CHÂTEAU DU TERTRE

If you wanted to bottle the quintessence of Margaux in 2015, this lovely, aromatic wine would be an excellent candidate. Pretty, floral and feminine with more tannin and backbone than you think at first and fresh, tangy acidity. Very appealing indeed. Drinking range: 2020 - 2028 Rating: 92 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (May 2016)

The 2015 du Tertre is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% each of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, picked 9 September until 9 October, matured in around 47% new oak. The nose is impressive, more so than the 2014 twelve months ago with tightly-wound but very focused raspberry, cranberry and iodine aromas that gently unfurl with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with good structure, impressive depth, a du Tertre with more substance and body than recent vintages. There is precision with satisfying length on the cedar and pencil lead finish. Alexandre Van Beek might have produced his best du Tertre to date. Drinking range: 2025 - 2045 Rating: 91-93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)

Fine briary fruit that is clear and well-structured with good density and nice lift on the finish. A classy wine. Drinking range: 2020 - 2030 Rating: 90 Steven Spurrier (Apr 2016)

Dark crimson. A meaty note to this charmer. Lots of freshness too. A fairly early developer with masses of sweetness but a good herald of the vintage. Perhaps not the great concentration of tannins for a long life. Drinking range: 2021 - 2030 Rating: 16.5 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2016)

The 2015 du Tertre is dark, pliant and inviting. Black cherry, plum, mocha, exotic spice and lavender are front and center. This is an especially dark, virile du Tertre. A host of game, smoke, tobacco and more feral notes develop in the glass to give the wine its masculine, virile personality. Du Tertre is an especially brooding Margaux. In 2015, the blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. Rating: 88-91 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)

Offers a velvety feel overall, with steeped plum and currant notes layered with accents of black tea and ganache, Shows a racy tobacco edge underneath. Rating: 90—93 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2016)

A wine with definition and refinement. Hints of tobacco and chocolate. Full body, super fine and flavorful. Juicy and savory. The walnut and spice on the end is gorgeous. Rating: 94-95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Mar 2016)