Château La Croix du Casse 2014

Focused, with cherry paste and crushed boysenberry fruit flavors gliding along, offering hints of mocha, black tea and anise through the silky finish. Drink now through 2020. 3,000 cases made, 100 cases imported.

Bright and aromatic with plum and milk chocolate aromas that follow through to a medium body, ultra-fine tannins and an orange and citrus-peel undertone. Drink in 2020, but hard not to taste now.

Medium-bodied, soft, round and plummy with an easy-drinking, forward personality, finishing with light-weight cherry, plum, licorice and cocoa notes.

Dark garnet, fairly dense at the core, ruby rim. Berry-scented, slightly sweet bouquet, with a hint of grenadine. On the palate, the front is still quite firm; overall rather gastronomic and quite pleasant, though also a bit ordinary.

Herbs, fresh bouquet, cassis, blueberries, slate, mint. Medium-bodied, silky palate with delicate fruit, fine tannins, good aromatics, bitter finish. Can still improve. 16/20 2019 - 2030

Supple, rounded, with delicate tannins; there was no push for extraction, and that was the right call. A tender, gentle Pomerol with no hardness.

A lovely, well-structured Pomerol as usual. 92% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 42 hl/ha.

Garnet red. Bouquet marked by red fruits. Notes of raspberry and grenadine. Lively, refreshing attack. Juicy, well-balanced character. A friendly wine to enjoy in its youth.

Dark color, of medium intensity and slightly evolved. The nose is a bit discreet, with fresh and even delicate fruit. Pleasant, fruity palate, simpler in expression than the previous ones. Medium length. Blend: 92% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc.

The 2014 La Croix du Casse has much more delineation and complexity on the nose than its second label: black cherry, hoisin plus a touch of cassis emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth, slightly honeyed-textured opening. There is smooth dark cherry, bilberry jam and light spicy notes here, although like the second wine, it needs more delineation and bite on the finish, which just fades when you yearn for it to gather momentum.