After three hours in a decanter the wine was still tight and closed! Blackberry, milk chocolate and an odd plastic bandaid scent dominate the bouquet but it doesn’t seem to be Brett.

Blackberry, plums, cherry, dark chocolate, vanilla, aniseed and mint on the palate but this wine is closed down, so tight it’s almost a waste trying to fathom what’s going on. If you have any in your cellar (based on this bottle) I wouldn’t even attempt another one or two years.

The abundant powdery tannins are smoothing out well, hopefully the fruit will be sufficient and the acid is softening; the length is good but it’s so closed its hard to judge. Rating? No way I can judge but in time it’s got all the hallmarks of a very good long lived wine. Halliday suggested drinking from 2001 to 2006. Start about 2006 would be closer to the mark.