G Acte 7 2015

The 2015 Acte 7 has a perfumed bouquet with pressed iris and violet infusing the black fruit, quite mineral-driven and focused, gaining intensity with aeration whilst retaining wonderful finesse. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, well judge acidity, hints of dark chocolate infusing the black fruit laced with truffle and a hint of liquorice. It fans out wonderfully towards the finish that has so much freshness, adorned with a long marine-influenced finish. The Acte 7 could be broached now although I would prefer to leave it another one or two years. Tasted at the Acte vertical in London.

Blended of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, the medium garnet-purple colored 2015 Guinaudeau G Acte 7 opens with gorgeous plum preserves, spice cake and oolong tea notes with hints of kirsch, blueberry preserves and Sichuan pepper plus a waft of potpourri. The palate is medium to full-bodied and very firm, with wonderfully fine-grained tannins and impactful freshness and tension, finishing long. This needs time!

The 2015 G Acte 7 is a blend of 61% Merlot and 39% Cabernet Franc this year, the latter from a massale selection from Château Lafleur. However, Baptiste remarked that it was the Merlot that worked so well this year. It has a well-defined bouquet with wild strawberry and blackberry scents, touches of cold granite and smoke coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with tensile tannin, a fine line of acidity, a more elegant Acte G with a precise, lightly spiced finish. Give this 2-3 years in bottle and it should drink well for the next decade.