Les Fiefs de Lagrange 2023

Vivid bright pink colour to the rim. Strongly perfumed with ripe jammy, plummy fruit, lots of red cherry, violet and blackcurrant but with strong herbal and menthol Cabernet markers on the nose too. Sleek and straight, lively though, this has a buzzy tone to the juicy fruit, tangy, and almost sour but stays the right side. Really well controlled, fresh and lifted but not overly so, lovely length and weight. Generous and easy to enjoy. A touch of plumpness too, no doubt because of the Merlot, with the Petit Verdot adding colour and a flash of exoticism to the blend. 3.46pH. Ageing 20% new oak. Drinking window: 2026-2036. (Georgina Hindle,decanter.com)