Château Petit-Village 2023

Once again outstanding, pure fruit, great depth and aromatic complexity, smoky notes, blackberry, cassis, dried herbs, violet; on the palate silky, polished tannins, plenty of verve, red-fruited, crisp, fresh and lively; seems even more elegant than in previous years. Will age beautifully.

Perfumed on the nose, heavily scented and lively with violets, roses, blackcurrants, slate, crayon and liquorice. Supple and agile on the palate, a great movement from start to finish with crushed-velvet-textured tannins as well as plushness and some sweetness from the ripe berry fruit. Powerful but also friendly and charming with lots of graphite and minerality on the finish. Still compact, but stylish and well made. pH 3.8. Ageing 16 months in French oak barrels, 45% new, 25% in 500L barrels. 50% grand vin production.

The 2023 Petit-Village is one of the best recent vintages I can remember tasting here. Light on its feet and translucent, the 2023 possesses gorgeous mid-palate depth and fine balance to match. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, mint, spice and blood orange build nicely in the glass. Hopefully the 2023 is a sign of things to come for this Pomerol estate.

The perfume gets the wine started with strong floral notes before serving up chocolate, black plums, and licorice on the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, with loads of sweet, fresh, vibrant black cherries and cocoa, allowing you to enjoy its vibrant edge on the berries, with a finish that offers lift and energy. The wine is a blend of 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2028-2055.

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate edge brightening. Delicately floral, fresh cherry fruit, a hint of plum and nougat, with candied orange zest in the background, an inviting bouquet. Complex, juicy, dark forest berries, fresh acidity, a hint of chocolate on the finish, remains persistent, good length and certain ageing potential.

Amazingly dense, beautiful inky colour, lovely bright spice, this has lift and floral aromatics that roll in waves across the palate, with soft, well-judged extraction. 45% new oak, with a portion in large-format 400L barrels. Vincent Priou, director.

Score: 94–96. On the nose, the character of black fruits unfolds in a sensual, languid way, accompanied by nuances of leather, pencil shavings, and iris. Gradually, softer, juicier red-fruit notes join this aromatic bouquet. On the palate, the wine is smooth and voluptuous, with lovely balance and poised restraint, like a hunting leopard, combining controlled power with feline elegance.

(AB) Lovely fruity, creamy, precise nose offering a fine, precise grain, both taut and airy. A lovely textured feel. Notes of boysenberry, vibrant blackcurrant and, more subtly, bright blue plum mingle with hints of lively raspberry, touches of graphite, a subtle almost sweet-spice note and a delicate hint of chocolate. The palate is nicely fresh, mineral, juicy and balanced, with a tangy acid framework, tension, a pleasingly drawn-out profile, fine definition/expression, and a texture that is both silky and polished. There’s a three-dimensional quality. On the palate, the wine shows notes of plump/juicy blackberry, creamy/fresh blackcurrant and, more lightly, blueberry, alongside hints of juicy/bright cherry, touches of blueberry and violet, plus a subtle note of star anise and discreet hints of fresh hazelnut. The tannins are creamy and elegant. Good length. A very discreet mineral note/fresh gravelly nuance in the background. Lovely persistence.

65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.5% vol., 36 hl/ha. Enchanting bouquet, violet perfume, freshly picked Alpine blueberry, graphite and noble cassis spice, with elderberry jelly and a delicate iris scent in the background. On the complex palate, silky texture, tightly knit tannin framework, refined mineral core, balanced verve and a straight, focused body. In the concentrated finish, blue berries, dark minerality and a grainy astringency.

93-95. Barrel Sample. A spicy red-fruit aroma with solid tannins and a fine spicy character gives a wine that is ripe and full bodied. The estate, under a new owner, is showing great promise.

A self-assured wine, with stylish flavors of black cherry and blackberry compote that glide along the silky structure, infused with black tea, dried anise and sandalwood. The sneakily long finish is caressing in feel. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2038. 600 cases made, 90 cases imported.