Château de La Dauphine 2020

Bright, with damson plum and bitter cherry fruit notes pierced with light savory and tobacco hints. A subtle chalk spine carries the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2032. 12,500 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.

Ripe and juicy fruits on the nose, bramble and bright blue fruit. Lovely high acidity with a touch of sweet tangy raspberry and cherry fruit combined with clear minerality, giving a sweet and salty combination, and such a great weight on the palate. Very well delivered, refined and elegant, crystalline and vibrant. Classic, cool, soft, round - this will be supremely enjoyable in a few years. A great buy. Consultant Julien Viaud.

Dark in color, the wine kicks off with licorice, Morello cherries, bitter chocolate, blackberry and smoke. Round, rich, lush and opulent, the velvet-textured, chocolate-covered plums on the palate really stick with you. Drink it young or age it for a few years. 91-93 pts

Inky dark purple core and hue. Fragrant with violet, dark berries, cassis, plum and mild oak. Good grip and concentration with well-preserved freshness, elegant dark fruit flavours, ripe tannin and a long finish.

The best I've tasted from this Château, the 2020 Château La Dauphine offers a terrific array of red and blue fruits as well as some classic Right Bank chalky minerality, medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, concentrated profile, and some background floral nuances. Drink this smoking good Fronsac over the coming decade.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: silky, fruity, restrained bouquet, blackberries, cherries, caramel, licorice. Well-core, aromatic palate with fine fruit, slightly muscular structure, finely sanded tannins, good aromatics, bitter finish. Has room to improve.

The 2020 de la Dauphine is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out with energetic blackberry pie and stewed plums notes followed by hints of potpourri, incense, and mossy tree bark. The full-bodied palate delivers impactful black fruit preserves layers with soft, rounded tannins and plenty of brightness on the finish.

Despite a slight reduction, jammy black-fruit notes take the lead, underlined by freshly ground coffee aromas. The aging is still marked by intense vanilla notes, but a fruity acidity evoking blueberry and wild blackberry quickly comes back to the fore, leaving an impression of intense indulgence.

The freshness of the clay-limestone terroirs was very beneficial in 2020, and this is evident in Château La Dauphine. Fruity and floral, it also reveals mineral nuances. Good density on the palate, where the wine shows creamy, slightly suave tannins. A harmonious, expressive and persistent Fronsac. A fine success.

The nose is fruity, all in finesse/control, offering a lovely airy character as well as elegance (all in finesse), a lovely airy feel, a certain depth, and a subtle multi-layered side that calls for a bit of work in the glass. It reveals notes of dense/pulpy blackberry, violet and, more slightly, small fleshy/ripe black berries, combined with delicate touches of violet, flowers, lily, fresh vanilla, as well as hints of cherry blossom, fresh red berries, fine hints of pepper, sweet blond tobacco, and a subtle touch of cinnamon (in the background). The palate is fruity, all in delicacy/control, with juiciness, lovely freshness, minerality, richness (in delicacy), a graceful airy character, some tension, and a tangy backbone. On the palate, this wine shows notes of pulpy/juicy blackberry, juicy/pulpy blackcurrant and, more slightly, violet, combined with touches of fleshy cherry, pulpy purple plum, as well as hints of tangy/juicy/pulpy redcurrant, violet, discreet hints of tonka bean/cocoa, sweet blond tobacco, bourbon vanilla pod, and sweet spices. The tannins are supple, elegant, fine and racy. A lovely success! Score: 17/20

Dark, intense, purple colour. An intense, pure, subtle nose with ripe fruit. Fleshy on the attack, tasty mid-palate, very pleasant; the wine melts on the palate with both flavour and a velvety, sappy texture. It’s very good.

The 85% Merlot in this superrich wine is what has pushed up the alcohol. It does give a powerful, juicy character to the black-currant fruits. Against the wood and tannins, this wine has density and a full ripe character. Worth aging, this fine, dense wine will be ready from 2026. Organic.