This estate in Saint-Christoly-Médoc has long produced great value, quintessentially Médoc-styled wines, and the 2016 La Tour St Bonnet has turned out especially well. Offering up aromas of sweet blackcurrant fruit intermingled with notions of loamy soil, tobacco leaf and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, with powdery tannins and a nicely concentrated core of fruit. Robert Parker once described this estate as producing a miniature Grand-Puy-Lacoste, and that observation continues to resonate with me. While the 2016 drinks well today, a bit more time in the cellar will only pay dividends.

Grape:   Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec