Bordeaux En Primeur 2021

Château La Clotte 92–93 Medium-deep crimson. Intense raspberry, blackberry red plum aromas with herb notes. Well concentrated redcurrant blackberry, red plum fruits and fine slinky tannins. Finishes cedary/ bitter firm with savoury undertones. Very good mineral length. Should build volume with age. 85% merlot, 15% cabernet franc. Fermentation in stainless steel vats followed by 18 months’ maturation in French oak. Château La Dominique 92–93 Medium-deep crimson. Very attractive red plum, red cherry, cassis aniseed aromas. Red plum, red cherry, mulberry, blackcurrant fruits, fine loose-knit slinky textures and underlying inky/ graphite complexity. Finishes brambly firm with bittersweet chinotto notes. 85% merlot, 13% cabernet franc, 2% cabernet sauvignon. 14 months’ maturation in 50% new, 40% seasoned oak and 10% in egg-shaped amphoras. 13.5% alc Château Monbousquet 92–93 Medium-deep crimson. Elemental, elderberry, brambly aromas with herb thyme aniseed notes. Juicy and vibrant with elderberry, dark chocolate, elderberry fruits, sinewy aldehyde/ sappy textures. Chocolaty dry finish. 70% merlot, 15% cabernet franc, 15% cabernet sauvignon. 50% new and 50% one-year-old French oak. 13.67% alc Château Pavie-Decesse 92–93 Medium-deep crimson. Fresh, blackberry, blackcurrant with aniseed notes. Inky textured and plushly concentrated with fresh blackberry, cedar notes and sinewy tannins. Sappy chewy firm finish. 88% merlot, 12% cabernet franc. 80% new and 20% one-year-old French oak. 14% alc Château Quinault L’Enclos 92–93 Medium-deep colour. Fresh raspberry pastille, blackberry fruits. Well concentrated and supple textured with fine bittersweet tannins. Finishes firm and minerally. Unforced elegance. Made using large 25 hl foudres. 59% merlot, 23% cabernet franc, 18% cabernet sauvignon. 13% alc Croix Canon (de Château Canon) 92–93 Medium crimson. Fresh red plums, redcurrant fruits and herb notes. Lovely red plum, redcurrant, raspberry fruits, fine slinky al dente textures. Attractive suppleness and mineral freshness. 54% merlot, 46% cabernet franc. 16 to 18 months with 30% new oak barrels and 2 oak foudres. 13.5% Les Arômes de Pavie (de Château Pavie) 92–93 Medium-deep crimson. Cacao, dark plum herb garden aromas and flavours and fine bittersweet tannins. Very good mid-palate density and fresh long acidity. Elemental but well balanced. 50% merlot, 50% cabernet franc. 14.4% alc

Château Dassault 91–92 Medium-deep crimson. Dark cherry, praline, hint liquorice aromas. Chocolaty and slinky wine with generous sweet dark cherry, plum fruits, fresh chalky/ al dente tannins and savoury oak complexity. Finishes chewy/ cedary and long. Juicy elements at the finish. Very elemental but could develop really well. 55% merlot, 35% cabernet franc, 10% cabernet sauvignon. 15 months in new and seasoned oak. 13.3% alc Château Pindefleurs 91–92 Medium-deep colour. Black cherry, raspberry aromas with dark chocolate notes. Very fresh black cherry, slightly brambly fruits and fine sinewy firm/ al dente textures. Finshes chocolaty/ chalky with some leafy notes. Very good density and vigour. 90% merlot, 10% cabernet franc. Château Cap de Mourlin 90–91 Medium-deep crimson. Dark cherry, carob aromas with herb spicy notes. Creamy dark cherry, dark chocolate, hazelnut flavours, plentiful fine chalky tannins and underlying cedar wood notes leading to a chalky finish with an inky plume. 82% merlot, 16% cabernet franc, 2% cabernet sauvignon. Approximately 15 months in new and seasoned oak. 13% alc Château Franc Mayne 89–90 Deep crimson. Elderberry, dark plum, graphite aromas with inky notes. Concentrated and vigorous with abundant elderberry, dark plum fruits, fine assertive/muscular tannins, savoury oak notes and attractive mineral length. Finishes firm and bittersweet. Dense but sinewy wine. 100% merlot. 16–18 months in 50% new oak and 50% seasoned oak casks. 13.5% alc Dame de Trotte Vielle (de Château Trotte Vielle) 89–90 Medium-deep crimson. Wax polish, redcurrant red plum aromas with herb garden notes. Redcurrant, brambly flavours sinewy, furball tannins, pronounced acidity. Very good density but structure dominates. 42% cabernet franc, 55% merlot, 3% cabernet sauvignon. Château Balestard La Tonnelle 88–89 Deep crimson. Fragrant dark plum, spicy aromas with sesame/ vanilla oak notes. Supple red plum, red cherry. Mulberry fruits, fine loose- knit chalky/ graphite tannins and underlying savoury oak. Finishes chalky dry with persistent red fruits. 82% merlot, 11% cabernet franc, 7% cabernet sauvignon. 15 months in 50% new & 50% second-year oak. 13% alc

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The Vintage Journal – International Series

Bordeaux 2022

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