VIEUX CHÂTEAU MAZERAT

This is an impressively perfumed wine, with fragrant black fruits and rich tannins moving together. It has a sumptuous character, powered by fruit as much as by tannins. It is a very fine, rich and dense wine that will age well." Rating: 95-97 Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast www.winemag.com (May 2016)

The 2015 Vieux Château Mazerat, which you could view as Jonathan Maltus' "second in command" after Le Dôme, is a blend of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc picked on October 6 and 12 respectively, and matured in 80% new oak. It has a tightly wound bouquet with black cherry, bilberry and cold stone, a floral note emerging after a minute in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied but there is more fatness and density here compared to Jonathan's other 2015 single parcel offerings from Le Pontet and Le Carré. Plenty of "rondeur" here, perhaps because the pH is just a little higher, the finish well balanced, clean and fresh. I look forward to retasting this in bottle. Drinking range: 2019 - 2035 Rating: 91-93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)

The top Merlot cuvée in the Jonathan Maltus portfolio, from up on the plateau, close to Château Angélus. The blend as ever is 65% Merlot, picked October 6th, with a healthy dollop of old Cabernet Franc, planted in 1947, accounting for the remaining 35%. The Cabernet was picked on October 12th. The alcohol is 14.7%, the acidity 3.08 g/l. Real depth and interest here, the nose showing a little roasted black cherry pit, blackcurrant, toasted almonds, toasted pips and scents of black tea too. Alongside, there is a perfumed, floral note, presumably the Cabernet coming through. A very convincing palate, a massive step up from Les Astéries, pure, fresh, energetic, with cocoa bean and cherry stone fruit, and dry dark chocolate. When I taste wines of this sort of quality, I can understand why some have drawn comparisons between this vintage and 2005, 2009 or 2010. A huge confidence, great breadth, but also a wonderful frame and definition, right through to the finish. Top of the class; I think I like the balanced contribution from both varieties here, bringing complexity, texture, depth of flavour but also freshness. A remarkable wine. Rating: 18-19 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2016)