Château Olivier 2023 red

With blackcurrant, plum and lead pencil aromas setting the tone, the medium-bodied palate exudes bright and crunchy red fruit, but not without some austere tannin, which barrel ageing will hopefully soften, hence a conservative score. Yet again, an example where the red is not quite up to the level of the white in Pessac-Léognan in 2023.

50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Dark fruit with a hint of vanilla oak. Same on the palate. Slightly dry and chewy on the finish. Needs to settle. Should improve in bottle. (JL)

Medium-bodied, floral-oriented wine with loads of ripe black cherries, along with cherry and licorice in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, elegant, soft, and approachable, with freshness and vibrancy from start to finish. The wine blends 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2027-2042.

Medium plus intensity, ruby reflections, a touch of gunsmoke reduction, then it opens to Pessac Léognan balance and finesse with smoked clove notes, blueberry fruit with rose-stem austerity; overall this is well constructed, with inky damson and cassis fruit. 45 hl/ha yield.

Score: 90–92. A slightly aloof bouquet of freshly cut flowers and terracotta, with a dominant oak note before some red-fruit hints manage to emerge. This wood dominance persists on the palate in this barrel sample, making it difficult to predict the wine’s evolution, which is full of promise and should express itself better once in bottle.

Kirsch, red licorice and dried violet notes mix in this focused version, with a twinge of dusty cedar underlining the open-knit finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 14,000 cases made.