Château Maucaillou 2021

Clean, clear nose, red fruits, cassis, cherries, charred wood. Tight palate, restrained fruit, good drive, finishes slightly drying.

Fragrant and spiced on the nose, exotic like cinnamon and Chinese five spice. A little lacking in fruit density and drive; the profile and frame are nice, really well textured with prominent tannins, but it’s missing some mid‑palate oomph and a touch more flavor toward the finish, ending slightly herbal and woody. Not bad at all, just not very persistent.

70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. Cask sample. Very deep purplish crimson. Light nose of mulberries. Sweet and round initially on the palate with good phenolic ripeness. A little drying and hollow on the finish. But generally a pretty good drink for the medium term. Could be good value. (JR)

Much better in the bottle than in the barrel, the wine is fresh, vibrant and uplifting. With its core of sweet, bright red fruits and a chalky finish, this will be quite easy to enjoy upon release. Drink from 2024–2034.

Dark ruby, almost opaque core, purple reflections and subtle brightening on the rim. Inviting aromas of cassis, creamy nougat, ripe plums. Medium-bodied style with hints of toasted nuts and plums and caramel on the finish.

Pretty red fruits, cedary spice, and dried flower notes all emerge from the 2021 Château Maucaillou, a medium-bodied, mid-weight, charming Moulis that has firmer yet moderate tannins and a nicely textured, mid-weight style that will keep through 2031. Give bottles a year or two.

Charred sandalwood, tar and cedar that I found En Primeur is still very much in evidence, but the ageing process has been well handled and the oak has integrated into the ripe damson and raspberry fruit, with cocoa bean and dried herbs giving a lift on the finish. An upscore. Tasted twice.

The 2021 Maucaillou is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It has scents of charcoal and dried herbs on the nose, giving way to a core of fresh blackberries and raspberries. The light to medium-bodied palate has a pleasant chewiness and savory flavors, finishing minerally.

Round and full-bodied on the nose, “fresh as children’s flesh,” to paraphrase Baudelaire, accented by delicate toasted notes. These aromas carry onto the palate, with an elegant, precise, and fresh texture. Airy, seamless finish.

Beyond a few nuances from élevage, Maucaillou’s bouquet reveals inviting notes of black berries and liquorice. Lively and slender, the wine is elegant, harmonious and already quite approachable. A sapid, mouth-watering wine.

The 2021 Maucaillou offers a very creditable showing in bottle, exhibiting aromas of cassis, sweet soil tones and cigar wrapper, followed by a medium-bodied, fleshy palate with bright acids and soft, powdery tannins. This is impressive for the vintage.