Wine Producing Countries

wines

The 2018 Red Wine Estate might just be the best edition ever of this incredible high-elevation bottling. It’s nothing short of a blending masterpiece by Chris Figgins and his winemaking team. This thing is massive monster of a wine that really needs several hours of air to get going. But once tamed, the aromatics explode out of the glass, unveiling dark currants, roasted figs, black rose petals and creosote tones with shades of green bell pepper from the Petit Verdot. The palate is soft and opulent in the mouth. Layers of crème de cassis, anise, violets, dark cherry cordial, graphite and espresso bean with green bell pepper undertones all brilliantly combine with a vibrant sense of tension, and firm tannins hold everything in place. While this is extraordinary to savor upon release, try your best to resist it for at least a few more years.Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2018 Red Wine is another stunner from this talented team. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot aged 23 months in a mix of new and used barrels, it has an incredibly pure bouquet of both red and blue fruits as well as graphite, violets, and blood orange. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it stays tight and focused on the palate, with a beautiful mouthfeel, ripe yet firm, chalky tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great, great finish. It’s a gorgeous wine that will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and cruise for 15-20+ in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDInky and brooding once in the glass this is quite simply the best wine ever produced by this estate. Needing an hour in the decanter, this unveils tar and tobacco leaf tones aromatically with graphite and a massive core of dark fruits also providing intrigue. Juicy, with outstanding acidity and freshness, this shows off cassis, anise, charcoal and menthol flavours that mingle with the bright sense of verve. Glorious now, try to resist this beautiful wine for at least another year. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2045.Decanter | 97 DECBlackcurrant, blackberry, walnut and mint chocolate on the nose, as well as hints of radish and mocha. It’s full-bodied with firm, ripe tannins. Concentrated and chewy with a dense core of black fruit. Solid and tight. Cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot and merlot. Give this time. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 95 JSAromas of macerated cherry, coffee, flower, licorice and date lead to cherry, cranberry and raspberry flavors that give a full impression on the palate. There’s plenty of precision and detail to be had, so much acidity and a quite firm tannic structure. A big, burly, beautiful wine, it will last and drink well as long as you care to keep it. Don’t go near it now. Best after 2032.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEImmediately impressive in the glass, the 2018 Estate Red Wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot with aromas of juicy and ripe blackberry, spiced black cherry preserves, elegant floral tones and elements of boysenberry and blueberry with a soft amount of volatility. Full-bodied, generous and full of flavor, the blend displays power and finesse, unpacking layers of complexity with a tight tannic grip that will loosen with additional bottle age. The wine somersaults to a spectacular finish with a firm, juicy and dusty sensation that gives pleasure at every turn. The wine rested for for 23 months in new and used French oak barrels. Just give it another few years in the bottle for the wine to shed its baby fat. Just under 19,000 bottles were filled. Impressive; Bravo!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA dynamic and refined red, with detailed blackberry, green olive and spicy espresso flavors that build tension and polish on the long finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 1,562 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2018 Peyrabon is fulfilling its promise from barrel. It has a well-defined and focused bouquet of lively blackberry and briary scents, touches of cedar and tobacco coming through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and a fine lattice of tannins that impress, considering this is a Bordeaux Supérieur with excellent length. Bon vin!Vinous Media | 91 VMSweet black cherry and blackberry fruits, with good balance and freshness on the finish. Mouthwatering, with touches of grilled rosemary, pepper and woodsmoke. A consistent success rate at this property that is owned by Millésima négociants. Vineyards of gravel and sand soils over a clay subsoil. A yield of 22hl/ha, aged in 25% new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2038.Decanter | 91 DECBlackcurrant, tea-leaf, mocha and some praline aromas. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Flavorful and structured. Drink from 2022.James Suckling | 90 JS

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

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

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

Aromas of blackberries, blueberries, herbs and cedar. It’s full-bodied with elegant tannins. Fleshy and well balanced on the palate. Beautiful, pure fruit at the finish. Second wine of Talbot. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 92 JSBright, ripe and defined, with bay, violet, cassis and dark plum fruit all racing along in unison. Excellent energy and tension through the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2028. 18,335 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WSFilled with gourmet notes of chocolate shavings and brioche, with sweet black fruits and firm tannins. This is an enjoyable second wine with well-ripened fruits and a charcoal edge through the finish. A little austere as things close out. The tannins have a pretty muscular bite to them. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 90 DECThe 2018 Connétable de Talbot has a fragrant bouquet with black cherries, blueberry and light crushed stone aromas. The oak is nicely integrated (15%). The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and plenty of freshness on the structured, graphite tinged finish. This is simply the best Connétable de Talbot that I have tasted.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

Pretty aromas of blueberries, violets, dark chocolate and cedar. It’s full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins. Polished and creamy with a core of ripe black and blue fruit. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSA gorgeous second wine, the 2016 La Dame de Montrose is incredibly expressive today. Supple, radiant and inviting, La Dame has all the potential to be an overachiever in this vintage. Today, it is quite open, and, even more importantly, flat-out delicious. In some moments, La Dame is rather nuanced, while at other times it is a bit more potent. It will be interesting to see what aging in bottle brings, but one thing is certain; the 2016 La Dame is a stellar wine. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGRelatively open and welcoming even at this early stage. Aromatics of cedar oak, followed by sweet black cherry fruit through the palate. A lighter-framed Pomerol, but one that is attractive, well-paced, carefully spiced and with a real sense of personality. Enjoyable stuff from director Eric Monneret and consultant Hubert de Boüard. (Drink between 2024-2042)Decanter | 92 DECVery caressing in feel, with a silky structure that lets steeped plum, fig and blackberry fruit flavors sail through unencumbered. Subtle black tea and sweet tobacco accents fill in on the fine-grained finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2030. 4,830 cases made. Wine Spectator | 91 WSLots of spiced darker cherry and currant fruits as well as savory herbs, damp earth, and cedar emerge from the 2018 Château La Pointe, another rich, concentrated yet seamless Pomerol in 2018 that has tons to love. Showing more chocolate and spice with time in the glass, it has plenty of mid-palate depth, soft, integrated tannins, and is already hard to resist. It should nevertheless gain additional complexity with 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for over a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDWhile this wine does have density and a tannic layer, its open accessible character promises medium-term aging. Ripe blackberries and acidity come through with attractive freshness. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WEComposed of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 La Pointe has a deep garnet-purple color and quite a cedary nose to begin over a core of warm black cherries, blackberry pie and spice cake plus nuances of mossy bark, pencil shavings and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm, chewy texture and soft freshness enveloping the muscular, savory layers, finishing a little drying.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP

From the partner estate to Château Giscours, this wine is as elegant as you would expect. While it is structured, it also has ripe fruits, rich tannins and great potential. The dry and firm core of this wine will propel it forward. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEVery seductive, with warmed plum sauce, cassis and raspberry confiture flavors stitched together with singed sandalwood and light mineral notes. Ends with a velvety edge while a flash of alder darts in the background. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2018 Château Du Tertre is solid, offering an attractive bouquet of red and black fruits, vanilla bean, dried flowers, balsam (which I always seem to find in this wine), and sandalwood. It’s beautifully complex, has medium-bodied richness, moderate tannins, and a forward, charming, already delicious style that’s ideal for enjoying over the coming 15 years. (Drink between 2021-2036)James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2018 Château Du Tertre is solid, offering an attractive bouquet of red and black fruits, vanilla bean, dried flowers, balsam (which I always seem to find in this wine), and sandalwood. It’s beautifully complex, has medium-bodied richness, moderate tannins, and a forward, charming, already delicious style that’s ideal for enjoying over the coming 15 years. (Drink between 2021-2036)Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD Brushed grilled cedar edge on the nose here, deep silky texture and lots of lovely fruit. Touches of heat on the finish but a clear bitter chocolate ending keeps things focused. 50% new oak. 14% Petit Verdot makes up the blend. (Drink between 2026-2042)Decanter | 92 DECJust as it was from barrel, the 2018 du Tertre is a powerful, virile wine. Game, scorched earth, incense, savory herbs, licorice and tobacco lend a distinctive aromatic profile. On the palate, the 2018 comes across as a bit compact, but otherwise it is nicely done.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 du Tertre delivers a good intensity of stewed black plums, kirsch and black raspberry notes, plus hints of dried Provence herbs, tobacco leaf and cedar chest. The medium-bodied palate offers plenty of red and black fruit preserves flavors with a soft texture and loads of freshness, finishing with an herbal lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 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 Clos de l’Oratoire is an absolutely gorgeous wine that needs quite some time to release all of its aromatic intensity, nuance and energy. Bright floral notes soar over a core of dense, red-toned fruit as the 2018 gradually shows off its considerable allure. The 2018 is vivid and striking, with character to burn.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThe team of Stephan von Neipperg knocked it out of the park in 2018, producing a brilliant lineup of wines. The 2018 Clos De L’Oratoire checks in as 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc that was brought up in 45% new French oak. As with most of the new releases here, it has a crunchy, vibrant style in its blue fruits, scorched earth, violets, cedarwood, and dried flower-like aromas and flavors. Beautifully balanced, pure, elegant, and seamless, this incredibly classy Saint-Emilion is going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age (if not longer) and evolve for 30 years in cold cellars. It’s certainly in the running for the finest vintage I’ve tasted.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDAromas of fresh blackberries, dried leaves, bitter chocolate, lemon zest and walnuts. Some wet earth, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Tight, focused layers. Rather juicy wine. Better from 2025.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2018 Clos de l’Oratoire sports a deep garnet-purple color and rock-star nose of plum preserves, chocolate-covered cherries and mulberries, plus hints of candied violets, licorice and Sichuan pepper with a waft of tapenade. The medium to full-bodied palate is laden with juicy black fruits plus loads of exotic spice and earthy accents, supported by very ripe, soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPA mix of dried herb, floral and steeped cherry and damson plum notes is layered tightly together, while mouthwatering sanguine and iron hints run alongside. Sandalwood edge to the finish. A long, very precise, mineral-driven style. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2032. 4,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSDeep plum colour, this has the rich texture and multi-layered dried herbs and spice feel that you often get with Clos de l’Oratoire. Juicy damson fruits come in through the mid palate and this is big and confident, and well balanced by slate minerality through the finish. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 93 DEC

The 2018 d’Yquem is all lime cordial, grapefruit oil and mandarin peel to begin. With a little coaxing, the fireworks really begin, letting off a whole array of honeysuckle, candied ginger, dried pineapple, lemon pastilles, chalk dust and sea spray scents, followed by a savory undercurrent of shaved almonds, allspice and baking bread. The palate is an exercise in polish and poise, featuring the most gorgeously creamy texture and bright, sparkling freshness, framing all the densely laden tropical and citrus fruit layers, finishing with a powerful BANG of profound floral and spice perfume. It is wonderfully sweet, yes, but that—paradoxically for a "sweet wine"—is almost beside the point.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPAn extremely impressive Yquem here. Deeply concentrated and silky in texture, with crème caramel and saffron, followed by bitter orange on the finish. Gourmet, powerful and concentrated, revealing as it opens in the glass the lime blossom and zest that pick things up, keeping things light and sculpted through the finish. There were five weeks without rain between the picking of the dry white Y and the main estate wine Yquem - so a full two months of harvest time. It meant a lot of patience and a small final yield, but one that was high in quality. Around 50% of the production goes into Yquem. 145g/l residual sugar and a pH of 3.95. Also tasted August 2020; same score. Drinking Window 2021 - 2034.Decanter | 97 DECAn extremely polished and refined d’Yquem with lightly cooked peaches and mangos and an overlay of vanilla and cream with some lemon meringue. Orange peel, too. What is striking is the texture, which is creamy and so fine. The tannins give the wine energy and beauty. The finish is extremely long and impressive. So clean and refined. Not heavy at all, but vivid and clean as crystal. Goes on for minutes. Elegance with stature is a good description. Drinkable now, but better in 2023 and onwards.James Suckling | 97 JSA beauty from start to finish, with fresh, racy notes of honeysuckle, quinine and mirabelle plum leading off, followed by richer quince, creamed pear and white nectarine flavors. Everything melds through the finish, picking up macadamia nut and brioche accents to complete the seduction. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2025 through 2045. 4,166 cases made. Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2018 Yquem was tasted just a few months earlier before this second reading at the château. My notes are pretty consistent with that dried honey and saffron scented aromas, perhaps just missing the energy conveyed by the previous vintage. The palate is well balanced with that telltale lusciousness that I remarked upon in my last note, although this just precludes the 2018 from delivering the tension and nerve of the best vintages. Apricot and lemon curd linger on the aftertaste. Very fine.Vinous Media | 93 VM

Moving to the 2018s, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Calarcadia Vineyard (previously released as just a Cabernet Sauvignon and not a vineyard designate) is pure magic, and lovers of classic Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon should snatch up bottles. Showing the vintage’s more elegant, classic, almost reserved style, it reminds me of a great vintage of Pontet Canet with its deep black and blue fruits, mineral, chocolate, tobacco, and lead pencil aromas and flavors. Beautifully textured, full-bodied, concentrated, and structured, it’s one for the ages. Hide bottles for a solid 7-8 years, and it should keep for 30+ years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDA powerful, resonant wine, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Calarcadia Vineyard is every bit as impressive as it was last year. A whole range of floral and savory notes lend aromatic intensity. Today, the 2018 is backward and brooding, although time in the glass reveals a complex wine with a very bright future. Sage, tobacco, licorice, menthol and dried herbs are laced throughout a core of dark, plush fruit. The 2018 is stunning. That’s all there is to it.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Calarcadia Vineyard was aged in 100% new French oak for 20 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it features beautifully expressive notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked plums with a fragrant, earthy undercurrent and waft of tar. The palate is full-bodied and chock-full of densely laden black fruits, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and a lively backbone, giving a long, savory finish. 264 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

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

Showing consistently to last year, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is a rich, powerful white that does everything right. Coming from a single parcel of very old Roussanne and aged in 50% new oak, it offers a stunning bouquet of honeyed pineapple and stone fruits as well as notes white flowers, green almonds, honeycomb, and a kiss of toasted bread. It’s rich yet also fresh, has flawless balance, and a great finish. It’s geared for the dinner table and should evolve for another decade or more. It’s stunning white and one of the finest examples of Roussanne out there.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDRipe and enticing, featuring creamed melon and yellow apple flavors, laced with nectarine, heather, ginger and warm brioche notes. The long and opulent finish sails through beautifully. A hedonist’s delight. Drink now through 2022. 28 cases imported. Wine Spectator | 95 WSSourced entirely from a single vineyard of limestone soil, this varietal Roussanne offers bold white melon and apple flavors swathed in honey, vanilla cream and spice. Fermented and matured en barrique (50% new), it’s an unctuous, waxy sip etched by lingering woody tones. Flamboyant in its youth, but it should gain elegance through the next decade and beyond.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Vieilles Roussanne is a not-so-subtle dark straw in hue, with obvious toast and honeyed aromas alongside hints of mocha and malt. All barrel-fermented and aged, it’s fleshed out on the full-bodied, velvety-textured palate by flavors of tangerine and pineapple, which show remarkable freshness and verve on the lingering finish. In one of my notes on this wine, I actually wrote the word "long" three times. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-96 RP

The Clos des Mouches made by Joseph Drouhin may be more famous, but Bichot’s parcel of 0.7ha, situated in the highest part of the Premier Cru, is pretty impressive in its own right. Bright, focused and chiselled, it’s the sort of white that wouldn’t look out of place in Puligny-Montrachet, combining citrus, wet stone and aniseed flavours.Drinking Window 2021 - 2028Decanter | 94 DECA creamy-textured white with sliced apples, pears, cream and some lemon and lime rind. Hints of morning yogurt and smoke. Medium-bodied, ready and delicious. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSCream and roasted hazelnut notes create an inviting, rounded nose on this wine. The palate has that same hazelnut richness and creamy flow, buttressed by freshness that recalls lemon and yellow pear. A lovely balance and a juicy, fresh finish do justice to the warm 2018 vintage. Drink by 2035.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE(Domaine du Pavillon (Pommard) - Domaines Albert Bichot Beaune "Clos des Mouches" 1er Cru White) An overtly floral nose combines notes of various white-fleshed fruit with those of lemon grass and spice wisps. The sleek, delicious and equally seductively textured medium-bodied flavors possess very good depth and sneaky length. This balanced effort should drink well young as well as with a few years of bottle aging. (Drink starting 2024)Burghound | 91 BHMarked by vivid acidity, this white evokes lemon, apple, vanilla and clove notes. A tad disjointed, this could use a year to integrate, or decant now. Shows echoes of oak spice on the finish. Best from 2022 through 2029. 480 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2018 D’Alceo is a wild, exotic wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot come together in a wine that is sumptuous, layered and exceptionally beautiful. Inky blue/purplish fruit, sage, mint, lavender and chocolate are some of the many notes that take shape. The 2018 was fermented in cement then aged 12 months in a combination of 500L tonneaux and barriques. This really blooms with time.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGLots of blackcurrant and blackberry aromas follow through to a full body with firm tannins and a chewy finish. Lots of black licorice, aniseed and light asphalt. Lead pencil, too. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JS

Despite its weight, this is a well-crafted wine. It combines richness with sophisticated tannins, dense black fruits and considerable potential. Ripe berry flavors give depth. Drink this wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2018 Malartic Lagravière is every bit as compelling as it was en primeur. Inky dark fruit, dried herbs, licorice, lavender and chocolate are all kicked up in this sumptuous Pessac-Léognan. Soft curves and silky tannins add to the wine’s considerable appeal. The 2018 is undeniably flashy and alluring, I loved it.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGThis remains a little hidden and distant at this point in time, but there are some gorgeous rich liquorice and cassis fruits here, and the texture stands out for its silkiness. Clearly a very good wine, which opens up slowly and carefully. Classic but with depth and grip, continuing a run of successful vintages at Malartic. Last vintage before they take on Eric Boissenot as consultant. 2% Petit verdot makes up the blend, with 70% new oak for ageing. Drinking Window: 2026 - 2042Decanter | 95 DECAn outstanding wine, the 2018 Château Malartic Lagraviere (57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and the rest 3% Cabernet Franc) offers a deep purple hue as well as beautiful cassis and blackberry fruits intermixed with lots of graphite, gravelly earth, violets, and spring flower-like aromas and flavors. Beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, with ripe tannins and impressive purity of fruit, it’s another gorgeous 2018 that can be drunk today or cellared for 15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBlackberry, hot-stone and blueberry aromas follow through to a full body with chewy, dusty tannins that are long and chewy. It shows lots of Pessac character, reminding me of the stoney soils of the area. Give this at least three or four years to come together. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSComposed of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc and aged in 70% new oak barriques, the 2018 Malartic Lagraviere has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and pronounced notions of stewed black and red plums, boysenberries and cassis on the nose, with hints of hoisin, dried Provence herbs and unsmoked cigars. The medium-bodied palate has a firm, grainy texture and just enough freshness to support the black fruit preserves flavors, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPFresh, forward style with a nice burst of bing cherry preserves as well as plum sauce, melted red licorice and singed vanilla notes. Juicy, friendly finish has a late tug of tar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2030. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

This is extremely expressive on the nose, rich, nuanced cherry and raspberry aromas, some delicate perfume with rose, caramel and cola - such beautiful aromatics. A crystalline texture and purity of flavour on the palate full of ripe fruits - really a heady mix of juicy red fruits, cherries and strawberries but given grip by plump, plush, vibrant fruity textured tannins that really coat the mouth, silky, then velvety - totally abundant but the whole palate remains lifted with such freshness. Acidity is there but so is this cooling, liquorice, mint aspect with soft wood spice and toasty caramel notes. A mix of linearity and aerial delicacy while being so rich and fruity. Delicious. Drinking Window: 2030 - 2045Decanter | 96 DECForest berries, underbrush, rose and menthol aromas lead the nose along with a potpourri of varied spices. Hailing from La Morra in one of the denomination’s top sites, the palate is a stunning combination of structure and finesse, delivering small red berries, baking spices and the vineyard’s iconic minty accents framed in silky tannins. Licorice notes lingers on the finish. Drink 2025–2035.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe Michele Chiarlo 2018 Barolo Cerequio opens to a pretty lacework of aromas with smaller berry fruits, crushed stone, rusty nail, pressed lilac or blue flower and a dusting of spicy licorice powder. The bouquet is vertical and tight, leading to a very precise succession of varietal tones that flavor the wine’s polished finish. The Cerequio has ample power as well, with etched tannins that grip this Nebbiolo firmly to the palate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis red reveals enticing cherry and berry flavors, along with floral and underbrush notes, all underlined by a mineral element and firm, well-integrated tannins. Supple in texture and lingers with an aftertaste echoing cherry and strawberry fruit. Best from 2026 through 2043. 1,000 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSNice mix of deep, ripe red fruit and oaky spice. Medium-to full-bodied with a robust framework of tannin and a richly spiced, fruity finish. Needs time to integrate, but there’s a solid core to this. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2018 Barolo Cerequio is an attractive mid-weight wine. Dark red/cherry plum fruit, mocha, leather, spice and incense all grace this supple, silky Barolo. There’s lovely creaminess and plenty of allure in this tasty Barolo from Michele Chiarlo.Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

The 2018 Pym-Rae can be thought of as a hypothetical mix of the 2016 and 2017, with more sexiness and opulence than the 2017 and a touch more elegance and precision than the 2016. Wonderful cassis, violets, tobacco, lead pencil, and chocolate notes define this beauty, and it’s full-bodied, with a gorgeous sense of elegance and purity, perfect tannins, and an incredible finish. This stunningly majestic, flawlessly balanced Mountain Cabernet already offers pleasure yet will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age, and it should be a 50-year wine. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2018 Pym-Rae reveals a deep garnet-purple color and a slightly reticent, slowly emerging nose of freshly crushed blackcurrants, ripe blackberries and wild blueberries with suggestions of garrigue, red currant jelly, mossy tree bark and truffles plus wafts of bouquet garni and Sichuan pepper. The palate is full-bodied and fantastically concentrated with tightly wound layers of black and red berry notions, framed by very firm yet beautifully ripe tannins and amazing tension, finishing with epic length and loads of mineral sparks.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis is extremely aromatic with blackberries, black pepper and spice. Dried flowers, too. Full-bodied with very tight, fine tannins and a racy, refined finish. Raspberries and currants at the end. Very fine and polished. The center fruit is so pure. Aged in 60% new wood barrels and 40% concrete. Drink in 2023 and onwards.James Suckling | 97 JS

Blackberry and blueberry aromas and flavors with some conifer and stone. Full-to medium-bodied with firm, dusty tannins that are fine and intense. Clarity to this wine. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2018 Quella is rich, ample and beautifully resonant in the glass. There’s terrific depth here and tons of class. Blood orange, game, licorice, tobacco, lavender and dried herbs give the Quella beguiling aromatic presence to play off its muscular, brooding personality. The 2018 needs a few years to soften, but it is already compelling, to say the least.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGFirst made in 2006 and coming from more sandy, coarser soils, the 2018 Quella is incredibly exotic, with red and black fruits, wildflowers, sandalwood, candied violets, and flowery incense notes as well as medium to full body, a layered, ultra-fine, pure mouthfeel, silky tannins, and a great finish. It’s incredibly elegant and polished in 2018, with a chalky minerality as well as gorgeous complexity and length. It’s another 2018 that has plenty of up-front charm and accessibility yet is going to age gorgeously for 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBoasts black currant, fig and loganberry fruit flavors that are tightly packed yet nicely expressive already, while the backdrop of signed alder, juniper, bay leaf and warm loam adds extra dimension and length through the finish. Not shy on power, but everything is in proportion. Best from 2024 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 96 WSA barrel sample, the 2018 Quella has a deep garnet-purple color and opens with the most gorgeous perfume of violets, red and black plums, Morello cherries and cassis plus hints of iron ore and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers lovely energy and tension, framed by fine-grained tannins and finishing with beautiful purity.Quella comes from a steep, southwest-facing vineyard in the eastern Vaca hillsides, just up from Joseph Phelps’s winery and Denali Estate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP

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 Balifico, Volpaia’s Sangiovese/ Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is fabulous. Rich and inky, the 2018 offers up a compelling mélange of dark berry fruit, dark spice, licorice and espresso. I especially admire the wine’s textural richness. I imagine the 2018 will drink well for many, many years to come. In this tasting it is a total knock-out.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGAlluring violet, black currant and black cherry fruit introduces this seductive red, with firm, pointed tannins and vivid acidity providing structure as this glides to a lingering, detailed finish. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2037. 750 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA wine with depth and a center palate of pure, ripe fruit. Raspberries and blueberries galore. Ripe and polished tannins. Solid finish.James Suckling | 93-94 JS

Quite plump, with a note of candied lemon peel amid the racier white peach, verbena and lemon zest flavors. Lots of honeysuckle and straw accents line the finish. Drink now through 2023. 5,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSAromas of sliced apple, fennel, papaya, flint and lemon curd. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a zesty, rich and layered palate. Hints of spice on the vibrant finish. 100% sauvignon blanc. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSFrom one of several estates owned by the Lurton family in Pessac-Léognan, this wine is floral, ripe and packed with tangy, citrus acidity. Wood aging has smoothed the tight, mineral texture and brought up the fruitiness. Drink the wine from 2022. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA rocking Graves white, the 2018 Château La Louvière Blanc boasts a vivid gold hue as well as classic notes of honeyed limes, grapefruit, crushed stone, and flowers. Nicely textured and medium-bodied, with bright acidity and a clean, dry finish, it’s well worth seeking out and will keep for over a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe La Louviere 2018 Blanc needs a little swirling to unlock vibrant notes of white peaches, fresh pears and lemon curd with touches of jasmine, lime cordial and coriander seed. The medium-bodied palate delivers racy citrus and apple flavors with a suggestion of creaminess to the texture and a provocative chalkiness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThis is enjoyable with a clear Sauvignon Blanc character on the nose, kiwi and citrus, juicy and given pep by a slate textured finish. .Decanter | 91 DECThe 2018 La Louvière Blanc has an attractive bouquet of pear, peach skin, elderflower and light melted wax scents. Somehow it brings to mind a South African Chenin! The palate is fresh and vivacious on the entry and offers orange peel mixed with Nashi pear and subtle saline notes toward the finish. Plenty of energy here. This is the best of the four La Louvières that I tasted in 2018.Vinous Media | 90 VM

This wine shows how well Fronsac can do in 2018, and it’s a value pick of the vintage. There’s so much volume through the palate here, it’s extremely juicy with great concentration and an explosion of damson and black cherry fruit, given definition by slate on the finish that speaks of the limestone soils. Truly a brilliant testament to Patrick Leon, as this was his last vintage, but don’t think this score is sentimentality - the wine deserves it. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2035Decanter | 94 DECDeep purple-black colored, the 2018 Les Trois Croix bursts from the glass with bold notions of stewed black cherries, prunes and blackberry preserves, plus hints of Chinese five spice, tree bark and black truffles with a waft of licorice. The rich, concentrated, full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating black fruits with a velvety texture and just enough freshness, finishing with a spicy kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2018 Les Trois Croix has a nicely detailed, mineral-driven bouquet of lifted black cherries, wild strawberry and pencil lead aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, crisp acidity and a classically styled, graphite-tinged finish. This is another classy Fronsac from a property that has been on a strong run of form.Vinous Media | 91 VMBlack plums, blackcurrants, cloves, dried herbs and earth on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, grippy tannins. Structured with an austere finish. Will soften with a little bottle age. Better from 2024.James Suckling | 91 JSHigh-pitched, with chalk and lilac notes out front, followed by damson plum, bing cherry and red currant fruit flavors. Light singed-cedar accent peeks through on the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2027. 5,166 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WSThe 2018 Château Les Trois Croix is a ripe, sexy, powerful wine that has lots of blueberry and blackberry liqueur fruits, notes of graphite, spice, and roasted meats, full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and a big finish. It’s a rich, heady, opulent beauty that holds everything together beautifully.Jeb Dunnuck | 90-92 JD