St-Emilion 2017: Top wines re-tasted in the bottle

Some frost impact (seen in the 70% Merlot and lower Cabernet Franc than usual), but clearly not getting in the way of success, this Angélus has flesh, texture, depth of colour and plenty of succulent autumnal fruit. Without the concentration of the biggest years but still full of quality, clarity, precision. Tried in both bottle and carafe, which gave an excellent insight into how it will age - the aromatics come through more clearly after just 10 minutes in the carafe, and the width and depth to the blackberry and blueberry fruits increase, as does the tension through the palate. Hangs on too, this is good.

This has the austerity of limestone in 2017 but it also has the well-worked, delicate flesh of these exemplary soils, and the careful inching forward of fruit, building up layer by layer, adding blueberry and raspberry fruits, and providing little bursts of minerality that keep your mouth watering long after the finish. Great stuff.

The first year of what has been a major stylistic shift at the property, with a mix of both evident changes - bringing the harvest date forward by two weeks for the first grapes, and behind the scenes, in terms of lower fermentation temperatures and no more malolactic in barrel. Emphasis on blue fruit, liquorice, cocoa, and slate, with a mouthwatering finish that promises a long life ahead. Owned 100% by SCOR insurance company as of this vintage, after a shareholding that began in 2014. New director Aymeric de Gironde came over from Cos d'Estournel on the Left Bank and ushered in this more pared back style (although even with earlier picking, alcohols are still high at Troplong, showing that terroir remains boss). 65% new oak for ageing. Very little affected by the frost, giving a yield of 45hl/ha, 95% used for the grand vin.

Excellent concentration and freshness with linear, rich black fruits. You can really feel the crunchy, impressive layers of cigar box, blackberry and slate. It slowly reveals itself in the glass and is really a lovely wine. This has real persistency, it keeps on revealing itself after it has left your mouth, and is not insisting too much - definite improvement after 18 months ageing, bodes well for the future. 3.6pH. A low yield of 32hl/ha but not one that is particularly unusual as they rarely go above 35hl/ha here.

Canon remains pretty austere at this stage with the Cabernet Franc dominating. It's not as immediately seductive as some years, but you can feel the bedding down of the tannins, restraining the elegance and floral minerality but not hiding it completely. Sit with it in the glass and you start to feel a wine that rises above the vintage. This is one of the very few where you feel that in 10 years time it will clearly be better than it is today, most do not have that grace and confidence. I love the juicy finish here. 50% new oak.

Powerful but well-rounded and carefully extracted, this has the St-Emilion confident power but tons of wonderful slate character to hold everything in check. There are walls of damson and dark chocolate that you can climb here, and it climbs right out of the 2017 pigeonhole. Great stuff, one of the best in the lineup, and a definite step-up from how it was showing En Primeur.

While lacking aromatic intensity, the palate exudes breadth and density. One encounters some palate steeliness akin to the 2011 vintage and 2006 ripe fruit warmth, but both in lesser measure. A somewhat boring vintage, but with concentration. Perhaps it's in a closed phase? Conservative score. 3.6pH.

Rich, layered, complex, a winner in a difficult vintage, full of juice and salinity. Feels alive, with the natural break of the vintage nicely played with by Thunevin's irrepressible nod towards exuberance. I liked this En Primeur and it has done a great job over ageing of settling and building power. Great stuff, highly recommended.

This is definitely an impressive 2017 with white pepper spice showcasing its own character that diverts sharply from St Emilion's fruitbombs. It's good quality, grown up and not trying to please. Cassis and again Cabernet dominant, something that I have found very much to be the case in 2017 across the board. This one deepens in the glass - it will take its time to come around.