2019 Château Croix de Labrie Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

This rising superstar estate in Saint- Emilion has produced another brilliant wine in 2019. Based largely on Merlot brought up in new French oak, it reveals a dense purple hue as well as a powerful bouquet of black raspberry and cassis interwoven with plenty of graphite, candied violets, cedary spice, and chocolatey oak. This powerful, full-bodied Saint-Emilion stays beautifully balanced and has building tannins, a vibrant spine of acidity, and classic minerality on the finish. It's already hard to resist given the purity of fruit and silky tannins, but it's going to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for 20 years or more.

Fabulous aromas of blackberries, blueberries, pine needles and spices, such as nutmeg and allspice. White pepper, too. Full-bodied and very tight with a solid core of fruit and ultra-fine yet powerful tannins. It’s got so much energy and drive. Vibrant at every level. Precise and not overpowering, yet so structured. 97% merlot and 3% cabernet sauvignon. Made from biodynamically grown grapes. This needs time to soften. Try after 2026.