Capbern 2016 75cl

Very pretty fruit with dark berries, plums and currants. Hints of sweet tobacco. Medium bodied, firm and silky. Lovely, juicy finish with delicious acidity at the end. The 18 per cent of fabulous cabernet franc in this makes it special. Hard not to drink now, but better in 2023.

The 2016 Capbern is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot aged for 18 months in 60% new and 40% one-year-old oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with cedar, blackberries and blueberries with wafts of tobacco, bay leaves and scorched earth. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and vibrant in the mouth, it possesses lovely poise and an earthy finish.

A core of gently mulled plum and blackberry fruit is infused with perfumy bay and tobacco notes, while a light alder hint weaves through the finish. Some sneaky grip too, so while accessible, this has a few years of life ahead. Drink now through 2029. 5,000 cases made. — JM