The 2012 d'Armailhac Pauillac 750 ml is from the Pauillac region of Bordeaux.
A stronger effort than its stablemate, Clerc-Milon, the 2012 d'Armailhac is an intriguing blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Complex notes of menthol, coffee beans, black cherries and black currants are followed by a rich, medium-bodied wine with copious tannin as well as sufficient fat and flesh to cover the structure. The harvest took place during the first ten days of October, most of the grapes being brought in prior to the deluge that began on October 7 and lasted until October 9. This excellent Pauillac is a successful Medoc in this challenging vintage for this region
There's a lightly dusty, singed sandalwood feel to this red, with plum and blackberry fruit laced with toasted vanilla and loam hints. Features a light twinge of plum skin on the finish but remains approachable overall, presenting a lingering tobacco whiff. Drink now through 2021.
(54% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot, 14% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot): Good medium ruby-red. Enticing, pure aromas of blackcurrant, raspberry, red licorice, violet and crushed stone on the knockout nose. Fresh, dense and suave; a step up in intensity from most Pauillacs in this vintage, with brisk acidity framing the perfumed flavors of dark berries, sweet spices and minerals. Finishes very long and smooth, with sneaky aromatic persistence. As usual, Armailhac is heavily dominated on the nose by its cabernet franc component, giving it amazingly refined violet and cocoa aromas. If you are surprised by the 3% petit verdot in a vintage characterized by a very wet late season (which is normally when the late-ripening petit verdot needs sunlight and warmth), the 18-year-old petit verdot vines at Armailhac are of particularly high quality, according to general director Philippe Dhalluin. "Petit verdot likes to have its head in the sun and its feet in the water," said Dhalluin. "The best vines we own are located in the area at the southwestern tip of our estate near the river, so these vines have lots of heat and water, which allowed them to weather the difficult conditions of 2012." Superb wine in the making.
Producer: d'Armailhac
Vintage: 2012
Varietal: Red Blend
Country: France
Region: Bordeaux
Sub-Region: Medoc
Appellation: Pauillac
Sub-Appellation:
SKU: #
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