Fusain 2018

Fusain — named for the charcoal-black spindle trees that dot the Périgord landscape — is a pure Merlot from the IGP Périgord appellation in southwest France, aged in oak barrels on the estate’s limestone-rich soils. The 2018 vintage produced a generous, full-bodied wine: dark fruit, cassis, a hint of cedar from the oak, and a plush, rounded texture that makes it immediately inviting. The low-intervention approach in the cellar means nothing masks the character of the fruit or the warmth of an exceptional vintage. A wine for slow meals, aged cheeses, and occasions worth marking.