The 2018 La Croix de Beaucaillou is a Bordeaux Blend from the St Julien sub-region in Bordeaux, France. This red wine is produced by La Croix de Beaucaillou and features a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot. With an alcohol content of 15%, it presents a deep garnet-purple hue.
Jeb Dunnuck awards this wine a score of 94, describing it as "a ripe, opulent beauty" with a "dense purple color" and a "full-bodied style showing loads of blackcurrants, cassis, spice, candied violet, and tobacco-like aromas and flavors." He notes its plush and concentrated palate, suggesting it will age well over the next 15-20 years. [jebdunnuck.com, 3/11/2021]
Lisa Perrotti-Brown of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate also scores it 92 points, highlighting its "vibrant notes of crushed blueberries, baked plums and blackcurrant cordial" alongside "bouquet garni, underbrush, clove oil and cast-iron pan" aromas. She describes the wine as medium to full-bodied with "a sturdy frame of firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing earthy." [Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 3/31/2021]
Wine Enthusiast's Roger Voss praises the wine with a 94 score, calling it "richly juicy and intense" and describing its "concentrated tannins and dusty texture." He notes its impressive freshness and acidity, recommending to drink it from 2027. [Wine Enthusiast, 5/1/2021]
James Suckling gives it another 94 points, noting aromas of "blackberry, blueberry and blackcurrant with violet and lavender" and a "creamy, beautifully caressing texture." He appreciates the "chocolate, walnut and berry aftertaste," and suggests it will be best enjoyed after 2025. [jamessuckling.com, 3/3/2021]
Vinous' Neal Martin scores it 93 points, describing the wine as "sensual and ravishing" with scents of "kirsch, menthol, fig and red berry." He notes its rich palate with flavors of "white pepper, sage, mint and touches of fresh fig," calling it "one of the most decadent Croix de Beaucaillou that I have tasted at this prenatal stage." [Vinous, 11/1/2019]
Jeff Leve from The Wine Cellar Insider also rates it between 92-94 points, citing its "polish to the fruits and tannin" and "depth of flavor and length." He recommends aging it for a few years to fully enjoy its elements of "espresso bean, ripe plum, blackberry and earth." [TheWineCellarInsider.com, 4/19/2019]
Decanter and Wine Spectator both give it 93 points, with Decanter highlighting its "vivid and intense pencil lead, cassis and sweet black cherry" and Wine Spectator noting its "solid core of kirsch and plum sauce flavors." [Decanter, 4/3/2019; Wine Spectator, 1/1/2019]
Overall, the 2018 La Croix de Beaucaillou is a highly praised, rich, and complex wine with strong aging potential.