Château Clos de l´Oratoire
Dark ruby, the nose is intense and offers very ripe fruit, dark berries, minerals and leather as well as a spicy oakiness and vanilla, the palate is superbly concentrated with good material, rather marked tannins but perfectly ripe, a touch of oak that lingers on the impeccably long aftertaste, very fine and promising.

Château La Fleur Cardinale
Deep purple ruby, pronounced nose of dark berries, blackberries, cherries, some toasted oak, roasted coffee, elegant undertones of minerals, very chewy, ripe and suave tannins, dense fruit, fine freshness and a very long persistence, good.

Château Clos de Jacobins
Attractive ruby red colour, the nose is forward and charming with a perfume of sweet berries, minerals, earth and leather, complex, the palate is very well structured with dark fruits, velvety tannins and a long, lingering aftertaste.

Château Berliquet
Medium ruby, the nose is slightly smoky with wild berries, forest floor, and minerals, the palate is very distinct and ascetic, albeit with an impeccable balance, freshness and good persistence, superb potential.

Château Canon la Gaffelière
The colour is dark ruby red, the nose is forward and very attractive with hints of oak, wild berries, minerals and leather, the palate is nicely structured, very good fruit, smooth tannins and a compelling, fresh aftertaste. Good and promising.


Château Bellefont-Belcier
Medium to deep ruby, elegant nose, with a fine complexity of red berries and spices, the palate is very full with marked but ripe tannins, very potent with a long persistence.

Château Grand Corbin Despagne
Dark ruby colour, the nose is expressive and fragrant with a perfume of cassis, herbs (Cabernet?), dark plums, minerals and leather, the palate has a nice concentration and balance with a backbone of ripe tannins, splendid length and freshness. Very fine potential.

Château Larcis Ducasse
Dark ruby colour, the nose has a nice combination between earth and minerals with wild berries and a floral touch, the palate is straight and elegant with firm tannins, elegant with a good mouth feel and a fine length. Good potential.

Château Larmande
Dark ruby, the nose is fine and elegant with hints of wild berries, minerals, dry spices and leather, the palate is nicely structured with a fresh acidity, ripe tannins and good fruit, very fine length. Nice today but superb potential.

Château Fonplegade
Intense ruby red colour, very expressive and pronounced nose of new oak and spices albeit with an elegant fruit and some earthy mineral tones, the palate is very structured and long with elegant fruit and a good dose of tannin, fine freshness to.

Château La Couspaude
Dark ruby with some development, the nose is fairly creamy with some spicy vanilla tones, oak and spices; the palate is well structured with a good dose of tannins, nice dark fruit and a spicy, long aftertaste.

Château L´Arrosée
Dark ruby with some development, a complex nose that offers some oak, spices, red fruits and leather, the palate is fairly young and harsh but well structured, good fruit and potential, very fine persistence.

Château La Tour Figeac
Clear and dark ruby colour, complex nose with spicy and woody undertones, dark plums and leather, the palate is full with fairly marked tannins albeit ripe, shows good potential, elegant fruit and a long aftertaste. It defines classic.



Château Fonroque
Medium to dark ruby, the nose is floral with red berries and undertones of oak and spices, very defined and astringent palate with elegant fruit, minerals and a classical freshness, long persistence. Fine structure, good material.

Château Dassault
Dense ruby red, the nose is forward with hints of new oak, roasted coffee, herbs, dark berries and minerals, the palate is full with firm tannins and a good freshness backed up by nice fruit, nice structure and balance and a long finish.

Château Balestard La Tonnelle
Dark ruby red, feminine nose of flowers, plums wild raspberries with earthy undertones, good grip with a fine freshness and long persistence. Rather austere but good potential.

Château Destieux
Dark ruby red colour, the nose is young with elegant notes of new oak, coffee, smoke, dark berries and dark chocolate, the palate is firm with a nice tannic backbone and a good freshness, long finish.

Château Laroque
Medium deep purple ruby colour, the nose is pronounced and flowery with red fruits, flowers and some oak, the palate is very dry and classic with a fine freshness, rather austere today but promising for the classical palate, good persistence.

Château Corbin
Dense ruby red, the nose is fragrant and fine with a compelling spiciness, wild berries and forest floor, the palate has a fine balance with smooth tannins and a good acidity, subtle dark fruits and a lingering aftertaste.

Château Laroze
Dark ruby colour, the nose is very pronounced with spicy and flowery aromas complex with a well structured palate, fresh and rather marked tannins, although the fruit is elegant and potential is fine too, good aftertaste.




        In my opinion the 2001 vintage is the definition of the word “classic”. The wines have the attributes most of us are looking for in a Saint-Emilion: perfume, silkiness, fruit, freshness and structure. The wines are beginning to open up nicely and could easily be enjoyed even if the best amongst them are to have a long life ahead. Still Grand Cru Classé is a rather vast category and quality ranges from fairly feeble to top-notch.


Château Clos de l ´Oratoire
Medium ruby, the nose is very expressive with a plethora of perfumes, wild raspberries, red flowers, mineral, leather, the palate is very velvety with smooth tannins, supple fruit and an utterly compelling and long aftertaste. Good stuff.

Château Destieux
Fairly dark but developed ruby, a complex nose offers wild berries, earth, minerals, and spicy undertones, very fine and distinctly fresh palate, smooth tannins, enjoyable fruit and a very fine persistence.

Château Canon La Gaffelière
Medium deep ruby red, a very intense perfume of wild raspberries, cherries and minerals emanates from the glass, the palate is very silky with a nice development, seductive fruit and a long, intense persistence, very elegant.

Château Dassault
Medium deep ruby red, a very fine nose offers complex aromas of dark wild berries, violets, dry spices and minerals, the palate is rich but yet restrained with ripe tannins and a classic freshness, seductive with a long persistence.

Château Balestard la Tonnelle
Medium to deep ruby, nice aromatic complexity with undertones of spices, oak and elegant fruit, wild berries, and minerals, very nice structure with suave tannins, a good freshness with a long and lingering aftertaste, highly enjoyable.


Château Clos Saint Martin
Dense ruby red with some development, the nose is intense and generous with aromas of plums, wild berries and some spicy yet integrated oak, the palate is well structured with a tannic backbone, undertones of oak, good fruit and a long aftertaste. Rather square today but should smoothen with time.

Château L´Arrosée
Medium ruby red with a complex nose that offers minerals, wild berries and leather, the palate has a good freshness and velvety tannins, good fruit and a long subtle aftertaste.

Château Fleur Cardinale
Medium ruby colour with a slightly sweet nose of wild berries, spices and a touch of oak and vanilla, the palate is firm with ripe tannins and a good freshness with elegant fruit, minerals and a long delicate aftertaste.

Château la Dominique
Intense and developed ruby red, the nose offers a nice perfume of minerals, wild berries, violets and leather, very distinct on the palate with a fine freshness, smooth tannins and an elegant and long aftertaste.


Château Bergat
Medium ruby with some development, elegant aromas of wild berries, minerals and leather, nicely structured palate with fine texture and length, elegant.

Château Cadet-Piola
Medium ruby, the nose is expressive with elegant aromas of dark cherries, wild raspberries, minerals and tobacco, nice palate with silky tannins and good freshness, the persistence is long with supple fruit.

Château Cap de Mourlin
Intense, developed ruby, the nose offers a nice perfume of wild berries, and minerals, fine texture with a good acidity, fine fruit and a good aftertaste.

Château Chauvin
Medium to deep ruby, the nose is nuanced with autumn fruit, spices and earthy undertones, the palate is nice with fairly marked tannins, medium to long length.

Château Clos des Jacobins
Intense and developed ruby red, the nose is flattering with generous amounts of sweet red berries, oak, vanilla and spices, the palate is fine and more austere than the nose, slightly tannic but with nice fruit and a long finish.

Château Laroque
Medium deep ruby, the nose is forward with some spicy vanilla oak yet balanced by elegant red berries and a mineral touch, the palate is very fine with a good freshness, red fruit, and a long finish, the tannins are rather marked but still ripe.

Château Franc Mayne
The nose is quiet forward with dark fruits, oak and a leathery touch, the palate is fine with a good freshness, lacks some flesh, long aftertaste.

Château La Couspaude
Medium deep ruby, the nose is fairly developed with secondary aromas of roasted coffee, mocha, smoke and dark berries, the palate is full-bodied and well balanced, nice fruit and a long finish.

Château Fonplegade
Developed ruby red colour, the nose is developed, with red berries, leather and mocha, the palate is classically structured and fresh, medium to long aftertaste.

Château Bellefont-Belcier
Medium deep ruby, the nose is elegant with dark fruit and undertones of oak and nougat, the palate is rather austere and classic, fine freshness and a decent aftertaste.

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