Deeply coloured for DRC. Earthy, full, frank and ripe at first sniff, with peppery raspberry ruffled by a little brisk oak. Later growing in aromatic amplitude: flamboyant and nosecatching. On the palate, this is weighty, spicy and massive by comparison with other vintages, its power and depth evident from the first sip.

There is ample tannin, though its presence is discernable not so much by texture as by flavour, rippling through the entire length of the wine and conveying an almost stern impression. Despite the heat of the year, the acidity is present, correct and balanced, shadowing and underscoring the line of structured fruit. There will be joy and song later, but they lie in abeyance for the time being, overwhelmed by the wine's substance. A landmark DRC Échézeaux.