2017 Picardy Merlimont, Pemberton

49% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc. This year, perhaps more than most, the merlot characters take centre stage of the bouquet. Cocoa, mulberry, black pepper, grilled vanilla pod and blackcurrant. Silky texture and a gorgeous back palate. As quietly thrilling as it usually is. Lovely finesse and complexity, texture is velvety and compact - it effortlessly glides across the palate. No hard edges to speak of. A beautiful wine that is a display of the beautiful vintage from whence it came.