Chateau Franc Mayne 2021

Wine Advocate: "Exhibiting aromas of plums, dark berries, rose petals and loamy soil, the 2021 Franc-Mayne is medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered, with lovely depth and concentration, tangy acids and a long, penetrating finish. In style, this is elegant and understated, but it has plenty to say too."

Suckling: "A medium-bodied red with tight-grained tannins and pretty clove and savory bark notes. Fresh yet structured for the vintage. Nicely layered."

Neal Martin: "The 2021 Franc Mayne has quite a backward bouquet, though it is well defined and cohesive, featuring attractive black cherry and bilberry fruit laced with undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, slightly granular in texture, and quite pure, leading to a lightly spiced finish. This is promising."

Wine Cellar Insider: "Flowers and black cherries come through on the nose. Soft, round and polished, with a nice sweetness to the fruits on the medium-bodied palate, and in the soft, creamy finish leaving you with a solid wave of cherries and dark chocolate. Things are definitely on the upswing here. Drink from 2024-2040."

Wine Enthusiast: "90–92. Barrel Sample. A juicy wine with a smooth and easy texture. Blackberry flavors are likely to dominate as the wine undergoes wood aging. A light spiciness comes through at the end."

Decanter: "Cassis liqueur touches on the nose, smells concentrated and intense. Juicy with high acidity on the initial impact. Raspberry leaf and strawberry juice to the fore before the liquorice and graphite tannins come in and surround the palate. I like the cooling touches - clear Cabernet markers with a lifted and aerial feel plus a long finish. It has enjoyable elements and a sustained depth on the mid-palate. Refined for the vintage."

Falstaff: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Frische Waldbeeren, ein Hauch von Pflaumen, dezenter Feigentouch, schokoladige Note. Mittlerer Körper, zart nach Zwetschken, präsente Tannine, die etwas austrocknen, mineralisch-salziger Abgang."