Château de Sales 2017

Light, easy-drinking, with fruity and herbal notes; do not age for too long.

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 De Sales reveals notes of baked plums, Black Forest cake and balsamic with hints of pencil shavings, tilled soil and cedar. The medium-bodied palate has a fair bit of chewy oak with muscular fruit and a slightly rustic finish.

Smooth, soft, juicy and fruit-forward, with lovely floral touches. This is a good-quality, medium-term wine from Pomerol’s biggest estate, now under a new director who moved here from Baronarques, the Rothschild estate in Limoux.

The 2017 de Sales has a delightful bouquet, nothing outrageously complex, but well defined with scents of red berry fruit, warm gravel and just a touch of black truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly rustic, coarse tannins, but there is decent fruit concentration here with a lovely touch of white pepper and clove toward the finish. Enjoy this over the next 12 to 15 years.

Light in color and in fruit, the wine is unfussy, bright and easy to drink. This will be best in its youth.

Kunz barrel sample 18: vegetal, spicy bouquet, red cherries, wood, pepper. Slim, light palate with delicate fruit, firm structure, hard tannins, light aromatics, dry finish.

Vegetal, spicy bouquet, red cherries, wood, pepper. Slim, light palate with delicate fruit, firm structure, hard tannins, light aromatics, dry finish. 16/20 2022 - 2032

An easy, approachable style with a silky, caressing glide; ready to drink now.

Juicy, fresh wine, slightly vegetal, with somewhat firm tannins and a long finish.

The bouquet of the 2017 combines freshness and floral notes. It heralds an elegant, slender wine, which is confirmed by the attack on the palate. The wine is already quite accessible and can be enjoyed now.

The nose is aromatic and fruity, with fine grain and subtle power. It reveals notes of Boysenberry, blueberry and, more subtly, crunchy/juicy small black berries and Cubeb pepper, joined by hints of violet and lily, as well as touches of sweet blond tobacco, caramelization/toasty notes and a delicate hint of hazelnut. The palate is fresh, fruity and balanced, offering good definition, gourmandise, a mineral backbone and a touch of power. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of fleshy blackcurrant and juicy/fresh blackberry and, more subtly, violet, complemented by fine touches of blueberry and strawberry, along with delicate hints of ripe almond, toast, sweet blond tobacco and very subtle sweet spice. The tannins are well handled.

Rich and full in the mouth, ripe Merlot sings in this black-fruited wine. Young tannins give the wine weight and bring out the juicy, ripe fruits. The wine is just coming into balance, but wait until 2023.