93+ point Vinous: "A bit less herbal and more bitter-chocolatey on the nose than the Ciel de Cheval, displaying aromas of red- and blackcurrant, strawberry, licorice, tobacco leaf, chimney soot and minerals. Plush, suave and lively on entry, then quite backward in the middle palate, showing currant, dark chocolate, menthol and herb flavors that should deepen with more time in bottle. Really saturates the palate and perfumes the mouth without any impression of weightiness--or easy sweetness. Finishes with substantial broad, dusty but suave tongue-saturating tannins and excellent rising length. More impressive in the early going than the Ciel du Cheval owing to its breadth and depth of texture, but more austere too; in fact, this is bone-dry in an Old World way."
2016 vintage notes
94 points Wine Enthusiast: "The scorched earth, black-cherry, dark-raspberry, flower and dried herb aromas are reserved on first pour. The palate is packed tightly, with layered and exquisitely balanced dark-fruit flavors backed by a lot of structure. There a sense of tension and balance that is captivating. It will have a very long life ahead of it. Give it a 24-hour decant if drinking in the near term. Best after 2025."
93 points Jeb Dunnuck: "It reveals a deep purple, mostly opaque color as well as a terrific bouquet of blueberries, blackberries, ground herbs, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, it's another elegant, straight, structured wine from this estate that needs short term cellaring but will keep for 15-20 years."