The 2011 Lassegue has a brilliant glowing ruby color, and in a vintage considered austere, it is full, with notes of ripe blackberries and a lifted intricate aromatic bouquet of fresh violet, sage and mint. On display are classic Bordeaux aromas of leather, baking spices and graphite. A polished wine, it yet possesses a wild, herbal quality, almost a garrigue. It is reminiscent of herbs grown on the side of rocks, and a forest floor just after rain. Grown in limestone soils, the Cabernet Franc elevates the blend with surprising, soft notes of rose petals and wild strawberries. From the Merlot comes the expansive texture and rich but subtle mineral overtones, invoking the sandy clay soils in which the varietal achieves its most refined expression. There is a velvety softness to the wine, the silky tannins move in crescendo towards a pressingly long finish. The wine will age magnificently for decades to come.