Château Puyblanquet 2023

Shows a cedary edge out front, with a restrained feel to the core of red currant and bitter cherry fruit. A tobacco edge creeps in on the lightly toasted finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 3,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.

Gorgeous inky colour. Bright, zesty, full of bright fruit and fresh acidities, great floral aromatics, heavy spice on the finish. 50% new oak, 42hl/h yields, harvest September 20 to October 5.

The nose is nicely crafted and precise, offering a fine, precise and powerful texture, with accuracy and a certain depth. It reveals notes of fleshy wild blackcurrant and ripe purple plum, and, more lightly, bright small red berries, alongside delicate hints of infusion, a touch of sense of place, and a discreet peppery note. The palate is fruity and delivers minerality and precision, with a tangy acid-driven framework, fine definition and deliciousness, tension, precision, a subtle smoothness and a finely textured feel. It brings out notes of juicy, fleshy blackberry and vibrant blackcurrant and, more lightly, bright raspberry, together with touches of bright plum, as well as delicate hints of blueberry, black pepper and a subtle touch of smoke.