CHÂTEAU PUYGUERAUD

From the talented team of Nicolas Thienpont (Georges Thienpont purchased this property in 1946, yet the first release wasn’t until 1983), the 2018 Château Puygueraud checks in as a blend of 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec that’s from a 31-hectare vineyard of mostly limestone and clay soils. Its inky purple color is followed by attractive notes of ripe black cherries, plums, graphite, and some obvious minerality and charcoal notes. It's medium-bodied, elegant, nicely balanced, and a charming, balanced effort to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years. Rating: 89-91 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2019)

Black core, purple. Sweet bramble fruit and a light note of oak sweetness. Dark and a little charry on the palate but the tannins are silky. The fruit profile is a little severe but there's freshness on the finish. Drinking range: 2023 - 2028 Rating: 16 Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2019)

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Puygueraud features scents of warm blueberries, plum preserves and kirsch with touches of chocolate box and yeast extract. Full-bodied with a firm frame of ripe, grainy tannins, it has loads of freshness lifting the densely packed layers of black fruit and finishes with great length. Rating: 90-92 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Apr 2019)

A beautiful Puygueraud with blackberries, black olives and hints of salt. Medium to full body and firm tannins at the end. Shows tension and beauty. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2019)

From Nicolas Thienpont, this is 85% Merlot, picked September 24th, 26th and 28th, October 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th, 12% Cabernet Franc, picked October 5th and the 9th, and 3% Malbec, picked October 1st. The yield was 42 hl/ha, from 31.4 hectares. A very pure style, fresh, with black cherry stone and vanilla flowers. Quite taut and sinewy on the palate, lush in the middle, with dark liquorice and soy notes swirled around the black cherry fruits. There are little savoury notes of black bean, peppered oak, with grip and energy, and a nicely grained bed of tannins. Fresh, charming, confident, this will drink well for a decade if not more. Well done. Rating: 93-95 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2019)