Winemaker Notes
Deep, rich color. A nose of black fruit, menthol, evolving into mineral notes when aired (pencil lead, chalk). An elegant palate, voluptuous, supple, silky tannins.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
There’s a very bright and ripe array of dark berries and plums with an earthy edge, as well as nuances of sweetly fragrant black truffle. The palate has a very supple and fluid core of ripe dark plums with a very sleek, polished and compressed bed of tannins. Great depth and drive here through the finish. Mouthwatering, pure merlot
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Wine Spectator
Very solid, offering a core of steeped black currant and blackberry confiture notes liberally lined with anise edges and backed by a racy, chalky spine for balance. Approachable, but a few years of cellaring will work too.
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine is richly spicy and refreshingly juicy. Fine tannins give the wine its structure while leaving the beautiful fruit right up front. This will be ready from 2025.
Barrel Sample: 88–90 Points
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.
On the right bank of Bordeaux between St. Emilion and Bergerac, Cotes de Francs boasts southwestern exposed slopes that produce robust Merlot-based wines. A tiny amount of Sémillon is grown and made in both dry and sweet styles.