Some half-bottles
No ink needs to spill for this favourite second wine. The entry-level 2013 Echo de Lynch-Bages is delicious with mixed red and black fruit. Floral notes add silkiness on the supple finish. AG says it is 'bistro-style' and is entirely accurate. 2013 is intense and expressive now. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. DD90.
Frans Roskam uses both traditional and modern winemaking techniques with Chateau La Lauzette Declercq. The wine ages in French oak for 15 – 18 months, of which 1/3 is new oak using a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. This 2008 vintage is ripe and improves a lot since the First 2005 vintage. Class ruby colour with a medium rim. With a plumy nose, it is raisiny. The palate reflects the nose and has silky tannins; dry fruited, still abundant. DD89.
Opens great, with a good nose and nice round body, this Chateau Reynon Red 2011 gives a 'Cotes' easiness on the palate at the end compared to others of similar price. Simple and friendly, this little red with decent length, ripeness and liquorice have given the high quality and well-pruned 82% Merlot,13% cabernet sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. The vineyard for the red is on a south-facing slope overlooking the Garonne. Merlot ripens early here, as early as in Pomerol. Almost Pomerol style of fruit. ABV 13.5%. Château Reynon, which was Denis and Florence(children of Denis) Bourdieu's home property and we have been following the EP for a long time. DD90.
This natural Chateau Marjosse red 2012 vintage offers rich and mint aromas, cassis and cherry fruit. The palate is chalky and reasonably long. Again Marjosse EP, white and red, has been followed by us since 2014. DD90.
Finally wines from the Cordier, who is big enough to pull resources to make comfortable to drink, super value and to-style wine in terms of terroir and vintage from generic Medoc 2013, St Emilion 2011, Bordeaux 2014, as well as great petits chateaux manifestations from Bordeaux(Chateau Labottiere Reserve 2014) and Bordeaux Superieur(Chateau Puy Laborde 2014). DD88.
