Chateau Rouget 2018

Château Rouget, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, 2018

Grape Blend: Merlot 85% & Cabernet Franc 15%, gravel/clay soil, 40 year old vines, sustainable farming, hand harvested, vinified in oak barrels (40%) & oak vats (60%), ageing for 18 months in barrel (30% new wood)

17ha property on the Pomerol plateau owned, since 1992, by the Labruyère family working with consultant Michel Rolland

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate bright rim. Delicately floral, black cherries, fresh tangerine zests, attractive bouquet. Juicy, elegant, ripe cherries, round and equipped with integrated tannins, chocolatey finish, good length, a multi-faceted food wine."

94/100 points, FALSTAFF, May 2019

"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Rouget offers up expressive scents of baked black cherries, blackberry preserves and boysenberries with hints of underbrush, pencil lead and cedar chest, plus a waft of bouquet garni. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of muscular, oak-infused black fruit with lots of earthy accents and a sturdy frame of firm, grainy tannins, finishing just a little warm and tannic. There is a lot going on here, but it's all a bit disjointed right now. Give it a good 4-5 years in bottle and drink it over the next 15 years or more."

91+/100 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, WINE ADVOCATE, March 2021

"This young wine really sings with a level of purity and precision that I've never seen from here. Medium to full body, ultra fine tannins and beautiful red-berry and floral character at the end."

(96-97/100) points, James Suckling, JAMESSUCKLING.COM