2017 Boyd Cantenac
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Deep ruby colour. The nose smells of charred wood and cured meat – it is hard to see the fruit past this. The palate follows, full of smoke, with dusty tannins bringing a puckering mouthfeel. This is very dry at present and it is hard to see the fruit revealing itself. (TP)
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Boyd-Cantenac gives pronounced cassis, stewed plums and cedar with earthy undertones and an herbal waft. It has a chewy frame, and the oak stands out on the palate, finishing with a good core of mid-palate flesh.
The 2017 Boyd-Cantenac is noticeably deep in colour. It has a very intense bouquet with baked black cherries mixed with iodine and light violet aromas, becoming more floral with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, but clearly much more backward than its peers with a strong Pauillac-inspired, graphite finish. A really interesting Margaux that I am fascinated to see evolve.
The 2017 Boyd Cantenac has a light blackberry and briary bouquet that develops nicely in the glass, revealing subtle tarry notes with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin. Despite giving the sample ample aeration, it remains somewhat pinched and with drying wood tannins towards the finish. It feels as if it needs more fruit concentration vis-à-vis the oak. Hopefully this will improve by the time of bottling.