The 22 acre vineyard of Chateau La Croix du Casse is situated on the southern part of the Pomerol plateau, near the town of Libourne, bordering Saint-Emilion. Its soil is a mixture of sand and fine gravels, with a substratum of iron. Most of the vineyard was replanted in 1956. The vines, 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, are now of optimal age to show the potential of the terroir.

1995 $34.99 very limited
"An outstanding wine, this dense ruby/purple-colored 1995 offers up a knock-out nose of blackberries, cassis, minerals, and spicy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, with plenty of pain grille-like flavors and abundantly sweet fruit imbued with glycerin and tannin, this wine possesses a long mid-palate, as well as a finish that builds in the mouth. It is an impressively built, pure, rich Pomerol that merits considerable attention. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2015." 90 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #115

1996 $38.99 limited
"An impressive Pomerol from proprietor Jean-Michel Arcaute, the 1996 possesses a saturated plum/purple color, and a pure nose of spicy, sweet oak, minerals, black fruits, and prunes. The wine is surprisingly open-knit with an expansive, medium to full-bodied, succulent texture. There is tannin in the finish, but it is nearly obscured by the wine's glycerin, fruit extraction, and ripeness. Drink this attractive, silky Pomerol now and over the next 10-12 years." Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #122

1997 $37.99 limited
"A sleeper of the vintage, which enjoys essentially the same winemaking team as Clinet, this wine exhibits a dark plum color in addition to open-knit aromas of black cherries, plums, cedar, herbs, coffee, and vanilla. Round, delicious, and easy to understand and consume, this sexy, medium-bodied 1997 should drink well for 6-7 years." Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #128

1998 $42.99 available
"La Croix du Casse remains an unheralded, but high-class source of rich, concentrated Pomerols. An outstanding effort, as well as one of the sleepers of the vintage, this dense ruby/purple-colored 1998 exhibits ripe, jammy notes of blackberries and cherries intermixed with licorice, smoke, and new wood. Full-bodied, with terrific fruit extraction, considerable muscle, and moderate tannin levels, it is not a wine to gulp down over the near-term. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2016." 90 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #134

1999 $39.99 limited
"La Croix du Casse remains an unheralded, but high-class source of rich, concentrated Pomerols. A potential sleeper, the opaque ruby/purple-colored 1999 displays super-ripe (sur-maturite as the French say) flavors of jammy black fruits intermixed with minerals, smoke, spice box, and new oak. Layered, with low acidity as well as a thick, expansive texture, this top-flight Pomerol should evolve quickly, yet age well. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2015." 89-91 Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate #134