Médoc area

Château Haut-bages Libéral 2012

Margaux 5ème Grand Cru Classé

The wine needs to be decanted. Crunchy blackcurrant, morello cherry and slightly blueberry notes are combined with touches of racy/seedy minerality, fine liquorice/zan, discreet cardamom and an imperceptible hint of clove, fresh vanilla and almost black truffle. The palate is fresh, mineral, balanced and offers a good definition, an acidic backbone, a nice racy minerality, some concentration, accuracy and dynamism. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy blackberry, crunchy blackcurrant and, more slightly, pulpy/fleshy redcurrant combined with hints of blueberry, chocolate, caramelisation, toasted/caramelised hazelnut as well as a subtle hint of almost saffron and truffle. A fine chewiness on the finish. Smooth tannins. Good length.

Score : 17.5/20 (95/100)

Château Grand-puy Ducasse 2012

Margaux 5ème Grand Cru Classé

The nose is aromatic and offers a certain power, a stretched side, a fine grain as well as a certain intensity. There are notes of wild strawberries, red berries, violets and a hint of pepper, combined with hints of fresh tobacco, tea, sweet spices and cloves. The palate is fruity, tightly wound and offers juiciness, minerality, good definition, a certain gourmandise, tension, energy, an acidic frame and a certain racy minerality. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of fairly ripe wild blackberry, wild strawberry and, more slightly, flowers (violet, lilac) combined with hints of mocha, sweet spices, fine hints of undergrowth, tea and a discreet hint of dried red berries, nutmeg and a subtle hint of clove. The tannins offer a certain straightness. Discreet hints of undergrowth and mushroom on the nose and palate.

Score : 16+/20 (92-93/100)

Château Pichon Baron 2012

Pauillac 2ème Grand Cru Classé

The nose is spicy, aromatic, discreetly tight and offers fine concentration and depth. There are notes of blackcurrant, incense, saffron and a little spice, with hints of ripe wild strawberry, fine hints of star anise and a discreet hint of lilac (in the background) and a subtle touch of sweet pepper. The palate is fruity and offers minerality, good definition, roundness, some fat, a certain gourmandise, minerality and a certain tension. It is currently a little tight/restrained. On the palate this wine expresses notes of crushed blackcurrant, crunchy blackberry and, more slightly, saffron, incense combined with hints of toast, hazelnut as well as fine hints of crushed raspberry, chocolate and a subtle hint of salinity. A lot of gourmandise, generosity, substance and a little creaminess, but all the while maintaining an airy approach and balance.

Score : 17.25/20 (94-95/100)

AOC SAINT-ESTÈPHE

Château Montrose 2012

Saint-estèphe 2ème Grand Cru Classé

The nose is elegant and offers fleshiness, a certain concentration, a very fine powdery side and richness. There are notes of crushed cherry, crushed raspberry and, more slightly, lily combined with a touch of balsamic, zan, colas, as well as hints of sweet blond tobacco, strawberry, racy minerality / iodised gravel, as well as a discreet hint of saltiness, nutmeg and vanilla. The palate is fresh, mineral, balanced and offers a nice mineral backbone, acidity, harmony, roundness, a nice grain, delicacy as well as a nice work on the bitter taste. On the palate this wine expresses fresh/juicy blackberry, crunchy raspberry and slightly juicy/ pulpy cherry notes combined with hints of fresh/chunky blackcurrant, hints of liquorice/zan, colas as well as fine clove, cardamom, vanilla and a subtle hint of cardamom. Hints of crushed hazelnut on the finish.

Score : 17.5/20 (95/100)

CRUS CLASSÉS 2011

AOC HAUT-MEDOC

Château La Lagune 2011

Haut-médoc, Grand Cru Classé

(Organic) The nose offers a certain power, a beautiful and fine grain, an aerial side, elegance as well as a certain delicacy. It reveals notes of wild cassis, pepper and small notes of ripe red fruits associated with small hints of pepper as well as slight hints of star anise, menthol and a discreet hint of fresh vanilla pod. The mouth is beautifully fresh, mineral, elegant, well-balanced and offers purity, a beautiful definition of the fruit, delicacy, a small tension as well as an acidulous frame. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of ripe/acidulous wild cassis, tangy/ripe raspberry and small notes of crunchy strawberry combined with touches of flowers, hints of undergrowth, mocha and a subtle hint of tobacco and almond. Tannins are wellbuilt, racy, elegant and offer a discreet mellowness. Good length.

Score : 16.5/20 (93/100)

AOC MARGAUX

Château Cantenac Brown 2011

Margaux 3ème Grand Cru Classé

The nose is elegant, gourmet and offers controlled power and concentration. There are notes of cocoa, blackberry and ripe wild strawberry combined with hints of violet, crushed raspberry and hints of nutmeg, racy minerality, a subtle note of camphor, torrefaction, vanilla and a discreet hint of sweet spices, eucalyptus and pepper. The palate is fruity, balanced and offers freshness, a nice minerality, a nice freshness, an acidic backbone, delicacy, suppleness, a nice juicy/ fresh character as well as a certain crunchiness of the fruit. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy wild blackberry and, more slightly, fleshy/juicy cherry, combined with hints of crushed raspberry, undergrowth, nutmeg, a hint of camphor and a subtle touch of vanilla and fresh hazelnut (in the background). The tannins are fine, supple and fresh. Good length and persistence. A very discreet hint of salt and eucalyptus in the background. The wine needs to be decanted. Score : 16.25/20 (92-93/100)

Château Prieuré-lichine 2011

Margaux 4ème Grand Cru Classé

The nose offers power and a fine concentration. There are notes of blackberry, crushed strawberry and, more slightly, ripe red berries combined with touches of tonka bean, hints of undergrowth, fine hints of coffee, a subtle hint of camphor and a discreet hint of coffee and almost anise. The palate is fruity, balanced and offers juiciness, smoothness, freshness, sapidity, stretch and a fine salinity. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of fresh/juicy blackberry, pulpy blackcurrant and, to a lesser extent, raspberry, combined with hints of salinity, racy minerality, tonka bean, star anise, a subtle hint of flowers and a very discreet hint of toasted almond. Good length. Subtle chewiness on the finish. Subtle, almost saline, eucalyptus note on the finish. Score : 16+/20 (92-93/100)

Château Rauzan-gassies 2011

Margaux 2ème Grand Cru Classé

The nose is powerful, precise and offers a nice power and finesse of grain. There are notes of ripe blackcurrant, crunchy Morello cherry and, more slightly, violet combined with touches of lily, bergamot as well as fine points of camphor, spices and a subtle touch of pepper. The palate is fruity, balanced and offers a nice minerality, a nice juiciness of the fruit, precision, a fine chewiness as well as a certain purity of the fruit. On the palate this wine expresses morello cherry, pulpy/juicy blackcurrant and, more slightly, crunchy strawberry notes combined with hints of violet, crushed currants, hints of liquorice, bergamot, subtle hints of sweet blond tobacco as well as a subtle hint of liquorice, a very discreet hint of colas and a subtle hint of sense of place and saline/grave minerality. The tannins are precise and racy. Good length. A very pretty, fresh and crunchy wine.

Score : 17/20 (94/100)

Château Ferrière 2011

Margaux 3ème Grand Cru Classé

The nose is fruity, elegant and offers a little creaminess as well as a fine power. There are notes of crunchy blackberry, crunchy redcurrant and, more slightly, plum combined with delicate hints of zan and blueberry. The palate is fruity and offers a tangy structure, a nice fleshiness of the fruit, good definition, a fine acidic backbone, a nice freshness and a certain gourmandise. On the palate this wine has crunchy redcurrant, pulpy strawberry and slightly blackcurrant notes with a touch of tart/juicy plum, blue berries, fine violet, vanilla and a subtle hint of blueberry, liquorice and eucalyptus (in the background). Nice tannins with a fine mellowness. Fine sapidity/salinity in the background.

Score : 16.25/20 (92-93/100)

Château Palmer 2011

Margaux 3ème Grand Cru Classé

The wine benefits from being decanted. The nose is tightly wound and offers concentration with finesse, nice power/intensity of grain as well as complexity. There are notes of fleshy blackberry, fleshy strawberry and, more slightly, racy/ seedy minerality combined with hints of Cuben pepper, sense of place (biotop), fine spice notes, discreet blond tobacco nuances and a subtle hint of flowers and cinnamon. The palate is nicely fresh, delicate and offers minerality, juiciness, a certain verticality, a controlled concentration, a nice tannic structure, a nice mel