Château La Connivence 2022

A plush version, with warmed cassis and plum coulis notes taking center stage, while a backdrop of violet and graphite adds nice range. Approachable now. Drink now through 2035. 125 cases made, 25 cases imported.

Straight and sleek, you wouldn’t place this in Pomerol at first; only after a few minutes do the slightly fleshy tannins come into play, giving the structure and seduction of clay soils, but thanks to the gravel it also keeps tension, liveliness and linearity. Bite and grip to the tannins, well worked, precise and focused; there’s tension but also a sweet-sour juiciness, some liquorice and blue fruits, notes of tobacco, slate and salinity. The tannins are more velvety. It really does show Pomerol typicity towards the end, the plushness coming through, the opulence, velvety and fleshy; the tannins coat the mouth but there’s also sharp acidity and bite to keep things lifted and lively. It’s a powerful wine, no doubt, but it also has class and well-defined edges on the finish. Lots going on here; I actually love the precision coupled with the ripeness and opulence. Confident, showing the best of Pomerol with touches of St-Emilion. pH 3.6. Total acidity 3.4 g/l.

Plump dark fruits, powerful, inky, dense black cherry and damson, chocolate, espresso, brushed-velvet tannins, one to look out for. Yield of 30 hl/ha.

Heady nose of floral freshness and generously ripe red and purple fruits. This is a round, complete wine that fills the mouth.