Les Cruzelles 2015

Another release from Denis Durantou, the 2015 Château Les Cruzelles comes from the Lalande de Pomerol appellation and is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc aged in 45% new French oak. It offers a gorgeous bouquet of black cherries, red currants, spring flowers and smoked herbs, with a touch of background oak. With almost a hint of blue fruits, a terrific floral undercurrent, good acidity, and sweet tannin, it’s just another beautiful wine from Durantou that’s well worth seeking out. It will keep for a decade or more. 2018 - 2028

Brooding black fruits the nose has depth richness and the palate fleshy black plum. The tannins are fine supporting but not obvious the back palate has richness and ripe fruit the finish though lighter and bright. 2021-32

Grown on a mixture of gravel and clay soils, this is often one of the bargains of the vintage.This is leafy, floral and complex with plummy plushness, fine tannins and deftly integratedoak. Very easy to drink. Drink: 2020-28

A little more red-fruited than its stablemate La Chenade and also longer and drier on the finish, this is an attenuatedwine with firm tannins. The volume and subtlety in the delivery of the fruit will be more than enough to keep thesetannins at bay until the wine is ready to drink, which will not be for at least five years. Impressive and fascinating.

The 2015 Les Cruzelles is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc on gravel/clayey soil, picked from September 15-22 and October 6 respectively, then matured in 45% new oak. The new wood is seamlessly integrated into this Lalande-de-Pomerol, more broody and introspective than the La Chenade at the moment, but very well defined. The palate is beautifully proportioned with crisp tannin, a fine line of acidity, somehow gentle and understated on the finish, but very long in the mouth. Yet another ridiculously fine wine to load up on, courtesy of Denis Durantou. Drink 2018-2035

This is so on it with velvety tannins and rich fruit. So much fun to taste. Generous and exotic.

Crimson. Scented and compact nose. Savoury and supple. Very fine for a Lalande-de-Pomerol. Maybe flattering because it went into barrel before Chenade.Drink 2020-2026