Château Bolaire - Bordeaux Supérieur 2010

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Well-balanced, with a crisp fruitiness and good length. A distinct character.

About the estate:

What makes this wine unique is the high percentage of Petit Verdot in its blend—typically around 40%. This grape variety reaches its full potential on the Palus terroir, which dominates this 5-hectare estate located on a former island in the Garonne River that was connected to the mainland during the Middle Ages. Full of character, the wines display exuberant aromas, generally very ripe fruit, skillfully balanced oak, and a texture that is both powerful and silky, always balanced by an elegant freshness. The exuberance and refinement unique to the estate are evident in the 2015 vintage, which is powerful, complex, deep, vibrant, and energetic.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

This 2010 vintage serves as a legacy of Vincent Mulliez, who passed away prematurely that same year. In 2004, the businessman had purchased this château, along with the Belle-Vue and Gironville châteaux, which have since become reliable investments. The three estates are located in the southern part of the Médoc. Belle-Vue and Gironville, planted on gravel soils, are classified as Haut-Médoc AOC, while the vineyards of Château Bolaire are situated on well-drained marshy soils. The wine from Château Bolaire is unique in that it features Petit Verdot as the dominant variety in its blend (39%), accompanied by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in roughly equal proportions. Very ripe and warm, the nose evokes dark fruit, blueberry pie fresh from the oven, and licorice, with toasty notes. The palate is rich, full-bodied, and smooth, supported by dense, well-extracted tannins. An elegant wine with the potential of a great Bordeaux: it can be cellared for five to ten years.

About the estate:

Businessman Vincent Mulliez, who passed away in 2010, had purchased Château Bolaires (Bordeaux Supérieur) in the southern part of the Médoc, as well as Château Belle Vue and Château Gironville (Haut-Médoc), in 2004; these estates have since become reliable investments. His heirs have taken up the torch.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

In the Macau marshes, in the locality known as Le Bout de l’Île, the team at Château Belle-Vue (Haut-Médoc) crafts a superbly made Bordeaux Supérieur. Its distinctive character stems from a significant proportion of Petit Verdot (60% of the blend), which gives the wine a perfectly balanced spicy and minty character. Produced from a late harvest, with low-temperature winemaking (to extract color and fruit expression) and barrel aging (30% new oak)—which can sometimes be a bit too dominant at the expense of the fruit—the most recent vintages stand out for their seductive profile and long finish. This estate is unquestionably one of the appellation’s safest bets!

Wine Spectator

Jancis Robinson