2010 d'Escurac (Haut Medoc)

This is consistently one of the most seductive wines made in Bordeaux and it sells for well under $25 a bottle. The 2010 is an excellent wine with classic tobacco leaf, black currant and black cherry notes intermixed with loamy soil and forest floor as well as hints of licorice. With supple texture and a plush, opulent finish, this is a beauty to drink over the next decade. A member of the Alliance des Cru Bourgeois du Medoc.

55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. Toasty mocha nose, like the Ch Escot but slightly less so as the dark fruit is more expressive. Much better fruit expression on the palate, though it is still a little too chocolatey for my taste. Firm, dry, smooth. Needs time. Good depth of fruit. Alcohol a bit warm on the finish. (JH)

Mid crimson. Very sweet nose. Correct but without much evidence of soul. A bit taut. (JR)