2018 Primeur Pauillac

Pauillac was again one of the star appellations and there will be some legendary wines from here this vintage. Mouton was probably my personal favorite, it just has everything you want from a perfect vintage of Mouton and Pauillac. Alcohol clocking in at 13,8 or so is not frightening either. My surprise was that Pichon Comtesse didn’t make an even greater wine than they did. I tasted it twice, both at the estate and at the UGCB press tasting with very similar notes. Haut-Bages Liberal was not available to taste where I normally taste it due to low production caused by mildew. Pauillac has some less expensive stars as well, Fonbadet has made their possibly finest wine to date. Armailhac and Clerc Milon has also been on a roll the last vintages and they both shine again this vintage. Lafite is bolder in style even if not that high ripeness; it is a flamboyant version of itself. Duhart-Milon is fine and less rustic than it can sometimes be. Smoother. Grand-Puy-Lacoste is stunning, maybe in a somewhat richer style but landing perfectly in the more elegant side of the vintage in my book. Lynch-Bages has more concentration and depth with lots of stuffing and will probably be for the long haul. Pichon Baron shows great depth and richness, it is a powerhouse. Latour has a similar richness with just a bit more depth. Pontet-Canet is big and rich with lots of depth but also freshness to back it all up. A very fine vintage in Pauillac.(Updated 20.05.2019 with new retasted Fonbadet and Château Pauillac notes, plus added Haut Bages Liberal and L'Harmonie de Fonbadet).

2018 Château d'Armailhac

MAR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, some spices, light herbal note, some tobacco and cassis nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, some spices and liquorice, long finish. 92-94

2018 Château Batailley

MAR 19 Ruby. Anise, liquorice, cassis, blueberries and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, cassis, some spices, elegant texture, long. 91-93

2018 Château Bellegrave

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, some spices, liquorice and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries and spices, good length. Woody finish. 85-87

2018 Château Clerc Milon

MAR 19 Ruby. Cassis, anise, blueberries, some spices, liquorice nose. Slightly exotic. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, spices, some liquorice, detailed, long finish. 93-95

2018 Château Croizet-Bages

MAR 19 Ruby. Scented, blueberries, cassis, some liquorice and tobacco nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, some spices and liquorice, long finish. 89-91

2018 Château Duhart Milon

MAR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, scented, cassis, some floral notes nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, juicy, some spices, detailed, elegant, lovely effort from Duhart. 91-93

2018 Château La Fleur Peyrabon

APR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, some spices, dark fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries, anise, spices, juicy, liquorice, good length. 87-89

2018 Château Fonbadet

MAY 19 75CS 25M Ruby. Ruby. Blueberries, anise, some spices, liquorice, dark fruity nose. Another layer than before. Slightly floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries and spices, liquorice, dense yet refined and open, long finish. Showing even better than during primeurs. 91-93

2018 Château Fonbadet

MAR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, some spices, scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries and spices, juicy. A fine Fonbadet. 90-92

2018 L'Harmonie de Fonbadet

MAY 19 70CS 30M Ruby. Scented, blueberries, spices, anise, liquorice, cassis nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries, spices, anise, ripe, dark fruity, blueberries, lovely balance, a new level of depth. 89-91

2018 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse

MAR 19 Ruby. Cassis, blueberries, anise, spices, richer nose, detailed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, some herbs, leaner bodied than nose suggests, structured. Good length. 89-91

2018 Château Grand-Puy Lacoste

APR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, liquorice, dark fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, dark fruity, spices, ripe, rich, blueberries, detailed, intense, long. Playful and layered. A Beautiful GPL. 94-96

2018 Lacoste Borie

APR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, fruity, blueberries nose, detailed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, spices, liquorice, elegant texture, good length. 87-89

2018 Château Haut Bages Libéral 

MAY 19 Ruby. Cassis, blueberries, anise, spices, liquorice, detailed and intense, highly scented, layered. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, spices, dark fruity, red berries, superb texture, refined, long finish. Exceptional Haut Bages Libéral. WOW. 94-96

2018 Château Haut-Bages Monpelou

APR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, dark fruits nose, some spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, dark fruity, spicy, good length. 86-88

2018 Château Lafite Rothschild

APR 19 Ruby. Tight, dark fruity, blackberries, liquorice and spices, denser. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruity, spices, liquorice, layered, detailed, intense and dense. A richer Lafite, powerful, or rather denser. Alcohol on the very low side this year at 13,3. 96-98

2018 Carruades de Lafite

APR 19 56,5CS 38M 5,5CF Ruby. Scented, blueberries, dark fruits, layered nose, floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, spices, juicy, detailed, layered and long 91-93

2018 Château Latour

APR 19 Ruby. Scented, dark fruity, blueberries, spices, ripe, detailed, intense, richer nose. Layered. Minerals, graphite, mint, touch of tobacco leaves. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruity, blackberries, anise, ripe, rich, dense, intense, long. 98-100

2018 Les Forts de Latour

APR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, cassis, anise, spices, dark fruity, detailed nose, tighter yet scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruity, anise, blueberries, spices, detailed, dark fruity, nuanced, long. 93-95

2018 Pauillac

APR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, dark fruits, scented nose, some minty notes. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, juicy, blueberries, detailed, elegant texture, long. 89-91

2018 Château Lynch-Bages

MAR 19 Ruby. Cassis, anise, some spices, tobacco, nuanced and detailed, intense nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries, anise, liquorice and spices, layered, some warmth in the finish. Long. 94-96

2018 Château Lynch Moussas

MAR 19 Ruby. Anise, liquorice, spices, blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, some spices, liquorice, good length. Bit lean. 87-89

2018 Château Mouton Rothschild

MAR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, scented, floral, detailed, intense, exotic spices, layered. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, spices, dense, intense, layered, detailed, nuanced, superb balance, rich and dense yet remains playful. Intriguing combination, highly seductive. 99-100

2018 Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild

MAR 19 Ruby. Anise, blueberries, spices, liquorice, detailed, denser Petit Mouton. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, spices, detailed, lovely balance, long. 92-94

2018 Aile d'Argent

MAR 19 Pale lemon yellow. Grapefruits, minerals, fresh nose, some vanilla.  Fresh acidity, fruity, apples, lemons, spices, anise, good length. 88-90

2018 Château Pauillac

MAY 19 60CS 40 Ruby. Blueberries, spices, dark fruits, nuanced, detailed, some minerals beneath, lovely nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, dark fruits, spices, liquorice, detailed, refined texture and balanced, long. 92-94

2018 Château Pauillac

MAR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, vanilla, lighter but fairly elegant fruit and body. 86-88

2018 Château Pédesclaux

APR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, dark fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries, anise, spices, dark fruity, long if narrower finish. 89-91

2018 Château Pibran

APR 19 54CS 46M Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, dark fruits, detailed, tobacco notes nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, spices, dark berries and spices, long finish. Rounded. 89-91

2018 Château Pichon Longueville Baron

APR 19 78CS 22M Ruby. Dark fruits, anise, spices, blueberries, intense, lightly scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, detailed, intense, dense yet playful, ripe dark fruits, touch of red berries livens things up, very long finish. 97-99

2018 Les Griffons de Longueville

APR 19 Ruby. Spices, anise, vanilla, dark fruits, ripe, spices, some smoky minty notes behind. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruity, spices, anise, liquorice, dark and spicy, ripe, richer, long. Some warmth in the finish 92-94

2018 Les Tourelles de Longueville

APR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, fruity, anise, dark fruits and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries, anis,e juicy, spicy, long. Bit of warmth in the finish. 90-92

2018 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

MAR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, some spices, liquorice, detailed, intense, layered nose, scented and floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, spices, liquorice, detailed, elegant structure and texture, long. Tasted twice. 95-97

2018 Reserve de la Comtesse

APR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, scented, dark fruity nose, lovely nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, some spices, liquorice, long. 90-92

2018 Château Plantey

APR 19 Ruby. Dark fruity nose, spicy, scented, cassis. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, blueberries, spices, liquorice, detailed, long. 87-89

2018 Château Pontet-Canet

APR 19 Ruby. Blueberries, anise, spices, liquorice, cassis, dense, rich nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries, spices, liquorice, detailed, spicy, ripe, rich, fairly dense, with freshness to back it up. Long. Lost two thirds of the crop to mildew. 97-99