Lacoste-Borie 2017

Fruity and fresh, easy to digest.

This is bright, with extremely well-placed, juicy blue fruits with coffee touches, and a gorgeous sense of energy. It’s a definite buy in this vintage, and should be great value. Technical director Christel Spinner has done a great job of delivering a focused, finessed wine. I wouldn’t wait too long to enjoy this, as it already has lots to enjoy. Harvested 15–29 September, yielding a fairly normal 49 hl/ha, so we can safely say no frost here.

Escaped the frost thanks to their elevation. ‘We are on the mountains,’ joked owner François-Xavier Borie, ‘on the Gironde heights’ (18–24 m/59–79 ft). 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc on very deep coarse gravel. Deep crimson with a soft purple rim. Has both dark Cabernet fruit and the sweetness of Merlot. Gentle and inviting. Fruit sweetness and freshness on the finish – you’d almost think of drinking this now. But there’s tannin to support the fruit. And a light note of pepper. Fruity and lively. Not deep but lively and fresh. Juicy and yet persistent. Could be good value for the medium term. (JH)

The 2017 Lacoste-Borie has abundant red berry fruits on the nose, a little rustic maybe and strangely reminiscent of a Burgundy (at least for the first couple of minutes.) The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, plenty of tobacco-infused red and black fruit with a classic cedar finish. Quintessential Lacoste-Borie in many ways. Drink over the next 10-12 years.

(65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 49 hl/ha) Delicately vegetal, fresh, floral bouquet, red cherries, fresh wood. Silky, finely structured palate with delicate fruit, little but good-quality tannin, slender structure, fine aromatics, fresh finish. 16/20 2022 - 2034

The 2017 Lacoste-Borie is medium to deep garnet-purple colored. It features notes of redcurrant jelly and kirsch with suggestions of tilled soil, bay leaves, and pencil lead. Light to medium-bodied, the palate is lively and youthful, with a good intensity of red berry flavors and an herbal lift on the finish.

Fruity, pleasant wine, but light.