Château de Chantegrive 2016

Rich and complex nose of ripe black fruits with hints of savoury spice and cedar. Grainy tannins, rich and fleshy.

Some chocolate and leafy, cabernet character on the nose, but the fruit seems ripe enough on the generous palate. Slightly chewy finish. Just a year longer in the bottle ought to help. A blend of 50 percent merlot and 50 percent cabernet sauvignon. Try from 2020.

Extremely dark crimson. Very rich, dark, fruit-compote nose. Lacks a little freshness. I'd drink this sooner rather than later. (JR)

The smoky character shines through here. That's followed by a medium-bodied core of soft, polished red fruits, tobacco and more smoke. This is a perfect example of an early-drinking charmer with character.

The 2016 from Château de Chantegrive was solid, with a pretty bouquet of Christmas spice, mint, and red and black currant fruits. It’s medium-bodied, with fine tannins, good acidity, and balance.

Kunz barrel sample 17: (60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon) Fresh, powerful, velvety bouquet, blue and black berries, plums, subtle dried fruit, tobacco. Powerful, aromatic palate with sweet fruit, plenty of fine tannins, spicy, robust aromatics, long, slightly bitter finish.

(60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon) Fresh, powerful, velvety bouquet; blue and black berries, plums, delicate dried-fruit notes, tobacco. Powerful, aromatic palate with sweet fruit, plenty of fine tannins, spicy, robust aromatics, long, bitter finish. 17/20 2024 - 2038

Fruity, supple, with a tasty, rounded mouthfeel and a gentle finish.

For drinking now, the 2016 red is evolving gently, showing a spicy, well-integrated profile. It retains a touch of firmness on the finish.

Fresh red fruits, small hints of tobacco and cherry pits. A taut, fresh, elegant palate with supple tannins.

Garnet red with lightened edges. Complex, filigreed bouquet revealing notes of licorice wood and black berries. A slight smoky touch. Pleasant, elegant attack. On the palate, the wine is slightly creamy with a good expression of fruit. Its structure highlights freshness, while the tannins add breadth and promise a fine future, although the wine may well be drunk before it reaches its peak… That’s fine too! Bravo.

Deeply colored wine with a fruity nose and fruity palate, medium body and medium length.

One of the leading estates in the Graves has produced an elegant, balanced wine. Wood aging has added to the fruit tannins to give plenty of structure to go with the black-currant fruits. This is a wine to age, drink from 2023.