2014 Senejac

The 2014 Senejac is a very pretty, if somewhat understated, wine. Sweet floral notes, bright red stone fruit, mint and licorice are nicely delineated. The 2014 is a touch slender, but it offers solid balance. Drink this pleasing midweight Haut-Médoc over the next few years.

The 2014 Senejac has a withdrawn but well defined bouquet with more undergrowth aromas than many of its peers, unreservedly classic in style (and there is nothing wrong with that). The palate is medium-bodied with a ripe blackberry and boysenberry on the entry, a slight tinniness on the back palate with a very tightly wound finish. This clearly needs 4-5 years in bottle but it has the matière to repay those with patience. Tasted September 2016.

55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, planted on deep gravel soils. 12-15 months in barrel (30% new). Deep cherry red. Fragrant with graphite and lightly peppery black fruit, nicely dusty/rocky and just a touch of cassis leaf. More leafy on the palate, balanced by some sweet plum flavours. Fresh but with rather dry tannins, definitely on the herbaceous side and just a slight hardness on the finish. (JH)