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...

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...

Aromas of currants, walnuts and blackberries follow through to a full-bodied palate with fine, chewy tannins and a linear finish. Shows polish and beautiful length. Lovely second wine. Try after 2025.

Aromas of blackberry, plum, cocoa, iodine, clove and graphite. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins. Tightly wound and mineral at the moment, with dusty gravel and graphite notes, yet with focus and...

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 Lafite Rothschild is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a little swirling to unlock notes of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, and crème de cassis, with touches of menthol, Indian spices and smoked meats...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The wines here continue getting better year after year. And 2018 is no exception. Just the color, with its dark, purple ink hue tells you you're in for something special. There is incredible intensity of flavor here. The...

Very attractive aromas of currants, tile and sandalwood with black and red currants. It’s full-bodied with a tight, dense center-palate that remains closed in and tight. Yet there is underlying seriousness and length to...

This is now performing as one of the top Margaux estates. Their latest release shows structure, elegant black fruits and rich tannins. Densely textured and vibrantly fruity, the wine has a fine future. Drink from 2027. -...

The 2018 Canon La Gaffelière is bright, punchy and full of character, just as it was from barrel. Sage, blood orange, mocha and spice add pretty aromatic top notes to a core of inky red/purplish berry fruit. All the...

Ripe black fruits shine through this balanced wine, showing strongly against a backdrop of rich, generous tannins. This estate is one to watch as it achieves the form the vineyard deserves. Expect this wine to be ready to...

Very beautiful purity of fruit on the nose with currant, cherry, blackberry and dried lavender. Full-bodied, yet balanced and refined with beautiful, fine tannins and a fresh, vivid finish. I am impressed with the...

(96-99) I’ll taste the 2018 Le Pin from barrel again in April for en primeur, but I was thrilled with this early look, and it appears to be a step up over the 2017. Boasting a vivid purple color and magical notes of...

This one I found more difficult en primeur - more austere than Les Argileuses, but as is often the case in a more limestone-dominant wine, it just needed a few years to unwind. Lovely now, very different from its sibling...

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Clos L'Eglise comes bounding out of the glass with bold notes of plum preserves, wild blueberries, and boysenberries, giving way to compelling sandalwood, licorice, and potpourri...

Coming from a tiny parcel next to Fleur Cardinale and 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Croix Cardinale has a beautiful, complex nose of red and black fruits, white truffle, flowers, and sandalwood. With...

The intensity and perfumes on the nose are extremely impressive, offering pure blackberries and violets, as well as bark, wild-mushroom and raw-tile notes. It’s full-bodied with creamy tannins that envelop the wine and a...

Sweet berries and cherries on the nose with sweet tobacco, lead pencil and blackcurrants. It’s full-bodied and very rich with layers of fruit and creamy tannins intertwined. Extremely long and creamy. Great Duhart. Try...

This still exudes the freshness and exuberance that the wine had during the primeur stage with its scents of blackcurrant, raspberry, and crushed strawberry along with a delicate floral touch. The new oak is perfectly...

Black currant, dried-blueberry, oyster-shell, black-olive, black truffle, and bitter-chocolate aromas. It’s full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Savory and mineral layers interplay with the black...

This is my favorite vintage of Grand Mayne yet. The wine is rich, lush, round and packed with sweet, ripe, fresh, opulent black cherries, plums and chocolate. The wine has good concentration, a nose of smoke, licorice...

Hard to go wrong with recent vintages of Grand Puy Lacoste. This doesn't quite hit the strides of 2016 or 2019, but for me is more successful than either 2015 or 2017. This is full of Pauillac classicism in its cassis...

First created in 2017, the Château Haut-Batailley Verso is the new second wine of this estate, which is now run by the talented team at Lynch-Bages. The 2018 Château Haut-Batailley Verso has a complex, nuanced...