Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2018 Rocheyron is a tasty Saint-Émilion that will be easy to drink with minimal cellaring. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, spice, new leather and licorice all open with a bit of coaxing. Rocheyron is a perfectly fine Saint-Émilion, but it is also not especially distinguished. Rocheyron is the joint project of Peter Sisseck and Silvio Denz.

The Rollan de By 2018, embodies the quintessential elegance of Médoc wines. This exquisite vintage, hailing from the vineyards nestled along the Left Bank of the Bordeaux region in France, is produced by Jean Guyon, an acclaimed name in French winemaking. The Rollan de By 2018, predominantly Merlot, graced with a harmonious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, undergoes traditional vinification in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats, followed by extended maturation in French oak barrels to enhance its richness and complexity.

This fine wine is notable for its inviting ruby red hue, potent blackcurrant, cherry and vanilla aromas and full-bodied palate bursting with layered tannins, ensuring a long, velvety finish. Renowned wine critics have lavished praise on its balanced structure and depth. On the whole, the virtues manifested in the Rollan de By 2018 prove it a supreme testament of Médoc's terroir and passionately meticulous craftsmanship.

Jeb Dunnuck (94-97)

Checking in as a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot from very old vines and still aging in 50% new French oak, the 2018 Château Saint-Pierre reveals a saturated purple color to go with rich, full-bodied aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, graphite, and spicy oak. Rich, powerful, and concentrated, yet also with gorgeous purity and freshness, it’s a serious, age-worthy wine that’s going to need 7-8 years of bottle age but will be very long-lived.

Jeb Dunnuck (94-97)

Checking in as a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot from very old vines and still aging in 50% new French oak, the 2018 Château Saint-Pierre reveals a saturated purple color to go with rich, full-bodied aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, graphite, and spicy oak. Rich, powerful, and concentrated, yet also with gorgeous purity and freshness, it’s a serious, age-worthy wine that’s going to need 7-8 years of bottle age but will be very long-lived.

James Suckling (92-93)

This is very perfumed with a firm and solid, stony tannin structure. Lovely, linear line through this. Full and tight at the same time.

James Suckling (92-93)

This is very perfumed with a firm and solid, stony tannin structure. Lovely, linear line through this. Full and tight at the same time.

Jeb Dunnuck (96+)

This estate has been on fire of late and that doesn't appear to have changed with the 2018 Château Sansonnet. Revealing a dense purple hue as well as a young, unevolved bouquet of pure crème de cassis, graphite, crushed violets, bouquet garni, chocolate, and distinct chalky minerality, it delivers remarkable purity, full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and flawless balance. A wine that builds slowly with time in the glass, offering a beautiful mix of richness, elegance, and length, it's as good, if not even better than the 2016. Don't miss it!

James Suckling (91-92)

A juicy and fresh red with dark berries and hints of chocolate. Medium to full body, firm and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Delicious already.

James Suckling (91-92)

A juicy and fresh red with dark berries and hints of chocolate. Medium to full body, firm and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Delicious already.

In the world of exquisite wines, the Secret Ribebon 2018 embodies sophistication. An extraordinary vino derived from the sun-kissed vineyards of Ribera del Duero in Spain, this wine fascinates the palate with its opulent expression of rich fruit balanced by an elegant overlay of warm spice. Produced meticulously by Bodegas Secret, renowned for their commitment to exquisite craftsmanship, Secret Ribebon's exceptional vintages result from thorough selection processes and meticulous vinification practices.

The Secret Ribebon 2018 was carefully matured in French oak barrels for fifteen months, infusing the wine with an alluring hint of vanilla. The complex bouquet showcases layers of ripe black fruits and violet shades. This fine wine, with its full-bodied structure and velvety finish, swirls with delightful nuances of dark cherry, plum, and mocha, rendering it a harmonious canvas of flavours. The Secret Ribebon 2018 is truly a seductive spectacle of tasteful potency and timeless sophistication.

James Suckling (92-93)

The purity of the fruit is very pretty with so much blueberry and blackcurrant character. Medium-to full-bodied. Both the acidity and the tannins are bright and fresh.

Vinous - Neal Martin (93)

The 2018 Sergant, which impressed from barrel, has a captivating bouquet of precise black cherry, wild strawberry and rose petal aromas that waft from the glass. The palate is well balanced with fine-grained tannins, a silky-smooth texture and beautifully integrated oak toward the finish. This is a top-quality Lalande de Pomerol, a bit of a hidden gem. Go seek!

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2018 Château Smith Haut Lafitte is based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all of which was brought up in 60% new French oak. Its dense purple color is followed by an incredible perfume of blackcurrants, blueberries, camphor, scorched earth, chocolate, and tobacco. It's young and unevolved, yet the purity is off the charts, and it slowly gives up more spice and floral notes with time in the glass. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness, it's an incredibly concentrated, powerful wine that has plenty of baby fat covering serious amounts of underlying structure and tannins. It has some up-front appeal from an educational standpoint, yet really needs a decade of bottle age and is going to keep for 30-40 years in cold cellars. It comes closest in my mind to a mix of the 2010 and 2016.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2018 Château Smith Haut Lafitte is based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all of which was brought up in 60% new French oak. Its dense purple color is followed by an incredible perfume of blackcurrants, blueberries, camphor, scorched earth, chocolate, and tobacco. It's young and unevolved, yet the purity is off the charts, and it slowly gives up more spice and floral notes with time in the glass. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness, it's an incredibly concentrated, powerful wine that has plenty of baby fat covering serious amounts of underlying structure and tannins. It has some up-front appeal from an educational standpoint, yet really needs a decade of bottle age and is going to keep for 30-40 years in cold cellars. It comes closest in my mind to a mix of the 2010 and 2016.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2018 Château Smith Haut Lafitte is based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all of which was brought up in 60% new French oak. Its dense purple color is followed by an incredible perfume of blackcurrants, blueberries, camphor, scorched earth, chocolate, and tobacco. It's young and unevolved, yet the purity is off the charts, and it slowly gives up more spice and floral notes with time in the glass. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness, it's an incredibly concentrated, powerful wine that has plenty of baby fat covering serious amounts of underlying structure and tannins. It has some up-front appeal from an educational standpoint, yet really needs a decade of bottle age and is going to keep for 30-40 years in cold cellars. It comes closest in my mind to a mix of the 2010 and 2016.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2018 Château Smith Haut Lafitte is based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all of which was brought up in 60% new French oak. Its dense purple color is followed by an incredible perfume of blackcurrants, blueberries, camphor, scorched earth, chocolate, and tobacco. It's young and unevolved, yet the purity is off the charts, and it slowly gives up more spice and floral notes with time in the glass. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness, it's an incredibly concentrated, powerful wine that has plenty of baby fat covering serious amounts of underlying structure and tannins. It has some up-front appeal from an educational standpoint, yet really needs a decade of bottle age and is going to keep for 30-40 years in cold cellars. It comes closest in my mind to a mix of the 2010 and 2016.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2018 Les Hauts de Smith is a powerhouse. I recall a much more open-knit wine from en primeur, but the bottled 2018 packs a serious punch. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, cloves, gravel and licorice give the 2018 a distinctly brooding feel. Les Hauts is conceived as a restaurant wine, but the 2018 is far from an easygoing example. There is plenty of depth, power and structure. A burst of dark red fruit laced with floral overtones punctuates the finish.

James Suckling (94-95)

There is fantastic purity of black fruit with blackberries and ripe raspberries. Floral and bright. Full-bodied, compact palate with super polished tannins. Really fantastic.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2018 Soutard is an inky, exuberant wine. Raspberry jam, mocha, licorice, cedar and blood orange saturate the palate. Sweet floral/spiced top notes add lift, but Soutard is mostly a wine of textural resonance and creaminess. Ripe, silky tannins wrap around the succulent finish.