Chateau La Dauphine 2021

Weinwisser: "80 % Merlot, 20 % Cabernet Franc, 30 hl/ha. Delikates blaubeeriges Bouquet, frischer Schattenmorellensaft, zartes Veilchenparfüm, Lakritze und Brombeergelée. Am dichten Gaumen weiche Textur, fein körniges Extrakt, zart spröde werdend mit straffem Körper. Im gebündelten Finale blaue Beeren, Wacholder und fein mürbe Adstringenz. Ein Ritt auf der Rasierklinge, auf dem gleichen Niveau wie ‘19 und ‘18. Dreimal verkostet, kann noch zulegen."

Decanter: "Intensely coloured, deep and rich purple in the glass. Smells rich with soft floral tones. The palate is extremely well textured - smooth, supple, generous and expressive. Tannins are mouthfilling but silky and this has a real vein of sweet liquorice and graphite as well as cedar, clove and vanilla. The acidity provides the succulence while the minerality and salinity from the limestone forms the underlying tension and the texture on the tongue. Quite direct, while also having layers of flavour. A lovely job from the team this year. Consultant Julien Viaud, who has been with the estate since 2018. A top Fronsac pick!"

Neal Martin: "The 2021 Château de La Dauphine has an energetic bouquet of perfumed black cherries, cassis fruit and light violet aromas; there’s good presence here. The palate is quite structured, delivering insistent grip, impressive salinity and a very harmonious finish. It might just lack a bit of persistence, but otherwise this is a very fine Fronsac."

Suckling: "This shows focus and linear tension for the appellation. Blackberry, blueberry and wet-earth character. Medium body, fine tannins and a fresh finish."

Galloni: "The 2021 La Dauphine is irresistible. It offers up copious black cherry, plum, espresso, licorice and menthol. Flashy and exuberant, yet also restrained in keeping with the style of the year, La Dauphine is very clearly one of the standouts in Fronsac"

Falstaff: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Reife Brombeeren, Zwetschken, zart nach Lakritze, feine tabakige Würze, floraler Touch, einladendes Bukett. Saftig, feine Fruchtsüße, reife Beeren, gut integrierte Tannine, mineralisch und anhaftend, ein facettenreicher Speisenbegleiter mit Potenzial."

Wine Cellar Insider: "With deep color, once past the freshly picked floral aromas, you find that the fruits are on the dark red side of the style range, with round textures and a soft, polished, sweet, lively, black raspberry and energetic plum finish. Drink from 2023-2034."