Brunello 2015 normale – tasting notes

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Closed on the nose with sweet, stalky notes coming through. Subdued, soft fruit that needs time to come out and with lots of chewy tannins. A little too innocent for a Brunello. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Sweet fruit nose that is already showing a little development. Round palate with tangy acidity, and then quite a lot of drying tannins. (WS)

Apparently this comes from a vineyard planted at a density of 20,000 vines/ha.
Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby. Expressive fresh and ripe cherry fruit. Succulent and with crunchy tannins. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Holding back on the nose but with plenty of plush, succulent fruit underneath. The tannins are quite marked at this stage, but there is plenty of fruit to balance this out in time. Elegant, juicy finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby with orange tinges. Quite stalky nose with hints of beef stock but rather closed on the fruit. Quite closed on the palate too, hinting at generous mellow fruit that is not showing a lot of definition. Seems older than it is. Lots of chewy tannins on the finish and could do it with a little more fruit. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Perfumed, multi-layered nose shot through by spicy notes. Nutmeg, cinnamon bark. Intense and long with plenty of (oak) tannins that turn a little dry on the finish. On the whole quite impressive, without being heavy, if slightly internationally moulded. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby. Rich nose with hints of apple skin, could be the oak or just premox? Succulent palate but the oxidative, candied-fruit note robs it a little of its focus, which is a shame as the raw material seems excellent. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Concentrated, ripe and yet suppressed on the nose. Cherry fruit palate with a disturbing Band-Aid note. Sweet and concentrated palate with a slightly bitter finish. (WS)

Fermented in stainless steel, 24 days on the skins.
Mid to deep ruby. Deep, sweet, dark-fruit nose with minerally and savoury/meaty notes. Great depth and elegance. Gorgeous transparency combined with real concentration. Fantastic lightness and youthful gripping tannins. Elegant and yet powerful and with plenty of tangy acidity. Will need at least five further years in bottle. (WS)

Tasted blind. Deep ruby. Intense, concentrated, aromatic red-fruit nose. Generous yet supple and balanced with just a touch of fruit cake on the finish. Very consumer friendly and ready now, but will hold. Sweetness of oak on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Deep ruby. Dense, brooding, sweet and concentrated nose. Bags of concentrated fruit on the palate followed by ripe, long tannins. Quite rich, but not without complexity, and definitely needs more time to shed the masses of fruit. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Closed nose with only a hint of pine cone. Sappy, tangy cherry fruit and ripe tannins. Well mannered and well behaved, but lacks a bit of an edge. Ready now. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated ruby. Herbal hints hovering over ripe cherry. The nose is not entirely focused and is a little grubby. Ripe cherry palate that is a little singed and with gripping tannins. Neither very focused nor pure on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Subdued yet perfumed on the nose with a hint of old leather. Juicy, supple red fruit and bags of chewy tannins. A hugely appealing whole. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Savoury nose with a hint of leather and mulch. Soft and tangy, but lacking proper depth and concentration. The fruit just holds up with the chewy tannins on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Subdued and slightly grubby/reductive red-fruit nose. Subtle palate that takes its time to open up. Elegant but with slightly bitter tannins. Can be approached now, but will hold. (WS)

San Felice’s outfit in Montalcino.
Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Exotically spiced red-fruit nose with hints of orange peel. Quite sweet and rich, and a little singed, but the juicy acidity pulls the whole up on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Quite sweet and generous on the nose and intense and deep on the palate. Bags of chewy, bitter-sweet tannins. Has plenty of everything, including potential. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Brooding yet quite closed on the nose. Ripe and sweet and at the same time tangy and elegant. It has everything: lots of tangy fruit, gripping tannins and elegant palate weight. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Savoury and minerally nose with a suggestion of pine but not from oak. A fantastic core of concentrated, tangy fruit on the palate with firm, clayey tannins. Great balance and chew. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Perfumed, lifted and concentrated. A nerve of acidity runs through the solid, rich fruit. Concentrated and a little dense on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby. Subdued, minerally fruit nose. Soft and generous, but with nervy acidity running through the plush fruit and with gripping tannins pulling it further into shape. Creamy notes on the finish betray oak. Hugely accessible. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Perfumed and ripe fruit with touches of oak. Elegant and succulent with a core of cherry fruit. Lots of ripeness paired with a good dose of acidity. Grippy, tangy finish. Long and juicy. Already approachable. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby. Sweet oak perfumes hovering over fresh fruit. Concentrated and well stitched together on the palate and perfectly balanced. Modernist polish of oak notes on the finish. Long while elegant – a balancing act executed with great skill. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby. Lifted, and a little ethereal with raspberry fruit. Compact yet focused and with finely sculpted, coating tannins. Great balance and length. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Firm cherry nose with sweet undertones. Firm, yet ripe and generous fruit on the palate. Solid and long. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Lifted, sour-cherry nose with a savoury, meaty hint. Plush fruit palate with savoury notes, chewy tannins and a tangy finish. Likeable. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges and already looking a little developed. Gentle, ripe cherry fruit with hints of undergrowth. Mellow and ripe on the palate, too, and without any edges. Lots of round, concentrated fruit on the finish. Ready now. (WS)

Tasted blind. Youthful deep ruby: could herald lots of oak. Tight, youthful fruit nose with touches of oak. Firm, aromatic sour-cherry palate lined with chewy tannins. Very long and with plenty of depth, and in need of a little more age. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated mid ruby. Deep cherry fruit nose. Succulence and richness on the palate offset by a layer of gripping tannins. Still embryonic and quite powerful. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic rather than fruity on the nose and with hints of sweet fruit underneath. Supple and mellow, with just a little bit of tangy acidity. Firm tannic grip on the finish. A tiny bit drying. Ready now. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Leafy cherry fruit nose with a meaty, savoury note. Lots of concentrated fruit and bags of chewy tannins. Solid. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby with bright orange tinges. Firm nose that doesn’t reveal all at this stage. Compact fruit with gripping but ripe tannins. Long, balanced and plentiful without enormous complexity, but with good depth of fruit. (WS)

Dark, impenetrable ruby. Impressive richness on the nose tempered only by notes of sour cherry. Intense, long, supple cherry fruit with hints of gingerbread and with a layer of powdery tannins. All is set on fruit here. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous ruby. Cherry fruit of great depth. Concentrated but contained. Not a huge amount of acidity and with a generous fruit finish, but still in an embryonic state. You just sense there is much more to come. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges, already showing development. Sweetly perfumed and ripe nose with a hint of autumn leaves and what looks like oak. Soft fruit palate with mellow notes, but becomes rather tannic on the finish. Already looking older than it is and lacking a little in vibrancy. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Sweet and a little stalky on the nose and mellow and gentle on the palate. Looks older than it is and lacks a little in vigour. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Quite closed and a little savoury on the nose. Supple and gentle fruit on the palate and still a little shy. Finely sculpted tannins on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic savoury nose with minerally hints. Savoury-sweet fruit palate slowly opens up to sour cherry. Really slumbering and slow to open up and with firm, slightly drying tannins, but time may even that out. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic and minerally on the nose. Soft, generous fruit on the palate. Firm, stalky tannins dominate the fruit a little at this stage. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby. Perfumed sour-cherry nose, with balsamic notes. Supple raspberry and cherry fruit and enjoyable enough, but lacks a little in concentration and depth. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated ruby with bright orange tinges. Sweet, ripe and round on the nose and with a hint of gingerbread. A core of cherry fruit on the palate with completely integrated acidity. Long, well balanced and ready now. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Soft, gentle cherry nose with hints of pine and a little herbal. Gentle, even mellow on the palate while the acidity creeps up only on the finish. Creamy notes. A little manufactured, if consumer friendly. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Contained richness on the nose and gorgeous succulent notes of sour cherry and marasca cherry on the palate. Just a touch of oak and chewy tannins flexing their muscle on the finish. True precision but definitely ‘sexy’ and sheer pleasure. Can be approached now but with lots of potential to age further. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Lifted cassis (!) and cherry nose. Supple fruit with very firm tannins and with notes of oak and candyfloss on the finish. Looks a little manufactured. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby. A little reductive/stalky with sweet, concentrated dark fruit underneath. Quite a bit of concentration and richness of fruit on the palate with muscular, slightly drying tannins. But the plentiful fruit persists. Needs more time, and has the building blocks for it. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Hints of pine and a little brooding. Youthful, gripping, compact sour-cherry fruit. Still a little backward and with muscular tannins, but it certainly has a future. A little rustic, but long and convincing. Time will do the rest. (WS)

Tasted blind. Deep ruby. Balsamic nose that takes its time to open up. At first quite a sweet palate, before the tangy fruit comes out. Concentrated and powerful finish without going over the top. Could do with more time in bottle. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Alluring nose of ripe sour-cherry fruit with top notes of sweet oak. Gentle, soft tangy fruit of great length and with great tannic grip on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Lots of depth on the nose, but at this stage more savoury than fruity. Round, but not completely open on the palate. A generous, sweet core of fruit and powdery tannins on the finish. In spite of the closed nose, the open-knit palate suggests this is completely ready now. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. A slightly broad fruit nose, mirrored by soft, generous fruit on the palate and with lots of grainy tannins, but already showing development. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated ruby. Sweetly concentrated, a little brooding and with a hint of bacon. Succulent, ripe red fruit with a layer of grainy tannins and the finish shows great depth of fruit. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Compact nose that is yet to open up fully. Concentrated palate of sweet fruit and firm, slightly drying tannins. Solid and gripping and with quite an abundance of fruit, but it works. (WS)

Tasted blind. Almost impenetrable ruby. Impressively concentrated nose of cherry fruit with just the merest suggestion of fruit cake. Rich and generous on the palate, too, with the oak almost integrated in the sweet fruit. Fantastic tannic chew on the finish. Quite a mouthful, but the acidity lifts the whole. Completely ready now. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Stalky and reductive on the nose right now, and with just hints of brooding sweet fruit. Tangy cherry and herb-liqueur fruit framed by grainy tannins. Not the freshest of wines. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Leafy cherry with hints of gingerbread. Supple fruit of great length and with a layer of firm tannins. Hugely accessible. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated ruby with bright orange tinges. Sweet nose of dark fruit with a hint of candyfloss. Mellow dark fruit on the palate that becomes more sappy and juicy on the finish. Imposing tannins! (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby with a broad, watery rim. Lifted yet concentrated on the nose and rather sweet and mellow on the palate. Enormous concentration on the finish. Full of contrast. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic, sweet complex nose with hints of oatmeal. Supple, juicy and expressive on the palate with gorgeous, grainy tannins clinging to the fruit. Truly tangy and with a generous dose of long-lasting fruit on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. A little savoury and reductive at first. Hints of cherry and smoked bacon. Cherry fruit palate that is a little mellow at first, but grows in depth on the finish. The firm tannins fit the whole like a glove. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Shy, nutty oak notes over cherry fruit and still a tiny bit reductive. Supple and generous, lively sour-cherry fruit with a hint of gingerbread and chewy tannins on the finish. Quite a charmer but with real depth. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Lots going on: pure sour cherry, sweet dark fruit and a touch of gingerbread. Plentiful round, almost rich, fruit. Forthcoming and easy-going and completely ready now. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Deep fruit nose with a perfumed edge. Lots of stuffing, which just strikes a balance with the juicy acidity. Quite a bit of stubborn, slightly bitter tannins on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby. Savoury rather than fruity. Perhaps the fruit isn’t there at all. Quite mellow and already developed on the palate. Not really shining and with quite a bit of rather astringent tannins. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic and a little ethereal with hints of cardamom pod. Concentrated, generous fruit on the palate. Long and with chewy tannins and notably well balanced. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated mid ruby. Firm cherry nose. Richness and depth on the palate and at the same time still compact. Perfect balance on the palate with fine, long, powdery tannins. Real fireworks still to come. (WS)

Tasted blind. Quite deep ruby with narrow orange rim. Immediate and concentrated nose with enormous depth as well as richness. Has bags of everything, and quite a bit of new oak but it’s effortlessly matched by the rich fruit. Perfectly balanced with juicy integrated acidity, and elegant, clinging, long tannins. Very imposing and with potential. (WS)

Tasted blind. Deep and almost impenetrable ruby. Quite grubby on the nose while rich on the palate, but overall lacks contour and definition. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby. A little stalky and closed on the nose. Supple palate with marasca cherry and hints of marzipan. Concentrated yet elegant and with plenty of juicy acidity and soft, bitter-sweet, clinging tannins. Can be approached now but has potential to improve in bottle. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Ripe, lifted and exotic nose. Unusual palate of ripe and very aromatic fruit, as if the grapes had been harvested overripe, although no signs of stewed fruit. Bags of grainy tannins pull it into shape. Very unusual. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated ruby. Subdued yet minerally. On the palate perfectly handled oak, focused, tangy cherry fruit of real depth, and stubborn, chewy tannins. Still embryonic but with lots of stuffing. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby. Sweetly perfumed strawberry and cherry fruit. Elegant, almost ethereal fruit, but growing in stature on the finish and with bags of gorgeous, coating tannins. Long and aromatic, just not piling it very high at the moment, but with a full spread on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Balsamic sweet nose with a hint of pine. Tangy, dark fruit with elevated acidity on a very tannic finish. The fruit lacks the concentration needed to offset the tannic load. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges and already showing development. Still a little reductive on the nose and tightly wound and tannic on the palate. Quite powerful structure paired with elegant, succulent fruit, while the tannins are a little demanding at this stage. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated, complex nose of sweet cherry fruit and minerally, earthy notes and with a touch of gingerbread. A great mouthful of fruit aligned with a perfect dose of bright acidity. Very long, intense and rewarding and with a full, fruit-driven finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. A little stalky and grubby at first and needs lots of air. Elegant, sweet-sour cherry palate with sandpapery tannins. Elegant, concentrated and long. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with watery orange-tinged rim. Balsamic nose with hints of rather sweet fruit. Succulent and generous on the palate, this is easy to like and completely ready, but not really of Brunello stature. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Lifted, aromatic cherry and very ripe raspberry fruit on the nose. Sweet and yet not fully open on the palate with a mellow edge on the finish that makes it look a little too easy-going in spite of the plentiful tannins on the finish. Could be a little more energetic. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. A little stalky at first and then rich fruit coulis on the nose. Tangy, supple fruit on the palate. Quite shy on the finish, and still compact but with brooding energy. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. A little brooding and concentrated. Cool cherry and ripe raspberry fruit with fine, coating tannins. Hugely enjoyable and elegant at the same time and with a long, succulent finish revealing depth and complexity. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby. Compact yet aromatic fruit nose with a hint of cinnamon bark. Supple, compact fruit and chewy tannins with just a touch of oak on the finish. Well stitched together with a modernist polish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Savoury more than fruity and already a little developed. Quite a gentle fruit palate that could do with a little more concentration and zest. Accelerated development. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby. Balsamic nose with a hint of garden mint. Very reluctant, closed palate, but without the necessary depth for it to emerge after more age. The tannins are quite dominant on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Deep ruby. A little savoury on the nose but not much else at the moment. Tangy and supple cherry fruit getting denser on the finish. Chewy tannins add contrast. Could do with a little more time in bottle. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Concentrated, crushed, sweet berry-fruit nose. Succulent and juicy ripe fruit. Pure sour-cherry and raspberry fruit and with a dramatic, perfumed finish. Ready now. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby. Soft, herbal marasca cherry nose. Gentle and sweet fruit on the palate and with powdery tannins, but could be a little less innocent. Completely ready now. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Savoury and quite closed and not showing a lot of fruit on the nose right now. On the palate it is quite the reverse with bags of ripe fruit as well as rather astringent tannins on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Perfumed sweet red-fruit nose. Huge raspberry palate streamlined by supple acidity and sandy tannins. Very long, intense and immediate. Ready now. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby. A tight nose of dark fruit with a suggestion of oak. Ripe, but not really open on the palate. Very strange contradictory message of round fruit, which at the same time is closed. Bags of chewy tannins, which become a little drying on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Dark, brooding and with hints of stalks on the nose. The palate shows lots of sweet, ripe, dark fruit with almost entirely integrated acidity. Crunchy tannins pull the fruit into shape on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Ethereal red fruit with bags of stalky tannins. The fruit manages to balance the tannic load, but only just. A little rustic and with a stalky tannic finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. A striking, perfumed cherry and raspberry nose. Concentrated, ripe palate verging on very ripe, but it works. Tangy acidity and perfumed fruit finish with gripping but not dominant tannins. I am just unsure how well this will age. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated ruby with orange tinges. Sweet, dark fruit with hints of vanilla. Vanilla-laced dark fruit and creamy vanilla notes on the finish. I’d thought those days were finally over …. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Balsamic nose with hints of herb liqueur and a suggestion of gingerbread. Sour cherry and plenty of chewy tannins, but the palate lacks a little in depth as well as fruit concentration. Swift development? (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Lots of concentrated, sweet fruit on the nose. Fantastic chewy tannins and energetic, juicy fruit deliver tactile fireworks on the palate. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Sweet and concentrated and a little stalky/grubby. Concentrated fruit with slightly bitter, chewy tannins. Not entirely harmonious. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Leafy cherry fruit that is still compact and a little closed. Generous sour-cherry fruit and the tannins are persistent but never dominate the fruit. Muscular structure reveals itself even more on the finish, but the whole strikes a near-perfect balance. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Savoury, minerally red-fruit nose. Quite generous and not too demanding, with tangy cherry fruit marked by a touch of gingerbread and with firm, polished tannins. Ready now. (WS)

Tasted blind. Concentrated ruby. The concentrated nose conveys a sense of richness. Bags of fruit and chewy tannins intermingled with oak, but truly skilfully done. Very long, focused and dramatic. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with some development on the rim. Soft, red fruit and sour cherry. Finely grained but firm tannins framing soft, tangy fruit. Elegant and long with a grainy tannic charge on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Concentrated nose, but holding back a little and with a hint of stalks. Concentrated fruit on the palate with a certain coolness to it. Crunchy tannins on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby. A nose that is still a little closed on the fruit but with lots of interest. Minerally notes. Slow to reveal itself on the palate, too. At this stage more savoury than fruity, but it is brooding and the fruit needs time to come out. Sensationally balanced. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. A touch earthy and smoky on the nose while the fruit hesitates to come out. Backward on the palate too and a little muted but with hints of dried fruit on the finish, which might be an indication that its development has already begun. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby. Stalky/reductive but suggesting hidden depth. Hints of coffee bean. Rather sweet, dense fruit on the palate with gripping tannins on the finish and juicy acidity integrated in the rich fruit. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Cherry and herb liqueur. Concentrated, sweet and youthful on the palate with the coating tannins adding contrast to the plush fruit on the finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. At first a little stalky and reductive on the nose. Stubbornly closed on the palate, but there is plenty of brooding fruit as well as refreshing acidity. Quite a bit of oak on the finish, but the fruit comes out on top. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby. Red and very ripe, dark-fruit nose with a dusting of cacao, and just a tiny hint of apple peel. Soft and very ripe fruit that is not enormously complex. Soft drying tannins on the finish. Lacks oomph and depth. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. A tiny bit stalky and grubby on the nose. Gentle and ripe sweet-sour cherry on the palate. Generous and accessible. (WS)

Tasted blind. Deep ruby with bright orange tinges. Lots of concentrated dark fruit on the nose as well as palate and with bags of powerful tannins. Quite a powerful and concentrated wine, almost a bit too much so. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby. Minerally and complex nose that is very slow to open up fully. Elegant, ripe cherry that becomes more tangy and energetic on the finish. Firm tannic grip adding tactile drama. Fabulous, elegant mid-palate weight. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby. Gorgeous, perfumed red-fruit nose with an elegant note of oatmeal. Bright, concentrated red fruit with plenty of acidity. Very elegant and understated, with fine sandy tannins. Long and complex finish. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Brooding, concentrated and still a bit closed, but already revealing plenty of depth. Also great depth of fresh fruit on the palate. Sour cherry and ripe raspberry. Very long and with long, sandy tannins and just a suggestion of oak. Tangy and focused finish. (WS)

A little bit closed and right now more herbal than fruity. Supple and concentrated but not rich palate with quite firm tannins turning up on the finish. Could do with a little more acidity. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. Attractive cherry fruit with hints of cherry stones. The palate is still a little subdued but there is impressive concentration of fruit, without heaviness. Coating tannins clinging to the fruit on the finish. Long and accessible. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Lifted cherry fruit on the nose, which seems already a little developed. Perfumed, sour cherry on the palate. Gentle and tangy, but not enormously complex. Chewy tannins cling to the finish. Correct rather than exciting. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Perfumed and a little sweet on the nose. Cherry and raspberry. Succulent fruit with a stalky note and stalky tannins on the finish. Not the most concentrated, or profound, but with good length. (WS)

Tasted blind. Lustrous mid ruby. Alluring ripe dark fruit on the nose and fleshy and flashy on the palate. Quite a charmer. Tangy, concentrated fruit with finely knit, tannic structure on the finish. Already approachable. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby. A little stalky/reductive on the nose but the concentrated, perfumed, sweet fruit is evident, with hints of oak underneath. Long and richly flavoured cherry fruit with bittersweet tannins. Hugely accessible. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with bright orange tinges. Minerally marasca cherry fruit on the nose with a hint of gingerbread. Mouth-filling aromas of fruit combine with finely sculpted, coating tannins. Impressive length without going over the top. Just a hint of oak on the finish, which complements rather than distracts. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby with orange tinges. Concentrated yet cool cherry and raspberry nose. Supple, focused and quite pure and with coating tannins. Very good length, just not enormously complex (yet). (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby. A little stalky/reductive with brooding, sweet raspberry fruit. Tightly wound raspberry and sour-cherry palate with vibrant acidity. Clayey tannins on the finish. Quite slim and yet long. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby. Brooding cherry fruit on the nose and lots of dense fruit on the palate with firm tannins. Not the most complex of wines. (WS)

Tasted blind. Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Savoury nose already showing hints of mulch and a hint of nuttiness, perhaps from oak. Mellow fruit with just a little bit of tangy acidity on the finish. Quite sweet and lacking a little in definition. (WS)

Tasted blind. Deep ruby. A concentrated, sweet-savoury nose. Still embryonic and closed on the nose and tightly knit on the palate. Bags of chewy tannins, which are a great match for the concentrated but not sweet fruit. Gripping fruit finish showing no sign of sweetness – unlike many wines of this vintage. (WS)

Tasted blind. Youthful, concentrated ruby. Concentrated fruit with flashy oak hints, but undeniably attractive. Seductive palate with cherry fruit that is still a little closed, and firm tannins. The whole is polished, if a little modernist. (WS)

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Quite balsamic and developed on the nose with the first signs of undergrowth. Supple, slightly broad fruit with coating tannin. Completely ready now. (WS)