What an amazing wine from then-sculptor, Michel Gracia. A blend of 80% Merlot and the rest mostly Cabernet Franc with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, this 2003 has aged brilliantly, proving that some of these garagiste wines are the stuff of great success stories. A deep plum/purple color is followed by notes of smoky barbecue embers, black currants, blackberries, coffee and chocolate. This fresh, full-bodied, still intact St.-Emilion must have come primarily from limestone soils given its vigor and freshness. Drink it over the next 7-8 years.

A true garagiste estate, hand-made wines are fashioned from this 4.5-acre vineyard (planted with 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon). The first bottle of 2003 I tasted was corked, but the second one was healthy. It revealed a dense purple color along with a muscular personality, impressive concentration, power, and depth, and an elevated level of gritty, astringent tannin. The latter component is cause for concern. If the tannin falls away and the fruit holds, this may turn out to be a brilliant wine, but given the way it is showing at present, that is a risky proposition.