Château La Garde 2022 – Maison Dourthe – Pessac-Léognan

The nose is rather subtle and reserved at first, but gourmand chocolatey, toasted and spicy after aeration. We find notes of dark chocolate, liquorice, cardamom, coffee, toasted vanilla in the background, toasted bitter almond and toasted hazelnut), associated with more black than red fruits (cassis, blackberry, morello cherry, bird cherry, bigarreau cherry, ripe strawberry, with a floral (violet, peony) and herbaceous (dried mint, tobacco, cassis bud) hint. The palate is concentrated, firm and tangy on the fruits in attack (cassis, blackberry, morello cherry, bigarreau cherry, ripe strawberry), but with the more expressive note of bird cherry, followed by the bitterness of coffee, cocoa, almond and toasted hazelnut, a slight floral hint of violet and peony as well as spicy notes (vanilla, liquorice, cardamom). The finish is sapid, chocolatey, on toasted hazelnut, bitter chocolate and a touch of coffee. Beautiful acidity, pleasant bitterness and good persistence. Nice solid structure.