Medium deep garnet core , medium wide garnet rim . This shows very well still with some sous bois , dried herbal hints and cherry . On the palate this shows good freshness , red cherry again, freshly cut herbs , touch of tobacco and black tea . Balanced acidity and lightly dusty but resolved tannins . Good length and presence on the palate , with enough fruit still , good balance and a black tea stained finish. This is at peak , and will probably stay here for a few more years , so no immediate rush, but is unlikely to improve further . — 16 days ago
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2000 pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated red and black fruits: mixed brambles, black cherry, some fruit leather, some actual leather, pipe tobacco, black pepper, some mushrooms and decomposing earth and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin (integrated) and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose where the fruit comes across a bit more desiccated and no less delicious. The finish is long. Drink now. — 2 days ago
Medium deep ruby , quite thin garnet ruby rim . Cassis , blueberry , blackberry , iris , pain grillé. On the palate this is quite dense and rounded , with more dark fruits , cassis , blackberry and a savoury , saline seaweed tinge on the finish . Fine but noticable , sweet tannins , and fresh acidity , quite rounded and richly fruited but very balanced . Good length with grafite , mineral and creme de cassis . Polished and quite decadent but all elements very balanced . Just drinkable now with time in decanter , really fruit driven still, but will improve well over the next 10 or more years and last well a further 10-15 . This shows some of the ripeness and exuberance of 2009 paired with the flamboyance of Mouton , makes for quite a pairing a very promising future ahead. — 12 days ago
Good on Debbie bday party — 2 months ago
Smooth and effortless with no hard edges, even in a warm year. Seductively savory with currant, strawberry, leather, tobacco, coffee bean, and bone marrow. There’s an incredible gamey streak here. Oak is impeccably balanced. Just tip toeing into some bricking.
The pedigree is clear. Counting myself lucky.
My #1 tonight. — 24 days ago
Rick Phillips
Still young. Needs some aging. Should peek at 99-100. — 6 days ago