas and meaty richness. Although a touch drying at the finish, it should pull through. (NB)

Some violets, a hint of silage, dark berries and woody spice. Luscious fruit weight, fleshy satisfaction and liqueur-cherry sweetness. (NR)

2013 «««« Drink now to 2035.

Medium-deep crimson. Fresh and plush blackberry and liquorice aromas with herb garden notes. Surprisingly well-rounded with inky blackberry and mulberry fruits, fine plentiful chocolaty-but-perfectly-ripe velvety tannins. Finishes firm and tight with long sweet fruit.

Sappy and round with dark cherry, dark berry fruits and fleshy textures. The tannins build across the palate. (JR)

Plenty of sweet fruit entry with very firm, grippy quite tenacious tannins underneath. Massive foundations but the fruit soars. This needs more time to reach optimum drinking. (NB)

2014 «««« Drink now to 2038.

Medium-deep crimson. Black cherry, raspberry and chinotto aromas with herb garden and pipe tobacco notes. Well-concentrated with pure black cherry, raspberry, redcurrant and cola flavours, fine loose-knit chalky tannins and underlying leafy sappy notes. Al dente leafy finish. Firmer in style but still has richness and volume.

An optimist would be undeterred by this tannic wine. (JH)

Lifted dark fruit violet nose with delicate liquorice notes. The palate is a contradiction though with pretty fruit and quite grippy tannins. (FW)

2015 «««« Drink now to 2035.

Medium-deep crimson. Intense black cherry and blackberry with liquorice notes. Lovely expressive wine with buoyant creamy cassis and blackberry fruits, fine velvety textures and long inky finish. Rich and flavourful with attractive vigour and persistency. On the middle-weighted side.

Fresh and lively medium-bodied wine. No sin to sneak a bottle now because the balance and flavour spectrum are excellent. (JH)

Extremely floral wine with raspberry violet aromas, inky density and long spicy notes. (JR)

2016 «««« Drink now to 2038.

Medium-deep crimson. Elderberry, blackberry and star anise aromas with herb garden notes. Richly concentrated and voluminous with blackberry, mulberry and elderberry fruits, fine-chalky textures and al dente but plentiful tannins. Finishes long and minerally. Will build up more complexity.

Velvety and juicy with plenty of fleshy blue fruits, and long, well-knit tannins. (JR)

Taut and juicy with a slightly peaky, red-fruited edge to the taste. (NR)

2017 «««« Drink 2022 to 2038+.

Medium-deep crimson. Intense elderberry, mulberry and bramble aromas with liquorice, herb and cola notes. Fresh, elemental and exuberant with deep-set elderberry and crushed blackberry fruits, fine and plentiful chocolaty tannins and underlying savoury herb notes. Finishes long and pillowy with drying tannins. Will take a few years to settle down.

Very intense vivid black fruits and floral slightly minty top notes. Opulent, well-cushioned fruit with sleek tannins and impressive length. (NB)

Purple, black and spicy with balanced acidity, long finish and aftertaste. (JH)

2018 «««« Drink 2023 to 2040.

Deep crimson. Intense dark plum, mulberry and raspberry aromas with roasted almond and vanilla notes with hints of cinnamon spice. Medium bodied and fleshy with dark plum, mulberry and raspberry fruits, underlying chocolaty notes and attractive mid-palate viscosity, fine-supple textures and integrated acidity. Finishes firm and tight. Elemental with plentiful red and black fruits and persistent tannins. Best to keep for a few years to settle.

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