Red Wines

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A youthful, unevolved 2018 with lots of up-front blue and black fruits as well as cedary herbs, violets, and scorched earth, the 2018 Château Gloria is medium to full-bodied and has a beautifully balanced, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and both richness and freshness. The purity of fruit is spot on. It’s another brilliant wine from this estate that readers will love. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years in the cellar and cruise for two decades in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA full-bodied red with a dense, juicy palate of blueberries and blackcurrants. Some black tea and tree bark, too. Tight yet long and linear finish. Very structured and polished. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThis wine has all the structured intensity and ripe fruitiness of a Saint-Julien. At the same time, it displays a light touch with the black fruits and open texture, promising an attractive wine. Drink the wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 Gloria has turned out beautifully. Medium in body, with terrific balance and tons of class, Gloria will especially appeal to readers in search of a wine that is not super-exuberant, as so many 2018s are. Bright floral notes, blood orange and red berry fruit all run through this wonderfully expressive Saint-Julien. Give the tannins at least a few years to soften.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGFresh and energetic, with violet, licorice and cassis aromas and flavors spilling forth while bramble and graphite run underneath. Applewood streak gives the finish some spine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 93 WSGloria is fast becoming one of the most exciting insider wines of the entire Bordeaux region, and that rare species of a non-classified St-Julien. The fruit here is brambly, textured and autumnal, and again the alcohol seems generous but balanced, with plenty of St-Julien finesse. It has a feeling of not needing to go too far to convince anyone. This is some austerity here but there’s a bounce to the tannins through the mid-palate, while the alcohol is clearly there but not dominant, helped I would expect by relatively generous yields of 46hl/ha. Very good quality. 5% Cabernet Franc makes up the blend. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2027 - 2040.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Gloria is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged for approximately 14 months in oak barriques, 40% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it sashays out of the glass with flamboyant notes of kirsch, black raspberries and cassis, plus hints of potpourri, unsmoked cigars and star anise. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a good amount of juicy black and red fruit flavors, backed up by slightly chewy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing spicy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2018 Grand Mayne keeps everything under wraps on the nose, at least for the first 60 minutes, then it blossoms to offer gorgeous pure blackberry, briary, crushed stone and light rose petal aromas. The new oak is beautifully integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, superb acidity, gentle grip and an almost symmetrical finish of laser-like precision. An outstanding Grand Mayne, certainly one of the finest in recent years.Vinous Media | 94 VMVibrant and fruity nose of blackberries, currants, cherries, violets, licorice and pine needles. Full-bodied with firm, broad tannins. Plenty of concentration and ripe dark fruit with a floral undertone. Try in 2023.James Suckling | 93 JSA rich, perfumed wine, this has ripe black-fruit and vanilla flavors. Dense tannins from both from the wood and the fruit add spice and smokiness to this full wine. The firmness needs to soften into the fruit, so wait to drink until 2026. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Grand Mayne sashays out of the glass with flashy, upfront notes of preserved plums, stewed black cherries and blackberry pie, plus hints of eucalyptus, wild sage, lavender and cloves. The full-bodied palate is seductively fruity with a sturdy frame of chewy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with a spicy kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2018 Château Grand Mayne is terrific and has a masculine, age-worthy style. A deep ruby hue is followed by a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated Saint-Emilion with notable chalky minerality, loads of sumptuous blackberry fruits, notes of chocolate and leafy herbs, firm, present, yet ripe tannins, and a great finish. It shows a more backward, reserved side to the vintage, yet I love its purity of fruit, its balance, and its overall class. Hide bottles for 4-5 years, and it should keep for two decades. (Drink between 2025-2045)Jeb Dunnuck | 92+ JDPowerful, confident, liquorice and black cherry, this is a big-shouldered wine as it was en primeur. It’s not yet softening to fully release the tight fruits, but this has a ton of promise. (Drink between 2026-2042)Decanter | 92 DEC

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is sourced from choice blocks on the Groth family’s Oakville property. A gorgeous, classically built wine, the Reserve is just fabulous today. Dark red-toned fruit, cedar, spice and mocha lend considerable energy as the 2018 gradually opens in the glass. I would be in no rush here.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThis has the vivid, driven cassis, boysenberry and blackberry fruit of the vintage, but it’s well-harnessed, with streaks of racy anise, alder and sweet bay leaf providing focus and precision. There’s a long echo of iron and savory through the finish as the fruit lingers, leaving a mouthwatering feel. Understated in style compared with its colleagues, but no less complex. Best from 2022 through 2038. 2,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSAromas of ripe blackberries, blueberries, plums, earth, lavender and bark. It’s medium-to full-bodied with fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Balanced and juicy with a caressing texture and a bright core of spiced fruit. Elegant. Drink from 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSHigh floral intensity with soft mellow plums and cherries, hints of earthy nuances. Soft profile with layers of sweet spices and a herbal finish. (Drink between 2022-2035)Decanter | 91 DEC

Last of the Syrahs, the 2018 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard reveals a deep ruby/purple color as well as a wonderfully complex, classic Syrah nose of red and black fruits, cured meats, mushrooms, bacon fat, iron, and forest floor, with a touch of flowers emerging with time in the glass. With its medium to full-bodied richness, firm, focusing tannins, and great finish, it’s another wine that takes savoriness to the nth degree. I love its texture, and there’s almost a Burgundian style here that keeps you coming back to the glass. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDNotes of blackberry with coffee, nutmeg and smoke undertones. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins. Elegant and balanced on the palate with a creamy texture and supple, smoky character. Long finish. Drink in 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSBright ruby-red, the darkest of these Horsepower bottlings. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, menthol, bitter chocolate, crushed rock, violet and licorice are more Hermitage than Côte-Rôtie. At once dense and lively, conveying more energy and black fruit intensity than the Sur Echalas Syrah. Boasts lovely inner-mouth verve and definition for such a rich wine, and a captivating balance of sweetness and acidity. Also purer and sweeter than the Sur Echalas, with more subtle salty and balsamic tones. Finishes firmly tannic, ripe and very long, with complicating hints of violet and black olive. I particularly like this wine’s balance of acidity and sweetness. It has the spine to evolve positively in bottle but its subtle sweetness gives it early appeal. Incidentally, the Horsepower wines are fermented in concrete tanks and aged in neutral demi-muids and foudres, with this bottling getting some second-fill demi-muids. (Tasted June 2021; Published September 2021)Vinous Media | 94 VMWith grapes coming from a vineyard where the stones of the ancestral Walla Walla River and the surrounding silty loam meet, the aromas bring notes of raspberry, funk, ash, blood orange, black olive and potpourri. Palate-coating, intense flavors follow, showing layers of complexity. It’s more overtly rich in style than prior vintages but with no shortage of grace. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEDark ruby with a magenta rim, the 2018 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard offers the darkest and broodiest nose of the range this year, with elements of teriyaki beef jerky, roasted plums and black peppercorn spice. Full-bodied, the palate is dense and chewy with a firm tannic edge, offering a gripping mineral tension and elements of blackberry skin, turned earth and worn leather. Give this another year or two in the bottle and drink until its 15th birthday. The wine rested for two years in a mixture of demi-muids and foudre. Just under 6,200 bottles were filled.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThere’s a simmering core of power underneath the elegant texture of this red, which unfurls slowly with blackberry, bacon fat and garrigue tones. Drink now through 2029. 516 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Aged 48 months in new barrels, never racked, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Deep Time is another singular beauty that tops out my scale. Showing a touch more classy oak as well as complex cassis, crème brûlée, new leather, and sweet tobacco, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round, seamless, sexy mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. Despite its four years in barrel, it hasn’t lost any sense of freshness and has vibrancy, purity, and structure. It too will evolve for 20 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Deep Time explodes with savory/meaty notes over a core of plum preserves and cassis with hints of tar, black olives, blackberries, and smoked meats. The full-bodied palate is rich and bright, with amazing tension, minerals, and black fruits, finishing long. There’s loads of tertiary goodness here!The Wine Independent | 99 TWIThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Deep Time is a selection of barrels from all three single vineyards, held back for extended maturation. This year, the wine aged in wood for 48 months. Marked by typical cigar box aromas, it also delivers plenty of cherries, vanilla and a hint of cassis. It’s full-bodied, rich and undeniably woody, yet still retains ample freshness and length. It reminds me a bit of some Riojas, for its wood presence and elegance, but with more power and fruit weight, like some of Chris RIngland’s long-aged releases of Barossa Shiraz. Idiosyncratic but delicious, it’s another top-class effort from proprietor Jayson Woodbridge.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RP

Starting off an incredible lineup of 2018s, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard has a purple/blue hue as well as a powerful bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, smoked tobacco, and new leather, with a kiss of background graphite. Full-bodied, utterly seamless, and flawlessly balanced, it’s impossible to resist today yet will cruise for 20-25 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDSituated toward the base of Howell Mountain, too low to be included in that AVA, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard boasts ample complexity in its scents of pine needles, blueberries and cassis, all framed by vanilla and cedar. Did I mention lots of vanilla? It’s a full-bodied wine, silky-plush and almost too easy to drink, with a long, menthol-tinged finish. There’s a certain coolness, an aloofness to this wine, which one might more charitably call restraint but which left this taster only majorly impressed, not completely wowed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP

More structured than the Brunello Annata and exhibiting the firm’s trademark of mesmerizing finesse, this captivating stunner has lovely aromas of blue flower, rose, wild herb and a whiff of fine tobacco blend. The luminous, youthfully austere but already delicious palate has irresistible precision and a pristine quality, delivering ripe raspberry, baking spice and black tea alongside tight, refined tannins. It’s young but already beautifully balanced, with bright acidity. Spoiler alert: this is only for fans of extremely refined, exhilarating and terroir-driven wines. Drink 2028–2048. 14.5% abv.Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOTaking things up a notch, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Madonna Delle Grazie pours a bit richer ruby hue, with a concentrated perfume of incense, leather, blackberry, and lavender oil. It is full-bodied and well-structured, with ripe yet present tannins, and acidity that drives along the sides of the palate and keeps things from being weighted down. It is rich with port-like fruit and will benefit from several years of cellaring before drinking over the coming 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDIl Marroneto’s 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna della Grazia single vineyard Brunello is densely fragrant and has this wonderful nose of crushed roses, dark cherries and wild flowers with a little etched detail of green herb, adding intrigue and interest. On the palate it has a rich, silky texture yet with a gentle, weightless quality and lots of fine, silty tannins. This 2018 has plenty of depth of flavor and concentration to match the beautiful structure but I love the harmony of this wine the most. Madonna della Grazie is approximate 1.5 hectare at 420 meters above sea level is on the northern boundary of Montalcino town. The vineyard sits just below the chapel it takes its name from and it has a mainly sandy soil rich in minerals. This Madonna della Grazie 2018 Brunello is a breathtakingly beautiful wine. I even prefer it to the stunning 2016 version of this wine at this point because the 2018 has even more finesse and harmony.The Wine Independent | 98 TWIThe Il Marroneto 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie reveals elegance and power all in one go. The fruit quality is crisp and tonic, yet the wine supports mid-weight concentration and a more elaborate style. This vintage from Il Marroneto has two personalities. On the one hand, you get a wine that is packed with beautiful primary fruit but that is slightly more immediate; on the other, you get a wine that promises good aging thanks to its freshness and the silky tannins that melt onto the palate. It is young but also aged. It is racy but also complex. Fruit comes from the vineyard under the Madonna delle Grazie chapel, and the wine ages in special oak casks for 41 months. This is a production of 8,500 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie takes its time opening in the glass, complex and darkly alluring with its musky red currants and savory spices, yet with swirling pretty rose tones. A hint of sweet smoke comes forward to add lovely contrast. Its textures are like liquid velvet, with a chalky mineral staining that comes on quickly, which is perfectly balanced by a massive wave of dark red berries; yet through it all, balance is expertly maintained by streamlined acidity that creates a sense of total inner harmony. The 2018 leaves a structured sensation, yet its tannins are silky and fine, coupled with a violet pastille and lavender resonance that I find wildly attractive. Of note, I’ve tasted this wine over the last two years and followed this recent bottle over the course of 48 hours; at which point it never faltered and only increased in depth and complexity. Il Marroneto’s 2018 Madonna delle Grazie is unquestionably one of the top three wines of the vintage. My hat is off to Alessandro Mori, and his team.Vinous Media | 97 VMIl Marroneto’s single-vineyard bottling is a selection of small loose bunches, manifested in the density of fruit and assuredness of structure. Next to the estate’s ‘classic’ Brunello, it often leads with an earthier, more autumnal countenance. The 2018 corresponds with fragrances of chestnut and forest undergrowth juxtaposed with the vintage’s fruit sweetness. Layers of long suede-like tannins wrap around fleshy black cherry. As it opens, subtle traces of pepper, leather and incense pledge more to come. Above all, Madonna delle Grazie embodies the most positive attributes of the vintage as it flows with agility and grace.Decanter | 96 DECThis has an array of red and dark fruits with coffee, dark chocolate, sweet spices and overturned earth. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins and a pronounced dark berry character on the palate. A little tight and structured, with a firm and long-lasting finish that leaves you with notes of nut shell and crushed stones. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon West Wall is absolutely gorgeous. It is also remarkably different from the East Elevation. Here the flavors are bright and punchy. Dark red fruit, blood orange, cedar, licorice, spice and tobacco are all beautifully delineated. There is plenty of weight and richness to the 2018, but those elements are so nicely contrasted by the wine’s energy. The 2018 West Wall is fabulous. That’s all there is to it. Antonio Galloni | 96 AG In contrast, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon West Wall offers beautiful purity and freshness in its crème de cassis, cedary spice, lead pencil shavings, violets, and tobacco-like aromas and flavors. These carry to a full-bodied, layered, multi-dimensional Cabernet Sauvignon with building tannins, a solid spine of acidity, and the class to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 15-20 years after that. (Drink between 2025-2046)Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDFrom a site up near Calistoga, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon West Wall is pretty standard Napa Cab, but it’s very well done. Cedar notes and hints of dark toast and chocolate frame cherry-scented fruit on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and almost creamy in texture, with a long, gently warm finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPAromas of blackberries, plums, dried herbs, cedar and peppercorns. Walnuts, too. Full-bodied with fine tannins and fresh acidity. Fleshy, with lots of dark-fruit and bitter-cocoa notes. Drink from 2023.James Suckling | 92 JS

Moving to the three Cornas releases, the 2018 Cornas is brilliant and certainly in the same ballpark as the 2016 and 2017. Lots of red and blue fruits, smoked earth, graphite, iron, violets, and gamey notes define this full-bodied Cornas. With ample tannins, fabulous balance, and a big finish, it’s going to need 4-5 years of bottle age at a minimum yet should drink fabulously well over the following 15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDDeep ruby. Displays expressive cherry and dark berry scents, along with suggestions of cracked pepper, cola and botanical herbs. A floral note emerges with air carries onto the palate, which offers pliant black and blue fruit flavors that turn spicier through the back half. Finishes long, spicy and smooth, with well-knit tannins lending gentle grip.Vinous Media | 93 VMMichel’s 2018 Cornas is surprisingly drinkable, although it will surely age well for at least another decade. Scents of crushed stone and subtle cedar shadings accent red plums and cherries on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is streamlined and focused, smooth and dusty on the long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Only made in top vintages, the 2018 Cornas Mère Michel is a tribute to Johann’s wife and a play on the French song "La Mere Michelle." Brought up in a new demi-muid, it’s a richer, broader wine compared to the Cuvée Jana yet still has incredible Cornas style in its red, black, and blue fruits as well as notes of toasted spice, roasted meat, chocolate, and wild herbs. Rich, full-bodied, and opulent, it has a touch more upfront appeal and should be drinkable in just 4-5 years yet also evolve for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThis is a serious wine, it’s powerful and full bodied but not excessive, very ripe but not overripe without relying on extraction. It’s fresh, deeply saline and mineral with elaborate, detailed aromatics. The fruit is intense, matching the oak without being swamped by it, underpinned by serrated, edgy tannins and a very long finish. Selection massale planted in 2011 on lieu-dit Les Côtes, south-facing at 230m altitude. No destemming, aged in new demi-muids for 16 months.Decanter | 96 DEC

One 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 JDIncredible 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 JSA 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 AGThis 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 DECLush 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 WS

So attractive on the nose with blackberry, black olive and a hint of brown sugar. It’s full-bodied with layers of ripe tannins that flow across the palate. Rich, intense and flavorful finish with flavors similar to the aromas. Fleshy and toned at the end. From organically grown grapes. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2018 L’Evangile is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes barreling out of the glass with explosive scents of boysenberries, stewed plums and baked blackberries with hints of lilacs, candied violets, Indian spices and garrigue, plus a touch of black truffles. Full-bodied, rich and powerful in the mouth, this blockbuster coats the palate with layers of black fruit preserves and exotic spices, framed by plush tannins and wonderful energy, finishing long and savory. Decadently approachable now, give it 4-5 years in bottle for maximum impact and drink it over the next 20+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPMade in the more lively, elegant style that seems to be favored these days, the 2018 Château L’Evangile is based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, with the Cabernet Franc playing a much more lead role than normal. Beautiful blue fruits, green tobacco, violets, white truffle, camphor, and damp earth notes all flow to a gorgeously layered, full-bodied Pomerol with sweet, silky tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. While I prefer the more opulent renditions of this cuvée, this is nevertheless a brilliant wine that has wonderful concentration, beautiful purity of fruit, and the class to evolve for 25-30 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JD(Château L’Évangile, Pomerol, Red) You feel the density and power straight off the nose here - this is really silky, sexy and smoky wine with a ton of complex flavours combining berry fruits with spices swirling through, and finishing up with liquorice bean and coffee grounds on the finish. There’s less lift perhaps than the 2016, but you feel the concentration, the depth to the flavour, and the balance. It has a beautiful texture and feels very classically Pomerol but with elegance and persistency. A small production in 2018 but a very beautiful one. 75% new oak used. (Drink between 2027-2044)Decanter | 97 DECThe 2018 L’Évangile is flamboyant, spectacularly beautiful. Mildew in June took out fully 50% of the potential crop, resulting in a dense, opulent wine that is going to need many years to shed some of that baby fat. The 20% Cabernet Franc is the highest on record. The 2018 is an epic, modern-day Évangile. Raspberry jam, mocha, licorice, spice and chocolate come together as the 2018 blossoms with time in the glass. Made with 80% new oak. Both hedonistic and intellectual, the 2018 is a total pleasure bomb. Don’t miss it. A real wow wine - huge!Antonio Galloni | 96 AGDark and winey, with a burly tobacco edge framing a core of steeped black currant, blackberry and fig paste flavors. Strong tug of warm earth through the finish, where bay, leather and chestnut notes also chime in. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2036.Wine Spectator | 94 WSOwned by the Rothschild family of Lafite-Rothschild, this estate has produced a richly delicious wine. The power of Merlot is tempered and perfumed by ripe Cabernet Franc. Tannins and acidity both point to aging potential. The wine’s weight, cut with black fruits, is just right and well in balance. This wine needs time, so drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WE

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 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+ JDA 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 JSThis 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

Another rich, powerful Saint-Emilion, the 2018 Château La Couspaude sports a dense purple/plum color as well as a rocking nose of black cherries, wild herbs, iron, tapenade, and spicy oak. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has an expansive mouthfeel, terrific mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It needs 2-4 years of bottle age to shed some oak, but this is a beautiful, layered, hedonistic 2018 with loads to love.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBlackberries, blueberries and violets. Dark-purple fruit. It’s full-bodied with very polished tannins that are beautiful and very intense. Chewy and creamy. Needs time to open. A little tight now. Give it time to open. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe vineyard, on the edge of Saint-Emilion city, has produced a juicy, well-structured wine. Restrained tannins back up ripe black-currant fruitiness. An attractive smoky perfume from rich Cabernet Franc in the blend enhances complexity and density. Drink the wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis has a solidly built core of red and black currant fruit spliced with an alder streak and backed by subtle black tea and mineral accents through the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2022 through 2032. 3,000 cases made, 750 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSDark plum colour, with the palate kicking in with black cherry and plum compote. Unquestionably heavily oak-influenced, with liquorice and mocha. Closes down on the finish. 100% new oak barrels. Vineyards on heavily limestone soils with a yield of 35hl/ha.Decanter | 91 DEC

The 2018 Giorgio Primo represents a new level of finesse at La Massa. Powerful and dense in the glass, with tremendous structure, Giorgio Primo is a terrific example of how compelling international varieties are in Panzano’s Conca d’Oro district. Crème de cassis, spice, new leather, chocolate and sweet spice build into the textured, palate-staining finish.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe Fattoria La Massa 2018 Giorgio Primo is a wine of richness, volume and texture. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, and maceration times last 26 to 28 days to add the lovely depth and creaminess you taste here. Black fruit, crushed stone, truffle essence and toasted spice emerge from the bouquet. The wine’s full-bodied structure and its freshness promise a long cellar-aging future.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPGorgeous aromas of blackcurrants and blackberries with hints of crushed stones and walnuts. Full body, firm and chewy tannins with blackberries and hints of chocolate and spice. Flavorful and intense at the end. Better after 2023, but better already very pretty.James Suckling | 95 JS

This is a dense and lively La Mission white with lemon, lime and cream character and a light mineral and salty undertone. White pepper and salt at the finish.James Suckling | 97-98 JSThe La Mission Haut-Brion 2018 Blanc is a blend of 57.4% Sauvignon Blanc and 42.6% Sémillon. It sashays out of the glass with gregarious notes of white peaches, fresh pears and pineapple with nuances of lime blossoms, crushed rocks and sea spray, plus a waft of beeswax. The racy, medium to full-bodied palate is charged with energy, delivering vibrant citrus and tropical fruit layers with a satiny texture and fantastic length. Completely exceeding my barrel tasting expectations, this promises to be an earlier drinking style, albeit multilayered, dripping with class and, yes, it’s downright sexy. Give it just a few more months in bottle and then it should offer decadent drinking for the next 15+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPSeriously dark and winey, showing a deep core of black currant preserve, warmed fig paste and plum reduction flavors inlaid with racy graphite, mouthwatering tobacco and enticing singed alder, bay leaf and freshly plowed humus. Delivers density, grip and definition on the long finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040. 2,880 cases made, 262 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSA richer, more textured wine than the Haut-Brion Blanc, no doubt due to its larger Sémillon content, the 2018 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc reveals a medium gold hue as well as beautiful pineapple, honeyed lime, star fruit, and floral aromas and flavors. Nicely concentrated on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied and offers beautiful acidity, plenty of depth and richness, and a great finish. A slightly softer wine, it doesn’t have the precision of its counter mate yet brings more texture and opulence. It’s another brilliant white that will benefit from short-term cellaring and evolve for 15+ years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe white 2018 La Mission Haut-Brion explodes with notes of guava, pineapple, and ripe peaches, plus touches of honeyed toast and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is taut and layered, with lovely zesty sparks and a long, spicy finish.The Wine Independent | 95 TWIA serious wine that is just beginning to show its white flower and honeysuckle notes. A vintage that shows its warmth in a slightly lower acidity, but it is still an impressive textured white. 3.27pHDecanter | 94 DECThere is a light herbal touch to this wine that comes from the Sauvignon Blanc. However, it also has concentration and weight, offering a texture that brings freshness to balance the ripe fruits. The wine will age well. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc has really come together nicely since I last tasted it. Bright and finely cut, with terrific creaminess, the 2018 is already very easy to taste, and, I imagine, drink. Lime, lemon peel, mint, white pepper and jasmine give the 2018 striking effusiveness.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Another dense purple colour, no worries there! A powerful bouquet of dark but just ripe fruit. Lovely mid red, raspberry—strawberry, reasonable density but not a stonker. Good length. Actually quite a detailed Clos de la Roche with some of the characteristic blueberry fruit to finish. Tasted Dec 2019.Jasper Morris | 93-96 JMThis has a similar fruit profile to the Bonnes Mares but with more prominent earth elements along with a hint of the sauvage. The mouthfeel of the big-bodied flavors is quite simply gorgeous with excellent underlying tension, lovely delineation and subtle minerality, all wrapped in a youthfully austere finish that is shaped by firm but fine tannins. This is excellent though note well that it’s going to need plenty of time to unwind.Burghound | 92-94 BH

Blackberries, black truffles and black olives on the nose and palate. It’s full and layered with defined tannins that are chewy and nicely coated with fruit. Fresh at the end. Excellent, super wine. 66% cabernet sauvignon, 21% cabernet franc and 13% merlot Needs time to come together. Better after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2018 La Sirène de Giscours is a lovely second wine laced with radiant red berry fruit, cedar, smoke, licorice and dried flowers. Medium in body and nicely textured, the 2018 has so much to offer. It is an especially racy, inviting second wine from Giscours. The high percentage of Cabernet Franc (21%) adds striking perfume and aromatic depth. The blend is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc and 13% Merlot.Antonio Galloni | 89-92 AGThis has punch and character and pep. A little drying once you get to the close of play, as I am finding in many of these Margaux second wines, but here it is compensated by an enjoyable depth to the brambled fruits and an overall sense of quiet confidence. Drinking Window 2023 - 2036.Decanter | 92 DEC

The vineyards surrounding the 12th-century castle have produced this rich and densely structured wine. Powerful tannins give a smoky character to the ripe, black-plum fruits. It definitely needs aging, so drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2018 La Tour Carnet has calmed down a bit since I tasted it in barrel, but it still delivers plenty of punch. Inky dark red fruit, cedar, mint, dried herbs, mocha and pipe tobacco give the 2018 notable complexity. Somber and a bit brooding, the 2018 is going to need a few years to be at its best, which is always the case here. Bernard Magrez makes a wide range of compelling wines. La Tour Carnet is one of his finest.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGLots of impressive cassis and currant fruit as well as tobacco, lead pencil, new leather, and spice notes emerge from the 2018 Château Tour Carnet. It’s a medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, elegant 2018 with good concentration, ripe tannins, a solid spine of acidity, and outstanding length. It’s well worth buying multiple bottles and is going to drink brilliantly for 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDClear, rippling black cherry and raspberry fruits; beautiful aromatics with floral edging. This has a pretty tight layer of tannins to navigate through before you get to the fruit, but it is early days and this has plenty of distinction to suggest that it will age well. Has character, but needs a good few years to soften. Drinking Window: 2028 - 2044Decanter | 92 DECBlueberries, plums and blackberries, as well as herbal notes. It’s medium-to full-bodied with solid, tight tannins. Fine texture with pleasant acidity and a nice grain. Blackcurrant and light tar in the aftertaste. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 la Tour Carnet is a little closed and broody to begin, slowly unfurling to offer glimpses at notions of tar, star anise, damp soil and tapenade with a core of stewed plums and boysenberries, plus a waft of cassis. The medium-bodied palate has lovely freshness and bags of savory-laced black fruits framed by rounded tannins, finishing with a lively lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPCassis and cherry notes stream through, laced with light anise, black tea and sweet tobacco accents along the way. Late tug of earth on the finish adds nice contrast. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2028. 48,300 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WS

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

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 JDThe 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 AGPolished 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 JSDeep 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 DECWarm 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 WSA 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 WE

This is perhaps the spiciest wine in the range with a lovely mix of anise, exotic tea and sandalwood on the deeply pitched dark berry fruit aromas that also evidence a hint of volatile acidity. The rich, full-bodied and mouthcoating big-bodied flavors brim with sappy dry extract before concluding in a grippy and mildly rustic finish that still manages to deliver very good length. (Drink starting 2033)Burghound | 90-93 BH

The second wine from Calon Ségur, the 2018 Le Marquis De Calon Segur shows the ripe, sexy side to the vintage and has terrific blackcurrant and red plum-like fruits as well as lots of tobacco and cedary spice aromas and flavors. Close to an even split of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, this full-bodied, gorgeously texture, balanced Saint-Estate should be snatched up by readers. It’s in the running for the top second wine of the vintage!Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDPlenty of blackcurrant and blackberry aromas with hints of black truffle and mushroom. It’s medium-bodied with an attractive core of cool fruit and a flavorful finish. Wet-earth undertone. Second wine of Calon Segur. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSThe second wine of Chäteau Calon Ségur, this is luscious and massively dense, with black-plum fruits backed by velvet tannins and acidity. It shows power along with good potential for aging. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2018 Le Marquis de Calon-Ségur is a blend of 53% Merlot and 47% Cabernet Sauvignon (14.9% alcohol). It is anticipated to age for 17 months in barriques, 30% new. Deep purple-black in color, it gives up opulent scents of Indian spices, menthol and plum preserves with a core of crème de cassis, baked cherries and raspberry pie plus a hint of sandalwood. Big, rich, full-bodied and voluptuously fruited in the mouth, it has bags of black fruit preserves and exotic spices with a firm, plush frame, finishing long with a minty lift. Definitely one for the hedonists!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPCinnamon, cloves and touches of reduction. The plump and powerful fruits of St-Estèphe are clear, along with some pretty knitted-down tannins. Drinking Window 2025 - 2038.Decanter | 91 DEC

Ripe and seductive, with a caressing wave of cassis, plum puree and blackberry compote flavors that hold sway throughout, but not without support from enticing savory, licorice, warm loam and mineral accents along the way. Cashmere finish lets everything sail on and on. Gorgeous. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040. 10,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 97 WSCabernet Sauvignon takes center stage in the 2018 Le Petit Haut Lafitte. A powerful, deep wine, the 2018 possesses terrific energy as well as a good deal of Cabernet savoriness. I would prefer to cellar it for at least a few years as it is tightly wound today. Black cherry, blackberry jam, cloves, licorice and chocolate give this imposing red a real feeling of somber intensity.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Pure magic and one of the finest expressions of this estate I could imagine, as well as a perfect wine, the 2018 Château Léoville Las Cases comes from a mix of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc that spent 19 months in (I believe) all new French oak. Its dense purple color is followed by a profound wine loaded with notions of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, melon, crushed stone, tobacco, and violets. Full-bodied, concentrated, and massive on the palate, yet also incredibly well delineated and precise, it has a wonderful mix of seemingly ripe, sunny fruit from a warm year yet the minerality, purity, and precision of a cooler year. This wine is going to be just about immortal; however, do your best to hide bottles for a solid 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2018 Léoville Las Cases is composed of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 9% Merlot, harvested September 15 to October 4 with yields of 35.5 hectoliters per hectare, it has 14.49% alcohol and was aged in 90% new barriques. Deep purple-black colored, it needs a fair bit of coaxing to reveal striking scents of blackcurrant pastilles, wild blueberries and redcurrant jelly, giving way to notions of crushed rocks, lavender, Indian spices, unsmoked cigars and black truffles, plus a provocative waft of rose oil. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with black fruit preserves and earthy layers, accented by bright, lively red berry and floral sparks. It has a rock-solid frame of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing very long and wonderfully minerally. The tannins are so beautifully approachable even at this youthful stage, making it delicious to drink now, but afford it 5-6 years in bottle to allow those finer nuances to emerge and drink it over the next 40+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThis has such a textured, ripe, plump and poised black fruit character that is clear from the aromatics alone. Mouthfilling with huge texture and density, full of licorice root, black chocolate shavings and cocoa pod with crème de cassis edging. This is delicious and has chewy tannins that you can pick up with a shovel. One of the ’wines of the vintage’. Only 2% of press wine (unusually low, as it can go up to 15% in some years). It grips on tight to the finish - extremely impressive. 90% new oak. 80IPT. 3.65pH. A yield of 35.5hl/ha. Drinking Window 2028 - 2050.Decanter | 99 DECAn elegant, complex nose of blackberries, blueberries and herbal and spice notes with dark-chocolate and earthy undertones. Violets, flowers and graphite, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, layered tannins and a crushed-stone undertone throughout the fresh, velvety and layered palate. Very complex, muscular and formed. The finish is endless. Lowest percentage of press wine ever in this. So deep. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 99 JSLayered with dry tannins and concentrated texture, this major wine offers an impressive structure and promises considerable aging. Black-currant fruits are still tied to the tannins. The wine exudes richness and a classic profile. To say this wine will age is an understatement. Do not touch before 2028 at the earliest. Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2018 Léoville Las Cases is a very sensual wine. Silky and nuanced, the 2018 exudes extraordinary finesse from start to finish. The 2018 is a bit closed in on itself at first, but then again, that is Las Cases. At the same time, the tannins are nowhere as brooding as they once were. Inky dark fruit, crème de cassis, mocha and a whole range of savory Cabernet nuances run through a dense, packed Las Cases that is all class. The 2018 is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot and that spent 21 months in oak, 90% new. One of the recent developments at Las Cases has been a decease in the use of press wine, about 2.7% for the 2018 versus the average of 5-10% and the 15% or so that was the norm in the 1980s. I imagine that, plus the ripeness that is common these days, goes a long way towards explaining the seductive quality of many recent vintages. This is a fabulous effort from proprietor Jean-Hubert Delon and his team.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGReserved, even reticent, at first, but like a cold fireplace brought back to life it slowly reveals beautifully handcrafted notes of cassis, plum reduction and blackberry puree along with hints of charcoal, warm cast iron and sweet bay leaf. A violet note chimes on the seriously long finish, adding a tantalizing treble note. A precise, regal, terroir-driven wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2028 through 2042. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS