Château Dauzac 2021

Restrained, delicately perfumed, dark-fruited, deep, with smoky notes. Powerful, ripe-fruited, firm, structure-driven, lots of tannins, good length. Will benefit from some maturity and will be enjoyable at every stage of its life from 2028.

Sports an ambitiously toasty edge that throws off cocoa and roasted alder notes, which helps to offset the vintage's deficiencies, even though the actual core of dark cherry fruit, dried violet and black tea flavors is more modest in scale. You'll need to drink this soon, though, to avoid the fruit being outlasted by the wood treatment. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2030. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 8,300 cases made.

Green peppercorns, blackcurrant leaf, curry powder. Supple and nicely ripe fruit on the palate—blackcurrant, black cherry—with lovely high acidity bringing freshness and brightness. The minerality and wet-stone notes come in quite quickly, adding nuance and slightly taking over the fun, making this rather serious, although there’s lovely acidity all the way through. Nicely constructed and delivered. Easy to enjoy. Has lift and energy that sustain the palate. A success.

Currants, herbs, olives and pencil shavings on the nose. It’s chewy and savory with a medium body, firm tannins and lightly austere finish. 86% cabernet sauvignon and 14% merlot. Vegan. Try from 2024.

The 2021 Dauzac has a commendable bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry and crushed stone scents, with touches of iris flower emerging over time. The palate is medium-bodied with a pliant entry, cohesive and much less bitter than its peers. It has a harmonious and pretty finish that, frankly, puts some grander names to shame. Bravo.

The wine has filled out after its aging in barrel; now you find a minty, floral, red-cherry-filled, medium-bodied, soft, supple wine with a slight touch of espresso, spearmint and currants on the mid-palate and in the almost polished finish. You can enjoy this early for all of its soft, ripe, red fruits. Drink from 2025–2040.

Dark ruby, deep core, purple reflections, subtle ochre brightening on the rim. A multi-faceted bouquet with subtle oak nuances, hints of liquorice and a background floral note. Elegant, juicy and harmonious with ripe, sweet cherries, fresh acidity, fine tannins, mineral notes and a persistent finish. Definite ageing potential.

Restrained start, lingonberry, delicate lilac notes, light tobacco paired with a fine smoky touch. On the elegant palate with a soft texture, sandy extract, finely brittle, supportive backbone and a tightly woven body. In the focused finish, plum skin, a full load of graphite and crumbly astringency, rounded off.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 44 hl/ha, 13% vol. alcohol, production 100,000 bottles) Medium-intensity, subtly bitter bouquet, blackcurrant, cedar, fresh herbs, light roasted notes. Light, classic palate with medium fruit, good tannins, a slightly firm structure, spicy aromatics, and a bitter finish. Has room to improve.

(70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 44 hl/ha, 13% vol. alcohol, production 100,000 bottles) Medium-bodied, subtly bitter bouquet, blackcurrant, cedar, fresh herbs, light toasted notes. A light, classic palate with medium fruit, good tannins, a slightly firm structure, spicy aromatics, and a bitter finish. Has room to improve. 16/20 2028 - 2042

Attractive sense of fun and lift, very much in the spirit of the vintage but well handled, with the floral violet and rose signature of the appellation, and plenty of lift, fresh raspberry and blueberry fruit, with momentum. 44 hl/ha yield. Enjoyable, this is an upscore.

The 2021 Dauzac has a deep garnet-purple color. It opens with oaky overtones that give way to notes of black cherries and cassis, plus a touch of black olives. Medium-bodied, the palate has a good core of oak-laced fruit, with a grainy texture and a savory finish.

Dauzac 2021 is a fairly well-structured wine, with a fine attack and a well-filled mid-palate. It offers volume, persistence, and a tannic framework that prepare it for beautiful development.

On the nose, notes of suede and ripe purple fruits. Superb harmony on the palate, with a silky, melting texture full of grace, and perfectly ripe, luminous fruit that lingers through the long finish. Already approachable, it offers pleasure right now.

Château Dauzac makes use of its charm from the very first aromas! Inviting woody nuances accompany notes of ripe black berries, while the palate shows a creamy, velvety character complemented by smooth tannins. A delightful wine that deserves a little time to unfold, yet can already be enjoyed in its youth.

Dark color, of medium intensity and lively. Moderately aromatic nose, fruity and oaky. Soft, light palate, with fragrance after the mid-palate, while the length remains medium.

An evident singularity stands out, with a profile of peony and peppermint, juicy, flowing fruit, and a blackberry and blackcurrant cream edged with menthol notes. The texture is firm and taut, streamlined, dressed in elegant tannins and lovely freshness. Precise, polished, sanguine, this Dauzac 2021 stands apart.

With 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine reveals structure and a firm core. Coming from the most southerly classed growth vineyard in Margaux, it is rich, balanced and elegant. Drink this fine wine from 2027.