Chateau Peby Faugeres 2017

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Peby Faugeres leaps from the glass with vibrant scents of kirsch, Black Forest cake, blueberry preserves and red roses plus nuances of charcuterie and Ceylon tea. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of crunchy black and blue fruit flavors, framed by plush tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and perfumed. Not the usual, hedonic Peby Faugeres—I do love this more elegant, refreshing style! It is composed of 100% Merlot and was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 65% new. 10,000 bottles were made, representing 70% grand vin. Best of all, the alcohol rocks up at 14.5%—over that pesky 14% USA trade tariff threshold!"

JAMES SUCKLING: "The polish and finesse to this wine is very impressive with medium to full body and ultra-fine tannins that caress every inch of your palate. Strong, ripe dark-berry flavors and a powerful build to the finish. Reserved and finely tannined, the wine goes on and on. Shows reserve and poise. Racy. Drink after 2022."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Darkness becomes this inky creation not only in color but also in the black cherry, smoke, espresso, wet earth and dark chocolate essences, which define its charisma. The wine is fat, fertile, swanky and sweet. Powerful, long and intense, pure and precocious, simply stated, this rocks! The wine was produced using 100% old vine Merlot."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The inky hued 2017 Chateau Peby Faugeres comes from the older vines of the Faugeres vineyard and is all Merlot that spent 18 months in 65% new French oak. This is classic Saint-Emilion clay over limestone soils, and the wine has a beautiful bouquet of candied cherries, mulberries, violets, and flowery incense. Showing the more medium to full-bodied, elegant, upfront style of the vintage, it has terrific balance, loads of pure fruit, and is a pleasure-bent, sexy 2017 to enjoy over the coming 20 years or so."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Polished in feel, with a core of raspberry, blackberry and plum compote flavors that feel seamless as this moves along, carried by an embedded graphite note and flecked with anise and black tea details on the finish. Best from 2021 through 2032. 875 cases made."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung, reife Pflaumen, Brombeerkonfit, schwarze Waldbeeren, angenehme Edelholzwürze. Lebendig, frisch strukturiert, rote Kirschen, feine Tannine, mineralisch-salziger Abgang, zitroniger Touch im Rückgeschmack, wird bald antrinkbar sein."