2010 Dalem, Fronsac (Pre-Arrival)

SKU #1066768 90-91 points James Suckling

Mineral and roasted meat, with dark fruits. Tar too. Full and velvety with a lovely texture. Impressive. Best wine from here in a long time. (4/ 2011)

91 points Wine Spectator

Dark and winey, with a core of steeped blackberry, plum coulis and anise flavors that pump along, just bracing enough from the slightly taut charcoal frame. Long and sleek through the finish, with the fruit and charcoal melding already, but showing plenty of drive and stuffing to hang in the cellar for a while. Best from 2014 through 2024. (3/ 2013)

89 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

A sleeper of the vintage and one of the sexiest wines of Fonsac is Dalem's 2010, a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Its lofty 15% alcohol gives it plenty of glycerin and textural appeal. Yields were relatively low from the proprietors, the Rullier family. This wine possesses loads of fruit, including cranberries, black cherries, and blacker berries. Its seductive aromatics soar from the glass of this lush, opulent, medium to full-bodied, delicious wine, which can be drunk now or cellared for another 7-8 years. Bravo! (2/ 2013)

Jancis Robinson

Very sumptuous purple fruit aromas. Fresh and yet very ripe too. Slightly inky but that just gives it a bit of character and sinew. Complete wine. (4/ 2011)