A reductive style with grapefruit, limes, yellow plums and broom flowers. Vinous. Fine mousse with zesty acidity, very light body and a leaner finish. A bit more complexity expected. Drink now.

La Gaffeliere 2018 is deep garnet purple in color. The nose begins with notes of new leather, cedar chest, and smoked meats, giving way to notions of prunes and fruit cake, with a waft of dried sage. The medium to...

I love the purity of the 2018 Château Grand-Puy Lacoste, a ripe, upfront, expressive beauty that has loads of currant and cassis notes as well as flowers, spicy wood, graphite, and hints of tobacco. Full-bodied, rich...

Glass-staining ruby. Hugely perfumed, mineral-accented black and blue fruit preserves, floral oil, olive paste, pipe tobacco and exotic spice aromas show superb clarity and pick up a hint of smokiness with air. Juicy and...

Red-ruby with vivid reflections, still young, primary with fully ripe berry fruits, set off by crayon, graphite, pomegranate and liquorice, nowhere near its drinking window. Great quality, takes the foot off to the pedal...

Impressive linearity and salinity. For once, I notice the winemaking, with greater fruit purity such as juicy plum and ripe blackberry. Gone is the drying finish of noticeable oak tannin from earlier vintages. 'In 15...

This is richly textured, velvety with dark black cherry and damson fruit character, reflecting the higher alcohol typical of the vintage. Violet floral notes add balance, and this has lenght and sllky tannins, with...

The 2018 Prieure-Lichine has a deep garnet purple color. It opens with notes of stewed plums and crème de cassis, laced with cedar and Indian spices, leading to notes of sassafras and chargrill. Medium to full-bodied, the...

Quinault L’Enclos 2018 has a deep garnet purple color. It rolls out with flamboyant notes of blackberry pie and chocolate-covered cherries, plus wafts of roses, underbrush, and charcuterie. Medium to full-bodied, the...

(95+ points) More complex and spicier than its 2016 counterpart, the 2018 Extra-Brut Grand Cru Rive Gauche – Rive Droite offers up aromas of spices, toast, baked bread, white flowers and spring flowers. Medium to...

Malescot St. Exupery 2018 has a deep garnet purple color. It delivers open-knit scents of warm cassis, black cherry compote, and mulberries, with touches of dried herbs, pencil shavings, and damp soil. Medium to...

A blend of Pinot Noir from Les Rouges Maisons (planted in 1983) and Chardonnay from Les Chemins d’Épernay (planted in 1957), including some muscaté Chardonnay selections, the 2018 Extra-Brut Les Empreintes was disgorged...

A blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 L'Esperance de Trotanoy is deep garnet-purple in color. It charges out of the gate with bold notions of baked plums, kirsch, and blueberry pie, plus suggestions of...

The 2018 Canon La Gaffeliere has a deep garnet purple color. It needs a little coaxing to reveal notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and cedar, with hints of pencil lead and lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is...

(94+ points) A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Lagrange is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notes of baked black cherries, stewed...

Aromas and flavors of berries, dark chocolate, spice and thyme. It’s full-bodied, rather chewy and slightly austere. Yet, it’s so structured and beautiful. Hint of toasted oak at the end. Give this time to soften and come...

The Bonnies' work in the vineyard and the vines' maturity is paying off in more complexity, precision and silkier tannins, with elevated, layered aromas and flavours. The bouquet is herbs and lavender, the juicy, open and...

The combination of silky-soft texture and powerful intensity of flavour is completely seductive. Violet aromas and deep, black fruit flavours dominate now. Whole-bunch fermentation for about half the grapes and a high...

Moderate wood surrounds the brooding liqueur-like aromas of red and dark currant, plum and a whiff of the sauvage. However, unlike the prior wines the wood can also be found on the mid-palate of the round, succulent and...

Deep, glistening violet color. Pungent, mineral-laced dark berry and cherry aromas are complemented by suggestions of licorice, smoked meat and exotic spices. Chewy and focused on the palate, offering juicy blackberry...

While the 2018 vintage got plenty of buzz, following the less heralded 2017, I remain less enthusiastic when compared to the stellar 2016. The 2018 has a more roasted fruit profile, albeit with impressive (and seductive)...

The top wine, the 2018 Château D'Issan is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot that spent 18 months in 50% new French oak. It offers a beautiful, singular bouquet of blackcurrants, new leather, smoked tobacco, scorched...

Among the oldest estates in St Emilion, dating back to the Middle Ages, this is pure restrained limestone, and stands as an excellent reflection of why this type of terroir worked so well in 2018. The ph for example, is...

The 2018 La Rose Perrière has come together beautifully since I last tasted it. Rich, deep and sumptuous, the 2018 possesses terrific depth and density from start to finish. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, spice...

The 2018 Branaire-Ducru has a deep garnet-purple color. It delivers pronounced scents of crème de cassis, stewed plums, and fruitcake, with hints of allspice, tobacco, and fallen leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate...

The 2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources is showing wonderfully, opening in the glass with dark cherry and plum aromas, strawberry, leather and a dash of white pepper. Full-bodied, concentrated and framed by...

2018 was especially excellent for the red wine from this estate. It’s seductive, velvety, generous and round, and it’s bursting with scents of berries, herbs and peonies. It’s also balanced, despite the high alcohol.