Château Picque Caillou 2021

Expressive, stony-cool nose, very clear. Taut palate, ripe, crisp fruit, fine tannins, balanced and elegant, very nice length. Bravo!

Taut on the palate, yet with freshness and energy at the core of red currant, singed sandalwood, savory and sanguine notes. The better of two bottles tasted. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 5,000 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.

High-toned and a bit light on the palate at the moment, with some bramble edges poking through the cherry and plum fruit and a touch of austerity to the tannins from the vibrant acidity. Characterful and should soften and expand with further ageing.

The 2021 Picque Caillou has a fresh nose scented with strawberry and blackcurrant wine gums. Traces of pencil shavings linger in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with rather dry tannins; a leafy ’21, showing signs of some attenuation toward a finish that feels a bit raw. The aftertaste is harsh.

Deep ruby, narrow purple rim. Intense red-berry nuances, redcurrants, lemony-vegetal touch. Lean, red fruit, fine tannins, loosely knit, a bit grassy on the finish; finishes rather short.

Spicy red and black fruits, sappy herbs, green tobacco, and cedar notes all emerge from the 2021 Château Picque Caillou, a pretty, medium-bodied, lively, elegant red with supple tannins and a good finish.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 38 hl/ha, 13% alc. by vol., production 60,000 bottles) Deep, dark bouquet with cassis, black blackberries, fine woods, tobacco. Silky, tightly woven, elegant palate with dark, creamy fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a velvety, dense structure, multifaceted, dark, powerful aromatics, and a long, powerful, velvety finish with sweet aftertones.

(60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 38 hl/ha, 13% abv, production 60,000 bottles) Deep, dark bouquet, cassis, black blackberries, fine woods, tobacco. Silky, tightly interwoven, elegant palate with dark, creamy fruit, plenty of fine tannin, a velvety, dense structure, complex, dark, powerful aromas, and a long, powerful, velvety finish with sweet aftertones. 18/20 2029 - 2048

Still that wood dominating a very discreet fruit, which fails to make itself known. If the wood fades on the palate, leaving just a few already well-integrated tannins behind, the fruit is not much more expressive. The texture, silky, fails to express itself and leaves an impression of a missed opportunity. We hope the whole will find its balance and that the brightness perceived on the finish will take the lead.

Dark, intense color. Lovely fruity, smoky, and spicy nose. Discreet on the attack and much more flavorful from the mid-palate on, the wine develops with sap, very aromatic and pleasant, with a character that sets it apart from its peers—both meticulous and airy, but not powerful. Blend: 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 10% petit verdot. Alcohol: 13%. Yield: 38 hl/ha.

While this wine is still young, it has all the makings of fine richness. From vineyards surrounded by the suburbs of Bordeaux city, it has acidity along with blackberry flavors and pure fruitiness that balance the tannins. Drink this structured wine from 2026.