2012 Château Prieuré-Lichine
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Tasting notes
The 2012 Prieuré-Lichine has a beautifully-defined bouquet with ebullient blackberry and raspberry fruit, touches of iris flower and orange blossom coming through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, well-judged acidity, cohesive and structured with a nicely proportioned, slightly tarry/tobacco-tinged finish that has a Pauillac-like bent. This is a pleasant surprise. Tasted blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Deep glowing crimson. A bit stewed on the nose but there is some silky fruit there on the palate, as well as some relatively fine tannin and quite a bit of acidity. Grainy texture. (JR)
Tasted blind. Rather intriguing minerally nose. Very dry indeed but not too green. Just lacking a bit of flesh. But it may well come right in the end. Rather a interesting liquorice streak. (JR)
The 2012 Prieuré-Lichine is soft, open-knit and totally inviting. Sweet floral notes meld into the typical Prieuré Lichine red stone fruits. Already quite expressive and totally delicious, the 2012 should offer readers a long and broad window of pure pleasure. The silky, persistent finish points to a bright future. The 2012 is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Stéphane Derenoncourt and Julien Lavenu are the consulting winemakers.
About the producer
After 50 years under the direction of the Lichine family, this leading Margaux estate entered a new chapter in 1999 when négociant Ballande took the reins, continuing the property’s previous upward trajectory.