2014 Chateau La Vieille Cure

The 2014 La Vieille Cure felt very backward on the nose, broody and masculine, and lacking the fruit of say the 2014 La Dauphine that I tasted alongside. The palate is medium-bodied with dry tannin. It feels dense and masculine, a little gritty in the mouth with the oak not sewn into the fabric of the wine as well as it should. There are better Fronsac wines out there this vintage, but it is the kind of Fronsac you would happily pop open during the week.

The 2014 La Vieille Cure is soft, supple and radiant throughout. Succulent red cherry, sweet tobacco, raspberry and flowers all flesh out in a deep, expressive Fronsac endowed with real class. Bright fruit-toned fruit and lively acids give the 2014 its distinctive personality. The interplay of succulent fruit and lifted aromatics is compelling.

The 2014 Vielle Cure is a real standout. Dark, fleshy and beautifully resonant on the palate, the 2014 offers gorgeous textural depth. Dark red cherry, iron, smoke, chalk, tobacco, cedar and a host of savory/ferrous notes come together in a powerful, sumptuous wine loaded with personality. The bold style will appeal most to readers who seek opulence and density. Best of all the 2014, should be a fabulous value.