2018
Keermont “Pondokrug” Cabernet Franc 2018
"I love Cabernet Franc", says Alex Starey, and you can see why when he produces wines that are as good as this single vineyard expression from Stellenbosch Mountain. Perfumed, stylish and well crafted, it has the elegance and precision of its cooler site, good underlying structure and classic black cherry, bay leaf and pencil shaving notes." Tim Atkin MW
Keermont Topside Syrah 2018
"Syrah lovers could spend a long time discussing the relative merits of Alex Starey's single parcel Syrahs. I have a very slight preference for Topside in 2018, partly because its cooler terroir on Stellenbosch Mountain was well suited to the drought conditions of the vintage. Restrained, focused and built to age in bottle, it has sage and oregano perfume, savoury tannins, refreshing acidity and minerality and flavours of plum, raspberry, red cherry and tobacco leaf." - Tim Atkin MW
Keermont Steepside Syrah 2018
"It's good to see a top Cape Syrah released with a little bottle age, especially when it’s as good as this one from a warm, north-facing site on clay soils. Complex, dense and voluptuous, it has garrigue and tarragon aromas, understated oak and flavours of cooked meat, tapenade, damson and blackberry. Superb." - Tim Atkin MW
Champagne Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2018
"The 2018 Brut Vintage, with a dosage of seven grams per liter, exhibits a delicate bouquet of ripe orchard fruits, pineapple, peach, sweet spices and pastry, followed by a full-bodied, rich and elegantly creamy mid-palate that segues into a fleshy core of fruit with a penetrating, long and saline finish. Admirers of Pol Roger’s style will love it." - Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate
Anwilka Red Blend 2018
"The 2018 Anwilka offers a delightful refinement and finesse, wafting with layers of dusty red fruit, oak and elegant red flowers. Medium to full-bodied, the palate provides balanced tannins with lively acidity that lingers across the mid-palate through the ever-evolving finish without showing any greenness. Give it a try." - Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino 2018
"Poggio di Sotto hits it out the ballpark once again with an extremely elegant interpretation that shows the incredible depth and nuance Sangiovese can achieve, even in an uneven vintage such as this. The certified organic 2018 Brunello di Montalcino reveals a dark ruby hue and mid-weight concentration. Indeed, the wine is lighter and brighter than most, despite Brunello's mandatory five years of aging before its commercial release. The tannins are silky and melt over the palate. Along the way, the wine offers high notes of red cherry, cassis and blue flower. This 38,000-bottle release carries a very high price tag, but your high expectations will be met." - Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate
Bodegas y Viñedos Pintia 2018 – 3L
"The 2018 Pintia comes from a cooler and wetter vintage when the grapes were picked between September 20th and October 7th, and it fermented in their new fermentation room where they feel they can be more precise. The wine still has 15% alcohol, with a pH of 3.82 and 4.6 grams of acidity. It had a shorter élevage this year and matured for 10 months in French and 18% American oak barrels, 81% of them new. The nose is very expressive, with bright cherry fruit, and the wine is fresher than the norm in the region, with integrated alcohol and oak, reflecting a very cool year, floral and perfumed. The palate is medium-bodied and reveals very fine and elegant tannins. This has to be one of the finest vintages of Pintia. 251,512 bottles, 14,144 half-bottles, 6,543 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in April 2020." - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Bodegas y Viñedos Pintia 2018
"The 2018 Pintia comes from a cooler and wetter vintage when the grapes were picked between September 20th and October 7th, and it fermented in their new fermentation room where they feel they can be more precise. The wine still has 15% alcohol, with a pH of 3.82 and 4.6 grams of acidity. It had a shorter élevage this year and matured for 10 months in French and 18% American oak barrels, 81% of them new. The nose is very expressive, with bright cherry fruit, and the wine is fresher than the norm in the region, with integrated alcohol and oak, reflecting a very cool year, floral and perfumed. The palate is medium-bodied and reveals very fine and elegant tannins. This has to be one of the finest vintages of Pintia. 251,512 bottles, 14,144 half-bottles, 6,543 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in April 2020." - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Bodegas Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5˚ 2018 – 3L
"The 2018 Valbuena comes from a cooler vintage with good yields that required sorting and selecting in search of a happy and vertical version of Valbuena, pushing a little more and giving the wine a little more oak, especially American (5%). It was produced with 96% Tinto Fino and 4% Merlot that went through a three- to four-day cold soak and fermented with indigenous yeasts followed by malolactic in stainless steel. The élevage was in new and used 225-liter oak barrels and 21,000-liter oak vats. It has 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.8 and 4.78 grams of acidity (tartaric), so it's ripe and with mellow acidity that gives it a mellow mouthfeel. This is a very spicy vintage for Valbuena, getting closer to the style of Único (while at the same time I felt the 2018 Pintia from Toro was getting closer to the aromatics of some vintages of Valbuena, like 2010). It was a late-ripening year with a tendency toward freshness in the wines. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with very fine tannins that made the wine nicely textured and very elegant. There is a lot of regularity in the Valbuena of the last few years, here with more tension and freshness of the 2017, a little more balsamic even. 180,580 bottles, 5,528 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in May 2021." - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Bodegas Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5˚ 2018 Magnum
"The 2018 Valbuena comes from a cooler vintage with good yields that required sorting and selecting in search of a happy and vertical version of Valbuena, pushing a little more and giving the wine a little more oak, especially American (5%). It was produced with 96% Tinto Fino and 4% Merlot that went through a three- to four-day cold soak and fermented with indigenous yeasts followed by malolactic in stainless steel. The élevage was in new and used 225-liter oak barrels and 21,000-liter oak vats. It has 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.8 and 4.78 grams of acidity (tartaric), so it's ripe and with mellow acidity that gives it a mellow mouthfeel. This is a very spicy vintage for Valbuena, getting closer to the style of Único (while at the same time I felt the 2018 Pintia from Toro was getting closer to the aromatics of some vintages of Valbuena, like 2010). It was a late-ripening year with a tendency toward freshness in the wines. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with very fine tannins that made the wine nicely textured and very elegant. There is a lot of regularity in the Valbuena of the last few years, here with more tension and freshness of the 2017, a little more balsamic even. 180,580 bottles, 5,528 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in May 2021." - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Vega-Sicilia Valbuena 5˚ Cosecha 2018
"The 2018 Valbuena comes from a cooler vintage with good yields that required sorting and selecting in search of a happy and vertical version of Valbuena, pushing a little more and giving the wine a little more oak, especially American (5%). It was produced with 96% Tinto Fino and 4% Merlot that went through a three- to four-day cold soak and fermented with indigenous yeasts followed by malolactic in stainless steel. The élevage was in new and used 225-liter oak barrels and 21,000-liter oak vats. It has 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.8 and 4.78 grams of acidity (tartaric), so it's ripe and with mellow acidity that gives it a mellow mouthfeel. This is a very spicy vintage for Valbuena, getting closer to the style of Único (while at the same time I felt the 2018 Pintia from Toro was getting closer to the aromatics of some vintages of Valbuena, like 2010). It was a late-ripening year with a tendency toward freshness in the wines. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with very fine tannins that made the wine nicely textured and very elegant. There is a lot of regularity in the Valbuena of the last few years, here with more tension and freshness of the 2017, a little more balsamic even. 180,580 bottles, 5,528 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in May 2021." - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Bodegas Benjamin de Rothschild & Vega Sicilia Macán 2018
"Their second wine in the Bordeaux sense is the 2018 Macán Clásico, which in the cooler and late year (they picked between October 2nd and 14th) fermented in stainless steel and matured in 50% new French oak barrels, 10% American oak barrels and 40% used ones for 12 months. The wine has moderate ripeness and alcohol (14%) in a fresher, subtler and more elegant year with good freshness (a pH of 3.75) and balance. It's young and creamy, a baby that will improve as it burns down that fat. Separating the press wine by quality and aging it separately seems to have increased the precision. It has to be one of the finest vintages for this wine; it is round and nicely textured. It could be an improved version of the 2016. 151,411 bottles, 1,053 magnums and some larger formats were filled during August 2020. - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Valenciso Rioja Reserva Red 2018 Magnum
"The 2018 Reserva reveals developed aromas and a polished palate, tasty, almost salty flavors and a long, dry finish. It has notes of leather and meat and felt surprisingly ripe despite the cooler year, but the longer and slow growing season ripened the grapes thoroughly to 14.5% alcohol. It matured in French oak barrels, one-third of them new, for 18 months. It was bottled in December 2021. 67,000 bottles produced." - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2018 Magnum
"Impressing from the first tilt of the glass, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino makes itself known, with a heady burst of exotic spice and crushed ashen stone giving way to dried black cherries and grilled herbs. This combines the energy of the vintage with the dark balsamic-tinged fruits of Montalcino’s southern reaches, as zesty acidity maintains balance throughout, and flinty minerals saturate toward the close. It finishes long, savory and structured, yet its tannins are more rounded than anticipated, creating both a classic feel, but also leaving a mouthwatering sensation that tricks the taster back to the glass for more. Easily one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2018 is not to be missed." - Eric Guido
Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 2018
“Impressing from the first tilt of the glass, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino makes itself known, with a heady burst of exotic spice and crushed ashen stone giving way to dried black cherries and grilled herbs. This combines the energy of the vintage with the dark balsamic-tinged fruits of Montalcino’s southern reaches, as zesty acidity maintains balance throughout, and flinty minerals saturate toward the close. It finishes long, savory and structured, yet its tannins are more rounded than anticipated, creating both a classic feel, but also leaving a mouthwatering sensation that tricks the taster back to the glass for more. Easily one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2018 is not to be missed.” – Eric Guido
Domaine Lafarge-Vial Fleurie 2018
Domaine Lafarge-Vial Fleurie 2018 "A slightly more elegant is otherwise similar aromatic profile introduces punchy, well-detailed and lightly mineral-inflected flavors that also deliver excellent length and depth on the slightly more firmly structured finale. This too is worth your interest." - Allen Meadows, Burghound
Domaine du Bel Air Bourgueil “les Marsaules” 2018
"The wine reveals its intense red colour. The nose is distinguished by aromas of crushed black berries or wild strawberries with slightly earthy and smoky notes. The palate is rich in tasty fruit but also firm and balanced. The wine lingers on the palate on a thread of freshness and spices. An impression of gluttony continues during the tasting. No greenness, but a pure and elegant fruit that lingers in the mouth." - Winemaker's notes
Alain Voge Saint-Péray Les Bulles d’Alain 2018 Méthode Traditionnelle
Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Moelleux Réserve 2018
"This cuvée has a residual sugar of 130 g/l, with an acidity of 4.5 g/l, and it was bottled just one month before tasting. Youthful purity on the nose, an aromatic profile which suggests finesse, with notes of white peach, freshly crushed pear and crisp white apple flesh. The palate carries a delicious intensity, showing the same pure and finessed style, as well as wonderful complexities redolent of vanilla, wild red fruits, mango and peach too. This is delicious. A pretty amazing wine with astonishing potential." -Chris Kissack, The Wine Doctor
Keermont “Riverside” Magnum 2018
"The 2018 Chenin Blanc Single Vineyard Series Riverside has a taut bouquet, quite neutral in style; hints of fish scales emerge with time. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, brisk and breezy, not overly complex but precise on the finish, which reveals subtle yeasty scents. Very fine." - Neal Martin, Vinous
Domaine du Pelican Arbois Poulsard 2018
"I like the purity and profile of the 2018 Arbois Poulsard, which, like the sample I tasted before, is quite expressive and agreeable, bright and lively, aromatic and open, quite elegant, with some tannins. It's not as funky as many examples of the grape can be. They picked a little early, and the wine is somewhat herbaceous (in a positive way) and only 11.5% alcohol." - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
