SIZE

6 PACK, 750ml BOTTLES, $189.99 EACH

PRODUCER

Chateau D'Issan

VINTAGE

2018

COLOUR

RED

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

Bordeaux, France

GRAPE

BORDEAUX BLEND

Wine Advocate, 96 Points
The 2018 D'Issan is composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, aging in 50% new and 50% second year barrels for an estimated 18 months. With 13.97% alcohol and a deep garnet-purple color, it features baked berries, warm cherries and cassis with spice box and fragrant earth plus tea hints. Medium to full-bodied, it has a great core of muscular fruit with firm, fine-grained tannins, with nice freshness, finishing layered with mineral notions.

Decanter, 95 Points
Well-balanced, fleshed out by redcurrant, raspberry and black cherry fruits. There is tannic build-up, gently layering but adding up to quite the wall at this stage, suggesting a long life ahead, and beautifully judged cigar smoke edging through the finish. Good stuff from Issan, and a wine I have tasted both at en primeur and during ageing in barrel. 50% new oak.       

SIZE

6 PACK, 750ml BOTTLES, $81.99 EACH

PRODUCER

Château Poujeaux

VINTAGE

2018

COLOUR

RED

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

Bordeaux, France

GRAPE

BORDEAUX BLEND

Decanter, 93 Points

Poujeaux is a wine that I often hold up as classic example of what the Médoc can achieve, and here again it's a huge success. It has a beautiful nose, with vibrant and well extracted brambly dark fruits on the palate - but not so much that it feels like it's pushing too hard. It's an architectural wine, a more classic take on the vintage, but for me this is where the money is in Moulis. It takes its time to unravel, and the heat of the summer comes through in its rich, ripe mouthfeel. The tannins close in on the finish, which has a menthol and eucalyptus edge that suggests a long life ahead.

Vinous (Neil Martin), 91-93 Points
Poujeaux is a wine that I often hold up as classic example of what the Médoc can achieve, and here again it's a huge success. It has a beautiful nose, with vibrant and well extracted brambly dark fruits on the palate - but not so much that it feels like it's pushing too hard. It's an architectural wine, a more classic take on the vintage, but for me this is where the money is in Moulis. It takes its time to unravel, and the heat of the summer comes through in its rich, ripe mouthfeel. The tannins close in on the finish, which has a menthol and eucalyptus edge that suggests a long life ahead.

SIZE

6 PACK, 750ml BOTTLES, $149.99 EACH

PRODUCER

Chateau Branaire Ducru

VINTAGE

2018

COLOUR

RED

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

Bordeaux, France

GRAPE

BORDEAUX BLEND

Vinous (Antonio Galloni), 96 Points

The 2018 Branaire-Ducru is every bit as captivating as it was en primeur. Ripe, silky tannins give the 2018 a striking air of sensuality that only grows as the wine sits in the glass. Succulent red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, mint, spice and gravel inflections all open more over time. Even with all of its natural radiance, Branaire remains a model of grace. It is unquestionably one of the under the radar wines of the year.

SIZE

6 PACK, 750ml BOTTLES, $109.99 EACH

PRODUCER

Chateau Fieuzal Rouge

VINTAGE

2018

COLOUR

RED

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

Bordeaux, France

GRAPE

BORDEAUX BLEND

 

Wine Advocate, 91-93 Points
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 de Fieuzal rocks up with gregarious scents of baked plums, stewed cherries and dried mulberries plus suggestions of Chinese five spice, unsmoked cigars and sautéed herbs. The rich, full-bodied palate has loads of exotic spice and raisin cake layers with a firm, chewy frame, finishing just a little hard.

SIZE

6 PACK, 750ml BOTTLES, $104.99 EACH

PRODUCER

Moulin Saint Georges

VINTAGE

2018

COLOUR

RED

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

Bordeaux, France

GRAPE

BORDEAUX BLEND

 

Winemaker Notes

Seven-hectare, west-facing vineyard opposite Chateau Ausone.

Review, Berry Bros and Rudd
At the bottom of the hill below Ausone and across the road, Moulin Saint-Georges makes a fine, modern St Emilion. The 2018 seemed a little understated aromatically, but that will arrive. The palate is very lush, but with good structure and an appealing chocolatey, sweet, ripe Merlot character. A crowd-pleaser, in the best sense. Drink 2022-2032.

SIZE

6 PACK, 750ml BOTTLES, $274.99 EACH

PRODUCER

Clos L'Eglise

VINTAGE

2018 

COLOUR

RED

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

Bordeaux, France

GRAPE

BORDEAUX BLEND 

Wine Advocate, 96 Points

The 2018 Clos l'Eglise is a final blend composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc; the Merlot was harvested September 19-20, and the Cabernet Franc was harvested on October 10. Deep garnet-purple colored, it explodes on the nose with bold, expressive plum preserves, blueberry compote, mincemeat pie and sandalwood with nuances of lilacs, woodsmoke, Indian spices and dusty soil. Full-bodied, rich, velvety and decadently fruited in the mouth, it offers layer upon layer of voluptuous fruit, finishing long and spicy.

SIZE

6 PACK, 750ml BOTTLES, $249.99 EACH

PRODUCER

Chateau Gruaud Larose

VINTAGE

2018

COLOUR

RED

SUB-REGION, REGION, COUNTRY

Bordeaux, France

GRAPE

BORDEAUX BLEND

Wine Advocate, 95-97 Points

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!

Decanter, 93 Points
Here the tannins are pretty hefty, matched by deep brambly black cherry notes. Good-quality with slate, cigar, chocolate, earth and black pepper spice through the mid-palate. Not as elegant at this stage as some St-Julien in the vintage but this has a long life ahead and is full of promise.