Chateau Coufran 2019

Enjoyable Médoc that has firm blackberry and raspberry fruits and plenty of push through the palate. The tannins are pretty tight but there is air between them, and overall a good tension is brought to the palate by juicy fruits. This is a high Merlot wine and you feel it in the generosity, but they have done a good job of dealing with summer heat.

Notes of dark and blue berries, boysenberries, spices, pinewood and nut shells. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a polished texture. Still a little tight, with some crushed-stone character. Firm finish. 85% merlot and 15% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2025.

The 2019 Coufran has a simple blackberry and cedar nose, offering plenty of fruit but not over-delivering in terms of complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins and a powdery texture. The wood tannins are just a tad conspicuous on the finish. So-so.

Clearly things are on a roll here at Coufran, as this competes for the finest wine ever produced at the property. Medium-bodied, with flowers, herbs, spice, cocoa and red fruits that show up easily on the nose and on the earthy, plummy, round, polished palate, leaving you with a bit of espresso, cocoa and plums on the finish. Drink from 2023-2033.

The 2019 Château Coufran is a solid effort offering juicy black cherry and darker plum fruits as well as scorched earth, spicy oak, and earthy nuances. Nicely balanced and medium-bodied, with plenty of character, drink it over the coming 7–8 years, if not up to a decade.