Nearly opaque; blackish ruby hue. The wine has a moderately open nose; ripe blackberry/cassis aroma is deep and rich, showing the nearly equal mix of Merlot and Cabernet sauvignon in the vineyard. More sweet juicy fruit becomes apparent with air, along with a touch of floral, and good clean mineral notes. The palate shows more of the same deep blackberry/cassis flavors, witch are both sweet and dense, with dark chocolate and brown spice, and plenty of minerality. It has good body, is rich, round and smooth, with moderately astringent but dense tannins, and modest acidity. A very good example of this popular estate's wine, with the concentration and purity of fruit that we've come to expect of Bordeaux wines from the excellent 2005 vintage. While approachable and enjoyable now, it promises even greater pleasure over the next decade or two. - Notes by Roger Ormon