The 2018 Malescot-St-Exupery Bordeaux Blend from Margaux, Bordeaux, is a well-regarded red wine notable for its complexity and aging potential. This wine is produced by Malescot-St-Exupery and features a composition of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot. With an alcohol content of 14.5% and closed with a cork, this wine showcases the rich and nuanced characteristics expected from a high-quality Bordeaux blend.
James Suckling awarded this wine a high score of 97, describing it as "a seductive Margaux with an intense nose of black fruit and red plums," and noted its "silky and fine-grained" texture with "precise, flavorful finish with length" (jamessuckling.com, 1/15/2021). This review highlights the wine's elegance and complexity, suggesting it will develop further if cellared until at least 2024.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, with a score of 95, praised the "expressive scents of baked blackberries, Morello cherries, and boysenberries," and appreciated its "impressive intensity without heaviness" and a "refreshing earthy lift" on the finish (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 3/31/2021). This review underscores the wine's balance and depth.
Jeff Leve also rated the wine at 95, describing it as "almost opaque in color" with "layers of ripe, sweet, dark red fruits, licorice, espresso, plums, and cherries." He emphasized the wine's "velvety tannins" and suggested it would be "outstanding" if aged for another decade (TheWineCellarInsider.com, 3/9/2021).
Jeb Dunnuck echoed these sentiments with a 95-point score, noting "smoking good notes of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and spice" and highlighting its "impressively concentrated" nature and "terrific sense of freshness" (jebdunnuck.com, 3/11/2021).
Vinous rated the wine between 93-96, calling it "powerful and explosive" yet "remarkably polished," with "graphite, smoke, gravel, spice, and leather" flavors (Vinous, 5/2/2019).
Decanter and Wine Enthusiast also provided positive reviews with scores of 93, emphasizing the wine's modern style, high energy, and potential for aging, respectively (Decanter, 4/1/2019; Wine Enthusiast, 5/1/2021).
Overall, the 2018 Malescot-St-Exupery Bordeaux Blend is a highly praised wine noted for its rich fruit profile, balanced structure, and significant aging potential.