Chateau Malescote St Exupery 2013

Bright, dark, rubied colour, Malescot St. Exupéry 2013 has lots of interesting dry extract (rose, violets, lavender, with quality freshness (strawberries fruit) and fruit precision(blackcurrant, pastilles). It starts with smoky cassis and new oak (mocha coffee and vanilla); there is also good purity of fruit (ripe red, dark to mix), a bright core and well-worked tannins. With good length as a Cru, this wine is easy without losing the intensity; palate tension is balanced and drinks very fine for all occasions. Scores are consistent: JS92, RP91. If you look for a super complex Margaux, this 2013 Malescote St Exupery may not be for you.

For vintage 2013, harvest picked late between 9 and 20 October. So there is always some pastille tones/shades to the fruit. Vinification/ Maturation Temperature controlled and matured in 100% new oak; hence the wine is bold and powerful. It undergoes malolactic in barrel depending on the vintage. Aged on lees with stirring, it gives some adequate intensity and complexities. 13-14 months barrel ageing before being racked without fining or filtration. ABV is just right at 13.5%, so this wine is fulled-bodied. Composition means creating better complexity over time: 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot. Soil gravel overlying chalk or marl slopes towards the Gironde. Fruit picked into trays to prevent crushing.

JS wrote A pretty wine with a solid core of fruit with blueberry and mineral character. Floral. Full body, seamless and long. Racy for the vintage. Half the production. Extremely well done."