Château Balestard La Tonnelle 2021 – Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé

The nose is fruity, beautifully racy and reveals intensity and a certain controlled power. There are notes of tart/black berries, creamy strawberry and, more lightly, bright boysenberry combined with fine hints of lily, nutmeg, a subtle hint of roasted fruit and a discreet touch of Bourbon vanilla. The palate is fruity and offers minerality, delicacy, silkiness, a nice definition, roundeness, a nice finesse, some aerial aspect in the balance, a very nice acidic backbone as well as a very discreetly tight and stretched tannic structure. On the palate this wine expresses juicy/pulpy cherry, bright redcurrant and more slightly bright boysenberry notes combined with a touch of blue berries, zan and a subtle hint of camphor, toasted almond, nutmeg and cardamom. Good length. Racy tannins. Good work on the bitter taste. A subtle varietal aromas hint in the background.