This has turned out to be one of those wines that justifies investing in a wine cellar (or, in my case, cooler). When I bought several bottles on release back in 2003 (if memory serves), it was tight, tough, and tannic. In 2007, it still had "firm tannins," although it was "quite drinkable and a very interesting match for the Wild Boar dinner."
Tonight, however, after more than a decade of quietly resting at 55 degrees, it was brilliant. The huge bouquet was intense, pervasive, and redolent of blackberry, black pepper, leather, earth, and anise. The palate was dominated by dark fruit, pepper,and leather. The tannins are now fully integrated. I suspect that a well-cellared example could continue improving for another 5-10 years (much longer than my 2007 estimate), but why wait? Grade: A
