Chateau Villars Fronsac AC – 2018

Chateau Villars is based in the up and coming Bordeaux wine appellation of Fronsac, just to the north of St.Emilion. It is a small, quality-focussed chateau which has been owned by the Gaudrie family for 7 generations. This blend of 77% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from 40 year old vines planted on the estate’s best clay and limestone soils. 2018 was one of this chateau’s great vintages, alongside 2005 and 2010. A warm and sunny summer was followed by a dream-perfect Autumn, giving the wine hedonistic red fruit flavours and perfectly ripe, silky tannins. It is still young but remarkably easy to drink already. However it should devlop beautifully in bottle over the next 12-15 years.