2015 Château Feytit-Clinet

The 2015 Feytit-Clinet is a wine of dark, brooding intensity. Vertical in its construction, the 2015 exudes power and structure. My sense is that the 2015 is recovering from its relatively recent bottling, as it is a bit closed down today. Even so, the depth and richness the 2015 showed as a barrel sample are still very much in evidence. Black cherry, plum, graphite, smoke, heavy toast and lavender add myriad shades of nuance. In two separate tastings, the 2015 was much less expressive than it was as a barrel sample, which probably bodes very well for its long term future. I wouldn't dream of opening a bottle anytime soon. Tasted two times.

The 2015 Feytit Clinet is composed of 94% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc and aged for 15 months in 70% new and 30% one-year-old French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple in color, it has a lovely nose of crème de cassis, preserved plums and wild blueberries with touches of baking spices and dark chocolate plus a waft of roses. The medium to full-bodied palate is opulent with firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long.

One of the true blockbusters in the vintage is the 2015 Château Feytit-Clinet and readers should beg, borrow, or steal to get ahold of this beauty. Made from 96% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, it offers an incredible perfume of black cherries, blackcurrants, spring flowers, violets and damp earth. With a huge, full-bodied profile, an opulent, seductive texture, big tannin, and perfect balance, it’s a true superstar that’s going to cruise in the cellar for two to three decades. Brought in exclusively by American merchant Jeffrey Davies, this 6.68-hectare estate is run by the talented Jeremy Chasseuil and is situated between Trotanoy and Latour a Pomerol, planted to 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2015 was harvest between September 18th and October 4th, from tiny yields, and spent 15 months in 70% new French oak.