Château Pédesclaux 2018

Attractive aromatics, notes of fresh herbs and spices: full attack, creamy texture on the palate, ample, fruity, balanced, perfectly ripe tannins, long finish; excellently balanced.

Ripe and juicy in feel, with expressive cassis and plum paste notes liberally lined with red and black licorice and backed by a floral note through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 12,500 cases made.

Still closed and brooding but with great potential. Weighty and chunky on the palate, the tannins are firm but show no harsh edges. Dusky fruit character. Needs quite a bit of time but will develop very well. 50% organic grapes in a vintage with very high mildew pressure. Harvested between 25 September - 12 October. 16 months in barrel, 60% new.

Aromas of blackcurrants, lavender, gravel, dried leaves, spice box and bitter chocolate. It’s full-bodied with firm, well-integrated tannins. Creamy and succulent with a solid core of ripe fruit and a long, caressing finish. Grows on the palate. Try from 2025.

The 2018 Pédesclaux is a powerful, brooding wine. Black cherry, chocolate, menthol, cloves and sweet oak give this Pauillac a decidedly exuberant feel at the outset. The mid-palate and finish narrow considerably, leaving behind a feeling of astringency. Perhaps the 2018 will soften in time. We will see. This is the better of the two bottles I tasted.

The savory nose comes alive with mint, cigar box, tobacco leaf, cedar, espresso, crème de cassis and blackberries. The wine is medium to full-bodied, soft, fresh, chewy and vibrant, with a kick of dark cocoa, espresso, earth, spice and currants on the finish. The blend is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Clearly, they keep raising their game at Pedesclaux.

Dark ruby garnet with purple reflections and a subtle rim. With sweet berries and fine oak wood spice, a hint of liquorice and cassis this is an attractive bouquet. Juicy with an elegant texture, fine fruit, ripe, well-integrated tannins, a touch of chocolate on the finish this wine is already well-developed and a versatile food companion with a healthy future (2020-2045).

Kunz barrel sample 19: (64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 48 hl/ha, 13.96% alc.) Fruity, opulent, sweet, powerful bouquet of black berries, plums, licorice, tobacco, slate, graphite. Finely opulent, fresh, powerful palate with dense, sweet fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a creamy, finely muscular structure, complex dark aromatics, and a long, dense finish. Still has room to improve.

Deep, closed, subtly off-dry bouquet with cassis cream, black cherries, blackberries, licorice, and smoke. Balanced, finely creamy, full palate with powerful, sweet, fresh fruit, fine tannins, intense aromatics, dense, creamy structure, and a very long, sweet finish. Can improve further. 18/20 2025 - 2048

The 2018 Pedesclaux is deep garnet-purple in color. It gives up notes of cedar, sautéed herbs, and new leather, over a core of cassis and baked plums. Medium-bodied, the palate has just enough straightforward black fruits, with a chewy texture and a savory finish.

The wine’s texture is very pleasant, with a silky touch and abundant yet well-integrated tannins. Intense and highly seductive thanks to generous fruit and a caressing finish.

Fruity and spicy bouquet with good intensity. Notes of black berries and licorice. A charming character on the palate where volume and freshness create a good balance. The wine has body and features powerful yet silky tannins. A wine with muscle, flesh, and a long, persistent finish.

Blend: 64% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, 5% cabernet franc, 4% petit verdot. With this fourth tasting, I find the same note I gave during the En Primeur tastings. This vintage offers a superb attack. In other words, the stimulation begins early. The wine becomes supple at mid-palate, while melting in texture. It evolves delicately, both suave and tense, yet particularly fragrant, which makes it very long. By way of comparison, allow me to recall that crus such as Lafitte, Mouton and Margaux are composed of over 90% cabernet sauvignon. For about fifteen years, they have been showing the way to follow.