2010 Charmail

This is a terrific wine from another estate that has a consistent record of excellence for close to two decades. The blend in 2010 is 50% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest mostly Cabernet Franc with just a touch of Petit Verdot. This wine became famous because of its extraordinarily long, pre-fermentation cold soak of over two weeks. This continues under the new administration, and the alcohols achieved in 2010 are at 14.2%. The wine is a big, rich, sleeper of the vintage with loads of blackberry and floral-infused blueberry fruit. Sitting across from Sociando-Mallet, this estate is certainly well-located, resting on well-drained, gravelly soils with some veins of clay running through them. The 2010 is medium to full-bodied, pure, quite fragrant and capable of lasting at least a decade. Feb 2013, www.robertparker.com