Château Villemaurine 2017

Still youthful and oak-influenced; full attack, dense, crisp structure, with bitterness noticeable only on the finish; reliable and well made.

Carefully expressed with enjoyable aromatics and touches of cedar and smoke that do a good job of balancing what remains fairly subdued, closed-up fruit. An enjoyable wine with an attractive limestone signature in terms of its texture, but I struggle to suggest choosing it over neighbouring vintages from the same property.

Attractive violets and blueberries and a very suave and fluid feel with good, fleshy build through the mid-palate and a supple, smoothly rendered finish. Drink or hold.

80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Deep crimson and looks more mature than some. Scented, stony/dusty cassis. Sweeter-fruited than I expected on the palate, supple tannins and more approachable than most in this line-up of 2017s. Juicy finish. (JH)

From a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the wine is fresh, supple, sweet, and loaded with spicy dark cocoa, licorice, and plums. There is a nice complexity in the salty tannins found in the finish.

Deep dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, delicate edge brightening, dark berry confit with floral undertones, ripe cherries, orange marmalade. Juicy, elegant, delicate hints of cloves, integrated tannins, fine nougat, mineral and clinging, fine roasted aromas on the finish.

From the upper plateau just north of Pavie Macquin, the 2017 Chateau Villemaurine offers a terrific sense of minerality (which is classic Saint-Emilion) as well as complex notes of black raspberries, dried earth, white flowers, and cedary herbs. With a medium-bodied, rounded, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a touch of background oak, it’s going to benefit from just short-term cellaring and offer plenty of pleasure over the following decade or more. The 2017 is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, from 35-year-old vines, that spent 14 months in 80% new French oak.

Deep garnet ruby with violet highlights. Concentrated bouquet with elderberry and plenty of blackcurrant. On the second nose, blueberries and delicate floral notes. On the palate, a tightly muscled frame and a finely firm texture. Dense finish with a lovely blueberry echo, slight astringency. Can still improve. 17.5/20

Kunz barrel sample 18: (80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc) Silky, spicy bouquet, strawberries, raspberry canes, vanilla powder. Delicate, elegant palate with subtle fruit, good tannins, classic structure, a finely bitter, peppery finish.

The 2017 Villemaurine is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It waltzes out with notions of stewed blackberries, black cherries, and cedar, plus hints of spice cake and fallen leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate is plush and juicy, with loads of spicy sparks and a soft-spoken finish.

Slim body, with precise, elegant length, but with a slight lack of volume on the finish.

Juicy, crisp, indulgent wine, taut, with supple tannins, good length, carried by a lovely acid thread.

Fruity bouquet of good intensity, marked by notes of cherries, redcurrants and a touch of praline. Lively, juicy attack. The wine is balanced, well supported by its tannins, fruity and of moderate intensity. A tasty, refreshing finish.

The nose is elegant, racy, and offers power, intensity, and a fine grain. It reveals notes of crunchy wild blackcurrant, wild blackberry and, more delicately, wild strawberry, combined with subtle touches of Cuben pepper, spices, and discreet hints of toast. The palate is fruity and offers a juicy/tangy framework, indulgence, freshness, a fine/racy grain, as well as a racy minerality. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy blackcurrant, juicy blackberry and, more subtly, small berries, combined with fine touches of wild strawberry, licorice stick, and delicate hints of flowers, vanilla, cardamom, and toast. The tannins are elegant. Good length. A very fine hint of roasting and hazelnut on the finish/persistence.

Dark, intense color with slight evolution. Moderately aromatic nose, fruity, with a touch of honey. Soft on the attack, then smooth mid-palate, flavorful with a hint of salt; the wine melts on the palate—long, tasty, with rather fleshy tannins for the vintage. It’s very good.

The 2017 moderates the balance of the cru with a hint of menthol and graphite mid-palate, finishing with attractive bitters.

91–93. Barrel Sample. With ripe black-fruit notes throughout, this wine is already soft and plush, with a generous backdrop of tannins. Black currant dominates the palate, along with lively acidity. Drink from 2023.