Even in a vintage such as 2003 there are wines that are youthful, unevolved and still in need of bottle age. The 2003 Bellevue Mondotte is one of those wines. From a tiny (5 acres) estate owned by Gerard Perse, this blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits youthful aromas of blue and black fruits, chalk dust, lead pencil shavings and Christmas fruitcake. Full, ripe and moderately tannic, it requires another 3-5 years of bottle age and could turn out to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage, lasting another 25-30 years.

Saturated medium ruby. Flamboyantly ripe yet lively aromas of black fruits, violet, menthol and black pepper. Fat and thick but fresh; smooth yet shapely. Offers an uncanny combination of plush texture, suggestions of liqueur-like surmaturite, cooler notes of licorice and menthol, and firm underlying backbone. Finishes very long, with big but thoroughly ripe and fine tannins that melt into the wine. Like the 2003, this has a full 14% alcohol. Evolving nicely in barrel.