La Sirène de Giscours 2024

Ruby red and dark-fruited, plenty of blackberry and dried herbs, with cool smoke on the nose; on the palate, light-footed, with fine-grained tannins caressing the delicate fruit, no heaviness, red-fruited and with a pleasantly long finish. A second wine full of finesse.

Smells lightly floral with rose petal and milk chocolate accents. Red and black cherries and plums - creamy and cool. Quite high toned fruit, vibrant and lively, with piercing acidity but well balanced with chalky tannins that fill the mouth. Friendly and approachable. Lovely mint, mineral liquorice and wet stone bite on the finish. With a bit more harmony this will be great. A touch dry on the finish but more mineral than wood. There’s some succulence which I really like. Sweet and just ripe strawberry. Ageing 30% new oak barrels. 3.64pH.

Quite floral on the nose, with notes of cherries and black raspberries. On the palate, the wine is instantly likable with its open, spicy, fruit-filled profile. I like the slight touch of cocoa that comes in at the end of the finish, adding a bit of roundness to the black raspberries. The wine blends 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot. Drink from 2027–2038. 89–91 pts

(52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot) The nose is elegant, fresh, airy, straightforward, spicy, melodious, and nicely intense and voluptuous. It reveals notes of boysenberry, wild strawberry, and, more subtly, violet, combined with touches of lilac and cornflower, a hint of crushed strawberry, as well as fine hints of tonka bean, a touch of graphene, smoke, and toasted hazelnut. The palate is beautifully handled, juicy, fruity, and offers freshness, lovely energy, delicacy, and brightness/purity of fruit. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy/pulpy blackcurrant, vibrant purple plum, and, more subtly, juicy/fresh Bigarreau cherry, combined with touches of bright red berries, violet, and lilac, as well as hints of tobacco, nutmeg, and fine hints of infusion. A touch of elegant darkness. The tannins are sappy, even finely chalky. A subtle hint of toast on the finish.