Tasting notes 2018 Pauillac, St. Julien & St. Estèphe

[AlexR]

at www.bordeauxwineblog.com

Best regards,
Alex R.

[JimHow]

Enjoyable reads, as always.
Doesn't sound like a vintage of the millenium.

[stefan]

Fun reads even if I am too old to buy.

[greatbxfreak]

JimHow,

I was with Alex during many visits and I can say, that 2018 maybe doesn't have the overall consistency as 2016, but many and I underline many small chateaux made beautiful wines. Vintage of the century, very close but no.

For me, Haut Marbuzet, Meyney, Phelan segur and Sociando, made wine of their lives.

For rich people, First Growths are yummy, especially Lafite, Latour and Mouton R. Calon Segur, Carmes Haut Brion, La Conseillante, Cos, L'Evangile, Montrose, Trotanoy, VCC, both Pichons, Le Pin are staggering wines. Some of these have made wine of their lives. It does say much, doesn't it!

I've not yet finished to write my report.

[Comte Flaneur]

Thanks for the notes Alex, really informative.

Do I take it from your use of the word superlative that Mouton is your wine if the vintage, when Latour and Lafite just managed superb?

You have to say that under Philippe Dhalluin Mouton really has earned its first growth spurs...

[AlexR]

Ian,

Very few people on the planet have a good background in comparing aged first growths. I certainly don't!

But what you hear is that Mouton is the variable one. It can be top dog one year and bottom of the totem poll the next.
This is somewhat borne out by my limited experience.

Our tasting of 86s in New York several years ago showed that Mouton can rule the roost.

All the best,
Alex

[Chateau Vin]

Thanks Alex for the notes...Even though I might not buy any 18s, but in case, I will keep in my mind the qpr standouts...It's a fun read. Will wait for gbf's writeup as well...

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

I know you don't do vintage generalizations but from your notes it appears these wines are hardly the monstrosities at least one critic has claimed.

[Comte Flaneur]

One of the UK wine merchants, J&B, compiled a list of critics’ scores - mainly UK ones whom many of you would not have heard of.

Of course Neal Martin is not in this list, but our old friend Jeff Leve hit the ball out of the park, and tops the list of critics giving 100 point scores (or inclusive range, e.g., 98-100) for no less than 23 estates, topping James Sutcliffe @14 and the next highest bidder, Lisa Perotti, @12.

It goes without saying that the British critics are more measured in their assessments even if many of them are nobodies

I will take my steer from our true and trusted steed Alex R, who uses the old fashioned qualitative system

[Nicklasss]

Me too, I will refer to AlexR and greatbdxfreak noses and palates to chose some 2018. And me choice are possibly already made! Now, will I decide to buy or not?

I know I'm still young, but the last tasting in Denver convinced me that in excellent or great vintages, 30 years seems to be the good time, and that bring me to... 77 years old to drink the 2018!

Nic

[DavidG]

Really enjoyed the rest of your report Alex. We’ll see if I am successful in staying out of the game. I think I will be this time. It was easy to pass on 2017 in comparison, giving what I’m reading about the 2018s.

Me too, I will refer to AlexR and greatbdxfreak noses and palates to chose some 2018. And me choice are possibly already made! Now, will I decide to buy or not?

I know I'm still young, but the last tasting in Denver convinced me that in excellent or great vintages, 30 years seems to be the good time, and that bring me to... 77 years old to drink the 2018!

Nic

No chickening out, you young whippersnapper. I bought a couple of cases of 2016s, and will be 90 when they’re 30. The financial advisers all tell me to plan for retirement funds lasting until 90, so I’m applying that logic to my wine purchases. With Stephan as my muse.

[stefan]

You definitely should have wine to last until you are at least 90. I mean, do you want to deal with the hassle of backfilling when you are in your late 80s?

[DavidG]

In my late 80s, it will be a lot easier to bring a bottle or two at a time up from the basement than to lug a case or two down there. This is an excellent argument for increasing stocks now. Which is in turn an excellent argument for increasing storage space.

[Nicklasss]

My problem is that I think i will live 72-75 years only. Isn't there a big study that claimed that my generation will have a shorter life than your? My generation (compare to your generation) has been exposed to more toxic stuff than your : less exercice, more industrial food, more plastic contaminants, more stress, all kind of bad drugs...

I can't fight against that, and it is surely not my expectation to drink my 2018 in 2048 that will keep me alive!

Nic

P.s. Ok I give you that you never drink organic wines, me a little bit .

[DavidG]

Here you go Nic.
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/tr/2018/lr_5a4.html
Note that if you make it to 65, your expected age at death is greater than it was at birth.

I imagine the numbers are similar in Canada, though I would guess your risk of being shot or killed in a car accident is lower than in the US. As are the odds of having a stroke or heart attack from listening to your President's latest inanities.

It looks like the numbers are still going up, despite the fact that my generation has screwed up the environment and produced progeny who we've taught to lay around playing video games while gorging on fast food and salty snacks.

The good news is that the tables do not take cellaring and drinking wine into consideration. My own personal research indicates that as long as you keep drinking at least one bottle a week, you will live until your cellar is empty. So back up the truck!

[JimHow]

So it looks like I'm going to live to 78.
I'll take it. That's just about right.