Rich with excellent balance, this is a remarkable wine with elegant & complex aromas. Full-bodied on the palate, but still clean, sharp & fresh with an intense & lengthy finish of rip & noble tannins. ...

This Margaux 2011 offers a deep ruby-red colour & a bouquet delicately combining liquorice with roasted coffee notes & surprising hints of cassis bud. The tannins are fleshy & very full thanks to the slow extraction during the vatting process. The long, silky finish combines flavours of cassis (stemming from the dominant cabernet sauvignon) with slightly woody notes, revealing all the elegance of this wine. At Chateau Pouget particular attention is paid to the harvesting date, with the aim of picking grapes that have reached optimum ripeness. The grapes are sorted both in the vineyard & at the winery, & express all the finesse of this great terroir. ...

This attractive wine is surprisingly elegant, lush & fruit forward, as one might expect from this unheralded appellation. Merlot & Malbec work together giving a rich, mouthfilling structure & ripe soft plummy fruit, while Cabernet Franc cuts through with its crunchy fruit & tighter tannins. This wine hit 14.5% natural alcohol in 2010, which I think is an all-time high. ...

A superb medium to full bodied, rich, ripe Gigondas from this historic estate founded by Eugene Raspail who even hd a boulevard ...

The palate shows a fresh, vibrant fruit character with black & red fruit spreading across the mid-palate. Beautifully textured with fresh acidity & fine-grained tannin giving length to this appealing Rauzan. It is a beautiful wine in this vintage, not nearly as powerful & structured as the 2010, but it has complex notes of sweet red & black fruits, unsmoked cigar tobacco, spice box & a hint of very subtle wood. The complex perfume is followed by a dark ruby/plum-coloured wine with beautifully sweet tannins, a silky, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, & a long finish. ...

With Merlot as half the shareholder in the blend, this succulent & modern claret is ripe & easy drinking. Savoury flavours stemming from the oak age give a well developed roundness & richness to the palate. If only more entry level Claret drank like this... ...

With Merlot as half the shareholder in the blend, this succulent & modern claret is ripe & easy drinking. Savoury flavours stemming from the oak age give a well developed roundness & richness to the palate. If only more entry level Claret drank like this... ...

Boasting a lovely ruby-red colour with violet tints, this wine releases scents of red berries, cassis & blueberry, along with a hint of fresh vanilla. On the palate, the attack is fleshy & intense, with velvety tannins. Flavours of ripe cherry emerge, mingling with notes of mild spices & paprika. Lightly woody notes come out, although respecting the fruit character of the wine. The finish is long & flavoursome. ...

A long period of ageing in oak barrels was needed to round off this very powerful wine. Citrus & fresh fruit aromas combine with candied apricot & green almonds on the nose. Great length on the palate matched with lively, fresh fruit, & a strong impression of honey & acacia blossom. ...

The 2000 Chateau Ripeau Grand Cru Classe is a reminder that the best things in life are worth waiting for. Deep & brooding aromas of plum, black cherry, & dark earth lead to a complex & layered palate. Black plum, graphite, toast, & cherries intermingle with minerals & elegant, soft tannins. Full of opulent fruit, seamlessly integrated & with a backbone to carry it through the next decade
- or longer, this is a wine that will offer years of unique & memorable wine drinking experiences. Chateau Ripeau is biodynamically farmed & benefits from the skilled winemaking talent of Barbara Janoueix Coutel & world-famous wine consultant Michel Roll&. It is one of just 32 Grand Cru Classe properties in St. Emilion. Featured on 18th century maps, this legendary classified growth Chateau is bordered by Cheval Blanc, Figeac & La Dominique. The cellar & chateau sit majestically on the estate, surrounded by tall trees, peaceful gardens & of course, rows of old vine Merlot, Cabernet & Cab Franc making up a total of 15.3 hectares. Grape Varieties: 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon This wine drinks beautifully with mushrooms, bird game, salmon, spare ribs & roasted lamb.
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