Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend

My first 2024 "primeur" tasting. The vintage was already much maligned during the harvest, but if this is an indication, we might be in for some seriously good surprises.

2009 vintage. Drinking beautifully now.

2018 vintage. Another excellent La Cabanne.

2022 vintage. 94% Merlot, 6 % Cabernet Franc.
La Cabanne has great terroir, on the plateau with the famous blue clay. Stylstically, it's more about finesse than power ( more La Conseillante than L'Evangile if you want to compare with the bigger boys). Wonderful perfume with red fruits and flowers, and a delicate kiss of oak. Impeccable balance, refined, complex and long. Had a beautiful vertical at the estate and I believe the 2022 might be the best ever. Great value too.

Deep Ruby color with aromas of black berry fruits and earthy spice notes. On the palate ripe raspberry and blackberry flavors with notes of cacao, oak and vanilla. Medium finish, fine tannins, ending with fruit oak, and earthy tobacco character.

2009. Really good. Black olive, dark fruits, leather, cocoa, slight green character and great acidity. 2-hour decant. Drinking great right now.

The 2016 La Cabanne is deep in color with barely any sign of aging. The bouquet is splendid with precocious black cherry and raspberry fruit, black truffle and leather touches. This blossoms in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Plenty of black, slightly tarry fruit gives weight and depth to this La Cabanne. It's well delineated with a good grip on the finish that is just beginning to develop a touch of gaminess. Excellent. (Neal Martin, Vinous, January 2023)

Deep Ruby with aromas of black berry fruits and rustic spice notes. On the palate plum and blackberry flavors, tending towards jammy, with notes of cacao, oak and vanilla. Medium finish, fine tannins, ending with fruit oak, and tobacco character.

Here is a young Merlot for #MerlotThursday.

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim.

On the nose, black plums, blackcurrants, cherries, light wood, Indian spices, licorice, chocolates, earth, black pepper and light alcohol.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, mint, red currants, oak, smoke, spices, coffee, pencil lead, earth and herbs.

Tart finish with fine grained tannins and pomegranates.

This is a nice Merlot from Bordeaux. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel, but a little hot.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, and show the beautiful nose. Tannins show up after an hour of airtime.

This 7 year old is still young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. A little unbalanced at this point, and better with food.

Wine Enthusiasts 90 points. Thank you Wendy for sharing.

I paired it with cheeses and crackers (Brie and Camembert).

A blend of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged in 65% new French oak barrels.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$40.

Punching in a class above its weight. Heady nose, big and round cigar-tobacco mouthfeel. feels youthful. Nice.