Médoc area
fers minerality, freshness, tension, good definition, a certain gourmandise, a fine creaminess as well as a nice acidic backbone. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of creamy strawberry, juicy/tart redcurrant and, more slightly, fresh/tart plum combined with a touch of blackcurrant, racy minerality, graphite, a subtle saline touch and a very discreet touch of good bitterness and vanilla. Tannins are mellow. Good length. Nice acidity and positive bitterness on the finish.
Score : 16.5/20 (93/100)
AOC HAUT-MÉDOC
Château Belgrave 2019
Haut-médoc 5ème Grand Cru Classé
The nose is racy, spicy and offers a fine intensity/concentration. There are notes of pulpy wild blackberry, pulpy raspberry and, more slightly, cardamom combined with fine hints of tonka bean, crushed ripe berries as well as a subtle hint of bergamot and a very discreet pepper. The palate is fruity and offers freshness, minerality, acidity, a nice guideline and a fine tension. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of crisp/juicy red berries, juicy/pulpy blackberry and slightly juicy/fresh cherry combined with hints of violet, lily, tonka bean and fine toasted notes. The tannins are smooth and precise. The wine is gourmet and has a subtle chewiness on the finish. Delicate, with some salinity/sapidity on the finish. Score : 16/20 (92/100)
Château La Lagune 2019
Haut-médoc 3ème Grand Cru Classé
The nose is fruity, elegant, racy and offers depth as well as a fine, powdery texture. There are notes of fleshy blackcurrant, pulpy raspberry and, more slightly, fleshy/ripe cherry combined with fine touches of star anise, violet and a fine hint of clove and a very discreet hint of exotic spices. The palate is fruity and offers minerality, juiciness, a fresh/acidic frame, good definition, elegance, straightness, a nice precision, energy and depth. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/acidic blackberry, pulpy/acidic raspberry and, more slightly, fleshy/acidic strawberry, combined with hints of pulpy blue berries/blueberry, zan, a subtle hint of sap, vanilla, pepper and discreet hints of mocha, racy honey and graphite. Score : 16.75/20 (93-94/100)
CRUS CLASSÉS 2015
Grand Vin de Château Latour 2015
Pauillac 1er Grand Cru Classé
The nose is elegant, mineral and offers delicacy, purity, depth, grain and a fine airiness in the approach. There are notes of wild blackcurrant, star anise and, more slightly, ripe black berry fruit, combined with hints of pulpy cherry, graphite, racy minerality and discreet, almost toasted almond notes. The palate is nicely fruity, racy and offers a very nice minerality, purity, acidity, energy, tension, a very nice delicacy and a nice mineral/crystalline side. An enveloping and delicate side. On the palate this wine expresses juicy/fresh blackcurrant, juicy/fresh boysenberry and, more slightly, wild berry notes combined with hints of blond tobacco/cigar, theirs as well as fine almost tonka bean/chocolate, a subtle saline character, a discrete liquorice note and an imperceptible hint of vanilla bean. The tannins are sapid, supple, elegant and offer a subtle powdery quality. Nice work on the positive bitterness (which gives the wine depth and length). A discreet almost tightness on the finish.
Score : 18.25/20 (96-97/100)
CRUS CLASSÉS 2012
AOC MARGAUX
Château Palmer 2012
Margaux 3ème Grand Cru Classé
A lovely nose offering power, minerality, depth, intensity, complexity and a very fine grain of power. There are notes of zan, black tea and, more slightly, nutmeg, morello cherry combined with delicate touches of violet, tobacco as well as fine points of ripe violet plum, crunchy redcurrant and a subtle hint of almost lavender. The palate is nicely fresh and offers power in delicacy, a nice powdery texture, a certain intensity in control, a mineral frame, complexity as well as a nice fruit (a fine point of over-ripeness but all in freshness). On the palate this wine expresses morello cherry, crunchy/fresh blackberry, fairly ripe (but fresh) wild strawberry and, more slightly, violet combined with hints of cocoa, lavender, tobacco leaf as well as fine dots of nutmeg, Bourbon vanilla and a discreet almost herbal hint (lavender, tea..). Nice sapidity and chewiness on the finish. The tannins are soft and gourmet. Score : 18.75/20 (97-98/100)
Château d’issan 2012
Margaux 3ème Grand Cru Classé
The nose is aromatic, elegant, discreetly tight and offers a certain intensity and elegance as well as airiness. There are notes of Cuben pepper, wild blackcurrant and, more slightly, of spices combined with touches of lily, red berries as well as discreet hints of toastiness and a very discreet hint of almost aromatic herbs / roast. The palate is mineral, tightly wound and offers freshness, good definition, delicacy and finesse, silkiness, a certain richness, a nice acidic structure, precision, finesse, a fine fatness and a fine straightness. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of fairly ripe blackcurrant, camphor, Cuben pepper and, more slightly, wild red berries, combined with hints of clove, a fine touch of tobacco, saline minerality, a subtle animal touch, and a discreet hint of spice and chocolate (in the background). A very discreet hint of roasting in the background. The tannins are racy. A very fine hint of undergrowth both on the nose and on the palate. Score : 16.75/20 (93-94/100)
Château Dauzac 2012
Margaux 3ème Grand Cru Classé
The nose is fruity and offers a certain intensity/concentration, a fine floral side as well as a fine spicy side. There are notes of creamy blackberry, crushed raspberry and, more slightly, of violet combined with delicate touches of iris, cherry blossom, Cuben pepper as well as discreet vanilla and a subtle hint of blond tobacco. The palate is fruity and offers freshness, minerality, a juicy/acidic structure, good definition, a certain gourmandise, tension, precision, a discreet straightness, dynamism and fat. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/fresh raspberry, juicy/fresh cherry and, more slightly, tart/fresh blackberry, combined with hints of violet plum, fine points of lily, iris, nutmeg, toasted hazelnut and a subtle hint of bourbon vanilla and bergamot. A discreet hint of salinity in the background. Score : 16.5+/20 (93-94/100)
Château du Tertre 2012
Margaux 5ème Grand Cru Classé
The nose is racy. There are notes of wild blackcurrant, wild black berries and, to a lesser extent, violets, combined with hints of grey pepper, nutmeg and fine hints of dried wild strawberry and undergrowth. The palate is fruity, a little tight and offers juiciness, acidity, tension, finesse, delicacy and a nice acidity. A certain concentration and power with finesse. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of tart/juicy cherry, crushed redcurrant and, more slightly, violet combined with hints of blackberry, undergrowth, a touch of cedar, toastiness as well as a fine touch of zan, salinity and discrete hints of roasting. The tannins are precise and well-managed. A very discreet hint of mint on the finish.
Score : 16.5+/20 (93-94/100)
Château Cantenac Brown 2012
Margaux 3ème Grand Cru Classé
The nose is elegant and offers purity, intensity and a fine, discreetly tight grain. There are notes of wild raspberry, fleshy boysenberry and, more slightly, blue berries combined with delicate touches of plum blossom, fine hints of tonka bean, a discreet hint of Sichuan pepper and a subtle hint of star anise (in the background). The palate is fresh, fruity, elegant and offers a nice definition, a certain straightness, roundness and finesse, a certain fatness as well as gourmandise. On the palate this wine expresses notes of crunchy red berries, fleshy/pulpy blackberry and, more slightly, blueberry combined with hints of fresh/pulpy red berries, hints of nutmeg, cardamom, fine hints of vanilla, a subtle hint of cocoa, cinnamon as well as a discreet hint of bergamot and pepper. The tannins are precise, fine and elegant.
Score : 16.5/20 (93/100)
Château Prieuré-lichine 2012
Margaux 4ème Grand Cru Classé
The nose offers a certain power and intensity as well as some animalistic, wild notes. There are notes of ripe blackberry, ripe wild blackcurrant and slightly wild strawberry combined with hints of salinity, violet, almond, nutmeg and a discreet hint of incense and game. The palate is fruity, balanced and offers minerality, freshness and linearity. On the palate this wine expresses juicy/fresh blackberry, pulpy blackcurrant and a touch of raspberry notes combined with hints of violet, dried lily as well as hints of dried currant, undergrowth, discreet hints of smoke and a subtle pepper note. The tannins are sapid.
Score : 15.5+/20 (91/100)