Tasted at the Valandraud vertical at the property, the 1999 Valandraud has a dark color and seems very youthful for its age. It is very concentrated and heady with copious dark cherry and blackcurrant fruit, a touch of camphor, crème de cassis and later, a hint of Japanese nori. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe, rounded black fruit. It has a sweet core of black fruit tinged with charcoal, moderate acidity, quite caressing in mouth albeit missing the complexity that I was hoping for. Perhaps it will develop a little more personality with bottle age, as there is good substance here. Tasted December 2016.

Sweet berry and floral aromas follow through to a full body, with very soft tannins and attractive, ripe fruit. Features a polished, caressing mouthfeel. This will improve with age, but no use in waiting.—'89/'99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now. 1,250 cases made. -JS