Winemaker Notes
Blend: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Achieving nearly 15% natural alcohol (one of the highest of the Jonathan Maltus St. Emilion estates) , this blend of approximately 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc is from vineyards that sit on limestone soils near Clos Fourtet, an area that performed brilliantly in 2009. Inky purple, with notes of graphite, vanillin, blackberry and cassis as well as crushed rock and floral notes, the wine has breathtaking extravagance and a luxuriant fruit quality that simply has to be tasted to be believed. Phenomenally rich, full-bodied, and brilliantly poised and well-balanced, this is a tour de force in winemaking and a colossal Le Carre, the finest Jonathan Maltus has yet produced. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2028.
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James Suckling
Blueberries and plums, with hints of sweet tobacco and orange peel follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and a lightly toasted oak undertone and ripe fruit. Excellent wine from the same owners as Le Dome. Try after 2016.
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Wine Spectator
This is densely layered, displaying a creamy edge that makes the plum sauce, roasted fig and blackberry paste flavors seem accessible now, but the dense bittersweet cocoa and blueberry reduction notes add grip on the finish, and will require cellaring to meld fully. Best from 2014 through 2026.
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Wine Enthusiast
Low yields give a very concentrated wine, with the darkest tannins and black fruits. It’s a powerhouse of ripeness, spiced with wood and layered with acidity. As it ages, it will show a rich roundness, the tannins integrating into the open texture.
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.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.