Chateau Les Cruzelles Lalande de Pomerol 2017 75cl

Velvety Right Bank Bordeaux with enough backbone to keep you interested, glass after glass. This Lalande-de-Pomerol red leans into what the neighbourhood does best, deep fruit, real structure, and that cozy, savoury edge that makes food taste better.

• Appearance: Deep ruby with a dark, purple-tinged core and slow, stained legs.
• Nose: Black cherry, plum, and blackberry, plus cedar, cocoa, and a little earthy, tobacco-leaf warmth.
• Taste: Ripe dark fruit up front, then firmer tannins and fresh acidity that tighten everything up and keep it dry and balanced.
• Body: Medium-full, with a rounded, plush texture that still feels serious.
• Finish: Long and savoury, lingering on dark fruit, cocoa, and a gentle cedar note.

If you like Bordeaux that’s more “comfy leather chair” than “fruit punch,” this is your lane. Lalande-de-Pomerol sits next door to Pomerol, so you get that Merlot-rich, plush character people chase, but with a touch more grip and lift. Translation, it shows up beautifully with dinner, and it doesn’t fall apart after the first sip. Give it a little air and it starts stacking layers, fruit, spice, then those earthy, Right Bank aromas that keep pulling you back in.

2017 is a vintage that rewards attention. It’s not a blunt-force bruiser, it’s more about shape and detail, where the fruit feels polished and the structure keeps it all in line. That makes it a great pick for anyone who wants a red wine that can handle richer meals without turning heavy, and it’s also a smart bottle to open when you want to convert someone who “doesn’t get Bordeaux” yet.

It’s also one of those wines that’s easy to enjoy at different speeds. Open it now and you’ll get the fruit, cocoa, and cedar right away. Come back to it over a couple of hours and it gets more savoury and complex, with that classic tobacco and earthy depth coming forward.

Fun Fact: Lalande-de-Pomerol is made up of multiple small communes (including Lalande and Néac), a patchwork of vineyards right beside famous Pomerol, which is why the wines can feel surprisingly “Pomerol-adjacent” in character.