Very attractive center palate with dark-berry, walnut and cedar character. Just a hint of bark. Medium-bodied. Juicy finish. - jamessuckling.com, April 2019

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 de Fieuzal rocks up with gregarious scents of baked plums, stewed cherries and dried mulberries plus suggestions of Chinese five spice, unsmoked cigars and sautéed herbs. The rich, full-bodied palate has loads of exotic spice and raisin cake layers with a firm, chewy frame, finishing just a little hard.

The 2018 Fieuzal is fruity and quite powerful. I am not sure the heavily extracted style is ideal, as the wine has a level of tannic clout that is perhaps too much for its medium-bodied frame. Nonetheless, the 2018 is quite expressive. Red plum, white pepper, mint and chalk add brightness to the deep, layered fruit.

55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. Black core with crimson rim. Sweet blackcurrant aroma. Tannins have a very firm grip but they are super-smooth. Full, rich and still fresh. Not terribly long but plenty of ripe, firm pleasure. The tannins at the front of the mouth at the moment. (JH)