Chateau Belair-Monange 2018

JAMES SUCKLING: "Very intense blackberries, black olives, blueberries and dried flowers. Stony minerality. Even some pine. Full-bodied with superb depth of fruit and ultra fine tannins that are intense and polished. The finish is so long and delivers so much flavor, from wet earth to blackberry again. Seamless palate. Try after 2026."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "The wines here continue getting better year after year. And 2018 is no exception. Just the color, with its dark, purple ink hue tells you you're in for something special. There is incredible intensity of flavor here. The non-stop layers of rocks, stones, black plums, blueberry and black cherry accompanied by flowers, spice box, licorice and chocolate is sublime. But it is the wealth of velvet drenched, silky fruits coating your palate that hits it out of the park! The 60 second seamless finish seals the deal! With time, this will probably hit triple digits. Produced from blending 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc, this should age for 2-3 decades or more with little effort."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Made from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Belair Monange rolls effortlessly out of the glass with gregarious scents of black cherry preserves, stewed plums and boysenberries, plus suggestions of Indian spices, rose oil, Ceylon tea and garrigue, with a waft of tilled soil. The rich, seductive, full-bodied palate is laden with black fruit preserves and exotic spice layers, framed by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Wonderfully hedonic and conceivably drinkable now, give it 4-5 years in the cellar to allow the earthy/savory nuances to fully emerge from within the fruit and drink it over the next 25 years or more."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarter Wasserrand. Zart nach frischen Feigen, reife Kirschen, ein Hauch von kandierten Orangen, feine Kräuterwürze, tabakiger Anklang. Saftig, schokoladig, reife Pflaumenfrucht, präsentes gut integriertes Tannin, extraktsüß und anhaftend, eleganter Speisenbegleiter, sicheres Reifepotenzial."

WEINWISSER: "Sattes Purpur mit opaker Mitte. Delikates Bouquet mit dunkler Kirsche, Burleytabak und Schokopastillen. Im zweiten Ansatz getrockneter Rosmarin und dunkle Graphitspuren. Am vielschichtigen Gaumen mit weicher Textur, straffem Körper mit fein körnigem Extrakt. Im geradlinigen Finale Wildkirsche, Estragon und erhabene Adstringenz. Ein faszinierender St.-Émilion, der durch seine innere Ruhe zu überzeugen weiss und an ein Violinkonzert erinnert. Trinkreife wurde nach vorne angepasst."

DECANTER: "Hugely serious; still clearly extremely young. With a gorgeously ripped muscular frame, the fruit is multi-layered and multi-faceted. So much power, with autumnal blackberry and blueberry, soft mocha and coffee, and a clear limestone edge. Great stuff."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "Dense layers of black fruits mingle with dusty tannins in this wine. The powerful structure is beautifully balanced with ripe fruitiness in harmony with the concentration of the wine's texture. This wine will age well. Drink from 2027."

JEB DUNNUCK: "This estate makes an incredibly classic, elegant Saint-Emilion. The 2018 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot is based on 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 65% new French oak. Coming from a beautiful terroir on the upper plateau, it reveals a deep purple/ruby color as well as perfumed cassis and mulberry fruits intermixed with ample spring flowers, chalky minerality, violets, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied and nicely concentrated on the palate, it has terrific mid-palate depth, flawless balance, background oak, and polished yet significant tannins. If you want to know what limestone soil gives to a wine, try this! It has the polish and balance to offer pleasure today, yet the cellar will be your friend. This warrants 5-7 years of bottle age and will have 30+ years of prime drinking."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Restrained style, with gently mulled currant and black cherry notes forming the core while hints of anise, applewood and sweet tobacco peek through on the finish. Long, fine chalky minerality extends the finish as the fruit plays out gracefully. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2036. 2,665 cases made. — JM"

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Second bottle poured was very similar to the first, possibly less fresh! Bright, dense crimson. Subtle nose. Rich and shaded. Complex and subtle. Long and quite alcoholic."