Chateau La Bridane Saint Julien 2016

The 2016 Chateau La Bridane Saint has an understated bouquet with blackberry and boysenberry fruit, not complex but nicely defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet core of black fruit, hints of salted liquorice and cedar towards the nicely proportioned finish. Very fine. Tasted at the Oenoconseil tasting room in Bordeaux.

One of the rare, unclassified estates in Saint-Julien, this property has produced a blend of four grapes, dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich structure and fruits unite in a full wine that already shows accessibility while having aging potential. Drink from 2023.

The 2016 Chateau La Bridane Saint is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with a nose of cassis, earth, cedar and tobacco with a waft of pencil lead. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant, fresh and soft.

From one of the few estates in Saint-Julien that is not a classified growth, this wine represents a bargain. The wine is rich, perfumed and beautifully structured. It has a velvety consistency with its ripe black currants and generous tannins. The estate is named after the mill belonging to Abbot Bridane in the Middle Ages.

On the palate, the tannin is finely granulated. Medium body, medium to medium plus acidity, bone dry. The fruit profile is understated: black cherry, cassis, cranberry with dry violet, mint, dirt, and tree bark.

This is an old-timey claret. Austere, lean, and reserved. If you expect a Left Bank with creamy, chocolatey flavors, look elsewhere. Ready now with at least half an hour of decanting air but will improve still with 2-3 years more in the bottle.

Full-bodied and supple on the palate, it also displays a large range of intense aromas.