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Alverne 2015

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot

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Label

Tasting Notes

Seductive and slightly exotic aroma, with ripe but fresh red and black fruits and spice, even a hint of cinnamon. Rich and spicy on the palate too, a certain decadence, but no excess weight, the tannins already remarkably supple but not wimpy. You can smell/taste the expensive oak but it is much less obvious than you might expect – as with other Mitjavile-signature wines in which the more red-fruited character of the wines seem remarkably able to stand up to, and benefit from, tight-grained new oak. Likely to be drinkable relatively early but also age well.

16.5+
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, October 2017

Made by Louis Mitjavile in 100% "Radoux Blend" new oak, exactly the same barrels that are used at his family property, Le Tertre Roteboeuf. Only 800 cases were produced from this small Saint Emilion vineyard of 1.8 hectares - which is planted with 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. After fermentation in temperature controlled concrete vats, the wine was aged for 21 months in barrel before bottling in September 2017. Viticulture and vinification here are identical to that at Le Tertre Roteboeuf and Roc de Cambes.

Deep ruby in the glass, there is an expressive nose of coffee, dark cherries, pain grillé and sweet spices. The palate is juicy, round, and smooth, with silky and refined tannins framing a ripe core of black fruit. Nutmeg, smoke, and sweet vanilla add layers of complexity as the wine builds power through the mid palate, finishing with a long and spicy finish that reveals yet more forest fruits. This is an approachable wine, but the length and structure will merit cellaring over the next 5-10 years. Succulent and opulent but not at all jammy. Smooth as silk and bearing all the hallmarks of the unique Mitjavile magic. What a find this is!

94
Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, September 2017

Aromatic spicy the nose is smoky with red fruits, toasty with a hint of coffee. Rich and ripe in the middle succulent with black cherry, cassis, dark chocolate, damsons layers of flavour giving complexity. The tannins are fine and integrated the fruit at the back fresher with cinnamon spice on the long elegant finish. 2019-26

90
Derek Smedley MW, DerekSmedleyMW.co.uk, October 2017
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.