Chateau Capbern 2018

ANTONIO GALLONI: "The 2018 Capbern is expressive, nuanced and inviting, with lovely upfront fruit. In 2018, Capbern is a bit compact and tightly wound, but it also has a good deal of persistence. The Cabernet is quite marked in the 2018, which is not a bad thing, it just means the wine is going to need time to be at its best. What really stands out, though, is the push and pull between the bright aromatics that this cool, clay-rich soil helped give in 2018, and the ripe, radiant fruit of the warm summer. That interplay makes for an absolutely compelling wine. Red cherry fruit, mint, dried flowers, cedar and tobacco add aromatic nuance to this highly expressive, vibrant Saint-Estèphe. The blend is 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. Tasted two times."

JAMES SUCKLING: "A juicy and savory red with currant, walnut, mushroom and cedar aromas that follow through to a medium body with firm tannins and a savory finish. Drink after 2023."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2018 Château Capbern checks in as a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend that includes 37% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, all of which was brought up in 60% new barrels. It has a deep, dark, earthy, classic Saint-Estèphe bouquet that gives up lots of cassis and almost blue fruits as well as ample chocolate, damp earth, and leafy herb-like aromas and flavors. With a full-bodied, rich, opulent mouthfeel, loads of sumptuous dark fruits, sweet tannins, and a great finish, this brilliant 2018 brings lots of fruit and opulence, yet stays weightless and balanced, with solid underlying structure. A hidden gem in the vintage, this is every bit as good as the 2016, and it's going to shine for two decades or more."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Forest floor, tobacco leaf, wet earth, coffee bean, smoke, thyme and red currants open the wine. Medium-bodied, juicy, forward, bright and fresh, with a nice tangy note in the red currant finish, this is one of the better values in Left Bank Bordeaux today"

THE WINEADVOCATE: "The 2018 Capbern is composed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot and comes in at 14.6% alcohol. It's anticipated to age for 16 months in barriques, 60% new. Deep purple-black in color, it leaps from the glass with vibrant scents of black raspberries, kirsch and fresh blackcurrants with nuances of cedar chest, pencil lead and forest floor plus a waft of lavender. Full-bodied, rich and packed with juicy fruit, it has a firm line of grainy tannins and loads of freshness, finishing with an herbal lift."

WEINWISSER: "62 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 37 % Merlot, 1 % Petit Verdot, 14,6 % vol., 60 % neue Barriques, Lagerung 18 Monate. Purpurgranat. Aromatische, rote Kirschen, dahinter duftiges Cassis, Schokopastillen und Brasiltabak. Am kräftigen Gaumen mit fleischigem Extrakt und festem Tanningerüst, leicht kernig, gute Rasse. Im gebündelten Finale schwarzbeerige Früchte, Wacholder und Oliven."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This richly structured wine is layered with dense black fruits and serious tannins. A big wine in every sense, it is concentrated and juicy. The wine is made by the team from nearby classed growth Château Calon Ségur. Drink from 2026."