Wines

95 Points! Slightly more expensive, the single vineyard 2018 Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard spent 17 months in 20% new barrels. It's a bigger wine, with a touch more mid-palate density and depth, yet it still has plenty of underlying structure and tannic grip, offering up lots of redcurrant and darker cherry fruit as well as curing spices, smoke, and foresty, earthy notes. Give this rocking effort 2-4 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following decade or more. This beauty strikes a good balance between Old World and New World. - Jeb Dunnuck

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97+ Points! Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Sleeping Lady Vineyard is deep garnet-purple in color. It leaps from the glass with blackcurrant jelly, warm plums and mulberries notes plus suggestions of black raspberries, roses, tar, anise and fragrant earth. Full-bodied, the palate is very tight-knit, with firm, ripe, grainy tannins and lively acidity supporting the layers upon layers of nuances, finishing very long and wonderfully minerally. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

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95 Points, Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of the Year 2024! Rose, strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors are the main themes in this red, along with wild herb, mineral and cut hay accents. Racy and full of energy, with a long, saturated finish. Best from 2025 through 2042. - Wine Spectator

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95 Points! This is a cooler-climate Syrah done with the light touch of a Pinot Noir master. The nose is extremely peppery, reminiscent of a tour through a Tellicherry peppercorn factory, yet with tart cranberry, rust and soil elements as well. The palate is immensely grippy with more white pepper as well as charcoal and brisk red-fruit flavors. It will also cellar very well. - Wine Enthusiast

94 Points! The 2018 Syrah Schock Family Vineyard is Gavin Chanin's first Syrah, and it is fabulous. Deep and rich, but not at all heavy, the 2018 has so much to offer. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2018 is an embryonic wine at this stage. What comes across is the wine's exceptional balance and harmony. Time will be needed for Syrah aromatics to emerge. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

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This is another stellar set of Champagne from Christophe Baron. The 2018s are simply lights out. Readers will note the addition of a new wine in this range, the Closeaux, which rounds out the collection of four pure Meunier Champagnes, all bottled in magnum only. Mignon and his cousins practice a decidedly Burgundian approach to winemaking. The wines are fermented in 600L Taransaud demi-muids (25% new), with heavy lees stirring, an approach Baron favors for building the wines, especially on the mid-palate and that allows for bottling with no dosage. As for 2018, Baron calls it a typical modern vintage for Champagne marked by climate change. “You better get used to it, because this is the future!” he told me emphatically. - Antoni Galloni, Vinous Media

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95 Points! The 2018 El Cismático was produced with old-vine Garnacha from the villages of Villarroya de la Sierra and Cervera de la Cañada, four small vineyards. It fermented in open-top vats with 20% full clusters and was punched down by hand. They wine matured in second use 500-liter French oak barrels and some concrete for 13 months. As a lot of the reds are completely unoaked, this felt quite oaky and creamy, one that needs a little more time in bottle to absorb the impact from the wood. The wine is floral, expressive, showy and exuberant, peachy and juicy, with very fine tannins, with good acidity and balanced alcohol, harmonious, reflecting a slow and good ripening of the grapes. Most of these reds are showy and exuberant, not shy wines at all, generous and hedonistic. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com Learn More

95 Points! A harmonious red that marries modern pomp with restraint and elegance. Full-bodied and lush, yet fresh and well-defined by sinewy tannins. Features flavors of pureed blackberry, licorice snap, herbed black olive and mocha that expand on the palate, with tarry smoke and loamy earth character. Best from 2023 through 2033. - Wine Spectator

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98 Points! The Grand Vin 2018 Château Haut-Bailly checks in as 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It spent 18 months in 60% new French oak. This is a beautiful, classic expression of this terroir, and its dense purple hue is followed by gorgeous black cherry and cassis fruits interwoven with ample tobacco leaf, cedary herbs, earth, truffle, and floral nuances. While 2018 was a hot, dry year (at the end of the season anyway), this shows a mix of cooler-climate, vibrant aromatics paired with a rich, concentrated, fresh style on the palate. It has plenty of tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. A beautiful, elegant 2018, it's going to need 5-7 years of bottle age and keep for 3-4 decades. - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

99 Points!  Complex and expressive nose, offering red and dark fruit, spices and pepper with wood and mushroom undertones. Fresh mussel shell and a hint of ink, too. Full-bodied with a fine texture and great balance between the acidity and the controlled, tannic structure. Very long finish. Goes on and on. Tiny production, 21 hectoliters per hectare. Try after 2025. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com Learn More

94-95 Points! I can’t remember a Haut-Batailley this tannic, yet the tannins are savory and very ripe with beauty and purity. Full-bodied, chewy tannins and a long and intense finish. - James Suckling

94 Points! The flagship 2018 Château Haut-Batailley checks in 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot that was brought up in 60% new French oak. It's another deeply hued, classic Pauillac in the vintage that has wonderful purity as well as loads of ripe blackberry and currant fruits, medium to full-bodied richness, beautiful aromas and flavors of graphite, cedarwood, and tobacco, building yet polished tannins, background oak, and a great finish. This pure, classic Pauillac needs 7-8 years of bottle age (it will certainly offer pleasure earlier) and will drink fabulously well for over two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

92-94 Points! Blended of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 41% Merlot aging in 60% new barriques, the 2018 Haut Batailley is very deep purple-black in color and takes some coaxing to reveal profound notes of dark chocolate, crème de cassis, blueberry pie and anise with waves of raspberry pie, lavender and Indian spices. Full, very tightly would and jam-packed with layers of crunchy black and blue fruits, it has a firm line of ripe, grainy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing long with a mineral hint coming through. - Lisa Perotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

92 Points! The 2018 Haut Batailley has come together well. Plump and juicy in feel, the 2018 possesses quite a bit of creaminess in its dark fruit, chocolate, spice and leather. The new oak is prominent at this stage. Even so, this is nicely done and promising. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

 

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95 Points! Spicy and creamy shiraz-based blend with velvety tannins framing a silky core of dark fruit, licorice, cloves, grilled herbs and spices. Five spice and smoked paprika coming through. Full-bodied yet elegant. 65% shiraz, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc and 3% merlot. Drink or hold. Screw cap. - JamesSuckling.com

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97 Points! A lovely enticing nose filled with rich plum, fig and blackcurrant fruits - heady and opulent. The palate is precise with a distinct texture, certainly dense and ripe but the flavours just settle on the tongue giving spiced touches of liquorice but allowing the freshness and acidity to underpin the overall taste. It feels very carefully constructed with everything in place allowing power and generality but neatly packaged and not overdone. A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 18 months in 100% French oak, 76% new. - Decanter Magazine

97 Points! Subtle and complex red with blackberry, black truffle, sweet tobacco and mahogany. Highlights of lavender and violets. Full-bodied and very tight with finesse and tension. Very polished, fine tannins. Long finish. Delicious already, but best after 2022. JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is based on a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It’s a more backward, closed wine, offering classy notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, freshly crushed stone, and cedar. More medium to full-bodied and elegant, I’d like to see a touch more density and richness on the mid-palate, but it's beautifully balanced, has gorgeous tannins, integrated acidity, and outstanding length on the finish. Give this classic, impressive, old school beauty 4-5 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following 15-20. - Jeb Dunnuck

 

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93+ Points! Scents of pine resin and hints of mint accent black cherry and cassis notes on the nose of Ink Grade's 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. It's a sturdy, wiry effort, with the ample tannins and coiled intensity that often mark mountain wines, followed by a lingering, gently astringent finish. Like the other reds from Ink Grade, it spent time in a combination of oak tanks and barrels, yet the wood is scarcely noticeable. Give it a few years to unwind. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

95 Points! Very beautiful aromas of blackcurrants, violets, and lavender with hints of sandalwood. Medium to full body. Chewy mountain tannins, but they are so well integrated and polished that they melt into the wine. Hints of dried cocoa powder at the end with some cedar. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

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95 Points! The tannic, full-bodied 2018 Hermitage Les Dionnieres boasts ebullient aromas of blueberries and boysenberries, leavened by hints of peppery herbs, black tea and star anise. Expansive on the palate but structured and dusty, with a lingering finish of salted licorice and blackberry pastilles, it ideally needs a few years to settle down, but it should then drink well for more than a decade. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

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100 Points! Although it emerges from a similar terroir and the same winemaking team, the 2018 Château La Mission Haut-Brion is a dramatically different wine than the Haut-Brion and has a more concentrated, dense, powerful style that is all potential at this point. Dense purple-hued, with lots of crème de cassis, black cherries, smoked meats, lead pencil, graphite, and crushed stone aromatics, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a concentrated mid-palate, masses of ripe tannins, integrated acidity, and one hell of a finish. This blockbuster, backward, monster of a La Mission Haut-Brion needs to be forgotten for a good decade (or more) but is going to be just about immortal. - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

99 Points! The 2018 La Mission Haut-Brion is a blend of 53.5% Merlot, 42.9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3.6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it emerges from the glass with a first wave of stewed black and red plums, mulberries and black raspberries scents, followed by pronounced notions of warm cassis, clove oil, violets and chocolate box, with hints of cast-iron pan, pencil lead and forest floor coming through after a few minutes. The medium to full-bodied palate shimmers with energy, delivering layers of red and black fruits with earthy and mineral sparks and a texture so satiny you need to remember to look for it, finishing with amazing vibrancy. This is so wonderfully evocative and singular, and yet it feels like its holding something back. It makes for an impressive glass right now, but give it a good 5 years in bottle to allow further nuances to emerge and expect it to seriously reward those who can wait a good 12-15 years, when it should really hit its stride. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

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97+ Points! Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 La Mondotte strolls nonchalantly out of the glass with expressive scents of plum preserves, blueberry compote and chocolate-covered cherries, followed by suggestions of candied violets, licorice, hoisin and black truffles with a waft of ground cloves. It's medium to full-bodied with seriously impressive tension and wonderfully ripe, velvety tannins supporting the generous black fruit preserves layers, finishing with amazing length and loads of panache. It will require a good 4-5 years to unlock some of its finer nuances, then drink this powerhouse over the next 25+ years. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com

98 Points! Blackberry, plum, mushroom and wood undertones. It’s full-bodied with firm, ripe tannins. Savory and fleshy texture on the palate. Well balanced. Flavorful finish with length. Such polish and composure for a young wine. So classy! Try after 2026. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

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95 Points! Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Lagrange explodes from the glass with bombastic notes of crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries and baked red and black plums with suggestions of rose oil, cedar chest, pencil lead and hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic vibrancy for the ripeness, packed with juicy black fruits and compelling tension with a finely grained texture to support, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Nicely done! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate

97 Points! The flagship 2018 Château Lagrange is a more dense, backward, serious wine, offering an unevolved yet incredibly promising bouquet of cassis, blackcurrants, scorched earth, graphite, and violets. A big, rich, full-bodied Saint-Julien, it delivers thrilling purity of fruit, plenty of background oak, ripe, silky tannins, and a great mid-palate. This is serious stuff, but it's going to require patience. Hide bottles for 7-8 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

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96 Points! The 2018 Le Prieuré is all class, just as it was en primeur. Silky, perfumed and light on its feet, the 2018 is a fabulous example of how refined Saint-Émilion can be. Once again, I am so impressed by the wine's freshness and vitality. Sweet red cherry fruit, blood orange, mint and cinnamon all build over time, but what stands out most is the wine's exceptional balance and harmony. Technical Director Penelope Godefroy has done a magnificent job at Le Prieuré since taking over a few years ago. The 2018 is superb, and an incredible value. - Antoni Galloni, Vinous Media

95 Points! An utterly gorgeous wine, rippling with freshness and hidden power. It has an amazing texture with notes of freshly cut herbs and flowers by the armful. Seductive, concentrated but joyful, I love this - it's the best they have made here so far in my opinion. - Jane Anson, Decanter

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95 Points! Monteraponi follows a Burgundy-adjacent farming philosophy that seeks to carve out distinct identities for strong red and white wines. The top-shelf red from the estate is the organic 2018 Baron'Ugo, a blend of 90% Sangiovese with smaller parts Canaiolo and Colorino for more color and vibrant fruit flavors. This vintage delivers a very clean and polished execution, and there is plenty of freshness, thanks to vineyard positioning at a cool and breezy 560 meters in elevation on limestone alberese soils. The oak is woven in a delicate manner in this wine. Production is 6,600 bottles. This is a little treasure from Tuscany. - Monica Larner, robertparker.com

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100 Points! One of the wines of the vintage is the 2018 Château Pavie, and Gérard Perse continues to produce one of the greatest wines in the world, in just about every vintage. Based on 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 shows the slightly more restrained style of the estate today yet still brings classic Pavie richness, depth, and grandeur. Revealing a deep purple color as well as a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, damp earth, tobacco, chalk, and lead pencil shavings, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, incredible purity, a dense, concentrated mid-palate, and a liqueur of rocks-like sense of minerality on the blockbuster finish. There's a backward, inward style here that actually reminds me of the 2000. This is another magical, probably immortal wine from this terroir that marries power with elegance perfectly. Don't miss it! - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

99 Points! The 2018 Pavie is a blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has a 3.58 pH and 14.48% alcohol. Very deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with a fabulously expressive nose of crème de cassis, baked plums and blueberry preserves, leading to an impressive array of nuances, featuring notions of dark chocolate, camphor, licorice, rose petals and fertile loam, plus hints of crushed rocks and iron ore. The rich, full-bodied palate offers layer upon layer of opulent black and blue fruits with loads of exotic spice sparks and pretty floral and mineral accents, supported by firm, super plush tannins and remarkable tension, finishing with epic length and depth. This could only be Pavie. It makes for a seductively stylish glass now, but patience will be rewarded if it is afforded 5-7 years in bottle, at least, then drink it over the next 30+ years. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

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95 Points!  Blackberry, plum, light earth and undergrowth on the nose. Citrus, too. It’s full-bodied with rich, chewy tannins that turn energetic, fine and tight on the finish. Lively acidity. Second wine of Margaux. A blend of 69% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot, 9% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc. Try after 2024. - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

95 Points! This cuvée has been in the running for the best second wine in the vintage for a number of years now, and I think it just might be there in 2018. The 2018 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge checks in as 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, and it's no lightweight effort, revealing a dense purple color as well as gorgeous crème de cassis, black cherry, crushed violets, sandalwood, smoke tobacco, and incense. It's loaded with Château Margaux character, has medium to full-bodied richness, ample structure, and a great finish. I followed this bottle for multiple days and it only improved with air. Don't underestimate this second wine – it's incredibly impressive. Hide bottles for 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.  - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

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