Château Saintayme, St Émilion, 2017
"The finesse and architecture of the 2019 with the fruit and flesh of 2018" is how Noémie Durantou explains 2023. This was our first appointment of the week and it certainly raised our expectations. The entire range is exceptional. Saintayme as always is a 100% Merlot cuvee, the last plot to be picked due to its cool terroir. Expressive with lots of black cherry, smoke and liquorice notes. There's a juicy core of spicy dark fruits supported by supple tannins. This will be a great value for early to mid-term drinking.
critic reviews
Saintayme 2017 is 100% merlot and has a medium to deep garnet color. It soars with delightful scents of raspberry coulis, black cherries, and warm plums, plus hints of lavender and bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied the palate is lively and refreshing with elegant black fruit layers and a fine-grained texture, finishing with a minerally lift.
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Saintayme delivers expressive black cherries, mulberries and boysenberries scents with hints of rosehip tea, tilled soil and spice box. Medium-bodied, the palate has plenty of juicy red and black fruits with a plush texture and refreshing finish.
The 2017 Saintayme was picked from 26 September until 6 October and matured in second fill barrels. It has a lifted bouquet with red berry fruit laced with truffle and smoky aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, quite spicy for this cru with hints of truffle and liquorice towards the finish.