Another sleeper is the 2016 Château de Potensac, which is 44% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all aged 14 months in 30% new French oak. This beauty is upfront and ready to go, with a dark, rich bouquet of currants, unsmoked tobacco, graphite, and earth. With beautiful concentration and a layered, elegant texture, it’s one of those wines that has ample upfront appeal yet will keep for 15+ years.

Suave aromas of cedar and fresh red flowers with a thread of ripe red berries and blackcurrants, mulberries, coal smoke and cool stones. The palate delivers a wealth of rich red-fruit flavors, framed in sleek tannins that build with precision and length. A class act. One of the best from here in the modern era.

Is the 2016 Potensac this estate's finest vintage to date? Certainly, its compelling bouquet of cassis and pencil shavings and it's seamless, beautifully balanced palate make a strong case. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with beautifully refined tannins, lively acids and a long, penetrating finish, this is built to age with style, yet it is also quite accessible at this early stage for a young Potensac.

This ripe wine offers structure from the Cabernet in the blend but also rich berry fruits with just a hint of chocolate. Its density and acidity give a smooth as well as juicy aftertaste.