Château du Faure Haut Normand 2018

16.50

Official Tasting Notes:

Deep layers of red fruit with powerful yet refined tannins the 2018 vintage of Chateau du Faure Haut Normand promises to be one of the best full stop. A damp autumn followed by a long hot dry summer that lasted well into October resulted in a harvest that whilst small was beautifully rich and strong. Early barrel tastings suggested a well structured wine and the decision to put it into one year old French oak, rather than new, was taken to ensure a softer, gentler wine without too much weighty wood.

John’s View:
We are too new to be rated but neighbouring Château Fontenil who use some of our vines, and is owned and produced by our winemaker, Dany Rolland, got 93-94 from James Suckling who said: “This is so tight and polished with a degree of depth and beauty I have not seen for a while. Medium body and beautiful, silky tannins that buttress the lovely, focused fruit.” We can only hope/assume/believe/imagine that he would be equally kind about Château du Faure Haut Normand!

Any way I think this is rather lovely, it is not harsh or acidic at all, slips down very easily and has, so far, not given me a headache which suggests the tannins are friendly. I reckon it would be a perfect match for leg of lamb or roast duck. The ‘experts’ say it should be drunk at just below room temperature at 16 degrees, I hate to disagree with them but I think it is better at 18-20 but hey maybe I am wrong – try it at both and you decide.