Château Peby Faugères 2019

Powerful, with slightly resting tannins showing a perceptible grain, the necessary freshness on the finish; true to style.

Emphasizes the ripe, richly textured fruit of the vintage but refines it just a little bit, with a welcoming fine-grained, supple structure underneath plum and cherry paste notes. Features a singed alder backdrop on the finish, with a nice tug of earth. Best from 2023 through 2035. 1,100 cases made.

Dark, inky color, glossy damson fruit and some clear oak finesse. This shows chocolate and liquorice with firm tannins. Good quality, fairly high acidity, and a touch of heat on the finish.

A round, juicy wine with blackberry, dried-tobacco, chocolate and stone character. Full and layered with chewy tannins and a finish with attractive fruit and wood complexity. Needs plenty of time to soften and come together. Try after 2025.

The 2019 Péby-Faugères has a powerful bouquet, but as I mentioned a few months ago, there is delineation and fine focus here. Lavish and generous. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins and layers of heady black fruit matched by a keen line of acidity. Very concentrated (yields were 21 hL/ha). This is not a shy Saint-Émilion, but it conveys a sense of class.

With a good depth of color, the fruit here is equally dark with its blend of black, dark red and blue fruits, made even more interesting by accents of licorice, chocolate, wet earth and espresso. Concentrated, full-bodied, deep and long, the wine is lusciously textured, opulent, vibrant and intense, finishing with a burst of chocolate-covered black cherries that linger. Drink from 2024–2055.

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, violet tints, delicate rim. Nuances of cedar and cardamom, black forest berry, delicate liquorice and cassis, tobacco notes. Juicy, fresh cherries, pleasant, lively acidity, intended, supporting tannins, fine nougat touch on the finish, earthy minerality, salty aftertaste, has energy and length, red berry nuances in the aftertaste.

Intense, pure and layered with elegant fruit, wild berries, kirsch, cassis, fine tobacco. Plenty of weight and density, yet still with a healthy dose of freshness, powdery tannins, fine oak integration and a superbly long, muscular finish. A wine destined for long ageing despite its direct charm.

In the same ballpark as the 2016, 2018, and 2020, the 2019 Château Péby Faugères is another full-bodied, deep, richer Saint-Emilion that has incredible purity, voluptuous, layered aromas and flavors of black raspberries, cherries, leather, and truffly earth, perfectly integrated oak, and a remarkable sense of limestone-like minerality on the finish. The balance, as well as its richness paired with elegance, is something to behold. Drink this sensational, sexy, straight-up heavenly Saint-Emilion over the coming two decades.

Kunz barrel sample 2020: (100% Merlot, 21 hl/ha, production 12,000 bottles) Dense, creamy, finely opulent, complex, sweet bouquet, compote of red and blue berries, nougat, pralines, fine toasty notes, fresh mint, currants. Concentrated, multi-layered, powerful yet elegant palate with well-concentrated fruit, diverse, robust aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, a finely opulent structure, and a very long, powerful finish with many lingering aromas. (19/20) Barrel sample. Production approx. 12,000 bottles. Deep violet with black highlights. Dark-aromatic bouquet, delicate smoky notes, mocha, licorice, vanilla bean, Szechuan pepper, and endless blueberries. On the second nose: pumpernickel and dark chocolate. Meaty palate with rich extract. Stays on dark berries and, logically at this stage, shows massive astringency. The finish leans toward a certain sweetness in the form of rock candy and sandalwood, complemented by lots of licorice and—not by any means little—blackcurrants. A truly great Péby. 20/20 is within reach… (19/20).

Fine, elegant, fresh, dense and complex bouquet, with cherries, mint, raspberries and praline. Dense, fruity, multi-layered palate with delicate fruit, fresh and varied aromatics, tightly knit structure, long, powerful finish. 19/20 2026 - 2060

You sense an impressive substance, more seamless than usual, with greater nuance and freshness. A more balanced style, expressing the terroir in a more formal way.

An elegant, refined, perfumed nose. On the palate, lots of presence, pronounced oak, and a lovely length.

This 100% Merlot cuvée stands out for its diversity. The wine aims to be seductive and dense. Inviting notes of blackcurrant, praline and coffee liqueur. Finally, the terroir also expresses itself through chalky nuances. The bouquet set the tone and the palate fully delivers: it is opulent, dense and silky. What superb harmony between charm and power, thanks to tannins perfectly in tune with the acidic structure. The latter brings a welcome temperament! Intense, persistent finish. Péby Faugères is a true tightrope walker who loves extremes… and always lands on its feet!

Dark colour with black highlights. Very aromatic, delicate nose. Pure nuances of fresh and ripe fruit, with a lovely hint of black cherry. Delightfully juicy on the palate. Slender body with fine suppleness. Smooth finish, more elegant than before. The wine is built around fresh ripeness rather than over-ripeness.