Malescot St. Exupery 2021 (750ML)

Violet and cedar lead the 2021 Malescot St. Exupéry, with blackberry and a thread of tobacco coming forward once the wine has had a little air. The blend is 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, raised for 12–14 months in barrel, 60% of the oak new. Red and blue fruit sit against a leafy, herbal edge that keeps the aromatics from turning sweet. The palate is plump and moderate in weight, with slightly grainy tannins that give it some chew, and the finish closes on a saline, almost coastal note. A spell in the decanter helps it now, and critics see it drinking from the mid-2020s well into the 2040s. Serve it with roast leg of lamb, rosemary-crusted lamb chops or a slow-braised lamb shoulder.