Couvent des Jacobins 2024

Intense blackberry fruit, cassis, floral notes; generous attack on the palate, sweet fruit core, moderate yet well-integrated, fine tannins, a finish with a mix of wild berries and sour cherries, good length.

Dark fruit and savoury herbal aspects on the nose. A little sharp and tangy, just on the verge of ripeness with a zesty, almost austere texture to the tannins. Salty, wet stone nuances on the finish give a contrast to the fruit but this is all about the acidity which is a little upfront at the moment. Still, there's a mouthwatering quality and tons of energy here.

Espresso, licorice, cocoa, and plums fill the nose and palate of this round, soft, forward, fruity, medium-bodied wine. The finish, with its chocolate-cherry and mint character, promises an easy wine to enjoy on the young side. The wine blends 84% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2027–2038. 90–92 pts

The bouquet of Couvent des Jacobins immediately suggests a path between freshness and ripeness, depth and restraint, between charm, spice and caramel. Smooth on the attack, the wine seeks only to showcase the breadth of its abilities. It has charm and character, but also subtlety and vigor. A complex, playful wine, evoking subtlety, charisma and freshness. It hardly needs any artifice to shine and perform.

The nose is elegant and airy, offering a certain fruit concentration, depth, tension, and a lovely precise, elegant, fine, and racy grain. It reveals notes of boysenberry, fairly ripe wild cherry, and more subtly pulpy blackcurrant, combined with touches of cornflower and ripe small fruits, as well as a hint of sweet pepper. The palate is fruity and juicy, with a zesty backbone, minerality, good definition, a certain juiciness, precision, energy, and a fine crunch. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy/fresh blackcurrant and violet, and more lightly juicy/fresh blackberry, combined with touches of cherry blossom and crisp red plum, as well as hints of small wild berries, nutmeg, sweet spices, gentle tobacco, maceron, and a subtle hint of clove in the background. Good length. The tannins are sapid and gourmand. A subtle hint of cocoa on the finish. A wine offering juiciness, suppleness, suavity, energy, and a touch of straightforwardness. Good persistence.

Inky plum in colour, as is often the case with this excellent estate, and it maintains its signature expression in 2024. Spiced peat and grilled smoke aromatics, sappy, mouthwatering and moreish on the finish, good quality.