2018 Peby Faugeres

I always love this cuvée, which comes from a specific parcel of very old vine Merlot on the eastern side of Saint-Émilion. The 2018 Château Péby Faugères, which is a selection of 70% of the production and is aging in 65% new oak, reveals a deep purple color as well as a ripe, blockbuster bouquet of black fruits, smoked earth, spicy oak, and graphite. One of the ripe, powerful wines that still stays light and graceful, it’s full-bodied, has ripe tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. This is a sexy Saint-Émilion to drink over the coming 20-25 years. Tasted twice.

The 2018 Péby Faugères, 100% Merlot from 45 year-old vines, is fabulous. Dense, inky and rich, with tremendous concentration, the 2018 offers superb intensity but with less of the pushed extraction that was once the norm here. Blackberry jam, spice, cloves, menthol, and licorice build in a potent, flamboyant Saint-Émilion. In 2018, Péby Faugères shows a slightly brighter and more floral profile than in the past. It will be interesting to see how the 2018 and future vintages develop, as Péby Faugères has always been distinctive. The 2018 is a terrific effort from proprietor Silvio Denz and consulting winemaker Michel Rolland. My only real critique is that Péby Faugères and Faugères are more closer in style than they usually are, which is remarkable as the blends are totally different!