Château Olivier 2012 Pessac-Léognan (75cl, 13.5%)

Château Olivier 2012 is a Pessac-Léognan red from a Graves Cru Classé estate (Famille de Bethmann). The official estate technical sheet gives a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, 13.5% alcohol, yield 38 hl/ha, hand-harvested from 1 to 18 October, aged 12 months in barrel with 35% new oak. Soils are gravel (50%), clay-limestone (35%) and sands (15%) over about 60 hectares. The colour is bright red; the nose is aromatic, with red fruits, liquorice and spices; the Cabernet tannins are silky with Merlot roundness; the palate is dense and the fruity length is marked by balance and structure.