Tasted privately with a negotiant. This is lacking delineation on the nose: cassis, cherry, blood oranges. The palate has good structure, firm tannins and good definition. Well-integrated oak and firm grip. Red berried fruits, a touch of chocolate, very tannic on the finish. This has great potential. Tasted April 2007.

A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, it is a surprisingly opulent, flamboyant, fleshy, soft crowd-pleaser displaying abundant amounts of smoked herbs, sweet black cherry and cassis fruit, licorice, espresso roast, chocolate, and toast. Full-bodied with superb concentration as well as a beautifully textured mouthfeel, this 2006 should drink well for 10-15+ years. Like all of the Neipperg estates, this wine’s capsule has a clever anti-fraud device, which I think will be increasingly employed by many French estates. This nearly 30-acre estate, which was purchased several years ago by Stephan von Neipperg (owner of Canon La Gaffeliere and La Mondotte), performed exceptionally well in 2006.

Bright ruby-red. Brooding, inky aromas of black cherry and black raspberry, with a note of bitter chocolate; very merlot. Then round, lush and almost surprisingly harmonious, with a seamless texture leavened by well-integrated acidity. Sexy dark fruit flavors are broad and deep for the vintage. This firmly structured, fresh wine finishes with chewy, granular tannins.