2015 Ferrand

The 2015 de Ferrand has developed nicely since I last tasted it. Succulent red cherry, blood orange, cinnamon, sweet French oak, cedar and new leather add nuance to the plummy, voluptuous fruit. Open-knit, silky and sensual in the glass, the 2015 has much to recommend it. This is an in especially juicy, open-knit style, and yet all the elements are in the right place. More importantly, the 2015 has gained a bit more volume and depth in its aging. My impression remains that de Ferrand could be an even more impressive and complete wine.

A blend of 80% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 60% new barrels, the 2015 Château De Ferrand (all from clay and limestone soils) offers plenty of baked cherry, graphite, candle wax, and dusty earth aromas and flavors. It's a big, rich, full-bodied wine that has some aggressive tannin on the finish, so give bottles a year or three in the cellar. It should keep for a decade or more.