Château Beauregard 2016

89–91. Barrel Sample. The ripe fruit is showing well in this property, which has the same winemaking team as Château Smith Haut Lafitte in Pessac-Léognan. It is a rich, spicy wine with soft tannins and acidity at the end.

This has more concentration than the 2015, less immediately seductive but the layers are evident, and it's hard to fault the construction. Plush and sexy and full of Pomerol pleasure, but also real depth, power and spice. Lovely wine, with the juicy saline kick on the finish that you want in Beauregard. Love this, but needs time - those tannins are chewy right now.

Inky dark purple colour. Pure nose offering some new oak, butterscotch, vanilla with ripe plum and red berries. Dense and rounded palate, grainy tannin, fine oak integration, a mild spiciness and bold fruit lead to a long and rounded finish.

80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, 40 hl/ha, 50% new barrels and 50% Grand Vin. Purple with a garnet tinge at the rim. Sweet wild berries and raspberry pulp, along with chocolate pralines and a delicate mocha note. Already very harmonious on the mid-palate, on its way to full balance. The dense finish shows fine-grained tannic notes; it still needs to work those out, and then it has one more point in it.

This round and supple wine offers a smooth tannic glide that is well-proportioned.

Deep garnet red. An intense, inviting bouquet, marked by freshness and fruit. This wine is very precise, with a touch of minerality, subtle ageing notes and plenty of fruit. A generous, creamy attack. On the palate, the wine has breadth as well as freshness, making it very well balanced. The aromatic expression is ever-present, from the first sip through to the finish. An elegant wine with everything it takes to age well, thanks to the finesse of its tannins and its structure.