2018 Pessac Leognan is the product of a challenging growing season. Like the rest of Bordeaux, the vintage had an auspicious start as the vineyards were underwater. It was not just the non-stop rain that went on for months.
There were hail storms to contend with as well. And if that wasn’t enough, the devastating mildew attacks hit hard, especially in organically farmed vineyards. However, it is important to note that mildew was much more prevalent in the south, in the Graves appellation.
Fortunately, by the middle of summer, everything changed for the better. With the gorgeous sunny, warm and dry weather conditions, the vineyards managed to dry out. In fact, at one point, there was so much water stress due to the dry conditions that young vines in several vineyards were decimated.
Several vineyards began to suffer from hydric stress with so little moisture remaining in the soils. Clearly, Bacchus is a fan of 2018 Pessac Leognan because just when it was needed the most, much needed light rains fell the end of the summer, saving the vintage.
Following the warm, dry summer, September and October remained hot, dry and sunny as well, which was perfect for the red wine grapes. But it was a little too hot and dry for the white wine grapes. Picking of the white wine grapes began in August, allowing the fruit to retain as much freshness as possible.
Fabien Teitgen, Technical Director at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte explains 2018 Pessac Leognan like this: “2018 had a difficult beginning, due to the strong mildew attack. The result was a small production. But thanks to the warm and sunny late summer and fall, we achieved perfect ripeness with dense, powerful grapes with thick skins.”
The red wine grape harvest started as early as September 13 at some estates. While that’s a little early, the ability to continue picking until the middle of October, allowing estates to produce the wine of their choice.
The berries were small, thick-skinned and intensely flavored. If you want to read details on the 2018 Bordeaux vintage 2018 Harvest Report
Severine Bonnie of Chateau Malartic Lagraviere was more than happy with the results, “Eventually, we obtained a perfect balance with great concentration and freshness. It is for us a very nice Bordeaux-style vintage!”
2018 Pessac Leognan red wines are richly colored. There is serious concentration, ripe tannins and a beautiful sweetness to the fruits. You find many opulently textured, aromatic gems all over the appellation.
Guillaume Pouthier, director of Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion stressed the elegance of the vintage with their blend. “To avoid heaviness in this context of low acidities, the strong power of Cabernet Sauvignon stands out, while the Cabernet Franc ensures the direction and freshness to the wine.”
Some wines are alcoholic, but due to their acidity, the red wines are fresh, long and refined. They should prove to be very long lived. Olivier Bernard, owner of Domaine de Chevalier is quite strong on the 2018 Pessac Leognan vintage. “Concerning 2018, this is the best wine I have ever made!”
2018 Pessac Leognan white Bordeaux wines are good, but not as successful. The white wines offer round, opulent, creamy textures and sweet ripe fruits, but the vintage lacks the bracing levels of acidity enjoyed in the best vintages. The white wines are already quite enjoyable to drink. But many will not make old bones.
If you want to read tasting notes for other 2018 Bordeaux wines 2018 Complete Guide to All the Best Wines of the Vintage
All of the following 2018 Pessac Leognan wines were tasted in my home office in non-blind conditions. 2018 Graves wines are published in a separate report.
2018 – Bouscaut – Soft, refined, medium-bodied, elegant, forward styled wine with silky tannins and a spicy, dark cherry filled palate. Give this 4-5 years to develop additional complexities before popping a cork. This is showing much more depth in bottle than it displayed in barrel. 92 Pts
2018 – Bouscaut Blanc – Creamy, sweet, juicy and lush with layers of ripe Meyer lemons, tropical fruits, pears and spice. It is rich, lively and offers ample lift all the way to the sweet, fruit filled finish. 92 Pts
2018 – Bouscaut Les Chenes – Forward, medium-bodied, light, soft, elegant, easy drinking, smoky, cherry filled wine for early drinking consumption. 86 Pts
2018 – Bouscaut Les Chenes Blanc – Light, easy drinking, yellow citrus dominated early drinker. This is perfect for uncomplicated summer drinking around the pool while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. 85 Pts
2018 – Cantelys – Flowers, chocolate, plum and sweet cherries, smoke and a bit of pepper too on the nose. The wine is round, sweet, soft and filled with ripe fruits, finishing with a touch of chocolate on top of all those fruits. You can drink this in its youth for all its fruit, or age it a few years and enjoy more earthy notes. 91 Pts
2018 – Cantelys Blanc – Fruity, sweet, fresh and showing off its white peach, vanilla and citrus with little effort, you can pop and pour this well-priced white Bordeaux at your leisure. Enjoy it over the next 3-5 years. 90 Pts
2018 – Carbonnieux – Campfire embers, cedar, tobacco leaf, spice and red pit fruits create the core of this medium-bodied, elegant, fresh wine. Soft and polished with a solid depth of flavor and a hint of oak in the elegant finish. The wine blends 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. 92 Pts
2018 – Carbonnieux Blanc – Lemon, lime and floral aromatics come through instantly. Sweet juicy, fresh and with a creamy, yellow, citrus character on the palate, this offers a lot of up front, fresh, fruity charm. 91 Pts
2018 Les Carmes Haut Brion – Aromatically, this beauty kicks off with an array of just-picked flowers, smoky, dark red and black fruits, licorice, herbs, wet earth, cigar box, forest leaf, and salty, crushed rocks. Deeply colored, concentrated, full-bodied, elegant, soft, refined and pure on the palate, the seamless finish keeps on going with layers of fresh, ripe, sweet, sensuously textured fruits. The wine is a blend of 37% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot, 13.75% ABV. This has the potential to age and evolve for 2-3 decades with ease. 98 Pts
2018 – La Croix de Carbonnieux Blanc – Fresh, light, forward citrus filled early drinker with hint so white peach in the end note. Drink this over the next few years. 85 Pts
2018 – La Croix de Carbonnieux Rouge – Medium-bodied, light, forward, easy drinking wine that’s perfect for early, uncomplicated consumption. 86 Pts
2018 – Clos Marsalette – Clearly the best vintage of Clos Marsalette produced yet, the wine pops on the nose with sweet, smoky fruits, tobacco wrapper, forest leaf and wild cherry aromas. Medium/full-bodied, lush, round textured fresh, juicy, spicy red fruits provide length, freshness and complexity. The wine was made from a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot. This could be the best value in Pessac Leognan today. 93 Pts
2018 – Clos Marsalette Blanc – Flowers, green apples, lemon curd, honeysuckle and pomelo aromatics work perfectly with the fresh, juicy, palate presence. 91 Pts
2018 – Couhins – Ripe, elegant, soft, smoky, medium-bodied fruits with a nice sense of lift and refinement on the palate which carries through to the cigar box tinged finish. This is much nicer in bottle than in barrel. 92 Pts
2018 – Couhins Blanc – Creamy, lush, round and fruity, with sweet yellow citrus, pineapple, mango and other tropical nuances. Juicy and refreshing, this is showing really well and should get even better with a few years of age. 93 Pts
2018 – Couhins La Gravette Blanc – Lemon, spearmint and peach skin aromas bring you to forward, already drinkable, lighter style of wine that is ready for current consumption. 87 Pts
2018 – La Dame de Couhins – Medium-bodied, soft, forward, light, sweet, earthy, cherry filled wine made for early drinking pleasure. 86 Pts
2018 – Couhins Lurton – With a nice depth of color, the elegant wine delivers ample, soft, sweet, ripe, smoky, refined red fruits on the nose and palate. 93 Pts
2018 – de Fieuzal – Smoke, espresso, ripe, juicy red fruits come along with soft, silky, textures and a lively, fresh, sweet red berry, spice, earth and mocha filled finish. Give it just a few years and it will be even better! 93 Pts
2018 – de Fieuzal Blanc – Juicy, sweet, fresh, vibrant yellow citrus with vanilla and floral accents come through loud and clear from the start all the way through to the creamy, fresh and fruity finish. 92 Pts
2018 – L’Abeille de Fieuzal – Light bodied, sweet and tart red fruits on the nose, ending with a bright, herbal and olive red cherry finish. Drink this over the next few years. 86 Pts
2018 – de France – Forest leaf, tobacco, cedar and smoky red fruits open the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, silky, fresh, vibrant and shows off its sweet red berries in the finish with ease. 91 Pts
2018 – de France Blanc – Honeysuckle, lemons, grapefruit, lemon curd, tropical fruits and green apple pie comes across perfectly in this fresh, sweet, juicy, creamy wine. 91 Pts
2018 – Domaine de Chevalier – Clearly the finest vintage of Domaine de Chevalier ever produced, this beauty has it all. The captivating perfume with all its smoke, earth, spice, tobacco infused, ripe, red and dark red fruits, tar, cigar box, thyme and espresso scents is close to off the charts. With the 2018 you find unheard of levels of concentration with everything in balance. The fruits are generous, silky and pure. The refined, elegant finish just goes on and on. With aging, this could merit an even higher score in the years to come. Olivier Bernard calls this the best vintage he has ever produced and he is right! The wine is made from a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. 97 Pts
2018 – Domaine de Chevalier Blanc – Round, bright, lush, creamy and juicy, with layers of fresh, crisp pomelo, waxy lemon peel, green apple, flowers and stone with a dab of honey, there is a lot to like here. Give it a few more years in the cellar and there will be even more to like as it ages. 96 Pts
2018 – Domaine de Chevalier L’Esprit de Chevalier Blanc – Bright, fresh, crisp and juicy yellow citrus with bits of orange peel, green apple and pear added in for complexity. I am really liking the sense of sense of minerality in the finish. Enjoy this gorgeous second wine while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. 91 Pts
2018 – Domaine de Chevalier L’Esprit de Chevalier Rouge – Smoky dark red berries with cigar box, herbs, forest leaf and currants create an impressive perfume. On the palate, the wine is soft, silky, polished, refined and leaves with a juicy mouthful of fruit, dark cocoa, herbs and espresso beans. This is perfect for near term drinking while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. 92 Pts
2018 – Domaine de la Solitude– Medium-bodied, fresh, silky, elegant and loaded with sweet, ripe, pure red fruits with a smoky edge, the finish delivers more of those sweet red fruits along with herbs, crushed stone and tobacco leaf. This will drink well shortly after release. 91 Pts
2018 – Haut Bailly – The nose is off the charts with its cornucopia of black and red fruits, smoke, wet earth, spice box and Cuban cigar profile. On the palate the wine offers almost unequaled depth of flavor, concentration, richness, silky tannins and wave after wave of perfectly ripe, fresh, pure black and red fruits. The seamless finish seems almost endless as it builds and expands. Haut Bailly is not a flashy wine. It often shows much better with cellaring. Give this at least 10 years before pulling a cork. The wine was made from 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. 2018 was produced from some of the lowest yields in the history of the estate at 21 hectoliters per hectare, cutting the production in half. If this is your style of wine, you might want to grab a few bottles. 98 Pts
2018 – Haut Bailly II – Smoke, tobacco leaf, roasted coffee, herbs and red pit fruits create the nose and core of this wine. Medium-bodied, elegant, graceful, soft and fresh, with lift and a refined finish, the endnotes conclude with silky, dark red berries, cocoa and a hint of spice. This is perfect to enjoy while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. 2018 marks the debut vintage for the newly renamed second wine from Chateau Haut Bailly. 91 Pts
2018 – Haut Bergey – Flowers, cigar box, tobacco, espresso and black cherries are all over the place. On the palate, the wine readily serves up a concentrated dose of espresso bean, dark cocoa, red and black plums and leafy herbs. Give a few years for the oak to calm down better integrate and enjoy for about 15 years after that. 92 Pts
2018 – Haut Bergey Blanc – Juicy, fruity and fresh with ripe, sweet, creamy lemons, orange rind, white peach and tropical notes on the nose and palate. This is frankly disarmingly easy to taste already. It is perfect for dinner tonight! 92 Pts
2018 – Haut Brion – Opulent, powerful, full-bodied, dense and intense, this incredibly rich wine offers mouth-coating layers of ripe, lush, smoke and tobacco infused dark red and black fruits. What makes this wine great is that with all its power, you also find balance, elegance, harmony and layers of complexity. The expansive finish, with its ripe fruits, tobacco leaf, smoke, barbecue and oceanic minerality holds you captive for over 60 seconds! This will age for at least 3-4 decades with ease. The wine blends 6% Merlot, 37.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 14.6 ABV. 100 Pts
2018 – Haut Brion Blanc – The perfume displays ripe lemon, grapefruit, green apples, waxy Meyer lemons, spice, honeysuckle and cut stone. On the palate, the wine is luscious, opulent, oily, deep and fresh, with a sensuously textured finish that lingers, which is a good thing as you can sit with all that ripe citrus and stone for even longer. Made from a blend of 80.6% Sauvignon Blanc and 19.4% Semillon, this is the highest percentage of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend for Haut Brion Blanc. 98 Pts
2018 – Haut Brion Le Clarence de Haut-Brion – 2018 is the gateway to Haut Brion as it clearly resembles the Grand Vin with all its complexities of tobacco leaf, spicy, red fruits and silky textures. Medium/full-bodied, elegant and forward, just a few years is all that’s needed to make the most of all the sweet, ripe, earthy fruits and its soft, refined finish. The wine blends 51.3% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.1% Cabernet Franc and 2.6% Petit Verdot. 93 Pts
2018 – Haut Brion Le Clarte de Haut Brion Blanc – Quite floral in its nature, you also find a blend of yellow citrus fruits with tropical accents and a drizzle of orange honey served up with fresh, creamy, opulent textures. You can enjoy this young, or age it a few years for additional complexity. 93 Pts
2018 – Haut Nouchet – A light touch of smoke, espresso, burning leaves and red fruits form the nose. Soft, medium-bodied, forward and finishing with sweet red fruits, this should be just about ready to enjoy on release. The vineyards are well-placed, quite close to Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte. 90 Pts
2018 – Haut-Bacalan – A touch of espresso, cocoa and red fruits hits the nose. Soft, round and approachable, with loads of sweetness in the fruit to accompany the oak, which should dissipate with a few years of aging. 89 Pts
2018 – Haut-Lagrange – Just a hint of smoke, wet forest floor and red fruits hit your nose. Soft, supple, and easy to like, the fresh, sweet, light red fruits in the finish are perfect for enjoying over the next 6-10 years. 89 Pts
2018 – La Garde – Round, fruity, soft and fresh with a spicy, tobacco laden, core of rich, chewy, red fruits and espresso from start to finish. Give this a few years in the cellar to develop more nuance and soften and it should be an even better wine. 91 Pts
2018 – La Louviere – Tobacco leaf, cedar, spearmint, red fruits and herbs are all over the place. On the palate the wine is elegant, fresh, soft and silky, with layers of fruit and tobacco in every swirl, sniff and sip. The volume, depth and length here is something I have never seen here before. The wine was great in barrel and in bottle I’m loving it. 93 Pts
2018 – La Louviere Blanc – Much better in bottle, than in barrel, now you find loads of ripe, sweet, round, creamy yellow citrus, flowers, a touch of honey, crisp green apple and grapefruit. 93 Pts
2018 – La Louviere L de – Simple, forward, easy to like lemony wine for uncomplicated drinking pleasure. 86 Pts
2018 – La Mission Haut Brion Blanc – A cornucopia of yellow, green and orange citrus is accompanied by hints of yellow tropical yellow fruit, honeysuckle and spice on the nose. Round, lush, rich and long on the palate, the finish leaves you with layers of sweet, juicy Meyer lemons, crisp green apple, crushed rocks, stone and a touch of honey. Made from a blend of 57.4% Sauvignon Blanc and 42.6% Semillon. This is only the second time you find more Sauvignon Blanc than Semillon in the blend. 97 Pts
2018 – La Mission La Chapelle de La Mission Haut Brion – Full-bodied, rich, deep and concentrated with ripe, smoky blackberries and dark red pit fruit. The smoke, tobacco, dark cocoa, espresso and forest leaf complexities add to the experience. The long, smoky, fruit filled finish truly resonates. One of the best vintages for La Chapelle de La Mission Haut Brion. It is difficult to believe that this is a second wine! The blend is 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36.5% Merlot and 21.5% Cabernet Franc. 94 Pts
2018 – La-Mission-Haut-Brion – Black, red fruit and hints of blue fruit, cigar box, tobacco leaf, tar, smoke, espresso and campfire notes create the enticing aromatic profile. The wine is powerful, full-bodied and concentrated, taking up a lot of room on your palate. Luxurious, palate staining, polished, and energetic in your mouth, the finish lingers with layers of smoked red, blue and black fruits, stone, tobacco leaf, oyster shell and smoke. I really like the length and purity in the finish. The end note kept going long after the wine left my glass. The wine blends 57.5% Merlot with 42.5%, 14.4% ABV. 99 Pts
2018 – Larrivet Haut Brion – Fresh, round, lush, polished, energetic, tobacco filled wine with elegant, silky textures and layers of perfectly polished, sweet tobacco leaf tinged red fruits. Clearly, this is the finest vintage for Larrivet Haut Brion I have ever tasted! This should offer two decades of pleasure with ease. 93 Pts
2018 – Larrivet Haut Brion Blanc – This has really jumped in quality since it was in barrel. Now, the wine has taken on more weight, allowing you to experience the complex aromatic profile which shows off its flowers, lemon, white peach and vanilla. Lush, round, juicy and fruity, the finish is sweet, lively and loaded with delicious fruits. 93 Pts
2018 – La-Tour-Martillac – Vanilla, plums and smoky red fruits with a touch of flowers create the nose. Silky, medium-bodied, sweet, fresh, supple and juicy, with a little touch of cocoa in the finish, this is one of the best, if not the finest vintage of La Tour-Martillac I have ever tasted. The wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot. 93 Pts
2018 – La-Tour-Martillac Blanc – Fresh and juicy with a beautiful balance between the pineapple, pomelo, honeysuckle, lemon and crushed rock character. The wine was made blending 54% Sauvignon Blanc and 46% Semillon. 92 Pts
2018 – Le Thil Comte Clary – Wet earth, flowers, dark cherry and barely a hint of oak open the wine. Medium-bodied, forward, round and sweet, with soft juicy cherries, plums and cocoa on the palate, this is delicious now. Else, give it a few years for more secondary notes and enjoy it for up to a decade. The wine was produced from 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. 91 Pts
2018 – Le-Pape – Medium-bodied, with a core of fresh, ripe, elegant red fruits, the wine is soft, sweet, refined and energetic. Forward in style, the finish shows off its savory ripe, red berries, dark chocolate, spice, herbs and tobacco leaf with ease. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 92 Pts
2018 – Lespault-Martillac – Elegant, silky and sweet, the wine is medium-bodied with layers of ripe, juicy, fresh currants, flowers, plums, tobacco leaf and savor herbs on the palate and in the refined, energetic, polished finish. This is going to be great on release. 92 Pts
2018 – Lespault-Martillac Blanc – The fresh squeezed citrus here, that mixes lemon and lime hits all the right notes. On the palate the wine is juicy, sweet, fresh and creamy, leaving you with green apple, a dollop of honey just squeezed lemons. 92 Pts
2018 – Malartic Lagraviere – Deep in color, this beauty pops with licorice, smoke, tobacco, coffee and roasted, deep red fruits on the nose. Lush, round, fruity and creamy, with waves of sweet black, red and blue fruits that keep on coming. Give this at least 5-7 years in the cellar and enjoy it for the following 2 decades after that. The wine blends 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. 95 Pts
2018 – Malartic Lagraviere Blanc – With a strong bees wax character, the wine shows off its nose of green apple, yellow citrus, lemon curd, vanilla and flower aromas with ease. Vibrant, juicy, sweet and creamy, with stony accents to its layers of fruit, the sweetness and lift in the finish comes though nicely. The wine is made from a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Semillon. 94 Pts
2018 – Malartic-Lagravière La Réserve de Malartic – Medium-bodied, forward, fresh, vibrant, juicy red berries are front and center here. This will be perfect on release. Enjoy it while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. 90 Pts
2018 – Malartic-Lagravière La Réserve de Malartic Blanc – Better from bottle than in barrel, this is showing just great with its waxy lemon, flower and green apple character. Elegant, fresh and vibrant, with a sweet yellow citrus and mildly honeyed finish, this is ready for primetime drinking, while you wait for the Grand Vin to come around. 90 Pts
2018 – ChateauOlivier – Refined, soft, elegant, forward, sweet and with a red cherry and plum, tobacco and smoke infused character, the wine ends with a bright, fresh hit of sweet, red fruits. 92 Pts
2018 – ChateauOlivier Blanc – Crisp, bright and sweet with Meyer lemon, pear and mango notes on the nose and palate. Energetic, fruity and fresh, with a gorgeous, creamy, lemon and bright pineapple filled finish, this is showing quite nicely already. 93 Pts
2018 – Olivier Le Dauphin d’ Olivier Blanc – Honeysuckle and lemons blend together to produce a light, forward, early drinking citrus oriented finish. Enjoy this over the next couple of years while the Grand Vin develops. 87 Pts
2018 – Pape Clement – Deep in color, the wine is filled with smoke, licorice, tobacco, dark red fruits and cedar. Rich, full and with depth of flavor, the lush, round, ripe, sweet fruits hit the right notes you’re looking for. Give it a decade before popping a cork and enjoy it over the next 20-25 years with ease. The wine was made from blending 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. 97 Pts
2018 – Pape Clement Blanc – Rich, juicy, creamy and loaded with Meyer lemon, cut grass, flowers, pomelo and Mandarin orange, the wine just simply tastes and feels great. Lush in texture, with layers of sweet, citrus, yellow tropical fruit and flowers, the dab of honey and vanilla in the finish rounds everything out nicely. The wine was made from 57% Sauvignon Blanc, 39% Semillon and 4% Muscadelle. 96 Pts
2018 – Pape Clement Clementin Pape Clement Blanc – Forward, medium-bodied, elegant expression of yellow citrus with hints of orange and pear. Sweet, fresh and ready to go, you can enjoy this on release while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. 89 Pts
2018 – Pape Clement Le Clementin du Pape Clément – Smoke, espresso and toffee aromas come along with soft, red fruits, making this a really nice, early drinking, soft textured charmer. 91 Pts
2018 – Rochemorin – Medium-bodied, soft, elegant, silky and refined, the wine already struts its stuff, so you enjoy it on release. Drink it over its first decade of life for all its charm and freshness. 90 Pts
2018 – Rochemorin Blanc – Lemon, orange rind and green apples hits you as soon as you nose the glass. The wine offers plenty of sweet yellow citrus and pear in the finish. This is ready for prime time drinking 89 Pts
2018 – Rouillac – Medium-bodied, soft, fresh, forward and fruity, with a lot of up-front, early-drinking, ripe, red fruited charm. This is going to best in its youth, so enjoy it over the next 7 years or so. 88 Pts
2018 – Smith Haut Lafitte – Deep, dark almost inky in color, the wine pops with smoke, licorice, wet forest, spice box, cherry, black raspberry, espresso and dark chocolate create an exciting aromatic profile. The wine is rich, deep, dense, concentrated, plush and sensual. There is a lot going on here, but everything is in harmony. Most of the oak is already integrated, due to a reduction of time in the barrel and less toast. This helps show off the purity in the fruits and softens the expression, making this a stellar wine, that will age gracefully for decades. Produced from a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, not much wine was produced as yields were less than half of a normal year. This could be my favorite vintage of Smith Haut Lafitte. 97 Pts
2018 – Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc – Flowers, white peach, yellow citrus, pears, green apples and even a touch of vanilla tinged cantaloupe are found in the aromatic complexities. Balanced on the precipice of opulent and fresh, the wealth of fruit is sweet, ripe, long, creamy and a pleasure to allow to linger on your palate. The wine blends 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Semillon. 95 Pts
2018 – Smith Haut Lafitte Les Hauts de Smith – Tobacco, wet earth, cedar, smoky red berries and dark chocolate open the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, lush, sweet, and fresh with round tannins, soft textures and a liberal dose of dark chocolate covered plums, spice and espresso in the finish. This wine is perfect for restaurants, or early drinking pleasure, which is what the production is vinified for. The wine was made from a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. 92 Pts
2018 – Smith Haut Lafitte Les Hauts de Smith Blanc – Lemon fresh, with grapefruit, white peach and flowers opens as soon as the cork is popped. Fresh, sweet, bright and filled with yellow citrus and green apple on the palate, this gem is ready for dinner tonight. 91 Pts
2018 – Le Petit Haut Lafitte – Cigar box, cedar, tobacco leaf, flowers, blackberry, currants, licorice, vanilla and dark cherry aromatics create the nose. On the palate, the wine is round,, soft, polished and fresh with good sweetness to the fruits, concentration and a finish loaded with cocoa, cherries, licorice, spice and espresso. This is a top vintage for Le Petit Haut Lafitte that will drink well for at least 12 years or more. The wine is made from a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. 93 Pts
2018 – Le Petit Haut Lafitte Blanc – Round, ripe, sweet and packed with spicy, yellow citrus, lemon rind, almonds and tangerine, this is ready to go. I’d opt for drinking this over the next 3-5 years. 90 Pts
