2010 Charmail

Medium red-ruby. Cassis, licorice, fresh herbs, flowers and a suggestion of leather on the complex, inviting nose. Suave and silky in the mouth, with harmonious acidity enlivening the dark berry flavors and drawing out the finish. Lovely dry but ripe wine with a smoky note on the end. Seems gently extracted for this chateau, and all the better for it.

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.