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Richard Kihl

2018 Châteaux Gazin & Clinet: Pomerol's "signature year"

 

Just released this morning are two first rate names from Pomerol, Châteaux Gazin and Clinet.  Decanter's Jane Anson suggests 2018 is a 'signature year' for Pomerol.  Our visits in April included appointments at Petrus and Le Pin but, stunning as these wines were, it was the next tier of Pomerols which really impressed us, with their sheer power and balance, at relatively sensible prices. 

Château Gazin shares the Pomerol Plateau with the likes of Petrus, Evangile, La Conseillante and Vieux Chateau Certan. Rich in the famous Günzian gravels and blue and green clay which these estates are famous for, Gazin's 26 hectares are planted with 90% Merlot and just 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc.  Nicolas de Bailliencourt's family have owned Gazin since the turn of the century and the impression given by both the estate and the wine is of an understated class and sincerity, with the wine built for the long term.

Château Clinet is also released this morning, but allocations are very limited.  It is likely to sell out to buyers of previous vintages, but do please enquire and we will do our best.  The vineyard extends to just 10 hectares and produces only around 4000 cases each year.   A fraction of the amount made by many left bank estates.

Clinet's youthful proprietor Ronan Laborde describes the wine treading a 'thin line between finesse and richness, power and elegance'.  We felt the cask sample leant toward power, but with vibrant energy.  Jeb Dunnuck describes the dark, brooding black fruit as 'hedonistic', with more new oak (75%) and a higher proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend this year, presumably to balance the concentration of the Merlot.

According to Laborde, 95% of Clinet's production will be released en primeur.  This admirable transparency shows commitment to the en primeur system, but also perhaps an awareness that, based on scarcity alone, Clinet will be in demand in 2018.  

View all Châteaux releases on our 2018 Bordeaux En Primeur offer page 

2018 Château Gazin, Pomerol

Lovely core of ripe fruit, very good intensity. Good depth, lots of tannin and very long. Vibrant red and black fruit, likely a long-lived Gazin. RKL

"The 2018 Gazin was impressive all three times I tasted it. Powerful and vibrant, with terrific persistence, the 2018 has more than enough supporting structure to balance the natural richness of the year. Grilled herbs, scorched earth, iron, licorice, mint and dried flowers give the red/purplish toned fruit a decidedly savory dimension that is hugely attractive. Some samples showed quite a bit of tannin, but the wine has more than enough breadth to develop beautifully during élevage and beyond. Tasted three times." (Score not released as at 02.05.19). Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com April 2019

"This is very tight and polished with a compact and beautiful palate of blackberries, currants and black olives. Full-bodied yet structurally solid with a very long finish. 94-95 points."  James Suckling, Jamessuckling.com April 2019

"Dark plum and blackberry reduction flavors pick up light ganache and licorice snap notes along the way. Has the vintage's grip on the back end, giving this a serious feel.  93-96 points."  The Wine Spectator, April 2019.

£750 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château Clinet, Pomerol

Intense, vibrant floral aromas (Lilies) with huge density on the palate which transforms into a beautifully succulent wine with chalky tannins and a crushed rock minerality not so noticeable elsewhere.  The texture here comes from those fine tannins and the overall impression is of a wine balanced perfectly between power and elegance.  RKL

"The 2018 Château Clinet is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon (which is more Cabernet than usual) that was brought up in slightly more new oak than normal, aging in 75% new and 25% once used French oak. Sporting a saturated purple color, it has a massive perfume of black and blue fruits, crushed violets, spice, and orange blossom. Full-bodied, deep, expansive, and layered on the palate, it's an incredibly hedonistic and sexy wine that shows the best of this great vintage. It’s going to be hard to resist on release and knock your socks off over the following two decades or more. 96-99 points" Jebdunnuck.com

"One of the star Pomerol names showing us how it’s done in 2018. This wine absolutely stands out, being beautifully vibrant and very polished, where you feel the individual strands of flavour and know it’s clearly going to age. Here you get licks of salted rosemary sprigs right on the nose followed by a silkiness and round mouthfeel that speaks to the alcohol but you certainly don't feel it. It’s well judged, very Pomerol, and on the dark side of the fruit scale, perhaps because this is Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, not Cabernet Franc. I found Clinet a little difficult to approach in 2017, giving it a highly recommended but at the low end of the scale, but here it is roaring back to form. 2027 - 2044.  97 points."  Jane Anson, Decanter, April 2019.

£770 per dozen bottles in bond (LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

Prices are per case in bond ex-London City Bond.  Most wines are available in halves or magnums for an extra £15 per case; please enquire for all other formats.  Shipment expected Spring 2021.

 

Other releases so far:

2018 Château Angélus, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé A

"This shows beautifully sensibility of generous fruit and soft and velvety tannins with an undertone of chocolate and cedar. Full-bodied, pure and supple with a direct delivery of vibrant fruit and real terroir expression. Savory at the end with hazelnut and crunchy-seed flavors. Reality check here. Incredible fruit quality. 99-100 points." James Suckling, jamessuckling,com, April 2019

£1530 per case of six bottles in bond

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 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 Branaire Ducru, Grand Cru Classé St Julien

Classic Branaire on the nose and typically tightly-furled at this stage; however, pretty, supple fruit on entry, red fruits and wonderful balance. Plenty of tannins appear mid-palate but these are more than matched by the depth of rich, dark fruit. Very fine, great length. RKL

"The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Branaire-Ducru begins just a tad reduced with broody tar, rubber and fried herbs scents giving way to a fragrant core of warm cassis, blackberry pie and blueberry coulis with touches of smoked meats and tobacco. Full-bodied, firm and rugged in the mouth with brawny, muscular fruit and a sturdy frame of grainy tannins, it finishes long and savory. 92-94 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

"This is a fantastic Branaire with deep and dark fruit, such as blackberries and blackcurrants. Lots of raspberries, too. Full-bodied with firm and creamy tannins and a super long finish. We will see if it’s better than 2016, but on its way. 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com

£462 per dozen bottles in bond

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 (LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

2018 Château Carlmagnus, Fronsac

"Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Carlmagnus gives pronounced notes of plum preserves, baked blueberries and mulberries with touches of mocha, licorice and tar. Full-bodied and jam-packed with opulent, expressive black and blue fruit, it has a firm, velvety frame and fantastic freshness, finishing long and layered. 92-94+ points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

£110 per dozen bottles; £125 per 6 magnums in bond

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 Château Les Cruzelles, Lalande de Pomerol

A big step up in richness and power here. A lovely entry with intense fruit spreading across the mid-palate and finishing very long. The tannins are so ripe and well-controlled this year. Delicious. RKL

"This is produced by Denis Durantou of Château L’Eglise Clinet. The 2018 Les Cruzelles is blended of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc with 40% new oak and 14.5% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it features slightly reduced notions of asphalt and tires over a core of warm red and black plums, blackberry pie and boysenberries with hints of fruitcake, incense and potpourri. Full-bodied, rich and packed with perfumed black fruit, it has a velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing long. 91-93 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

£210 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

£309 per case of 3 bottles in bond

2018 Château de Fieuzal, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves

Lovely dark mulberry-scented fruits on the nose, with deep plummy fruit and some chocolate on the palate, firm tannins and quite closed, but the depth suggests this has sufficient fruit to balance the structure (from around 5 years).  RKL  

"Very attractive center palate with dark-berry, walnut and cedar character. Just a hint of bark. Medium-bodied. Juicy finish. 92-93 points."   James Suckling, jamessuckling.com April 2019.

"This feels closed in and confident but is not giving much away. It has a silky texture with firm and bristling tannins - you can feel the latent power, pretty much in line with 2010 or 2016 in terms of its construction. Liquorice and dark chocolate are joined by freshly cut herbs and black pepper notes. Great stuff. The winemaker is Stephen Carrier, with no consultant used.  Drinking Window 2025 - 2034.  94 points."   Jane Anson, Decanter.com April 2019.

£360 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château de Fonbel, St-Émilion Grand Cru

Lovely concentration of red and black fruits, beautifully supple tannins and good balance. This should drink relatively early. RKL

"Made up of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Carménère, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Fonbel gives up spicy notes of Sichuan pepper, cinnamon stick, cloves and fenugreek with a core of warm red and black cherries, mulberries and fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has wonderful freshness and a soft, creamy texture supporting the vibrant red and black fruit preserves flavors, finishing with a peppery lift. 91-93 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

£160 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château Haut-Bages Libéral, 5ème Cru Classé, Pauillac

Tremendous intensity, quite hard on initial tasting but returning to it the depth of fruit becomes apparent, hedgerow freshness to the fruit suggesting another property which has succeeded in making a fresh, lively wine in this vintage.  RKL.

"A more unfussy than slick wine, less sumptuous than some as is often the case with this estate, but as you sit with it you start to realise there’s real quality here. It has a juiciness and integrity to the cassis and bilberry fruit, alongside brambles and hedgerows, with chewy tannins that build slowly through the palate providing a welcoming cushion of support.  Drinking Window 2026 - 2040. 92 points."  Jane Anson, Decanter.com April 2019.

"A fantastic wine with lovely depth of ripe fruit and transparency and beauty. Full bodied. Succulent and rich tannins to the gorgeous fruit. From biodynamically grown grapes.  96-97 points." James Suckling, jamessuckling.com April 2019

£365 per dozen bottles in bond

Chateau Labégorce, Margaux 2018

Deep, dark black cassis and blueberry fruits on the nose which are confirmed on the palate, open and approachable but with a structure which seems pleasingly classical, powerful tannins and already beginning to show signs of integrated cedary oak influence. RKL

"2018 is the first year for eight vintages that this wine is back to being 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, after replantings have come on line. That helps, perhaps, with the lift it shows even in this extremely concentrated year. It's a lovely Labégorce, with some bouncy, chewy tannins alongside blue and bramble fruits and some spice. As it opens up, a more floral character comes out.  93 points.Jane Anson, Decanter April 2019

"This is a plump and rich Labégorce with a full body, juicy tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Lots of pure and intense fruit.  93-94 points.James Suckling, jamessuckling.com April 2019

£255 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château Langoa Barton, Grand Cru Classé St Julien

Lovely ripeness evident on the nose here; rich entry to the palate with a delicious chewy sweetness. The tannins are very firm and the overall sense is of balance but considerable power. RKL

"There’s real freshness to the crushed-raspberry and blueberry character of this young red. Medium-to full-bodied and zingy with energetic tannins. Crisp finish. Lovely purity of fruit to this. 93-94 points" jamessuckling.com

"The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Langoa Barton is slightly shy at this nascent stage, revealing wonderfully pure, warm red and black currant scents with nuances of blueberry preserves, chocolate mint, smoked meat and a waft of bouquet garni. Full-bodied, rich and sporting a lot of vibrant, juicy fruit in the mouth, it has firm, rounded tannins and a lively backbone lifting the fruit to a good, long finish. 92-94 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

£435 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château Laroque, St-Émilion, Grand Cru Classé

"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Laroque is a little closed to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal fragrant black cherries, wild blueberries and blackberry preserves scents with hints of crushed rocks, underbrush and violets plus a waft of Marmite toast. Full-bodied and jam-packed with bright, crunchy black and blue fruits, it has a firm line of ripe, fine-grained tannins and loads of freshness, finishing very long and layered. Impressive! Being aged in oak barriques, 50% new, the blend is 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. 95-97 points." Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert.Parker.com

£210 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château Potensac, Médoc

"Dense on the nose and palate, some cedary oak notes, with a very fine tannic structure hinting at the old austere style of Potensac, but complimented by lots of bright damson plum fruits, presumably from the increasing proportion of Merlot in the blend. Has the structure to age but that fruit will likely make it accessible quite early too.  RKL

"The excellence of this lies in the quality of the tannins, which are so polished and refined. Compact and tight. Medium-bodied. Very, very long. Beauty already. 93-94 points.James Suckling, jamessuckling.com April 2019

£216 per dozen bottles in bond

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 Sociando-Mallet, Haut-Médoc

"A beautiful rich damson colour, this is powerful, intense, classic Sociando - and for me it's even better than the 2016. It has good tannins, and lots of them, with a core of plum, damson and cassis with a side of fresh herbs, liquorice and subtle spice. It shows great persistency. A wine to look out for.  Drinking Window 2024 - 2038.  94 points.Jane Anson, Decanter.com April 2019.

"There is fantastic purity of black fruit with blackberries and ripe raspberries. Floral and bright. Full-bodied, compact palate with super polished tannins. Really fantastic.  94-95 points."  James Suckling, jamessuckling.com April 2019.

£300 per dozen bottles in bond

2018 Château Tour St Christophe, St Emilion Grand Cru

"Blueberry and blackberry character with hints of white pepper and chalk. Salty, too. Full-bodied, tight and polished with fantastic texture and length. Very closed and tight with gorgeous tannin quality.  96-97 points." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2019

£260 per 12 bottles in bond

2018 Château Villa Bel-Air, Pessac-Leognan

43 hectare estate in the south of the Graves.  The general success of Merlot in 2018 really seems to inform this vintage of Villa Bel-Air, with a full, fleshy texture.  The fruit on the nose seems to belong to a far more costly wine!  Damson plum, raspberry and strawberry fruits, all really accessible on the palate.   With fine, ripe tannins this will develop nicely for around five to seven years, but will also be drinking well on landing in 2021.  RKL

"This property was taken over by the Armand Ballande family in July 2017 but still relies on the historical network created by the Cazes family in France and overseas. Composed of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Villa Bel Air sings of black raspberries, blackberries and mulberries with touches of plum preserves, spice cake and cloves plus a waft of menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is rich and spicy with impressive concentration and a firm yet plush backbone, finishing with great length.  89/91 points."  Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (April 2019), April 2019

£120 per dozen bottles; £135 per 6 magnums in bond

Minimum order: 1 case as listed.
Payment: on receipt of invoice.
Shipment: due to land in the UK in Spring 2021.
Delivery: delivery, duty & VAT charged at prevailing rates at time of clearance from bond.

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Many of the wines listed are bought from private individuals. If you would like a quotation for your wines please contact Antony Irvine. We can offer cash or broking terms.