Top St-Estèphe 2018 wines: Re-tasted in bottle
There is plenty to enjoy in St-Estèphe in the Bordeaux 2018 vintage, but look out for atypical flavours and characteristics in some wines, reports Jane Anson.
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St-Estèphe is home to plenty of excellent quality, enjoyable bottles in the Bordeaux 2018 vintage, but some wines have atyptical flavours and characteristics, as I also found during en primeur tastings.
This was almost entirely due to high alcohols and over-concentration of fruits.
In terms of alcohol levels, Montrose 2018 is at 14.8% abv, Calon at 14.9%, Cos d’Estournel at 14.59% and Ormes de Pez at 14.6%. Cabernet Sauvignon was almost invariably equal to Merlot in terms of strength.
There were some notable successes, with wines that had settled in to themselves during ageing. These delivered a gourmet but balanced and seductive feel.
Châteaux that have seen scores upgraded since en primeur include Beau-Site and Haut-Marbuzet.
Top names to look out for:
- Château Lafon-Rochet
- Château Montrose
- Château Cos d’Estournel
Value picks:
- Château Le Boscq
- Château Le Crock
- Château Charmant
- Château Haut-Marbuzet
See Jane Anson’s tasting notes for the top-scoring St-Estèphe 2018 wines
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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 Montrose, St-Estèphe, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Rich and deep with beautifully nuanced dark chocolate, mocha, cocoa bean and liquorice. Just full of understated power and silky tannins. This is gorgeous and...
2018
Château MontroseSt-Estèphe
Château Cos d'Estournel, St-Estèphe, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
A little closed on the nose, and also on the attack. There is a wall of tannin here but backed up by voluptuously ripe fruits...
2018
Château Cos d'EstournelSt-Estèphe
Château Calon-Ségur, St-Estèphe, 3ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Rose petal, cinnamon and cedar. An exotic feel overall held in by firm tannins that are welcome in the sense of the restraint that they...
2018
Château Calon-SégurSt-Estèphe
Château Lafon-Rochet, St-Estèphe, 4ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Smoke and grilled cedar on the nose. Clearly ambitious, this is good-quality, with plenty of power and forward motion, depth of liquorice and a Bendicks...
2018
Château Lafon-RochetSt-Estèphe
Château Phélan Ségur, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Brilliant, succulent and luscious fruit. Blackberry, damson, chocolate and sage with a brilliant hold and muscular tannins. A yield of 48hl/ha.
2018
Château Phélan SégurSt-Estèphe
Château Le Crock, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2018
A serious wall of tannin and oak right now. Needed plenty of time to open in the glass and tasted even better 24 hours after...
2018
Château Le CrockSt-Estèphe
Château Le Boscq, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Le Boscq lies minutes from the Gironde estuary, 18ha of vines on a deep gravel bank with clay subsoils. The château first obtained cru bourgeois...
2018
Château Le BoscqSt-Estèphe
Château Montrose, La Dame de Montrose, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Visually gorgeous with bright plum colour. Black cherry and damson on the first sip, clear oak influence with flexible but far-reaching tannic structure. Some real...
2018
Château MontroseSt-Estèphe
Château Lilian Ladouys, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Really scented, perfumed, violets, roses, bramble fruit, dark chocolate, liquorice, menthol aromas. Very densely tannic palate consistent with the origin. Mineral black slate is the...
2018
Château Lilian LadouysSt-Estèphe
Château Ormes de Pez, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Beautiful aromatics, this is thoroughly enjoyable with brambles and hawthorn that give focus and lift. 45% new oak. 3.57pH. Brilliant value, as ever.
2018
Château Ormes de PezSt-Estèphe
Château Cos d'Estournel, Les Pagodes de Cos, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Ripe fruits of fig and damson that could do with a little more juice in between but this has lots of tannins and lots of...
2018
Château Cos d'EstournelSt-Estèphe
Château Haut-Marbuzet, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2018
This is one to look out for if you are a fan of slightly old school St-Estèphe that is brimming with personality. A ton of...
2018
Château Haut-MarbuzetSt-Estèphe
Château de Pez, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Always an extremely classy St-Estèphe, and this is an excellent wine that has restraint but punch, and plenty of cassis and blackberry fruits, with a...
2018
Château de PezSt-Estèphe
Château Tour des Termes, St-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Bordeaux, France, 2018
Enjoyable character to this wine with a winning combination of power and restraint. Gentle smoke through the finish and clear cassis, this is juicy and...
2018
Château Tour des TermesSt-Estèphe
