Château Lespault-Martillac 2017

Polished tannins, good volume, a finish on fresh berries.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Lespault-Martillac features black cherries, mulberries, earth and cigars on the nose with touches of bay leaves and dried leaves. Medium-bodied, the palate is chewy with a decent fruit core and savory finish.

A polished style, with cassis, cherry and plum purée notes, compressed together by singed vanilla, red tea and iron accents. Displays a sleek feel through the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032.

A pretty, silky red with chocolate, currant and coffee-bean aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, creamy and already delicious. Mostly merlot with some cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Drink or hold.

The 2017 Lespault-Martillac has a tightly knit bouquet: black cherries, blueberry, hints of iodine and a light sea-cave scent. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and impressive fruit concentration for a 2017. This is velvety smooth with raspberry, dark chocolate and touches of leather, leading to a seductive finish that will be difficult to resist in its youth. This has manifested the finesse I was looking for when I tasted it from barrel.

Coming from a larger 53-hectare vineyard and based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2017 Chateau Lespault-Martillac reveals a deep ruby/purple color with elegant, medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of black raspberries, cassis, forest floor, and leafy herbs. With considerable elegance, ripe, polished tannins, and great balance, it’s another charming, approachable 2017 that’s going to drink nicely for 10–15 years.

Garnet-ruby with a lightened rim. Delicate bouquet of Alpine blueberries and lilac notes. Full on the palate with a sweet, almost candy-like extract and plenty of suppleness. The focused finish brings an intense blueberry aftertaste. Great red-wine fun from Olivier Bernard.

Kunz barrel sample 18: fragrant, light bouquet, red berries, cherries, mocha. Slim, refined palate with a delicate structure, sweet aromatics, medium fruit, good tannins, sweet finish. Can still improve.

Fragrant, light bouquet with red berries, cherries, mocha. Slender, refined palate with a delicate structure, sweet aromatics, medium fruit, good tannins, sweet finish. Still has room to improve. 16/20 2024 - 2036

Fruity, fresh, well-balanced wine with supple texture, elegant tannins, and a long finish.

A delicate, understated bouquet with notes of cherries and strawberries. A charming, mouthwatering attack. On the palate, the wine is balanced, with tannins that provide solid support. The supple touch detected on the attack is also present, and the finish is somewhat warm. A gourmet wine that can be enjoyed from a young age.

Red colour, dark and beautiful. Fruity, perfumed nose. Delicate on the attack, very approachable as it develops, the wine caresses the palate with medium body and length. No hard edges. Blend: 70% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon.

Black cherry, thyme and smoke on the nose, moving quickly to a puppy-soft, finesse-driven palate. Confrontational, curvaceous and medium-bodied, this wine is already easy to drink and will be very nice on release.