A window seat is a must when you fly into the pink city of Toulouse because of the astonishing bird’s eye view of the natural horseshoe bends in the Lot River as it snakes westward. The flat pastureland and sleepy towns of the Lot Valley exude such an air of deep tranquility that nothing appears to move. Yet for anyone lulled into a false sense of inertia, South West France’s wine region of Cahors is out to prove that nothing could be further from the truth.

A Bird's Eye View

Lot Valley malbec is so deep-coloured that in medieval times, the ‘black wine of Cahors’ became the backbone of puny Bordeaux. But the 19th century phylloxera plague sealed the region’s fate. When I first visited 20 years ago, there were a handful of respected names, Gaudou, Clos de Gamot and Clos Triguedina among them, but little else besides apart from a co-operative churning out plonk and a self–appointed bunch of grandees known as the Seigneurs de Cahors. I took my own wine there on holiday, no joking.

Visiting Château du Cèdre’s Pascal Verhaeghe, I had little inkling then that he was to spearhead the Cahors revolution that has transformed its wines today. With Jean-Marie Sigaud and Lagrezette’s Alain Perrin, Verhaeghe introduced a charter of quality in 1999. The aim was to focus on vineyards, mostly situated on the upper banks of the river, capable of producing the best wines. Working to increase the potential of the malbec grape’s drinkability, they have inspired a new generation, names like Mathieu Cosse, Catherine Maisonnneuve, Germain Croisille, Mathieu Molinié and Daniel Fournier.

Catherine Maisonneuve

The winds of change blew the young Parisian entrepreneur Philippe Lejeune into Château Chambert, while the renowned vineyard guru Claude Bourguignon planted vines in its ancient soils. Young turks such as Emmanuel Rybinski of Clos Troteligotte, Julien Ilbert of Château Combel la Serre and Sébastien Dauliac of Domaine de Capelanel are set on maintaining the new high standards. At the same time, by cleverly capitalising on the malbec name after forming an alliance with malbec’s New World home of Argentina, Cahors has added saleability to its new approachable style.

Wines such as the invitingly blackcurranty, vigorous yet succulent and damson-crisp 2010 Château de Gaudou, £7.99, Majestic and the 2010 Château Lafleur de Haute-Serre, £10.49, Waitrose, with its ripe dark, pepper-tinged fruit and savoury juicy quality, show what good value Cahors can be. A rung up the ladder, the 2010 Château du Cèdre, £98 /6, in bond, Bancroft Wines (0207232544) is wonderfully aromatic, mulberryish and refined, the 2009 Domaine de la Bérangeraie, La Gorgée de Mathis Bacchus, £18.67, Vine Trail (0117 921 1770), a sumptuous blend of black cherry, spiced plum and liquorice spice. For my review of a top 50+ Cahors wines, check out anthonyrosewine.com.

Something for the Weekend 12 January 2013

Night In

Tesco Finest* Teroldego

Like an Italian Beaujolais thanks to its supple tannins and vibrant primary fruit quality, this vivid red made from Trentino’s teroldego grape is full of juicy, cherry fruitiness underpinned by a breezy fresh succulence. £6, down from £7.99, until 22 January, Tesco.

Something For The Weekend

Dinner Party

2010 Le Grand Chai Haut-Médoc

From Jean-Marc Sauboua, this vibrant dark mulberryish blend of three quarters cabernet sauvignon and a quarter merlot from the great 2010 vintage is approachable now but can be stashed for a couple of years. £10.99, down from £12.99, Laithwaites (08451947720).

Splash Out

2010 Domaine du Grapillon d’Or Gigondas

A winter-warming blend of mainly grenache with a quarter syrah for good measure, this is an intensely fragrant and mouthcoatingly blackberryish southern Rhône red beautifully infused with spice and a bittersweet chocolatey richness. £18.99, Waitrose and Waitrose Wine Direct.

A Blind Tasting of Cahors 3 December 2012

2011 Château Ponzac, Maintenant Cahors

Vivid colour, pleasant fresh perfume, nice juicy fresh cherry and dark berry fruit quality, savoury acidity and overall very good balance with some fruit richness and seamless mulberry and dark berry fruits. Well-made easy-drinking commercial style with no or little oak to get in the way of the fruit and some attractive grip on the finish, requiring food. 88

2010 Château Haut Monplaisir Tradition

Good depth of vivid colour with attractively spicy, violety perfume, lovely fresh dark berry fruit quality with apparently little or no oak and good intensity of fruit flavor marked by a refreshing quality of damson acidity and very fine supple tannins for the relative youth of the wine. It finishes nicely savoury with a slight tannic grippiness that demands food. 91

Pascal Verhaeghe and Philippe Lejeune

2011 Château de Gaudou Tradition

Inky dense vivid ruby in colour, fine inviting blackcurranty perfume, lovely juicy and succulently sweet dark berry fruit on the front of the palate with and damson-crisp fresh acidity behind the fruit , which is still youthfully vivid with a youthfully chewy level of tannic muscularity and vigour; well-made red really needing suitably robust food. 89+

2009 Domaine du Prince

Good depth of colour, nice smoky dark berry fruit nose, attractive initial sweet blackberry fruit attack followed soon after by quite firm muscular tannins and vigour with a twist of fresh astringency, and then the tannins start to melt and soften nicely into a sort of bittersweet chocolatey character. Good wine but it definitely needs food. 88

2010 Château Combel La Serre.

Vivid dark inky hue, youthful, brooding nose, attractively juicy-fruit sweetly ripe gluggy quality of black cherry fruit with a nicely resolved ripe quality of tannins that are not overdone, resulting in an attractively seamless fruit quality and fine balance with a touch of bittersweet chocolate and good fresh acidity; very well-crafted commercial style red. 89

2010 Mas des Étoiles

Inky dense colour, powerful sweet mulberry-like perfume, intensely juicy blackberry fruits ripeness with a really succulently textured fruit quality and serious vigour and life thanks to nicely resolved, sinewy, ever so slightly chunky dry tannins and a fine quality of savoury damson acidity keeping the entire wine lively and refreshing. Very well-made, quite structured, intense youthful wine, self-evidently made for food. 91+

2010 Château de Haute Serre

Deep colour, intriguing nose of liquorice spice and violets and seemingly a fair whack of oak, while the palate is not overwhelmed with oak but nicely expressive of a spicy, liquoricey style of malbec with good concentration and richness and fine, sinewy tannins that bring muscularity and grip and add to the overall nicely savoury fresh fruit quality. 91

2009 Château de Hauterive

Good dense colour, attractively perfumed with floral sub-notes, lovely rich and juicy black cherry and mulberry fruit concentration with liquorice spice undertones, some bittersweet chocolate, and vigour, and lovely quality of seamless dark fruits supported by fine mouthcoating tannins and juicy fresh acidity. 90

2009 Château Plat Faisan, Cuvée de l’Ancêtre

Good dense colour and attractive nose with some polished cedary oak and behind it an attractive cherry fruit opulence and concentration with a substantial whack of vanilla oak but that doesn’t overwhelm the fruit and then there’s nice succulence of tannin and balancing savoury acidity; a well-made classic style that still need time to soften down and come into its own. Still a tad oaky. 89

2009 Château Ponzac, Patiemment Cahors

Dense colour and a really interesting, herby, briary, violety nose with some mulberry fruit to it, good concentrated fruit opulence and richness on the palate a very nice fruit purity and a distinctive expression of malbec that coats the mouth with rich ripe black fruits and liquorice spice in succulent mode and finishes with a vigorous twist of savoury fresh acidity. Excellent food wine. 91+

Tasting in the Malbec Lounge

2009 Château Vincens, Les Graves de Paul

Very dense colour, powerful sweet kirsh and liquoricey oak, intense and concentrated fruit with strong vanilla and cedary oak influence, good rich concentration and intensity with chunky and yet nicely resolved tannins and fine acidity; a strong, masculine classic style with perhaps a shade too much new oak at this stage but if it soften down, it could turn out to be a very good wine. Impressive without being totally enjoyable. 88

2009 Château de Cèdre

Good colour, really nice honest mulberry fruit aromatic quality, good lively mulberry juicy red fruits quality with medium intensity and very juicy, moreishly drinkable fruit, easy tannins and good refreshingly savoury acidity all in very nice balance if just a tad chunky and dry on the finish; a wine that’s not trying too hard and by virtue of that succeeds well. 90

2010 Château de Cèdre

Dense colour, fine aromatic quality, lovely black fruits concentration with subtle oak influence and very juicy fresh succulent red and black fruit and mulberry quality with a fine blade of damsony freshness on the finish and really nicely judged fine-grained tannins that help keep the wine in good proportion. Not a blockbuster but a very drinkable and moreish style. 92

Domaine de Cause, la Lande de Cavagnac

Good dense colour, attractive nose, nice touch of cedary oak, good ripe fruit quality, nice concentration, not too dense, well made with nice back fruits flavours, fine blade of acidity and good fruit succulence in seamlessly balanced wine. 90

2010 Domaine de Cause

Very dense inky ruby, good powerful richly concentrated black fruits flavours, nice purity of flavor, with fine tannins and sharp edge of damsony acidity with good subtle oak black ground and relatively silky textured fruit quality with a chunky twist of astringency on the back palate. Well-made. 89

2009 Château Armandière, Diamant Rouge

Good nose, deep colour, nice intense rich blackberry fruit concentration and opulence with fine-grained tannins and juicy fresh damsony savoury acidity supporting a really nice succulence of balancing tannin in a seamless structure. Very well-made wine. 90+

2009 Château Haut Monplaisir Prestige

Deep dense ruby, distinctively vitamin B 12 savoury nose with an almost yeast quality to it, fine nose, violets, cachous, very good intense fruit concentration and opulence in the black fruits spectrum with a marked liquorice spice edge to it, nice sinewy, muscular, youthful tannins supported by good damson acidity in a wine of seamless balance and multi-faceted flavours; lots of character to this one although maybe not everyone’s cup of tea. 90

2009 Château Chambert

Deep colour, sweet blackberry and mulberry nose, rather good rich and opulent dark fruits flavours with a lively bright side supported by a subtle touch of oak and distinctly juicy fresh acidity and fine tannins; a vigorous bright style that’s eminently drinkable thanks a delightfully seamless quality of fruit. It feels like a wine that’s not entirely classic or kosher and yet a bit sexy so gets away with it. 91

2009 Clos Troteligotte, K-Or

Good dense colour, nice brambly nose, very attractive rich and opulent fruit flavours with a lovely moreish juicy and succulent blackberry fruit quality thanks to good juicy acidity and excellent tannic finesse. Very well-crafted and seamlessly balanced fruit quality. 91

2009 Clos Troteligotte, K-Lys

Dense colour, a whiff of vanilla, very nice savoury fresh blackberry fruit with a sweet core although the savoury refreshing quality quickly takes over and delivers a distinctly fruity refreshing style of wine with a nice subtle hint of oak and succulent tannins. 90+

2009 Château de Cénac Prestige

Dense colour quite rich, almost jammy sweet red berry fruits nose with good opulent mulberry and cherry fruit middle supported by a rather firm twist of tannins and juicy acidity which fit nicely into the overall scheme of the balance of the wine , even if towards the back of the palate there’s a slight austerity and dryness of extraction. 88

2010 Château de Gaudou, Grande Lignée

Dense inky ruby, powerful sweet blackberry and oak aromas and sweetly opulent ripe blackberry fruit on the palate supported by a hefty whack of vanilla and quite firm, chunky tannins and liquorice spice; overall well resolved and well crafted, albeit quite chunky in structure. 90

2010 Domaine du Prince, Rossignol

Dense colour, good fresh mulberry nose, good intense dark berry fruit richness , nice sweet middle to the wine, nicely resolved sweet tannins and fresh perky acidity; well-made, attractive fresh black fruits. 90

2009 Domaine la Bérangeraie, Cuvée Maurin

Inky dense ruby hue, good sweet ripe blackberry nose, fine rich opulent blackberry fruit concentration with youthful muscular tannic vigour albeit fine-boned, and excellent juicy fresh supporting acidity in a seamlessly fruit well-crafted succulent red, finishing incredibly fresh and succulent. Really well-crafted, intense Cahors red. Excellent. 92

Steady as she goes

2009 Domaine la Bérangeraie, Les Quatre Chambrées

Good colour, fine intense fresh nose, very good dark berry fruit quality with liquorice spicy character, quite firm and sinewy tannins, masculine in style, but nicely resolved with a fine incisive blade if refreshing acidity and overall excellent balance. 90+

2009 Château Eugénie, Pierre Le Grand

Dense colour, brooding fine nose, lovely concentration of fresh blackberry fruits tinged with liquorice spice and supported by subtle vanilla oak and lively, juicy freshness of acidity and chunky tannins; good overall balance of fruit. 89

2009 Château Eugénie, Cuvée Réservée de l’Aieul

Deep youthful colour, lovely polished cedary spicy perfume, deliciously ripe and opulent yet refreshingly succulent blackberry fruits flavours; lovely dark cherry and blackberry fruits quality with a sharp edge of chunky tannin and acidity keeping it fresh and juicy and robust. 91+

2010 Mas des Etoiles

Good deep colour, a hint of chocolate on the nose, oak ?, quite nice dark berry fruit but pretty hefty extraction and chunky tannins even though there’s some interesting coffee, liquorice and chocolatey notes behind the dark berry fruit flavours; slowly they resolve and come round into a distinctive and interesting red. 89

2009 Domaine de Capalanel, Mythique

Dense colour, distinctive nose, with touch of upfront oak, good blackberry scented quality, fair concentration of dark berry fruits, distinctly mineral character, good concentration and richness, quite chunky tannins that need food, and overall interesting terroir-distinctive red. 90+

2009 Château La Caminade, La Commandery

Vivid youthful ruby dark and brooding nose, intense black fruits and bittersweet chocolate on the plate, with nice mid-palate sweetness underpinned by lots of savoury damson-plum acidity and some chunky tannins. A tad austere at this point in its life. 90

2009 Château Cantelauze, No. 2

Good dense colour, complex nose of cachou, violet, coffee and chocolate and although it suggest richness, there’s a really nice savoury and juicily succulent quality to the fruit which is generously proportioned with lots of juicy black fruits. Very well-made attractive and seamless red. 88+

2009 Château du Cayrou, la Tour du Cayrou

Dense inly colour, lovely fresh and intense concentrated dark fruits, very serious red, lots of juicy fresh concentration of blackberry fruit, nicely resolved tannins, fresh savoury almost damsony acidity in excellent seamless balance. 91

2009 Domaine La Bout du Lieu, Orbe Noir

Dense colour, fine nose, lovely rich and concentrated dark berry fruits flavours, excellent freshness and texture; very good intense and concentrated blackberry fruits flavours tinged with spice and supported by good subtle oak and fine damson fresh acidity. Excellent balance, great concentration and length of flavor and real tannic finesse. Impressive red. 92+

Sur le Pont, .....de Valentré

2010 Château Nozières, Ambroise de l’Her

Quite nice fruit quality on the nose, excellent aromatic quality, good juicy fresh fruit flavours, good intensity of fruit and flavour, nice black fruits; good fruit quality, nice intensity of flavor. Excellent fruit quality and intensity, lovely seamless balance. 91

2009 Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve, Les Laquets.

Lovely subtle oak toastiness on the nose, very concentrated, rich and intense black fruits, seductive opulence and richness with fine-grained tannins, subtle oak and lovely purity of fruit quality. 92

2009 Domaine de Vinssou, Failhal

Dense inky colour, intense nose, good sweet black fruits attack on the palate, supple tannins and good fresh twist of astringency and fairly grippy tannins halfway through; good concentration without being too thick or dense. But vin de garde thanks to a quite high levels of tannins. 90

2010 Domaine de Vinssou, Failhal

Good colour, nice vinosity on the nose, very pleasant red fruits on the palate, quite juicy and vinous without any excessive oak or tannins and nice fresh acidity; well-crafted and very drinkable. 89

2009 Clos Triguedina, Trilogie Parcellaire

Dense inky colour, substantially intense aromatic power; very nice rich almost chocolatey fruit but sweet-savoury rather than sweet as such with a floral, violet lift behind polished black fruits flavours, very nice tannic finesse supported by good fresh savoury acidity , and overall seamlessly balanced. 93

2009 Clos Triguedina, Trilogie Parcellaire

Dense inky violet ruby, a touch of vanilla oak on the nose; good intensity and concentrated on of black fruits flavours, lots of refreshing savoury acidity behind the brambly, blackberryish fruit which is infused with liquorice spice and supported by muscular but supple tannins in a very nicely balanced framework. Vin de garde. 92+

2009 Clos Triguedina, Trilogie Parcellaire

Good colour, nice freshness, good rich sweet black fruits flavours, damsony acidity, nicely judged oak, bitter sweet chocolate fruit, fairly extracted tannins that are slightly burly in the context of the wine, which will need a bit of time to soften down. 91

[3 of a kind it seems but not sure which is which]

2009 Clos Triguedina

Dense rich inky ruby, excellent fresh nose, very nice blackberry fruit richness on the palate with just the right level of concentration to avoid thickness and nicely balanced by refreshingly juicy acidity and good suppleness of texture overall with the faintest of rustic dry mineral touches on the finish. Overall excellent. 92

2009 Clos Triguedina, Probus

Medium colour, highly aromatic, richly concentrated red and black fruits, some sweetness with quite powerful mouthcoating tannins behind nice richness and concentration of black fruits so the overall effect is of a powerful that will need a considerable while to soften; either that or it needs roast wolf (ha ha!). 92

2009 Château Haut Monplaisir, Pur Plaisir

Dense colour, very nice intensity and finesse of aroma here; toasty oak spice and black cherry; lovely rich mouthcoating concentrated red with lots of bittersweet chocolate and black fruits richness and an immensely powerful structure of sinewy tannins and savoury acidity but behind it a nice suppleness of texture and balance. 90+

2008 Domaine de Cause, Notre Dame des Champs

Dense inky ruby, inviting savoury dark berry fruits freshnss on the nose, with toasty polished vanilla undertones; rich and concentrated black fruits flavours with a polished veneer of vanilla and chocolate oak that’s fairly obvious but you feel will settle and soften into the wine with a few years ageing; and behind the fruit a nice bittersweet chocolatey element and very fine suppleness of texture. 89 - 90

2008 Domaine de Cause, Notre Dame des Champs

Fine nose, quite a lot of smoky vanilla oak on both nose and palate, the fruit being quite rich and chocolatey sweet with good dark berry fruit flavours and a substantial grip of tannins backed up by good fresh acidity; a modern style and yet very much a vin de garde so perhaps a modern classic really, albeit tad on the oaky side. 89 -90

2009 Château du Cèdre, Le Cèdre

Dense colour, fine nose, excellent dark berry fruit freshness and richness combined with a really lovely textural quality that’s backed up by subtle, imperceptible oak and by lovely juicy fresh savoury acidity, all neatly proportioned in a very drinkable style that you feel will age beautifully thanks to its fine fruit quality, spine and minerality. 93

In the Malbec Lounge

2010 Château du Cèdre Le Cèdre

Fine nose deep colour, lovely freshness and purity of mulberryish aromas, delicious mulberry and cherry fruit vinosity on the palate, showing richness an concentration, subtle oak and firm spine of acidity bringing a real verve and freshness to the wine which is supple textured and finishes with a refreshing, mineral twist. Lovely overall balance of fruit, structure and minerality. 94

2010 Château du Cèdre GC

Good dense colour, aromatic, lovely black cherry fruit richness and concentration , lovely spicy black fruits richness, very juicy, fine subtle oak, very good intensity of fruit with lovely supple textured tannins and juicy freshness supported by great structure a wine that despite its power and richness melts in the mouth. Lovely fruit quality. 94+

2010 Clos d’Un Jour, Un Jour Sur Terre

Dense inky colour, intriguing and very individual prune, plum and spice on the nose, deep richly concentrated black fruit with plum and blackberry flavours, chunky mouthcoating tannins, yet supple, and good cleansing fresh twist of acidity behind the fruit. Quintessence of Cahors malbec? 92

2009 Château de Chambert, Grand Vin

Dense rich inky dark ruby; powerful,highly polished spicy intense aromatic quality with black fruits laced with polished vanilla oak spice and behind the aromas a lovely dark berry and plum fruit richness supported by very fine tannins and lovely fresh but not astringent acidity providing excellent balance overall, even a touch of minerality on the finish adding a je ne sais quoi of complexity to the blend. 93

2009 Château Troteligotte, K

Dense rich inky dark ruby; fine savoury fresh nose with a degree of toasty oak but behind it powerfully ripe and opulent blackberry fruit with quite firm mouthcoating tannins and good juicy acidity supported by an element of liquorice spice and good supple texture; a very individual style whose savoury acidity makes it a great wine for food. 92

79. Château de Cénac, Eulalie

Good dense inky black colour, attractively aromatic, nice black fruits if a tad on the warm side with a subtle toasty oak element, perhaps a tad four-square in its fruit quality with quite firm chunky tannins behind good juicy acidity; just finishing a tad on the short side but may lengthen with age. 89

2010 Château de Gaudou, Renaissance

Good dense inky colour, quite okay with strong toasty vanilla and plum notes, rich chocolatey and liquorice fruit, almost prune-coated chocolate with lots of sweetness and toasty oak and behind it suppleness of texture and fair acidity with slightly chewy rustic finish; perhaps a little hefty on the chocolate and kirsch liqueur front. 90

2009 Château de Gaudou, Réserve Caillau

Good dense colour, nice red and black fruits aromas and flavours, good juicy streak of acidity cutting through the toasty oak and plum and blackberry fruit richness with fine supple juicy tannins adding a nice savoury aspect to the wine overall. Very well-crafted wine with lively sinewy tannins and fine balance and poise. 91

2009 Domaine du Prince, Lou Prince

Deep dense colour, fine ripe sweet black cherry and plum fruit quality, with a spicy liquorice-like and chocolatey element, very good concentration with nice incisive acidity and firmish grippy tannins in excellent overall balance. Good wine. 91

2009 Domaine La Bérangeraie, La Gorgée de Mathis Bacchus

Deep dense inky ruby, lovely aromatic quality with black cherry, spice and subtle toasty oak, delicious rich and concentrate black cherry and plum fruit quality, laced with liquorice spice and supported by a fine seductively juicy acidity and really nicely resolved tannins for an overall excellent balance. Excellent wine. 92+

2010 Vinovalie, Astrolabe Malbec

Dense inky ruby, very fresh very upfront dark berry fruits and cachou violety aromas, good fresh blackberry fruits richness on the palate nicely supported by subtle oak with a finely grained textural quality and juicy fruit acidity bringing proportion and balance to a finely honed, well-structured red of good quality. 89+

2009 Château Lamartine, Expression

Dense dark ruby, a very savoury fine mulberry fruity nose with equally fine juicy fresh mulberry and loganberry-like dark red berry fruits on the palate; with subtle oak behind the lovely seductive dark red berry fruit quality, there’s nice firm tannin and juicy fresh acidity in excellent proportion without excessive oak or alcohol, resulting in a really well-balanced, finely wrought red of distinction. 93

2009 Château Eugénie, Haute Collection

Dense inky ruby almost impenetrable nose, richly concentrated black fruits quality with fine blade of savoury acidity and quite firmly grippy chunky tannins, overall well-balanced in vin de garde mode, if a tad chunky at this stage. 90

2009 Mas des Etoiles, Une Etoile est Née

Dense inky ruby, powerfully spicy intense aromatic quality, fine rich black fruits concentration, lovely intense and beautifully balanced fruit quality supported by very nicely proportioned oak, muscular tannins and acidity in seamless balance. 90

2009 Domaine du Capelanel, Titouan

Good dense ruby-black hue, distinctive aromas in the mulberry and red cherry spectrum with flavours to match, very distinctive style with nice supple textured fruit quality, spicy background, quite chunky tannins and fine savoury fresh acidity. Very well-made. 90+

With black wine... black truffles please

2009 Château Pech de Jammes

Deep dense colour, pungent clove and liquorice spicy aromas, very nice ripe and opulently juicy fresh fruit quality with lively acidity and really nice supple texture and overall seamless balance. Very well-made seductive and deliciously drinkable style with no hard edges or excessive tannins. 92

2009 Château Pech de Jammes, Pure Malbec by Pech de Jammes

A touch of reduction on the nose? Deep in colour with aromas in the blackcurrant spectrum and very nice blackcurrant juicy rich flavours with excellent subtle oak and fine texture, succulence and juicy fresh acidity. 90+?

2008 Château la Caminade

Dense colour, tasty oak and dark red and black fruits on the nose, quite marked acidity on the front of the tongue, good if a tad four square. 89

2009 Clos Triguedina, The New Black Wine

Vivid dark ruby colour, attractively intense and aromatic nose of red cherry and spice; deliciously juicy, very approachable style with lively red cherry and mulberry fruit supported by a fine blade of acidity and very juicy succulent tannins in an overall seamlessly balanced red. 93

2007 Maison Cantury, Révélation

Dense colour, rather remarkable aromas, spice, mulberry, loganberry and something else besides, intense juicy dark very and plum fruit quality, good concentration and richness with subtle oak layering and texture, fine liquorice spicy veneer, juicy acidity and fine tannins; a distinctive and finely balanced style, if a little bit of reduction. 90?

2007 Maison Cantury, Parnethèse

Dense inky ruby, fine fresh aromatic quality, lovely intense aromas, fine black fruit flavours, qute firm and muscular in texture with strong black fruits flavours and good intensity of fruit; overall very well-balanced with fine fresh fruit quality. 91

2010 Château la Gineste, Grand Secret de Gineste

Deep dense ruby, fine complex aromatics of herb, spice and dark cherry, lovely rich black cherry and plum fruit with fine blade of damson acidity and nicely supple tannins in very well-crafted red. 92+

2009 Domaine Le Bout du Lieu, Empyrée

Dense colour, fine nose, good precision, fine red and black fruits quality on the palate, good intensity of fruit flavours, richly concentrated, incisive blade of fresh acidity and quite chunky tannins but overall very well-made and intense. 92

It must be Malbec