2012 Clos Cantenac

100% Merlot. Saignée and cold pre-ferment maceration. Long post-ferment maceration. Malo in barrel and will have 18 months in oak, 40% new. Deep purple-crimson. Ripe and perfumed pure fruit, somewhere between red and black plus a touch of vanilla on the nose. Sweet and chocolatey on the finish, both in the meltedness of the tannins and the flavour. Rich and velvety but with a little less obvious freshness than the Petit Cantenac but greater intensity and length. Generous and plush. (JH)