Merlot

World Wine – One of the best examples of this wine we have shipped. Nothing like the stereotype of Bordeaux, this is fresh, vibrant and medium bodied. Lovely purity, the red cherry, blackberry, iodine and subtle spice aromatics leading to a pretty, juicy and energetic palate with plenty of pulpy fruit and round tannins and a lip-smacking, tangy close. Another bargain.

The Wine Front – GARY WALSH - THE WINE FRONT This is our regular Provence rosé, and I’d reckon we’ve knocked off (easily) more than 20 bottles since last spring, so I thought I’d better push out a note. Pale. White peach and redcurrant, a bit of tang and ruby red grapefruit, light chalky feel, freshness and vibrancy. Good zesty length. Such a good drink. It keeps you coming back for more…

World Wine – Garnet red to purplish disc, good depth and clear. Expressive nose of ripe fruit, dominated by blackcurrant and strawberry purée with cedar notes. The attack is fresh and lively, the palate is round, fleshy with sap and tension. Nice length with ripe tannins and fine allies at a gourmet fruit.

The Wine Front – Really meaty scents, loads of green pepper and beetroot and briar too. That fantastic feral kind of scent, angry, wild, mashed fruit in undergrowth, grapes moulting off vines. Wild in flavours too, more meat and savouriness, black plums, salty liquorice, but silky as fresh satin sheets, long, settling in the palate with ultra fine tannins and cool acidity. It’s really captivating. I imagine sitting over this wine for a very long time.

The Wine Front –

World Wine – The wine offers splendid juicy fruit attack on the nose, showing dark plum and raspberry coulis characters with nuances of toasted almond, thyme and mixed spice. The palate is succulent and beautifully rounded, offering lovely flow and supple texture.Wonderfully composed and elegantly expressed with loads of delectable flavours, superbly structured by polished tannins. Delicious already with a potential to evolve gracefully. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 39% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

World Wine – “The 2015 Bernadotte shoots above my expectation. It has a clean and fresh bouquet with plenty of appealing graphite notes. The palate is medium-bodied with dusky black fruit sprinkled with black pepper, good length and nicely focused. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.” Neal Martin

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate – “The 2015 Bernadotte has a lovely, lilting redcurrant and cranberry-scented bouquet, the oak nicely integrated, fresh and lively with tobacco coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, quite light for this vintage, but balanced, with a "breezy" brambly red berry finish. Easy-going Haut-Médoc.”

Wine Enthusiast – Made with the involvement of Hubert de Bouärd of Château Angélus as consultant, this wine is superrich and packed with dark fruit. Despite its high alcohol for a Bordeaux, it is balanced and fruity with tannins the are comfortably cushioned by the fruit and freshened by acidity. Drink from 2021.

James Halliday – Deep colour; a distinguished, full-bodied Bordeaux blend with blackcurrant, mulberry, black olive, briar and French oak all in play. Has the length and balance to repay extended cellaring." Halliday Wine Companion '17

James Suckling – Very charming and precocious with ripe-redcurrant character and a lovely combination of delicate sweetness and supple tannins on the palate, the finish long and silky. Drink or hold.

Decanter – From the Bignon-Cordier family, this is a sleek, sexy Médoc with good chewy tannins and a lovely rich texture to the blackberry fruit. It has a serious edge, showing some menthol notes on the finish and a feeling of freshness that accompanies the entire experience beginning to end. Good persistency. A successful vintage here. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040.

James Halliday – 70% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, the remainder cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec, 18 months in French barriques (60% new). Bright, clear colour; a remarkably elegant, juicy red and black berry fruit-filled wine, neither oak or tannins seeking to interfere with the fruit. One of those rare wines to be drunk now or in 20+ years. Rating 96” Halliday Wine Companion 2017

Huon Hooke – Deep rich colour and a rich, concentrated bouquet led by smoky char-oak and the palate is likewise quite oak-driven, with medium to full-body and slightly gritty texture. Sweet raspberry fruit core. It could reward a little time in the cellar. It's a bit young at this juncture. The Real Review, 23 March, 2021

Wine Spectator – Wine Spectator 90: Layered, with plush flavors of plum, blackberry and black currant preserves offset by firmer charcoal, black tea leaf and warm stone notes. Approachable now but should mellow with mid-term cellaring. Drink now through 2020.