La Fleur de Gay 1993

Harvested from 23rd September, the 1993 Fleur de Gay has a very well defined nose with red rather than dark fruit: raspberry, cranberry, crushed stone and a touch of rose petal. The palate is well balanced with firm tannins, mineral-laden red-berried fruit with great tension - a citric thread of acidity leading to a masculine, tannic finish that just lacks a little length. However, for such an obdurate vintage this is ageing very well and should last another decade. Tasted June 2011. Tasted June 2011.

This dark ruby-colored wine, with an overlay of spicy new oak and pain grillee notes, is tightly knit, but it gives every indication of aging well, and possiblility meriting a slightly higher score than I have bestowed. The wine possesses copious quantities of pure black-cherry fruit, intertwined with spice. This beautifully made, medium-bodied, elegant, and concentrated 1993 needs 1-3 years of cellaring; it should age well for 10-12+ years. This wine is not dissimilar to the excellent 1987 La Fleur de Gay.