Capbern 2018 (750ML)

94 JD / 94 WE / 92 JS  / 92 DE / 90 WS / 91-93 WA

#69 Jeb Dunnuck Top 100 2021

The 2018 Château Capbern checks in as a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend that includes 37% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, all of which was brought up in 60% new barrels. It has a deep, dark, earthy, classic Saint-Estèphe bouquet that gives up lots of cassis and almost blue fruits as well as ample chocolate, damp earth, and leafy herb-like aromas and flavors. With a full-bodied, rich, opulent mouthfeel, loads of sumptuous dark fruits, sweet tannins, and a great finish, this brilliant 2018 brings lots of fruit and opulence, yet stays weightless and balanced, with solid underlying structure. A hidden gem in the vintage, this is every bit as good as the 2016, and it's going to shine for two decades or more. - Jeb Dunnuck

This richly structured wine is layered with dense black fruits and serious tannins. A big wine in every sense, it is concentrated and juicy. The wine is made by the team from nearby classed growth Château Calon Ségur. Drink from 2026. - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast

A juicy and savory red with currant, walnut, mushroom and cedar aromas that follow through to a medium body with firm tannins and a savory finish. Drink after 2023. - James Suckling

A tasty, extremely appetising Capbern that, after tasting, makes you you already look forward to drinking in bottle. It has a real elegance to its black fruits, and the tannins have a softness and succulence to them, leading on to a mouthwatering finish. Harvest took place between 19 September and 8 October, around one week earlier than in a classic year according to Laurent Dufau, and yielding 37hl/ha. 3.7pH. 60% new oak. - Jane Anson, Decanter

This shows a mix of olive, bay and pepper notes that are wrangling with a core of dark currant and plum fruit right now. Structure is fine-grained and everything knits nicely through the finish, but this is for fans of the slightly gamy side. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2029.  - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

The 2018 Capbern is composed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot and comes in at 14.6% alcohol. It's anticipated to age for 16 months in barriques, 60% new. Deep purple-black in color, it leaps from the glass with vibrant scents of black raspberries, kirsch and fresh blackcurrants with nuances of cedar chest, pencil lead and forest floor plus a waft of lavender. Full-bodied, rich and packed with juicy fruit, it has a firm line of grainy tannins and loads of freshness, finishing with an herbal lift.- Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate.