Château Maucaillou 2015

The richness and the potential of the ripe fruits promise well for this wine. Considerable barrel aging has marked it at this stage, giving it a spicy character. It suggests this is a wine for aging because the black-plum and berry fruits are nowhere near ready. Drink from 2025.

An excellent vintage from this large estate, which has been run by the Dourthe family with the aim of producing oaked but accessible wines. The lush black cherry nose has slight herbal tones. Rich and fleshy, offering surprising grip on the palate with weight, spice and vigour but no toughness. Textured and long.

Ample dark toasted spices and rich mocha aromas sit across a wealth of ripe summer berries and lead to a plush palate that has impressive concentration and freshness. Striking liveliness here. Try from 2021.

Simple, medium-bodied wine that delivers a light cherry, cranberry, and herbal profile for early drinking.

Already upfront and charming with a complex bouquet of red fruits, underbrush, dusty earth and an almost peppery note, the 2015 Château Maucaillou is elegant and nicely textured on the palate, with terrific depth of fruit. Drink it over the coming 7-10 years.

Deep garnet, fairly dense at the core, with a ruby rim. An unusual, sweet bouquet, with a very candy-like character. On the palate, slender with little substance.

The colour is a deep purple with a discreet nose. The wine is supple, with a lovely mid-palate and good grape ripeness; the tannins are well integrated, with a pleasing dark chocolate finish. A great success.