Branaire Ducru

(70% cabernet sauvignon, 23.5% merlot, 2.5% cabernet franc, and 4% petit verdot; 3.53 pH; 13.8% alcohol): Deep ruby. Sexy aromas of balsamic red cherry, blackcurrant, cinnamon, vanilla and minerals, lifted by captivating nuances of red rose and violet. Then incredibly pure, fresh and suave in the mouth, with lush, very refined flavors of fresh red berries, minerals and sweet spices. Deep and very concentrated on the seamless, luscious, impressively long finish. Great wine: this strikes me as being one of the four or five best wines ever made at the estate, even better than the 2009, and I probably underrated it at the Primeurs, when I scored it only 90-93. Harvested between September 27 and October 14.