Still very youthful-looking in the glass. An attractive, dark crimson almost right up to the edge. Very expressive on the nose. Complex, alluring scents of flowers, earth, pine needles and spice jump from the glass. Full-bodied, rich and plush in texture. Definitely modern in style - but not overdone. Loaded with juicy, ripe plum and dark currant fruit character, with a huge dose of sweet baking spices. Almost like liquid gingerbread. There's excellent depth on the mid-palate and the long finish features silky tannins that are well-integrated. Quite a unique flavor profile for a Fronsac. So unusual, complex and delicious. 92++ 50+5+13+17+7=92
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I really hate over-alcoholic wines.… But this was good. No heat, no bitterness, just waves of red and black fruit, talcum powder tannins, and a long finish. Call it modern, call it over done. Call it whatever you want. It’s darned good juice. The cab franc really adds some complexity and interest, too. The price makes it all that much better. 15% ABV (very good; above average; distinguished; compelling/***/16/93)
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(9/16/21) An extremely nice bottle that was definitely young but very enjoyable. It was badly disjointed on day one but smashing on day two, showing masses of black and red fruits on the nose and palate, as well as cigar wrapper on the nose. The palate had a young, feisty tannic edge to it, but the tannins were ripe and the wine felt great. The abv was obnoxiously high (15%), but it contributed to the opulent feel of the wine, and in the end, this wine had the concentration of fruit needed to completely hide the alcohol—you never would have known it was that high! 15% abv (***+/16.5/93)
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(2/4/21) This vintage LVC hasn’t let me down yet. Beautiful bottle, dripping on the nose and palate with dark-chocolate covered cherries and ripe plums. As always, the balance is so good, there’s no trace of the high alcohol. 15% abv. (***+/16/92)
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(1/21/21) This bottle was drinking very well. After two hours in the decanter, it was focused on relatively soft tannins, red and dark fruits, and bitter chocolate on the nose and palate. It showed good acidic verve and enough concentration to completely hide the jet fuel-like alcohol level (15% abv.). After three hours, the herbaceous notes from the cab franc started to make themselves known, along with some mint. It was best on day 2, though. The leafy aromas went away, and it was all black cherries and plums. The palate was softer and everything hung together even better. It was a 90-91 on day 1, but the score is for day 2. (***+/16/92)
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Mouth: Blackberry puree and plum sauce come through open but still focused, flanked by notes of crushed anise, black tobacco and bay leaf. Tobacco smolders lightly into the extended, chalky finish.
Overall: Open in feel but still structured, with a profile that's both classical and generous, dark fruit that's both well rendered and pleasantly deep. Approachable now. Doesn't feel like a minor AOC: This is one of the best cuvees from this producer to date. Drink now - 2029
92.
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(11/17/20) Made from an assemblage of 75% merlot, 22% cabernet franc and 3% cabernet sauvignon. This bottle was very different from the last two—much less focused on luscious, dark, chocolate-covered fruits, a little thinner, and more focused on red fruits and the cab franc spice and pyrazines; 15% (***/15/90)
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(9/25/20) This was a young, powerful wine full of luscious, dark fruits and fine, ripe tannins. It was ready on release, just as Jeff Leve said it would be when he tasted it two years ago. Great balance here, too. You would never have guessed this was 15% abv. (***/15/91)
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Dark, chocolate-covered fruits, licorice and toasty oak, along with soft, round, corpulent textures are the main features of this wine. This will a pleasure to drink on release.
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3/26/2024 - espachul1983 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Great right bank Bordeaux for the price!!!
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3/5/2024 - Bam_Man Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still very youthful-looking in the glass. An attractive, dark crimson almost right up to the edge. Very expressive on the nose. Complex, alluring scents of flowers, earth, pine needles and spice jump from the glass. Full-bodied, rich and plush in texture. Definitely modern in style - but not overdone. Loaded with juicy, ripe plum and dark currant fruit character, with a huge dose of sweet baking spices. Almost like liquid gingerbread. There's excellent depth on the mid-palate and the long finish features silky tannins that are well-integrated. Quite a unique flavor profile for a Fronsac. So unusual, complex and delicious. 92++
50+5+13+17+7=92
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7/13/2022 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 93 Points
I really hate over-alcoholic wines.… But this was good. No heat, no bitterness, just waves of red and black fruit, talcum powder tannins, and a long finish. Call it modern, call it over done. Call it whatever you want. It’s darned good juice. The cab franc really adds some complexity and interest, too. The price makes it all that much better. 15% ABV (very good; above average; distinguished; compelling/***/16/93)
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6/19/2022 - sirwine Likes this wine: 91 Points
What a delightful, fruity wine. Cassis, crushed blackberry with hints of vanilla from the wood. Minty notes on the finish. Great bottle of wine.
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9/16/2021 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 93 Points
(9/16/21) An extremely nice bottle that was definitely young but very enjoyable. It was badly disjointed on day one but smashing on day two, showing masses of black and red fruits on the nose and palate, as well as cigar wrapper on the nose. The palate had a young, feisty tannic edge to it, but the tannins were ripe and the wine felt great. The abv was obnoxiously high (15%), but it contributed to the opulent feel of the wine, and in the end, this wine had the concentration of fruit needed to completely hide the alcohol—you never would have known it was that high! 15% abv (***+/16.5/93)
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2/4/2021 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 92 Points
(2/4/21) This vintage LVC hasn’t let me down yet. Beautiful bottle, dripping on the nose and palate with dark-chocolate covered cherries and ripe plums. As always, the balance is so good, there’s no trace of the high alcohol. 15% abv. (***+/16/92)
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1/21/2021 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 92 Points
(1/21/21) This bottle was drinking very well. After two hours in the decanter, it was focused on relatively soft tannins, red and dark fruits, and bitter chocolate on the nose and palate. It showed good acidic verve and enough concentration to completely hide the jet fuel-like alcohol level (15% abv.). After three hours, the herbaceous notes from the cab franc started to make themselves known, along with some mint. It was best on day 2, though. The leafy aromas went away, and it was all black cherries and plums. The palate was softer and everything hung together even better. It was a 90-91 on day 1, but the score is for day 2. (***+/16/92)
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12/8/2020 - RoyaltyCoins wrote: 92 Points
Deep ruby.
Nose: Crushed blackberry, tobacco, fresh anise.
Mouth: Blackberry puree and plum sauce come through open but still focused, flanked by notes of crushed anise, black tobacco and bay leaf. Tobacco smolders lightly into the extended, chalky finish.
Overall: Open in feel but still structured, with a profile that's both classical and generous, dark fruit that's both well rendered and pleasantly deep. Approachable now. Doesn't feel like a minor AOC: This is one of the best cuvees from this producer to date. Drink now - 2029
92.
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11/17/2020 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 90 Points
(11/17/20) Made from an assemblage of 75% merlot, 22% cabernet franc and 3% cabernet sauvignon. This bottle was very different from the last two—much less focused on luscious, dark, chocolate-covered fruits, a little thinner, and more focused on red fruits and the cab franc spice and pyrazines; 15% (***/15/90)
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9/25/2020 - Jake Barnes Likes this wine: 91 Points
(9/25/20) This was a young, powerful wine full of luscious, dark fruits and fine, ripe tannins. It was ready on release, just as Jeff Leve said it would be when he tasted it two years ago. Great balance here, too. You would never have guessed this was 15% abv. (***/15/91)
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4/26/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Dark, chocolate-covered fruits, licorice and toasty oak, along with soft, round, corpulent textures are the main features of this wine. This will a pleasure to drink on release.
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