Vinous Comment - Score: 90 (2003 January)

Dark red. Inviting aromas of currant, leather, smoke, pepper and earth. Sweet, elegant and showy, with lovely juicy currant and pepper flavors. Has a distinctly claret-like weight and plummy character. Finishes suave and long. Showing a lot of personality today but this will evolve fairly rapidly. The 2001, which featured a stricter selection of fruit, seems much younger and capable of slower development in bottle.