This month's selection:

La Dame de Montrose 2015, Saint-Estèphe, rated 88-90 (Neal Martin).  La Dame de Montrose is the second wine of Château Montrose,  a heavy weight from Saint-Estèphe, just north of Pauillac.

Château La Dauphine 2015, Fronsac, rated 91-93 (Neal Martin).  For modern day wine drinkers, Fronsac is not a household name as Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Julien, or Saint-Emilion that define Bordeaux.  But, once upon a time, Fronsac's vineyards were among the best in the Bordeaux area.  In the 18th century, Fronsac’s wines enjoyed the best reputation in the Libourne area (i.e., the Right Bank of the Dordogne River), and sold at higher prices than those of Saint Emilion and Pomerol.

As the single largest property in Fronsac, Château de La Dauphine is mounting a major come-back, evoking its ties to Charlemagne (who built a fortress in Fronsac), Cardinal de Richelieu (who acquired the land and made its wine famous among the nobles), and its namesake title resulting from the visit of Louis XVI's mother, Mary Josepha of Saxany, who was known as La Dauphine (the French word for "The Princess").  She never became the French queen as her husband died from illness before being crowned.  Her son married Marie Antoinette and ascended the throne as the last French king before the French Revolution.  La Dauphine, Mary Josepha of Saxany, was hence the mother-in-law of the more famous Marie Antoinette, an ill-fated Austrian princess who was swept up in the tidal waves of the revolution.

Château Feytit-Clinet 2010, Pomerol, rated 95 (Robert Parker Jr).  This month's top-rated wine, a Pomerol having aged for 10 years in the bottle, speaks for itself in the glass.  Chateau Feytit Clinet is located on the famous plateau of Pomerol, close to Chateau Clinet, Latour Pomerol and Clos L'Eglise.

Château Mangot 2018, Saint-Emilion, rated 93-95 (Lisa Perrotti-Brown).  Château Mangot proves itself time and again to be one of the best values in St-Émilion.  Under the new ownership of Karl and Yann Todeschini, many innovations have been made at the estate.  From Organic viticultural practices to the addition of a new Rosé, it appears Château Mangot is experiencing a renaissance.

Tasting Notes

La Dame de Montrose 2015 - "The 2015 La Dame de Montrose is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot that was picked between 15 September and 8 October. It has a perfumed, floral and pure bouquet with black cherries, blueberry and violets, all with commendable delineation for a deuxième vin. The palate is well balanced with a more sumptuous texture compared to its fellow Saint Estèphes, thanks to that lush Merlot that forms the core of this wine. It has commendable energy and feels approachable, therefore with 3-4 years in bottle, you should have yourself a fine if not exceptional La Dame de Montrose." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (4/27/2016, Issue 224), Ratings: 88-90, Drink: 2019-2032

Château de La Dauphine 2015 - "The 2015 La Dauphine is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Having vexed about the 2014 last year, the 2015 is a much "happier" sample, pure and quite elegant with black cherries, blueberry and cassis fruit, the new oak nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, crisp blackberry and bilberry fruit with a healthy sprinkle of white pepper to spice up the finish. This is an excellent Fronsac, although it deserves 4-6 years in bottle." - Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (4/27/2016, Issue 224), Ratings: 91-93, Drink: 2021-2045

Château Feytit-Clinet 2010 - "As I have indicated in previous reports, Feytit-Clinet is a property on the rise. The 2010 comes from a tiny vineyard of about 18+ acres just across the street from Trotanoy and Latour a Pomerol. A blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc reaching 14.5% natural alcohol (a nearly standard level of alcohol in most Pomerols and St.-Emilions in 2010), this wine sports a dense purple color and a sweet nose of mulberries, blueberry liqueur, cassis and licorice as well as hints of mocha and white chocolate. Full-bodied, dense, and rich, with sweet tannin and good acidity giving it a laser-like precision and freshness on the palate, this wine should drink nicely for 15+ years." - Robert Parker Jr, The Wine Advocate (2/27/2013, Issue 205), Ratings: 95, Drink: 2013-2028

Château Mangot 2018 - "Blended of 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Mangot is a little closed to begin, unfurling to show off bright blackberry, crushed blueberries and warm plums scents plus notions of lilacs and cedar. Full-bodied and laden with layers of pure, vibrant black and blue fruits, it has a firm, rounded tannin texture and long, refreshing finish." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (3/29/2019, Bordeaux 2018 Issue), Ratings: 93-95, Drink: 2013-2028