Château Couhins 2016

Black chocolate on the nose with mocha showing some opulence. Intense black fruit with a touch of cocoa nibs. Fine-grained texture on the palate, with ripe tannins and a long finish.

Attractive, ripe cassis with hints of smoke and violets on the nose, leading you into this medium-full red Pessac-Léognan with polished tannins and an elegant, long finish. Very food friendly. A blend of 44 percent merlot, 42 percent cabernet sauvignon, nine percent cabernet franc and five percent petit verdot. Drink or hold.

Mid to dark crimson. Rich, sweet start (very ripe grapes?). Almost right bank-like. Lots of work has gone into this but there seems to be a bit of alcohol on the end. Then some lightly drying tannins but you can't fault the ambition. (JR)

The 2016 Couhins has a tightly wound bouquet with earthy black fruit and a light briny touch. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit and fine definition, but I would have liked more persistence on the finish. Still, this is a pleasant Pessac-Léognan, even if not from the top drawer.

Medium-bodied, elegant, fresh and juicy, the wine offers smoke, espresso, truffle, tobacco and dark red berries. In the end note, the deep red pit fruits are fresh, sweet and smoky. Give this 3-5 years and it will really show nicely.

Kunz barrel sample 17: floral, sweet, slender bouquet, cherries, apples, green wood. Light, slender palate with good fruit, finely sandy tannins, medium aromatics, dry finish.

Floral, sweet, slender bouquet; cherries, apples, green wood. Light, sleek palate with good fruit, finely sandy tannins, medium aromatics, dry finish. 16/20 2020 - 2032

An intense, ripe fruit profile with lovely notes of spice, licorice and tobacco, echoed on a broad, fleshy palate with a fine tannin grain, freshness and energy. Plenty of potential.

The cabernet-sauvignon (harvested between October 12 and 20) dominates the blend with a tiny touch of petit verdot. This wine stands out for its fine tannins and lovely creaminess, even though it still shows a subtle wood influence (35% new oak, one third in second-fill barrels and the rest in tanks).

Small black fruits (blueberry, blackberry). Moderately fresh on the palate, long finish, supple tannins.

Garnet-red with purple highlights. The bouquet shows lovely fruity intensity with smoky notes and blueberries. On the palate, Couhins 2016 is fresh, fruity, and already very approachable. It can be enjoyed in its youth. A pleasant, elegant wine.

Dark, intense, purple and beautiful color. Moderately intense nose with ripe fruit. Delicate on the attack, then soft at mid-palate, juicy, the wine caresses the palate and shows fine texture, savory and perfumed, before finishing on a lovely, delicately aromatic finale. It’s really very good.

Owned by the French national agricultural research institute, this property has seen great improvement in recent years. This wine's tannins are firm, sustaining the black-currant fruitiness that lies underneath. It will be an elegant wine. Drink from 2025.