Potensac - Médoc 2018

Vinous

92

byAntonio Gallonithe3/31/2021

The 2018 Potensac is every bit as appealing as it was from barrel. Ripe and pliant, with terrific purity of fruit, the 2018 captures all of the natural radiance of the year. This fleshy Haut-Medoc delivers superb quality in a forward, open-knit style that can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring. The bouquet shows lovely savory and floral Cabernet notes that work so well with the pliant Merlot fruit. Time in the glass brings out a surprising amount of freshness, with bright acids that suggest 10-15 years of cellaring potential is a safe bet. 92+

Wine Advocate

90

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe3/31/2021

The 2018 Potensac is composed of 45% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The wine has 14.42% alcohol and was aged in 35% new barriques. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it rolls out of the glass with open-knit scents of ripe, juicy black plums, boysenberries, redcurrant jelly and cassis, plus hints of dried Provence herbs, cinnamon stick and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of lively black and red berry layers, supported by soft tannins and a racy line, finishing with a lively skip in its step.

Jeb DUNNUCK

93

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/16/2021

The Grand Vin 2018 Château Potensac (45% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot) sports a deeper purple, almost opaque hue to go with lots of ripe black cherry and currant-like fruits intermixed with notes of toasty oak, tobacco, graphite, and earth. Richer and more concentrated than the Chapelle de Potensac release, with full-bodied richness and building tannins, it's going to benefit from a solid 5-7 years of bottle age and keep for 15+.

The Wine Cellar Insider

92

byJeff Levethe3/16/2021

The ripe nose exudes fresh, juicy, sweet fruit, cedar, smoke, spice and tobacco notes. Full-bodied with ripe, soft, round tannins and finish filled with sweet, ripe, fresh red berries that linger with flavor. For Potensac this is forward, so you will be able to enjoy this within a few years. This is the finest wine made in the history of Pontesac. The wine was produced from blending 45% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, 14.5 ABV

Vinous

89

byNeal Martinthe3/12/2021

The 2018 Potensac has an outgoing nose of wild strawberry and raspberry notes and touches of meat juices, a slight gaminess emerging with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with edgy, crisp tannins. Quite tight on the entry, it finds its groove in the second half, displaying commendable delineation and tension on the graphite-tinged, slightly austere finish. Fine.

Wine Spectator

88

byJames Molesworththe2/1/2021

Damson plum, cherry and savory notes meld together nicely, set against a backdrop of light cedar and sanguine accents on the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2026. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 15,000 cases made. –JM

Yvesbeck.wine

93

byYves Beckthe1/26/2021

Quel superbe bouquet marqué par la fraîcheur variétale et les baies noires. Notes de mûres, d'eucalyptus et de réglisse. Cette fraîcheur est également omniprésente au palais, dès l'attaque. Le vin est juteux, fruité et doté d'une structure tannique serrée mais parfaitement intégrée. Très bel équilibre entre les tannins et la tension de la structure acide. Cette dernière soutient d'ailleurs idéalement l'expression gustative jusqu'en fin de bouche. Finale fruitée, juteuse et persistante. Un grand Potensac !

Jamessuckling.com

94

byJames Sucklingthe1/19/2021

Fruity nose of blackcurrant and blueberry with sage and vanilla. It’s full-bodied with firm tannins. Savory and juicy with pleasant acidity. Compact and long. Racy. 45% merlot, 36% cabernet sauvignon,18% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Try after 2023.

Decanter.com

91

byJane Ansonthe1/12/2021

Vinous

89-91

byNeal Martinthe11/15/2019

The 2018 Potensac has an intense and – for this Haut-Médoc – flamboyant bouquet of black cherries mixed with bilberry jam and meat juices. The palate is fresh on the entry, with a fine line of acidity. Possessing more body and grip than the 2017, this is a confident Potensac, although at the moment it feels a little clipped on the finish. If it fleshes out by the time of bottling, it deserves to be at the top of my banded score.

Vinifera

89-91

byJacques Perrinthe5/1/2019

Diversifié, le nez affiche une densité de fruits. Belle entrée en bouche, charnue avec un fruité expressif et plein d'éclat. Jolie finale. 

The Wine Cellar Insider

90-92

byJeff Levethe4/23/2019

Tobacco, cedar and smoke are paired with ripe, red berries that have a roundness in them this year. The wine is full-bodied and continues with its classic spirit. But with the 2018, you find more generosity than normal. Still, I would wait at least a decade before opening a bottle. The wine was produced from blending 45% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

Wine Advocate

90-92

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/23/2019

The 2018 Potensac is blended of 45% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, all harvested between September 21 and October 13, with yields of 49 hectoliters per hectare. The wine has 14.42% alcohol and is to be aged in barriques, 35% new; the finished blend was put into barrels last December. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it rolls effortlessly out of the glass with bright, fresh red and black plums, crushed blackcurrants and bay leaves with hints of cracked pepper and damp soil. Full-bodied, rich and laden with red and black fruit layers, it has a plush frame of rounded tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing long.

Jamessuckling.com

93-94

byJames Sucklingthe4/12/2019

The excellence of this lies in the quality of the tannins, which are so polished and refined. Compact and tight. Medium-bodied. Very, very long. Beauty already.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

89

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/8/2019

Wine Spectator

89-92

byJames Molesworththe4/3/2019

The dark cherry and plum fruit is fresh and direct, with light tobacco and toast accents hanging on the finish.