Chateau Lilian Ladouys, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Saint Estephe, Bordeaux, France, 2021

Grapes: A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, 80ha vineyard, in conversion to organic farming, gravel over clay/limestone subsoil, hand picked, aged 12 months in French oak (up to 40% new wood)

Producer Tasting Note:

Elegant notes of fresh fruit, a rich, charming and captivating nose revealing spice-filled aromas of incense and bitter cocoa. The ample and velvety mouth presents a well-bound, fine and structured frame, supported by Cabernet Sauvignon.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"Spice, smoke, red pit fruits and cocoa form the nose. On the palate, the wine is forward, soft and vibrant, with a cherry filled, medium-bodied, fresh, creamy finish."  Drink from 2023-2035

91/100 points, Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider, May 2022

"Great aromatics, welcoming and smoky, fresh acidities that are wrapped in berry fruit, with oyster shell salted cracker salinity. A good medium term drinker. Organic conversion began in 2020, with 100% in organic for the first time in 2021, with expected certification in 2024. Lorenzetti family owners, Eric Boissenot consultant."

90/100 points, Jane Anson, INSIDE BORDEAUX, December 2023

Food Match: Classic roasted and grilled meats, cured meats like prosciutto or salami, Porcini and wild mushroom lasagne, farmhouse Cheddar or aged Gruyère cheeses