Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Carlmagnus has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and vivacious scents of redcurrant jelly, ripe black plums and boysenberries, plus hints of iron ore, black truffles, lavender and cracked black pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate fills the mouth with intense red and black fruit layers, supported by ripe, rounded tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and earthy.
Barrel Sample: 91-93 -
Decanter
Ripe black fruit and cinnamon touches on the nose - exotic spices and ripe fruits. Juicy and lifted, lovely supple texture, just bright acidity, a much lighter expression than many. Tannins are super-fine, barely present and this is much more about the fruit speaking. Some hints of salt and herbs, cola, blueberries and raspberries. Joyous, with a light touch. Just so light but clean and precise. Layers of slate, acidity and freshness. Accessible and fun.
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James Suckling
Dark berries, red plums, cloves and licorice with a hint of dried orange peel. Medium-bodied, juicy and crunchy with firm tannins. Shows freshness and poise. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc.
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.
Home of the very first remarkable Right Bank wines, dating back to the 1730s, Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac actually retained more fame than Pomerol well into the 19th century. Today these wines represent some of Bordeaux’s best hidden gems.
Fronsac is a very small region at an unusually high elevation compared to other Bordeaux appellations. Its vineyards unroll along the oak-dotted hills bordering the river’s edge, making it perhaps Bordeaux’s prettiest and most majestic countryside.
Merlot covers 60% of the vineyard acreage; the rest of the vines are Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac appellations are limited to the higher land where soils are predominantly limestone and sandstone. Lower vineyards along the Dordogne River mainly qualify for Bordeaux AOC status
The best Fronsac are deeply concentrated in ripe red and black berry; they have a solid mineral backbone and are rich and plush on the finish.