Château Saint-Pierre Saint Julien 2017

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Saint-Pierre offers up warm cassis, redcurrant jelly, baked black berries and Black Forest cake with earth, herbs and meaty hints. Medium-bodied, it has a great core of muscular fruit with a firm and grainy frame and is solidly built, finishing long and layered. The blend is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, and it was aged in French oak for 14 months, 50% new. About 50% of the total production went into this grand vin, with 80,500 bottles produced.

Warm and seductive in feel, with a cashmere texture to the range of steeped plum, blackberry and black currant fruit flavors. A well-buried alder note runs underneath, while flashes of tobacco and incense swirl around. The smoldering finish is long and rich in detail. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2038. 6,708 cases made.

From an estate owned by the same family as Chateau Gloria, the inky hued 2017 Chateau Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) is a big, full-bodied, impressive 2017 that has subtle oak as well as lots of cassis, white flowers, burning embers, and charcoal aromas. I love its texture, it has ripe tannins, and it's just a balanced, complete Saint-Julien that will evolve for 20-25 years. This cuvee is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak.

This is a smoky wine, showing considerable wood. Black fruits are a little diminished by the wine's structure and toastiness. It has a stalky aftertaste.