2018 Saint-Emilion in bottle

 2018 Saint-Emilion

2018 Château Adagusta

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven, rich nose, scented, floral high notes. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, vanilla, structured, alcohol on the high side but it sits well together, good length. 89

2018 Château Badette

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, lush, rich, some vanilla and toast nites nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, juicy, anise, spices, blackberries, rich and sweet. 14,5% alcohol. 90

2018 Château Balestard La Tonelle

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, fruit driven, nuanced nose, rich. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, blackberries, bit jammy, long finish. 14,5% alcohol. 91

2018 Château Barrail Saint André 

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, fruit driven nose, some liquorice. Fresh acidity, dark fruits and anise, high alcohol, rich, soft texture, smooth and almost calming, good length. 88

2018 Château Bellefont-Belcier

Ruby. Blackberries, blueberries, vanilla, coffee, truffles, rich nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, rich, bit jammy, spices, woody finish, good length. 89

2018 Château Bernateau

Ruby. Red berries, anise, spices, blackberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise and spices, juicy, leaner bodied, good length. 87

2018 Château Cadet-Bon

Ruby. Blackberties, fruit driven, blueberry jam, vanilla and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, blackberries and spices, anise, some faint graphite notes in the leaner blackberries and liquorice finish, long. 90

2018 Château de Candale

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, blueberries nose, lightly scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, red fruits, anise, spices, juicy, structured, good length. 89

2018 Château Roc de Candale

Ruby. Anise, red fruits, blackberries and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, red fruits, dark berries, leaner finish. 87

2018 Château Cantin

APR 21 Ruby. Alcoholic nose, jammy dark fruits nose. Medium acidity, rich, big, sweet, lacks lift, just a wall of fruit. You can almost eat it with a spoon. 89

2018 Château Cap de Mourlin

APR 21 Ruby. Anise, blueberries, fruit driven, somewhat scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, juicy, bit shorter finish. 89

2018 Château Carteau Côtes Daugay

Ruby. Rich, dark fruits, anise and spices nose, big. Medium acidity, rich, dark fruits, blackberries and spices, rich and sweet. High alcohol. 88

2018 Château Chauvin

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, blueberries, fruit driven, rich and intense nose, chocolate and coffee. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, juicy, has some energy in it, long. 92

2018 Folie de Chauvin

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, fruit driven, faint mineral note nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, somewhat jammy, dark fruits, smoother texture, good length. 88

2018 Château Cheval-Blanc

APR 21 Ruby. Scented, detailed, nuanced, blackberries and spices, layered of red and dark fruits, anise, floral notes, superb nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, detailed and intense, blackberries, cassis, fruit driven, layered long finish. 14,5% alcohol. 97

2018 Le Petit Cheval

APR 21 Ruby. Scented, anise, floral, blackberries and spices, intense, deep nose, nuanced, almost a mineral touch to it. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, detailed and rich, lush Petit Cheval, long finish. 14,5% alcohol. 94

2018 Clos Badon

Ruby. Blackberries, rich, vanilla, anise nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rich, dark fruity, anise, spices, detailed, high alcohol, long. 92

2018 Clos Dubreuil

APR 21 75M 25CF Ruby. Rich nose, blackberries, coffee, vanilla, jammy nose, intense. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, lush, almost creamy, blueberry jam and chocolate, long finish. High alcohol on the palate. 15,5% alcohol. 92

2018 Clos Dubreuil Anna

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, alcohol nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, high alcohol, jammy. 88

2018 Clos les Grandes Versannes

APR 21 Ruby. Rich, fruit driven, blackberries nose, big. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries and spices, rich, sweet fruits, high alcohol (15%). 90

2018 Clos des Jacobins 

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, some spices, liquorice and anise nose, nuanced, floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, juicy, spices and liquorice, detailed, long. Bit of alcohol warmth. 91

2018 Clos Lardière

Ruby. Vanilla, spices, coffee and dark fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, vanilla and spices, blueberries, good length. 87

2018 Château Clos des Prince

APR 80M 20CF Ruby. Scented, dark fruits, blackberries, richer nose, some alcohol notes. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, juicy with spices, quite lively, high alcohol (14,5), long finish. 93

2018 Clos Romanile

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, blueberries nose, lighter. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, good length. 87

2018 Clos Saint-Martin

APR 21 Ruby. Vanilla, spices, toast, coffee and blackberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, vanilla and spices, lots of wood notes. 89

2018 Château Clos de Sarpe

APR 18 Ruby. Jammy, blackberries nose, very fruit driven and alcohol high notes. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, soft and lush texture, velvety, alcohol warmth (15%). Long finish. 92

2018 Château La Commanderie

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, scented, some vanilla, faintly scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, blackberries, elegant texture and better balanced than some this warm vintage, long. 91

2018 Château Côte de Baleau

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, cassis, rich, fruit driven and nuanced, intense nose, coffee and chocolate. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, detailed, intense, long. Some alcohol warmth. 93

2018 Château Coudert

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven, rich nose. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, not the most complex and could be longer. 88

2018 Château La Croizille

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, blueberries and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, high alcohol, vanilla and spices, good length. 88

2018 Château Dassault

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, fruit driven, anise and spices, liquorice nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, juicy, blackberries, detailed, some alcohol warmth in the finish (14,5). 92

2018 D de Dassault

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose, some spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, bit jammy, good length. 88

2018 Château Daugay

APR 21 63M 37CF Ruby. Cassis, blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose, spices. Chocolate. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise and spices, juicy, dense, long. 93

2018 Château Destieux 

APR 21 Ruby. Rich, fruit driven, blackberries and spices, sweet fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruit, rich and sweet fruity, long finish. 90

2018 Château La Dominique

APR 21 Ruby. Scented, floral, blackberries, some minerals, detailed and nuanced nose, layered. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, detailed, fruit driven and nuanced, long. Bright expression. A beautiful La Dominique! 14,5% alcohol. 94

2018 Relais de la Dominique

APR 21 Ruby. Red fruits, anise, blackberries and light spices nose, faintly floral. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant fruit and body, red and dark fruits, good length. 14% alcohol. 89

2018 Château Fairie de Souchard

APR 21 Ruby. Dark fruits, anise, blackberries, spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, long finish. 91

2018 Château Faugeres

Ruby. Blackberries, blueberries, rich, vanilla, spices, anise, vanilla and a very faint violets note nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, vanilla, spices, blueberries, slightly warm fruit, borderline jammy, but just borderline. Good length. 89

2018 Château de Ferrand

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, vanilla nose, fruit driven. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, spices, vanilla, elegant texture, high alcohol. Good length. 89 

2018 Château Figeac

Ruby. Blackberries, blueberries, vanilla, spices, scented, detailed and nuanced nose, intense. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blueberries and blackberries, cassis, detailed and layered, stunning palate, minerals beneath, tight now and not the easiest to read, long finish. 97

2018 Château La Fleur

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, coffee and spices, liquorice nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, sweet, dark fruits, anise, some alcohol warmth, long if leaner finish. 90

2018 La Fleur d’Arthus

APR 21 Ruby. Anise, spices, blackberries and blueberries nose, some spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, spices, high alcohol, vanilla, good length. 89

2018 Château Fleur Cardinale

Ruby. Dark fruits, blackberries and spices, some scented and floral high notes, chocolate notes, still quite tight nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, blackberries and spices, a more detailed palate like I remember it from primeur even if also rich and dense, and that was followed up even more in 2019. A new era of Fleur Cardinale starts here. 93

2018 Intuition de Fleur Cardinale

Ruby. Blueberries, anise, faint of spices, fruit driven nose, faintly scented and somewhat floral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, red berries, elegant texture, lovely freshness with some sweetness, good length. 89

2018 Château La Fleur Chantecaille

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven, rich and intense nose, some spices, alcohol nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, high alcohol (15%). 88

2018 Château La Fagnouse

Ruby. Blackberries and blueberries, some spices and vanilla, fruit driven and lightly scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, blackberries and spices, deep, anise, has some richness, long finish. 90 

2018 Château Fombrauge

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, blueberries, fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, good length. 89

2018 Château Fonroque

Ruby. Blackberries and anise, some spices, blueberries, very fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, smooth, dark fruits, anise and spices, alcohol on the high side, good length. 88

2018 Château Franc Bigaroux

Ruby. Blackberries and anise, blueberries and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rich, dark fruity, spices and blackberries, good length. 89

2018 Château Franc Pipeau

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, leaner nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, hollow, lacks substance, high alcohol. 86

2018 Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac

APR 21 Ruby. Scented, floral, red fruits and anise nose, detailed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, red fruits, juicy, leaner bodied, elegant texture, good length. 89

2018 Château Grand-Pontet

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven, minerals, detailed and layered nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruit driven, dense, anise, blackberries and spiced, structured and lots of texture, long. 14,5% alcohol. 94

2018 Gracia

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, coffee and chocolate, some spices, detailed nose, rich. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, dense and sweet, high alcohol. 91

2018 Les Angelots de Gracia

APR 21 Ruby. Dark fruits, anise, coffee and chocolate nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, high alcohol, blackberries and spices, bit hollow finish. 88

2018 Château Grand Corbin-Despagne

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, blueberries and spices nose, fruit driven. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, rounded, some plums and dates, sweet, some spicy notes, high alcohol, detailed and long. 91

2018 Château Grand Corbin

Ruby. Dark fruits, anise, red berries, light spicy notes nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, red berries and spices, bit high alcohol, long. 90

2018 Château La Grangere

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose, some spices and coffee. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, vanilla and spices , bit hollow mid palate and finish, some herbs. Wood is overshadowing the fruit. 88

2018 Château Jean Voisin

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, vanilla and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, some herbs, blackberries and high alcohol, good length. 88

2018 L’Esprit de Jean Voisin

Ruby. Blackberries, some coffee and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, obvious alcohol warmth, good length. 87

2018 Château Laniote Saint-Emilion

APR 21 Ruby. Boiled fruits, jammy, blueberries, some scented notes above. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, sweet, red and dark fruits, some alcohol warmth, good length. 89

2018 Château Laplagnotte-Bellevue

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, liquorice scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, blackberries, good length. 89

2018 Château Laroque

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, minerals, blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, nuanced, long finish. 92

2018 Les Tours de Laroque

Ruby. Blackberries, dark fruits, anise, spices, blueberries, lightly scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, blackberries, bit leaner finish, high alcohol. 88

2018 Chateau Laroze

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, blueberries and spices, faintly scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, blackberries, juicy, fairly detailed. Long. 90

2018 Lynsolence

Ruby. Alcohol, big, rich and anise notes nose. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, high alcohol, spices, rich and very fruit driven. Liquorice. 87

2018 Château Magrez Fombrauge 

Ruby. Jammy, alcoholic, intense nose, very ripe. Medium acidity, fruit driven and intense, juicy, rounded, high alcohol and warm finish, not my cup of tea at all. 87

2018 Château Mangot

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, blueberries, fruit driven and intense, rich and quite big. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, jammy, red fruits and dark berries, bit ripe, long finish. 91

2018 Château Mangot Todeschini Distique 11

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, cassis, blueberries, fruit driven and intense, quite sweet with some scented high notes. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, rich and lush, long finish. 92

2018 Château Martinet

Ruby. Blackberries and anise, blueberries nose, fruit driven. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice finish, good length. 89

2018 Château La Marzelle

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, blueberries and vanilla nose, scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruit driven, spices, juicy, elegant texture, long finish. 92

2018 Château Mondou

Ruby. Dark fruits, blackberries and spices, fruit driven nose. Scented with air. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, blackberries, rich, fruit driven and good length. 89

2018 Château Monlot

Ruby. Blueberries and blackberries, lightly scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, red and dark fruits, anise, smooth and rounded, good length. High alcohol. 88

2018 Heritage de Monlot

Ruby. Red berries, blueberries and light floral nose. Vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, dark fruits, smooth with high alcohol. 87

2018 Château Montlisse

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, fruit driven nose, some alcohol. Scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, juicy, blackberries and red fruits, long. 90

2018 Château Moulin du Cadet

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, fruit driven and anise nose, liquorice and spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, liquorice, spices, juicy, long finish. 93

2018 Château Panet

Ruby. Blackberries, jammy notes, coffee and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, juicy, lighter bodied, high alcohol, coffee and some vanilla, bit hollow mid palate. 86

2018 Château du Paradis

Ruby. Rich, blackberries and blueberries nose, some vanilla and spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, vanilla and spices, some smokiness, good length. 88

2018 Chateau Pas de l’Ane

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rich, fruit driven, intense, good length. High alcohol. 87

2018 Château Pierre 1er

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, fruit driven, nuanced nose, bit rich. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, fruit driven, some texture, long finish. 90

2018 Château de Pressac

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, blueberries and faint of spices, slight graphite minerals far beneath, faint floral note nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, blackberries and spices, liquorice, intense, rich, fruit driven, sweet blackberries finish, long. 91

2018 Château Tour de Pressac

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, some spices, fruit driven and rich nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits and spices, liquorice, intense, high alcohol, good length. 88

2018 Château Quinault L’Enclos

APR 21 Ruby. Dark fruits, anise, blackberries and spices, liquorice, faintly scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, bit jammy, long finish. Needs three hours plus of air to open. 93

2018 Château Quintus

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, some spices, liquorice and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, sweet, dark fruity, high alcohol, dense, lacks some lift, doesn’t quite hide the alcohol that well at this stage. Plums and dates, long finish. Not for every palate. 92

2018 Le Dragon de Quintus

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, blueberries, intense, rich and deep nose, actually some faint floral high notes above. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, lush, rich, high alcohol but hides it well, lush dark fruits for a second label, almost dense, long. 91

2018 Château La Reverence

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, liquorice and spices, leaner nose, alcohol shines through. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, rich, alcoholic and somewhat sweet. 86

2018 Château Rol Vallentin

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, jammy, rich and sweet, good length. 87

2018 Château Roylland

Ruby. Blackberries, vanilla and high alcohol nose. Medium acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, jammy, blackberries and spices. 85

2018 Saintayme

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, fruit driven and intense nose. Fresh acidity, rounded ripe tannins, fruit driven, dark fruits and truffles, long. 92

2018 Château Sansonnet

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, blueberries and spices, alcohol nose. Fresh acidity, soft attack, ripe tannins, alcohol warmth covers up the palate, numbs it, rich and dense, long finish. 15% alcohol. 91

2018 Château Soutard-Cadet

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, vanilla, spices, rich nose, fruit driven with alcohol. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, high alcohol. There are serious efforts behind it, but a bit big. 91

2018 Château Tertre Roteboeuf 

MAR 21 Ruby. Rich nose, blackberries, blueberries, coffee, liquorice, dense and layered, vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rich and dark fruity, it does this year, as it so often does, disobey the laws of physics. Clocking in at 15 percent alcohol, I shall not say you don’t notice it, but it is remarkably well hidden. Long finish. 96

2018 Château Tour Baladoz

Ruby. Rich, dark fruity, spices, liquorice and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, good length. 88

2018 Château Tour Fonrazade

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, fruit driven nose, vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lush dark fruits and high alcohol (15%), yet it remains some lift. 89

2018 Château Tour Saint Christophe

Ruby. Rich nose, blueberry jam, dark fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, soft, dark fruity, lush, high alcohol, intense, good length. 89

2018 Château Trianon

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, cherries, spices and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, soft and rounded, rich, dark berries, some herbs and rubber notes, high alcohol, long finish. 90

2018 Château Trimoulet

Ruby. Blackberries, rich, fruit driven nose, intense. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, lush blueberries palate, smooth and rounded, long. 89

2018 Château Troplong Mondot

Ruby. Intense, layered, rich, deep, lush of blackberries, blueberries liquorice and spices on the nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, layered, rich, dense, spices, blackberries and liquorice, coffee and vanilla. Dense and long. It has richness yet finesse. 96

2018 Château Valandraud 

36845 bottles made. Deep ruby. Lush, rich, exotic, blackberries and blueberries nose, dense and intense. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rich, dense, big, larger than life, spices, lush of dark fruits, deep and layered, incredible length with alcohol warmth. Massive 15,5 on the label. It swallows it surprisingly well, but you feel it more now in bottle than during primeur. 96

2018 Virginie de Valandraud

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, vanilla, spices, rich nose, intense. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, rich and dense, high alcohol, long. 91

2018 Château Villemaurine

Ruby. Dark fruity, spices, blackberries and vanilla nose, the faint graphite minerals typical of this estate is starting to show. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, juicy, spices, blackberries, fruit driven, long. 90

2018 Château La Voute

APR 18. Blackberries, anise, some alcohol and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, high alcohol, some spices, good length. 88

2018 Château Yon-Figeac

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, some spices, fruit driven nose, some liquorice and warm pebbles. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, some texture, juicy, detailed, light mint touch that brings lift, long. 91