From vines sitting on hard limestone, this wine is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc that offers prodigious levels of extract, richness, complexity and overall harmony. A fabulous wine, with black fruits galore intermixed with a liqueur of crushed rocks and spring flowers, the wine has plenty of tannin and is best cellared over at least 4-5 years and consumed over the following two decades. This property, owned by Jonathan Maltus, is located 100 meters from his Le Carre, and of course the nearby Clos Fourtet, which produced a perfect wine in 2009.

A tiny, single vineyard wine from Jonathan Malthus, the 2009 Les Asteries is the finest effort I have tasted among the nearly half dozen vintages offered to date. From a vineyard that was once part of Chateau Fonroque, it boasts a dense purple color, a big, sweet perfume of graphite, blueberries, and blackberries, full body, abundant glycerin, beautiful density and succulence, as well as a sumptuous, long (40-45 seconds) finish. Sadly, there are only 300-350 cases of this beauty. It should evolve for 20+ years. (Tasted once.)

(from 80-year-old vines planted on thin clay soil over hard limestone): Full bright ruby. Medicinal black fruits and chocolate on the nose. Dense, plush and deep, with very ripe dark berry and chocolate flavors enlivened by chewy minerality. Can't quite match Le Carre for lift but this is every bit as concentrated and comes across as sweeter. Finishes with strong, building tannins and terrific length.

(and 80/20 blend of merlot and cabernet franc) Bright ruby-red. Delicate, perfumed, calcaire nose shows a chalky mineral quality to the pretty aromas of strawberry, blueberry and exotic spices. Enters taut and focused, with slightly austere red berry, almond and vanilla flavors projecting captivating purity and energy. Not an especially fleshy wine but ultimately silky-smooth and wonderfully light on its feet, finishing with very fine-grained tannins and lingering perfume. These vines are planted on a thin layer of clay over very hard limestone. The merlot here was picked on October 8 and the cabernet franc on October 10, yet there is no hint of overripeness. For fans of minerally Right Bank wines, the nose alone is reason enough to buy this wine by the case.

With the Merlot picked on 8th October and the Cabernet Franc two days later, matured in 100% new oak with 14.2% alcohol, this has a well defined nose of blackberry, violets, a touch of cassis and limestone, perhaps a little more harmonious than the Le Carre, the palate is full-bodied with sturdy, robust tannins, but I like the balance and the symmetry here, very good weight on the finish, firm structure, fine minerality with a long, rather backward finish that suggests this should be laid down for several years after bottling. Tasted March 2010.

Healthy crimson. Hint of coconut. Very uncomfortable on the palate with a hole in the middle before drying sandpaper finish. (JR)