Last Saturday night I produced a bottle of this, one of my favourite LLC’s, to a group of wine lovers at a “posh” restaurant in Sydney. It was bordering on fair/good at best - I had trouble giving it above 80 points. Not within a bull’s roar on this one below, opened with two experienced wine tasters earlier this year.

“Still a very deep ruby with virtually no bricking. Powerful, masculine, minerally (almost ferrous) bouquet housing a brooding, classy mix of graphite, deep-set curranty fruit, briar, black olives, herbs and plenty of newish savoury oak. “Lots going on here”, was Tony’s first remark as he nosed the Riedel. Jamie’s “Ahhh …. Bordeaux!”, was also a good start (the wine had been decantered sometime before and masked at Jamie’s request). From the outset, we were all surprised and most impressed by this wines’ enormity and youthfulness, particularly for the vintage. If anything, the palate has quite a way to go to reach maturity. Again, fantastic quality of savoury fruit and oak, more of the brooding mineral/briar/olive character, of full body, excellent delineation, robust, firm tannins and great length. Over the next hour or two we sniffed, swirled and sipped our way through this Outstanding bottle of St. Julien until there was no more. My best sip was the last. Drink 2011-2025. 93 points”

An elegant, satisfying Bordeaux just failing to deliver the “killer punch” or enough “wow factor” on the palate to deserve an Excellent rating. Bright deep red with a medium ruby core and a little rust in the outer edge. Lovely seamless, integrated “savoury” nose of sandalwood, tobacco leaf, dried herbs, roasted green vegetables and blackcurrants with a spicy, cedary top note. The palate displays a softness of texture suggesting readiness, glossy red fruits, some silky ripe tannins, reasonable length and a savoury finish. Unfortunately, there’s also a degree of diffusion and, seemingly, a lack of complexity that fails to deliver on what the nose promises. Very Good at best. 87 points. Best to drink now or over the next few years. 12.5% A/V