Harvest began with young Merlot on the 20th September and ended with the last of the Cabernet Sauvignon on the fifth October. Jet-plum purple colour, Lamarque 2011 presents a lovely, fresh, red and black fruit medley, pepper-spiced and appetising. The palate is rather racy, pure and vibrant and richly-textured - very pretty. Unlike many of the samples produced for the primeur tastings, this has already been blended with 6% vin de presseso is a very honest reflection of the final wine - a really well-balanced translation of the vintage - deftly handled by Marie-Hélène and her team in the vineyard and Pierre-Gilles, aided and abetted by Eric Boissenot in the cellar - great result . The blend is 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot with a production of 35 hectolitres per hectare