Close to perfection, this extraordinary blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc seems to have hit all the high notes in 2012. Inky ruby/purple with stunning concentration, a multidimensional mouthfeel, skyscraper-like texture and fabulous purity of blue, red and black fruits, this is a tour de force from this estate owned by Christian Moueix. The potential complexity and sheer compelling quality of Hosanna is amazing. Aromatically, this may be the most profound wine of the vintage. Drink it over the next 15-20 years.

Aromas of stewed fruit, stones and green olives. Full and round textured with chocolate and spice character. Long, velvety mouth feel on the finish. Fresh. Sexy for the vintage. Better in 2017.


young wine with a tangy, fresh acidity and lots of subtle chocolate and berry character. It’s full-bodied, with integrated tannins and a long finish. Generous in the end. Sexy for the vintage.93-94

Delivers a muscular core of plum and raspberry fruit, along with dark currant, black licorice and roasted apple wood flavors, which give a depth and power that belies the vintage's general character. A persistent, muscular edge on the finish is offset nicely by well-buried acidity. This is clearly a step ahead of the 2011.

(80% Merlot/20% Cabernet Franc)
Smoky, sultry nose. Palate is dense with ripe plum and black cherry fruit. Good energy here, good structure; clearly built for ageing but surprisingly soft and tannins are well masked. Freshness leads into long finish. Very good.

Dense and sweet cored and Cabernet Franc fresh to smell; very nice, plump, fresh, middlweweight Pomerol with a fine defining tannin; sweet, vital and subtle to taste; long, gently spicy, complex and refined and with fine, gently spicy, sweet, fragrant length. A refined charmer. Very nice indeed. 2018-28 [M.Schuster, Bordeaux Mar/Apr 2013]

Ruby-purple. Strawberry, cassis, violet and a hint of underbrush on the expressive nose. Suave, sweet and fine-grained, with harmonious, soft acidity nicely framing the delicate, pure flavors of flinty strawberry, smoke and underbrush. Spreads out nicely in the mouth and finishes long and floral, with fine-grained tannins. You can really smell and taste the cabernet franc here.

This is a curious one. Like the 2010, I am convinced that there is a day or two’s worth over-ripeness on the nose of the Hosanna. It is very ravishing and suave, when I want it to demonstrate more control and precision. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy tannins – tightly wound dark fruit and quite sharp acidity. It just needs the components to become more intertwined, to start singing from the same hymn-sheet. This sample is difficult to predict...it possesses the constituent parts to make a very fine Pomerol. We will have to wait and see. Tasted April 2013.

Delicately leafy, then the real Moueix McCoy with those very fine, fine tannins, dry and savoury. On the more austere side but with a gentle demeanour. Very fine and elegant. Listen carefully; it does not shout. Drink 2017-2025 (JH)