Another sensational wine was the 1998 Hermitage les Bessards, which was poured from magnum. Showing a touch of maturity in its rich, full-bodied and concentrated style, it offers lots of dusty minerality, cured meats, smoked earth and mulled spices to go with a core of currant and cassis-like fruit. Balanced, layered and elegant, yet certainly not lacking in depth or density, it's drinking beautifully today but will hold nicely for another 15-20 years.