The 2019 Pontet Labrie is supple and racy from the very first taste. Soft, silky tannins wrap around a core of sumptuous red and purplish fruit. Lavender, spice, mocha and sweet spice develop in the glass. The 2019 is a wine of tremendous forward appeal, and yet it offers terrific complexity as well. Look for it to drink well pretty much upon release. The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, with the Merlot especially evident.

Jonathan Maltus' 2019s are superb across the board. I imagine many readers will be drawn to the micro-cuvées, Le Carré, Le Dôme and Les Astéries, in particular, and right so. In my view, though the most impressive wine in the lineup is Teyssier because of its quality at a production level that is very hard to achieve. The growing season was hot, as it was everywhere, with rain episodes in July, August and September that helped balance things out. Frost was an issue in some of the lower-lying parcels that typically inform Teyssier and Laforge. More importantly, the decision to give the wines a bit more energy while retaining all of the richness readers have come to expect yields a range of wines that really stand out in 2019.

The 2019 Pontet Labrie has a detailed, perfumed bouquet of pure red cherry and blackberry fruit, touches of pressed violet petals emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip on the entry, lightly spiced and a little more marine-influenced on the finish. This has kicked on nicely during its élevage and deserves a higher score.

The 2019 Pontet Labrie exhibits rich aromas of cherries, berry preserve, raw cocoa and creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, its generous core of ripe fruit is framed by powdery tannins and lively acids, concluding with a mouthwatering, discreetly liqueured finish. This micro-cuvée derives from a small parcel near Château Grand Pontet.