Medium intensity ruby, good quality, carefully measured cedar and sandalwood smoke on the nose, not overpowering but adding depth through the mid-palate, which is not always the case in 2024. Acidity kicks up a little high on the finish, but there is real charm here, and chewy tannins on the finish that suggest this can soften further over ageing. Gwendeline Lucas director. Tasted twice. 3.56 pH. 50% new oak. Harvest 18 to 30 September. 31hl/ha. 92 points

The 2024 La Dominique is a very pretty wine for this reemerging Saint-Emilion estate on the Pomerol border. Creamy and textured, with lovely mid-palate presence and bright fruit, La Dominique is quite attractive. Supple contours wrap around a core of red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon and mocha, building into the soft, caressing finish. Production is down about 50% due to drastic selection. Tasted two times. 91-93 points

The 2024 La Dominique, matured in 50% new oak, is distinctly fresher on the nose than many of its peers. This is nowhere near as complex as the 2022 yet it conveys brightness and a sense of place. The palate is medium-bodied and fresh, with crisp, ripe tannins and a marine-influenced finish. It`s a little reserved in style. This is not a blockbuster and nor should it be. It`s just a well-crafted Saint-Émilion that will give 15 to 18 years pleasure. 91-93 points