Château Larrivaux 2021

This shows the vintage’s slightly rustic, taut feel, but there’s some good black cherry fruit and tobacco notes at the core, ending with a cedary finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2025.

Juicy and lively, quite sleek, almost lean in its straightness; the tannins are fairly tight and there’s tension throughout, with a graphite mineral understone. Feels a bit metallic on the palate, leaving a slightly unpleasant aftertaste. Might need a bit more time.

This shows aromas of cloves, cedar, mulberries and cherries. Chewy and firm on the palate with a medium body but a fresh finish. Drink in 2025.

Carefully worked aromatics; generally speaking, the skilful construction of the wines this year is notable, really showcasing the charm of this cooler-climate vintage with its sculpted floral notes. On the palate it’s earthy and unpretentious, but lacks concentration, with a touch of earthy undergrowth. Owned by the Carlsberg family with Berange Tesseron as director (now joined by her husband Basile Tesseron after the sale of Lafon Rochet). Yield of 32 hl/ha. Harvest October 1–8. A 19-ha estate with sandy soils over clay-limestone, and this was not the year for sand.

The 2021 Larrivaux is composed of 48% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it waltzes out with gregarious notes of juicy raspberries and ripe strawberries plus touches of violets, wild sage, and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate is lively, with crunchy red fruit flavors and savory accents framed by lightly chewy tannins, finishing on a mineral note.

On the nose, roasted notes and black fruit, then a lovely juiciness on the palate, with bitterness on the finish.

Larrivaux reveals itself discreetly through nuances of red berries and licorice, complemented by a hint of garrigue. It has compact tannins that provide solid support within a slender frame, though they could be a bit more polished. The finish dries out slightly. One to watch as it evolves.

The nose is like smoking a good cigar with a basket of red fruit on the table, close at hand. Medium-bodied, soft, silky, and fresh, with just enough sweet citrus in the finish to make it interesting. Drink from 2024-2035.