The wine has a gorgeous nose. All botanicals, florals, berries, wet leaves, earth which is dewy and freshly turned. And then there’s a wow factor on the palate which is massive, complex, labyrinthine in its layers and nuances. Like a peacock somehow, a glimpse of the glory of its tail awaiting the years to open to full beauty. This wine will take years. It is dark, powerful, brooding, beyond words beautiful.

The Cabernet Franc blend of the trio, the 2018 Le Desir is 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 6% Malbec, and as with all these wines, it was brought up in new barrels. Ruby/purple and not completely opaque, it offers up a classic Cabernet Franc nose of mostly red fruits, spring flowers, damp earth, cedary spices, and truffle. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shines for its incredible elegance and purity more than outright power, yet it still brings plenty of richness. With ultra-fine tannins, perfect balance, and one heck of a great finish, it's another great, great wine from this estate.

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Composed of 82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 6% Malbec, the 2018 Le Désir was aged for 16 months in 100% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a little closed to begin, soon unfurling to offer glimpses at notes of kirsch, raspberry preserves and mulberry scents, plus hints of cedar chest, crushed rocks, bay leaves, Sichuan pepper and lavender with a waft of sandalwood. The medium to full-bodied palate has tons of freshness to support the melange of preserved red and black fruits, textured by grainy tannins, finishing with a lingering peppery kick. It may require just a little more time to come around than the La Joie and La Muse, and then I suspect this beauty is going to reward the patient.

For the first time ever, Le Désir is 100% Cabernet Franc in 2018. Vivid and brilliant in the glass, Le Désir bristles with energy. A vivid array of dark fruit, leather, spice, licorice, chocolate and espresso captivates all the senses. The 2018 Le Désir is a very special wine in the making.

82% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, 6% Malbec. Deep ruby colour. Brilliant nose: graphite, cedar, red flowers, bright fruit and then a fullness of spice and fleshy darker cherry. The palate follows, bringing bright crunch and seductive flesh in equal measure. Deep and expansive through the mid-palate. Layers of spice are both sweet and savoury – with the woody herbal notes of Cabernet Franc very impressive. Harmonious, elegant and long. A brilliant example of this underappreciated variety! (TP)