Château Picque Caillou 2023

As so often with an expressive bouquet, red and dark berries, stony notes; a straightforward palate, crisp, fresh, well-judged tannins, good length. Once again a success.

Light on its feet, the wine nonetheless exudes ripe red and darker fruit with hints of wet stone minerality, leaving the impression of a 'straightforward' palate that favours the crisp over the deep. On the plus side, it is fresh and has ripeness, but there also some tart tannin that perturbs. Let's see how barrel ageing will develop the wine.

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Tight and mineral. Firm, clean and long on the finish. Very Graves. A little austere but well executed. (JL)

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 45 hl/ha. Delicate bouquet of red and blue berries, sandalwood, a subtle hint of lilac and light tobacco. On the palate, structured with a soft texture and a tightly knit body, juicy, with balanced drive and medium body. In the focused, finely aromatic finish, elderberry and sloe juice, ending with fine-grained astringency.

Cheerful aromatics, spiced damson fruits on the attack, perky and unfussy, a little squeezed on the finish. 40% new oak for ageing, 45 hl/ha yield.

Score: 90–92. A concentrated, stony nose of blue and black fruits, with some dark notes of flower petals in the background and a very satisfying powdery touch. On the palate, the finesse seems to be concealed behind the influence of the barrel, despite a certain freshness.

Mulled black currant and plum fruit melds with singed cedar, warm earth and dark tobacco notes. Fine-grained and steady through the finish. Already approachable. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032. 5,000 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.