April 6, 2018. After a few months in barrels already, we are starting to have a better understanding of how vintage 2017 is shaping at Couvent des Jacobins. The emphasis of the vine works was placed on the plots of Couvent des Jacobins that did not freeze during the spring freeze outbreak (the Southwest slope, old merlots and cabernets francs at the Rivalon slope, and petits verdots). The color is dark and dense. The combination of merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot leads to an expressive and complex nose this year, with dark fruits, vanilla, toasted bread with pronounced spice notes. After a little while in the glass, the wine develops its aromatic backbone and power. With a proportion of petit verdot of almost 8% this year, the 2017 vintage is ample, opulent and with rich and powerful tannins, but has retained the freshness and the tension that is the trademark of Couvent des Jacobins across vintages. Velvety fresh dark fruits and long tannins are well complemented with oak. We have assembled the three grape varieties (merlot, cabernet franc, and petit verdot) at the beginning of the ageing process this year and the complexity and density of the blend suggest a good ageing potential notwithstanding the early freeze of 2017. We estimate at this stage the ageing potential to be through 2032.