La Chenade Lalande de Pomerol 2021 (750ml)
Product price
$34.99
Description
La Chenade is Denis Durantou's expression of Lalande-de-Pomerol, the right-bank Bordeaux appellation that sits just north of Pomerol proper. This 2021 is pure Merlot, soft and approachable, built for near-term enjoyment rather than the cellar.
The nose opens with floral strawberry and cherry, touched by a creamy, perfumed quality. On the palate, bright red-berry fruit and well-balanced acidity take the lead, but the real character emerges from a mineral thread of crushed stone, slate, graphite, and liquorice that runs through the middle. The tannins are silky and fine, the texture refined without heaviness, and there's an expansion and persistence that keeps the wine interesting across the finish. Thirty percent new oak supports the structure without overwhelming the fruit or the sense of place.
Product Details
| Category | Wine |
| Color | Red |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | Lalande-de-Pomerol |
| Varietal | Bordeaux Blend Red |
| Producer | Denis Durantou |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Size | 750 ML |
| Subtype | Still |
Expert Reviews
The 2021 La Chenade is a soft, supple Lalande de Pomerol loaded with charm. Succulent dark cherry, plum, mocha, chocolate and spice are nicely pushed forward in this attractive, easygoing 2021. La Chenade is all Merlot this year, as the Franc was used for the Cruzelles. (Vinous, May 2022)
Floral strawberry and cherry fruits, there is a soft creamy scented element to the fruits on the nose. Such well-balanced acidity and brightness on the palate, a real kick of life and burst of flavour with red berries but a minerality thatÕs really to the fore - the crushed stone, wet slate, graphite and liquorice coming through giving nuance and angles while the soft, silky tannins glide over the tongue. This feels gently round and persistent, a good weight in the mouth, not dense as such but layers of flavour and cooling touches. You get the expansion and this is sustained. Not heavy but refined and understated. Gorgeous terroir in the glass, no frills here but such precision and identity. Ageing in 30% new oak. 20,000 bottle production. (Decanter, April 2022)
The 2021 Château La Chenade is all Merlot from the Lalande de Pomerol appellation that was raised in 30% new French oak. It shows the more mid-weight, charming style of the vintage nicely and has perfumed red (and some black) fruits that give way to damp earth and floral, herbal, and coffee-like nuances. It's medium-bodied, has a soft, supple, elegant mouthfeel, and good length on the finish. Readers looking for a good representative of the vintage (and a wine that will drink well for a decade) should give this a whirl. (Jeb Dunnuck, April 2024)