2017 Citran

The 2017 Citran is deep garnet-purple colored with a vague stewed plums and cassis nose with tobacco, earth and leather notes plus herbs hints. The palate is medium-bodied, lean, dilute, soft and innocuous.

The 2017 Citran has a powerful nose of black fruit laced with peppermint and light loamy aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and perhaps more refinement than suggested by the aromatics. As it coheres in the glass, this turns into a very fine Haut-Médoc that is probably punching above its weight. Very fine.

49% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc. Bright crimson. Smudgy rim. Fresh nose and an array of ripe fruit but pretty marked acidity. A bit mean and scrawny. Lacks mid-palate weight. Some greenness. (JR)