Expert Reviews - Vintage 2018
94 Points Vinous| 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 Bouärd 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.
94 Points Wine Enthusiast | 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. Drink this promising wine from 2026.
94 Points James Suckling | 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. Try from 2025.
93 Points Wine Advocate | The 2018 Grand-Puy-Ducasse is deep garnet-purple in color and has quite a lot of cedar/oak on the nose to begin, opening out to a core of warm black and red currants, stewed plums and mulberries with touches of pencil shavings, fried herbs, lavender and tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, the palate gives a firm, grainy frame with some chew from the oak and fresh, crunchy red and black fruit, finishing savory.
93 Points Wine Spectator | 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. Best from 2025 through 2038. 10,000 cases made.
90 Points Decanter | A pretty intense interpretation of the vintage, with concentrated fruits and slightly bitter overtones. There are black fruits here, and tannins, giving Pauillac character. Not letting a lot of light out right now - demands patience. Drinking Window 2026 - 2038.
