The 2017 Fleur de Boüard has a tightly wound bouquet with black cherries, crème de cassis and iris aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grainy tannin, nicely balanced with a touch of tar and cedar infusing the focused finish. It is a more understated Fleur de Boüard but I like the style of the wine in this vintage. Since the vineyard was 99% frosted (yes, you read that figure correctly) Coralie de Boüard told me that she will bottle just 1,000 magnums from the eight barrels. 90-92 points

The 20th year anniversary since Hubert de Boüard bought the estate, making the frost loss particularly tough, as it meant the blend is an atypical 100% Merlot. They have done an excellent job all the same – this is bright, cheerful fruit, good weight, carefully extracted and well put together. Some of the wines that normally go into Le Plus de la Fleur de Boüard (not made) are in this, and they perhaps add to the plush texture. The winemaker is Philippe Nunez, who also works with de Boüard on his consulting. Only first generation bunches were used, giving a 25hl/h yield. 90 points

Only 22 hl produced this year instead of 2,000 hl because of the frost – 1% of normal production. Deep greyish crimson. Cedar and fresh dark fruits. Lovely freshness allied to firm, chewy dark fruit. Quite oaky on the palate but with the stuffing – in terms of fruit depth – to age well. Chewy and rich and well balanced, especially considering the total harvest size. 16.5++ points

La Fleur de Boüard had a very small crop in 2017 due to lots of frost—only 10% of a normal crop. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 La Fleur de Boüard has an expressive nose of wild blueberries, blackberries and black pepper with nuances of garrigue, wild thyme and crushed rocks. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant and refreshing in the mouth with a light chew of tannins and an earthy finish.