2011 Domaine du Castel Grand Vin

The 2011 Grand Vin is a library wine. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (59%), Merlot (15%), Petit Verdot (19%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Malbec (3%), all aged for 20 months in 80% new French oak barrels. It came in at 14.5% alcohol and was unfined and unfiltered. This continues to evolve well, and it has become more expressive. Nuanced with herbs, there is a hint of green—but only a hint or two—that gives it a little character Round, ripe, concentrated and increasingly sexy now, it has also become more harmonious. In short, this keeps getting better. In prime time, it shows no signs of losing its way in the near future. It should have another decade or so left—maybe more. I always like to be conservative, but there is not a lot of risk foreseeable here in the immediate future.