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(Moulin de Duhart Pauillac, Red, France) Very pretty blueberry and hazelnut character with a hint of dried tea-leaf aroma, following through to a medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a fresh finish.James Suckling | 92-93 JSA blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon (harvested September 25 to October 4) and 40% Merlot (harvested September 17-25), the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Moulin de Duhart opens with gregarious scents of black cherries, warm plums and freshly crushed blackcurrants with touches of camphor, pencil lead and cloves plus a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, it has generous mid-palate flesh framed by soft, approachable tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP(Duhart-Milon Moulin de Duhart Red) The 2018 Moulin de Duhart is a charming, gorgeous wine to drink now and over the next decade or so, while the sweet red cherry and plum fruit remains front and center. Bright floral notes perk up the finish. The Moulin emerges from the coolest parcels on the property. It is one of the hidden jewels of the vintage. The 2018 spent 12 months in barrel, virtually all used. (Drink between 2021-2028)Vinous Media | 92 AG(Château Duhart-Milon, Moulin de Duhart, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Dark plum in colour, with attractive spice. A lovely slice of Pauillac, it has some of that serious character that you find in Duhart-Milon - its dark fruits and sense of being upright - but this is accompanied by smooth tannins, understated but welcoming, with a spiced charcoal finish and good freshness. An excellent Moulin, underlining the progress Duhart has made in recent years. A yield of 37.5hl/ha, 3.65pH. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 91 DECVery sleek and fresh, with a racy iron note running along side the core of red currant and bitter cherry flavors. Red tea and sanguine threads stitch up the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2022 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A full-bodied powerhouse as well as a perfect wine, the 2018 Château Montrose is a final blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc that was raised in 60% new French oak. Boasting a deep purple hue as well as awesome levels of crème de cassis and smoky blackberry fruits and notes of tobacco, lead pencil, scorched earth, and chocolate, it’s deep, opulent, and incredibly concentrated on the palate, with no shortage of mid-palate depth, tannins, or length. It reminds me a little of a fresher version of the 2003, although there’s more Cabernet Sauvignon in 2018 as well as less Merlot. It has that classic Montrose minerality and backward, mineral-laced style, yet I suspect this will be drinkable in just 5-6 years and should evolve into a modern-day legend from this terroir.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2018 Montrose is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a good amount of air to unlock the vibrant scents of crushed blackberries, preserved plums and cassis with suggestions of star anise, cedar chest, underbrush, Indian spices and iron ore, plus an emerging waft of violets. The full-bodied palate features the most exquisitely ripe tannins, offering a rock-solid backbone with tons of freshness lifting the taut, muscular fruit, finishing long and mineral laced. Going back to this wine over a period of hours and then days further reveals a Montrose of great opulence, richness and depth. Incidentally, the IPT level this year is 82, which indicates a very high level of tannins, and yet they are so, so ripe. The alcohol is around 14.5%. But sit back, close your eyes and forget the numbers—this is pure hedonism in its youth with a fantastic 40+ years of cellaring ahead of it, during the course of which do not be at all surprised if you are blown away by a three-digit experience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPRich and deep with beautifully nuanced dark chocolate, mocha, cocoa bean and liquorice. Just full of understated power and silky tannins. This is gorgeous and among my top wines of the Left Bank. As it opens in the glass you get sweet black cherry and cassis flesh, and a sense of lilting sappiness. Great stuff from Montrose. Drinking Window 2028 - 2045.Decanter | 98 DECPurity and beauty on the nose with blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, crushed-stone and violet character. A full-bodied red with masses of polished tannins and intense flavors of currants and blackberries. Juicy finish. Super depth to this. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2018 Montrose is dazzling. Whereas so many 2018s are opulent and broad, Montrose is a wine of vertical explosive power. Ripe Cabernet aromatics soar out of the glass, making a strong first impression. Black cherry, leather, licorice, graphite and menthol develop later as the 2018 starts to open in the glass. The energy, vibrancy and drive here are palpable right out of the gate. Montrose is one of real stars of 2018. Don’t miss it!Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis wine confirms the place of Montrose among the top Bordeaux estates. With its rich tannins and powerful structure, it exudes concentration and density. But the wine also shows a sense of style. Fruit purity will make it impressive and allow it to age for many years. Drink this wine from 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEDark and winey, with a well-built core laden with cassis and dark plum puree while flashes of anise, lilac and charcoal fill in throughout. Finish has hints of chestnut and warm earth for a burly edge, but there’s ample fruit for balance. Plenty grippy in the end too; cellaring required. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Every bit as good as the 2009, and I think better than the 2010 and 2016, the 2018 Château Léoville Poyferré is a total thrill that tops out my scale. Based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible, full-bodied monster of a wine that, despite massive amounts of fruit, tannins, and extract, still stays weightless and ethereal, with incredible purity. Loaded with notions of crème de cassis, spring flowers, tobacco, violets, charcoal, and cedar pencil, it’s extraordinarily concentrated, flawlessly balanced, and has a finish that won’t quit. This is a legendary wine in the making. Give bottles 7-8 years, a decade would be even better, and it will keep for 40-50 years. Hats off to the Cuvelier family for another extraordinary wine!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new oak barriques, the 2018 Léoville Poyferré comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant scents of Morello cherries, plum preserves and blackberry pie, giving way to nuances of cedar chest, unsmoked cigars, vanilla pod and sassafras, plus a waft of crushed rocks. The palate is full-bodied, rich and decadent, delivering hedonic black fruits and lots of spicy accents with a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing long and satisfyingly savory. This is a very impressive showing that is delicious out of the gate but has the backbone to give a good 30 years or more of pleasure.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPLéoville-Poyferré is sensational in 2018. There’s not much more to say than that. A wine of explosive power and intensity, the 2018 dazzles from start to finish. To be sure, the 2018 is racy and opulent, but all the elements come together so effortlessly. Bright red-toned fruit, mocha, pine and wild flowers all open with a bit of coaxing. The new oak is a bit prominent at this stage, but that will be less of an issue over time.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGWaves of warmed cassis, mocha and warm tar aromas lead the way, while the core of macerated plum, blackberry and blueberry fruit waits its turn, showing admirable breadth and depth when it arrives, with roasted apple wood, bramble and cast iron buried deeply through the finish. This is a powerfully rendered wine with a cashmere scarf as accent. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2040. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSDark cherry, plum, spice and cacao with earthy notes and wood undertones. Cloves, too. Full-bodied, yet in control and poised. Balanced, complex and flavorful. Firm tannins and a long, precise finish. It goes on and on. Structured is the word. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSRichly dense and impressively concentrated, this is a powerful wine. Swathes of black fruits show off the Cabernet structure and dark, ageworthy character of this wine. Drink the wine from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEOne of the darkest in colour, with an inky ruby that stains the glass. Even on the nose you feel the texture of this wine. Clear damson and chocolate shavings, cocoa beans and liquorice. This is young and extremely good-quality - straying into gold territory, and will age for ages. Still extremely young, the tannins are multiplying as it stays in the mouth, popping up from all over the place, with a slow slate finish that I love. I couldn’t wait to find out what this was. It is one that should be left for 10 to 15 years but has ageing potential. Drinking Window 2026 - 2044.Decanter | 96 DEC

This has so much tannic power, with density, layers and structure along with layers of blackberry, liquorice, baked earth, cigar box and the signature exotic spices of Mouton. A big, textured and complex wine that is taking it all in its stride. 100% new oak. There is the tiniest touch of Petit Verdot in the blend, but under 1%, so it’s not in the official figures. 62% of production went into the grand vin. 3.78pH. 88IPT. The artist for this vintage is Xu Bing. Drinking Window 2028 - 2050.Decanter | 100 DECExquisite purity of blackcurrants, raspberries and some citrus. The aromas flow from the glass. Full-bodied with seamless tannins that coat the palate and then fall into the center, to deliver a thoroughly refined and harmonious young red. Endless finish. 86% cabernet sauvignon. This is the new 1959, one of the legendary vintages of Mouton. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2018 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc—there is also a splash of all the Petit Verdot they had, but it doesn’t even register in the percentage. It has 13.8% alcohol, which is relatively modest for the vintage. Deep garnet-purple colored, it straight away pops with bright, vivacious notes of crushed blackcurrants, juicy blackberries and redcurrant jelly with slowly emerging nuances of candied violets, stewed plums, licorice and black tea, plus a waft of dusty red soil. The medium-bodied palate is built like a brick house with super firm, super ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing long and savory with lingering mineral suggestions. This is so, so delicious and, due to the ripeness of tannins, approachable now. It will be difficult to keep your mitts off it for a good 5-7 years, when all those tightly tucked away nuances should begin to emerge. After that, it should improve over the course of 25 years or more and drink for 40+.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThe 2018 Mouton Rothschild is a rich, shockingly flamboyant wine endowed with tremendous fruit density and a level of unctuousness that could be taken for a wine still in barrel. Marvelously open and fleshy, the 2018 is utterly breathtaking today. I imagine it will shut down at some point, but today it is all seduction here. Ripe red cherry, plum, mocha, spice and cedar infuse the 2018 with tons of complexity. This is a tremendous showing.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGDense structure, powerful tannins and intense black fruits are contained within this wine that shows richness and sustained concentration as well as amazing freshness. The 86% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend is the secret of this great wine that is sure to age magnificently. Don’t think about drinking before 2029.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEThis large-scaled wine is brimming with cassis and distilled plum fruit that’s remarkably pure, focused and driven in feel, supported by a seamless, iron-clad and remarkably polished structure, doing its job without detracting from the fruit. Add in sparkles of savory, racy floral and sanguine accents, as well as some pretty ridiculous length, and you have another battleship of a wine in the making. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2030 through 2050. Wine Spectator | 98 WSComing from a selection of 76% of the total production, the 2018 Château Mouton Rothschild checks in as 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that was brought up all in new French oak. This dense purple-hued effort has a backward, primordial bouquet of pure crème de cassis, scorched earth, burning embers, and graphite. There are hints of classic Pauillac tobacco and lead pencil, but it’s locked and loaded at this point. Full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, and flawlessly balanced on the palate, it has lots of tannins, a good spine of acidity, and a great finish. It doesn’t have the sexy opulence of the 2015 and 2016 yet has more minerality, and I suspect it’s every bit as concentrated. A solid decade of bottle age is going to be warranted, and this powerful, concentrated Mouton is going to evolve for longer than most of us reading this will be alive.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JD

One of the finest vintages I’ve ever tasted from this address, the 2018 Château Lynch-Bages has everything you look for in a great wine: incredible aromatics, richness without weight, perfect balance, and a purity of fruit that’s just about off the charts. Dense purple, it reveals a glorious perfume of blackcurrants and blackberry fruits, a deep, unctuous mouthfeel, building tannins, and a complex array of cedar pencil, tobacco, wood smoke, and chocolate. A true blockbuster in every sense, with masses of fruit and tannins as well as moderate acidity, it will probably merit a triple-digit score in a decade and is a 50+-year wine from this team.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDAromas of blackberries, cloves, licorice, dried leaves, graphite and black olives. It’s full-bodied with firm, tight tannins. Structured and tannic with beautiful austerity and a long, mineral and layered finish. The tannins grow on the palate. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 97 JSVibrant, with a violet and cassis lead-in that then expands to include steeped black cherry and plum fruit as well as extra savory, iron and licorice root notes. Nice latent grip too, with a mouthwatering tug of earth at the very end. The fruit is so vibrant, it’s a tease now, but there’s structure here for the long haul, so be patient. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 97 WSDeep, rich black fruits on the nose followed by a powerful punch of spice alongside a ferocious tannic structure that will benefit from the extra polishing of bottle ageing. Combines tannic heft with cassis, bitter chocolate shavings, sage, cardamom and smoke. This is impressive, with a solidly confident, classic Pauillac character and a great example of the confidence of Lynch-Bages right now. A yield of 38hl/ha. Drinking Window 2028 - 2048.Decanter | 96 DECComposed of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Lynch-Bages was aged in 75% new barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it soars out of the glass with a magnificently expressive nose of blueberry compote, black cherry preserves and blackcurrant pastilles, plus suggestions of dark chocolate, licorice, tar and violets with a waft of hoisin. The medium to full-bodied palate is just as impactful as the nose, coating the mouth with juicy black berry and spicy layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with a refreshing earthiness coming through at the end.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPAn utterly fabulous wine, the 2018 Lynch-Bages captures all of the richness and generosity that make the year so appealing, and yet doesn’t stray too far from its classic feel. Rose petal, lavender, spice, sweet red berry fruit and mint are all beautifully lifted in the glass. Racy and silky to the core, the 2018 is a real head-turner from the very first taste. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. Readers will have a very hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThe Lynch-Bages style is unmistakeable in this wine’s richness and the density of its structure and tannins. In addition it conveys a great sense of style, restrained power and opulence. Drink this wine from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

The progression of this property continues to be evident in the glass with a beautiful classicism, full of life and layers comprising dark spice and touches of black pepper against blueberry and cool fruits, pumped up by black chocolate and liquorice.It’s confident and clearly has a fierce quality to the tannins giving a long life ahead of it. The harvest started on September 17, one week later than Mouton because of its cooler terroir, with the blend completed by 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmanère.This is the last vintage with Jean-Emmanuel Donjoy at the helm as he’s making his way over to Mouton-Rothschild to work alongside Philippe Dhalluin. A tough gig to turn down of course, but I will miss the work he has done here and look forward to seeing what his successor will add. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040Decanter | 96 DECThis opulent wine is as bold with its fruit as with its tannins. The initial velvet texture masks the dense structure that will allow it to age impressively. Blackberry flavors, acidity and intense richness are coming together in a welter of ripe fruits. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBlackcurrants, tobacco, graphite, cloves and dried leaves on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Structured and compact with a long, mineral finish. Tight and austere. Very pretty structure here. Wait until 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Clerc Milon is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Carménère. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it has a very pure, beautifully delineated nose of crushed blackcurrants, fresh black plums and boysenberries with hints of wild thyme, damp soil, tar and black olives. The medium to full-bodied palate offers taut, muscular black fruit with loads of savory layers and a firm, grainy texture, finishing long and mineral tinged.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2018 Clerc Milon is showing beautifully today. Gorgeous savory notes from the Cabernet Sauvignon open first, showing the modern direction of Clerc Milon towards a more Cabernet focused wine. Dried flowers, menthol, licorice, graphite and black cherry are all laced together effortlessly. The tannins have settled down a bit since en primeur, which is a very good sign for the future.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThis throws off a lovely stream of violet and cassis aromas and flavors that are sleek and pure in feel, picking up dark cherry, iron and sanguine details along the way. Refined and cellarworthy. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. Best from 2023 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFrom an estate located on the east side of highway D2 and between Château Lafite and Château Mouton Rothschild, the 2018 Château Clerc Milon is a ripe, sexy, full-bodied Pauillac that brings plenty of richness while still staying reasonably elegant. Blackcurrants, blackberries, smoked earth, new leather, and cedary herbs all flow to an impressively endowed, layered Pauillac with chewy tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. Based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new French oak, this outstanding 2018 needs 4-6 years of bottle age to round into form and will evolve nicely for 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

The 2018 Echo De Lynch-Bages checks in as a mix of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that was brought up all in once-used French oak. It has a grand vin tech-sheet with 13.9% alcohol, 3.57 pH, and a massive IPT of 87. Deep purple-hued, with a great nose of blackcurrants, scorched earth, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and dark chocolate, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered monster of a mid-palate, and silky tannins. It’s stunning juice all the way, and given its wealth of material and texture, it’s drinkable today, yet smart money will hide bottles for 5-7 years, and it’s going to evolve for 20 years or more. It’s an incredible second wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDVery layered and dense second wine of Lynch this year. Medium to full body, juicy fruit and polished and chewy tannins. Will need time.James Suckling | 93-94 JSComposed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc and without any new oak, the very deep purple-black colored 2018 Echo de Lynch Bages rolls seductively out of the glass with fragrant notes of candied violets, rose hip tea and fragrant soil over a core of crushed blackberries, warm blackcurrants and kirsch plus wafts of chocolate mint and crushed rocks. Full, rich, wonderfully concentrated and well structured, it has a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92+ RPThe 2018 Echo de Lynch Bages is an attractive, fruity wine to drink now and over the next decade or so. Sweet red berries, blood orange, mint, spice and pomegranate are nicely pushed forward in this attractive, lithe Pauillac. A few hours of air does wonders here.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGViolet, cassis and cherry paste notes have a fresh, racy feel. A sleek iron-edged finish lets everything play out nicely. Pauillac 101. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2027.Wine Spectator | 90 WSThis has plenty of tannin but the fruit is being held pretty sharply in place at this early stage. The muscular nature of the tannins gives a slightly rustic edge to the flavours, along with autumnal berry and concentrated dried fruits. There is juice running in between but the tannins close pretty sharply on the finish.. Drinking Window 2023 - 2036.Decanter | 90 DEC

The flagship 2018 Château Lagrange is a more dense, backward, serious wine, offering an unevolved yet incredibly promising bouquet of cassis, blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, and violets. A big, rich, full-bodied Saint-Julien, it delivers thrilling purity of fruit, plenty of background oak, ripe, silky tannins, and a great mid-palate. This is serious stuff, but it’s going to require patience. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lagrange explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked red and black plums with suggestions of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic vibrancy for the ripeness, packed with juicy black fruits and compelling tension with a finely grained texture to support, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Nicely done!Robert Parker | 95 RPThe 2018 Lagrange is charming and gracious. Sweet, lifted aromatics and mid-weight structure give the 2018 tons of immediacy. Bright red berries, blood orange, mint, spice, rose petal and cedar build with time in the glass. Polished, silky tannins grace the beautifully persistent finish. Best of all, the 2018 will be ready to go with only minimal cellaring.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGBeautiful reflections through the body of this wine, with fresh acidity, and an attractive sense of uplift through the palate, although the actual fruit is a little subdued right now, which as it opens shows damson and bilberry. There is real tannic frame, and build-up on the finish as you see just how concentrated these dark fruits are. (Drink between 2026-2044)Decanter | 94 DECThis smoky wine still shows some wood aging flavors. Structure comes from this wood aging as well as the rich blackberry-fruit tannins and concentration. The succulent Cabernet Sauvignon is ripe and full. It needs time, so drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WERock solid Cab here, with mouthwatering black currant and blackberry fruit flavors laced with a graphite edge and innervated with bramble, tobacco, bay and violet notes through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2035. 20,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSExtremely perfumed with currant and blackberry aromas, as well as flowers. It medium-to full-bodied with firm, creamy tannins that frame some pretty, elegant fruit for the vintage. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JS

Rich aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, chocolate, tobacco and licorice. Oyster shell, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, well integrated tannins. Polished, silky layers with a long finish. Gorgeous ripe and bright fruit in the center palate. Best in a long time. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThis is densely packed with ripe macerated fig, blackberry and plum fruit flavors supported by tar and bramble notes that meld steadily through the finish. Notes of applewood and anise flash throughout. For the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036. 21,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSClear depth right off the first nose is evident, with swirling black cherry and blackberry fruits and grilled cedar. Caramel creaminess here also, with black chocolate edging. This is excellent-quality, with bristling tannins that are just at the beginning of their life. 60% new oak. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThis balanced, stylish wine is full of a dark berry flavor and juicy acidity. The dry core of tannins is integrated and cushioned by the fruity nature. The wine is already showing its fine future.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 Talbot is quite the powerhouse. Inky and deep, the 2018 possesses striking textural richness from start to finish. Inky dark fruit, licorice, cloves, new leather, menthol, violet and chocolate fill out the layers effortlessly in this decidedly flashy Saint-Julien. This is a terrific effort for Technical Director Jean-Michel Laporte in his first vintage at Talbot. It will be interesting to see where the château goes in future years. This is certainly an opulent, rich style.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGReleased in an all-black bottle celebrating 100 years in the Cordier family, the 2018 Château Talbot is a beautiful, classic Saint-Julien that leads with its pure cassis and currant fruit as well as notes of tobacco leaf, violets, chocolate, damp earth, and new leather. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied, elegant 2018 with remarkable purity of fruit, a lively spine of acidity, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It doesn’t have quite the level of concentration I thought from barrel, but it’s nevertheless a beautiful wine that shines for its finesse and purity, and if it picks up weight in bottle, it will certainly merit an even higher rating. Give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following 15-20+. The blend is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Talbot features notions of baked blackcurrants, stewed plums and bouquet garni with hints of tilled soil, tobacco leaf and pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate is softly textured with bags of juicy black fruits supported by chewy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RP

Currant, red-tea, chili, chocolate and lemon-zest aromas. Chalk and crushed gravel, too. It’s medium-bodied with tight, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Sleek and tight with crunchy berry, mineral and zesty notes on the finish. Complex. Pretty center palate to this. Extremely polished. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2018 Tour Saint Christophe represents a new level of elegance, precision and finesse for this estate in Saint-Émilion’s Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes district. Silky and exceptionally polished, the 2018 oozes class. Moreover, the heavy extraction and strong torrefaction notes that marked previous vintages of the recent past have been replaced by beautifully precise, vibrant fruit. Tour Saint Christophe is one of best values in Saint-Émilion. I haven’t always loved Tour Saint Christoph, but I love the 2018. It’s a fabulous effort from Technical Director Jérôme Aguirre and his team. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGEmerging from a beautiful, terraced vineyard on the eastern side of Saint-Emilion, the 2018 Château Tour Saint Christophe is based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc that was brought up in 40% new French oak. Its vivid purple color is followed by a great nose of blackcurrants, blueberries, tobacco leaf, chocolate, violets, and chocolate. Hitting the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, it has this wonderful sense of purity and elegance, a touch of chalky minerality, flawless balance, and a great finish. This beautiful, elegant, seamless Saint-Emilion needs 4-5 years of bottle age but will evolve for 20-25 years. You won’t regret having this in the cellar.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDA blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, aged for around 18 months in oak barrels, 40% new, the 2018 Tour Saint Christophe weighs in at 14.6% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out of the glass with bold notions of baked black cherries, plum preserves and blueberry pie plus underlying suggestions of Christmas cake, Chinese five spice and dusty soil. The full-bodied palate packs in the black and blue fruit preserves layers, framed by velvety tannins and lively acidity, finishing long and spicy.In 2012, Hong Kong-based Peter Kwok purchased this vineyard located in Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, with fruit coming from the Cassevert lieu-dit, which has an average vine age of around 30 years old.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

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

Cassis, crushed plum and steeped blackberry fruit is all packed into this wine, along with tar, violet and roasted apple wood notes, plus a terrific tug of warm earth. Shows lots of energy in reserve, with a tightly knit finish pulling everything together. Cellaring required. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2040. 11,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis estate has been on fire in recent vintages, and the 2018 Château Léoville Barton is up there with the best of them. Based on 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot that was brought up in 60% new French oak, this classic, flawlessly balanced, straight-up awesome Saint-Julien has loads of cassis and mulberry fruits as well as notes of freshly sharpened pencils, leafy tobacco, chocolate, and earth. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has building tannins and healthy acidity, yet the fruit is pure, perfectly ripe, and wonderfully integrated with all the wine’s components. As is normal with this cuvée, it closes down with extended air and is going to take a solid 8-10 years of bottle age to reach the early stages of maturity. It’s going to evolve for 30-40 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSweet berries, blackberries, raspberries and violets follow through to a full body with extremely creamy, polished tannins that caress the palate. It’s really long and polished. Gorgeous finish. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSIn this wine, fine and rich tannins partner with powerful black-plum and black-currant fruits. Densely textured while also having swathes of rich fruits, the wine shows both a firm side and one that offers total deliciousness. As it matures, both these aspects will come together. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2018 Léoville-Barton is a gorgeous, exotic wine. Crème de cassis, lavender, menthol, licorice and cloves race out of the glass. The 2018 marries the natural opulence of the year with a pretty classic sense of structure, making for one of the more compelling wines of the year. I would give this a good decade in the cellar. There is much to look forward to. I especially admire the energy and poise here.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGWell-polished blackcurrant, cassis and bilberry, everything pretty silky and firm. Not fully showing its generosity at this point but no question that it is going to get there soon. Clear charcoal, graphite and woodsmoke as it opens up. A ton of life ahead, and an appealing sense of mint freshness. Lives up to its en primeur promise - this is Léoville Barton at its most confident. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040Decanter | 96 DECDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Léoville Barton needs a little swirling to coax out delicate notions of fresh blackberries, mulberries and cassis, plus touches of pencil shavings, clove oil, charcoal and black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a great intensity of earth and mineral-laced black fruit flavors, supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. Give it a good 4-5 years in bottle and drink it over the next 20 years+.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

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 flagship 2018 Château Phélan Ségur is a beauty based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Merlot. This was a great vintage for the Médoc, and the 2018 reveals a dense purple hue to go with powerful notes of blackcurrants, iron, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and earth. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it has beautiful tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and just does everything right. It has some up-front appeal today (no doubt due to the high Merlot content), yet it builds with time in the glass and shows more and more structure with air. It deserves 5-6 years of bottle age and will keep for 20-25. It’s every bit as good as the 2016, if not better.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDAromas of blackcurrants, spice and flowers follow through to a medium body with fine tannins and a delicious, savory finish. So lovely to drink now, but will improve nicely with age. Very refined and balanced. Try after 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2018 Phélan Ségur is just as convincing from bottle as it was en primeur. Deep and beautifully layered, with exceptional finesse and tons of personality, the 2018 delivers the goods big time. Dark blue/black fruit, gravel, spice, menthol, licorice and dried herbs all build as the 2018 shows off its allure. There is plenty of vintage 2018 richness, but a good deal of supporting structure as well. The 2018 is just exquisite.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGBrilliant, succulent and luscious fruit. Blackberry, damson, chocolate and sage with a brilliant hold and muscular tannins. A yield of 48hl/ha. Drinking Window 2024 - 2042.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2018 Phélan Ségur is composed of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Merlot, weighing in at 14% alcohol, 3.8 pH and has an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. Deep purple-black in color, it leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of crushed blackberries, blackcurrant jelly and kirsch, plus suggestions of menthol, Ceylon tea, forest floor and lavender. The medium-bodied palate delivers elegance and impressive vivacity with finely grained tannins and a refreshing line supporting the intense red and black berry layers, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPThis is really well-built, with a core of dark currant and blackberry paste flavors supported by racy charcoal and bay notes while flashes of savory and singed sandalwood dot the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 93 WSNow on a roll, this estate is producing some fine wines. This latest release shows plenty of wood at this stage, but the bold black fruits are more than a match, giving the wine sumptuous richness. The wine needs time, so wait until 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

Beautiful blackberry and blueberry aromas with hints of spices and wild mushrooms. Full-bodied with tight, firm and silky tannins. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThis powerful, structured wine is packed with the ripest Merlot, with magnificent tannins and dark-plum flavors. Freshness shines through all this density, giving the wine considerable aging potential. Drink this rich wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEAll Merlot from a tiny parcel on the upper plateau, the 2018 Château Latour A Pomerol is one of the more concentrated, structured wines in the Moueix stable. It offers a powerful, medium to full-bodied, concentrated style that has some oak to integrate, terrific black and blue fruits, notes of chocolate, saddle leather, and earthy tobacco, building tannins, and a great finish. It comes together beautifully with time in the glass and is a serious, age-worthy Pomerol that will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDMade from 100% Merlot, the 2018 Latour à Pomerol has a deep garnet-purple color and a relatively understated nose of stewed plums, baked blackberries and redcurrant jelly, plus suggestions of unsmoked cigars, cloves and pencil shavings. The medium to full-bodied palate has a sturdy frame of chewy tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the earth and mineral-tinged red and black fruits, finishing long and savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPVery silky and alluring in feel, with lovely blackberry and boysenberry puree flavors gliding through, laced with subtle anise and black tea. Savory hints dot the finish while the fruit and spice play out languidly. Drink now through 2032. 2,200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSPowerful and dense, majoring on black cherry with a touch of crushed mint. Velvet-textured, this is enjoyable with plenty of swagger. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2018 Latour à Pomerol is effusive and racy right out of the glass. Crushed raspberry, cherry jam, mocha, new leather, spice and cedar fill out the layers. Ripeness is decidedly pushed in the 2018. The tannins are a bit firm, so a few years in the cellar seems prudent. Latour à Pomerol walks on the wild side in 2018. I liked this quite a bit more in barrel.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

Blueberry, blackcurrant, clove, dark chocolate, praline and gravel on the nose. It’s full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Focused, chewy and layered. Fantastic effort here. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSIt’s clear that this is hugely concentrated, as is the Montrose right next door, but there’s also beautiful juice and freshness underneath the black fruits and the powerful grip. Tannins, acidity and fruit: it’s all there. This is great quality and should be long-lived, with a rich palate, evenly balanced and austere in all the right places. Another good vintage at this increasingly impressive property. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThis estate, whose magnificent vineyards slope down to the Gironde estuary, is situated between two classed growth properties. This wine, rich and structured, powered by solid tannins as well as serious black fruits and youthful juicy acidity, is going to take its time to mature. Wait to drink until 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 Meyney is every bit as impressive as it was en primeur. Technical Director Anne Le Naour has done a terrific job in reining in some of the excess weight and power of previous vintages, but without sacrificing richness. Classy and layered, Meyney boasts fabulous depth and tons of character. Ripe red/purplish fruit, spice, blood orange, smoke and incense are some of the many aromas and flavors that mesh together. The 2018 offers striking immediacy, but also has enough structure to develop well in bottle for 15-20 years, maybe more. The 2018 Meyney is a wine of immense pleasure. Best of all, it is a tremendous value.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThe deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Meyney gives up blackcurrants, black berries and plums on the nose with earth and spices plus fried herbs and lots of oak. The big, full-bodied palate has some promising fruit but is a bit hard and oaky.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91+ RP

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 Château Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, representing 36% of the crop this year. The wine has a pH of 3.8 and 14% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it slowly unfurls to reveal tantalizing scents of crème de cassis, wild blueberries and Black Forest cake with hints of redcurrant jelly, rose oil, dark chocolate and cedar chest plus a touch of star anise. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit, fragrant earth and floral layers, supported by a rock-solid structure of exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless backbone of freshness, finishing with fantastic length. This is classic Margaux at its most seductive, although it is, rather amazingly, approachable and absolutely delicious right now. But, to enjoy its full glory, you will want to cellar it for at least 6-8 years and then watch it metamorphize over the next 40+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPBased on 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Château Margaux is a magical, incredibly sexy expression of this Château that sports a dense purple color as well as a thrilling bouquet of blueberries, cassis, acacia flowers, scorched earth, sandalwood, and violets. Incredibly concentrated and full-bodied on the palate, it nevertheless has an almost Burgundian sense of finesse and elegance, with an ethereal texture, silky yet massive amounts of tannins, notable freshness, and brilliant length. The alcohol hit a whopping 14%, which is high by this estate’s standards, but everything is flawlessly integrated, the balance is perfect, and I certainly can’t find anything that could be better. This 2018 is going to be relatively drinkable at an early age (do your best to hide bottles for 7-8 years) yet last for 75+.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDSo much ash, tobacco and earth to the bright blackberry and currant aromas. Flowers too. Fresh. Full-bodied with seamless tannins that spread across your palate and caress every square centimeter. It’s shows loads of ripe-berry, cherry, currant and chocolate character, as well as walnut and light cedar. Then the finish goes on for minutes. Extremely refined and elegant, despite the structure. 90% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 4% merlot and 2% petit verdot. A joy to taste, but drink after 2025.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2018 Margaux is an infant. Today, the tannins are unusually searing, but then again, the 2018 is a wine in which all the elements are dialed up to the maximum. Time in the glass releases the fruit, revealing a luxurious, opulent Château Margaux built for the cellar. Cedar, tobacco, dried flowers and mint develop with a bit of coaxing. Rich, deep and utterly beguiling, the 2018 is a dramatic wine that will thrill readers lucky enough to own it.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AGThis struts along with supreme confidence, as a cashmere-textured structure effortlessly carries a prodigious set of warmed cassis, plum reduction and blackberry compote flavors, pulling in alder, bergamot, black and red tea and iron notes. Still manages to come across as restrained in the end. A beautiful wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2028 through 2040. 10,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThis is extremely powerful, with high tannin levels that are beautifully velvety and a real presence that is going to need a good 15 years before it softens. There are layers and layers of subtlety here, charcoal, earth, fresh acidity - a ton of serious character that needs time to inch towards opening. Grips on like a limpet - this needs a good half an hour in the glass to even begin to open, but as it does so you see clearly the finesse and precision of the fruit construction. Exceptionally good. 3.64pH, 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend, 36% of the harvest in the first wine. Bottled mid-September.Decanter | 98 DECWhile this wine reflects the richness and density of the vintage, it also shows all the elegance of which a great Margaux is capable. The wine is powerful and beautifully structured, both ripe and restrained. It will age magnificently. Start to think about drinking from 2028. Wine Enthusiast | 98 WE

Black currant, dried-blueberry, oyster-shell, black-olive, black truffle, and bitter-chocolate aromas. It’s full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Savory and mineral layers interplay with the black fruit. Powerful and chewy yet very polished and beautiful.. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSAlways a significant wine, this latest release with powerful while also stylish black fruits fits into a well-regarded tradition. The density and broad fruitiness of the wine make fine foils for each other. It is firmly structured and set for aging. Drink this wine from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEVery expressive, with violet and lilac notes followed by creamed plum and mulled blackberry and black currant fruit flavors. Subtle anise, juniper and sanguine notes thread the very long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2036.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2018 Giscours was tasted alongside the 2019 for comparison. This is more extravagant on the nose, delivering slightly more red fruit, black pepper and touches of graphite. This has opened since I last tasted it. The palate is medium-bodied with bold tannins, very smooth and more sensual than the 2019, and more flamboyant, though perhaps without the same precision. Still, this is very fine.Vinous Media | 94 AGLots of ripe black cherry and cassis fruits as well as graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth notes emerge from the 2018 Château Giscours, a medium-bodied Margaux that has a fresh, focused texture, plenty of underlying structure, and the purity of fruit that’s the hallmark of the vintage. This beautiful Margaux builds nicely with time in the glass, and while it plays in the more elegant side of the spectrum, it has terrific mid-palate depth, stunning balance, and outstanding length. I think the 2019 might ultimately surpass it, but it’s certainly in the same ballpark as the 2016. Give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following 20 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDBrushed damson, fine but firm tannins, lots of dark deep fruits and powerful oak that slightly detracts from appellation typicity. This is confident and good-quality but needs a lot of time in bottle. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 93 DECDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Giscours delivers expressive notions of baked raspberries, Black Forest cake and sautéed herbs with a core of crème de cassis, pencil lead, fertile loam and fallen leaves. Full-bodied, taut and muscular in the mouth with earth-laced baked black fruits, it has a firm, chewy texture and refreshing herbal sparks on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

From one of my favorite estates in Pomerol, the 2018 Château Le Gay knocks it out of the park and has that classic Pomerol mix of sexy opulence paired with an incredible sense of finesse. Offering an already complex bouquet of crème de cassis, black cherries, white truffle, camphor, tobacco, and acacia flowers, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, expansive texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. I’d be thrilled with bottles in the cellar. It’s going to put a smile on any wine lover’s face over the coming 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAromas of plums, violets and mushrooms with earthy notes. Fleshy and succulent texture to the full body with round, firm tannins and a salivating, savory finish. Very persistent. Opulent and reserved at the same time. Contrastive wine. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSPlum, boysenberry and açaí berry flavors give this a slightly exotic character, with a polished texture and lingering anise notes. Shows latent grip on the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc.Wine Spectator | 93-96 WSDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Le Gay has a beautifully perfumed nose of lavender essence, chocolate-covered cherries and preserved plums, leading to a fragrant undercurrent of kirsch, licorice and fertile loam. The concentrated, full-bodied palate (15% alcohol) delivers bold, black fruit flavors with compelling red berry sparks and a plush texture, finishing long with just enough freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2018 Le Gay is unusually reticent today. Lavender, rose petal, mint, blood orange and crushed red berry fruit emerge over time. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2018 packs serious punch. It is one of more sensual wines of the vintage in Pomerol, but readers will have to be patient, as the 2018 is in no mood to show its cards just yet.Antonio Galloni | 94+ AGThis is a modern wine, in keeping with the estate signature – gourmet and glamourous with good persistency. It has rich fruits and oak influence that comes through as cloves and smoked almonds with pencil lead and graphite joining the black cassis fruit as it opens up. It should age well but will be ready to enjoy relatively young as this style suits fruit that remains plump and rich. The harvest took place between 19 September and 3 October. 100% new oak, integral vinification, 7.5ha but 6ha in production. A yield of 35hl/ha. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040.Decanter | 92 DEC

The intensity and perfumes on the nose are extremely impressive, offering pure blackberries and violets, as well as bark, wild-mushroom and raw-tile notes. It’s full-bodied with creamy tannins that envelop the wine and a gorgeous, subtly complex center palate with all the flavors found on the nose. Endless finish. Love the finesse and length to this. Greatest ever. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2018 Domaine de Chevalier is easily one of the wines of the vintage. A wine of mind-blowing precision and regal elegance, Domaine de Chevalier dazzles from the very first taste. Dried herbs, rose petal, mint, blood orange, pomegranate and bright mineral notes all build in the glass. Richly layered but also translucent, the 2018 is a real head-turner. Don’t miss it!Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2018 Domaine De Chevalier is a beauty. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in 35% new French oak, it has a beautiful sense of elegance and purity, which is very much in the style of the vintage as well as the domaine. Blackcurrants, black cherries, cold fireplace, damp earth, tobacco, and chocolate are just some of the nuances here, and this complex, medium to full-bodied 2018 has gorgeous tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. It has suppleness in its texture that allows it to offer pleasure even today, yet given its balance as well as purity, it deserves 5-7 years of bottle age and will keep for 30+ years. It is another brilliant wine from the team of Olivier Bernard.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDOne of the iconic white wines of Bordeaux, produced in small quantities, this is a powerful and rich expression of ripe Sauvignon Blanc. The fruitiness, with its tropical hints, is enhanced by the wine’s complexity, touches of spice and density. Drink this impressive wine from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEDreamy, with a velvety, caressing feel to a mix of warmed cassis, plum reduction and cherry preserve flavors that glide through slowly, but surely, letting anise, sweet tobacco and mineral accents peek in throughout. Very long, very refined. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2038. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSLovely rich depth to the nose. This is a successful wine with balance, power and elegance. Subtle with a ton of complexity: blackberry and autumnal fruits, touches of hedgerow, slate, chocolate and crushed stone, with sweet raspberry purée as it opens up. Just a lovely wine that you would be very happy to own. One-third new oak. Maintained its success from en primeur. Drinking Window 2024 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DECA blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, aged for approximately 18 months in oak barriques, 35% new, the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier has a deep garnet-purple color, pouncing out of the glass with energetic scents of crushed blackcurrants, fresh, juicy blackberries and ripe plums, with suggestions of crushed rocks, bay leaves, unsmoked cigars and lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with muscular black fruits, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and great tension, finishing long and mineral laced. Give it another 4 years in bottle to flesh out and drink it over the next 25+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP

Easily the greatest example from this château that I’ve tasted, the 2018 Château Calon Ségur checks in as 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot aged 20 months in new French oak. This dense purple-hued beauty boasts a stunning nose of blackcurrants, crème de cassis, tobacco, baking spices, chocolate, and cedarwood. With full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, gorgeous tannins, and one seriously long finish, it hits that palate with 15% alcohol, yet you wouldn’t know it by tasting it, and the wine is perfectly balanced, has incredible purity of fruit, and stays fresh and lively, with a clean finish. This magical Saint-Estèphe can be drunk any time over the coming 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA distinctive bouquet with notes of iodine, flowers, fresh fruit and graphite, but its floral character takes on a dominant role with airing. Gorgeously juicy mouthfeel brimming with energy lengthening a finish that consolidates its profound substance but also reveals surprising subtlety and delicacy. This 2018 is perhaps an atypical Calon Ségur in the context of recent vintages, but it joins the ranks of the great ones and should gain in elegance over time. Cellaring may be required for up to twenty-five years. (Drink between 2030-2060)Decanter | 99 DECThe 2018 Calon-Ségur is blended of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot (14.9% alcohol). It is anticipated to age for 20 months in barriques, 100% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs just a little coaxing before it reveals seductive notes of baked cherries, warm cassis, licorice and smoked meats with nuances of hoisin, camphor, Chinese five spice and dried roses with a waft of cardamom. Full-bodied and completely packed with concentrated black fruit and spice layers, it has a firm frame of grainy tannins and a wicked backbone of freshness giving an energetic lift to the very long finish. There’s lots of brightness coming from the Cabernet Franc component in here, but it is nonetheless a decadent expression.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPAromas of redcurrants and plums with blueberries and black licorice, following through to a full body that’s so refined and polished, the tannins integrated wonderfully into the fruit. Fresh, linear and persistent. Real clarity and purity to this. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 97 JSThis is a dense, generous wine. Swathes of black fruits are packed with concentrated tannins. Its power is palpable, as is its luxuriously rich future. The wine will take plenty of aging, so don’t drink before 2027. .Wine Enthusiast | 97 WERipe, fresh and well-defined from start to finish, this lets cassis and dark plum notes race through, carried by a graphite edge and backed with dark tobacco, warm earth and chestnut accents on the finish. Has serious grip and drive. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2018 Calon-Ségur has a classic Saint-Estèphe nose. Rather obdurate at first, it takes time to coalesce, revealing black fruit, charcoal and warm gravel scents, well defined but distant and not predisposed to charm the imbiber. In a funny way, I quite like that stubbornness. The palate is well balanced with firm tannins and fine acidity. Maybe this feels a little pinched compared to recent vintages; it does not possess the amplitude of the 2016 and 2017 and it is rather serious on the brine-infused finish. This is a fine and very typical Calon-Ségur, though it is not the most finessed in recent years.Vinous Media | 92 VM

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

This estate is regaining its rightful place in the prestigious crus classés. Richly textured, this latest release shows luscious blackberry fruits and layers of firm tannins. The wine will age well, so wait to drink until 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WELovely deep ruby colour with excellent oak finesse on the aromatics, not overpowering but adding layers of smoke against cassis and black cherry fruits. You can find both nuance and complexity in this wine. This is gourmet as it opens with black chocolate and liquorice also. Clear interest and potential for ageing. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 92 DECBlueberries and dried currants on the nose with savory oyster shell, tobacco and graphite. Dried violets, too. It’s medium-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Layered and flavorful. Balanced. 55% cabernet sauvignon and 45% merlot. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2018 de Camensac has retained its attractive aromatics, needing just a little coaxing to reveal blackberry, bilberry, light marine scents and those iris petals that I remarked upon out of barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with good backbone and well-judged acidity. I admire the substance of this de Camensac, and there is wonderful salinity on the finish. This comes recommended and I can see it aging well.Vinous Media | 91 VM