Château Puyblanquet 2022

Shows juicy energy amid its core of steeped blackberry and boysenberry fruit. Streaks of apple wood and anise add cut, and there's a flash of violet on the finish. A solid example of the vintage profile. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2036. 2,500 cases made, 500 cases imported.

90-92 Barrel sample. This wine comes with a fine structure that features rich tannins as well as a strong Merlot character and succulent acidity. It is a full-bodied ripe wine full of black-currant fruitiness, plus a core of tannins that will allow it to age.

This shows spiced cherries and berries as well as a twist of chalk and peppercorns. Juicy on the structured, medium-bodied palate with firm tannins framing the bright red fruit. Long and pretty well-dissolved at the end. Fresh and solid. Drink or hold.

From clay and limestone soils, the 2022 Château Puyblanquet (80/20 Merlot and Cabernet Franc) is a powerful wine, offering darker cherries, earth, chocolate, and violets. Beautifully integrated oak, chalky minerality, and fine tannins all give it plenty of structure, and it should evolve nicely for 15+ years. Total production: 3,333 cases.

Inky purple colour, clear austerity here, showing edges of blackcurrant, black chocolate, saffron and slate. Located near to Châteaux Boutisse and Pressac, on cooler clay-limestone soils, enjoyable.

An intriguing nose where black fruits meet the delicate scent of iris, before evolving toward a more fleshy register, lifted by peppery notes and paprika. The palate is sumptuous and supple, like purple silk, yet it remains fresh and taut thanks to a fine dose of acidity and its mineral flavors.