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Moulis & Listrac tasting notes

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Below are my tasting notes on the wines of Moulis and Listrac over the years. For the detailed châteaux profiles click on the individual links.

MOULIS

Château Anthonic, Moulis

  • 2014 Mid depth; deep at centre; fresh and vigorous aromatics; stalky blackcurrant tones; black cherry too; fresh attack; stalky blackfruits; softish tannins; some acid and grip on the finish but this is good, refreshing Moulis. Drink 2019-2025. Tasted 2 April, 2015 at d’Arsac. 86-88
  • 2013 Mid depth; deep and dusty nose; firm; chewy palate with quite high acid. Not a whole lot of joy at present. Will soften a little but probably a chewy number even so. Tasted Cru Bourgeois tasting 3/4/14. Drink 2016-2022. 80-82
  • 2010 Dense and saturated; some cream and ripeness; very ripe attack, some fruit here and sweetness but also grip and piles of tannin but enough fruit here to work. Will always have grip and tannin but has flavour and concentration too. 85-86+/100 L’Alliance des Crus Bourgeois 5 April 2011

Château Brillette, Moulis

  • 2014 Deepish; fresher; some blackcurrant; wet rocks; nice fruit on the nose; elegance; more minerally; graphite; blackcurrant; nice tension on the palate; good elegance; some flesh and polish; elegant finish; lacks some depth but tannins nicely handled. Drink 2017-2025. 85-87+
  • 2013 Mid depth; wet chalk and a little ink; fruit on the palate some spices though still lean overall. Tasted Cru Bourgeois tasting 3/4/14. Drink 2016-2022. 81-83
  • 2011 Vibrant looking; purple at edge; cream, wet stone, sturdy feel; blackcurrants; bit dusty; blackcurrants again on the palate along with a lot of tannins; chewy. Alliance des Crus Bourgeois tasting. 83-85
  • 2010 Deep and saturated – intense as espresso; some cream and blackcurrants; some smoke; more flesh here; ripeness, pretty good. Lots of extract, fruit and tannin, but in that order. Needs time but will age well. 86-87+/100 L’Alliance des Crus Bourgeois 5 April 2011
Château Biston-Brillette, Moulis
  • 2014 Deep and saturated look; wet rocks; solid; iron and multivitamin notes; ink; ripe and soft on the palate; bit chewy and chunky on the finish; needs to round out a bit. Drink 2019-2024. Drink 2019-2025. Tasted 2 April, 2015 at d’Arsac. 84-86

Château Chasse-Spleen, Moulis

  • 2015 Mid depth; earthy edge; bright fruit; higher toned; blackcurrants; some spice; elegant palate with blackcurrants and leady aspect; quite high in acidity and a little austere in style. Grippy finish. Will fill out to a degree but this is the Chasse-Spleen style. [50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 13%]. Drink 2022-2028. 85-87
  • 2014 Mid depth; purple at edge; fresh blackcurrants; certain modesty; some spice; hint of menthol; blackcurrant fruit beneath; fresh palate; some depth; slightly lighter toned; freshness; stalky; will settle. Fresh and elegant style. Hopefully will fill out further during elévage. [50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 13.5%]. Tasted 31 March ’15. Drink 2010-2030. 85-87
  • 2013 Attractive depth; purple edge; some complexity on the nose; blackcurrants, spice; palate rather solid and a bit hard; has structure but lacks flesh. Will settle but likely an austere Chasse-Spleen. [65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% petit Verdot]. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2018-2025. 84-86
  • 2012 Mid depth – dark core; fresh blackcurrant aromatics; clean with some spice and dust; mid weight palate [fraction light?] with elegance and fresh acid. Perhaps a fraction clipped at the end but not astringent. Drink 2016-2025. 86 UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Dense colour; glossy look; some bright fruit, black cherry, fresh. Purity on the nose. Fresh palate but oaky and feels very dry. Angular finish. 85-87 UGC Tuesday April 9 2013
  • 2011 Mid depth; very polished nose; creamy blackcurrant aromas; stalky blackcurrants on the palate but fresh and clean and not too grippy; still needs some time to settle further but nicely done for the vintage. Drink 2016-2026. 87 Tasted Oct ’13 UGCB London [Earlier note] Lacks the depth in the glass of some [not necessarily a problem given some of the saturation here]; backward, stalky Moulis on the nose; stalky Cabernet; whiff of the vegetal; blackcurrants, tannin and acid; bite to the palate; tannin nevertheless reasonably round. Angular and structured wine. Tasted UGC April 2012. 85-87
  • 2010 Deepish, quite dark at core; healthy glossy look in the glass; attractive spicy blackcurrant aromas with some undergrowth; enticing; lots of layers of fruit here, attractive and classic – an interesting companion piece to 2009. Sturdy blackcurrant fruit on the palate; quite clean and fresh acids; grippy and chewy finish of the vintage. This works well. 90/100 UGC Nov ’12 [Earlier primeurs note] 2010 Deep and reasonably saturated; some reductive notes and work-in-progress feel; blackcurrants too but suggestion of some hardness; palate concentrated but very grippy and tannic; feels dominated by the tannins. It should fill out though not certain. 86-88?/100 Tasted 5 April 2011 at UGC. [Second tasting] Deep, fresh looking; quite strong blackcurrant but also tannin and dust on the nose; palate quite grippy with tannin here dominating the fruit, this is not a patch on the ’09. Tannic, chewy and with lots of acid grip. Will come round but certainly not the winner 2009 was in my book. 84-86?/100 Tasted 7 April 2011 at UGC
  • 2009 Mid red; deep and dense; some strawberry and red fruits; quite open and sexy for Chasse-Spleen; some undergrowth; very full and pretty open. The first time this estate has reached 14% – but probably not the last. 90+/100 UGC Oct ’11 [Earlier Primeurs note] 2009 Black, inky; very ripe red fruits, little unsettled reductive cellar note, but blackcurrants beneath. Concentrated, layered palate lots of fruit and lots of tannin. Tannic but real length and precision. Quite taut, will need time but potentially very fine. 90+/100 Tasted 30th March 2010
  • 2008 Mid red; strawberry notes and some lift with earthy elements; quite fruit driven initially with extract on the palate; quite dry tannin at the end but good length. This a good wine but in a classic style and needs time. 87/100 UGC Oct ‘10
  • 2007 Mid red; quite serious red wine nose here; fresh palate, slightly angular and tannic at this stage. Many flesh out? 84/100 Oct ‘09
  • 1999 Mid-red- some depth; classic cedar and blackcurrant nose; well developed; palate medium weight with cedary blackcurrant fruit. Tannins rounded out. Attractive and mature. 86/100 March ‘10 
  • 1983 Mahogany; mature nose, some dust; palate structured but no flesh; austere; bit hard with no middle. This vintage lacks a lot and has, in Bordeaux across the board, developed poorly compared to ‘82. 84/100 Oct ‘97

Château Duplessis, Moulis

  • 2011 Black and arterial; sturdy nose; strapping and stalky, stone fruits and blackcurrants; grippy palate with lots of acid and tannin. Not that much fun. 80-82

Château Dutruch Grand Poujeaux, Moulis

  • 2010 Deep and saturated; ripe fruit, even some red, strawberry fruit notes; fresh Cabernet too; good entry, quite supple but with grip and extract behind. Will meld. Grippy but lots of fruit. 85-87/100 L’Alliance des Crus Bourgeois 5 April 2011

Château Gressier Grand Poujeaux, Moulis

  • 2014 Mid depth; spicy blackcurrant aromatics; fresh; clean and elegant palate; freshness but needs to fill out; has structure and ripe tannins. Drink 2019-2024. Tasted 2 April, 2015 at d’Arsac. 84-86
  • 2013 Mid depth; lighter at edge; some spices; feels quite tight; red fruits initially; some sap; still quite lean but with a little more elegance than Anthonic and Biston-Brillette. Tasted Cru Bourgeois tasting 3/4/14. Drink 2016-2022. 82-84
  • 2011 Purple at edge; stalky Cabernet nose; some depth and complexity; blackcurrant fruit on the palate; chew and tannin but not that bad. Alliance des Crus Bourgeois tasting. 84-86 Cru Bourgeois Primeurs April ‘12
  • 2010 Deep and saturated; some stalky Cabernet; blackcurrants; grippy tannic wine; needs a bit more flesh; sinewy; will come round I imagine 84-85/100 L’Alliance des Crus Bourgeois 5 April 2010
  • 1996 Mid red-black, redder at edge, reasonable depth; nose of tea leaf, dust with some cassis at the back; earthy and undergrowth flavours too; palate a little taught and on the austere side; rather narrow; goodish levels of extract and tannin but a little mean on the finish. Needs a slice of rare beef. 84/100 Oct ‘06

Château Maucaillou, Moulis

  • 2015 Mid depth; deep at core; perfumed fruit; good palate with plenty of fruit and spice; harmony with spicy tones. Earthy note too. Grip on the finish. Pretty classic Maucaillou. [55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot]. Drink 2021-2027. 87-88+
  • 2014 Deep and saturated colour; lovely ripe fruit; real extract and matter; fruitcake; blackfruit; wet rock; layers here; menthol; lots of fruit; creamy tones on the palate; menthol; blackcurrants; spices; nice texture; grip. Excellent Moulis from Maucaillou. [51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 13% alc]. Tasted 31 March ’15. Drink 2019-2028. 89-91+
  • 2013 Deep colour; purple edge; high toned aromatics; plums and blackcurrants with woody tones; quite grippy and chewy on the palate; plenty of sap too; austere finish. [47% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2017-2023. 83-85
  • 2012 Deep and saturated looking; earthy blackcurrant tones; some spice; good solid aromatic profile; attractive fruit on the palate; nicely handled in the cellar; full and tasty. This is an excellent showing and has lots of flesh for the vintage. Drink now-2025. 89+ UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Dark and deep; nice purity of fruit, Cabernet but ripe; some tightness on the palate; lean and lacks mid palate richness. Should meld but dry finish. 84-86 UGC Tuesday April 9 2013
  • 2011 Deep and dense; earthy, mealy note with a little walnut; chunky fruit on the palate with some life; little tannic and chewy. Earthy style. Not the best of the recent wines here. Drink 2015-2025. 84 Tasted Oct ’13 UGCB London [Earlier note] Dense at the centre; red fruits, satiny, elegant; lots of ripe Merlot; quite complex and deep; satisfying nose; minerals and wet rock notes; oak on the palate, feels quite dense and dry but plenty of fruit here suggests that this will round out but probably a bit over-extracted here. Tasted UGC. 85-87? UGCB Primeurs April 2012
  • 2010 Mid depth; glossy; red fruits, some wet rock and chalky qualities; spice and earth with blackcurrant highlights; blackcurrant fruit again on the palate, earthy notes and quite lot of oak here too. Bags of guts – lots of chewy material. Will need 5 years to meld and last a while. Good value as ever. 88+ UGC Nov ’12 [Earlier Primeurs note] 2010 Deep; less saturated than some; more strawberry notes and mineral and wet rocks; palate sweet entry and has depth here; ripe fruit and open. This should be good. Chewy, dense and grippy but has flesh. Sappy and concentrated. 87-89+/100 Tasted 5 April 2011 at UGC [Second tasting] Mid depth, saturated; some cream and blackcurrants, quite fresh and deep, ripe Merlot here on the nose; strawberry fruit too; dense with some life; dense and also grippy but I feel this will come good and is reasonably well balanced. Chocolate and coffee on the finish. 86-88+/100 Tasted  7 April 2011 at UGC
  • 2009 Mid red; thick, ripe and intense; minerals and wet rocks; blackcurrants and leather on palate with some minerals. This works well with lots of spicy, blackcurrant fruit. 89+/100 UGC Oct ’11 [Earlier Primeurs note] 2009 Deep colour, tight to rim; Ripe and pretty nose, really very good, wonderfully attractive nose with depth; palate concentrated and ripe with extract and tannin, blackcurrants and mocha. Very good, very fresh and with length. Terrific effort 88-90+/100 Tasted 30th March 2010.
  • 2008 Deep and dense; some strawberry and resin, some chocolate; reasonable density on the palate, sturdy, extract, soe earth and tannin, grippy and tannic overall but also with extract and fruit and some tobacco notes mixed in. Good 86+/100 UGC Oct ‘10
  • 1996 Mid red; some tinges of mahogany at edge; attractive soft nose of tobacco, beef and savoury notes. Quite elegant and light toned and lacks intensity but quite charming and enjoyable with a soft palate and ripe tannins. Earthy Graves like quality to it and not at all austere as you may expect a Moulis from this year. 86/100 Oct ’06.

Château Poujeaux, Moulis,

  • 2015 Deep and arterial; dense; tight to rim; aromatics reticent at first; blackcurrant cassis emerges on aeration; some minerality; pure and attractive; concentrate attack; good structure with plenty of fruit. Dense and chewy finish. Needs time. Ten years should do it. [50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc]. Drink 2023-2032. 90-91+
  • 2014 Deep and arterial in colour; attractive blackcurrant fruit; layered and pure; unadorned beauty; lovely purity here; very good; blackcurrant flavours dominate the palate; clean, fresh and concentrated. Some spice from the oak at the back but mostly soaked up by the pure fruit; length too with nice freshness. Great effort from Poujeaux. [60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 30% new oak]. Tasted 31 March ’15. Drink 2020-2030. 90-92
  • 2013 Deep-ish; purple at edge; blackcurrant fruit; feels clean and pure; elegant palate with some blackcurrant fruit and attractive purity; no wood poking through so nicely integrated; elegant but firm with a little sap on the finish. [55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2018-2025. 86-88+ [Earlier note] Mid depth; lighter at core; quite pretty aromatics, some perfume, blackcurrant tones and spices; sturdy palate, elegance and fresh. [50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot 13% alc, 3.71 pH]. Tasted Clos Fourtet 2/4/14. Drink 2018-2025. 86-88
  • 2012 Deep and saturated look; tight to the edge; saline/salty edge to the aromatics; minerals; chew and extract on the palate; gutsy with mineral and wet rock tones. Tannins ripe and nicely handled. Lacks a bit of expression for Poujeaux but possibly needs a little time to show its best. Drink 2017-2027. 88 UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Deep and saturated colour; tight to the edge; blackcurrant and briary fruits on the nose; quite open and seemingly a lot of fruit here; palate full and firm; lots of elements acid, tannin and fruit and considerable structure. Goodish effort – evidently lots of fruit here. 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. 87-89 UGC Tuesday April 9 2013
  • 2011 Deep and saturated look; spicy blackcurrant aromas – feels deep; stalky blackcurrants on the palate; nicely handled fruit; chewy blackcurrants. Acid and grip on the finish but a typically good effort from Poujeaux. Drink 2016-2026. 88+ Tasted Oct ’13 UGCB London [Earlier note] Mid depth; concentrated at the edge; blackcurrants, some earth and lift; oak too and black cherry; feels deep; palate perfumed with blackcurrants and cassis and a whiff of Turkish delight; lots of extract and material; chewy style with bite and tannin. Should work out well enough though. Tasted UGC. 87-89+ UGC Primeurs April 2012
  • 2010 Deep and saturated – arterial; black cherry, cassis; lots of depth on the nose; freshness and minerality; little boiled sweet note too – overall lots of cassis and fresh black fruit flavours; again blackcurrant, black cherry and spicy characters on the palate; lots of structure surrounding the fruit and firm acid. Fresh. Purer and denser than Chasse Spleen but less immediately appealing. Long term. Needs ten years plus. 91+/100 UGC Nov ’12 [Earlier Primeurs note] 2010 Deep black, saturated and arterial; quite ripe, some raisin notes but also blackcurrants and cassis; good depth. Tighter and more tannic than 2009’s beauty. Has the extract but wow real big tannins here. NOT ’09 at all. Could be great but very, very long term. 89-91+/100 [55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot 13.7 alc and IPT 81] Tasted 5 April 2011 at UGC [Second tasting] Deep and dense; legs; very dense but with super-ripe notes here; rich and thick nose – will be BIG; quite deep; thick palate, ballsy and dense; feels very solid and strong but feel it is not as attractive as ’09. More 89-91/100 Tasted 7 April 2011 at UGC
  • 2009 Deep and dense; blackcurrants; some leaf but a little closed from its extraordinary primeur self; clearly rich underneath; palate clean and vibrant; some sexy red fruits; this will settle but very closed and tannic now. Will come good and probably deserves a better score. Certainly a very long-term 2009. 90-91+/100 UGC Oct ’11 [Earlier Primeurs note] 2009 Deep black, right up to rim; very intense and attractive nose, pent up but classic; cassis and blackcurrants. Excellent. Intense and already layered. Sophisticated attractive palate. Nice and intense and with good mid palate richness. Excellent with grip and acid to balance. Tannic but plenty of flesh and concentration. This is astonishingly good! Potentially 92-93+/100 Tasted 30th March 2010.
  • 2008 Deep at centre; red at edge; rich nose, quite earthy but dense with some oak resin; muscular with blackcurrants and earth; some leaf and lift; palate earthy, dense and tannic with lots of fruit and extract but also acid and tannin; real grip here but also with the fruit here, savoury. This will be very good. Tannic and dry finish but it will develop and is an excellent effort. 90/100 UGC ‘10
  • 1996 Mid red; some mature notes; earth, tar and tobacco but elegant; palate fine and elegant, no austerity. Fine and elegant. 87/100

LISTRAC

Château Cap Léon Veyrin, Listrac

  • 2014 Deep and saturated look; tight to rim; opaque centre; cassis and blackcurrants; slightly reductive at present; fresh and vigorous palate; blackcurrants, some wet rock notes; acidity; but there is flesh; touch of austerity on the finish. Cab dominated wine. Will come good. Chew and acidity on the finish – in a helpful way. Length here actually. Drink 2018-2028. Tasted 29 March, 2015 at Grand Cercle. 85-87+

Château Clarke, Listrac

  • 2015 Deep and saturated looking; very opaque; tight to rim; ripe and voluptuous Merlot; upfront and soft; velvety feel; lacks a little density perhaps but this is extremely enjoyable Listrac; jam packed with fruit; ripe and soft tannin; very good effort indeed. [70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.5% alc, 70% new oak]. Drink 2020-2028. 88-90
  • 2014 Deep and saturated look; spices; menthol; iron and minerals; wet rock; substantial palate; sturdy fruit; warm with some oak influence; ripe fruit tones; some chew. Nicely done. [80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.5% alc]. Tasted 31st March ’15 at UGC. Drink 2019-2027. 88-90+
  • 2013 Mid depth; purple edge; some earth, graphite and blackcurrants; freshness; quite polished; pure and sappy palate; vigorous and sappy style but has sufficient fruit. [60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2017-2023. 84-86
  • 2012 Mid depth; attractive ripe and plummy aromatics; some spices and freshness; soft palate; easy; perhaps lacks a little texture but round and easy. Nicely judged in vintage context. Drink 2015-2022. 86 UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Deep and dense looking; some wet rock, chalk and blackcurrant notes beneath; feels ripe; some pretty fruit on the nose; some hardness to the palate; dense and chewy. 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon 13.5% alc 85-87 UGC Tuesday April 9, 2013
  • 2011 Mid depth; some spices, plum with cherry notes; palate very grippy and quite puckering. Drink 2015-2021. 84 Tasted Oct ’13 UGCB London [Earlier note] Mid depth; fresh looking; inky, Iron and multi-vitamin pill nose; wet stones; intense and dense palate; grippy and chewy with tannin and lots of bite. Mouth puckering here. Tasted UGC. 82-84 UGC Primeurs April 2012
  • 2010 Deep and saturated looking; ripe and round nose [Clarke Merlot dominant]; some chalky, wet rock notes; little lift too; chewy palate with lots of fruit, plenty of structure and sap. Good effort. 86+/100 UGC Nov ’ 12 [Earlier primeurs note] 2010 Deep and saturated; ripe and toasty nose; fruit, tight still; some char; nice attack on the palate, ripe and some layers but then the tightness [this will need a bit of egg white fining down the line!] Tannic and very dusty on the finish. Wow these tannins! Very grippy too. Tricky at present. 84-86?/100 Tasted 5 April 2011. [Second tasting] Deep, right up to edge; ripe fat nose; Merlot style; some marzipan hints; lots of fruit but also extraction here also; needs to soften; big and ballsy; grip and tannin and very extracted. Tannin. Over-extracted in fact on these showings. 84-86?/100 Tasted 7 April 2011 
  • 2009 Mid red; glossy look; lifted blackcurrants and plums; quite ripe and thick; some tar and liquorice; very ripe, dense and chewy palate; good stuff if a little straightforward. 88/100 UGC Oct ’11 [Earlier Primeurs note] 2009 Deep colour; quite pretty fruit nose; some blackcurrant; jammy note – very ripe here; raspberry even strawberry; palate full and fruity with the same red fruits on the palate. Softer palate than the Fourcas Dupre. 88/100 Tasted 30th March 2010.
  • 2008 Mid red/black; strawberry and red fruit nose; quite lifted and appealing; soft palate and lighter and less tannic than the other wines from Listrac in 2008 – much higher percentage of Merlot [70%] to Cabernet Sauvignon [30%] here. Attractive and agreeable, if a little on the light side. 85/100 UGC Oct ‘10
Château Ducluzeau, Listrac
  • 2015 Purple at edge; spicy characters, ripe fruit tones; supple and nicely balanced on the palate; round and attractive. Nice modern rendition of Listrac. [85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.5% alc, TA 3.3, pH 3.64, IPT 65, 20% new oak]. Drink 2022-2028. 86-88+

Château Fonréaud, Listrac

  • 2015 Deep and saturated; some stone fruit and pain grille elements; black cherry and cassis notes beneath; sturdy; black chocolate tones; chew on the mid-palate so pretty gutsy. Should be goodish. [51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 13% alc 33% new oak]. Drink 2021-2026. 86-88
  • 2014 Deep looking; fragrant aromatics; spices and some oak influence; soft entry on the palate; good texture; supple; not too grippy but has bite and freshness. Elegant Listrac with fresh finish.[55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot]. Tasted 31 March ’15 at UGC. Drink 2019-2025. 86-88+
  • 2013 Lightish colour; purple rim; spicy cherry notes with blackcurrant; cool but attractive black fruits; some flesh in the middle with vigorous sap; little chewy and puckering on the finish. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2017-2023. 83-85
  • 2012 Mid depth; dark core; inky; some liquoirce and chocolate; spicy blackcurrant fruit tones; lacks a little concentration and a little astringent on the finish. Drink 2015-2020. 83 UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Deep and dense; more oak lift, some resin, some layers, quite seductive almost, meaty and oak palate; oak tannins, feels a liitle overdone. Dry palate. Tannic. Some length but oak and tannic at present. 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot 13.5% alc 30% new oak. 84-86 UGC Tuesday April 9, 2013
  • 2011 Deep and dense looking; attractive spicy, blackcurrant nose with some leaf and undergrowth; earthy blackcurrant flavours. Chewy on the finish. Pretty traditional Listrac and good effort from this property in a tricky vintage. Drink now to enjoy the vigour but will obviously improve. Drink 2014 – 2021. 86 Tasted Oct ’13 UGCB London [Earlier note] Deep and saturated core; earthy, blackcurrants with a mealy edge; oak overtones; some pefume and rose hip lift; quite attractive; palate nimble, tannin not overdone; structured and grippy but refreshing finish. Feels nimble. Good effort here. Tasted UGC. 85-87+ UGC Primeurs April 2012
  • 2010 Deepish; earthy blackcurrant fruit and some dusty tannin notes on the nose; little chunkiness; some lift; mid weight palate; inky fruit with grip and acid. Pretty chewy overall as you’d expect. Will work out. 86/100 UGC Nov ’12 [Earlier Primeurs note] 2010 Deep and saturated; creamy, ripe fruit; some mineral and wet rocks; blackcurrant beneath; good density, some herbs and concentration; tannic but ripe. Gutsy and tannic but just the right side. 85-86+/100 Tasted 5 April 2011at UGC. [Second tasting] Deep and dark, but healthy looking; smoky nose; earth; some spices with blackcurrant; quite meaty; spicy, grippy palate; some herbs; grippy finish but flesh and pretty good. 85-87+/100 Tasted 7 April 2011 at UGC
  • 2009 Mid red; nice meaty savoury edge here; full chewy and dense palate – Listrac’s tannins tamed in this vintage; lots of ripe fruit and a great mouthful. 89/100 UGC Oct ’11 [Earlier Primeurs note] 2009 Deep, intense colour; attractive nose; some new oak here, some vegetal notes but also blackcurrants; palate sweet entry, up front fruit and attractive [almost Chateau Charmail style here]. Quite grippy and toughness but lots of fruit here too. Good 86-88/100 Tasted 30th March 2010.
  • 2008 Mid red; some purple; some resin and density on the nose with chocolate and blackcurrants; palate more open than Fourcas Dupre; quite agreeable; some savour and meat and lift on the palate; some length. Goodish wine and tannins not drying and overdone. 86+/100 UGC Oct ‘10
  • 2005 Very bright; blackcurrants and some cassis; at last some fat here on the palate; blackcurrants; but still pretty tannic. Fruit seems enough to cover the tannin. 84/100 May ’10 Wine Trade Fair.
Château Fourcas-Borie, Listrac
  • 2015 Bold colour; attractive aromatics; polished and crisp palate with crunchy texture; supple fruit but still fresh; appetising with good length. [75% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.75% alc. TA 3.18, pH 3.74, IPT 70, 20% new oak]. Drink 2022-2028. 87-89+

Château Fourcas Dupré, Listrac

  • 2015 Mid depth; dark core; purple at edge; slightly more elegantly styled; mineral and black cherry; spice; full entry; plenty of up-front fruit and spice; dips a fraction on the mid palate; should fill out further during ageing. [51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 13.5%, 33% new oak pH 3.69, TA 3.4]. Drink 2021-2028. 86-88+
  • 2014 Deep and saturated colour; healthy looking; attractive; spicy plums and blackcurrants with touch of pain grillé notes; blackcurrant fruit on the palate; mid-weight; composed and elegant. Nice acidity. Works well.[50% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot]. Tasted 31 March ’15 at UGC. Drink 2019-2027. 88-90+
  • 2013 Mid depth; vibrant purple at edge; attractive sweet spicy nose; perfumed; nice entry on the palate that shows elegance and softness; nicely judged. Not too sappy. [48% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit verdot 32hl/ha 33% new oak each year]. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. Drink 2018-2025. 85-87
  • 2012 Mid depth; fresh and more spicy and lifted than Fonréaud; red fruits and blackcurrant tones; plums and blackcurrants with a spicy overlay on the palate; nice; round and harmonious wine. Drink 2015-2025. 87 UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Dark centre; vibrant at edge; some perfume, prettiness on the nose; some cherry; depth not unattractive; good entry, ripe fruit, chewy but good nevertheless. Lots of guts. Chewy finish but will work. 86-88 UGC Tuesday April 9 2013
  • 2011 Mid depth; fresh aromas of stalky blackcurrants; similar tones on the palate – cool blackcurrant flavours with spices and acid. Has settled and will improve further. Drink 2015-2026. 86+ Tasted Oct ’13 UGCB London [Earlier note] Deep and dense; earthy purple at edge; blackcurrants and cassis; quite attractive – almost Pauillac like; fresh and nice purity here; palate good and dense with blackcurrants, tannin and acid; some pucker here. Tannic palate, that’s Listrac. Should settle. Tasted UGC. 85-87 UGC April 2012
  • 2010 Mid depth; meaty, spicy nose; some red fruits; attractive; stalky Cabernet flavours on the palate with freshness; grip here as you’d expect. Pretty sappy effort with lots of grip but plenty of chewy fruit here. This will work out nicely. Needs two to three years. 87/100 UGC Nov ’12 [Earlier Primeurs note] 2010 Deep and saturated; real ripeness here; fruit, some luxuriance, ripe; good guts and some tannin and grip but concentrated. Will knit together. Some spice and herbs on the finish. Very good 87-88/100 Tasted 5 April 2011 at UGC. [Second tasting] Dense and saturated; legs; ripe and rich, cassis and blackcurrant; rich seam of blackcurrant here and quite fresh and cool; some density, tannin and acid but enough chewy fruit. A bit like 2005. 86-88+/100 Tasted 7 April 2011 at UGC
  • 2009 Dense and black; thick and deep; some tar and liquorice; thick and ripe blackcurrant; saturated plate in fruit and flavour; big and bold; chewy tannins have settled since primeur tastings. Very good chewy and thick Listrac. 89/100 UGC Oct ’11 [Earlier Primeurs note] 2009 Dark, healthy red at edge’ some chalkiness but with great intensity [less open than the Fourcas-Hosten below]; ripe palate tannic but with lots of fruit to back it up. Fruit here – raspberry and blackcurrant, tannin too. 88/100
  • 2008 Mid red; good depth; some strawberry with a little tobacco at the edge; some savour  but the Fourcas Hosten is more showy. Quite tannic palate; with leafy blackcurrants but  dry. May come round but tannins feel very dry and present currently. 84/100
  • 2005 Mid red, youthful at rim, depth; attractive nose of blackcurrants, cassis with some plum, ripe, also some earth and oak too alongside tobacco and a whiff of undergrowth; palate very supple and well balanced; density here, some minerals and more blackcurrants; tannins very fine; good grip and extract overall with fine length. Balanced and already drinkable but will improve over next 2-3 years and last for 10 plus. 88+/100 June ‘10
  • 2000 Dense black red, some development at edge, earthy. Some cassis but pent up and intense. Later opened out with a more roasted character, but a promising wine with personality and bite. Needs a few years to open up. 86+/100 Sept 09. [Earlier note] Dark core, some red purple at edge, initially lovely smoky, raspberry rose petal nose reminiscent of Charmail and fine Bordeaux. Palate quite taut and lean but with real concentration and some fat here. Good. 87/100 Jan 08.
  • 1996 Mid red, some mahogany tints; still darkish at core with a roasted/earthy note; quite stylish with depth. Attractive sturdy palate; beefy and twist of acid and tannin at the end. After an hour in the decanter more blackcurrants came out on palate. Full mature – with none of the dusty tannins of some of the mid 1990s cru bourgeois. This is a wine that does develop well in bottle. Good value too – I picked this up from a French supermarket in the late 1990s for 40 francs a bottle [about £4 then].  87/100 Aug 06

Château Fourcas Hosten, Listrac

  • 2015 Deep at core; earthy red at edge; colour tight to rim; some spices and herbal notes; menthol; black cherry fruit on the palate; quite a lot of tannin at the end; little hard at present. Little extracted but will settle. [54% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, 13% alc, 39% new oak]. Drink 2022-2027. 86-88+
  • 2014 Mid depth; glossy; purple edge; ripe plums; some cassis; little prune and black cherry; ripe; glossy palate; some wet rocks and chalk; full and extracted; chewy. Fresh acidity on the finish. [60% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc]. Tasted UGC 31 March ’15. Drink 2020-2028. 88-90+
  • 2013 Deep and healthy looking; purple at edge; some wood on the nose with stalky blackcurrant tones; little reductive; quite grippy palate; there is material here but a leaner and more sappy style than Dupre. Little dry on the finish. Will come good but a fraction austere at present. [55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc]. Drink 2018-2025. Tasted 3/4/14 UGCB. 84-86
  • 2012 Mid depth; quite bold; some spice and fresh blackcurrant tones; soft and easy on the palate – full of fruit and quite round and approachable for this estate. Drink 2015-2025. 88 UGC Oct ’14 [Earlier note] Deep and saturated; much more oak on the nose; toasty and espresso notes; some fruit layers beneath; oak very present on the palate; feels disjointed; a certain hardness. Fruit masked a bit at present. Lots of guts and material on the palate but pretty grippy and lots of tannin from the wood. Should settle. 85-87 UGC Tuesday April 9 2013
  • 2011 Deep looking; earth, fresh blackcurrants and steely note; quite pure; chewy palate but not over acidic or extracted; nicely handled on the palate. Has harmony. Drink 2015-2026 87 Tasted Oct ’13 UGCB London [Earlier note] Deep and earthy looking; vibrant edge; earthy, meaty nose, spices and blackcurrants; sweeter palate, lots of guts and chew; tannins feel softer here; not a bad effort. Slight streak of green here but this works overall. Satisfying finish. Tasted UGC. 86-88 UGC April 2012
  • 2010 Deep and glossy looking; more blackcurrant purity here than Dupre, some spice, chocolate and coffee highlights; nicely balanced palate, a little sinewy maybe but nice tension between the fruit and the sappy qualities. Needs three to five years. 87+ UGC Nov ’12 [Earlier Primeurs note] 2010 Deep and saturated; ripe and attractive nose with some sophistication; blackcurrant, oak, some liquorice and some perfume too [violets]; intense palate, quite dense but good grip and nice balance. Still in the tight Listrac style but well done. Some grip 88+/100 Tasted 5 April 2011 at UGC. [Second tasting] Deep and dense; attractive nose; lots of blackcurrants and cassis; some stones and minerals; nice entry and density; concentration here without too much hardness. Good palate. Pretty good effort in tannin management. Length good too. 88-90/100 Tasted 7 April 2011 at UGC
  • 2009 Earthy edge; deep colour; leafy and lifted; some minty notes with blackcurrants beneath; attractive and open; mid weight palate, balanced and attractive wine this; depth and chew but this is really good. Will last of course but very forward and attractive now. 90+/100 UGC Oct ’11 [Earlier note] 2009 Deep and inky, blackcurrants and minerals, almost Pauillac like; some leaf; would be very happy with this myself; palate sturdy, some pretty oak influence, but with depth; less obviously fleshy than the Haut-Medocs and the wines of Moulis; more tight-fisted but very good. 88-90/100 Tasted 30th March ’10 UGC Primeur tastings.
  • 2008 Mid depth, some purple at edge; earth and wet stone, quite meaty with some savour; quite chunky palate with tannins and acid but some density of fruit and extract to carry these I think; tobacco and oak and blackcurrants. Needs time but lots to chew on here. Pretty good 87+/100 
  • 2001 Deep red; attractive nose of earth, meat and ripe cab and a tension between austerity and richness. Attractive balanced palate, little short on the finish. A good sturdy wine. 85/100 Apr ‘07
  • 2000 Good colour, attractive dense nose with depth, tightish palate though feels fleshier than the Fourcas Dupre in this vintage. Dense blackcurrant fruit. Mid weight. Still needs time. 86/100 Sept ‘07
  • 1996 Good depth; closed; palate taught, tight structure, good acid, firm. Should age well and flesh out. Quite hard presently. 85/100 Sept ‘00
  • 1995 Red at edge, depth to core; initially earth, beefy edge but with that slight dusty tannin note; some beef and guts to the palate but a little dry tannin on the finish. Little austere and lacks generosity and mid-palate richness [the style and the terrior]. Bit hard. 82-83/100 Oct ‘05
Château Lestage, Listrac, Cru Bourgeois
  • 2014 Deep looking; dark at centre; soft and round; some cream; leaf and blackcurrant; freshness; full and sweet; some perfume to the fruit; little oak; fresh acid; has the elements. Drink 2019-2023. Drink 2019-2025. Tasted 2 April, 2015 at d’Arsac. 85-87

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