2016 Cote de Baleau (St-Emilion)

The 2016 Cote de Baleau has a lovely, very pretty bouquet with ebullient red cherry and crushed strawberry fruit with beautifully integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with precise, carefully placed tannin. There is fine focus here, just a touch of rigidity in the mouth, quite saline and spicy, a Saint Emilion that just needs a little (during élevage) to gain some more flesh. 90-92 points

A 14.9ha property owned by Philippe and Matthieu Cevelier of Clos Fourtet, one of their fairly recent purchases of three properties. This has some clear black fruit flavours and lovely, controlled spicing. Very appetising , with the focus on minerality and salinity even though this is powerfully structured. Hugely promising. Planted to 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. 91 points