Winemaker Notes
Blend: 49% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Lovely red and black fruit on the nose with charming tea leaf notes, framed by leather and coffee undertones. Nicely constructed palate, with lots of layers and fine-grained tannins. Soothing and soft, with a persistent finish.
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James Suckling
This has aromas of black olives, bay leaves, blackcurrants and blackberries. Fleshy, ripe black fruit here, with rounded tannins and a clean finish. Straightforward and balanced. Drink or hold.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
While it claims the same basic landscape as the Medoc—only every so slightly elevated above river level—the Haut Medoc is home to all of the magnificent chateaux of the Left Bank of Bordeaux, creating no lack of beautiful sites to see.
These chateaux, residing over the classed-growth cru in the villages of Margaux, Moulis, Listrac, St-Julien, Pauillac and St. Estephe are within the Haut Medoc appellation. Though within the confines of these villages, any classed-growth chateaux will most certainly claim village or cru status on their wine labels.
Interestingly, some classed-growth cru of the Haut Medoc fall outside of these more famous villages and can certainly be a source of some of the best values in Bordeaux. Deep in color, and concentrated in ripe fruit and tannins, these wines (typically Cabernet Sauvignon-based) often prove the same aging potential of the village classed-growths. Among these, the highest ranked chateaux are Chateau La Lagune and Chateau Cantemerle.