2016 Estournelles St Jacques 1. Cru Domaine Frédéric Esmonin

A more elegant if not necessarily more complex nose combines strikingly fresh notes of plum, earth and spice with an appealing floral wisp. There is excellent purity to the transparent and more mineral-driven if lighter-bodied flavors that possess a lovely mouthfeel while delivering even better length on the lingering finish. Unlike the Lavaut this could be approached young but should age just as well. 92/2026+ .

Good medium red; a bit less saturated than the Champonnets and Lavaux Saint-Jacques. The most expressive on the nose of these three premier crus, offering scents of black raspberry, smoky minerals, rose petal and spices. Plush, savory and sweet, boasting excellent depth to its restrained flavors of red and darker berries. Still youthfully wound-up but the wine's breadth and fine-grained texture are already impressive. A step beyond the other Gevrey premier crus in sweetness, finesse and length. Finishes with serious but integrated tannins and noteworthy subtle length. This is almost 2015-like in its richness but can't match Esmonin's two 2016 grand crus for texture.