Tasted at The Glasshouse in South Africa. This might be turning out to be my favourite vintage of Clos Saint Jacques – this bottle better than any I remember. It has a sensational nose that is pure as you can imagine with blueberry, violets and crushed stone. The palate is so silky smooth with perfectly judged acidity. It hardly seems to have evolved since I last tasted it with an unerring sense of symmetry on the glycerine-tinged finish. Complete is the most apt word I can think of-followed by -delicious-. Tasted September 2012.

Tasted at The Swan in Southwold. Rousseau’s Clos Saint Jacques ’99 sports a heavenly nose of blueberry, raspberry, violets and black plums suffused with great tension and minerality. The palate is full-bodied though not muscular, wonderful balance and harmony here, perhaps less acidity and more rounded than I was expecting with a touch of black pepper perking up the finish that fans out across the mouth and lingers. Sublime, but so youthful. Drink now-2020. Tasted January 2010.

A deeper ruby hue, much more youthful in appearance. The nose has far more intensity, raspberry leaf, hedgerow and a touch of iodine. Great clarity. Very natural and harmonious with a “coolness” about it. Full-bodied, tannic, much more masculine with superb balance. Very harmonious, supple, touch of black pepper, again quite sharp on the finish. Chewy, tannic finish. Good length and definition. Long-term potential. Tasted July 2006.

by Neal Martin for WA