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With its rich swathe of Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine has density and immense structure balanced by stunning black fruits that give impressive promise. This powerful wine is probably the greatest ever produced from this estate. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEThe 2018 Figeac is a regal, aristocratic Saint-Émilion. Vertical in feel, Figeac possesses stunning energy and vibrancy right out of the gate. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, rose petal and spice all open with a bit of coaxing. Figeac is a bit restrained today, but it won’t be an issue in another few years’ time. Figeac is not an obvious wine, but it is superb.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGReminiscent of the 2016 with its incredible purity and elegance, the 2018 Château Figeac offers a terrific perfume of crème de cassis, redcurrants, dried earth, tobacco, lead pencil, spring flowers, and exotic spice-driven nuances. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it’s flawlessly balanced, has silky, polished tannins, and a stunning sense of purity. It doesn’t have the sexiness of the 2015, but it’s very much in the style of the 2018 vintage with its pure, elegant, haut couture-like style. And it doesn’t show a hint of its 100% new oak élevage. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 20-30 years. It’s not the biggest or richest Saint- Emilion, yet the balance, finesse, and elegance are something to behold. I think it’s going to check in behind the 2015 (and maybe the 2019) when all is said and done, but it’s unquestionably one of the greatest Figeac in the past 20-30 years. The blend is 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, raised all in new oak. Another big “Bravo” to the talented director, Frédéric Faye!Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDI loved this en primeur, and it absolutely lives up to billing now that it is in bottle. It has put on a little weight through the mid palate, closed down further as you would expect at this point, but retains all the depth and texture of the black fruits, burnished with coffee beans, liquorice and crushed stone. It has much in common with the 2016 but there is a juicier, more succulent quality to the finish than the 2016 had at this stage, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out to be even better. Harvest ran from 17 September to 12 October, giving a yield of 39hl/ha (with 70% organic farming, 30% bio-control). 65% of the crop went into the grand vin. 3.7pH. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045.Decanter | 98 DECA powerful, structured Figeac, offering loads of blackberry, blueberry, chocolate, walnut and mushroom with some tobacco. It’s full-bodied with layered, chewy tannins that are polished and beautiful. So impressive and solid. Better than the great 2010? Time will tell. Goes on for a long time. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2018 Figeac is composed of 37% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc, with a 3.7 pH and 14% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple in color, it soars out of the glass with opening notes of freshly crushed red and black cherries, mulberries and ripe, juicy plums, followed by hints of violets, damp soil, cedar chest, crushed rocks and pencil shavings. The medium-bodied, elegantly styled palate features bags of freshness and exquisitely ripe, beautifully poised tannins to support the bright, energetic black and red fruit layers, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. This is absolutely recognizable as being cut from the same cloth as old-school Figeac, but all the recent vineyard and winemaking improvements have unveiled the beautifully ripe, intense, nuanced potential here. Bravo to managing director/winemaker Frédéric Faye and his team! Although there is a lot to love about this wine right now, give it 5-6 years for the oak to fully integrate and the underlying perfume suggestions to emerge, then enjoy over the next 20-25 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPSleek and tightly focused, this is a racy style marked by a pure beam of cassis and cherry purée and infused with red tea, bergamot and bay hints. Very fresh and refined through the finish, with a long chalky thread lingering after everything else. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2038. 10,830 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The 2018 La Conseillante is composed of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, with a 3.65 pH and 14% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a lot of swirling and coaxing to lure out the youthfully shy, incredible perfume of black raspberries, boysenberries, ripe plums and cinnamon toast, leading to notions of lilacs, clove oil and forest floor, plus a waft of iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is a jaw-dropping exercise in finesse, slowly unfurling in the mouth to reveal layer upon layer of bright, crunchy red and black fruits, supported by a rock-solid frame of firm, fine-grained tannins and tons of freshness, finishing long and with an impressive mineral and exotic spice firework display. It’s an incredible expression of Pomerol that cannot fail to inspire a resounding "WOW" from whoever is fortunate to drink it. Tempting to broach now (albeit with a lot of air), try to keep your hands off it for a good 5 years and then drink it over the next 30 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2018 La Conseillante is a regal and utterly exquisite Pomerol from the very first taste. Technical Director Marielle Cazaux and her team turned out a jewel of a wine. Silky tannins and lifted, precise aromatics make a strong first impression. Inky dark fruit, pain grillé, lavender, spice, menthol and a kiss of new French oak all flesh out over time. More than anything else, what comes through is the new emphasis at La Conseillante on freshness and verve. The 2018 is a Pomerol of tremendous precision. It is, in a word: dynamite!Antonio Galloni | 98 AGA dense, layered Pomerol with lots of chocolate, walnut, and plum character. Some coffee undertones. It’s full-bodied with chewy, polished tannins and a structured, muscular finish. Solid. Elegance with power. 2018. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSA beautiful expression of this terroir, which always seems to yield a more elegant, complex style of wine, the 2018 Château La Conseillante is based on 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc that saw 70% new French oak. A brilliant perfume of blueberries, currants, spring flowers, violets, and graphite gives way to a medium to full-bodied Pomerol with flawless balance, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It closes down rather quickly with time in the glass (I followed the bottle for multiple days), and it isn’t for the instant gratification crowd, but it’s unquestionably a gorgeous Pomerol. Give bottles a solid 8-10 years of bottle age, and it’s going to evolve for 25-30 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDThis is beautiful and powers through the palate showing depth and concentration to the brambled fruit. It has an excellent mid palate, the truffle of Pomerol comes through at this young stage in a way that was not evident in the 2015 even, but here has a lovely seductive kick. Spicy vanilla bean and black pepper alongside touches of cinnamon, this is very good quality. A yield of 32hl/ha. 70% new oak, 3% in amphora for the first time. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DECThe elegant structure that backs up this wine is impressive in its restraint. While the wine has plenty of black fruits and dark tannins, it conveys a calm character that sees long-term aging as its goal.The wine will take its time. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WENicely packed, with a mix of dark plum and black currant preserve flavors wrapped with licorice root and warm earth notes. Tobacco and bay fill in on the finish, adding energy and cut. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 3,299 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2018 Château Larcis Ducasse checks in as 89% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc that comes from a gorgeous hillside terroir on the Côte Pavie, located between Château Pavie and Château Bellefont-Belcier. Aged 18 months in 60% new barrels, it offers a truly sensational bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, espresso roast, scorched earth, bloody meat, chocolate, iron, and bouquet garni. A massive, super-rich Saint-Emilion with a dense, concentrated, layered mouthfeel, it has building yet sweet tannins and incredible purity of fruit. Reminding me of the 2005 shortly after release, this heavenly juice offers astonishing richness and depth while staying flawlessly balanced and elegant. Sadly, there are less than 3,000 cases produced, but this monumental, legendary wine won’t hit maturity for a good 8-10 years and will have 40-50 years of longevity if well stored. Hats off to Nicolas Thienpont and consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt for producing one of the wines of the vintage as well as one of the greatest young Bordeaux I’ve ever tasted.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDPolished aromas of lavender, plum, dried blueberry, clove, sandalwood and dark chocolate. Hints of praline. It’s full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Supple, seamless layers with great length and precision. Still reserved and tight. A toned and textured red with great structure. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2018 Larcis Ducasse is one of the real overachievers of the vintage. Richness and classicism meld together in a Saint-Émilion that dazzles from the very first taste. Rich dark fruit, mocha, licorice, espresso and leather all open in the glass. Time brings out bright acids and that firm spice of Larcis tannin. More than that, though, Larcis impresses with its exquisite balance and class. It is easily one of the most undervalued wines on the Right Bank. Don’t let its modest price fool you. Larcis is one the most compelling wines of the vintage. Don’t miss it!Antonio Galloni | 97 AGDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Larcis Ducasse needs a fair bit of swirling to unlock notes of crushed blackberries, plum preserves and boysenberries with suggestions of black truffles, tapenade and crushed rocks coming through, building to a subtle underlying perfume of roses and cloves. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating black fruits and loads of savory sparks, framed by firm, slightly chewy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPPowerful but with a sense of restraint, this is extremely well handled in 2018. The difference between this and a more massive St-Emilion is subtle for sure - it’s unquestionably on the dark fruit register - but you notice it in the way that the tannins respond and bounce rather than stiffen up in the mouth. You can enjoy them as they close in around you rather than beg for air. The palate has lots of dark chocolate, liquorice and slate notes, with cassis and blackberry fruits. This is from south-facing slopes, so there’s plenty of ripeness in the grapes, but the limestone helps to temper it, along with the natural water sources that are found at this spot. Owned by Famille Gratiot-Attmane, but with the Nicolas Thienpont team overseeing winemaking. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECA concentrated wine with big tannins and a smoky character, this is rich, darkly textured and full of blackberry fruit. The wine is powerful, spicy and fresh on the end.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEWarm cherry, raspberry and plum preserve flavors form the core here, with nicely polished structure supporting it through the finish where anise, black tea, singed alder and savory details steadily emerge. A touch austere in feel, but the breed and length is there. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2035. 2,416 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Incredible purity of fruit here with blackberry, black olive, concrete, stone and violet in the nose. It’s full-bodied with a powerful palate of fruit that shows a wet-earth and black-truffle undertone. The tannins are intense and chewy, yet wonderfully polished and poised. Superb length in the finish. One built for long cellaring. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSOne of the blockbusters in the vintage is Denis Durantou’s 2018 Château L’Eglise Clinet, which is a normal blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts an awesome, full-bodied, opulent personality as well as classic Pomerol notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, damp earth, chocolate, tobacco, and flowers. Rich, concentrated, and sexy, yet not over the top in any way, it expands on the palate, has sweet tannins, background oak, and a great, great finish. It already offers pleasure yet won’t hit prime time for another 7-8 years and is going to evolve for 25-30 years or more, and probably have a gradual decline after that.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 L’Eglise Clinet has a 3.63 pH and 14.5% alcohol. It was aged in 70% new barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with a stunning fragrant-earth perfume, accented by notions of wild mushrooms, mossy tree bark and crushed rocks, giving way to a core of black raspberries, plum preserves and fresh blueberries, plus wafts of lavender and clove oil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate shimmers with energy, delivering slow-releasing black fruit and earthy layers, framed by very ripe, finely grained tannins and fantastic tension. It finishes with epic length and subtlety. It is already so evocative and beautifully expressed at this youthful stage that is tempting to broach straight away, but give it another 5-6 years to really fan its feathers, and drink it over the next 40 or more years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2018 L’Eglise-Clinet is insanely beautiful and vivid, not to mention one of the wines of the vintage on the Right Bank. Vertical and explosive in feel, the 2018 is rapturous from the very first taste. Inky dark red and purplish fruit, mocha, lavender, crushed rocks and rose petal are some of the many aromas and flavors that build through to the exceptionally long, vibrant finish. But L’Eglise-Clinet is so much more than that. It’s a Pomerol of tremendous distinction and class. Give it a few years in bottle and then enjoy over the next several decades.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGLush in feel, with boysenberry reduction and crushed plum flavors, carried by a polished, solid structure. A mineral hint filters through on the finish, adding length and cut. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Score rangeWine Spectator | 95-98 WSThis is plush, with touches of chocolate shavings, olive paste, clove, rosemary and sage right from the opening beats. Blackberry and raspberry layer up flavours that lift out of the glass, then the aromatics take over with soft smoke and grilled almonds. Seductive, a reminder of Durantou’s ability to tease layers and nuances out of even warm vintages. Austere on the finish, with chalky tannins at this stage - this is knitted down and will reward patience. Low temperature fermentation at around 22C. A yield of 45hl/ha. Drinking Window 2027 - 2044.Decanter | 97 DEC

The Le Pin of Saint-Emilion, the 2018 Château Tertre Roteboeuf is another exotic, sexy, singular wine from the Mitjavile family, whose vineyard is ideally situated on the eastern side of Saint Emilion. The 2018 isn’t far off the style of the 2016 yet is perhaps even more exotic and up-front, offering a wild nose of white chocolate, black cherries, green tobacco, bacon fat, exotic flowers, and vanilla bean. Brilliantly concentrated on the palate, it has silky, polished tannins, a rather muscular, structured style, thick aromas and flavors, and a great finish. This is another genius effort from François Mitjavile that’s in the same league as the 2005, 2010, and 2016. There’s nothing else out there that comes close to resembling the wines from this estate! It needs 5-7 years of bottle age and will evolve for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2018 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is a rich, heady Saint-Émilion. Ripe, flamboyant and creamy, the 2018 captures all of the opulence of the vintage. Black fruit, bittersweet chocolate, spice, new leather and tobacco gradually open in the glass, but the 2018 is a dense, plush wine that needs time to show all it has to offer. The bouquet displays a bit of reduction, so opening the wine in advance and possibly decanting, are advisable. As always, François Mitjavile crafts one of the most distinctive wines in all of Bordeaux.Antonio Galloni | 96 AG

This is a very linear red and layered at the same time, showing blackberry, blueberry, black-truffle, bark and stone character. Chalk and minerality, too. It’s full-bodied and well framed with gorgeous intensity and freshness. Muscular with wonderful structure and brightness. Salty and savory notes on the finish. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2018 Troplong Mondot will take readers who haven’t tasted these wines in a few years aback. Stunning in its aromatic presence, the 2018 is silky, medium-in body and super-refined. Once again, I am blown away by the wine’s total sense of precision. The Cabernets are only 15% of the blend, and yet the 2018 is so strongly marked by floral and savory accents. Sweet red cherry, blood orange, mint, rose petal and lavender all build in the glass. The 2018 is regal, refined and absolutely exquisite.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe 2018 Troplong Mondot is blended of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, with 15% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, with considerable coaxing and swirling it slowly emerges from the glass like a waking giant, building to a towering bouquet of preserved plums, blueberry pie and Morello cherries with gentler wafts of violets, star anise, fruitcake and cast-iron pan. The concentrated, full-bodied palate possesses impressive purity and brightness of fruit commingled with richer, riper elements and supported by firm, velvety tannins, finishing with lovely freshness and on a lingering ferrous note. It’s a wine that’s not just delicious, it’s seriously interesting too.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2018 Château Troplong Mondot showed beautifully. Based on 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc, it reveals a dense purple color as well as ripe beautiful aromatics of black cherries, red plums, graphite, espresso, Asian spices, and gravelly earth. Beautiful on the palate as well, it’s medium to full-bodied and has a rounded, expansive texture, plenty of mid-palate depth, building tannins, and present yet integrated oak. This classic, impressive Troplong Mondot will need 5-7 years of bottle age but will evolve for 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe tannins are beautifully integrated into this velvet-textured wine. It has density and richness allied to concentration. At the same time, it has kept wonderful freshness and acidity to give it fine lift. The aging potential is obvious.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis is a dense and profound wine, but it’s a little shy aromatically at present. The palate is juicy and well constituted with attractive volume, beautiful texture, silky tannins and an unreserved but unaggressive power behind. The finish is firm and persistent. Despite the alcohol, everything is balanced and contained. Aged in 60% new oak barrels. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECThis shows the profile of the vintage, with a touch of plum pit and savory austerity along the edges of a core of red and black currant and cherry paste flavors. Late tugs of warm earth and tobacco on the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2035. 8,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

This was a great vintage for Pomerol, and Jeremy Chasseuil has again made a brilliant wine. Based on 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak, the 2018 Château Feytit-Clinet is a powerful Pomerol boasting a dense purple/plum color as well as decadent notes of blackcurrants, lavender, loamy soil, truffle, chocolate, graphite, and roasted herbs. It doesn’t pull any punches and is full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with an expansive, mouth-filling texture, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s going to take a decade to hit maturity, but it will be a 30-year wine. I followed this bottle for multiple days and it only improved. It’s a stunning wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDBlackcurrants, blackberries and some spices with dark-chocolate and chili undertones. Full-bodied, flavorful and sharp with a firm tannin structure. Succulent finish with good length. Salty and white-pepper undertones. Serious young Pomerol. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Feytit-Clinet is exquisite. Inky dark fruit, gravel, spice, menthol, licorice, mint and lavender are some of the many aromas and flavors that develop as the 2018 shows off its compelling, totally unique personality. In most recent vintages, Feytit-Clinet has been explosive and quite powerful. The 2018 doesn’t quite have that energy, but its (relatively) suave personality will make it easy to enjoy with only a few years in bottle. I loved it.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThis has been made with precision and care – it’s understated but with so much to enjoy having Pomerol typicity but with elegance and not the creaminess of some, more dried herbs and spices and again in pencil lead territory, but with great juice running through with cassis fruits and a wonderful lift at the end. I just love this estate and this is delicious stuff from Jeremy Chasseuil. Drinking Window 2026 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2018 Feytit Clinet is composed of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. It was aged in 70% new and 30% second year barrels, for around 16 months. The wine has 14.9% alcohol. Deep purple-black colored, it slides effortlessly out of the glass with compelling scents of baked black cherries, mulberries and plum preserves, followed by suggestions of tilled soil, pencil shavings and black truffles, plus a waft of tar. The big, rich, full-bodied palate issues mouth-coating black fruits and a wonderfully velvety texture, offering just enough freshness to support the long, decadent finish.This 6.68-hectare vineyard is situated between Trotanoy and Latour à Pomerol on gravel and sand-based soils. The average vine age is 34 years, and yields were 45 hectoliters per hectare.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

A round-textured and layered young Pomerol with berry, plum, chocolate and hazelnut aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied, plush and luscious on so many levels. Try after 2026, when it tightens up.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2018 Clos l’Eglise is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes bounding out of the glass with energetic scents of Morello cherries, fresh black plums, boysenberries and lavender, plus underlying nuances of crushed rocks, woodsmoke and black truffles. The full-bodied palate is packed with perfumed black fruit, supported by ripe, velvety tannins and tons of freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2018 Clos L’Eglise is dense and powerful to the core. The tannins are equally forbidding, suggesting the 2018 is going to need a number of years to be at its best. Heat and mildew resulted in an unusually deep Clos L’Eglise. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, spice and gravel open with a bit of coaxing. Readers have to be patient here. Antonio Galloni | 95 AGA pretty, elegant wine from this terroir, the 2018 Château Clos L’Eglise reveals a ruby/purple color as well as smoking good notes of black cherries, blueberries, white truffle, damp earth, and a little bit of iron and bloodiness that emerge with time in the glass. With medium to full-bodied richness on the palate, it has ripe tannins, a balanced texture, and just a ripe yet elegant, fleshy profile. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDEnticing, with macerated fig and plum notes forming the core while dark tea and savory notes course underneath. Hints of wet stone and charcoal echo at the very end. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2032. 1,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThis has the sensuous, easy generosity and exuberance of Pomerol offering soft tannins at first, but with grip as they close in through the palate, alongside seductive chocolate notes with liquorice on the finish. There was a big gap in harvesting between the Merlot on 19/20 September and Cabernet Franc on 10 October, as it had to ripen after blockages, but they were able to be patient and got to the full ripeness.Drinking Window 2026 - 2038Decanter | 92 DEC

Aromas of blackberries, dried lavender, black olives, tobacco, herbs and some smoked meat. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Layered and concentrated with a sleek, savory finish. 85% merlot, 12% cabernet franc and 3% malbec. Better from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSComing from the talented Thienpont team, the 2018 Château Puygueraud is a juicy, up-front, undeniably delicious 2018 offering lots of perfumed, floral, and violet notes, sumptuous blue fruits, medium-bodied richness, and a juicy, balanced, lengthy style that keeps you coming back to the glass. The balance is spot on, as is the purity of fruit, and it’s ideal for enjoying any time over the coming decade. The blend is 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis is great stuff and highly drinkable with a wonderful richness on the nose and palate. It’s pretty fierce in fact and has real impact with the austerity of the mid palate quickly filled out by rich sweet black cherry fruit and a deeply spiced finish. The harvest took place between 24 September and 5 October. (Drink between 2021-2028)Decanter | 92 DEC

Another killer Pomerol, the 2018 Château Montviel checks in as 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc brought up in plenty of new oak. This deep purple/ruby-hued beauty offers a gorgeous bouquet of cassis and black cherry fruits intermixed with lots of floral, chocolate, graphite, and cedary aromas and flavors. It has a slightly modern style at first, given its classy oak veneer, yet it still has textbook Pomerol finesse and elegance, plenty of earthy, complex, almost white truffle-like nuances, and outstanding length. It’s a beautiful wine. If you’re oak averse, give bottles 2-4 years and it should keep for 15+ years. (Drink between 2023-2038)Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDDark cherries, blackberries, herbs and some earthy notes. Some ash, too. It’s full-bodied with a savory, fleshy palate, firm tannins and rather long finish. Needs a few years of aging, to polish the tannins and bring more balance. A little tight now. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2018 Montviel is silky, expressive and impeccably balanced. Crushed red berry fruit, cinnamon, mocha, new oak, leather and cedar are some of the nuances that flesh in the Montviel. Racy and yet understated, with silky tannins and lovely persistence, the 2018 has so much to recommend it. This is very nicely done.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThis is very attractive and rich with sweet fruit and gourmet touches but without going overboard. 100% integral vinification in new ok barrels. A yield of 35hl/ha with 5ha of a 10.5ha dedicated to this 1st wine. The harvest took place between 19 September and 3 October. (Drink between 2026-2034)Decanter | 90 DEC

Pretty ripe fruit with berry, walnut and chocolate character on the nose and palate. Medium to full body, round tannins and a savory finish. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.James Suckling | 92 JS

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Pitray features bright, expressive wild blueberries, black raspberries and warm plums scents with hints of spice cake and potpourri. Full-bodied, the palate is laden with juicy blue and black fruits, framed by plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with beautiful purity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPWell textured, velvety fruits sit on a firm and fresh palate. This is good quality, stretching out in the mouth with tannins that are fully supportive of the project, not getting in the way but cheerleading as the fruit takes its first steps. There is so much to enjoy in the smaller appellations this year. Drinking Window 2022 - 2031.Decanter | 91 DECThis grand chateau on its hillside surveys a 150-acre vineyard. The top wine from the estate, this is mainly wood aged, giving polish as well as perfumed black-currant fruitiness. With its ripe tannins, the wine will easily age. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEA juicy, flavorful red that is delicious now, offering plum, chocolate and berry aromas and flavors. Medium body, firm tannins and a savory finish. Nice acidity, too. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 90 JS

The 2018 Canon is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel. Maybe more so. Vertical and explosive in the glass, Canon sizzles with tension and vibrancy. Readers will find a majestic, soaring Grand Cru Classé that captures all the magic of Saint-Émilion’s limestone plateau. Canon exudes mind-blowing precision and deliciousness. It is another magnificent effort from Technical Director Nicolas Audebert and his team.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThe Grand Vin is the 2018 Château Canon, which is based on 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc brought up in 52% new French oak. Its incredible bouquet delivers richness paired with amazing freshness and precision, offering loads of crème de cassis and darker berry fruits intermixed with classic Saint-Emilion chalky minerality, graphite, scorched earth, and spring flowers. Gorgeous on the palate as well, with medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, flawless balance, and again, this wonderful sense of freshness paired with ample richness, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will evolve for 30+ years. The 2009 and 2015 are still my favorite vintages of this wine, but this is up there with the best of them.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDA beautiful Canon that performs the 360-degree trick in your mouth of expanding up, down and out. Of course a little austere right now at this young age, but already walking the tightrope towards richness; the creaminess in the texture becomes clear after 20 minutes in the glass. This has salinity, purity, precision and grip, showing its distinct personality and its ability to draw juice and mouthwatering expression from the fruits. Drinking Window 2026 - 2048Decanter | 98 DECBlackberries and tar with wet-earth and dark-bark aromas. Dark-chocolate and brownie notes, too. It’s full-bodied with creamy tannins and a round, caressing finish. Lovely focus and intensity, though dense and layered. Extremely creamy and polished. Really precise and bespoke. It already opens beautifully on the palate. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSA blend of 72% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Canon has a pH of 3.69 and 14% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple in color, it tumbles effortlessly out of the glass with a gorgeous perfume of candied violets, preserved plums, black cherry compote and Ceylon tea with hints of kirsch, powdered cinnamon, chocolate box and fertile loam. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with juicy black fruit layers, supported by plush, oh-so-soft tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThis estate owned by the Chanel luxury group continues its winning streak with this latest release. Dark and firm at this stage but with obviously powerful, rich black fruits, the wine is destined for a long aging. Tannins and structure pour through dense blackberry and damson flavors, leaving room for a succulent aftertaste. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WERipe and focused, with a core of plum, black cherry and raspberry compote notes that are still a bit coiled up, though inlaid with a racy chalky spine and notes of black tea and tobacco that should all meld as it stretches out in the cellar. A restrained, refined, lengthy wine that drips with class. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Love the floral character to the aromas of dark fruit, such as blueberries and black cherries. Red and black licorice, too. The full-bodied palate starts slowly and then expands with super polished, searing tannins that lead you up the palate into a place of grandeur. Lightly chewy at the end. Such great purity and presence here. 6% cabernet sauvignon in the blend with franc and merlot. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2018 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, with a 3.75 pH and 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs considerable swirling and air to releases fragrant notes of stewed plums, juicy black cherries and ripe blackberries with underlying suggestions of damp soil, black truffles, rose oil and cardamom with wafts of underbrush and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with rich black fruits and loads of earthy accents, framed by super firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness to balance, finishing with amazing length and a beautiful array of floral and mineral sparks. Thirty-three plots contributed to this wine, out of the forty-three in production. Of the rest, five went into Petit Cheval and five into bulk. It will need a good 6-7 years at least to really start to strut its stuff and should cellar for a further 30 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2018 Cheval Blanc is magnificent. In a vintage in which so many wines are opulent and dense, Cheval Blanc maintains striking translucence while conveying the natural radiance of the year. Silky, perfumed and exceptionally vivid, the 2018 pulses with energy from start to finish. Sage, mint, lavender and mocha all meld together on the sumptuous finish. Cabernet Franc, such a Cheval signature, has probably never been so ripe. In a word: dazzling.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AGShowing beautifully from barrel and now from bottle, the 2018 Château Cheval Blanc is a final blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a pure, classic Cheval Blanc in that it relies more on complexity and elegance than power, offering a beautiful perfume of red and blackcurrants, spring flowers, spice, forest floor, incense, and tobacco. This carries to a medium to full-bodied Cheval Blanc offering wonderful purity of fruit, a seamless, layered texture, incredible tannins, and a lengthy, focused finish. It shows less of the sunny style of the vintage now than it did from barrel, and it’s a wonderfully complete wine that delivers awesome freshness in its aromatics, plenty of ripe, sweet fruit, and the tannins and structure that seem to come from a long, cooler season. Reminding me slightly of the 2016, with a touch of the 2001, give this gorgeous wine 5-7 years of bottle age, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe first thing that strikes about this wine is its massive density. The second is the richness of the structured Cabernet Franc that is such an important element in the blend. Weight is balanced by the intense fruits and amazing freshness of a wine that has such concentration. This wine will age for years. Don’t touch it before 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThis has the vintage’s profile, with a sleek and slightly austere frame holding a core of cassis, bitter cherry and raspberry coulis notes tightly together while flashes of bay, dried anise and savory add range and detail. Has a late tug of warm earth along with a very perfumy echo through the finish. A beauty. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2024 through 2038. 10,208 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSLovely ripeness on the nose, full of dense Morello cherries and milk chocolate notes, this feels round and just very complete. It has a density on the palate immediately, voluminous with chalky, gentle gripping tannins, almost chewy on the second taste, that fill the mouth. Generous and expansive. Voluptuous fruit with a capitvating and satisfying texture, it’s really the mouthfeel that’s in focus, big and wide - coating the mouth. Flavours are concentrated around blackcurrant and black cherry with some sweet strawberry and soft chalkiness as well as a touch of sweet liquorice too. Clear depth and power though still youthful and somewhat shy. An excellent Cheval. (Drink between 2028-2055)Decanter | 96 DEC

One of the wines of the vintage is the 2018 Château Pavie, and Gérard Perse continues to produce one of the greatest wines in the world, in just about every vintage. Based on 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 shows the slightly more restrained style of the estate today yet still brings classic Pavie richness, depth, and grandeur. Revealing a deep purple color as well as a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, damp earth, tobacco, chalk, and lead pencil shavings, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, incredible purity, a dense, concentrated mid-palate, and a liqueur of rocks-like sense of minerality on the blockbuster finish. There’s a backward, inward style here that actually reminds me of the 2000. This is another magical, probably immortal wine from this terroir that marries power with elegance perfectly. Don’t miss it!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDImpressive aromas of pure, crushed blackberries and brambleberries with red and black licorice and black olives, as well as incense, following through to a full body with round, creamy tannins and lots of fruit. Yet, it’s tight and reserved at the finish. Needs three or four years to open and start showing its true character. Powerful and linear. Cellar-bound. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2018 Pavie is a blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has a 3.58 pH and 14.48% alcohol. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with a fabulously expressive nose of crème de cassis, baked plums and blueberry preserves, leading to an impressive array of nuances, featuring notions of dark chocolate, camphor, licorice, rose petals and fertile loam, plus hints of crushed rocks and iron ore. The rich, full-bodied palate offers layer upon layer of opulent black and blue fruits with loads of exotic spice sparks and pretty floral and mineral accents, supported by firm, super plush tannins and remarkable tension, finishing with epic length and depth. This could only be Pavie. It makes for a seductively stylish glass now, but patience will be rewarded if it is afforded 5-7 years in bottle, at least, then drink it over the next 30+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThis is packed with raspberry, plum and boysenberry compote flavors that sail through thanks to the unencumbered feel provided by the polished structure. Fine chalky threads curl throughout as this opens in the glass, with flamboyant flashes of apple wood, anise and violet emerging through the finish. Youthfully dense, but everything is in proportion. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2025 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 98 WSPavie is positively striking in 2018. Rich and sumptuous to the core, the 2017 possesses stunning depth and impeccable overall balance. Dark cherry, mocha, plum, spice, new leather and licorice all build as the 2018 shows its allure. Silky, polished tannins round out the finish. This is a stellar showing from the Perse family. The 2018 is absolutely gorgeous.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGNot so long ago, Pavie would have rejoiced in the massive tannic and alcohol potential of this vintage, but they really have done a great job practicing restraint. It doesn’t sacrifice Pavie’s power but of all the wines in this particular lineup it’s the one that carries the weight of the vintage the best, building power by stealth rather than grabbing it from you. This is great quality, with inky depths to the black fruits, accompanied by liquorice and chocolate, and the beautiful salty lick on the finish really completes the picture - your tongue just licks the wall and it’s highly enjoyable! Harvest began on 26 September, later than some in the appellation, with a 38hl/ha yield. Although extraction was kept gentle, with the grapes given a week-long cold soak before fermentation at no more than 28°C, then a five-week maceration (longer than some, but these guys used to do eight weeks or more!), they have achieved a high tannin count of 97IPT and 3.58pH. Drinking Window 2028 - 2042.Decanter | 96 DEC

The deep purple, inky-hued 2018 Château Gazin comes from the Pomerol plateau and is 93% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc. A brilliant nose of blueberries, candied cherries, wildflowers, tobacco, chocolate, and spice gives way to a stunning Pomerol with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. This plush, sexy, opulent Pomerol does everything right. It already offers pleasure yet will ideally be given 4-6 years of bottle age and will have two decades or so over overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDDark plum and blackberry reduction flavors pick up light ganache and licorice snap notes along the way. Has the vintage’s grip on the back end, giving this a serious feel.Wine Spectator | 96 WSRich aromas of blueberries, ripe black cherries, chocolate and sandalwood. It’s full-bodied with firm, well integrated and rounded tannins. Solid depth of fruit here. Creamy and polished. Better after 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSFor its weight, this wine is also elegant. Rich, lush Merlot fruit flavors have a sense of restraint, self-contained and already delicious. The ripe berry flavors promise a wine that will have opulent fruit as well as structure. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is a good-quality, serious wine. It has some firm tannins and a ton of fruit, and underneath it all the luxurious feel of a quality Pomerol. 2018 marks 100 years under the de Bailliencourt family. 50% new oak. (Drink between 2026-2045)Decanter | 94 DECDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Gazin (a blend of 93% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc) leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of warm plums, black raspberries and kirsch, plus suggestions of wild mushrooms, fragrant earth, Sichuan pepper and tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers impressive energy with approachable, rounded tannins and a lively backbone framing the crunchy red and black fruits, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThe 2018 Gazin is an attractive, understated Pomerol built more on persistence than on volume. Cedar, iron, dried flowers, spice, new leather and scorched earth accents add quite a bit of character. Bright saline notes punctuate the vibrant, salivating finish. A few years in bottle should help the tannins soften. Readers need to be patient, as the 2018 is not an especially open wine, as many Pomerols are in this vintage, but rather a wine built for the cellar.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

The purity of fruit to this is really attractive with blue fruit, blackberries and flowers on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with fine tannins, a solid core of fruit and a long, attractive finish. Drink in 2022 and onwardsJames Suckling | 93 JSThe 2018 d’Aiguilhe offers up a compelling mélange of inky red/purplish fruit and plenty of structure to match. It is impressive in its peer group, but also needs quite a bit of time to be at its best. The 2018 is not quite as showy as it was en primeur, and yet its energy and depth are intriguing. Antonio Galloni | 92 AGAustere, textbook limestone flavours given a plump mid palate by damson and black cherry fruits. Owned by Stephan von Neipperg. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 92 DECUnder the same ownership as Canon la Gaffelière in Saint-Emilion, this estate has produced a powerfully rich wine, with tannins cushioned by dense black-plum flavors. Rich in structure and driven by fruit, the wine will age well. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 d’Aiguilhe jumps up out of the glass with exuberant notes of plum preserves, Black Forest cake and blackberry pie, plus hints of potpourri, hoisin and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate has a soft texture and oodles of freshness supporting the mouth-coating black fruit preserves, finishing with loads of exotic spice layers.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPReaders looking for a beautiful Bordeaux that’s not going to break the bank should check out the 2018 Château D’Auguilhe. Coming from the cooler Castillon region to the east of Saint-Emilion, this beauty offers a terrific perfume of ripe black raspberries, cherries, roasted herbs, sweet mulch, and spring flowers. It has a fresh, crunchy quality to its fruit, nicely integrated acidity, ripe yet present tannins, and the class to keep for 10-15 years. (Drink between 2021-2036)Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 De Sales rocks up with expressive blackberries and black cherries notes with an undercurrent of tilled soil, truffles and mossy bark. Medium to full-bodied, it has a solid structure of ripe, rounded tannins and impressive freshness, finishing with bright black fruit layers.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPI missed the 2018 Château De Sales in this year’s Bordeaux report but was able to get a bottle from the domaine. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a beautiful, classic Pomerol nose of earthy red and blue fruits, truffle, damp soil, cedary herbs, and tobacco, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a nicely balanced, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. Building nicely with time in the glass, it marries notable elegance with plenty of richness and is ideal for enjoying any time over the coming 15 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDA soft, juicy red with a creamy texture to the tannins. Berry, cherry, light cedar and almond flavors. Pretty and balanced. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSSilky and refined in feel, with alluring dark tea, dried anise, mulled plum and steeped black cherry notes gliding through in unison. Bay leaf note twinkles on the finish. Drink now through 2031. 6,800 cases made, 1,000 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 91 WSTechnical director Vincent Montigaud has managed this vintage well, making an accessible Sales that has fairly full-on tannins at this early stage, with traces of bitterness through the finish, but met step for step by blueberry and cassis fruits. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 91 DEC

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Fleur Cardinale—composed of 74% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon—leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of wild blueberries, crushed blackberries and ripe, juicy plums, plus hints of sandalwood, unsmoked cigars, menthol and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of ripe black and blue fruits, framed by velvety tannins and beautiful freshness, finishing long with lots of mineral and exotic spice layers. A very stylish Saint-Émilion!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2018 Fleur Cardinale is bright and focused, yet has all of the raciness the estate’s fans have come to expect. Inky red fruit, blood orange, spice, mint and rose petal develop with a bit of coaxing. Today the 2018 is a bit tightly wound, but that should serve it just fine as it ages in bottle. Pretty Cabernet Franc accents linger on the persistent finish.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe Grand Vin 2018 Château Fleur Cardinale checks in as a mix of 74% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in new French oak. It has integrated its oak elevage beautifully and while it has a kiss of modern character and polish, it still has loads of classic Saint-Emilion character, as well as minerality. Deep ruby/plum hued with a gorgeous bouquet of black cherries, white truffles, camphor, lead pencil, and exotic spices, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a beautifully balanced, layered texture, building, firm tannins, and a great finish. It’s certainly in the same class as the 2015 and 2016, but the cellar is going to be your friend. Hide bottles for at least 4-6 years and it should cruise for 20 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDAn estate that is just doing such good work right now. This was delicious en primeur and for me a little better in bottle. Has that slow slate-textured finish that makes things inch along slowly, giving time to appreciate the rich berry fruits and floral edge to the aromatics. An interesting initiative in the packaging also, with a wooden cask that has instructions for being turned into a bird box afterwards, encouraging recycling. A yield of 45l/ha. 100% new oak. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 94 DECBlackcurrant, clove, walnut-husk, tobacco and pine-cone aromas. Dried flowers and mocha, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Polished layers of dark fruit and wood notes with a long, chewy finish. Focused. Very fine. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 94 JSRipe and focused, with tasty red and black currant fruit flavors that have a racy edge, mixed with hints of anise, bramble and steeped dark tea developing through the finish. Very solid. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2022 through 2034. 10,000 cases made, 2,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe Decoster family, formerly producers of porcelain in Limoges, have given this estate considerable luster. This latest release shows a solid character, powered by dark tannins, hints of licorice and rich fruit. Cabernet Franc aromas shine through the jammy Merlot. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

This is intense with tons of tar and cloves against the well-defined cassis fruits and lovely vibrant violet edging. The silky texture and legs indicate generous alcohol, but this is balanced, if on the larger side. It takes its time in the glass, at first a little overpowering, but it settles into itself and has been well handled offering good ageing potential. There were new owners as of harvest 2018, as French entrepreneur Jérôme Pignard took over from American co-owners; the Gant, Ferenbach and Sachs families. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThe deep ruby-hued 2018 Château La Vieille Cure is a smoking wine that readers should snatch up! Lots of red and black currants, cedary spice, dried tobacco, and a touch of chalky minerality all emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a fruit-loaded, concentrated mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and outstanding length. It has a touch of background oak, but that should integrate with 2-4 years in the cellar, and this gorgeous Fronsac will shine over the following decade or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDAromas of plum, blueberry, dark chocolate and walnut husk. Some pine cone, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins. Chewy, creamy and polished all at once. Extremely well done. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 93 JSDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 La Vieille Cure opens with cedar chest, graphite and tree bark scents, giving way to a core of baked blackberries, stewed plums and cherry compote, with wafts of Sichuan pepper and star anise. The full-bodied palate (15% alcohol) is wearing a lot of oak at this stage, with a good core of baked black fruits and loads of exotic spice accents, supported by grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing woody. Give it a good 5 years for the oak to integrated and drink it over the next 12-15 years or more.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPThe 2018 La Vieille Cure is a total pleasure bomb. Rich, sumptuous and exotically beautiful, the 2018 grabs hold of all the senses and never lets up. Inky dark fruit, spice, new leather, licorice, mocha and chocolate build as this exuberant, deeply layered Fronsac shows off its soft curves and considerable charms. In a word: fabulous.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThis has a succulent feel, pulling you into its mix of fresh plum, red cherry and raspberry coulis flavors while bergamot and red tea accents stay in the background. The finish is juicy but tightly focused, with an underlying chalky thread lending precision. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2030. 7,633 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This is pretty powerful. Extremely tight dark fruits right now - quite a change in profile from a decade ago, now showing brambled blackberries and cassis, majoring on Cabernet characteristics. Delicious, savoury and sappy, with crushed mint on the finish. A yield of 42hl/ha. Ageing in 50% new oak (mainly large-format casks). (Drink between 2026-2040)Decanter | 94 DECThe estate is surrounded by the suburbs of the city of Libourne and this wine is produced by the team at Château Cheval Blanc. That combination has produced a sequence of fine wines, like this release. Rich fruits have been given a sheen of wood aging and crafted tannins to make a wine that will age well. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEQuinault l’Enclos comes from off a very gravelly soil with great drainage, but there’s not a lot of water during dry periods. Adeptly produced by the team of Cheval Blanc (who purchased the estate in 2008), the wine nonetheless maintained its poise under the dry and warm ripening conditions of 2018, coming in at a respectable pH of 3.67 and relatively moderate alcohol of 14.1%. The 2018 Quinault l’Enclos has a deep garnet-purple color and beautifully expressed notes of baked black cherries, ripe black plums and boysenberries, plus hints of violets, dark chocolate, star anise and tobacco leaf. The medium-bodied palate has a gorgeous velvety texture and oodles of freshness supporting the perfumed black fruits, finishing long and fragrant. This vintage is a blend of 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak and the rest in one-year-old 500-liter barrels and foudres. It is tempting to drink this right now, but give it two years in the cellar for full impact and enjoy it over the next 17+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThe 2018 Quinault L’Enclos is so impressive. Bright and delineated, the 2018 pulses with energy from start to finish. The aromatics alone are just captivating, with floral and savory notes that soar out of the glass. Lavender, sage, menthol, licorice, crushed rocks and plum all build as the 2018 shows off its considerable allure. The 2018 is such a gorgeous wine.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGComing from a walled vineyard near the town of Libourne, the 2018 Château Quinault L’Enclos reveals a dense ruby/purple color to go with lots of earthy red and black currant fruits, truffle, leather, camphor, and bouquet garni-like nuances. Rich, full-bodied, and beautifully textured, it needs plenty of air to show at its best, so don’t be afraid to give bottles a healthy decant if drinking any time soon. It should have two decades of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDA juicy red with creamy, polished tannins and attractive blackberry, blackcurrant, wet-earth and bark flavors. Rich finish. Needs time to come together, but already very attractive. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JS

The second wine of Château Ausone, always produced in limited quantities, provides a fine echo of the top wine. Bold tannins and fine perfumes give this wine richness and excellent potential. Layers of black fruits are impeccable, right in the balance with the wine’s texture. This will certainly age, drinkable from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2018 Chapelle D’Ausone is another second wine that can easily compete with most estates’ top wines. Coming from a blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon that will spend 20 months in oak, it tastes like a mini Château Ausone with its beautiful limestone minerality and sweet black fruits, spice, and graphite aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, concentrated, with building structure, it’s a serious second wine that’s going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95+ JDA red with black berry, blue berry, iodine, muscle shell and hot stone character on both the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied and very tight with a compact palate of beautiful fruit with a minerally undertone. Very long and polished. Fine yet structure. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Chapelle d’Ausone is made of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, as impenetrable as this wine’s big-brother grand vin wine is, this is the precocious, show-off younger sibling. It comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheery scents of redcurrant jelly, black raspberries, stewed plums and Black Forest cake, giving way to suggestions of rose oil, dusty soil and garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with juicy black and red berry layers, framed by beautifully ripe, finely grained tannins and tons of freshness, finishing long and perfumed. Delicious right now, if money’s no object, buy this and the grand vin. The 2018 Ausone is going to take a good few years to come around, but this second wine offers a true enough taste of that epic feast of a wine to come.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPChapelle d’Ausone might very well be the best second wine in Bordeaux in 2018, and it is certainly a lot more compelling than many top cuvées. Inky, deep and voluptuous, the Chapelle shows all of the natural suppleness of Merlot to great effect. Soft curves and silky tannins round things out in style. It is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty from the Vauthier family. Simply magnificent.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGYou definitely get the brushed damson fruits and slight grilled notes of oak, but it is oh-so carefully handled, and just gives the most gorgeous blend; 80% young vines up to 10 years old (planted at 12,000 vines per hectare), plus some lots that didn’t make it into the first wine. That makes this an extremely successful Chapelle with just so much personality and depth. Such incredible precision here to the freshly crushed mint leaves. This is an expensive second wine, but it absolutely delivers the ’wow’ factor. 20 months in barrel, 100% new oak, as per Ausone, but pure limestone so it just sucks it up. Normally 20,000 bottles of Ausone and 5-6,000 bottles of Chapelle. A high Silver. And a yield now up to around 37-40hl/ha. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2040Decanter | 93 DEC

Black cherry, clove, cedar and dried earth on the nose. Some vanilla and licorice. It’s medium-bodied with firm, chewy tannins. Some wet earth. Polished and layered, with wonderful freshness, too. Very tight now. Better from 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSBased on 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 18 months in 40% new French oak, the 2018 Château Petit Village performed even better from bottle than barrel and ranks with the finest vintages I’ve tasted from this estate. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as gorgeous damp earth, spice, and floral aromatics, it has sumptuous levels of black and blue fruits, nicely integrated oak, ripe, polished tannins, medium to full body, and outstanding length on the finish. This is classic Pomerol elegance and purity paired with plenty of richness and depth. It’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and have two decades of overall longevity. Well worth seeking out, it’s a beautiful Pomerol.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2018 Petit-Village is sumptuous and racy, but remains very much medium in body. Silky tannins add to the wine’s finesse. Dark-toned fruit, chocolate, spice, menthol, licorice and dried herbs all meld together in a Petit-Village of distinction and class. The 2018 is very nicely done.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis dense wine is richly structured by firm black-fruit flavors. It has a solid core that is concentrated yet balanced by a fine freshness that is typical of the vintageWine Enthusiast | 93 WEMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Petit Village, a blend of 72% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, strolls out of the glass with open-for-business scents of stewed black plums, blackberry pie and blueberry compote, plus hints of spice cake, Sichuan pepper and fallen leaves. Full-bodied, rich and spicy, the palate delivers lovely freshness and a soft texture, finishing satisfyingly savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPDark plum and blackberry compote flavors fill this out nicely, while licorice, sweet spice and black tea notes glide in on the back end. Warm stone hint through the finish gives it the slightly austere spine of the vintage. Solidly built. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2022 through 2034. 2,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSAlways a little subdued when first poured, because it is made in a very reductive style during fermentation and ageing, but this opens to show excellent black fruits and plenty of uplift as it travels through the palate. This has a lovely perky feel, with blackberry, autumn berry fruits, some tobacco on the nose and a good, rich mouthfeel, with balance and a savoury edge. 3.7pH. 40% new oak.Decanter | 92 DEC

Made of 100% Merlot, the 2018 Bellevue has a deep garnet-purple color and a profound nose of plum preserves, blackberry compote and stewed black cherries, followed by an undercurrent of cedar chest, violets, aniseed and iron ore with a touch of garrigue. The medium to full-bodied palate packs the mouth with wonderfully energetic black fruits and a lively backbone, framed by ripe, rounded tannins, finishing on a lingering ferrous note.Bellevue is the pretty little vineyard poised just above Château Angelus in Saint-Émilion. The soils here are clay/limestone, and it is planted to 100% Merlot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2018 Bellevue has a gorgeous bouquet of copious red berry fruit, crushed rock, rose petals and cedar scents that gain intensity with aeration. The fresh, vibrant palate is very well balanced with fine tannins, perfect acidity, precise mineral drive and a classy finish. This is a superb Bellevue that lives up to its promise from barrel.Vinous Media | 93 VMLots of red and blue fruits, violets, orange blossom, and more exotic notes emerge from the 2018 Château Bellevue. Medium to full-bodied, it offers beautiful purity, ripe tannins, and a good spine of acidity that keeps everything fresh and vibrant. Beautifully done, it will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for upwards of 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThere is clear austerity on the approach, with the fruit pulling inwards through the mid-palate before widening out. It has an impressive texture with fleshy plum and ripe red apple fruit. You can feel the softness of the tannins, gently laying in wait, and this gets pretty big on the juicy, seductive finish, where there’s a ton of liquorice to fall into. An organically-certified estate owned by the de Bouard family. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040. Decanter | 93 DEC

Including slightly more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, the 2018 Château Clinet is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 75% new French oak. One of the superstars of the vintage, it has incredible elegance and finesse as well as gorgeous richness and depth. Notes of cassis and truffly dark fruits as well as tobacco, damp earth, chocolate, and lead pencil shavings emerge from the glass, and it’s full-bodied, with a seamless, multi-dimensional texture, gorgeous tannins, and a great, great finish. It already offers incredible pleasure, but it won’t hit maturity for another 5-7 years and should evolve for 30 years or more. This magical wine is in the same league as the 2015 and 2016, and drinking these beauties over the coming decades will be an incredible treat.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2018 Clinet is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for approximately 16 months in French oak barriques, 75% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is locked down tight at first sniff, requiring a good amount of air to begin to reveal profound notions of stewed black plums, mulberries and black cherry compote, plus hints of black truffles, damp soil, tobacco leaf and chargrill with an emerging waft of cedar. The full-bodied palate is a full-on volcano of black fruit and molten rock waiting to erupt, with a solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with amazing length. There is a lot going on here, but it is a wine for the patient. Give it a good 5-7 years in bottle, at least, and drink it over the next 30+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPClosed and coiled right now, with ripped layers of fruit. A ton of graphite, bitter dark chocolate and finessed berry fruits. Definitely need to give this time and respect its muscular from. A seriously impressive Clinet that has held its form over ageing. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045.Decanter | 97 DECBlackberries and blueberries with subtle black chocolate and violets on the nose, following to a full-bodied palate with polished, creamy tannins. Beautiful balance and really refined texture. Drink after 2024, but already so gorgeous.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2018 Clinet, which was cropped at 38hl/ha, has an exquisite bouquet of lavish black cherry and raspberry fruit, and still those bunches of violets I observed from barrel, flanked by potpourri. The aromatics are well defined and the new oak seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit. It has firmed up since I tasted in barrel, when I noted that it felt like a "muscular" Clinet in the making. That trait is emphasized in bottle, and those accustomed to the more hedonistic Clinets of yore might find it a tad more reserved and drier. But it is a style that suits it well. White pepper leaves the mouth tingling after it has departed, the fitting conclusion to a superb – dare I say cerebral? – Clinet that has a long and prosperous future.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis is a powerful, densely structured wine. Rich in tannins, full of dark black fruits and ripe acidity, the wine is impressively complete. It has considerable promise. Drink this wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE