Château Peyrabon 2012

Light loam and charcoal shadings line a core of plum skin and macerated blackberry fruit. A loamy edge lends a slightly chewy twinge to the finish. This has put on a bit of weight since the barrel tasting. Drink now through 2017. 12,830 cases made, 2,500 cases imported.

Traditional with some spicy and leathery notes, red and dark berries, plum, herbs. Classic, restrained palate with good freshness, rather long.

Slightly vanilla notes. A dense, tight, fruit-driven palate with lovely freshness. Tannins still a little firm.

A Peyrabon full of freshness, beautifully made, to enjoy for its beguiling fruit.

A wine with a fleshy, juicy palate, a touch of freshness, some complexity and good balance. It reveals aromas of juicy red fruits (cherry), blackberry and plum, with a well-integrated hint of oak. The tannins are well-managed and integrated. The finish is long.

Dark color of moderate intensity. Fruity, vanilla-scented nose. Fruity, pleasant palate, rather light. Medium length.

90–92. Barrel sample. This wine is made from property owned by the Bernard family of Domaine de Chevalier in Pessac-Léognan. It's a finely-made wine with great acidity and swathes of blackberry fruits. Well balanced and likely to age.

The 2012 Peyrabon has a simple cassis and blueberry nose that is not as harmonious as I was hoping. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannins, some decent depth of fruit, although the finish feels a little “tinny” compared to others. I would give this another 12 months in bottle.