Chateau D`Armailhac 2018

JAMES SUCKLING: "Complex aromas of blackcurrant, black olive, clove, oyster shell, pencil lead and tobacco. It’s full-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Concentrated and focused with a very long, spice and mineral finish. Fantastic bottle. Try from 2026."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zart tabakig, ein Hauch von Vanille, Cassis, dunkle Herzkirschen, Brombeeren, feine Kräuterwürze, kandierte Grapefruitzesten, zarte Minze. Saftig, dunkles Beerenkonfit, elegant und frisch strukturiert, reife, runde Tannine, Cassis auch im Abgang, dunkles Nougat, sehr gute Länge, sicheres Reifepotenzial. (2020–2045)"

DECANTER: "This is clearly one of the most concentrated d’Armailhacs that has been produced in recent decades owing to the extremely small and concentrated berries, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested at the end of the growing season. It’s also one of the best, with clear personality and power, and although still the least complex of the three Pauillacs in the Mouton stable, it should offer the best value giving a ton of rich fruit and cigar box frisson. 5% Petit Verdot makes up the blend. 3.7pH. Tasted several times – always with the same impression. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "The darkest vintage of d'Armailhac I have ever seen, from the first swirl and sniff, you know it's a new level for this chateau. On the nose you find smoke, tobacco leaf, blackberries, plums, wet earth and thyme. On the palate, the wine is lush, round and deep with layers of sweet, dark, ripe fruits, soft, round tannins, herbs, pepper, dark chocolate, spice and a blast of black and dark red fruits in the finish. Give this a decade in the cellar and it will really start strutting its stuff. The wine is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 D’Armailhac (a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot) hits the ground running with wonderfully open-knit, flamboyant scents of Morello cherries, black raspberries, blackcurrant jelly and rose oil, leading to an undercurrent of cinnamon toast, aniseed and mossy tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with energy and expressiveness, delivering red and black berry layers with loads of spicy sparks, framed by plush tannins, finishing long and fragrant."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Awesome notes of camphor, new leather, cedar pencil, chocolate, and cassis emerge from the 2018 Château D'Armailhac, a full-bodied, concentrated Pauillac that stays nicely focused on the palate, with firm yet ripe tannins, wonderful purity, and a great finish. In short, it's a classic Pauillac that needs 4-6 years of bottle age and should have two decades of prime drinking."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "A ripe, juicy wine with great freshness and swathes of black-currant fruits, this is already delicious. Plenty of tannins back up the fruits and push the wine towards a rich future, but the balance is already there. Drink this wine from the Mouton-Rothschild stable from 2025."

WINE SPECTATOR: "The core of ripe cassis, plum sauce and raspberry purée flavors have a succulent feel, while licorice snap, graphite and singed alder notes play along the edges. Nice glycerine feel through the focused and fine-grained finish. Tempting now, but time will bring more nuance. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2035."

WEINWISSER: "Dichtes Granatrubin. Würziges Bouquet mit Pfefferschoten, Brasiltabak und schwarzen Johannisbeeren, dahinter Rosmarin und Kakaopulver. Am mittleren Gaumen mit stützendem Tannin, fein spröde, zarte Adstringenz, kraftvoller Körper. Im gebündelten Finale wirkt der Wein etwas verkapselt und zeigt sich fein mürbe. Aktuell verschlossen, braucht Zeit!"