Deep yellow-gold. Musky aromas of freshly cut flowers, apricot, minerals and mint. Rich, plump and precise on the palate with minerality providing both clarity and cut to the yellow apple, soft citrus and honey flavours. Wonderfully silky in texture, and quite long and sweet on the back. This is a promising Filhot that will age extremely well. Ideal with Christmas lunch.
The 2015 Filhot has a rather Germanic, oily bouquet that lacks the definition and purity of its peers. It needs more lift from the glass. The palate is balanced with a viscous opening, more complex and focused than the aromatics suggest with a citrus-fresh, honeyed finish that feels pure and persistent. This could be excellent if the bouquet improved with bottle age and my score gives it the benefit of the doubt. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.
The 2015 Filhot was showing just a little reduction on the nose when I tasted it. The palate feels balanced, fresh and clean in the mouth, a little muted at first but with a few swirls it finds its voice, and I appreciate that dab of spice on the finish. This should come together by the time of bottling and it may warrant a higher mark.
89-91 Neal Martin, Arp 2016, The Wine Advocate
A ton of caramel and a whiff of smoke on the nose. Also big and ripe on the palate, but this is lacking a bit of freeness and the alcohol shows slightly. Drink now.