The Dassault is a blend of 80% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon picked between the 26th September (with one plot of young vines) and then from the beginning of October and finished on the 8th October. It was a slow harvest, where they used an optical sorting machine. It has a lifted nose of black cherries and cassis fruit, the new oak quite noticeable with exotic aromas developing with time. The palate is full-bodied with toasty, ripe tannins. It has good depth and structure with fresh, modern Saint Emilion finish that has admirable focus and length. This should be a very fine Saint Emilion that may merit a higher mark after bottling. Tasted April 2012. Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com
Neal MartinScore: 90-92/100
This estate has been producing fine wines over recent years. Their most recent effort, the medium-bodied 2011, is a plump, forward, precociously-styled wine with a dark plum/ruby/purple color, a big sweet bouquet of black raspberries, spring flowers and currants, and a stunningly seductive style. Drink it over the next decade. It is a sleeper of the vintage. Apr 2014, www.robertparker.com
Robert ParkerScore: 90/100
Good effort from this consistent estate. Rich, Dundee cake aroma. Ripe and layered on the palate but with lift and freshness. Modern but restrained. Drink 2017-2026. Decanter.com
DecanterScore: 16/20
As of 2010, the wine has begun to see malolactic in barrel and is aged in 100% new oak. With an assemblage of 80% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the wine opens with spice and red berries, has a medium body and ends with a slight dry sensation with kirsch and black raspberry. theWineCellarInsider.com
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar InsiderScore: 87-89/100
Tastes very ripe, almost late harvest with raisin and spice character. Full body, with juicy tannins. A little rustic. But like it. jamessuckling.com
James SucklingScore: 87-88/100
Overripe jammy black fruit, though quite floral too. Tough and sticks your mouth together. Tannins strangling this wine. Obdurate and dry. Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MWScore: 14.5/20
Bordeaux / France