CRITIC REVIEWS
Julia Harding MW
63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. 18–20 months in French oak, 80% new. Malo in barrel. pH 3.57. Deep crimson with wide, soft cherry rim. Open and aromatic and totally inviting: black and dark-red fruits together with just a light leafy note lifting it from the glass. Smells extremely pure. On the palate, perfect balance between the freshness and the vibrant fruit, the tannins dense but polished. Becomes increasingly aromatic in the glass. The oak is receding but still present in a light sweetness and just a hint of spice. Dry tannins like many layers of paper, no grain, just dry, compact finesse. Both aromatic and elegant. Persistent, too. I found this very hard to spit and fully enjoyed the rest of the 100-ml test tube after I had finished tasting. (JH)
Jane Anson
An exceptional vintage, and an exceptional wine, punching in quality at the top of the appellation. Beginning to close down at five years old, the fingers of the tannins are closing in, but the bright succulent berry fruits are fully on display underneath and this has slate, cigar box, graphite, the full St Julien toolbox, precise but unyielding, supremely confident. 80% new oak. Harvest October 5 to 20.