2004 D'Aiguilhe

More breadth and fruit than the 2005! Sleek and exciting. Deep and well founded on a solid, well balanced base. (JR)

This property, run by Stefan von Neipperg, has produced a sleeper of the vintage. The deep ruby/purple-tinged 2004 exhibits a sweet nose of creme de cassis, charcoal smoke, and burning embers, abundant cassis fruit, medium body, silky tannin, and a long, heady finish. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.

Bright ruby-red. Dark fruits, chocolate and menthol on the nose. Sweet dark berry and mocha flavors are reasonably supple but today the wine is hiding its personality. This can't match the '05 or '06 for grip but there's good tannic spine, and the wine's elements are nicely integrated.