Château Haut-Marbuzet 2018

The 2018 Haut-Marbuzet has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and open-knit notes of mocha, black olives, wild sage and tree bark over a core of stewed black plums and cassis, plus a waft of cracked black pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate has nice ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness backing up the muscular black fruit flavors, finishing long and savory. Give it another year or two in bottle and drink it over the next 15+ years.

This is one to look out for if you are a fan of slightly old-school St-Estèphe that is brimming with personality. A ton of cassis and bilberry fruit; it needs three to four more years in bottle to really fully integrate the tannins, but it has plenty of appeal and stays on the right side of traditional without being rustic. Owned by Henri Duboscq.

Crushed strawberries, currants and blackberries on the nose with spice, vanilla and floral undertones. Full body with firm, polished tannins that really grow on the palate. Silky texture with pleasant acidity, leading to a bright, fruity finish with super length. A fantastic Haut-Marbuzet. Best in years. Try after 2025.

Full bottle 1,304 g. 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. 40 hl/ha. Deep cherry red. Rich in ripe dark fruit with a touch of oak’s sweet spice and a hint of vanilla. Almost peppery. Firm, dry, thick tannins but filled out by the fruit. While still very young, this is moreish and well-balanced. Persistent, too. (JH)

Flowers, espresso, smoke, tobacco leaf, barbecue and black cherries create the aromatic qualities. The wine is rich, round, supple and fruity, with hints of vanilla overtones that ride along perfectly with all the ripe, red berries. This is the best vintage of Haut Marbuzet I have tasted in years.

Deep dark ruby, violet tints, delicate bright rim. Fresh dark berry fruit, vivid oak savouriness, tobacco, ripe cherries in the background. Tight, closely meshed, clearly marked by the wood texture, some nougat, seems a little bit over-extracted, dark chocolate on the finish.

An impressive Saint-Estèphe, the deep purple-hued 2018 Château Haut-Marbuzet offers up a textbook nose of ripe black and blue fruits interwoven with lots of toasty oak, earth, and chocolate. Rich, powerful, and concentrated on the palate yet also balanced and lively, with a good spine of acidity, it's going to need 4-6 years of bottle age but should keep for 15-20 years. It's superb wine.

50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, very good Merlot. Opaque purple with a violet rim. Alluring bouquet of dark cherries, followed by blueberry jelly and wild raspberries. On the palate, meaty, with a densely packed, drying tannic frame, a brawny, rustic structure. Aromatic finish with blueberry fruit, dark noble woods, tobacco-like spice, and fine kernel tones. Let’s see how it handles that.

Kunz barrel sample 19: (50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 45 hl/ha) Velvety, fruity, full bouquet: black cherries, cassis, bread crust, roasted notes, mocha, strawberries. Powerful, muscular palate with intense fruit, plenty of fine sandy tannins, dark aromatics, finely bourgeois structure, long, bitter finish. Has room to improve.

(50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 45 hl/ha) Velvety, fruity, full bouquet: black cherries, cassis, bread crust, roasted notes, mocha, strawberries. Powerful, muscular palate with intense fruit, plenty of fine, sandy tannins, dark aromatics, finely bourgeois structure, long, austere finish. Can improve further. 17/20 2025 - 2042

The 2018 Haut-Marbuzet is deep garnet purple in color. It offers notes of crème de cassis, warm plums, and leather, with a waft of smoked meat and damp soil. Medium-bodied, it is a little lean and mean in the mouth, with chewy tannins and an herbal lift on the finish.

Splendid structure, noble merrain aroma, great freshness despite the astonishing level of ripeness, top-tier texture; it too matches the finest grands crus classés in a triumphant vintage for the appellation.

2018 is even more spectacular than 2017, with a more intense mid-palate and still that lovely freshness on the finish.

Intense, juicy berries—blackcurrant, red cherry, raspberry—unfold with superb aromatic tension. Ripe tannins wrap this wine, with a fine yet firm frame, and a breathtaking finish that lingers endlessly on the palate.

The nose is fruity, elegant, and offers subtle richness, a touch of power, and fine intensity. It reveals notes of vibrant strawberry, creamy blackberry, and, more delicately, pulpy blackcurrant, combined with hints of violet and licorice, as well as a touch of cherry blossom and cardamom, a discreet hint of chocolate and saffron, and a very subtle hint of tea. The palate is fresh, fruity, and mineral, offering good definition, good freshness, indulgence, finesse, a fine grain, elegance, and a mineral backbone. On the palate, this wine shows notes of juicy/fresh blackberry, blackcurrant, and, more lightly, bright/fresh cherry, combined with a touch of small red fruits, as well as fine hints of tonka bean, toast, roasted hazelnut, and a hint of vanilla. Good length. The tannins are well handled and racy. Score: 16.25+/20

Dark, intense, and beautiful color. A very aromatic nose—fruity, subtle, and powerful. Soft at the attack, flavorful mid-palate, with a fine touch; the wine glides across the palate, fragrant and sappy. It's very good.

92–94. Barrel Sample. Ripe, spicy and with a firm structure to sustain it, this wine is packed with acidity and bright black currant flavor. This well-made wine will certainly age well.