Médoc Crus Classés
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2018
Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé
The nose is beautifully elegant, bright, beautifully intense, harmonious and offers complexity as well as a beautiful finesse of the grain and a multi-layer side which imposes to come back regularly on the nose to see its evolution. It reveals notes of crushed blackberry, pulpy cassis and small notes of pulpy strawberry associated with touches of vanilla, incense, pepper, crushed raspberry as well as fine hints of caramelization, toasted hazelnut, discreet hints of vanilla bourbon, an imperceptible hint of verbena and iodine gravels. The palate is elegant, delicate, gourmand, very discreetly tight and offers precision, a beautiful definition, a certain richness, fullness, suavity as well as a beautiful balanced, a certain density, a fine tension, energy and deepness. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy/fleshy wild cassis, small black berries and small notes of wild raspberry associated with touches of tonka bean/mocha, incense, black tea, black plum, a racy minerality as well as fine hints of caramelized oak, saffron, bergamot, discreet hints of bourbon vanilla pod, toasted hazelnut and an imperceptible hint of coffee (in the background). A racy, beautifully powerful, rich but bull of delicacy and precision wine. Good length. A very beautiful persistence on notes of toasted almond, hazelnut and mocha.
Score : 18.5/20 (97/100)
Château Cos Labory 2018
Saint-Estèphe, Cru Classé
The nose is elegant, racy and offers intensity as well as concentration. It reveals notes of cassis, lilac, lily, small notes of rose, wild blackberry associated with touches of wild strawberry as well as hints of a saline/iodine minerality. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers minerality, suavity, energy as well as a small mineral frame. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy cassis, small bright black berries, small notes of violet, cornflower associated with touches of cherry, small bright wild red berries as well as hints of liquorice stick, bergamot, toasted, a subtle hint of tobacco and a very discreet hint of chocolate. Tannins are precise, elegant and very discreetly firm. Good length. Sapidity and a very fine/good bitterness on the finish/persistence. Score : 17+/20 (94-95/100)
Château Lafon-Rochet 2018
Saint-Estèphe, Grand Cru classé
The nose is fruity, fresh, elegant, justly built and offers concentration, intensity. It reveals notes of bright cassis, Boysen berry and small notes of small wild red berries associated with touches of violet, lily as well as hints of racy minerality, rose, zan, pepper. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a beautiful juiciness, gourmandize, a beautiful finesse of the grain, complexity, deepness, a fine fleshiness, suavity as well as a small concentration and power. On the palate this wine expresses notes of bright wild blackberry, cassis and small notes of violet associated with touches of bright raspberry, tonka bean, toasted, vanilla, a subtle hint of nutmeg as well as a very discreet hint of sugared tobacco and grilled (in the background). Good length. A very fine hint of chocolate in the finish.
Score : 17+/20 (94-95/100)