93-
95
THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Quite floral on the nose, the wine is also loaded with smoke, cherries, plums, licorice and cocoa. Creamy, soft, polished, and fresh, there is a nice salty essence in the finish providing complexity, and a touch of chocolate-mint adding vibrancy to the finish. La Dauphine is now one of the top wines from Fronsac. Drink from 2025-2038."
93
DECANTER: "Richly concentrated dark berry fruits with crushed stones and slate minerality on the nose. Supple, generous and bright, this is so smooth and sleek, excellently weighted in the mouth with quite a sharp, almost sour tang to the fruit that gives a buzz to the palate while the crushed stone, slate, graphite and pencil lead give the salty undercurrent. Liquorice and clove join towards the finish giving a spiced angle all adding to quite a complex whole. Lovely purity of fruit, still tense and focussed but sculpted and well worked retaining a sense of finesse and restraint as well as the terroir markers. 3.5pH. HVE3 certified. Ageing in separate lots for 12 months with 30% new wood, amphora and foudres. Julien Viaud consultant."
93
FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zarte Kräuterwürze, dunkle Waldbeeren, frische Kirschen, kandierte Orangenzesten sind unterlegt. Frisch, elegant, rotbeerig, lebendiger Säurebogen, energisch und anhaftend, gute Länge, ein facettenreicher Speisenbegleiter."
92-
93
JAMES SUCKLING: "Fine tannins with creamy texture and a crisp finish. Medium body. Racy and refined. Hints of chalk at the end."
91-
93+
JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2022 Château La Dauphine is terrific, and certainly worth the effort to track down. Sporting a dense purple hue as well as fabulous aromatics of cassis, black cherries, spring flowers, and some leafy herb nuances, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, elegant mouthfeel, and outstanding length. This impeccably made Fronsac will have 10-15 years of prime drinking."
91-
93
LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2022 de la Dauphine needs a little swirling to bring forth notes of baked blackberries, kirsch, and juicy blueberries, followed by hints of dried roses and unsmoked cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is plush and juicy with just enough freshness and a fragrant earth finish."
