Chateau Rouget 2014, Pomerol
Deep ruby colour purple reflections, very youngish. The nose tones are elegant black fruit notes with exquisite spicy and truffle touches. The palate is beautifully delicate, with subtle flavours of black fruit and plums that embrace the palate while keeping pleasant freshness on the finish—old Chateau with hundreds of years behind. Few people write about this Chateau and its vintages, so few views are found. PJ Mouieux writes that the wine has been vinified batch by batch, in oak or SS vats, then aged for 18 months in oak barrels (33% new). Traditional making and Grape Varieties 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc as well- not much on complexity but an expression of terroir. Planting density is very high: 3,000 vines per acre / 7,500 vines per hectare—Average Age of Vines: 40 years. Soil mixed balanced and exposure excellent, leading to the production of fine, elegant Pomerol. 2014 is intense and fresh. N
o worries.
Scores are consistently high, in the level of 93 to 94. For example,
94 points, James Suckling
A unique red here with so many floral, bark and dark fruit aromas that follow through to a full body, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Lively acidity. It needs two or three years to resolve the tannins. But it should come around nicely. 50% whole bunch fermentation. Cool. (2/2017). Edited.
93 points Vinous
The 2014 Rouget is a wonderfully complete wine that melds together super-ripe, racy fruit and structure. Succulent red cherry, rose petal, mint and white pepper give the wine its distinctive aromatic and flavour profile. Despite its flamboyance, 2014 has plenty of structural underpinning. A few years in the bottle should help the wine soften. Even so, this is a decidedly opulent Pomerol. 2014 was quite impressive both times I tasted it. (AG) (2/2017). edited.
94/100, VertdeVin, "The nose is fruity, gourmand, elegant and aromatic. It reveals notes of blackberry and cherry cream combined with subtle notes of cassis, crushed gariguette strawberry, liquorice, and toasted wood, as well as a hint of vanilla, dark chocolate and a discreet hint of coconut. The mouth is fruity, mineral, elegant, well-balanced, and sophisticated and offers fat and a good volume. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of crushed blackberry and sour cherries combined with slight notes of crunchy strawberry, cassis, small red berries, cocoa, liquorice, discreet woody notes and an imperceptible hint of coconut. Tannins are fine and well-built. Good length." Edited.
RP91. The 2014 Rouget was memorable, extremely rich and opulent when I originally tasted it from the barrel. Now in bottle, it has retained that brash and ostentatious persona with intense oyster-shell-tinged red fruit that packs a punch compared to some of its more demure brethren. The palate is medium-bodied with impressive density, a muscular Rouget at first but give it time in the glass, and you start to see more of its nuances and elegance. Hopefully, time will temper the aromatics; if so, this will be a worthy Pomerol. My only caveat is that the wood tannins are still conspicuous on the finish and need to be subsumed. Drink Date 2020-2038. Edited.
