Tannins in this wine are supple and lithe, providing a good backbone for the blackberry fruits. It is already an attractive wine, ready to drink over the medium term from 2022.

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color and blended of 47% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Potensac reveals delicate, perfumed scents of roses, chocolate-covered cherries, spice box and mulberries with hints of wild sage and pencil lead. Medium-bodied, the palate exudes freshness with plenty of bright, crunchy black fruits, framed by grainy tannins, finishing with an herbal lift.

Damson plum and red currant fruit is streaked with light charcoal and savory accents, ending with a tug of earth on the finish. A touch old-school, this should develop with a touch of cellaring. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2029. 20,833 cases made.

Lots of mulberry and ripe cherry notes emerge from the 2017 Chateau Potensac, a medium-bodied, elegant, finesse-oriented effort that has ripe tannins, beautiful balance, and a great finish. It shows more cedar pencil and tobacco notes with time in the glass and is a hidden gem to buy a case of and enjoy over the coming 15 years or more.

The 2017 Potensac is an attractive, supple wine to drink now and over the next few years. There is lovely purity and aromatic lift to the fruit, if not quite the aromatic or structural complexity of the best years. Then again, that is 2017. Tasted two times.