2025 de La Dauphine (Fronsac)

The 2025 La Dauphine is superb. Dark, ample and explosive, the 2025 races across the palate with inky fruit, tobacco, dried herbs, lavender and chocolate. This is a great La Dauphine. The Cabernet Franc is dialed up in this vintage, an approach that works so well. Clean saline notes frame the close. Tasted three times. 93-95 points

The 2025 La Dauphine has a clean, well-defined bouquet with pure black cherries, blueberry and light cassis scents, the oak neat and tidy. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins, dark berry fruit, quite linear in style with a much lighter chassis on the finish than I expected. As such, it should drink well after a couple of years in bottle. 90-92 points

Concentrated plum colour, brambled raspberry and loganberry, good texture, grip and tension through the palate. There are waves of gooseberry and redcurrant fruit as the palate opens up. Enjoyable, good quality, fresh acidities, mouthwatering. Harvest September 11 to 19. 30 hl/ha. 3.50 pH. 93 points