2023 Château Les Cruzelles En Primeur
Released this morning for sale en primeur, Les Cruzelles and La Chenade are just a kilometre away from the Durantou's flagship Pomerol micro-château L'Eglise Clinet.
Cruzelles is consistently the 'finest' of the four wines, and the 2023, at just over £16 per bottle in bond, is no exception: A "potent, deep wine" according to Galloni, and "one of the best young Lalande de Pomerols" that James Suckling has ever had (94-95 points).
Offered en primeur, landing spring 2026.
Magnums available with £20 ex-VAT bottling surcharge per six, please enquire re other formats.
Limited availability. To order, e-mail us at sales@richardkihl.ltd.uk
Producer Profile
Château Les Cruzelles, Lalande de Pomerol
Château Les Cruzelles is an estate in Lalande de Pomerol which was bought in 2000 by the late Denis Durantou, owner of L'Eglise Clinet in Pomerol. He bought the 10.5-hectare vineyard having noticed the similarity with the terroir at L'Eglise Clinet, which is only 1km away.
Durantou passed away in 2020 and the wines are now made by his daughters. La Chenade also comes from the same estate and is effectively its second wine. The fruit for Les Cruzelles is grown on soils with a higher clay content than La Chenade, with slightly more Merlot in the blend, giving darker, more intense wines.
| RED | 2023 | Château Les Cruzelles | 75cl | £193 per case of 12 | Château Les Cruzelles 2023 / / 75cl £193 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2023 Les Cruzelles initially presents a slightly oaky aroma, which transitions to a more floral essence upon aeration. Then it evokes aromas of dark wild berries, spices and mulberries. Medium-bodied, round and charming, it has velvety tannins and a dense, elegant mid-palate, with a long, rich and fruity finish. It's a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc matured in 55% new oak. 90-92 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"The 2023 Les Cruzelles is the same blend as last year. Though it includes fruit that went into La Chenade in 2022, the volume of Merlot was higher, so it remains 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. When Noemie Durantou tasted through the tanks, she found it easy to pick out the wines from Les Cruzelles. Harvested between September 11 and 18 and matured in 52% new oak, this has a delineated and focused bouquet. A hint of incense infuses the black fruit, while a subtle citric element tucks in underneath. The palate is wonderful, certainly more complex and mineral-driven than the La Chenade, possessing gentle grip and perfectly pitched acidity. it fans out with chutzpah on the peppery finish. Excellent. 91-93 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"A vintage where the gap between Cruzelles and La Chenade is wide, and even on the nose it is clear that there are more depths and density to this wine. Love the texture, the depth of raspberry and damson fruits, shot through with black tea, sage and fennel. This is really a brilliant Cruzelles, 55% new oak. Harvest September 1 to 18. 42hl/h yield. Noëmie Durantou winemaker. 93 points" janeanson.com------"The 2023 Les Cruzelles is a potent, deep wine. The 2023 has all the Cabernet Francs from the Lalande-de-Pomerol estate blended with Merlots that were particularly abundant. Pretty floral and savory notes from the Franc give this mid-weight, dynamic, vibrant Lalande-de-Pomerol tons of charm. I especially admire its energy. Readers will want to give this a few years in bottle. 2028-2043 91-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"This is one of the best young Lalande de Pomerols I have had. It is very deep and complex on the palate, with pure fruit, spice and chocolate. Lovely tannins, too. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet sauvignon. 94-95 points" jamessuckling.com |
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