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

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Purchased in 1976 by Clément Fayat, who also owns Château La Dominique in Saint-Émilion and Château Fayat in Pomerol, the estate features a magnificent building located in Parempuyre, just outside Bordeaux. For several years now, thanks to their consistent quality, these wines have become a reliable choice within the appellation. Rich in color and dense, they never lack refinement and age well.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

A lovely wine that still bears some traces of its aging but is already expressive, with beautiful aromas of wild berries, orange peel, and toast. On the palate, it also impresses with its juiciness, dense tannins, and well-integrated oak. 2024–2030

About the estate:

A vineyard with a long-standing reputation, said to have been named after a Caribbean island by a wealthy merchant who owned the estate in the 18th century. The Baillencourt family, established 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 with a clay subsoil. A new winery with contemporary lines, designed by Jean Nouvel, was completed with the 2013 vintage.

Wine Enthusiast

About the wine:

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

Vinous

About the 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 truly impressive. This superior cru bourgeois has a lot to offer. 2022–2033

James Suckling

About the wine:

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.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

This wine is aged in 30% oak barrels, 60% of which are new and 40% used. Deep purple in color. 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, yet one that clearly displays its ambition to harmonize precision and charm, both on the nose and on the palate. 2024–2034

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

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