From very sandy soils east of St.-Emilion, this 2010 also has a big, ball-busting level of alcohol. It offers up loads of black cherry fruit, some underbrush and loamy soil undertones, sweet tannin and adequate acidity in its forward, evolved personality. This is a stylish, more feminine St.-Emilion meant for early consumption over the next decade or more. This is a property on the rise in quality. Yields selected for the final blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc were essentially,16 hectoliters per hectare, which is virtually nothing, so only 1,000 cases were made.

This will be a property to watch, since it changed owners in 2009, and consultant Stephane Derenoncourt and, more recently Jean-Philippe Fort, Michel Rolland’s assistant, have been trying to resurrect this property. Yields in 2010 were minuscule (19 hectoliters per hectare), and the wine hit 15% natural alcohol from a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Opaque ruby/purple, very up-front, forward and quite delicious, I could have drunk it had it not been tasted on two different occasions in the morning. Exhibiting beautiful black currant fruit along with kirsch, licorice, and some background spicy oak, the wine is opulent, medium to full-bodied, and definitely a sleeper of the vintage.

Ripe, rounded and lush, with lots of fruitcake, melted licorice, blueberry compote and linzer torte notes already woven seamlessly together. Toast firms up just a touch on the finish, but there's plenty of stuffing. Score range: 90-93 -JM

New ownership and change. Purple-black colour. Rich, super ripe and complex with kirsch, liquorish and cacao notes. Layered fruit on the palate with ripe, firm tannins and refreshing minerality. Modern expression of a classic terroir.