2010 - Laforge, Saint-Emilion

Showing slightly better from bottle than barrel (and it performed admirably there), the 2010 Laforge emerges from three major soil types in St.-Emilion – gravel, sand and hard limestone. It is largely a Merlot-based wine, with only about 8% Cabernet Franc added in. A big, forceful, classic, full-bodied St.-Emilion with sensational depth, the 2010 displays plenty of black fruit, hints of incense, graphite, and forest floor, and perhaps even a suggestion of black truffle. It is deep, full-bodied, opulently textured, yet the tannic structure comes through in the finish. This is another sensational effort from proprietor Jonathan Malthus. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2032.

(100% merlot): Good bright red-ruby. Pure aromas of red and blue fruits, minerals and chalk dust. Juicy and imploded, with the wine's underlying minerality leavening its sweetness today. Finishes savory and long but youthfully tight for merlot.