Very fresh with fine dry tannins that carry the concentrated and ripe palate very nicely. I love the floral and currant bouquet that’s very enticing, in spite of the wine’s youth. Lots of blackcurrant and tobacco. A blend of 65 per cent merlot, 20 per cent cabernet franc and 15 per cent cabernet sauvignon.

The 2016 Château Bellefont-Belcier was truly brilliant on all three occasions I was able to taste it, rating 95 twice and 97 once. Coming from a 13.5-hectare vineyard on the magical Côte Pavie (it’s right next door to Larcis-Ducasse) and a blend of 65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 80% new oak, it offers a black fruit-driven style as well as loads of black raspberries, black cherries, graphite, leafy herbs, and hints of incense. It's powerful, full-bodied, has building sweet tannins, and the rock star purity of fruit that's the hallmark of the vintage. It’s an awesome wine to drink over the coming 20-25 years.

Michel Rolland consults for this wine. Deep garnet-purple in color, it gives delicate dried flowers, garrigue, dusty soil and smoked meats over warm black plums and blackberry preserves with hints menthol. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and muscular with a rock-solid structure and loads of layered black fruit in the mid-palate, with a lingering earthiness to the finish.

This is a fruity, juicy wine, with soft tannins as well as a touch of toast. It has an immediacy to it, thanks to the forward fruit and generous tannins. At the same time, there is a core of dry structure that will allow it to age.

Warm and lush in feel, delivering soft-edged fig, boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors infused liberally with ganache and black licorice accents. Ample toast hints drape over the finish, and this is definitely accessible, but a good buried graphite note should also help it develop with a bit of cellaring.