2011 Magrez Fombrauge

96 POINTS

Robert Parker - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The inky/purple-colored 2011, a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, offers loads of cassis, blueberry and raspberry fruit along with a chalky minerality. It is a full-bodied, dense, long wine built like an NFL middle linebacker. Filled with power, intensity, texture and richness, it will handsomely pay dividends over the next two decades. Virtually every vintage of this wine has been massive, with the off-the-charts sort of richness that tends to provoke a -love it or leave it- attitude from wine buyers. It comes from the finest parcel of the Fombrauge vineyard (owned by Bernard Magrez) and is meant to last 25 years.

96 POINTS

Robert Parker - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

A flowery nose of ripe plums, blueberries, truffles and roasted meats jumps from the glass of this inky/purple-colored 2011. Made from a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, it reveals super-richness, velvety tannin, a skyscraper-like mid-palate, and not a hard edge to be found. It is another remarkable effort in this challenging vintage. Its 14.5% natural alcohol is incredible given the growing conditions. This gorgeous boutique St.-Emilion, one of the stars of the vintage, will evolve effortlessly for 15-20 years. By the way, I recently had the 2000 Magrez-Fombrauge (which I believe is the first vintage), and at age 14 it was outstanding.

92 POINTS

Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider

70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc created a wine with stone, licorice, blackberry, chocolate covered cherry and coffee notes. Flashy and fleshy, the wine finishes with a round, tannic, fresh, plum, coffee and cocoa filled finish. 91-94 Pts

91 POINTS

James Suckling

I like the blueberry and blackberry character with minerals and hints of oak. Full and velvety. Well made and very polished for the vintage.

91 POINTS

James Suckling

I like the blueberry and blackberry character with minerals and hints of oak. Full and velvety. Well made and very polished for the vintage. Points: 91-92

Neal Martin - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The nose is rather taciturn with subdued dark cherry and blueberry fruit. The palate is actually well balanced with pure cassis and blackberry fruit, a fine net of tannins with fine precision and length. Perhaps the growing season has contained this habitually ostentatious wine. Not bad. Tasted April 2012

Wine Spectator

Frankly toasted, with a dark cocoa accent coating the medium-weight core of currant, black cherry and tobacco notes and hanging through the finish, leaving a slightly heavy feel in the end.

WeinWisser

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