Black and blue fruit, walnuts, gravy, vanilla, praline and cigar box on the nose. Full-bodied with fine tannins. Balanced, layered and polished with a fleshy texture. Harmonious, with elegance and intensity. Beautiful finish. Wow.

The 2019 Haut-Marbuzet is fabulous. In fact, the 2019 is one of the best recent vintages I can remember tasting. There is an energy to the 2019, a feeling of vibrancy, that is compelling. Crushed flowers, sweet red berry fruit, mint, chalk and blood orange are lifted by bright acids and veins of tannin that need time to fully integrate. The 2019 is seriously impressive, to say the least.

The 2019 Haut-Marbuzet has turned out very nicely indeed, offering up a deep bouquet of berry fruit, loamy soil, forest floor and spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, it's deep and concentrated, with a fleshy core of fruit that's framed by ripe, powdery tannins and succulent acids. Already persuasively seamless and integrated, and much less marked by its new oak than was the case for this chateau a decade ago, this is well worth seeking out.