Saint-Pierre - Saint-Julien 2018

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

95

byJane Ansonthe2/3/2022

Creamy blackberry and loganberry fruits with touches of brioche, and flaky pastry. Young, needs time, still in the plump early fruit phase, more exuberant than a young Saint Pierre in most vintages, but this will close back up as there are plenty of tannins. I suggest giving it the full ten years to really show just how good this wine is. Layers of bitter chocolate, charcoal, liqourice, grilled cedar, smoked caramel. Great stuff, with a mint leaf finish. 50% new oak, harvest September 20 to October 1.

Vinous

95

byAntonio Gallonithe3/31/2021

The 2018 Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) is a powerful, muscular wine. Black cherry, gravel, dark spice, menthol, licorice and espresso add to an impression of brooding intensity. Saint-Pierre was so compelling from barrel. It is all that and more from bottle. The tannins are going to need a number of years to soften, but there is so much to look forward to here. Readers should expect a virile, imposing Saint-Julien.

Wine Advocate

95

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe3/31/2021

Composed of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot, the 2018 Saint-Pierre bursts from the glass with a glorious perfume of kirsch, blackcurrant pastilles, black raspberries and cedar chest with hints of red roses, pencil shavings and spice box. The medium to full-bodied palate coats the mouth with velvety tannins and beautifully knit freshness, supporting the generous black and red berry layers, finishing long and perfumed. It needs a good four years for the oak to marry and the fruit to really hit its stride, then should drink a further 20+ years.

Jeb DUNNUCK

94

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/16/2021

With an almost Pauillac-like stature and structure, the 2018 Château Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) (77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot) offers a powerful bouquet of black currants, lead pencil, spicy oak, and chocolate and shows more earth and tobacco as it sits in the glass. Deeply hued, full-bodied, and concentrated, it has a stacked mid-palate, building tannins, and one heck of a great finish. It needs to be forgotten for 7-8 years and will keep for 2-3 decades.

The Wine Cellar Insider

95

byJeff Levethe3/16/2021

Deep in color, the wine kicks off with flowers, smoky currants, spice, espresso and cigar box notes. From there, the richly textured dark red fruits provides layers of lusciously textured, fresh berries and toasty oak. Balanced, elegant and fresh, give this some time to fully come together and allow the oak to fully integrate. The wine was produced from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.

Vinous

95

byNeal Martinthe3/12/2021

The 2018 Saint-Pierre is even more intense than the Gloria on the nose, actually reminding me of the Léoville Poyferré that I tasted alongside. Copious black cherries, lavender, incense and violet just storm from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit laced with cedar and charcoal. Delivering wonderful delineation and focus and a disarming silky finish, this fulfills the promise that it showed from barrel. An outstanding Saint-Julien that should age well over the next 20–30 years.

Wine Spectator

95

byJames Molesworththe2/1/2021

Sports a beam of cassis, plum puree and blackberry sauce running through the middle while roasted applewood, violet and sweet tobacco notes run along the edges. Everything meets and then extends through the finish, with an echo of warm cast iron at the very end. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2024 through 2038. –JM

Falstaff

92

byPeter Moserthe1/29/2021

Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Schwarze Beeren, ein Hauch von Lakritze, tabakig unterlegte Edelholzwürze, etwas Nougat und Irish Moos. Saftig, rote Herzkirschen, feine Fruchtsüße, zarte Tannine, gute Frische, ein facettenreicher Speisenbegleiter. (2020 - 2035)

Yvesbeck.wine

94

byYves Beckthe1/26/2021

Bouquet précis, intense et compacte, marqué par des notes de graphite et de baies noires. L'élevage est parfaitement intégré et le nez affiche une fraîcheur convaincante. Attaque juteuse et fruitée en bouche où les tannins confèrent de la puissance alors que la structure acide assure la fraîcheur. Un vin qui mise sur l'équilibre et la persistance. Belle réussite.

Jamessuckling.com

94

byJames Sucklingthe1/15/2021

Aromas of blackberries, currants, dried earth, coffee and chocolate orange, as well as some crushed stone. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Fresh with lingering citrus zest and bitter chocolate. Fine texture. Try from 2024.

Decanter.com

94

byJane Ansonthe1/12/2021

Vinous

94-96

byNeal Martinthe11/15/2019

The 2018 Saint-Pierre continues a purple patch for this estate that is finally revealing its true potential as one of the appellation's front-running estates. Now this has a cerebral and complex bouquet for the vintage with very nuanced blackberry and bilberry fruit, sous-bois and light cedar aromas. The palate is built around its fine tannins that frame the blackberry and blueberry fruit, the acidity pitch perfect with a silky finish that caresses the senses. This is a marvellous Saint-Pierre that is going to give a lot of pleasure.

WeinWisser

19

byTjark Witzgallthe5/7/2019

Vinous

92-95

byAntonio Gallonithe5/3/2019

A powerful, virile wine, the 2018 Saint-Pierre is also one of the highlights of the vintage. Black cherry, graphite, smoke, leather, menthol, violet and spice meld together in a brooding, tannic Saint-Julien that is going to need a bit of time to truly come into its own. Saint-Pierre is muscular, massively tannic and forbidding, and yet there is a ton of fruit behind all of that structure. Cabernet Sauvignon features heavily in the blend, and that comes through in the wine's flavor profile and overall feel. Readers will have to be patient. I can't wait to taste it from bottle. The 2018 is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot. Tasted four times.

Vinifera

94-96

byJacques Perrinthe5/1/2019

Gouté deux fois de la même façon. Notes de ronce, de mûre, très racé. Bouche absolument délicieuse, grands tanins déliés, vin ample, sensuel, au charme certain, plein, une perfection de Saint Julien. Grand coup de coeur.   

Decanter.com

95

byJane Ansonthe4/25/2019

A St-Julien name that I can't recommend highly enough, Château Saint-Pierre 2018 is extremely architectural in feel, a beautiful, confident, masculine, muscled wine with vertical walls - although it's interesting to note it has slightly lower alcohol than some other St-Juliens. It's intense in its black fruit and charcoal character, rippling with tannins. I am full of admiration for this impressive wine that demands your attention.Drinking Window 2027 - 2040

The Wine Cellar Insider

94-96

byJeff Levethe4/23/2019

This wine is intense, deep, opulent, plush and showy with ripe with sweet, blackberry fruits, espresso and earthy notes. Soft, round and fruity, the wine was produced from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.

Wine Advocate

94-96

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/23/2019

The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Saint-Pierre displays shy scents of rose hip tea, dried mint, crushed rocks and lavender to begin, opening out to a growing core of warm blackcurrants, baked blackberries and Morello cherries plus wafts of garrigue and wild sage. Full-bodied and absolutely laden with black fruits and provocative mineral sparks, it has a firm texture of grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and savory. Aging is anticipated to be for 14 months in 50% new and 50% second-fill barrels. The blend is currently 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot.

Jamessuckling.com

93-94

byJames Sucklingthe4/12/2019

A very tight and toned red with blueberry and blackcurrant aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, closed down and very long. Solid.

Wine Spectator

92-95

byJames Molesworththe4/3/2019

Very fresh and pure, with plum and cassis notes that are vivid and focused. Light graphite and anise accents line the finish. Solid.