2018 Saint-Estephe in bottle

 2018 Saint-Estephe 

2018 Château Bernard Magrez

Ruby. Liquorice, rich dark fruits nose, boysenberries and vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, rich and big. 87

2018 Château Le Boscq

Ruby. Blackberries, cassis, herbs and ripe jammy fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, spices, liquorice, good length. 87

2018 Château Calon Ségur 

Ruby. Scented, blackberries, anise, blueberries, cassis, rich and deep nose, intense, leaps out of the glass. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, cassis, boysenberries, rich and deep, layered, high alcohol (15), big Calon, and not a style for everyone. 96

2018 Cos d'Estournel

Ruby. Dark fruity, lush, rich nose of blackberries, exotic spices, dense yet detailed, layered. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, cassis, blueberries, liquorice, layered deep and intense, subtle mineral note, high alcohol that it hides well, and lands just on the right side.  Really long! This may well be the greatest ever Cos d’Estournel, but it needs a few years to settle properly in bottle. 98

2018 Pagodes de Cos

Ruby. Scented, morellos, truffles, blackberries and spices, detailed, vaguely floral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, juicy, blackberries, fruit driven and gentle, smooth, blueberries, layered, refreshing, rich, dense and long. 92

2018 Cos d'Estournel blanc

Pale lemon yellow. Grilled lemons, pears, grapefruits and orange blossoms, some vanilla and touch smoky note nose. Fresh acidity, pears, grapefruits, lemons, faint minerals, fairly refreshing and nuanced, long. 91

2018 Pagodes de Cos blanc

Pale lemon yellow. Grapefruits, light peach, citrus peel and vanilla nose, nuanced and detailed. Fresh acidity, fruit driven, light of grapefruits, elegant texture, good length. 88

2018 Goulée by Cos d’Estournel

Ruby. Blackberries, blueberries, plums, bit jammy nose, rich. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, vanilla and blackberries, high alcohol, good length. 88

2018 Château Cos Labory 

Ruby. Cassis, dark fruits, anise, spices and vanilla, faint scented nose with air, quite tight even with a few hours open. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, and there is quite some tannins, structured and firm, long finish. 93

2018 Château Haut-Beauséjour 

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, vanilla, dark fruity nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, dark fruits, juicy and spicy, somewhat high alcohol, softer texture, good length. 89

2018 Château Haut-Marbuzet

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, blueberries and spices nose. Rich. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, fruit driven, high alcohol but carries it, long. 91

2018 Château La Haye

Ruby. Blackberries, floral, fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, darkfruits, anise, bit hollow, high alcohol. 86

2018 Château Laffitte Carcasset

Ruby. Dark fruits, scented, vanilla, cassis and blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, blackberries and spices, anise, rich, high alcohol, good length. 88

2018 Château Lafon-Rochet

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose, some spices and liquorice. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, liquorice, detailed and intense, layered, alcohol shines through, long. 93

2018 Château Montrose

Deep ruby. Rich, dark fruits and spices, layered and intense, an exotic expression for Montrose, deep. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, cassis, blackberries, intense, deep and rich, with some alcohol warmth and that hint of warmth takes the energy in it down a bit. This is one of the really great ones, but 2019 has the edge for me. And if you like a less exotic more classic, 2017 is stunning as well. Three different siblings! 98

2018 La Dame de Montrose

Deep ruby. Blueberries, dark fruits, some spices, light vanilla, rich and deep, not quite the grace of the 2019, but probably the lushest La Dame to date. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, there is alcohol warmth but also lift, long finish. 92

2018 Château Petit Bocq

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, cassis, rich nose, spices, dense, some chocolate. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rich, fruit driven, high alcohol, good length. 88

2018 Château de Pez

Ruby. Red fruits, cherries, blueberries nose, fruit driven. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, red fruits, somewhat high alcohol, touch of boiled fruit, vanilla, long finish. 90

2018 Château Phélan Ségur

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose, detailed and nuanced, intense. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, rich, intense, some light alcohol warmth in the finish, long. 92

2018 Château Tour Saint-Fort

Ruby. Blackberries, blueberries, lighter nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, juicy, bit leaner, good length. 88

2018 Château Tour des Termes

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven, some spices nose, scented, floral and detailed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, rich, dark fruity, dense, intense, long. 90