A bit woodsy in feel now, with a youthfully raw edge, as singed sandalwood and alder notes liberally frame the core of dark cherry, plum and black currant fruit. This has length and drive, with a smoldering feel echoing...

The savoury, floral edge of Cabernet on gravel is fully on display, and it needs time in the glass to soften and unroll. After a few minutes, the smoky side comes out, and the lean but concentrated berry fruit, although...

The brilliant 2011 Troplong Mondot is one of the superstars of the vintage. The final blend was 89% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, and the wine tips the scales at 14.5% alcohol. Its opaque...

(WE93-95 points) A firm and tannic wine, it has the weight to support its tannins. It's balanced, solid and dense, with a powerful shot of black fruits.

(94-96). Barrel sample. Showing a judicious blend of new wood and ripe fruit, this is a wine that has a creamed-apple texture. It's full of bright grapefruit, sweet apple and green plum flavors.

(WE94-96 points) Big and powerful this is a wine that is supported by dense tannins. The feeling is dry and firm with a brooding black-currant character.

The 2011 Pape Clement, a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, was aged 18 months in new French oak before being bottled unfiltered. Absolutely profound, with a complex...

This wine is based on tannins yet it also has weight and a complex fruit structure. Its power lies in the density of its texture.

A great success for the vintage, this wine is firmly structured and expressive, bringing out a dark structure, ripe tannins and swathes of black fruits. Further generosity will develop as the wine matures. Drink from...

A Duhart that was particularly subdued when young, it is continuing to develop and will be even better in two or three years. Plenty of juice, dark fruits and firm tannins. It's a wine with so much freshness that you get...

This is typical of the ripe and opulent style of this property with superripe black currant fruit. It's concentrated in flavor, but also structured with smooth tannins. It's a wine both for short-term fruitiness and...

The 2011 Pavie is composed of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon (14.3% alcohol). It possesses a certain approachability, which is somewhat disarming for the big, robust, super-concentrated and...

This is the first vintage of Jacques Thienpont's new wine, over the border in St-Émilion. Eight hectares of 30-year-old vines, harvested three weeks later than at Le Pin. 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Spicy, ripe and...

Wow. Wonderfully aromatic nose of currants, blackberries and lilacs. Full body but refined and beautiful. The quality of the tannins is exception. So fine. Lovely austerity and tension on the finish. Better in 2016.

Fabulous aromas of crushed berries, black truffles and cocoa. Full body with super-integrated tannins and a beautiful finish. This is fantastic for the second wine of Lafleur although the owner says the wine comes from a...

Complex aromas of blackberry and whole white truffles with hints of wet earth and stones. Full body and structured with gorgeous, velvety tannins, but reserved and polished. Very long finish with fabulous fruit. Goes on...

Features an iron spine that keeps the plum sauce, blackberry and currant fruit in check, with flickers of tobacco and charcoal on the finish. Best from 2015 through 2021. — JM

This complex wine has rich tannins and layers of new wood atop dark black berries. At the same time, it is rounding out well, offering spice, sweet acidity and a terse freshness that is infectious. It's a very fruity wine...

Delivers a solid, racy beam of raspberry coulis, black currant paste and blackberry fruit, underscored by a racy graphite spine. Flashes of fruitcake and tar show on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from...

Fabulous aromas of crushed berries, black truffles and cocoa. Full body with super-integrated tannins and a beautiful finish. This is fantastic for the second wine of Lafleur although the owner says the wine comes from a...

Clos Fourtet is a continuing success. This 2011 is both rich and seriously structured. Ripe, with a mineral character, it starts firm and then shows generous blackberry fruits. Still young, it should not be drunk before 2018.

Inky damson in colour, with tobacco, liquorice and dark chocolate scents, this remains powerful, with a mouthwatering saline finish. It doesn't feel anywhere near ready to open up yet. Impressive in a year that many...

Inky damson in colour, with tobacco, liquorice and dark chocolate scents, this remains powerful, with a mouthwatering saline finish. It doesn't feel anywhere near ready to open up yet. Impressive in a year that many...

Shows serious concentration of fruit for the vintage, with a medium to full body, fine tannins and a juicy finish. Beautiful, pure fruit, with licorice and berries. Needs a few years to come together: try in 2017

Wow. Wonderfully aromatic nose of currants, blackberries and lilacs. Full body but refined and beautiful. The quality of the tannins is exception. So fine. Lovely austerity and tension on the finish. Better in 2016.

Wow. Wonderfully aromatic nose of currants, blackberries and lilacs. Full body but refined and beautiful. The quality of the tannins is exception. So fine. Lovely austerity and tension on the finish. Better in 2016.

(90-93 points) This is solid, with a core of black currant, crushed plum and fig notes laced judiciously with sweet toast and graphite notes. Nice length.

Another excellent to outstanding effort from the Nony family, the 2011 Grand-Mayne offers up beautifully sweet raspberry and blueberry fruit intermixed with crushed rock-like notes as well as a jammy character (unusual in...