2017 La Violette
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Deep ruby garnet. Toasted cereals on the nose, together with hints of menthol and redcurrants. Oaky. The palate is much improved, bursting with lively red fruit and cherry blossom. Compact and linear, this is energetic and lithe. Bright and cool on a long finish. (TP)
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2017 La Violette is very hard to taste, as the tannins are massive. And yet behind all of that lies a core of dense fruit. This potent, rich Pomerol needs a few years in bottle. I have to wonder what it would taste like with less extraction. La Violette is clearly a wine of real character, but that doesn't always come through.
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 La Violette sails out of the glass with expressive scents of baked plums, blueberry preserves and blackberry pie plus suggestions of spice cake, chocolate box and powdered cinnamon. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black fruits with a firm, fine-grained frame and long, fragrant finish.
The 2017 La Violette has an attractive bouquet with raspberry, cranberry and subtle marmalade aromas. Quite pure and more elegant in style compared to recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. More red than black fruit towards the finish exerts gentle grip and a pinch of cracked black pepper on the aftertaste. It feels a little more open at this stage than expected but it has the substance to last 15-20 years.