CHÂTEAU PUYGUERAUD
2017 Côtes de Francs
63% merlot, 30% Cab Franc, 7% Malbec. Lots of enticing dark fruit on the nose. The dark fruit is joined by tobacco and spice on the palate. Lots of fresh acidity. The tannins are slightly drying but there is enough juice and fruit to match this. Charming and attractive. I'm sure this will be very rewarding shortly after bottling. Drinking range: 2022 - 2030 Rating: 88-89 L&S (May 2018)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2017 Puygueraud, with which Nicolas Thienpont debuted in 1983, was picked at 35hl/ha from 21 September to 5 October. The vines here were affected by the frost. It has a light blackberry and bilberry-scented bouquet with a light marine-like tincture. It is just missing a touch of vigor. The palate is medium-bodied with dark plum and blackberry, a touch of white pepper, nicely balanced if showing just a touch of rusticity towards the finish. Drinking range: 2019 - 2023 Rating: 86-88 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2018)
Checking in as a blend of 63% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Malbec, the 2017 Château Puygueraud has a vibrant ruby color to go with a beautiful perfumed nose of crème de cassis, violets, and spice. It has hints of background oak, incredibly pure fruit, medium body, and fine tannin, all making for a seriously good Côtes Francs. Tasted twice. Rating: 88-90 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Apr 2018)
63% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec. Deepest crimson. Dark and savoury on the nose. Savoury, smooth and not in the least sweet -fruited but still with enough fruit. Firm and dry and lots of freshness. Drinking range: 2022 - 2030 Rating: 16.5 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2018)
Soft and forward, with plum and blackberry fruit infused with a tobacco leaf note. Shows a flash of spice on the finish. Rating: 87-90 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2018)
This domaine has just one-third of the usual production, as a result of the frost. Only first-generation fruit, from vines on the plateau, was used here, while the harvest from the frosted vines was sold off. The blend has a little more Cabernet than is usual in this year as a consequence, with 63% Merlot picked on September 21st, 25th and 29th, 30% Cabernet Franc picked on October 3rd and 5th, and 7% Malbec picked on September 25th. A great colour in the glass, and the nose is filled with dark mulberry and summer hedgerow fruits. The palate has a confident textural presence of fruit, mulberry and plum, with a little sooty confidence, Ripe tannins, nicely structured, a slightly chalky confidence, with real energy and grip to it, and a full and grippy length. Good potential, and likely to be good value. Rating: 91-93 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2018)