Saintayme 2018 Saint Emilion Grand Cru

Aromas of blackberries, chocolate, cherries, pine needles and bark follow through to a medium to full body with fine tannins and a juicy, nicely fruity finish. The 9 hectare plot of vineyards are planted almost entirely with Merlot. This wine is a joy and full of supple fruit and thus very quaffable. Not that complex, but hard to fault for sheer fruit.

Château Saintayme is owned and managed by Denis Durantou who, more famously, has brought l'Eglise Clinet to the pinnacle of Pomerol producers with consistently stunning wines, yet you wouldn't know it from his jovial, engaging, down-to-earth attitude.

Denis's 'entry level' wines, that is to say the wines not produced at his flagship Pomerol estate, Chateau L'Eglise Clinet, are always rank amongst our 'best value' buys. Saintayme is made by the same team at L'Eglise though Denis describes 2018 as a 'Révolutionnaire'. It's a big change at the Durantou estates as he has retired from the winemaking team. It's been an extraordinary run with many exceptional wines, but all good things must come to an end.