Chateau Haut-Beausejour St. Estephe 2015

Tobacco and cold cinders on the nose. Long, rich palate with notes of morello cherry and blackcurrant. This wine is spicy, ripe and gently textured. With hints of stalkiness, the black currant fruits are light and crisp with a squeeze of blackberry juice coming through. It is more about fruit than structure.

A chewy and rich red with plum and walnut aromas and flavors. Full body. Flavorful finish. Salty aftertaste.

The 2015 Haut-Beauséjour is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot. It has a tightly wound, slightly subdued bouquet that just feels a little static in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp, quite fine tannin, well balanced and detailed with truffle and cedar-infused black fruit. It might lack the substance of its counterparts south in Pauillac, yet I still consider this to be a well-crafted wine that should offer a decade of pleasure.