Some black cherry fruit in fresh, sweet, pert style. The more air you give this, the better it works. Appetising aromas, just teased into place with a little fresh oak. Attractive, fresh, lively and graceful, and prettily styled. Delicious for the medium term, with a Hokusai cherry-blossom charm. (AJ)

The medium ruby-colored 2016 Château Coufran comes from a family-run estate located near Saint-Estephe and is unique for its high Merlot content, which is normally upwards of 85%, with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackberries, Christmas spice, violets, and a touch of menthol all emerge from this medium-bodied, fresh, lively 2016 that has good purity of fruit. It’s a juicy, balanced, enjoyable effort to drink over the coming decade.

The 2016 Coufran, which incidentally has the highest percentage of Merlot on the Left Bank, has a juicy black cherry and boysenberry bouquet. The rounded palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a smooth texture and a touch of spice toward the finish. (NM)