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Tasting notes
The 2012 Le Gay is quite high-toned on the nose with more red than black fruit, camphor and light aniseed aromas developing with aeration; just a hint of marmalade emerges later. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, crisp and fresh, nicely proportioned with cedar and tobacco notes towards the finish. Fully mature, yet this has the substance to suggest that it will repay cellaring. Delicious. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Wine Spectator
More reviews and scores
One of the smokier 2012s in this line up, showing mocha, grilled almonds, tar and campfire. Good quality, ready to drink at 10 years old but still with structure and exuberance. The oak impact remains a little distracting, but there is plenty of Pomerol signature and plump black fruits on display. 100% new oak, 30hl/h yield. Chantal Raynaud sole owner at this point, as her brother Alain Raynaud had sold his shares in 2010.
Tasted blind. Shaded crimson. Slightly dull-looking. Some vigour here on the nose. Relatively youthful with some punch and potential. (JR)
The 2012 from Le Gay sports an inky purple color as well as masculine, lifted notes of plums, violets, licorice and scorched earth. A big, rich, concentrated effort, it has impeccable purity, a firm, focused, structured core, notable acidity, and superb concentration, all suggesting it needs to be forgotten for 7-8 year. It should keep for 15+ years.
About the producer
There’s been lots of change at Ch. le Gay since the Parent family arrived in 2002 – with vineyards replanted, the cellars renovated and the winemaking adjusted. No surprise, perhaps, that quality is now higher than ever.