Château Faugères 2016

Seductively smoky; a skillful combination of breed, tension, freshness, fruitiness, and length; alcohol and oak are noticeable but well balanced. Needs to age.

Shows a bit more lift than most of its peers, staying on the floral, elegant side of the ledger, with cassis and damson plum notes laced with bergamot and rose petal accents. Light incense and apple wood hints underscore the finish. Best from 2021 through 2032. 6,000 cases made.

The nose is redolent with ripe plums and dark cherries, as well as abundant red and purple flowers and a faint, blonde-tobacco edge. The palate delivers an ultra-rich and flavorful palate with polished, sinewy tannins that will carry this wine for some time to come. Freshness and balance, finishing taut and youthful. Full of promise, this is one of the finest recent releases from here. Try from 2023.

The 2016 Faugères was already showing extremely well a year ago, but now it seems to be showing what it can really do! It has a more classically trained bouquet featuring reserved blackberry and wild strawberry fruit, plus veins of undergrowth, autumn leaves and morels. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Supremely well focused, conveying impressive tension and energy on the finish. Outstanding. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Espresso, smoke, licorice, wet earth and ripe, luscious deep red fruits are everywhere. The wine is concentrated and full, rich, juicy and round-textured, with real staying power on the palate.

Pure, intense and glossy nose with ripe dark fruit, jammed plum, cassis, blackberry. Dense and fresh palate, bold dark fruit, a fresh acidity underneath, chalky and vigorous with fine oak, pure floral dark fruit flavours and a long, sustained finish.

Showing similarly, if not better, than on release, the 2016 Château Faugères (85% Merlot, 10% Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon) is still a youthful purple hue and offers terrific aromatics of darker currants, black cherries, tobacco, and violets. It's medium to full-bodied, has a pure, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a solid spine of acidity. It's beautifully done and perfect for enjoying over the coming 10-12 years.

85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37 ha, 32 hl/ha, 15 months in barriques, production: 80,000 bottles. Deep purple with a black core and violet rim. What a complex, black-berry bouquet! On the second nose, chocolate pralines, coconut, and floral lilac notes. On the powerful palate, a finely toned structure with already rounded tannins; on the finish, juicy blueberries and cassis drops. Top value for money

Kunz barrel sample 17: (85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32 hl/ha, production 80,000 bottles) Floral, dense, fresh bouquet, strawberry jelly, raspberries, mocha, vanilla, red currant, red licorice. Creamy, dense, multi-layered, elegant palate with dense, sweet fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a dense, finely muscular structure, powerful, diverse aromatics, and a very long, fresh finish with sweet lingering notes.

Lots of fruit; nuanced, full, distinguished flavor: a generous, fleshy palate that retains a rare delicacy for the eastern side of the appellation, with a particularly harmonious structure whose seams are imperceptible.

Dark, intense, and bright colour. Fruity, fresh, ripe, and floral nose. Very fruity on the attack, developing into a supple and pleasant body. Finish with wrapped tannins. Medium length.

Cassis notes dominate this wine, threaded with acidity and edged with espresso and grilled vine shoots. It’s high impact but does settle down, its confidence on display. Matured in 50% new oak, with malolactic also carried out in 50% new oak. Michel Rolland consults.