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2010 Prieure Lichine
94 JS
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Critic Reviews
Black truffle and dark berries. Full body, round and fresh tannins and fresh acidity give this lift and intensity. Drink or hold.
James Suckling | 94 JS
The former home of Alexis Lichine is now owned by a Pacific-based French mining company. The low yields of the 2010 (the vineyard was hit by hail) have produced a smooth and rich style of wine, which is weighty while also showing fine acidity on the finish. This has definite aging potential.
Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE
A wave of bilberry and cassis notes accompanied by a thick layer of liquorice and smoked almonds; the intensity is balanced by a good shot of acidity on the finish. An enjoyable wine, although it doesn't soar quite as much as some other 2010 examples from this appellation. Yields were 32hl/h – unusually low for a classified Margaux – which reflects Prieuré-Lichine’s preference for flavour concentration over volume. Certainly there is a great deal of richness on the palate, but also a clear austerity to the tannins, suggesting that it needs another five years or so before it will really open up. Matured in 50% new oak, this was the first vintage where manual punching down was used rather than pumping over. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.
Decanter | 92 DEC
Dense purple, with loads of blueberry and blackberry fruit as well as hints of smoke and subtle charred wood, this wine is expansive, round, generous, lush and multi-dimensional. This beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 15-20 years.
A beautiful example of wine from this estate, which is using well-known consultant Stephane Derenoncourt, finished 2010 at 14.5% natural alcohol, and seems to be one of the sexier, more developed and evolved styles of the vintage.
Robert Parker | 92 RP
Takes a dense, slightly chunky approach, with bittersweet cocoa and espresso up front followed by a core of dark currant, plum sauce and anise. Features charcoal-laden grip on the finish, showing ample stuffing and polished fruit. Should settle in once the modern toast treatment gets soaked up. Best from 2014 through 2024.
Wine Spectator | 91 WS
(Château Prieuré-Lichine) Prieuré-Lichine is really making good wines these days- albeit with just a bit of the modern gloss in evidence- and I would be very excited to see none of the wine undergo malo in barrel in the future, as this wine could be even better if the terroir here was placed front and center in the wine. In any case, the 2010 Prieuré-Lichine is very good indeed, as it offers up a classy nose of dark berries, sweet cassis, espresso, cigar ash, some soil tones and a judicious base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and just a touch over polished in style, but with a good core of fruit, lovely purity for the vintage, ripe, well-integrated tannins and very good length and grip on the focused finish. A fine result that could be one of the best wines in the commune if it were totally “old school” in style. (Drink between 2018-2040).
John Gilman | 90 JG
Bright ruby-red. Aromas of blackberry, spices and licorice. Pure and nicely delineated, with excellent intensity to its flavors of black fruits and candied rose. Nicely sweet in the mouth but also firmly structured and youthful, with the structure to support mid-term aging.
Vinous Media | 90 VM
James Suckling | 94 JS
The former home of Alexis Lichine is now owned by a Pacific-based French mining company. The low yields of the 2010 (the vineyard was hit by hail) have produced a smooth and rich style of wine, which is weighty while also showing fine acidity on the finish. This has definite aging potential.
Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE
A wave of bilberry and cassis notes accompanied by a thick layer of liquorice and smoked almonds; the intensity is balanced by a good shot of acidity on the finish. An enjoyable wine, although it doesn't soar quite as much as some other 2010 examples from this appellation. Yields were 32hl/h – unusually low for a classified Margaux – which reflects Prieuré-Lichine’s preference for flavour concentration over volume. Certainly there is a great deal of richness on the palate, but also a clear austerity to the tannins, suggesting that it needs another five years or so before it will really open up. Matured in 50% new oak, this was the first vintage where manual punching down was used rather than pumping over. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.
Decanter | 92 DEC
Dense purple, with loads of blueberry and blackberry fruit as well as hints of smoke and subtle charred wood, this wine is expansive, round, generous, lush and multi-dimensional. This beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 15-20 years.
A beautiful example of wine from this estate, which is using well-known consultant Stephane Derenoncourt, finished 2010 at 14.5% natural alcohol, and seems to be one of the sexier, more developed and evolved styles of the vintage.
Robert Parker | 92 RP
Takes a dense, slightly chunky approach, with bittersweet cocoa and espresso up front followed by a core of dark currant, plum sauce and anise. Features charcoal-laden grip on the finish, showing ample stuffing and polished fruit. Should settle in once the modern toast treatment gets soaked up. Best from 2014 through 2024.
Wine Spectator | 91 WS
(Château Prieuré-Lichine) Prieuré-Lichine is really making good wines these days- albeit with just a bit of the modern gloss in evidence- and I would be very excited to see none of the wine undergo malo in barrel in the future, as this wine could be even better if the terroir here was placed front and center in the wine. In any case, the 2010 Prieuré-Lichine is very good indeed, as it offers up a classy nose of dark berries, sweet cassis, espresso, cigar ash, some soil tones and a judicious base of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and just a touch over polished in style, but with a good core of fruit, lovely purity for the vintage, ripe, well-integrated tannins and very good length and grip on the focused finish. A fine result that could be one of the best wines in the commune if it were totally “old school” in style. (Drink between 2018-2040).
John Gilman | 90 JG
Bright ruby-red. Aromas of blackberry, spices and licorice. Pure and nicely delineated, with excellent intensity to its flavors of black fruits and candied rose. Nicely sweet in the mouth but also firmly structured and youthful, with the structure to support mid-term aging.
Vinous Media | 90 VM
Wine Details for 2010 Prieure Lichine
| Type of Wine |
Bordeaux Red
: Picture in your mind a combination of cedar, lead pencil, blackcurrant, plum and mineral aromatics, and texture that caresses your palate like a playful lover. The experience is thrilling from the first whiff to the final seconds of a tannic, generous finish - that is what you'll get from a Bordeaux Red |
|---|---|
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend |
| Country |
France
: Wine is the lifeblood that courses through the country of France, pulsing with vigorous pride and determination. Viticulture is not just a hobby or an occupation in France; it is a passion, a cherished tradition that has been passed down through generations of wine stained hands. Winemaking is a beloved art that has been ingrained in the culture, an aptitude instilled in sons by fathers and the hallmark for which France’s reputation was built, allowing it to be renowned as, arguably, the most important wine producing country in the world. For centuries, France has been producing wines of superior quality and in much greater quantity than any other country in the world. It boasts some of the most impressive wine regions, coveted vineyards and prestigious wines on earth. The regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Sauternes and Champagne have become the benchmark, for which others aspire to become. Legendary producers such as Chateaux Margaux, Domaine De La Romanee Conti, Chapoutier, d’Yquem and Dom Perignon are idolized world-wide. France has stamped its name on nearly every style of wine, from the nectar-like sweet Sauternes to hedonistic Chateauneuf Du Papes classic Bordeaux and Burgundy, to its sparkling dominance in Champagne. Many of the most infamous grape varietals in the world, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay originated in France and are not only beloved, but utilized in the creation of some of the greatest wines on earth. French wine production commands the attention of the wine market year after year. With over 860,000 hectares under vine, and numbers close to 50 million hectoliters of wine produced annually, France dominates the market and sets the standard for not only product quality, but also quantity. France’s many contributions to the world of wine have been absolutely indispensable. The country is the originator of the term “Premier Cru,” coined the term Terroir (a French term so complex there is no literal translation) and has laid the blueprint for a structured appellation system, which others have implemented in their own countries. French vineyard techniques and winemaking practices are mimicked world-wide. California vintners have been replicating Rhone style wines for decades, South America has adopted the French varietal of Malbec and countries around the world are imitating Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. With vast diversity in terroir, France is home to some of the most hospitable winegrowing locations on earth. The combination of topography, geology, climate, rainfall and even the amount of sunlight combined with the long historical tradition of winegrowing and making, has allowed the vintners of France to not only hone their skills, but learn from nature to create a product that like the world in which it resides… is very much alive. |