Tasting note

An excellent vintage for the red (and sweet) wines of Touraine, probably overlooked because it doesn’t really fit in with what happened in Bordeaux (or Burgundy, maybe). A very evocative nose, with dark berry and blackcurrant fruit, with a firm streak of bay leaf and green peppercorn, The fruit flavours lean towards a savoury intensity, with notes of black bean and black olive, with a little tobacco-leaf evolution. The palate is beautiful, as although it has the richness and weight of the 2011 vintage, there is an elegant, seamless character to it. The tannins feel ripe, finely poised, lightly chalky too, but very elegant, focusing into the finish, which is coated with ripe, tobacco-laced structure, and fine, fresh acidity. Overall this is delightfully balanced, rich and polished. A brilliant wine, and another example of how strong the 2011 vintage was for the red.

Score: 96

Chris Kissack, The Wine Doctor, January 2018