Château Faugères 2018

This 2018 is true to the Faugères signature of being big, bold and totally confident in its tannic and fruit structure. It is high in alcohol but also high in acidity, with great structure without trying to push its agenda. The big, chewy tannins reflect its cooler terroir on the eastern edge of St-Emilion. This impressive wine will age well.

Dark in color, the wine instantly hits you with licorice, chocolate-covered cherries, plums, smoke and espresso. Lush, polished, rich and velvety, there is good density, lift and length here. This wine is forward in style and should be great to enjoy with just a few years of age, if you can keep your hands off it for that long. The wine was made from a blend of 70% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The juicy core and the depth of 2018 spark a conversation around a clear, taut amplitude. The tannins are present, savory and deep. The overall mood will delight lovers of juicy saint-émilion.

Inviting bouquet of good intensity, with fruity notes, slightly candied, followed by chalky nuances. On the palate, the wine clearly reflects the aromatic profile. It has charm but also a refreshing tension, as well as compact, perfectly integrated tannins. Fruity, persistent finish.

The nose is fruity and offers fine intensity, power, and a good fineness of grain. It reveals notes of wild blackberry, wild blackcurrant, and, more subtly, woodland strawberry, joined by small toasted hints, licorice, and discreet touches of flowers (cornflower, violet), black tea, grey pepper, and an imperceptible hint of iris. The palate is fruity, well-balanced, very finely chiseled, and offers lovely juiciness, a tangy backbone, a touch of tension, lovely definition, good precision, good smoothness, and density/richness. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy/fleshy blackcurrant, fleshy/juicy blackberry, and, more slightly, fleshy/juicy raspberry, combined with touches of juicy strawberry, discreet floral notes, licorice, and a very discreet hint of cardamom. The tannins are elegant and structuring. A very discreet touch of toasted hazelnut and vanilla lingers on the finish.

Dark, intense, and beautiful color. The nose is very ripe, even overly so, which is confirmed on the palate: fruity, yes, but with a salty persistence. What a pity!