Made of 100% Merlot, the deep garnet colored 2010 La Violette comes bounding out of the glass with notes of kirsch, black raspberries, baked cherries and mulberries plus wafts of stewed tea, cedar chest and dried Provence herbs. Full-bodied, the palate is still carrying a lot of oak with youthful black and red berry preserves layers and a chewy texture, finishing very long and spritely.

Deep red-ruby. Rich aromas and flavors of cassis, dark cherry, cedar and minerals, complemented by sexy oak nuances. Rich but not excessively weighty on the palate, offering an outstanding combination of density and intensity of flavor. Finishes with noble, fine-grained tannins and subtle notes of black pepper and herbs. Less dainty and floral than the 2009, but with greater depth. As with many wines from the late Catherine Péré-Vergé's portfolio, the tannins here have smoothed out considerably since the Primeurs.

Tasting La Violette straight after Le Gay, I have to state for the record that I prefer the latter. As is the style of La Violette, it is far more decadent on the nose with precocious ripe red fruit, a lot of glycerine and more new oak that will need bottle age to be subsumed. The palate is full-bodied with opulent ripe, dark plum, crème de cassis fruit that is almost viscous in texture. The finish is sweet and decadent although the acidity keep it in check. It is a fine Pomerol for sure, although I discern more personality and drinkability with Le Gay this year. Tasted November 2012.

Charming floral nose with violet and fragrant wild strawberries. Equally fine on the palate with wonderfully textured fine fruit and silky tannins. Racy and well balanced. So drinkable now but better in 2016.
-www.jamessuckling.com, 'Tasting Report: 2010's Greatness Across The Board in Bordeaux', 17 Feb 2013

(92-93 pts)
The plummy almost jammy character is enticing, with a mineral and stoney undertone. Full and velvety. Generous. Better than 2009.

Quite lush, with inviting cherry preserves, plum sauce and cassis character. Very silky and refined, with perfumy tea and incense notes. Long. —J.M.

Inky-ruby. Very pure, ripe blackberry and blackcurrant on the nose, with hints of fresh violet, minerals and cured tobacco. The sweet dark berry and candied black cherry flavors display impressive depth and lingering minerality, but the building, palate-coating tannins are tough going today. Finishes with excellent persistence, but this wine left me scrambling for something to eat. Best today on the profound, perfumed nose, this is a very impressive, serious wine. But as with other wines from Catherine Pere-Verge's stable this year (witness Le Gay and Montviel), I found it a little too extracted for my taste, although considerably less so than those two. I am normally a huge fan of La Violette, which is often one of the purest and daintiest expressions of Pomerol (certainly, its terroir is arguably among the very best of the appellation), so it may well be that all the 2010 needs is time in the bottle to resolve its fierce tannic shroud. In that case, my score will look ungenerous.

Tasted blind. Deep garnet with a soft pink rim. Gorgeously seductive red-fruits nose, just a little bit meaty – and more so in the glass. Firm and more savoury on the palate but still packed with fruit sweetness. Thick but smooth tannins. I don’t know if the meatiness has anything to do with brett but at the moment it is not excessive. (JH)

Sadly, there's not a whole lot of production to this microscopic estate in Pomerol, but the name says it all. The awesome aromatics include not only raspberries, black cherries, and blackberry, but also the floral perfume of an haute couture house. Its terrific aromatics are followed by a wine with quintessential elegance married to almost unbridled density of fruit, all presented in a flawless and seamless concoction of full-bodied power, elegance and purity. This is a riveting wine and certainly one of the great classics to ever be produced by this tiny estate. Kudos to proprietress Catherine Pere-Verge. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035.
-Wine Advocate #205 Feb 2013

(94-97 pts)
2010: This tiny jewel of a property consists of five acres planted with 100% Merlot (over 50 years of age) in clay, limestone and gravelly soils, situated between Le Pin and Trotanoy. Made from yields of 20 hectoliters per hectare, the 2010, surprisingly, possesses only 13.5% alcohol (some of its neighbors hit 14.5-15%). As its name suggests, the hallmark of La Violette is its striking floral character. In many ways it is a more flowery version of La Conseillante, which comes from the gravelly soils on the St.-Emilion border. This offering's dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by sweet aromas of flowers, raspberries and kirsch. With sweet tannins, a full-bodied richness and elegance as well as a sublime lightness, this unusual Pomerol is characterized by its quintessential finesse, elegance and flowery qualities. A remarkable wine, it can be drunk young or cellared for 15-20 years.