2021, Château Marjosse Rouge, Grand Vin de BORDEAUX

Bordeaux Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Malbec

The Château, home and vineyards of Pierre Lurton of Cheval Blanc. Exceptional value.

The 2021 Marjosse has a crisp blackberry, blueberry and iris flower nose, tight at first but opening with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with firm, grainy tannins that frame the marine-tinged black fruit. Fine delineation on the finish. No doubt this will be unbeatable value-for-money. 88-90 Neal Martin.

The 2021 Marjosse is a racy, pungent wine loaded with aromatic intensity. Black cherry, plum, sage, mint, dried herbs and tobacco all take shape in this mid-weight red from Pierre Lurton. There's terrific energy, tension and class. The blend is 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec, which is today less Merlot and more Cabernets than in the past. I tasted the 2021 next to the 2020, 2019 and 2018, and it held up just fine. 88-90 Antonio Galloni.

Bursting with aromas of plums, rose petals, burning embers and licorice, the 2021 Marjosse is medium-bodied, supple and charming, with melting tannins and lively acids. It's a strong effort from Pierre Lurton's estate in the Entre-Deux-Mers. 87-89 William Kelley.