Revealing an incredibly deep, opaque, black ruby colour, this youthful Pauillac throws up a huge, profound, brooding nose of cedar, creosote, briar, French herbs, damp earth with evolving, enticing hints of licorice and currants but still needs many years, possibly even a decade or more to reach its’ aromatic zenith. The palate follows a similar path - power-packed with masses of tarry extract, bucketloads of firm, mouth-puckering tannins and an abundance of acidity, especially for the vintage. Even at almost eighteen years of age, this wine still looks horribly backward and unresolved on the palate. Suggest anyone with a cool, dark cellar to leave it be for at least five years and then hopefully enjoy the rewards of their patience for at least another twenty years thereafter. To my way of thinking, superb aromatics alone are insufficient for a wine to merit an Outstanding rating. On tonight’s performance, I’m having trouble giving this, regularly over-achieving fifth-growth, 90 points, but with a caveat for much better things once the palate sheds its harshness and, hopefully, reveals the class of the bouquet. If you’re intent on opening one soon, make sure you serve this with a hearty red meat dish to counter the firmness of the palate.