Hosanna 2010

Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Hosanna gives up baked black cherries, dried mulberries and fruitcake scents with hints of fragrant earth, baking spices and dried roses. Full-bodied, the palate has impressive freshness and lovely, ripe, plush tannins supporting the spicy fruit, finishing with great length. Drink 2020-2048.

This wine displays plenty of black raspberries, black currants, espresso roast, Asian soy and plum sauce along with some mocha and chocolate. Beautifully rich, firm, and full-bodied, with sweet but abundant tannins, this is a classy, noble style of wine that should be forgotten for at least 5-7 years and drunk over the following 20. Remarkably, the alcohol, like most of the wines in the J. P. Moueix stable of Pomerols and St.-Emilions, hit 14.5%.

A tiny production of only 1,000 cases in 2010 (versus 1,500 in most vintages), its proprietor Christian Moueix has turned out a more tannic, structured, backward style of Hosanna than the 2009 or, for that matter, the 2008.

After a superb showing in barrel, I was rather vexed by the showing of the 2010 in bottle. It has a very ripe bouquet: exuberant and voluptuous with copious strawberry, kirsch and fresh fig notes. There is something a little garish to this Hosanna and comparing it directly against La Fleur-Petrus, it feels a bit overdone. The palate is full-bodied with ripe black fruit, sweet in the mouth with hints of liquorice and anis. Underneath lies one sturdy backbone and what will play out is whether that dormant austerity of the vintage will ultimately overcome its ostentatious nature. This will be intriguing to see develop - difficult to predict how exactly it will evolve. Tasted November 2012.

Beautiful nose with ripe strawberries, red apple and vanilla. Wonderful floral notes too. Sumptuous ripe red fruit and juicy acidity on the palate with finely knit tannins. Full-bodied and very juicy with a soft silky texture and good length. It's hard not to drink it now. But much better in 2017.

Dark blackish crimson. Heady nose. Lots of sweet intensity. Then tight tannins. There's quite a bit of acidity here at the moment. Very cool on the finish. A very strong statement-of-vintage character! Very hard work. It may develop into something more friendly but it's decidedly austere at the moment.

This small (4.5 hectare) vineyard was formed from the best vines of the former Chateau Certan Giraud. There is 70% Merlot here and 30% Cabernet Franc and the wine tends to more powerful and muscular than most of the other JP Moueix Pomerols. A black colour with black plums and a dense structure. Great intensity. Sweet and fat but has lift and balance. There is lots of sumptuous ripe fruit and a creamy texture with toasty new oak and double cream richness. Powerful but sophisticated.

The nose is surprisingly tight the ripe black fruits underpinned by fresh slightly hard red fruits. Richer sweeter fruit gives weight on the mid palate but the fresher fruit comes through towards the back giving the finish a lighter more attenuated character.

Maintains the consistency established with the first vintage in 1999. Dense, full, savoury - exudes depth and power. Plenty of vigour. Attractive fruit. Long, firm finish. Drink 2020-2040.