Chateau Peby Faugeres 2023

JAMES SUCKLING: "An eye-opener. This really takes off at the end, with blackberry, tapenade, chocolate powder and cedar. It’s full-bodied and tight with solid tannins that are fine and less velvety than previous vintages. Less new wood than in the past. Crunchy. 100% merlot."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Smoke, truffle, crushed rocks, licorice, chocolate, black cherries, espresso, and blackberries are everywhere here, in the nose, and on the palate. The wine is concentrated, lush, creamy, polished, dark, and deep. One of the more opulent wines of the vintage, the finish lingers with its layers of fruit. The amount of oak used used in the aging process has declined, which is a good thing here, allowing the fruit to show more purity, and freshness. The wine is produced from 100% old vine Merlot. Harvesting took place September 8. Drink from 2029-2050."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The flagship from this brilliant estate, the 2023 Château Péby Faugères comes from the eastern side of the appellation and is all Merlot, raised in plenty of new barrels. Its deep purple hue is followed by powerful aromatics of red and blue fruits, graphite, candied violets, and spicy wood. With full-bodied richness, a plush, expressive, opulent style, and gorgeous tannins, it certainly makes the most of the vintage and is for those who love ripe, seamless, sexy wines that deliver incredible pleasure."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Reifes Heidelbeerkonfit, schwarze Kirschen, reife Zwetschken, zart nach Lakritze, kandierte Orangenzesten, feine Edelholznuancen. Kräftig, dabei kühl und frisch, reife Kirschen, feine Tannine, mineralisch und lange anhaftend, sicheres Reifepotenzial."

WEINWISSER: "100 % Merlot, 34.6 hl/ha. Dicht verwobenes blaubeeriges Bouquet, Heidelbeere, Brombeergelee und Graphit. Im zweiten Ansatz ein satter Strauß Veilchen, Lakritze und parfümierter Pfeifentabak. Am komplexen Gaumen mit samtiger Textur, engmaschigem Tanninkorsett, tiefgründig und ungeheuer präzise, mit dichten Muskelsträngen überzogener Körper. Im konzentrierten langen Finale blaue Beeren, dunkle Mineralik und körnige Adstringenz. Ein Monster aus Konzentration, Dichte und Präzision."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "The 2023 Peby Faugeres is deep garnet-purple in color. Oaky overtones soon give way to a core of juicy blueberries and baked plums leading to hints of licorice, violets, and sassafras. The medium to full-bodied palate is soft-textured and bright, with a lively backbone and fragrant finish."