One of the most brutally oaky and extracted wines I tasted while spending over a month in Bordeaux, the 2021 Bon Pasteur exhibits aromas of berry liqueur, rich spices and creamy new oak, followed by a full-bodied, bitter and astringent palate that assaults the tongue and gums with vigor. In a ripe vintage, the quality of tannins can somewhat mitigate this old-fashioned style of winemaking, but in a less propitious year such as 2021, the results are disastrous.

Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Bon Pasteur needs a little swirling to release bright, vibrant notes of crushed black and red plums, boysenberries and black raspberries, plus hints of menthol, cedar chest and fertile loam. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid frame of grainy tannins and well-balanced acidity supporting the earth-laced, muscular black fruits, finishing on a lingering black pepper note.