The ripe blueberry, raspberry and blackberry fruit cuts a wide swath, with well-imbedded anise and briar notes. A bit obvious in style, but this remains engaging through the finish. —J.M.

Picked between 10th and 19th October for the Merlot, which represents 90% of the blend, the Fombrauge has a ripe, opulent bouquet with scents of kirsch, fig and a touch of dates that is actually more reminiscent of a 2009. The palate is full-bodied with succulent ripe tannins – a hint of white pepper on the tip of the tongue. It shows a little more focus than the nose at the point with a finely tuned, modern style finish that maintains good definition. Fine. Tasted April 2013.

A little hollow in the middle palate but some ripe and delicious fruit. Medium body, with fine tannins and a bright finish.

The far more interesting grand vin, the 2012 Fombrauge is composed of 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon from this 126-acre vineyard. A note of spicy, smoky oak intermixed with kirsch liqueur, vanillin and earth emerges from this medium-bodied effort. It exhibits a gritty tannin, but there is a nice fleshiness and hedonistic appeal to this 2012. Drink it over the next decade. Drink: 2013 - 2023

Drink 2017-2024 Inky core, purple rim. Lifted, violet-scented dark fruit. Firm but supple and lots of energy without being exuberant – more underlying. Plenty of sweet oak on the mid palate at the moment but all in place for more to come. (JH)