Château Bourgneuf, Pomerol,

Expect a ton of espresso, cocoa bean, liquorice, black cherry, raspberry, and crushed earth notes. A little subdued at this stage, with chewy tannins, but layered, complex, great potential for further development over the next decade. This is just such a great Pomerol to get to know and to follow, located right next to Trotanoy. Harvest September 19 to 30.

A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Bourgneuf is deep garnet-purple colored. It rolls out of the glass with open-knit expressions of blackberry preserves, black tea, and plum preserves with hints of underbrush and Sichuan pepper. Medium to full-bodied, it has firm, fine-grained tannins and a lively backbone lifting the bright black fruit to a long, pure finish.

The 2019 Bourgneuf has a lovely, winsome bouquet of beautifully defined raspberry and black currant aromas plus hints of undergrowth, black truffle and sage, all very detailed. The medium-bodied palate is quite structured and grippy yet has the acidity to maintain tension from start to finish, and there’s plenty of sapid red fruit here. A superb Pomerol that should give 20+ years of drinking pleasure.