The 2017 Le Crock, owned by the soon-to-be retired Didier Cuvelier, is matured in 25% new oak. It has a straightforward, slightly earthy bouquet with light sea spray scents infusing the black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, slightly glossy in style with lightly spiced black and red fruit and a splash of Hoisin towards the short finish. Give this Le Crock three or four years and you should have a decent, quite concentrated Saint-Estèphe. 89-91 points

A Cuvelier-owned estate with 32ha of vines that escaped the frost, yielding 50hl/ha. The talented oenologist Isabelle Davin and consultant Michel Rolland have delivered another St-Estèphe success, with plump, rich and ripe fruits. There`s not a lot to worry about here - it`s not especially long or layered, but it has excellent fruit integrity and a ripe tannic structure, offering lots of pleasure. For the best value this year St-Estèphe seems to be the go-to appellation.