I loved the 2019 Chateau Fontenil, a ripe, sexy wine that stays balanced, pure and elegant. Giving up a dense ruby/purple color, rocking cassis fruit, lots of tobacco and spice aromatics, and sweet tannins, it's going to drink nicely right out of the gate.

Plenty of sweet-tobacco, graphite, and dark-berry aromas follow through to a medium to full body with attractive ripe fruit and chewy yet round tannins. It's a little one-dimensional on the palate now, but will develop complexity and drinkability in a short time.

The 2019 Fontenil has closed down quite a bit post bottling. That's probably a good thing for its long-term prospects, though. Dark raspberry, blood orange, spice, new leather and menthol open with a bit of time in the glass. Perfumed floral accents brighten up the finish.