Top Pauillac 2018 wines: Re-tasted in bottle
Plenty of top names have taken the high alcohols of this vintage in their stride and have aged well since en primeur, reports Jane Anson.
COMING SOON
Look out for individual appellation overviews for:
St-Estèphe, St-Julien, Margaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac, Moulis and Pessac-Léognan & Graves
Pauillac was overall a successful appellation in the Bordeaux 2018 vintage.
A few estates were affected by mildew, but the pressure was less intense in Pauillac than in Margaux and came a little later.
This meant that yields were less impacted overall, with one or two high-profile exceptions, such as Pontet-Canet.
The average yield in Pauillac for 2018 was 38.5 hectolitres per hectare.
You will find plenty of great quality wines here that have performed well during ageing since the en primeur tastings.
High alcohols are a feature of the vintage, as they are in St-Estèphe, and record highs were reported at Châteaux Mouton Rothschild, d’Armailhac and Pichon Baron. All three took them easily in their stride, but it must surely be a note of concern for the future.
Top names to look out for:
- Château Pichon Baron,
- Château Pichon Comtesse
- Château Lafite Rothschild
- Château Mouton Rothschild
Two value picks:
- Domaine les Sadons,
- Château Haut-Bages Monpelou
See Jane Anson’s top scoring Pauillac 2018 wine tasting notes and scores
You might also like:
Full Bordeaux 2018 in bottle report
Top Bordeaux 2018 wines in bottle: Left Bank report
Top Bordeaux 2018 wines in bottle: Right Bank report
Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
This has so much tannic power, with density, layers and structure along with layers of blackberry, liquorice, baked earth, cigar box and the signature exotic...
2018
Château Mouton RothschildPauillac
Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
<p>Perfumed on the nose with menthol, blackcurrant, liquorice, and creamy prunes, it is juicy and mellow on the palate, with chocolatey tannins. The relatively high...
2018
Château Lafite RothschildPauillac
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Lovely grilled and graphite notes right off the bat; this is big and muscular, and extremely Pauillac. There is grace here too, with raspberry purée,...
2018
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de LalandePauillac
Château Pichon Baron, Pauillac, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Generous aromatics of dark berry fruit, caramel, and spice are clear indicators of a warm vintage, but there are also floral notes and no heaviness...
2018
Château Pichon BaronPauillac
Château Duhart-Milon, Pauillac, 4ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
One of the real successes of the Lafite stable in 2018. You get the rich, smooth texture straight off the nose, continued by a velvety...
2018
Château Duhart-MilonPauillac
Château Clerc Milon, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
This is an extremely successful Clerc Milon in a run of great vintages at the property. Lovely purity, clear big tannins, and real poise and...
2018
Château Clerc MilonPauillac
Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Deep, rich black fruits on the nose followed by a powerful punch of spice alongside a ferocious tannic structure that will benefit from the extra...
2018
Château Lynch-BagesPauillac
Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
In the glass you get a richly nuanced and aromatic glass of Pontet. Plum, gooseberry, cassis, rosemary, violet, tobacco leaf, sage and white pepper. Clear...
2018
Château Pontet-CanetPauillac
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Sweet black cherry fruits, bilberry and hedgerow. A little austere at this stage but confidently so, with a slice of bitter black chocolate. Big Pauillac...
2018
Château Grand-Puy-LacostePauillac
Château d'Armailhac, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Armailhac has held its success from en primeur and has further gained in weight during ageing. This is a wine that is changing a little...
2018
Château d'ArmailhacPauillac
Château Batailley, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
This is intense and concentrated with beautifully smoked grilled oak notes, clear, precise cassis, blackberry, liquorice and black chocolate and a slow, slate finish....
2018
Château BatailleyPauillac
Château Haut-Batailley, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
A big-shouldered and muscular wine. This shows a classic Pauillac signature with the full gamut of pencil lead, cigar box, curls of woodsmoke and floral...
2018
Château Haut-BatailleyPauillac
Château Mouton Rothschild, Le Petit Mouton, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Exuberant as always but here with pretty serious tannins, the result of small berries and a low yield of 28hl/ha, so a little more tension...
2018
Château Mouton RothschildPauillac
Château Pédesclaux, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Still closed and brooding but with great potential. Weighty and chunky on the palate, the tannins are firm but show no harsh edges. Dusky fruit...
2018
Château PédesclauxPauillac
Château Croizet-Bages, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Violet edging with a lovely texture, this is full of rich chocolate, coffee beans and mocha, cassis, blackcurrant and bilberry. This is classic Pauillac and...
2018
Château Croizet-BagesPauillac
Château Lafite Rothschild, Carruades de Lafite, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, 2018
The 2018 Carruades, stored in magnum, is immediately appealing, with dark fruits on the nose infused with coconut and milk chocolate. Richly hedonistic on the...
2018
Château Lafite RothschildPauillac
