Chateau les Graves Champ des Chails 2019, Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux

Medium ruby core and rim. Floral. Raspberry and mulberry tones of medium strength. Lightish and polished palate leading to a mineral and spicy finish. This wine needs some patience to get sure strawberries tones on the nose, certain ripeness and smoothness on the palate, as well as a deeper finish over time in the right glass.

At 13%, the ABV is about right. Quite to style and 'Blaye' in character. Fruit quality is generally better than most Bordeaux AOC. The winemaking style seems modern. Cold maceration for maximum fruit retention; standard skin contact and partial malolactic fermentation(apple-milk, sounds new to me)for more taste; cement-tank storage for a year or so for fostering some complexity; no oak storage as not to suppress the fruit expression.

Recommended. Customers may not find the nose and palate profiles familiar though. Hopefully, the 3 Gold Medals(China, Singapore and Hong Kong CWSA) convince the quality. DD89.