2021 Dassault
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Tasting notes
The 2021 Dassault has more presence and fruit intensity on the nose compared to its peers, a mixture of red and black fruit, iris flower and iodine—fine focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with a sapid, graphite-infused entry that emanates from the 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, remaining quite fresh and Médoc-like toward the finish. This is a more assertive Saint-Émilion, but it works. Give it two or three years.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Lawther MW, jancisrobinson.com
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Sweet black cherry and cassis fruit on the opening, with touches of grilled oak, this has real impact but drops through the mid palate as it struggles to fill things out. Juicy on the finish, oyster shell and slate tannins. A tough 12hl/h yield at Dassault this year, as with their sibling estate Château La Fleur, and the issues are still evident after ageing.
The 2021 Château Dassault is a rich, chocolaty, red and black-fruited effort with medium-bodied richness, ripe yet present tannins, good overall balance, and a good finish. It's another charming, nicely balanced 2021 that's going to drink nicely with just short-term bottle age.
The 2021 Dassault is very different in style. The more bombastic Saint-Émilion is much more finessed and mineral-driven on the nose, while the palate is elegant and cohesive, subtle tertiary notes infusing the bright red fruit on the finish. Delightful.