2017 Bonalgue
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Tasting notes
The 2017 Bonalgue is a dense, potent wine. Blackberry jam, chocolate, licorice, spice, menthol, and espresso give the 2017 notable sweetness and richness. This is an especially dense, concentrated Pomerol with good balance and tons of immediate appeal. There is not much subtlety here, but there is plenty to like just the same.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
The Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Medium garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Bonalgue opens with very pretty scents of red roses, kirsch and mulberries giving way to notions of iron ore, underbrush and dark chocolate. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegant, lively and refreshing with bags of juicy black fruit and a soft texture, finishing with a quiet intensity.
The 2017 Bonalgue offers rustic, slightly smudged red fruit on the nose, blackcurrant leaf and black truffle surfacing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, cedar and graphite. The finish is not complex but clean and smooth. Enjoy this decent, if slightly conservative Pomerol over the next decade.
The 2017 Chateau Bonalgue checks in as 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. It offers a more mid-weight, bright, focused style that's common in the vintage as well as plenty of dark fruits, leafy herbs, graphite, and earth. Tight and closed on the palate, with notable acidity, hide bottles for 3-4 years and it should drink nicely for a decade.
About the producer
Ch. Bonalgue is a Pomerol estate owned by the Bourotte family, which also owns Clos du Clocher.