Château Marquis de Terme 2021

Strikingly dense color. Dark-fruited, roasted notes, tobacco, black pepper. Powerful palate, dense, fine-grained tannins, plenty of extract, good harmony. Finishes on blackberry and blood orange. Will be enjoyable early, can age.

Smells perfumed with curry leaf notes to the aromatic expression, vanilla, cherry, cola and toast. Bold and well formed, slightly more amplified than some of the others in terms of fruit concentration, with ripe blackcurrant and cool blue fruits carrying past the mid-palate, and fine-grained tannins that are a touch fleshy with a crushed-velvet texture. Finishes a touch mineral and sombre, but this has been well made with attention to fruit maturity and ageing. I like this and it has good potential for easy drinking.

The 2021 Marquis de Terme is a powerful, deep wine, but it has not come together quite as well as I had hoped. Today, burly contours and strong acids dominate. I don’t see much Margaux charm today. Dark red cherry, scorched earth, chalk, white pepper and floral notes struggle to fully emerge from behind a wall of coarse tannins. Perhaps time will help. Tasted three times.

Lilacs, chocolate, espresso, plums and black cherry aromas create the perfume. The palate matches the aromatics with layers of creamy, textured, sweet red fruits, a touch of chocolate, cinnamon, and an espresso finish. Drink from 2025–2044.

Dark ruby garnet colour with deep core, purple reflections, delicate ochre brightening on the rim. Ripe plums, some liquorice, candied orange zest, developed bouquet. Medium body, red cherries, fresh, vivid tannins that demand something, tends to dry out a little, lacks some length.

This estate continues to make progress, and the 2021 Château Marquis De Terme is well worth seeking out. Ripe darker currants as well as tobacco leaf, iron, violets, and classy oak all show in its aromatics, and it hits the palate with a beautifully balanced, medium-bodied, elegant profile with fine-grained tannins. Older vintages have always had a rustic edge, but this is pure, polished, and seamless, with the class to offer pleasure today yet evolve for two decades if well stored. The blend is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 40 hl/ha, 13% alc. vol., production 120,000 bottles) Finely fruity, fresh, sweet, powerful, Burgundian bouquet, raspberries, mint, fine herbs, light pralines. Densely interwoven, finely structured, fresh palate with powerful, refined fruit, plenty of fine tannin, a finely muscular, elegant structure, diverse aromatics, long, fine, fragrant finish.

(64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 40 hl/ha, 13% vol. alcohol, production 120,000 bottles) Finely fruity, fresh, sweet and powerful Burgundian bouquet with raspberries, mint, fine herbs and light pralines. A densely interwoven, delicate, fresh palate with powerful, precise fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a subtly muscular, elegant structure, complex aromatics, and a long, delicate, fragrant finish. 18/20 2029 - 2048

Grilled cedar oak, with coffee grounds and bitter dark chocolate edges, dark fruits also, smoked earth, raspberry leaf and firm tannins. Well constructed but austere; give this a good five years before drinking. Consultant: Julien Viaud.

The 2021 Marquis de Terme has a deep garnet-purple color. It opens with broody notes of damp soil and wet slate, followed by a core of stewed red plums and fresh blackcurrants. The medium-bodied palate is chewy and rugged, with muscular black fruits and an earthy finish.

An alluring nose that delights with its fresh, sapid notes. On the palate, it is the embodiment of elegance, with ripe, generous fruit and floral notes, perfectly balanced between fullness and delicacy, like a tightrope walker strolling along the thread of flavors. A delight.

Delicate nuances of elderberry and garrigue on the bouquet of Marquis de Terme. Juicy and slightly creamy, the wine has fine-grained tannins that provide good backbone. Its acidity lends a saline, mouthwatering edge, though it still needs to round out a little, especially on the finish.

The nose is elegant and precise, offering concentrated subtlety/delicacy and a touch of refined richness. It reveals notes of dense/concentrated blackcurrant, blueberry, and, more lightly, crushed redcurrant, combined with delicate hints of violet and blond tobacco, plus a subtle touch of caramelization/sweet spices. The palate is fruity and delivers indulgence, minerality, a juicy/tangy backbone, succulence, flesh, and lovely definition/concentration (in balance). On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy boysenberry, crushed blackcurrant, and, more lightly, strawberry, accompanied by touches of racy minerality, cornflower, a subtle hint of licorice, graphite, and a discreet note of toasted almond. Good length. A lovely hint of peony on the finish/persistence. The tannins are finely firm and racy.

Dark, intense color. Moderately aromatic nose with ripe fruit. Caressing on the attack, finely fleshy mid-palate, the wine finishes discreetly with a touch of liveliness. Medium length.