2018 Magrez Fombrauge

The 2018 Magrez-Fombrauge comes across as over ripe, heavy and cloying. Inky fruit, chocolate and copious new French oak. If tasted blind, it would be hard to place this as Saint-Émilion. What's the point here. I would prefer to drink this sooner rather than later, as early oxidative notes from excessive oak are already creeping in.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Magrez Fombrauge offers notes of baked black plums, stewed cherries and dried mulberries with hints of fruitcake, cedar chest and Chinese five spice. Big, rich and full-bodied (15.5% alcohol), it is a behemoth for sure, still wearing its oak on the texture and finish, delivering a bit of heat in the end. With 5-6 years in bottle, the oak might marry and come out good...time will tell.