Château Larrivaux 2024

Deep color; open nose with a hint of oxidation; stewed berries, vanilla ice cream; tight palate, noticeable tannins, at the upper limit of extraction; short, drying finish. They tried to get a bit too much out of this vintage.

High, verging on sour acidity combines with really quite forward tannins to give this a massy and slightly unbalanced expression. Juicy but austere and a little unfriendly right now.

Flowers, tobacco leaf, and currants provide a lot of pleasure in this forward, fruity, easy-to-like charmer. You can open and enjoy this on release. Drink from 2027-2039. 88-90 pts

Notes of blackberries and elderflower completed by a hint of cinnamon. Juicy on the palate, the wine has silky and perfectly integrated tannins. Its structure ensures freshness and salinity. An elegant wine that can be enjoyed in its youth.

The nose is aromatic, with a certain power, a fine, racy grain and controlled depth. It reveals notes of Boysenberry, ripe raspberry and, more lightly, violet, combined with touches of fairly ripe cherry and blackcurrant, as well as subtle hints of zan, cardamom and discreet toasty notes. The palate is nicely guided, supple and fresh, with good definition, a certain gourmandise, lovely energy, a tangy backbone, elegance, roundness and a refined, silky texture. It shows notes of pulpy/juicy blackcurrant, bigarreau cherry and, more lightly, bright raspberry, combined with hints of tobacco and star anise, as well as fine iodized touches and a discreet cherry-stem note. Good length.

Bright redcurrant and raspberry fruits, plenty of kick and clarity, with slate tannins, but the acidity is high. Early to medium term drinking, plenty of juice on the finish. Basile Tesseron, formerly of Château Lafon Rochet has joined his wife at her long-time family estate, where a sustained period of investment is making it one to watch.