Vieille Cure - Fronsac 2018

Jeb DUNNUCK

93 / 100

par Jeb Dunnuck le 16/03/2021

The deep ruby-hued 2018 Château La Vieille Cure is a smoking wine that readers should snatch up! Lots of red and black currants, cedary spice, dried tobacco, and a touch of chalky minerality all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a fruit-loaded, concentrated mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and outstanding length. It has a touch of background oak, but that should integrate with 2-4 years in the cellar, and this gorgeous Fronsac will shine over the following decade or more.

The Wine Cellar Insider

93 / 100

par Jeff Leve le 16/03/2021

Deeply colored, the next thing you notice is all the layers of supple textured, ripe, elegant, sweet, silky fruits that start off great, and keep on going. Richly textured, with good concentration and length, this is one of the best values in all of Bordeaux pairing style, quality and a more than fair price.

Vinous

86 / 100

par Neal Martin le 12/03/2021

The 2018 La Vieille Cure is smudged and lacks the freshness and delineation of other Fronsac 2018s that I tasted. The palate is sweet and candied on the entry, offering menthol-infused black cherries that make it taste more like a McClaren Vale Cabernet! Tasted twice with consistent notes.

Jamessuckling.com

93 / 100

par James Suckling le 04/02/2021

Aromas of plum, blueberry, dark chocolate and walnut husk. Some pine cone, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins. Chewy, creamy and polished all at once. Extremely well done. Try from 2023.

Wine Spectator

92 / 100

par James Molesworth le 01/02/2021

This has a succulent feel, pulling you into its mix of fresh plum, red cherry and raspberry coulis flavors while bergamot and red tea accents stay in the background. Finish is juicy but tightly focused, with an underlying chalky thread lending precision. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2030. 7,633 cases made. –JM

Yvesbeck.wine

90 / 100

par Yves Beck le 26/01/2021

Belle intensité fruitée dans ce bouquet. Il se distingue par sa complexité et son côté invitant en révélant des notes de cassis et de fèves de cacao. En bouche le vin affiche une attaque fruitée et légèrement suave. Les tannins assurent bien les arrières et confèrent du caractère en compagnie de la structure. Mérite un peu de garde.

Vinous

87-89 / 100

par Neal Martin le 15/11/2019

The 2018 La Vieille Cure feels rather heavy and opaque on the nose, perhaps one Fronsac that feels a bit overdone. The palate is dense with a lot of new oak that occludes the finish. Burly and powerful but missing some finesse; maybe that will develop with bottle age. We’ll see.

WeinWisser

17 / 20

le 07/05/2019

Jeb DUNNUCK

91-93 / 100

par Jeb Dunnuck le 01/05/2019

A perennial over-achiever, the 2018 Château Vieille Cure delivers the goods and has a deep purple color as well as a smoky, earthy bouquet of black fruits and tobacco. It’s ripe and sexy on the palate, with medium to full-bodied richness, terrific purity, and ripe tannins. It has some serious oomph and richness yet is beautifully balanced as well.

Vinifera

87 /

par Jacques Perrin le 01/05/2019

Bonne intensité de fruit, Bouche fondante, souple, à la finale discrète.  

The Wine Cellar Insider

90-92 / 100

par Jeff Leve le 23/04/2019

Concentrated, lush and loaded with chocolate covered, black cherries and licorice, the wine hits your palate with the essence of dark cocoa and red fruits that offer their pleasures with ease.

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

par Lisa Perrotti-Brown le 23/04/2019

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 La Vieille Cure reveals a wonderfully savory nose of chargrilled meats, dried herbs and Marmite toast with a core of baked plums, blackberry preserves and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, the palate is laden with vibrant black and blue fruits plus loads of savory sparks and a plush texture, finishing with a refreshing lift.

Jamessuckling.com

92-93 / 100

par James Suckling le 12/04/2019

This is so delicious already with wonderful, tight and polished tannins, medium body and a long, flavorful finish. Always excellent quality for the money.

Vinous

89-92 / 100

par Antonio Galloni le 04/04/2019

The 2018 La Vieille Cure is superb. Racy, creamy and generous, the 2018 possesses terrific balance and tons of poise. Red cherry jam, blood orange, mocha, mint, cinnamon and dried flowers fill out the wine's ample frame effortlessly. There is so much to like in the 2018 La Vieille Cure, most notably its sheer allure. Tasted two times.

Wine Spectator

89-92 / 100

par James Molesworth le 03/04/2019

This is showing its toast, with a coating of roasted vanilla, but offers a core of solid plum and blackberry compote flavors and a good racy feel on the finish.

Decanter.com

94 / 100

par Jane Anson le 01/04/2019

This is intense with tons of tar and cloves against the well-defined cassis fruits and lovely vibrant violet edging. The silky texture and legs indicate generous alcohol, but this is balanced, if on the larger side. It takes its time in the glass, at first a little overpowering, but it settles into itself and has been well handled offering good ageing potential. There were new owners as of harvest 2018, as French entrepreneur Jérôme Pignard took over from American co-owners; the Gant, Ferenbach and Sachs families.
Drinking Window 2023 - 2040