2017 Tour St Christophe

This estate made a stunning 2017, and I continue to love this wine. A typical blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Chateau Tour Saint Christophe has remarkable purity in its black raspberry and blueberry fruits as well as complex spice, candied violet, spring flower, and cedary herb aromas and flavors. Possessing medium to full-bodied richness, incredible tannins, and flawless balance, it’s already accessible, as are most 2017s, yet is going to shine for 20 years or more.

The 2017 Tour Saint Christophe is a dense, richly constituted wine loaded with tremendous energy and pure power. It is also a bit shut down; so I would prefer to give it a few years in bottle to be at its best. Black fruit, chocolate, leather, licorice and spice build into the potent, virile finish. This is a wine with tremendous promise. (AG) 93+

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Tour Saint-Christophe (blended of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc) charges out of the glass with bold notions of dried mulberries, fruitcake and baked plums plus hints of tobacco, iron ore and tilled soil. Full-bodied, the palate is undeniably rich and opulent, yet the freshness injects vibrance and a sense of decorum, supported by plush tannins, finishing on a compelling mineral note. The alcohol here is knocking on 15%, but you wouldn't know it. (Psst, considering this is well over the 14% USA tariff threshold, this should find lots of takers in the States!)