Château Soutard 2018

Fairly pronounced maturation spice; full-bodied entry, juicy, fiery development, crisp tannins; it has fire, temperament and freshness, and it’s fun.

From aromas to palate, this vintage exudes a brightness and sparkle that are missing in the 2015. Ripe red and black fruits (plenty of juicy plum), crushed mint and wet stone enchant. So does the well-integrated oak extraction (with 10% less new oak and one month less of oak ageing) and the beguilingly fresh orange on the long finish that beckons further drinking. The first vintage where Thomas Duclos is the sole consultant, and a clear success. Clearly better than the 2015, which has a similar vintage profile. Another difference from 2015: earlier harvesting, from 20 September to 12 October, compared with 30 September to 15 October in 2015. In some ways like 2016 but more opulent. That 82% of the harvest was used for the first wine reflects a successful vintage.

Plums and light prunes with conifer and nuts on the nose. It’s medium- to full-bodied with round, creamy tannins and a juicy finish. Drink after 2023.

The 2018 Soutard was backward but impressive from barrel. In bottle it seems to have opened up, presenting raspberry, blackberry, undergrowth and light tarry aromas, almost understated at first but blossoming with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins, and fleshy and refined toward the finish, delivering mineral-rich black fruit. It maybe just misses a little persistence, but otherwise this is a finely crafted Soutard.

Showing much better in bottle than in barrel, the wine is medium to full-bodied, soft, silky, elegant and fresh. The fruit is sweet, pure, refined, long and lifted, with good length and vibrancy on the finish. The wine is a blend of 61% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Malbec.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, discreet brightening on the rim. Delicate tobacco underlaid with black forest berry conserve, notes of cherry and blackberry with subtle orange zest. Juicy, sweet cherry fruit on the palate with nougat, round tannins and a fresh finish. Lively style and already enjoyable.

The flagship 2018 Château Soutard checks in as 61% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. It's hands down the finest wine I've tasted from this estate and offers a thrilling bouquet of cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as notes of camphor, tobacco, dried flowers, and dried rose petals. Full-bodied and flawlessly balanced, with silky tannins and that rare richness without weight character that's the hallmark of truly great wines, it's going to benefit from 3-4 years (it's brilliant even today) and have 20-25 years of prime drinking. Hats off to the team at Soutard!

The 2018 Soutard is deep garnet-purple in color. It offers vibrant scents of blueberry preserves and baked blackberries, with hints of underbrush, violets, and cedar. Full-bodied, the palate has firm, ripe, rounded tannins and a nice, refreshing backbone, with a long and earthy finish.

This 2018 is a blend of 61% merlot, 1% malbec, 7% cabernet-sauvignon and 31% cabernet franc. The high proportion of cabernets brings freshness and complexity, with a well-judged firmness that perfectly lengthens the velvety texture.

Soutard 2018 takes its revenge on a thunderous Merlot that reinforces the feel of a crafted velvet texture, even if the dominant oak carries the first impressions. The whole remains radiant, driven by a scope that reveals itself on the finish.

From the outset, the 2018 bouquet sets the tone: it doesn’t aim to seduce, it aims to convince, thanks to its fresh fruitiness and precision. Inviting nuances of blackberry, licorice wood, and Sichuan pepper are followed by floral notes. This is certainly a turning point in the history of this estate. On the palate, the wine is suave yet firmly supported by compact tannins. It has breadth, a touch of charm, and finesse.

The nose is aromatic, elegant, racy, offering a touch of power, a fine grain, well-controlled density, lovely ripeness and complexity. It reveals notes of generous, pulpy boysenberry, pulpy blackcurrant and, more subtly, pulpy raspberry, together with fine hints of crushed blue fruits, touches of licorice, caramelization, toasted nuances, a very discreet saline hint, sweet blond tobacco and subtle sweet spice accents. The palate is gourmand and generous, with a lovely pulpy/bright fruit profile, a tangy backbone, fine tension and good density. On the palate, the wine delivers notes of pulpy/bright blackberry, crushed blackcurrant and, more lightly, raspberry, with small touches of crushed berries, pulpy/bright purple plum, as well as hints of caramelization, chocolate, toasted hazelnut, a subtle touch of toasted almond and green cardamom. The tannins are well-handled, elegant and racy. Good length. Very fine hints of sweet blond tobacco on the finish. A lovely wine, congratulations!

From the vineyard that surrounds one of the grandest chateaux in Saint-Emilion, this wine brings richness, complexity and density. A blend that unusually includes Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, it is a structured, firm wine that emphasizes tannins as much as the black-currant fruits. It will be ready from 2026.