Labegorce 2021 (6.0L)

92-94 JD / 91-93 VM / 91 JA / 91 DE / 90-91 WA

Château Labegorce has been managed brilliantly by Marjolaine de Coninck since 2009, and she's produced a brilliant-looking 2021. Lots of black raspberry fruits as well as spicy oak, flowers, and dried herbs emerge on the nose, and it's medium-bodied, with terrific overall balance, an up-front, charming mouthfeel, and a great finish. It's beautifully done, and I suspect it's going to drink nicely right out of the gate. The blend is 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, brought up 35% new French oak. The talented Claude Gros also lends his advice here as well. - Jeb Dunnuck

The 2021 Labégorce was picked from 23 September to 19 October and matured in 35% new oak, the malo done in bottle. Pretty red cherries, raspberry and bergamot scents on the nose. Light undergrowth aromas surface with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, modest depth, light and focused towards the finish. A well-made Margaux that should give 15-20 years pleasure. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

Powerful, this is enjoyable, cool summer flavours, blueberry, redcurrant that you find widely, but this is accompanied here by luscious, mouthwatering red cherry and blackberry fruits, with plenty of structure and a tannic bite on the finish. Harvest September 23 to October 19. Limestone subsoil, with clay and gravel. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

The nose here - so expressive - the aromas of pink flowers, a sour cherry, red cherry sweet nuance, some oak touches - sweet caramel, vanilla, cedar. Tannins quite noticeable, the fruit has high acidity with the focus on on the black cherry, blueberry, pomegranate and plum tone with some salinity and minerality coming through in the graphite and wet stone texture. It's a little dry, the tannins quite severe, but there is an underlying flavour of sweet fruit and this finishes long with freshness. Lovely aromatic complexity with a enjoyable light and bouncy texture, not massively structured but it has charm and real drinkability. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter

The 2021 Labégorce is attractive, offering up a perfumed bouquet of cherries, raspberries, orange rind, cedary spices and smoke, followed by a medium-bodied, fleshy palate with a pretty core of fruit, supple tannins and lively acids. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate