Features a racy, chalky minerality that runs amid a core of steeped plum and black currant fruit, with lively cedar, black tea and savory nuance all around. Sneaky long too, thanks to its mineral thread. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040.

Based on 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2019 Château D'Armailhac showed beautifully from barrel two years ago, and it doesn't disappoint now from bottle. Despite the high Merlot content, it has a firmer, focused, youthful style that's going to benefit from short-term cellaring. Giving up plenty of ripe black cherry, mulberries, and cassis-like fruit as well as textbook Pauillac lead pencil, forest floor, and tobacco, it's medium to full-bodied, has good mid-palate density, subtle background oak, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish. It shows the vintage's more elegant, classic style yet doesn't lack for concentration or length. It's going to benefit from just 3-4 years of bottle age and drink fabulously well for two decades. It's the finest d'Armailhac I've tasted.

The 2019 d'Armailhac requires a few minutes to open up. It has an intense bouquet of blackberry and small black cherries, iodine and crushed violet, plus a faint hint of tobacco (less than last year). The palate is medium- bodied with crunchy black fruit, this 2019 having gained some backbone during its barrel maturation. Solid grip and flavors of black pepper and mint toward the chalky finish. This is excellent, but it will need longer in bottle than I originally envisaged.

Full of ripe black fruits, the wine has great structure and depth. Its density is palpable with richness and tannins showing strongly. The juicy finish lifts everything.