Château Villemaurine 2023

Still marked by oak with notes of mocha, blackberry and violet; taut palate, gripping tannins, chalky, cool, lots of energy and tension; fresh, red-fruited finish. It has breed and class.

Made from grapes harvested between September 20 and October 2, this wine displays engaging aromas of ripe plum and violets, which introduce a juicy palate and plenty of ripe fruit. However, the oak component—70% new—comes too much to the fore at this early stage, obstructing the charm one would expect from this vintage, even if the wine conveys impressive depth, with a low 3.46 pH that reflects vivacity. For now, a conservative score: let's see how it develops with the 16 months of barrel ageing.

70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample. Smoky, red-berry notes. Firm and chalky on the palate, the limestone character evident. Clean and mouth-cleansing on the finish, the terroir again present. Perhaps a touch austere. (JL)

The 2023 Villemaurine is gorgeous. Blue/purple fruit, lavender, mocha, crème de cassis, graphite and gravel stain the palate. Vibrant limestone undertones give the wine its shape, drive and overall persistence. The relatively elevated presence of Cabernet Franc comes through with time in the glass. This vibrant, salivating Saint-Émilion is a total knockout. Tasted three times.

Silky, fresh, lush, polished, and concentrated, with layers of sweet, ripe black and red cherries, flowers, spice, and incense on the nose and palate. The wine is refined, polished, long, and pure, with a sweetness to the berries on the finish. The blend is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. 14.5% ABV. Drink from 2027–2042. 93–95 pts.

Dark ruby, deep core. Dark forest-berry confit with a delicate floral underpinning, ripe cherries, multi-faceted bouquet, a hint of rose petals. Juicy, elegant, ripe cherries, ripe, fine tannins, good freshness, seamless, fine fruit expression, mineral and long-lasting, an extremely pleasing performance.

Smoky grilled oak on the nose, red roses, rosemary, intense inky ruby colour. Love what they are producing at this estate over recent years, and this captures the energy of the vintage. 70% new oak, 30hl/ha yield.

Score: 92–94. An lifted, slightly strict nose with chalky notes mingling with riper aromas of grilled meat and blackberry jam. On the palate, the mood is more relaxed and perfumed, while still retaining a certain straightness of taut, crunchy, tangy fruit.

The nose is nicely crafted, precise and textured, with a certain density that doesn’t show. It expresses notes of ripe/fresh small black fruits, ripe wild raspberry and, more lightly, cornflower, combined with touches of licorice stick and star anise, with a discreet hint of graphite, toast and toasted almond. The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, smoothness, a zesty backbone, good definition, indulgence, accuracy and fine tension. It reveals notes of juicy/fleshy blackberry, juicy/fresh blackcurrant and, more lightly, juicy/fresh raspberry, along with touches of fresh purple plum, as well as hints of camphor and toasted almond, with fine almost Bourbon-vanilla nuances and a saline touch on the finish/persistence. The tannins are supple and gourmand. A finely plush, sapid palate.

Black cherry and currant fruit shows a gently mulled edge while keeping a modestly juicy feel as apple wood and sweet tobacco check in on the toasty-edged finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 2,000 cases made, 200 cases imported.