Château Dassault 2021

Compact, dense, with bracing fresh character; well-built, long finish; pleasing.

Blue fruits and cola tones on the nose. Smooth and juicy, this is fun and tangy, with the focus on the ripe fruit and high acidity. Vibrant and energetic, this has gently chewy tannins with blackcurrant and black cherry elements alongside salty, grippy tannins that give minerality to the texture and flavour. Well built, this has an undercurrent of power with flashes of green fruit, heat and depth despite the 13.5%. A nice wine in 2021 that doesn't feel as if it's trying too hard, ending on a salty, fresh note. Not the most persistent, it's light and lean, but very enjoyable and easy to drink.

Cask sample. Smoky and perfumed on the nose with a touch of vanilla oak. Supple texture but a little light in fruit weight. Slightly drying finish. For early drinking. (JL)

Espresso, coffee bean, smoke, forest leaf, tobacco and dark red fruits crowd the nose as well as the round, supple, lushly textured palate. You can enjoy this on release for all its up-front, ripe fruits. Drink from 2023-2038. 89-91

Deep dark ruby with an opaque core and a purple tinge to the narrow rim. Dark berry fruit, notes of liquorice alongside hints of nougat, precious wood, and fine orange zest. Medium-bodied, sweet cherry fruit, balanced and elegant, subtle fruit sweetness on the finish; a versatile food companion.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (13.3% alc./vol., production 6,000 bottles) Restrained, fruity bouquet with cherries, blackcurrants, liquorice, green herbs. Dense, powerful palate with finely sanded tannins, broad structure, good fruit, spicy aromatics, bitter finish.

(13.3% vol. alcohol, production 6,000 bottles) Restrained, fruity bouquet, cherries, blackcurrants, liquorice, green herbs. Dense, powerful palate with fine-sandy tannins, broad structure, good fruit, spicy aromas, bitter finish. 17/20 2027 - 2042

Sweet black cherry and cassis fruit on the opening, with touches of grilled oak; this has real impact but drops through the mid palate as it struggles to fill things out. Juicy on the finish, oyster shell and slate tannins. A tough 12hl/ha yield at Dassault this year, as with their sibling estate Château La Fleur, and the issues are still evident after ageing.

A blend of 52% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, and 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Dassault is deep garnet-purple in color. It storms out with powerful notes of cassis and black cherries, followed by subtle touches of bay leaves, lavender, and black pepper. Medium-bodied, the palate has a fine-grained texture and soft acidity, with a great core of fruit and a peppery finish.

Piercing fruit on the nose, with subtle notes of aromatic herbs that add a certain complexity. Suave and tender on the palate, with a fresh, aromatic finish that clings to the palate.

Dassault reveals smoky nuances, elderberry, and notes of licorice, complemented by a touch of garrigue. Lively on the attack, the wine is slender and driven by juicy, fine-grained tannins. The finish struggles to carry the aromatic character. A little cellaring will allow the existing elements to blossom. A Dassault that stands out for its freshness.

The nose is fruity, finely tight, structured and offers fine concentration. It reveals notes of ripe/pulpy wild raspberry, fresh/ripe blackcurrant and, more subtly, violet, together with touches of pulpy/tangy wild berries, hints of star anise, lily/lilac, as well as discreet accents of graphite, sweet spices and a subtle, almost saline hint. The palate is juicy, elegant, delicate and offers complexity, a certain power/intensity (yet with elegance), a velvety feel, finesse, and lovely complexity in the ripeness of the fruit. On the palate, this wine shows notes of pulpy/radiant raspberry, roasted cherry and, more subtly, fresh/pulpy blue fruits, combined with touches of pulpy/tangy blackcurrant, hints of star anise, lily, sweet blond tobacco, a sense of place, and a subtle hint of bergamot and salinity.

Tasted several times, the wine came across as thin and fizzy. Incomprehensible at this level.