Château Les Cruzelles, Lalande de Pomerol, 2017
The 'entry level' wines, that is to say the wines not produced at the Durantou flagship Pomerol estate, Chateau L'Eglise Client, always rank amongst our 'best value' buys. Saintayme, Chenade, Cruzelles and Montlandrie offer excellent value for money. Since Denis' death, his long-term collaborator, Olivier Gautrat has stepped up to assist Noémie and Constance. He describes 2021 as "Equilibre", a vintage of perfect balance. Produced from the same estate as La Chenade, but hailing from the more gravelly, clay soils, Les Cruzelles has received rave reviews over the last decade. More brooding and masculine in profile (than Chenade), also more purity. You can feel the additional new oak influence in a positive way. Dark fruited, with a solid core of gravelly cassis, minerals, toast framed by a cool stoniness on the finish. Rather handsome. 65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc.
critic reviews
A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc gives Les Cruzelles 2017 a medium to deep garnet color. It bursts with impressive notes of red and black plum preserves, menthol, and rose oil, with hints of black tea and tar. Medium-bodied, the palate has a pleasant chewiness to the texture with delicate black fruit layers and a stewed tea finish.
Super-ripe dark cherry, blackberry, chocolate, spice, new leather and licorice are some of the many notes that run through the 2017 Les Cruzelles. Unctuous and flamboyantly ripe, with tons of intensity, the 2017 is another drop-dead gorgeous beauty in this range from Denis Durantou.