2022 Jean-Francois Mérieau Malbec "Cent Visages" Touraine Rouge
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92DC
90-92CK
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92
Decanter
Reviewed March 2023A dense, deep plum colour in the glass reflects the rich prune and fig aromas coming from it. It’s very concentrated and will need time to soften to express its full potential and should age very well. The 50-year-old vines for this Côt – the local name for Malbec – come from a 2.5-hectare parcel of clay-limestone that faces south/southeast. The grapes are hand picked and macerated for five to six weeks using native yeasts. It is then aged in unlined concrete tanks with the use of micro-oxygenation. Côt is the most successful red variety in eastern Touraine producing quite rustic, characterful wines, the best of which are able to age for several decades. There are some vines in the Cher Valley that are well over 100 years old. (JB)
Professional Reviews
90-
92
Chris Kissack
From Jean-François Mérieau, who is based close to the Loire’s Côt heartland, this is classically Côt on the nose, dark yet intensely perfumed, with intertwined seams of violets, roses, blackberries, dark chocolate and toast. It continues with a beautifully texture on the palate, sinewy and correct in its poise, with a thin bed of perfectly ripe tannins underneath it all, supporting the dark and savoury fruits. It has a combination of restrained substance and fresher acidity than many others, leading to a precisely gripped finish, which suggests real potential to me.
Details
| Origin | Loire, France |
|---|---|
| Type/Varietal | Malbec |
| SKU | 2060390 |