Brilliant violet color. Aromas of fresh red/blue fruits, candied flowers and smoky minerals pick up a spicy nuance with air. Taut and focused on the palate, offering appealingly sweet raspberry, boysenberry and spicecake...

A dark, winey style, with lots of fig, plum and blackberry paste flavors layered together, with sweet tobacco, licorice snap and warm earth accents filling in. Packed but defined, with a graphite spine through the finish...

This great estate in southern Pauillac, facing the Latour vineyard, is at the top of its game. In this release, the tannins are as impressive and dense as the black fruits. Together they form a harmonious ensemble, richly...

A touch of licorice enlivens the smoky, oaky nose on this wine, supporting a brooding note of elderberry. The palate comes in with juiciness, portraying plump, aromatic dark fruit reminiscent of fleshy black cherry. Ripe...

This is a very linear red and layered at the same time, showing blackberry, blueberry, black-truffle, bark and stone character. Chalk and minerality, too. It’s full-bodied and well framed with gorgeous intensity and...

The 2018 Côte Rôtie Les Triotes offers another level of richness, giving up lots of black and red fruits intermixed with plenty of peppery spice, plum sauce, and candied violets. With loads of charm, medium to full body...

(90-92 points) In addition to their brilliant Chateauneuf du Papes, this estate makes two terrific Rasteau. Their 2018 Rasteau offers a medium to full-bodied, fruit-forward, balanced style as well as the more blue fruit...

Blackcurrant, pine cone, walnut, crushed gravel and dried flowers on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Sleek and refined. Try from 2023.

The 2018 Les Perrières de Lafleur comes from a massal selection of vines from Château Lafleur planted on the clay and limestone soils in Fronsac. Based on 51% Cabernet Franc and 49% Merlot aged 15 months in one-third new...

The 2018 La Gaffelière is hands down one of the wines of the vintage. Towering in its stature and vertical lift, the 2018 dazzles right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, mocha, spice, licorice and leather all run through...

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.

A great success in any vintage, but a marvel in a difficult year, this superb wine offers a deep, dark, red hue. The perfume, with its blend of flowers, licorice, garrigue, spices, cherries and plums is gorgeous. Richly...

Unwinding in the glass with aromas of rose petals, sweet red cherries, dried flowers and ripe strawberries, the 2018 Fleurie Poncié is medium to full-bodied, lively and enveloping, with a charming, fruit-driven profile...

Beautiful black cherry and blueberry fruits as well as spice, cedary pencil, violets, and chocolaty earth emerge from the 2018 Château Vieux Maillet. Medium to full-bodied, it has a rounded, elegant texture, beautiful...

From vineyards just below the iconic windmill (moulin-à-vent), this is a powerfully structured and very ageworthy wine. Black fruits and rich tannins convey complexity. This wine will age well and should not be drunk...

One of the best Côte de Beaune reds of the vintage. The four blocks that make up the blend of this justly celebrated Pommard Premier Cru red amount to 5.23ha and range in age between 36 and 100 years' old. Aged in one...

A wine that will take time to balance out, this has dense, dark and dry tannins at this stage. These underline the richness of the black fruits and acidity, giving a wine that will need to age to lose its firm edge. Drink...

I was also able to taste the 2018s from bottle. Starting with the 2018 Cornas Renaissance, it has plenty of meaty, gamey nuances as well as ample red and black fruits, full body, ripe, supple tannins, and classic Cornas...

This estate continues to fire on all cylinders, and they're produced a beautiful 2018 Château Badette based on 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot aged 18 months in 50% new French oak. Its deep...

This is certainly one of the more concentrated Volnays of the vintage, but the richness and plummy, mulberry fruity concentration is balanced by some freshness and spice from 30% whole bunches. The acidity comes through...

Loads of meaty black cherries, currants, truffle, chocolate, and tobacco emerge from the 2018 Château Beauregard. Full-bodied, it has a round, elegant texture, classic Pomerol finesse, silky tannins, and a great finish...