Médoc Crus Classés
Château Haut-Bages Libéral 2018
Pauillac, Cru Classé
The nose is elegant, racy, fresh and offers power, deepness as well as harmony. It reveals notes of cassis, liquorice and small notes of small bright wild black berries associated with small touches of raspberry, Sichuan pepper, violet as well as a discreet hint of camphor and spices. The palate is elegat, delicate, silky and offers power (full of control and delicacy), a certain concentration and a beautifully preserved fruit. On the palate this wine expresses notes of bright cassis, bright cherryand small notes of plum associated with small touches of violet, rose, bright garriguette strawberry as well as hints of black tea, liquorice, a very discreet hint of tobacco and toasted. Good length. Tannins are elegant, fine and supple. An imperceptible hint of crushed almond in the finish/persistence. Score : 17/20 (94/100)
Château Lynch Bages 2018
Pauillac, Cru Classé
The nose is fruity, full of elegance and offers power, intensity, a beautiful finesse of the grain as well as deepness. It reveals notes of black cherry, small ripe wild berries and small notes of crushed raspberry associated with touches of crushed redcurrant, blackberry, a racy minerality (hot gravels/terroir), cardamom, liquorice stick, tobacco, a hint of black pepper. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a juicy/mineral frame, a good definition, gourmandize, tension, a beautiful finesse of the grain, fat as well as a fine straightness and a justly controlled power. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy wild cassis, small wild black fruits and small notes of wild raspberry associated with touches of red cherry, tobacco, camphor as well as hints of toasted/caramelized oak, vanilla pod, almond and a very discreet hint of hazelnut. Tannins are well-built, delicate, fine and very finely tight. Good length and persistence.
Score : 17.75+/20 (96/100)
Château Haut-Batailley 2018
Pauillac, Cru Classé
The nose is elegant, fresh, beautifully racy and offers a certain intensity. It reveals notes of bright black cherry, bright blackberry and small notes of blueberry associated with touches of raspberry as well as hints of mild tobacco, liquorice, small blue fruits, fine hints of Badiane and a very discreet hint of pepper. The palate is fruity, mineral, beautifully balanced, full of elegance and offers freshness, a beautiful definition, finesse and an almost aerial side in the approach. On the palate this wine expresses notes of fleshy/juicy blackberry, pulpy cassis and small notes of small blue fruits associated with touches of raspberry, pulpy plum, violet as well as hints of tobacco, nutmeg, a subtle hint of cardamom, iode and a very discreet hint of pepper. Tannins are elegant and well-built. Good length. A very discreet hint of caramelization on the finish/persistence.
Score : 17.25+/20 (95/100)
Château Batailley 2018
Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé
The nose is aromatic, elegant and offers a certain straightness (full of elegance), a controlled power and finesse. It reveals notes of ripe wild blackberry, violet, lily and small notes of wild strawberry associated with touches of small pulpy blue fruits, a hint of pulpy blue plum as well as fine hints of vanilla and a very discreet hint of hazelnut. The palate is fruity, elegant, fresh and offers minerality, juiciness, tension (full of finesse), richness (but full of justness/finesse), a small creamy side. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy/fleshy blackberry, creamy raspberry and small notes of cassis associated with touches of small bright/creamy blue fruits, cornflower, lily as well as hints of chocolate, caramelization and a fine hint of hazelnut. An imperceptible saline hint, gourmandize, chew, a discreet hint of green cardamom and chocolate on the persistence. Score : 16.5/20 (93-94/100)
Château Pédesclaux 2018
Pauillac, Cru Classé
The nose is fruity, racy and offers intensity (full of control), power (full of justness) and concentration. This wine should be decanted. It reveals notes of pulpy/juicy cassis, pulpy blackberry and small notes of zan associated with touches of violet, iris, camphor, pulpy strawberry, racy minerality as well as fine hints of lily, Sichuan pepper, fresh mild tobacco and a discreet hint of nutmeg. The palate is fruity, wellbalanced, racy and offers freshness, minerality, a beautiful definition, gourmandize as well as a certain tension and deepness. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy wild cassis, small black berries and small notes of cherries associated with touches of racy minerality, camphor, crunchy red fruits, caramelization, mild tobacco, a subtle hint of bourbon vanilla pod, very fine hints of toasted almond. Good length. Tannins are elegant, precise and finely chewy. Suavity and gourmandize on the finish. Score : 16.75/20 (93-94/100)
Château Lynch-Moussas 2018
Pauillac, Cru Classé
The nose is beautifully fresh, racy and offers a certain intensity, deepness, ripe fruit and a perfumed side. It reveals notes of ripe/fresh Boysen berry, wild strawberry and small notes of griotte cherry associated with small touches of violet, iris, gravy minerality as well as hints of liquorice, clove and discreet hints of cuben pepper (in the background). The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers freshness, minerality, a beautiful freshness, a good definition as well as gourmandize, a certain tension, a beautiful gravely minerality, energy and a stretch side. On the palate this wine expresses notes of juicy/fresh cassis, pulpy/fresh cherry and small notes of violet associated with touches of fresh/bright raspberry, griotte cherry as well as hints of violet, cornflower, fine hints of liquorice/ zan, gravely minerality, discreet hints of fresh nutmeg and an imperceptible hint of fresh mild tobacco. Good length. A fine hint of chocolate on the persistence. Score : 16+/20 (92-93/100)
Château Lafite Rothschild 2018
Pauillac, 1er grand cru Classé
The nose is beautifully elegant, full of finesse/precision (like a delicate string of silk) and offers power (full of finesse and control), deepness (full of subtility), straightness, classiness and deepness. It reveals notes of bright wild blackberry, bright cassis and small notes of cornflower associated with touches of ripe/ bright blue plum, spices, raspberry leaf as well as hints of tonka bean, a subtle hint of Badiane and tea. The palate is elegant, full of finesse, beautifully balanced and offers delicacy, distinction, a fine acidulous frame, tension, finesse, delicacy, energy as well as a certain dynamism and complexity. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy cassis, Boysen berry and small notes of juicy violet plum associated with touches of bright raspberry as well as hints of almond, hazelnut, a discreet hint of cornflower, liquorice stick, gravels, a subtle hint of clove and an imperceptible hint of caramelization/vanilla (in the background). A lot of brightness, distinction and finesse in this wine.
Score : 20/20 (100/100)
Château Duhart-Milon 2018
Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé
The nose is fruity, elegant, racy, beautifully defined and offers a small concentration as well as freshness. It reveals notes of cassis, small wild black berries and small notes of griotte cherry associated with touches of violet, a racy minerality, fresh/ripe raspberry as well as hints of nutmeg, sweet spices and a discreet hint of fresh mild tobacco. The palate is fruity, elegant, full of finesse/delicacy and offers freshness, gourmandize, generosity, a pulpy/ripe fruit, a certain richness full of finesse/control. On the palate this wine expresses notes of fresh/pulpy blackberry, pulpy cassis and small notes of griotte associated with touches of raspberry, violet, lily, Badiane as well as hints of small red fruits, a discreet hint of nutmeg, hazelnut and discreet hints of toasted. Tannins are elegant, precise and finely powdered. A fine hint of good bitterness, cocoa, lilac and discreet hints of caramelization on the persistence. Score : 17/20 (94/100)
Château Pichon Baron 2018
Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé
The nose is fresh, racy, full of elegance and offers power (full of subtility), concentration (full of justness), a small aerial side in the approach, intensity and power (full of control). It reveals notes of Boysen berry, bright/ripe cassis and small notes of fresh wild strawberry associated with touches of blue plum, violet as well as hints of almond, toasted, a discreet hint of fresh mild tobacco, discreet hints of green cardamom, vanilla and an imperceptible hint of clove. The palate is fruity, fresh, elegant, mineral and offers a beautiful definition, gourmandize, a fine acidulous frame, tension (full of finesse), straightness (in finesse), power (full of elegance/control) and an aerial side (in the approach). On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy raspberry, fresh/juicy strawberry and small notes of fresh/pulpy cassis associated with touches of small wild fruits, violet, cornflower, gravels/racy minerality as well as hints of tonka bean, green cardamom and discreet hints of vanilla. Tannins are elegant, plentiful, precise, racy and full of elegance. A very discreet chew on the persistence. A beautiful grain of tannins on the finish/persistence. Score : 18/20 (96/100)