Bordeaux Primeurs 2018: Feelings and crushes !
After writing about the 2018 vintage, revealing approximately 250 excellent 2018 with a focus on 15 incredible wines, I am now talking about the most important thing in the wine for me: the atmospheres and emotions that you can feel when you taste a Great Wine!
This article is divided into 3 parts:
- Feelings
- Selection of 10 great 2018
- My 2018 favorite!
You will find the links of my other articles about 2018 at the end of this post.
BORDEAUX Primeurs 2018 : Feelings
A clearly good benefit of these events is the possibility to meet us !
With a worldwide dimension, it is not only a question of tasting , it is also a matter of meetings, and the opportunity to maintain the contact with its partners.
Many events were programmed. I went to 47 different places to cover the 2018 En Primeurs! Some places allowed to taste a lot of wines, and others just one or few (This is usually the case for the most famous properties). Then, there were some special events for meetings: Pessac-Leognan’s evening, Ban du millésime 2019, etc.
Here are some pictures of different feelings capted on different events.
Primeurs Bordeaux 2018 : 10 coups de coeur
My favourites are the wines that inspiriting myself for one special reason or for the totality of what they are.
These wines have been distinctable during the 2018 « En Primeurs » and caught my attention to the point that I remember them above all.
Some were chosen for the beautifulness of their fruits, others because of their delicate floral dimension, some because of their incredible deepness, or because they reminded me personal things !
Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry 2018. Appellation Margaux
Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry 2018. Appellation Margaux (96/100)
All the charm of the Margaux appellation is in this Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry 2018! Deepness and a floral dimension, this is true elegance. Blackberries, blackcurrant and black pepper then, a cloud of violets threw on the blend. Very nice texture on the palate. I like it!
Dame de Montrose 2018. Appellation Saint-Estèphe.
Dame de Montrose 2018. Appellation Saint-Estèphe. (93-94/100)
Superb texture, very nice harmony of the fruits (mix of blackberries, plum, strawberries) and spices. There are a lot of freshness and elegance. 2018 of Dame de Montrose will be able soon but it also has a potential of aging. Simply one of Bordeaux’s best « second wine » on this 2018 vintage!
Château La Clotte 2018. Appellation Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé
Château La Clotte 2018. Appellation Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé (96/100)
Property of the Vauthier family (Château Ausone) this wine is one of the best Saint-Emilion wine and this is confirmed in 2018. Château La Clotte is accessible but at the same time very elegant and complex. On a dominant of black fruits, the structure of this wine is perfectly balanced and the long finish clearly shows its quality, in a fine register, near to sensual.What a beauty !
Château Lafleur Gazin 2018. Appellation Pomerol
Château Lafleur Gazin 2018. Appellation Pomerol (96/100 )
Fine notes of pepper and truffles in a deep nose, with lots of black fruits and a touch of chocolate. The texture is beautiful although the body is a little bit low, tannins are fine and this slightly velvety texture is definitely so gourmand ! Great freshness in a very nice finish, quite long. It is not the richest Pomerol in terms of body, but perhaps the most complex and accessible Pomerol in the next few years (and also in terms of pricing!). Château Lafleur Gazin 2018 is really interesting to follow!
Château Raymond Lafon 2018. Appellation Sauternes
Château Raymond Lafon 2018. Appellation Sauternes (95/100)
Deep nose, subtle notes of honey are found on a blend of fruits with great richness, as pineapple and quince. This richness of the fruits is really well-balanced, with a more delicate register of peaches and white flowers. They bring lightness and complexity to the blend. Impressive length with a spicy hint of white pepper and a great freshness, 2018 of Château Raymond Lafon is a superb Sauternes who perfectly flirts between gourmand dimension and lightness!
Château Capbern 2018. Appellation Saint-Estèphe
Château Capbern 2018 appellation Saint-Estèphe (93/100)
Vinified by the Calon Ségur team at Saint-Estephe. From the first inspiration I was transported into a childhood memory: I saw myself in the cherry tree of my parents! Red cherries, and very fine and fresh herbaceous notes.This wine is a beauty, fruits have an exceptional quality! It is fresh, gourmand, with a hint of crunchy texture, and fine tannins. An excellent reference, affordable in every points. Château Capbern 2018 is my « Madeleine de Proust ». Thank you for bringing me back to the good old days !
Château Larrivet Haut-Brion 2018. Vin blanc. Appellation Pessac-Leognan
White of Château Larrivet Haut-Brion 2018. Appellation Pessac-Leognan (95-96/100)
The white wine of Château Larrivet Haut-Brion is very distinctable on 2018. I like this extra exotic dimension, a beautiful invitation to travel ! We find some notes of tangerine into the classic blend of lemon and grapefruit. Beautiful length and a very nice balance. With this wine, you just want to open your bottle and drink it !
Château Lynch-Bages 2018. Appellation Pauillac
Château Lynch-Bages 2018 Appellation Pauillac (96/100)
I have tasted this wine twice, in totally different contexts and I have noted it the same way. In this way it is a personal reference.
2018 of Château Lynch Bages is a very deep wine, with dominant blackcurrants, plum and slightly notes of liquorice. Some notes of violets are also present which makes it particularly interesting. On the palate the texture is elegant with fine tannins and a long finish. A very large Pauillac, very complex, and shaped for long ageing.
Château Rouget 2018. Appellation POMEROL
Château Rouget 2018. Appellation POMEROL: (95-96/100)
Château Rouget 2018 made a strong impression on these « En Primeurs », because the work on the texture is absolutely remarkable. Such a delicate and gourmand wine ! Red fruits are very fresh, they are shining! We also find some small black fruits. A wine focused on the beauty of the fruit, gourmand, that is the classic style of Château Rouget. Prefer the magnum size, a simple bottle may not be enough!
Château Trotanoy 2018. Appellation POMEROL
Château Trotanoy, 2018. Appellation Pomerol (98+/100)
On the nose, beautiful notes of truffles and black fruits with a good intensity. Blackcurrant dominates this wine which marks by its deepness. Very beautiful texture, silky, rich and gourmand. Long finish with a great freshness, always on a black fruits style with a hint of chocolate. This is a powerfull wine, but it is very well balanced and at the same time there is a certain finesse, especially on tannins. We can easily imagine this wine evolving with more notes of cigar boxes, truffles, but keeping its finesse. We can easily imagine this 2018 of Château Trotanoy exceptional!
Mon favori 2018 !
La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion 2018. Appellation Pessac-Leognan
La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Bion 2018 appellation Pessac-Leognan (99/100)
The 2018 of La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion 2018 perfectly combines complexity and accessibility. Everything is in this wine! Finesse on the texture, complexity in the blend with a beautiful balance of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, black cherries and black pepper. More quickly accessible than the first wine (La Mission Haut-Brion) but it could be also keeping for a nice evolution. I was seduced from the first nose until the final, long and complex. My favorite 2018!
La fin / The end
At the end of this article I am a little bit frustrated, because I would like to talk to you about more wines. And especially unfamous wines but with a very good quality. They are in the shade of the most famous wines and it is very difficult for them. I think about this a lot. If you are interested I invite you to check my 2018 scores and the a look on the less known appellations, you will find very nice references at very interesting prices.
Links of my other articles
I would like to thank you all people and all the properties for their nice welcoming during this 2018 edition « En Primeurs » !
Xavier LACOMBE
