2016 Faurie de Souchard

The 2016 Château Faurie de Souchard is another terrific wine from the Dassult team. A deep purple/ruby color is followed by a ripe, slightly modern styled beauty that has loads of cassis and black raspberry fruit, a full-bodied, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and the purity of fruit and balance that makes this vintage so compelling. It shows more spice and floral notes with time in the glass, has beautifully integrated oak, and the depth and length to cruise for two decades. This cuvée is 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 75% new oak, with the balance in once-used barrels.

The 2016 Faurie de Souchard has an opulent, gregarious bouquet offering layers of black cherry, sloes, fig and just a touch of warm alcohol. The palate is rounded and glossy on the entry and quite high in terms of extracted fruit. The solid, slightly static finish needs more tension and energy. If it can regain the refinement and control it showed in barrel, it will deserve a higher score.

There’s a wealth of ripe and rich dark plums and berries on offer here with a regal array of plush, velvety tannins that have great length and power. Precision and balance. Certainly among the best wines in 2016.