La Fleur de Rocheyron 2017

Château Rocheyron is a 3.5 hectare estate in Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, run by Swiss collector Silvio Denz alongside Peter Sisseck, the winemaker behind Pingus. La Fleur de Rocheyron is the estate's second label, a 2017 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The vineyard sits on clay over limestone, the classic right-bank pairing: the limestone holds water and keeps the vines cool through a warm summer, while the clay lends body and the dark fruit depth that defines Merlot here. The wine is aged fourteen months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange across the staves softens the tannins and folds in toast, cedar and vanilla without masking the fruit. The 2017 vintage gives a medium bodied, savoury red. The colour is deep ruby. The nose leads with strawberry and cherry over tobacco, with the toasty note the source describes. The palate is structured but supple, the limestone showing as a cool freshness on the finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, ideally decanted an hour ahead. It suits roast lamb, beef and earthy mushroom dishes.