2012 Clos la Madelaine

This wine showed beautifully in my tasting. From a tiny (29 acres) jewel of a property on the hillsides of St.-Emilion, not far from the big boys of the plateau area (Ausone, Belair, etc), the 2012 is dense purple in color, with sweet black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, some crushed rock and floral notes, medium to full body, not a hard edge to be found, and a lush, well-proportioned, beautifully pure finish. This is impressive wine is clearly a sleeper of the vintage, but quantities are very small. Drink it over the next 15 years. The final blend was 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc.

Oaky sweetness though clearly rich fruit underneath. But the fruit is ripe, almost a little raisiny. Then more char on the palate, plush tannins but too oaky for my preferences. Overworked and lacking freshness. (JH)