Château Fleur Haut Gaussens La Bergeronnette (Bordeaux Supérieur) 2018: This

is pure Cabernet Franc, from selected parcels over 2 hectares, with limestone and clay

soils. The fruit is picked by machine and sorted by densitometry, before a cold soak,

vinification in steel, and 30% of the blend saw five months in new 500-litre oak barrels. A

vibrant and glossy hue in the glass, with moderate density, the aromatic expression here

is much stronger, with sweet redcurrant and cranberry fruits, nuanced with peony notes,

overlaid but not dominated by the sweet caramel-vanilla veins of the oak. The palate

opens with some powdery berry fruits, softly textured, but with a firm frame of ripe but

robust and grained tannins which reflect the generous nature of the vintage, and they

provide a firm grip in the finish and length. There is none of the more herby side of

Cabernet Franc here, again down to the vintage, nevertheless it feels true to the variety

in question. It needs five or more years to come around. The declared alcohol is 14%.

88/100