Still showing too much wood, this is a wine that needs a lot of time to outgrow its austerity. It's all structure at the moment, with black currant fruit obscured in the background. There is a mineral edge that promises to soften in a few years as well. Drink this wine from 2018.

Woodsy in feel, with dark cherry, currant and plum fruit coated with smoldering charcoal and warm tobacco notes that lend a strong smoky edge to the finish. Not quite as fresh as when tasted from barrel, but much improved over the troubled '08 and '09 vintages. Drink now through 2019. 6,665 cases made.

Another very good effort from Croizet-Bages, the 2011 reveals juicy red and black currant fruit, medium body, and good elegance and purity. It is not a big, muscular style of Pauillac, but one of finesse. It can be consumed now and over the next decade.