2018 Jean Faure
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Note di degustazione
The 2018 Jean Faure is a vintage that I had tasted just a few weeks earlier as part of my vintage report, but I expressed reservations, and so I did not mind re-tasting another example so soon afterward. This was better and, I hope, more representative. It has a similar nose, light but better-defined than the previous bottles, with graphite-tinged black fruit. The main difference is that there is no green trait on the palate. Quite compact but with decent delineation, this is much more what I would expect from a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, and my score reflects this.
Punteggi della critica
Punteggio medio
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
Altre recensioni e punteggi
60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, 5% Malbec. 2018 was a complicated vintage – real problems with mildew. Merlot is more sensitive to mildew than Cabernet Franc so for their 2018 they relied on Cabernet Franc. 80% of their Cab Franc vines were planted in 1950. They tend to use 50% new and 50% used oak barrels but have introduced big oak tanks. Hand-picked. 40-day vinification, two-thirds in concrete and one-third in oak vats. Aged for 18 months in new and one-year-old oak barrels and concrete vats. Stunning. This was the star of the (small) line-up. Strikingly floral on the nose – I was inhaling rose petals, violets, muscari, rose hips – but with a supple, ripe blackberry depth. Touch of Persian souk and hash pipe. Satiny. Tastes as if there were cigarillos of hand-rolled Ceylon cinnamon soaking in the wine. Inky pomegranate and blackcurrants steeped in black tea and black pepper and yet not a whit of this wine is heavy. Like fine calligraphy, it leaves a clear, disciplined, unequivocal mark, without spot or smear. (TC)
The 2018 Jean Faure does not alter my lukewarm reaction from when I tasted it in barrel. The nose is simple and lacks real engagement. The palate is medium-bodied, displaying raw tannins and a very jarring green note on the puckering finish. Two bottles were tasted about four weeks apart, but unfortunately both had the same trait.
The 2018 Château Jean Faure comes from vines in the northern part of Saint-Emilion, not far from Cheval Blanc, La Dominique, and Figeac. This area tends to have more clay in the soils, and the blend is 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec. A dense purple hue is followed by a complex, nuanced bouquet of redcurrants, black cherries, lavender, green tobacco, sandalwood, and dried flowers. Exotic and nicely perfumed aromatically, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a silky, elegant texture, nicely polished tannins, and terrific overall balance. It deserves 4-5 years in the cellar and should drink brilliantly for 15 years or more from cold cellars.
Informazioni sul produttore
Dettagli del prodotto
13.5%
Grand Cru Classé