2018 Bordeaux En Primeur: Top ten 'buys' this week

2018 Château Angludet, Margaux Cru Bourgeois

"Deepest cherry red. Smells of tiny black berries, expressive and slightly floral. Smooth and rounded on the palate and just the right amount of freshness so that the tannins are not sharpened. Spicy, smooth finish. 13.5%. Drink 2025-2035. 16.5 points" jancisrobinson.com (JH)

"There was no Angludet last year because of frost, so it's good to see it back in 2018. It's making a sterling return, even if in smaller quantities from a yield of just 10hl/ha. It's wonderfully fragrant with touches of florality and beautiful ripeness to the brambly fruits. The palate has a lovely texture, where you feel the alcohol is generous but not overpowering. It's a brilliant wine, reminiscent of the excellent 2015 and possibly even better. It's one of my picks of the vintage in terms of its value to quality ratio, and you won't have to wait too long to drink it. Aged in cement vats, with malo in barrel for the Petit Verdot. 33% new oak. Drinking Window 2025-2038. 93 points" Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine

£156 per case of six bottles in bond (LAST FEW CASES)

2018 Château Beauséjour-Bécot, Saint Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé

Fragrant and floral at first, with intense cherry and blackberry fruits and some spices, confirmed on the palate with blackberry confit and a lovely texture.  Very fine tannins and amazingly open and approachable given the obviously powerful structure.  RKL

"Tasted on two separate occasions, the 2018 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is a brilliant wine...that comes from a magical terroir on the upper plateau, just outside of Saint-Émilion. This is pure limestone soils, and the wine shows it with its fresh, vibrant style as well as incredibly minerality. Vivid cassis, graphite, white flowers, and spice characteristics all flow to a medium to full-bodied, pure, incredibly elegant wine that shows the new style of this estate beautifully. It’s not for those seeking overt power and opulence, but it builds incrementally on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins and a great finish. It’s as classy as it gets. Give bottles 4-6 years of bottle age, and it will keep for 2-3 decades. 95-97 points" Jebdunnuck.com

"Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with bold, expressive notions of stewed plums, blackberry pie and Black Forest cake with nuances of menthol, mocha, molten licorice and wild sage plus a waft of lavender. Full-bodied, the palate is laden with latent energy, offering slow-releasing glimpses at dark, seductive berry preserves layers and vibrant earthy accents, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. 95-97 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

£552 per dozen bottles in bond (LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

2018 Château Beaumont, Cru Bourgeois Haut Médoc

45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot.  Very intense, open and approachable on the nose with gentle new oak aromas and red and blackcurrant fruits.  Very fine, velvet tannins which frame the deep, blackcurrant and plum fruits on the palate.  Possibly the much vaunted quality of the Merlot in this vintage is super-charging the blend this year, but still balanced by the assertive tannins.  So balanced and lively, a delight to taste. RKL

"Firm, deep and well extracted, this is a rich purple colour with sweet blackberry fruits on the nose along with some gentle spicing. It's an elegant and extremely classic Médoc wine. The tannins are already smooth and starting to integrate with the fruits. The quality bodes well for the medium-priced wines in this vintage. One of the value picks of the Médoc. Drinking Window 2023 - 2035.  91 points." Jane Anson, Decanter April 2019. 

£105 per dozen bottles; £120 per 6 magnums in bond

2018 Château Beychevelle, St-Julien Grand Cru Classé

Really opulent black fruits but also some fine herb and crushed rock minerality on the nose.  Very fine chalky tannins, leading to intense, succulent blackcurrant and cherry fruits.  Exceptionally long with a good balance of freshness and concentration. RKL

"The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Beychevelle wafts sensuously from the glass with fragrant Black Forest cake, potpourri, star anise and black tea scents over a core of black raspberries, warm blackcurrants and kirsch with touches of fallen leaves and lavender. Full-bodied and packed with fragrant red and black fruit layers, it has a firm, velvety texture and fantastic freshness lifting the very long, perfumed finish. Beautiful! ...94-96+ points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

"This ultra-pure, refined, gorgeously layered Beychevelle offers terrific notes of black cherries, blackberries, cassis, violets, and damp earth. Deep, concentrated, and layered on the palate, it has a thrilling sense of purity and elegance as well as building structure. ...Hats off to director Romain Ducolomb for another brilliant wine that I suspect will surpass both the 2015 and 2016! 95-97+ points" Jebdunnuck.com

£718 per dozen bottles in bond (LAST FEW CASES)

2018 Château Capbern, St Estèphe Cru Bourgeois

Wonderful intensity on the nose with red and black fruit, broad and ripe on the palate. Fresh acidity, very fine tannins and a long finish. RKL

"62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot. pH 3.75, 60% new oak. Barrel sample. Deepest purple. Dark and stony, lovely slaty nose. Firm, chalky, dense and still with lovely freshness. Not the same richness as the 2009 but with great purity and definition. More serious, less seduction. Long and great structure. So pure in its dark cassis fruit. Cool with a touch of liquorice on the finish. 14.6%. Drink 2023-2029. 17 points" jancisrobinson.com (JH)

"Deep purple-black in color, it leaps from the glass with vibrant scents of black raspberries, kirsch and fresh blackcurrants with nuances of cedar chest, pencil lead and forest floor plus a waft of lavender. Full-bodied, rich and packed with juicy fruit, it has a firm line of grainy tannins and loads of freshness, finishing with an herbal lift. 91-93 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

" A fresh and firm Capbern with lots of dark berries, chocolate and hints of hazelnuts. Medium to full body and dense, lightly chewy tannins. Mineral undertone. 92-93 points" jamessuckling.com

£190 per dozen bottles in bond (LAST FEW CASES)

2018 Château La Chenade, Lalande de Pomerol

Seemingly riper on the nose with lovely, leafy Cab Franc notes in evidence. Sweeter on entry than the Saintayme with delicious red fruit flavours combining with the darker, plummy fruits. Elegant and very long. RKL

"This is super fresh and juicy - an easy wine to recommend. It’s full of well-ripened autumnal fruits and is in fact pretty concentrated in terms of flavours – a wine that shows just how fully the grapes ripened on gravel soils in 2018 and yet maintains its floral aromatics and sense of easy elegance. 30% new oak was used. A yield of 40hl/ha. Drinking Window 2024-2038. 92 points" Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine

"This is really delicious and fresh with lovely dark berries and purity at the same time. Medium body, fine tannins and a lovely finish. 92-93 points" jamessuckling.com

£145 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac-Leognan Grand Cru Classé

"The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier is magnificent. Bright, lifted and wonderfully nuanced, the 2018 has so much to offer. Olivier Bernard turned out a dazzling Domaine de Chevalier in 2018 that speaks to precision and nuance above all else. Rose petal, mint, savory herbs and crushed rocks add striking aromatic top notes to this stunning, breathtakingly beautiful wine. The tannins need time to soften, but I doubt readers will be in a rush. The 2018 is simply majestic - that's all there is to it. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Tasted three times. 94-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com

"Possibly one of the finest wines ever to come from the Bernard family’s flagship estate near Léognan, the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier checks in as a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot that hit 13.5% alcohol and will spend 18 months in just 35% new French oak. Its saturated purple/plum color is followed by a mammoth bouquet of cassis, black currants, gravelly earth, smoked herbs, and tobacco. Full-bodied, deep, brilliantly balanced, and seriously concentrated, it has polished tannins, no hard edges, and a finish that won’t quit. It’s a heavenly Graves that will keep for 30+ years. 96-98 points" Jebdunnuck.com

"Wow. I can’t get over the pureness of fruit in this wine with so much currant, tar and wet-earth character. Flowers, too. So aromatic. Full body, yet pureness and brightness of fruit. Layered. Incredible depth and beauty. 65 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 30 per cent merlot and 5 per cent petit verdot. Greatest ever? 99-100 points" jamessuckling.com

£650 per dozen bottles in bond (LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

2018 Château Clerc-Milon, Pauillac Cru Classé

Unexpectedly supple with baked fruits, spices and complex floral notes on the nose leading to very fine fruit purity on the palate which asserts itself over the tannins.  Plenty of power but the overall impression is of elegance.  A prime example of the 18s being both forward and for long ageing, a great surprise and a great success.  RKL

"Very generous and dense with layers of gorgeous blackberries and blueberries. Full-bodied and so layered with fantastic tannin backbone at the same time. 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com

"The progression of this property continues to be evident in the glass with a beautiful classicism, full of life and layers comprising dark spice and touches of black pepper against blueberry and cool fruits, pumped up by black chocolate and liquorice. It’s confident and clearly has a fierce quality to the tannins giving a long life ahead of it. The harvest started on September 17, one week later than Mouton because of its cooler terroir, with the blend completed by 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmanère.... Drinking Window 2026-2040. 96 points" Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine

£730 per dozen bottles in bond (LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

2018 Château Duhart-Milon, Pauillac Cru Classé

Mineral and graphite (pencil lead) on the nose with sweet black fruits, tea and earth notes too.  Supple on the palate, black fruits and super-fine tannins, perfectly balanced, absolutely superb. RKL

"Black core with barely a rim. So wonderfully scented, like the Clerc Milon. Blackcurrant tea, pure cassis, almost floral, but so pretty. Firm and dry but super-refined on the palate, dry tannic finesse. Finely balanced for the long term. Dark and savoury and full of such refined elegance and dark finesse. A beauty. 17.5 points." (JH) Jancisrobinson.com April 2019

“The 2018 Duhart-Milon is composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, with the Cabernet Sauvignon harvested September 25 to October 4 and the Merlot harvested September 17-25, and it has 14% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with exuberant notes of Black Forest cake, plum preserves and crème de cassis with hints of spice cake, woodsmoke, potpourri and eucalyptus. Full-bodied, rich and laden with layers of black fruit preserves and spices, it has a velvety texture and just enough freshness, finishing long. Very impressive--the densest, most opulent Duhart I have tasted! 93-95 points.”  Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2019

“Beautiful black currants, smoked earth, chocolate, and damp earth notes flow to a medium to full-bodied, incredibly elegant Duhart-Milon that has ultra-fine tannins, a weightless texture, terrific balance, and a great finish. Seemingly all about finesse and elegance, it builds nicely on the palate and has a great finish. It should match or exceed the brilliant 2009.  94-96 points."  Jeb Dunnuck, May 2019

“This is a very powerful Duhart with blackcurrant and blackberry character. Lots of graphite and black tea. Full-bodied and muscular with lots of formed muscles and great length. Could be best ever?  95-96 points.”  James Suckling, April 2019

£650 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Enclos Tourmaline, Pomerol

"Wow. The purity of fruit in this wine is stupendous with crushed raspberries and blackberries. Full-bodied, very layered and gorgeous with superbly fine yet forceful tannins and a driven finish. A triumph. Pure-merlot magic here.  97-98 points."  James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2019

"From a miniscule one-hectare parcel right across from Clinet, on the upper plateau of Pomerol, the 2018 Enclos Tourmaline is a blockbuster in the making, and I suspect it’s going to give the 2016 a run for its money. Checking in as a 100% Merlot raised in new oak, which hit 14.7% natural alcohol, this inky color blockbuster boasts a massive bouquet of black fruits, smoke herbs, chocolate, and damp earth. It shows a more floral edge with time in the glass and it’s full-bodied, concentrated, and plush on the palate, with sweet tannins. It’s certainly one of the sexiest wines in this terrific vintage. Hats off to vineyard manager and winemaker Jérôme Aguirre as well as consultant Michel Rolland for another brilliant wine in the making. Tasted twice.  96-99 points."  jebdunnuck.com

£309 per case of 3 bottles in bond (LAST FEW CASES)

2018 Château Grand Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac Grand Cru Classé

Lots of perfumed violets and delicate spice on the nose, dark cassis fruit and fresh acidity.  Very focused on the palate, with the intense, firm tannins giving way to fruit on the finish.  Plenty of evidence of elegance and freshness, GPL seems to be moving towards a more restrained style, based on the evidence of this year.  RKL

"Another success from Grand-Puy-Lacoste – it’s bright and full of juice, prioritising vibrancy over power. As such, it has a touch less Pauillac typicity than in the absolutely brilliant 2016 vintage at this estate, although as it unfurls through the palate you do get the menthol, cassis and smoked cedar that is just such a beautiful sign of ripe Cabernet up in this corner of the world. They were extremely careful with extraction because of the high alcohols, so grapes underwent the shortest maceration to date with no pumping over just an infusion during the extraction process.  Drinking Window 2026-2040. 95 points" Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine

"A wine of precision, energy and nuance, the 2018 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is fabulous. Freshly cut flowers, mint and sweet red berry fruit grace this exquisite, nuanced Pauillac. Medium in body, understated and classy, Grand-Puy-Lacoste is one of the highlights of the year. In a word: impeccable. The 2018 is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot from yields of 40 hectoliters per hectare. 93-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com

£670 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château Gruaud-Larose, St-Julien Grand Cru Classé

Not so full-bodied as some other wines from this commune at the same level, classical and exact, with fresh acidity emphasizing hedgerow and red fruits and some cedar notes.  Suspect there is more generous black fruit here waiting to reveal itself with some time in bottle.  RKL

"This is really generous and rolls off the tongue with ripe and velvety tannins and a fresh undertone. Full-bodied, firm and silky. Extremely long and flavorful. Very complex already. 95-96 points".  Jamessuckling.com

"The 2018 Gruaud Larose is blended of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc, with a pH of 3.88 and 14.2% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with bold black cherries, mulberries, plum preserves and blackcurrant cordial scents with hints of menthol, lilacs, licorice and cloves plus wafts of fallen leaves and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied with a taut core of ripe, densely packed, muscular fruit, it has a firm line of ripe, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy. Very exotic Gruaud! 95-97 points". Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

£660 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château Les Gravières, St Emilion Grand Cru

"A sleeper in this vintage, the 2018 Les Gravières (100% Merlot) is a very pretty and expressive Saint-Émilion. Freshly cut flowers, rose petal, mint and sweet red berry fruit are beautifully lifted in this very understated Saint-Émilion. Medium in body, refined and supremely gracious, the 2018 has a lot to offer. This is such a gorgeous wine. 91-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com

"This estate hit a home run in the vintage. Their 2018 Château Les Gravières (100% Merlot) reveals a saturated purple color as well as a massive bouquet of crème de cassis, black raspberries, lead pencil shavings, and flowery incense. Inky colored, full-bodied, incredibly pure, and layered on the palate, it has polished tannins and delivers a rare mix of elegance and hedonism. It’s a serious Merlot to drink over the coming 15 years, if not longer. Tasted twice. 92-94 points" Jebdunnuck.com

"Made from 100% Merlot, the 2018 Les Gravieres is deep garnet-purple and rocks up with gregarious blueberry pie, chocolate-covered cherries and plum preserves scents with nuances of violets, spice cake and mocha. Big, full and decadently fruited, it has a firm frame of super ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing very long and layered. 94-96 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

£165 per dozen bottles in bond (VERY LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

2018 Château Larcis Ducasse, Saint Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé

"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Larcis Ducasse features wonderfully expressive scents of baked black and red plums, kirsch, rose hip tea and cigar box with hints of pencil shavings, baked redcurrants and truffles plus a waft of licorice. Full-bodied and beautifully nuanced on the palate, it has layer upon layer of red and black fruit preserves with beautiful, velvety tannins and loads of freshness, finishing long and perfumed. 96-98 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

"This is very structured and powerful with bright and electric acidity and fine-grained yet muscular tannins. Full-bodied yet compact and focused. Greatly formed. Flexing. Thoughtful. 97-98 points" jamessuckling.com

£594 per dozen bottles in bond (LAST CASE)

2018 Château Léoville-Barton, St-Julien Grand Cru Classé

Cassis and violets on the nose.  Structured, muscular and weighty on the palate. Very textural, tannins far more powerful but also more refined than anything so far in this flight with lots of mineral character. Restrained and elegant, fruit balanced by savoury notes, great concentration, likely very long-lived and will need some time in bottle before drinking.  RKL.

"They are just hitting it out of the park at Léoville Barton at the moment, keeping the relaxed and effortless feel of a great St-Julien but loading up on the complexity and concentration that lies behind it. You don't see all the mechanisms, but you know they are there.  This is going to age exceptionally well, but there's a freshness and juiciness to the structure already that suggests it's going to be great fun to drink along the way. It has glass-staining extraction, with plenty of cassis, graphite and liquorice flavours - everything's turned up high...96 points."  Jane Anson, Decanter April 2019

“....While never the most showy or opulent, this team always fashions a fresh, focused, incredibly age-worthy wine, and the 2018 follows suit, revealing a vivid purple color, notes of crème de cassis, crushed violets, salty minerality, and lead pencil shaving-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and incredibly elegant on the palate, it has building tannins, flawless balance, and integrated acidity, all making for a wine that’s going to demand upwards of a decade of bottle age yet keep for 40 years or more. The tannin quality here is exceptional and this is a wine you won’t regret having in the cellar.  95-97+ points.”  Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, May 2019

A stunner, showing a great degree of purity, with long flavors of cassis, plum and blackberry preserves, seamlessly integrated with the graphite structure. A very vivid, defined, precise wine.  96-99 points.”  James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, March 2019

£755 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château Léoville-Poyferré, St-Julien Grand Cru Classé

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot.  Amazingly perfumed with floral and peppery spice notes from the outset, complimented by deep kirsch and cassis fruit.  Great depth of cassis fruit but very pure and with not a hint of over-extraction, perfectly balanced.  Texture on the palate is superb with silky but powerful tannins.  RKL

"Deep, silky, and satiny in texture, you can practically stroke this in the glass! The round mouthfeel tells of ripe fruit and generous alcohol but there's not a trace of heat, and the balance is gorgeous. Tannins match you step for step, stopping for breath in all the right places. They keep the luscious black cherry, liquorice and dark chocolate all in place. The 2016 vintage was almost one degree less in alcohol, and certainly this is a little less architectural in its construction, but that extra percent has clearly gone a long way to covering the tannins in silk. 3.7pH. IPT90. Tasted several times. Drinking Window 2028-2042. 97 points" Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine

"This is so powerful and dense with amazing tannin quality that reminds me of dense clouds, because they are agile and light. Multilayered. Extremely long, too. Punchy! One of the best wines I have ever had from here. 97-98 points" jamessuckling.com

"One of the gems in the vintage will be the 2018 Château Léoville Poyferré, which is a powerful, incredibly sexy wine...In the same ballpark as the 2000, 2005, 2009, and 2010, its deep purple color is followed by a rich, opulent bouquet of sweet black and blue fruits, tobacco, and graphite. Both intellectually and hedonistically satisfying, it fills the mouth with fruit, has remarkable purity and precision for such a powerful wine, sweet tannins, and a finish that goes on for nearly a minute. It's similar in character to the 2009 and will keep for three decades or more. This wine checks in at 14.4% alcohol, with a pH of 3.7, and a massive (one of the highest in the vintage) IPT value of 90. Tasted twice. 96-99 points" Jebdunnuck.com

£815 per dozen bottles in bond (LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

2018 Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac Grand Cru Classé

Open and aromatic on the nose, with perfumed floral notes of rose and violet as well as graphite.  Intense cassis fruit with a shiny, silky textural quality, balancing the powerful but beautifully refined tannins.  A very structured Lynch-Bages with long ageing potential, but much more approachable than the 2010 too.  RKL

"This is hugely impressive right from the off - strap on your walking boots, get your crampons at the ready, there is a wall to climb - not one that you ever hit by the way, because contrary to expectations this unfurls slowly, keeping the peak just out of sight. It’s great quality and one of my favourites from this property because it’s full of power but with a caress, so much tannic power too and yet so light of foot. It’s filled with absolutely delicious black chocolate, rosemary, cardamom and pepper but also lets the light in thanks for a fresh core running through. Having tasted it a few times it’s clear it’s going to age extremely well. A yield of 38hl/ha. Drinking Window 2026-2040.  97 points." Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine

"The 2018 Lynch Bages is made up of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot aging in 75% new barriques. Very deep purple-black in color, the nose is quite coy and restrained to begin, fanning out to offer pure, ripe blackcurrants, black cherries and preserved plums with wafts of red roses, cigar box, incense, cardamom and fenugreek with savory touches of black olives, Marmite toast and smoked meats. Full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, with a solid foundation of very firm, very ripe, grainy tannins and superb freshness supporting the generous black fruit layers, finishing long with provocative ferrous suggestions. 96-98 points." Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

"This is incredibly powerful and structured with so much tannin backbone and length, yet it’s cool and fresh with a compact palate and great length. Muscular.  97-98 points." jamessuckling.com

"Cassis, graphite, blackberries, scorched earth, and graphite notes all emerge from the 2018 Château Lynch-Bages, which is a rich, blockbuster style beauty up with the finest vintages to date from this historic estate, which by the way, is just about complete with a massive new cellar construction project. Checking in as a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, brought up in 75% new French oak, it's incredibly concentrated, opulent, and sexy on the palate, with building underlying structure, a stacked mid-palate, and a great finish. It reminds me of the 2009 with its fleshy, powerful style. The IPT, or amount of tannins, is a through the roof 95 and it hit 14.1% alcohol with a pH of 3.66. It’s going to live for just about forever.  96-98+ points."  Jebdunnuck.com

£1065 per dozen bottles in bond (LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

2018 Château Meyney, Cru Bourgeois St-Estèphe

This has the power of recent vintages but with an added meaty, savoury character, serious in intent.  No lack of freshness, plenty of energy and some mineral notes, with very fine tannic structure.  RKL

"It's clear that this is hugely concentrated, as is the Montrose right next door, but there's also beautiful juice and freshness underneath the black fruits and the powerful grip. Tannins, acidity and fruit: it's all there. This is great quality and should be long-lived, with a rich palate, evenly balanced and austere in all the right places. Another good vintage at this increasingly impressive property. Drinking Window 2024-2040. 94 points" Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine

"A very dense yet tight and focused red with blackcurrants, blackberries and hints of spices and walnuts. Full-bodied, very compact and long. Intense finish. 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com

£244 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château Ormes de Pez, Cru Bourgeois St-Estèphe

Cabernet Sauvignon 41% Merlot 50% Petit Verdot 2% and Cabernet Franc 7%. Bramble fruit on the nose and palate, with the power here coming from a very fine structure, rather than any over-concentration.  Savoury, herb and black tea notes on the nose too, then deep black fruits at the core on the palate, will develop beautifully.  RKL

"This has the luxurious kick of the Lynch Bages stable and is brilliant value for this level of quality. It seems to manage this every vintage and is just such a brilliant drinking wine. 2018 is another excellent year here, with deep fruitfulness of brambled hedgerow alongside liquorice and woodsmoke. It has a polyphenol index of 84IPT, so this is full of tannins but they don't feel overpowering. Tasted several times and always striking. Drinking Window 2024 - 2036.  93 points."  Jane Anson, Decanter, April 2019.

"This is very dense and lively with blueberry and blackberry character. Lots of purple fruit at the end. Full body and powerful tannins. Spicy undertones with hints of black tea.  93-94 points." James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com, April 2019

£250 per dozen bottles in bond

Château Pavie-Macquin 2018, Saint-Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classé

"This is just so good. Not overly big, it has nuance, sapidity and grace, with space between the lines. It's not sacrificing its concentration but it gives you a chance to get onboard and accompany it along the way. I love the quality of the brambled blackberry and loganberry fruit here, and the touch of austerity that gives a welcome note of bitter chocolate to the finish. It has great tannic grip and there's no question that this will age well, but it's also extremely drinkable now. Tasted several times, and each occasion blew me away. My favourite vintage to date from this property.  98 points" Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine

"From a cooler, pure limestone terroir just over the hill from Château Pavie, the 2018 Château Pavie Macquin offers an incredible assortment of red and black fruits, cedary spice, white truffle, graphite, and beautiful minerality. Showing the cooler, complex, concentrated style of the vineyard, it's full-bodied and powerful on the palate, with no shortage of extract or tannins....I think this estate has been underrated in the market and it can still be found for reasonable prices. It ages beautifully and I doubt you could have too much in the cellar. 97-99 points" Jebdunnuck.com

£630 per dozen bottles in bond (LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

2018 Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac Grand Cru Classé

Heady aromas of summer fruits, cherry, violets, peppery spice, amazingly open and concentrated at the same time.  The palate shows the same blend of intense, succulent fruits (which will flesh out in time) with powerful, fine chalky tannins.  Evolves rather than explodes on the palate.  It has the same energy and vibrancy as in other years.  Utterly brilliant.   RKL

"A bright and open young wine with polished and soft tannins that spread out and fold into the wine, becoming barely discernible, yet the feel and beauty of them frames the wine in a beautiful way. Love the fruit and purity. 97-98 points" jamessuckling.com

"The 2018 Pontet-Canet is a freak of nature. Dark, rich and explosive, the 2018 possesses off the charts richness and concentration, much of it coming from tiny yields of just ten hectoliters per hectare, or one third of a normal crop. The 2018 soars out of the glass with stunning aromatic intensity and depth. Black cherry, gravel, grilled herbs, leather, lavender and menthol stain the palate. Dense and hedonistically ripe, the 2018 is a stunningly beautiful wine. The grapes were crushed by hand. Because of the tiny yields, the entire production was vinified in Pontet-Canet's new smaller concrete vats. All winemaking was done manually, without the aid of external temperature control or electricity....Quite simply, I have never tasted anything like it. 96-99 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com

"Very deep purple-black in color, it comes rolling sensuously out of the glass with all the opulence and seduction of Cleopatra on a carpet. It emerges with flamboyant scents of crème de cassis, preserved plums and blueberry compote, and after a few moments, it bursts with nuances of molten licorice, sandalwood, Chinese five spice, candied violets, dark chocolate and dried roses, followed by underlying earthy suggestions of fallen leaves, black truffles, underbrush and wild sage. Full-bodied, wonderfully dense, rich, impossibly layered and very, very decadent, the palate delivers all it promises on the nose, with a firm, wonderfully velvety frame and finishing with epic length, a scintillating wave of freshness and a beguiling perfume. This is one for true hedonists. 97-99 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

£1040 per dozen bottles in bond (LAST FEW CASES)

2018 Château Saintayme, St-Emilion Grand Cru

After a beautifully pure Merlot nose the palate is structured and ripe but quite austere at the moment. Long on the finish and medium-bodied, this should be an elegant and very fine iteration of this super-value St Emilion. RKL

"Vibrant ruby in colour, this is a touch austere right now, subdued but rippling with potential. The plump and glossy fruits are good quality and the palate is well structured, with clear lift on the finish. It may be holding back right now but it has a long life ahead. 30% new oak. Harvested between 29 September and 9 October. 3.7pH. Drinking Window 2025-2038. 91 points" Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine

"This is very perfumed with a firm and solid, stony tannin structure. Lovely, linear line through this. Full and tight at the same time. 92-93 points" jamessuckling.com

£135 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château Talbot, St-Julien Grand Cru Classé

Very pretty red fruit and good intensity on the nose; fruit-led entry on the palate with fresh acidity and subtly firm structure. So finely-balanced and with wonderful finesse, it is clearly a powerful wine, yet it is a supremely elegant Talbot and its weight and potential longevity really only become apparent in the super-long finish. RKL

"A great St-Julien that reflects the estate more than the vintage - a definite compliment to the winemaking team as well as those 50-year-old (on average) vines that are less swayed by climatic changes. This is full of blackberry and bilberry, with a touch of tobacco on the nose. There's good sweetness to the fruit, and although it's not quite as punchy, deep or concentrated as some, this means that it has a beautifully balanced appellation signature. 45hl/ha yield. 60% new oak. Drinking Window 2027-2040. 94 points" Jane Anson, Decanter Magazine

"This estate is on a roll and the 2018 Château Talbot might just be the best yet. A deep purple/blue color is followed by a mammoth-sized bouquet of crème de cassis, dark chocolate, tobacco, and lead pencil. Rich, full-bodied, and powerful, it nevertheless stays pure, balanced, and elegant, with a beautiful finish. Its tannins are ripe and integrated, it has balancing acidity, and this is unquestionably another beautiful vintage for this estate. 93-95 points" Jebdunnuck.com

"Very attractive core of pretty fruit and polished yet chewy tannins. Medium to full body, integrated tannins and a driven finish. One of the best Talbots in a long time. 94-95 points" jamessuckling.com

£517 per dozen bottles in bond