Composed of 85% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Couvent des Jacobins is a well balanced wine.
From the prestigious Saint-Emilion appellation, this vintage displays a purple-tinted deep and intense red colour. Its nose is complex and marked by violet and black cherry fruit (cherry, elderberry) notes, enhanced by a hint of vibrant freshness of Sichuan pepper, vanilla-flavoured wood and grilled caraway. With aeration, the 2015 Couvent des Jaconbins reveals a charming aspect with black fruit aromas and a nice balance. Its rich palate offers finely extracted tannins and a good balance on the mid-palate. The fruity aromas from Merlot associated with the freshness of Petit Verdot develop a graceful vanilla-flavoured woody finish.
The 2015 Couvent des Jacobins has a very opulent bouquet that fortunately appears to coalesce in the glass and eventually settles towards scents of boysenberry, strawberry pastilles and a touch of violet. The oak seems nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. There is plenty of new oak on the entry that will need to be subsumed, but I appreciate the tannic structure and freshness on the finish that lingers nicely in the mouth. It might not have the complexity of its peers, but it should drink well after 3-4 years in bottle.