Château Fayat 2018

Well-balanced blend of full sweetness and freshness, powerful, rich, with a long, spicy finish.

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Fayat offers notes of damp soil, mushrooms and tobacco leaf over a vague core of plums and fruitcake. The medium-bodied palate is a little hollow and flat with simple black fruit flavors and a chewy finish.

Alluring, with a caressing feel from start to finish, as steeped plum and blackberry fruit flavors meld with a mix of anise, fruit cake and licorice root notes, followed by a hint of subtle dark earth at the very end. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2030. 3,333 cases made.

Aromas of cedar, dark fruit, pine and mushroom follow through to a full body with very fine, chewy tannins that integrate nicely into the palate. Long, persistent finish. Drink after 2024.

The 2018 Fayat, a Pomerol that I did not taste out of barrel, is tightly wound on the nose, eventually revealing black fruit, scorched earth and touches of leather and truffle. This feels uncharacteristically introverted. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit struck through with a fine bead of acidity. Good energy here, more focus than recent vintages and plenty of tension on the spicy finish. This is one to watch.

Medium-bodied, lifted, soft, polished, sweet, bright, fresh cherries and red plums are accompanied by licorice, dark chocolate, coffee bean and herbs on the mid-palate and in the finish.

Plenty of red and black currants as well as black cherry fruits emerge from the 2018 Château Fayat. It's medium-bodied and enjoyable on the palate, with some earthy, herbal notes, light tannins, and no hard edges. I like its balance, and it has notable purity as well as a great finish. This workhorse-styled Pomerol is going to keep nicely for 10-12 years.

Kunz barrel sample 19: fresh, floral, sweet bouquet, raspberry jelly, strawberries, mint, pepper. Finely opulent, fruity palate with powerful, sweet fruit, fine sandy tannins, tightly woven structure, diverse aromatics, long, fresh finish.

Fresh, floral, sweet bouquet of raspberry jelly, strawberries, mint, pepper. Finely opulent, fruity palate with powerful, sweet fruit, finely sandy tannins, a tightly interwoven structure, diverse aromatics, long, fresh finish. 18/20 2024 - 2040

Less rounded than usual, this wine gains in refinement and length. Discreet for now, it should assert itself in the coming months.

Dark, intense color. Fruity and slightly discreet nose. Soft on the attack, rather juicy mid-palate, the wine evolves smoothly, with wrapped tannins, leading to a pleasant, seamless length.