Château Potensac 2018

The 2018 Potensac is composed of 45% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The wine has 14.42% alcohol and was aged in 35% new barriques. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it rolls out of the glass with open-knit scents of ripe, juicy black plums, boysenberries, redcurrant jelly and cassis, plus hints of dried Provence herbs, cinnamon stick and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of lively black and red berry layers, supported by soft tannins and a racy line, finishing with a lively skip in its step.

Damson plum, cherry and savory notes meld together nicely, set against a backdrop of light cedar and sanguine accents on the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2026. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 15,000 cases made.

Plush plum in colour, with a depth to the body that starts from the first sip. A clear step up from the second wine, as I have found in many Médocs in the vintage. Raspberry and blueberry fruits that then deepen into the classic black fruit notes of Potensac. Bottled in mid-April, ageing in barrel was kept to 14 months to avoid any over-extraction, because alcohol levels are pretty high. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

Fruity nose of blackcurrant and blueberry with sage and vanilla. It’s full-bodied with firm tannins. Savory and juicy with pleasant acidity. Compact and long. Racy. 45% merlot, 36% cabernet sauvignon, 18% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Try after 2023.

Tasted blind. Pale crimson. Loose and fairly light overall. A bit timid and vapid. Dry finish. (JR)

The 2018 Potensac has an outgoing nose of wild strawberry and raspberry notes with touches of meat juices, a slight gaminess emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy, crisp tannins. Quite tight on the entry, it finds its groove in the second half, showing commendable delineation and tension on the graphite-tinged, slightly austere finish. Fine.

The ripe nose exudes fresh, juicy, sweet fruit, cedar, smoke, spice and tobacco notes. Full-bodied with ripe, soft, round tannins and a finish filled with sweet, ripe, fresh red berries that linger with flavor. For Potensac this is forward, so you will be able to enjoy this within a few years. This is the finest wine made in the history of Pontesac. The wine was produced from blending 45% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, 14.5% ABV

Deep ruby, purple reflections, brightening at the rim. Hints of ripe plums, Merlot-influenced aromatics, black cherries, orange zest. Taut on the palate, deep, pronounced fruit texture, mineral, ripe tannins, good length, a great food companion with good ageing potential.

The Grand Vin 2018 Château Potensac (45% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot) sports a deeper purple, almost opaque hue with lots of ripe black cherry and currant-like fruits interwoven with notes of toasty oak, tobacco, graphite, and earth. Richer and more concentrated than the Chapelle de Potensac release, with full-bodied richness and building tannins, it will benefit from a solid 5–7 years of bottle age and keep for 15+.

Dark garnet ruby. Complex bouquet of wild cherries, dried thyme and black olives, with cranberry purée and elderberry jelly in the background. On the mid-palate, supportive tannins, finely grained extract, glorious fullness, carried by delicate raciness, low pH! In the focused finish, black-berried contours, Brazil tobacco and cigar box.

Kunz barrel sample 19: (45% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 14.42% abv, 49 hl/ha) Fine, floral, fresh, delicately fruity bouquet, cassis, cherries, red licorice. Bourgeois, finely structured palate with sweet fruit, good tannins, fresh aromatics, long, bitter finish.

Silky, sweet, fruity bouquet, blackberry jelly, vanilla, licorice, cedar, fine herbs. Velvety, medium-bodied palate with sweet fruit, fine tannins, delicate structure, fragrant finish. 17/20 2023 - 2034

The 2018 Potensac has a deep garnet-purple color. It offers pronounced notes of juicy plums, blackcurrant cordial, and violets, with touches of dark chocolate and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has ripe, grainy tannins and appealing freshness, with elegant crunchy fruit and great length.

A true Médoc, classic, cedar-driven, precise, exemplary.

What a superb bouquet, defined by varietal freshness and black berries. Notes of blackberry, eucalyptus and licorice. This freshness is also omnipresent on the palate from the very first attack. The wine is juicy, fruity, and endowed with a tight yet perfectly integrated tannic structure. Beautiful balance between the tannins and the tension of the acidic structure. The latter ideally supports the flavor expression right through to the finish. A fruity, juicy and persistent finish. A great Potensac!

Dark, intense, and vibrant color. Very aromatic nose with ripe, fresh, vanilla-tinged fruit. The palate has a meticulous texture, with brightness of flavor and a lovely supple presence throughout. Melt-in-the-mouth body and very pleasant.

Under the same ownership as Château Léoville-las-Cases in Saint-Julien, this estate performs way above its appellation. With rich tannins and layers of ripe Merlot, the wine has a proper structure and sense of purpose, and will age well. Drink from 2025.