Dried currants, stewed blackberries, praline, dried herbs and pencil lead on the nose. Raw cocoa, too. It's full-bodied with firm, ultra fine tannins. Structured with excellent intensity and focus. Very polished.

The 2018 Grand Puy Ducasse is just as impressive as it was en primeur. Readers will find a heady, richly textured Pauillac loaded with character. Technical Director Anne Le Naour and consulting oenologist Hubert de Bouard coaxed tremendous richness from the 2018 while avoiding some of the excesses of the recent past. The result is a wine that delivers on all levels. Succulent dark cherry, plum, mint, licorice, sweet spice and a touch of new oak build into a striking crescendo on the lush, persistent finish.

From a 19th-century winery that's a prominent landmark on the Pauillac riverfront, this wine is dense with tannins and vivid with black fruits. The estate's three parcels have given a rich wine, concentrated and dense while also having layers of dark fruits.

Very alluring, with a dark and winey core of cassis, steeped plum and blackberry preserve waiting to unfold fully while fine-grained alder, black tea, warm cast iron and licorice root notes form a prodigious frame. Long, dark, smoldering finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.