Château Beaumont, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France, 2016

From the Beychevelle team, this is a good wine. The mid-palate fills out with brambly fruit, and it is a little rustic on the finish. An even split between Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with 8% Petit Verdot.

Black cherry, damson, good levels of juiciness and a sweet edge to the mid-palate. Excellent ripeness and richness to the fruit here. A lovely sense of balance and well-integrated tannins even at this early age. Matured in 30% new oak. A former Cru Bourgeois Superieur in the 2003 ranking, with a deservedly good reputation. There was a generous 50hl/ha yield in 2016.

A classy cru bourgeois from Cussac, just south of St-Julien. With virtually equal shares of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, spiced up with 3% Petit Verdot, this is a suave Haut-Médoc with bramble fruit and classic, cool Bordeaux tannins, while retaining the generosity and balance of the 2016 vintage.