Tasting Notes:

Mellow, ripe and enveloping, with a fresh spine that gives the wine vigour and balance.

Wine Profile:

Fruitness: 4/5

(1 = Earthy, 5 = Fruity)

Body: 3/5

(1 = Light Body, 5 = Heavy Body)

Aroma:

Black Fruit
Coffee
Tapenade

Food Pairing:

Grilled Salmon with Red Wine and Shallot Glaze, Roasted Chicken with Herbs and Red Wine Jus, Ratatouille with Fresh Basil, Pork Tenderloin with Plum Sauce, Cheese and Charcuterie Board with Berry Compote

• ‘.. has more lift and certainly more complexity on the nose compared to the regular bottling. Slightly more tertiary in style, savory perhaps. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, black olive and tinged black fruit that define its saline finish. This is an excellent Lalande-de-Pomerol that is worth hunting down’

Neal Martin, 91

• ‘.. Full-bodied with light herbal notes, cool spices and a nice freshness. Aged exclusively on concrete and no barrels! Atypical but exciting right-bank expression more elegant with a nice long finish.’

Thomas Rydberg (Din Vinguide), 91

• ‘A medium-bodied red with ripe and mellow dark fruits, firm tannins and hints of dark spices and walnut. Fine tannins and polished texture. Chalky finish.‘

James Suckling, 91

• ‘A well-located estate on the plateau of Néac in Lalande. The previous owners sold mainly in bulk but under new owner Romik Arconian this is changing to 100% in bottle. You get the clear spice and chewy tannins of the Malbec, even with this tiny amount in the blend. Savoury spice on the finish also, and the tannins are rustic right now, although will smooth over ageing. Unoaked (aged in cement vats only, hence the name) - unusual in Lalande, gives an appealing, unfussy feel'

Jane Anson, 89

• ‘This is bigger and richer on the nose…– with a lovely half-roasted coffee bean element alongside the wild herbs, cracked black peppercorns, cassis, dark berry and stone fruit. It is deeper and glossier too, more opulent, more dense and compact… fine-grained tannins … impressive length and sense of focused precision…. saline-ferrous minerality… rapid progression in the precision of the wine-making and the quality of the tannin management.'

Colin Hay, 90-92+

Gold Medal Concours Terre de vins.