2016 La Violette
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Tasting notes
The 2016 La Violette has a rich and heady bouquet with luscious black cherries and violet scents. It just needs more delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe and succulent tannins, a sweet core of black fruit laced with black pepper, but I find the dark chocolate-tinged finish here just too assertive, and it needs more refinement. Tasted at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year On tasting.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Wine Spectator
More reviews and scores
Cedar, sandalwood, charcoal and earth aromas. Medium- to full-bodied and composed, with broad but incisiveness dark fruit that adds dimension. Quite substantial. Better from 2028. 10 Years On retrospective.
The 2016 La Violette was one of the turn-ups for the books at this tasting, for what I have previously found to be an excellent Pomerol is evolving into a showstopper. It has a brilliant bouquet with incredibly well-defined red fruit laced with cedar and truffle, utterly graceful and the oak beautifully integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, finely tuned acidity and gentle grip toward the long, tender finish. Pure class and nobility. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Tasted blind. Sweaty socks on the nose initially but then it cleared to beguile. Lovely toastiness as well as ripeness. Long and complex. Though there is a certain simple sweetness to this too. (JR)