Haut-Médoc 2002

The 2002 Left Bank harvest was rescued by an exceptional September after a challenging summer of poor flowering and cool, wet conditions, with three weeks of intense sunshine salvaging the crop and favouring Cabernet Sauvignon dominant estates in the Médoc. Château Bernadotte's 2002 earned 16.5/20 from Jancis Robinson MW, who found it ripe, rich and very good value with a distinctly northern Médoc character and genuine capacity for further development. Bernadotte is a compelling Haut-Médoc estate in Saint-Sauveur on the doorstep of Pauillac, taking its name from Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, the son of a tailor who rose through Napoleon's ranks to become King of Sweden, a lineage commemorated on every label. The blend is Cabernet Sauvignon dominant with 44% Merlot and small proportions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, aged in 30% new French oak.