Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
par Stephen Tanzer le 30/06/2008
(86% merlot and 14% cabernet franc) Good deep red-ruby. Aromas of black raspberry, bitter chocolate, minerals and licorice; this smells ripe. The palate offers lovely sucrosite and floral lift to the rather voluptuous, enveloping flavors, with slightly edgy acidity giving the wine a penetrating quality. The firm tannins seem a bit abrupt, but the finish shows an enticing chocolatey ripeness. The fruit here came in with potential alcohol in the fairly high 13.5% range, noted estate manager Vazart, who told me that a saignee of just 3% was done.