The 2017 Montlandrie was picked from 13 to 28 September. It boasts an utterly charming bouquet with blackberry, raspberry and just a hint of crushed violet. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, dark fruit but fresh and lively, very precise with a welcome dash of black pepper towards the graphite-tinged finish. Denis Durantou described this as one of his favorite wines of 2017 and I can understand why. - vinous.com, May 2018

This is very minerally with crushed stones and dark fruit. Medium body and tight and firm tannins. Excellent. - jamessuckling.com, April 2018

Great-value estate in Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux run by Denis Durantou (L'Eglise Clinet). Backward and tight with a touch of minerality - again, a little reductive. A very good density of rich fruit here, fully structured, bright and persistent. - April 2018

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Montlandrie rocks up with bold blackberry preserves and plum preserves scents with hints of bay leaves, charcoal and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with black fruit and minerally accents, supported by firm, chewy tannins, finishing a little firm.

On the overt side, with a blast of plum and blueberry fruit up front backed by just enough of a chalky spine to keep this honest. Offers a vanilla coating on the finish. - James Molesworth, winespectator.com, April 2018

Black core and dark purple crimson rim. Lovely dark cherry-chocolate aroma: both fruit and oak. Fine chalky texture is quite different from the Denis Durantou Lalande wines just tasted. More limestone? Tight and fresh, all still to come, finishing fresh. - Julia Harding, jancisrobinson.com, April 2018

A Denis Durantou wine. 75% Merlot (picked 20–26 September 2017), 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon (both Cabernets picked 28 September 2017). 40% new oak. Black core and dark purple crimson rim. Lovely dark cherry-chocolate aroma: both fruit and oak. Fine chalky texture is quite different from the Denis Durantou Lalande wines just tasted. More limestone? Tight and fresh, all still to come, finishing fresh. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep purple-tinged ruby. Very smoky nose. Earthy, mulberry. Very spicy but matched juiciness. Grippy and warming for now. Thick and smoky to the finish. (TP)