Château Clément-Pichon Haut-Médoc 2018 - Cru Bourgeois Supérieur

Purchased in 1976 by Clément Fayat, who also owned Château La Dominique in Saint-Émilion and Château Fayat in Pomerol, the vineyard features a superb estate located in Parempuyre, just outside Bordeaux. For several years now, thanks to their consistent quality, these wines have become a staple of the appellation. Rich in color and full-bodied, they are always refined and age well.

A lovely wine that still shows some influence from its aging but is already expressive, with beautiful aromas of wild berries, orange peel, and toast. Its development on the palate is also appealing, with its juicy character, dense tannins, and well-integrated oak. 2024–2030

A vineyard with a long-standing reputation, which a wealthy merchant—who owned the estate in the 18th century—is said to have named after a Caribbean island. The Baillencourt family, who had been based here since 1933, sold it in 1969 to the powerful industrialist Clément Fayat, who also owned Châteaux Fayat (Pomerol) and Clément-Pichon (Haut-Médoc). The 25-hectare vineyard, located northwest of Saint-Émilion, near Pomerol, is situated on a beautiful terroir of ancient sand over a clay subsoil. A new winery with contemporary lines, designed by Jean Nouvel, was completed in time for the 2013 vintage.

Owned by the same estate as Château la Dominique in Saint-Émilion, this winery has produced a ripe wine dominated by Merlot. Although the fruit is intense, this wine has confidence and clarity, which give it a certain lightness. It’s worth waiting until 2024 to enjoy this wine.

Clément-Pichon 2018 is a powerful and distinctive Haut-Médoc. Notes of iron, dried herbs, tobacco, menthol, and coffee lend the 2018 layers of complexity. It is a wine that is more dynamic than full-bodied, and it is very impressive. This superior cru bourgeois has a lot to offer. 2022–2033

Aromas of blackcurrant, mulberry leaves, gravel, and fennel seeds. A hint of iodine as well. It is medium-bodied, with firm, tight tannins. The finish has a savory, iron-like character. Best enjoyed starting in 2024.

This wine is aged in 30% barrels, 60% of which are new and 40% of which have previously held wine. Violaceous purple. What a perfect balance of freshness, ripeness, charm, and precision! Notes of graphite, eucalyptus, blackcurrant, and licorice. On the palate, the wine is elegant, balanced, and slightly creamy. It features perfectly integrated tannins and a refreshing structure. A wine to watch as it ages, but one that clearly demonstrates its ambition to blend precision and charm, both on the nose and on the palate. 2024–2034

The nose is fruity and fresh, with good structure and subtle intensity. It features notes of blackcurrant, black cherry, and, more subtly, licorice, combined with delicate hints of ripe and fresh red berries, as well as subtle hints of flowers, crushed red berries, licorice, and a subtle hint of cardamom. The palate is fruity, balanced, and offers freshness, minerality, juiciness, and a subtle, tangy acidity. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of black cherry, juicy and fresh blackcurrant, and, to a lesser extent, fleshy and juicy raspberry, combined with subtle hints of licorice and a very subtle hint of toast on the finish and in the aftertaste. Good length.