Château Larmande 2009

The ageing has clearly benefited it and earns it an extra point: dense, full of character, precise, wonderfully juicy tannins, good balance.

This wine has softened up considerably and displays elegant, pure raspberry and soil-infused black cherry fruit notes. It is medium-bodied, quite tasty, and best drunk over the next 12 or so years.

Rather dark and winey, with almost chewy-edged currant, plum sauce and roasted fig notes laced with bittersweet cocoa and backed by a loamy edge on the dense finish. The buried graphite spine should allow this to stretch out in the cellar. Best from 2014 through 2024. 3,640 cases made.

Concentrated, dark wine that edges towards austere. Beneath this surface, the wine shows some generous fruit. Give it a few years and the more approachable nature will begin to show through.

A wine, with beautiful focused fruit of raspberries and citrus fruit follow through to a full body, with super polished tannins and a bright acidity. Very lively. The superb quality of the Cabernet Franc comes through here. Better in 2015.

Caramel, red plums, licorice and berry aromas lead to a medium bodied wine that ends with slightly tart, cocoa and black raspberry sensations.

Deep purple-garnet, dense at the core, with a purple sheen on the rim. A warm bouquet, lots of plum and a hint of vintage Port showing through. On the palate, this slightly alcoholic note continues, with blueberry jelly and rum-soaked plums. For those who like that?

Light, slightly austere bouquet: red berries, oak, blackcurrant. On the palate, it’s lean and light, with little, very fine-grained tannin, a rather bony structure, restrained aromatics and a medium-length finish. 16/20 Drink – 2026

A very fine oak influence on the nose, fairly toasty (new barrel), though it accounts for only 50% of the final blend. Full-bodied on the palate, with a solid tannic backbone and a fresh finish. A successful wine, despite the vineyard having been heavily hit by hail.

Deep colour. Intense nose with coffee notes. The wine is dense and compact, with good depth, tannic, a little too extracted; the 2009 was hit by hail, the tannins are.

Logo on the cork: AL Hail hit 40% of Larmande’s vineyard in May 2009. It is a wine with ripe fruit, but medium-bodied, finishing a little short. Best enjoyed young.