2017 Ch Monbousquet, St-Émilion, Grand Cru Classé

Tight and linear with dark berries and hints of toasted oak. Medium-to full-bodied, chewy and long.

The 2017 Monbousquet, which is matured in new oak, was picked from 18 to 22 September. It has a broody nose of dark berry fruit, a little earthy in style, certainly less opulent than previous vintages and missing a little harmony. The palate is medium-bodied, quite masculine and rustic in style with a smear of dark chocolate towards the finish that feels a little disjointed with the fruit. Despite their efforts this vintage is compromised by the frost and it should be consumed over the next four or five years.

 The 2017 Monbousquet is promising. Dense and concentrated in the glass, the 2017 has a lovely streak of freshness to pay off the racy fruit. Super ripe dark cherry, blueberry, grave, smoke and mocha are laced into the powerful, explosive finish in this super-expressive Monbousquet.

This vineyard was significantly hit by frost, but I was told there was no use of second-generation fruit. Composed of 60% Merlot with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Monbousquet is profoundly scented of baked plums, blackberry pie and mincemeat pie with touches of mocha, unsmoked cigars and tilled black earth. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy with seamless freshness and tons of black fruit and exotic spice layers coming through on the long finish