83. Château Grand Mayne, St-Émilion Grand Cru “Smells ripe and dark and heady. A plump start, bright and round, with concentration to the dark fruits. It’s clean and well worked, not pushed too hard, but it feels as if they struggled to get full ripeness from the soft texture in the mid palate. However, there is a nice sleekness and sense of gentle energy from start to finish. I loved this en primeur and it may just need some more time to fill out a little. Shows promise and better to be restrained than try to force a style that wouldn’t work in 2021.” Drink 2025 - 2040 92 pts, Decanter 430190 $100 84. Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, Pauillac (L) “This estate, whose chateau is on the Gironde estuary front in Pauillac, is a solid, tannic wine. Its Cabernet Sauvignon brings out black- currant fruits and shows fine potential. It is a wine for aging, drink from 2027.” Drink 2027 - 2035 94 pts, Wine Enthusiast 411906 6 bottle limit $95 85. Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac “A pretty and fragranced nose, then a sense of true classicism with bright, shining acidity underpinning crushed-velvet tannins and undertones of cola, liquorice and cool blue fruit. Slightly lean but also with lots of Cabernet characters supporting the frame – good weight and focus, with drive. Quite linear and straight, but this works and makes you come back for more.” Drink 2027 - 2047
95 pts, Decanter 411890, 450192
$180
86. Château La Grave, Pomerol “Creamy rose touched blackcurrants on the nose. Succulent and juicy on immediate impact, this has a sombre quality almost straight away, the dark liquorice, graphite and black chocolate lacing the black bramble fruits giving a sense of seriousness to it. It’s linear with lots of tension, the flavours driving the wine from start to finish. You can feel the pent up energy here, excellently controlled, all in balance with these wonderful deep nuances giving structure and support.” Drink 2024 - 2040 91 pts, Decanter 435710 $90
2021 BORDEAUX
29
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