Ormes de Pez 2008

This dark ruby/purple-tinged sleeper of the vintage offers a sweet bouquet of black currants, underbrush, licorice and berry fruit. Medium to full-bodied with excellent depth, good acidity and an endearing roundness, it can be enjoyed now and over the next 8-10 years.

Particularly dense colour. Spicy, peppery nose with very full, voluptuous fruit - correct - and very mouthfilling. Long. Makes quite a splash. Comforting and pretty classical. Blind, I preferred it to its grander stablemate Ch Lynch Bages.

The strongest effort from this estate in over two decades, the dense ruby/purple-tinged 2008 reveals plenty of structure and tannin as well as gorgeously rich, pure blackberry and cassis fruit intermixed with hints of minerals and underbrush. This full, dense St.-Estephe will benefit from several years of bottle age, and should evolve over the following 15 years.

This has a ripe, opulent nose of blackberry, mulberry, a touch of boysenberry. Great lift although it could benefit from a little definition. Just a hint of singed leather. Full-bodied palate, firm tannins, very unresolved, quite peppery and earthy, quintessential Saint Estèphe really. A little chunky towards the finish, nice sharpness though, a little rustic charm. Grows in the glass...lovely. Bravo Jean-Charles! Tasted March 2009.