Dried currants, blueberries, lavender, walnuts and sweet tobacco on the nose. It’s medium-to-full bodied with firm, silky tannins. Crushed stone, too. Elegant and flavorful. Try from 2024.

This red packs in some solid plum and blackberry preserve flavors, as well as a graphite edge for spine and really solid dark tobacco and anise notes buried through the finish, where smoldering herb and warm earth hints add a nice touch. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Malbec. Drink now through 2028. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

The 2018 Château De Pressac showed beautifully, with a rich, medium to full-bodied, incredibly elegant style that carries lots of darker berry fruits as well as chocolate, earth, bouquet garni, and tobacco. I love its texture, the purity of fruit is spot on, it has integrated tannins, and a great finish. I suspect this will go down as one of the all-time greats from this estate. Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 15-20 years. The blend is 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, all brought up in 50% new French oak.