772 | Wine | France, Medoc

"Well made, reasonably priced and delicious. The nose offers plenty of crisp blackcurrant, raspberry leaf and mint aromas that are well defined and have a Pauillac-like personality. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp black smoky fruit. This is very harmonious and focused with a clinical, crisp, focused, balsamic finish. Bravo – this is a great wine."
Reviewed by: Neal Martin - 90 pts

"Alluring, with a polished structure that lets the smoldering bay leaf, anise, steeped plum and warm paving stone notes play out. Shows latent grip and solid depth."

"Sweet plum, deep cherry and currant notes. ...as well as underbrush and earthiness are all present in this elegant, mid-weight wine, which has good freshness, decent acidity, and ripe tannin. It should drink nicely for up to 7-8 years." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"A big-time sleeper of the vintage, this inky purple wine has a beautiful nose of creme de cassis, incense and acacia flowers. Some subtle barbecue smoke is also present in this full-bodied wine, which is the best of all the Jean Guyon estates in 2009. For the statisticians out there, it is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot. Drink it over the next decade."
-Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, 90 pts.

"Offers a solid core of mineral, berry and light vanilla aromas and flavors. Full and racy, with a long finish. Well done."

"One of the cru bourgeois estates in the empire of Bernard Magrez, this may possibly be the best wine Les Grands Chenes has yet made. From old vines (average age 45) in the very northern part of the Medoc, the final blend of 51% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc hit 14% natural alcohol. The wine displays loads of espresso roast, black chocolate, creme de cassis, forest floor and tobacco leaf in a full-bodied, opulent, and flamboyant style. Dense, rich and deep in fruit, it exhibits the plush, silky tannins that are a signature of Michel Rolland, the overall consultant for all of the Magrez estates. Drink it over the next 7-8 years."-Robert Parker

"A beautiful sleeper of the vintage, this is possibly the best wine I-ve ever tasted from this over-achieving estate near St.-Christoly-de-Medoc. A blend of 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot, this wine normally sells for about $15 a bottle, making it an absolutely staggering value in the worldwide marketplace. The 2010 exhibits classic cedar wood, tobacco leaf, creme de cassis, licorice and some balsam wood notes in a strong, medium to full-bodied, layered style with good opulence, purity and overall harmony. A real beauty, it should be drunk over the next 4-5 years." -Robert Parker

"Very fleshy, this delicious red shows plum, raspberry and blackberry pâte de fruit notes backed by spice cake, anise and toasty vanilla. The finish is long and polished."

"This vineyard just outside Pauillac has produced a seductive, sexy wine with an elegant combination of black cherry and black currant fruit. Some dusty, loamy soil notes also make an appearance as well as some high-quality unsmoked cigar tobacco."-Robert Parker