Red purple almost inky, markedly different to the '97 in that the wine is already showing secondary charateristics of tobacco, leather, rich dark fruit. Tasting highlighted how huge this wine is, with flavours of blackberry, licquorice and dark chocolate to the fore. Full bodied with a good balance, albeit not very complex, good palate length and long finish.
Note: tasted 13.8.03. Cullen vertical consisting of 97,98,99,00 & 01.
Wine not decanted opened approx 1 hr before tasting.