Appellations

Laforge 2018

St Emilion, Grand Cru

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Tasting Notes

The 2018 Laforge has a lovely, exotic bouquet featuring loads of black currant, blueberry and cassis scents, not amazingly complex but certainly intense. The palate is medium-bodied, lithe and focused and slightly grainy in texture, with a grittiness on the harmonious finish that will enjoy wide appeal. I thoroughly enjoyed this Laforge from barrel and continue to do so in bottle. Recommended.

Score: 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2022 - 2030 Date: 22 August 2021

The 2018 Laforge has an attractive, rich and extroverted bouquet of black currant pastilles, blueberry and touches of cassis. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, an attractive smooth texture and just a touch of grittiness that surfaces toward the chalky finish. This is a step up in quality from Jonathan Maltus's Teyssier and shows good potential.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2022-2030 Date: 01 November 2019

The 2018 Château Laforge is a parcel selection from hillside vineyards and was brought up in 80% new French oak. It has a beautiful sense of complexity in its red and black currant fruits, camphor, sandalwood, chocolate, and spice-driven aromas and flavors. These carry to a medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, layered Saint-Emilion with ripe, present tannins, a layered, concentrated mid-palate, and a great finish. It actually surpasses the 2015 and 2016 and is a brilliant bottle of wine. It's going to continue drinking nicely for another 15 years or more.

Score: 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2021 - 2036 Date: 19 July 2021

Coming from the plain of Saint-Émilion but a parcel selection of the best lots, brought up in 80% new French oak, the Merlot-dominated 2018 Château Laforge reveals a saturated purple color as well as smoky, blackcurrant, black cherry, and chocolate-laced aromas and flavors. It has building tannins, beautiful density, and a great finish. It's another smoking wine from Jonathan Maltus that delivers the goods. Drink it over the coming 10-12 years.

Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Date: 01 May 2019

The 2018 Laforge is composed of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, with 14.8% alcohol and a pH of 3.75. Deep garnet-purple in color, it offers pronounced notes of baked black plums, blackberry preserves and black cherry compote, with underlying hints of hoisin, bouquet garni and kirsch. The full-bodied palate is jam-packed with black fruit preserves flavors, supported by firm, slightly chewy tannins and a refreshing line, finishing earthy. Laforge is from the JCP Maltus portfolio of skillfully crafted Saint-Émilion wines. Neil White is the head winemaker, and Thomas Duclos is a consultant here.

Score: 91 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2023 - 2038 Date: 15 July 2021

Laforge is from the JCP Maltus portfolio of skillfully crafted Saint-Émilion wines. Neil White is the head winemaker, and Thomas Duclos is a consultant here. The 2018 Laforge is blended of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, with 14.8% alcohol and a pH of 3.75. Deep purple-black in color, it opens with seductive dark chocolate, licorice and plum preserves notes with touches of redcurrant jelly and Black Forest cake plus a waft of Provence herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with juicy black fruit, framed by chewy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing on a peppery note.

Score: 91 - 93 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Date: 23 April 2019

Very ripe style to this wine with cooked-fruit character. Full body. Soft tannins. Wait and see on this one.

Score: 89 - 90 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Date: 11 April 2019

Fresh and open-knit, with plum and cherry notes set on a rounded, lightly toasted frame.

Score: 88 - 91 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator Date: 01 April 2019

The 2018 Laforge is gorgeous. Ample and creamy on the palate, with tremendous textural richness, the 2018 is impeccable in its balance. Cinnamon, leather, tobacco, raspberry jam and cedar give the 2018 striking aromatic layers to play off the intense, dark red fruit. Creamy, sensual and inviting, Laforge is terrific in 2018. At times, Laforge can be a bit austere in its tannins, but the 2018 shows no hard edges and fabulous balance. Laforge is one of the highlights in this range from Jonathan Maltus.

Score: 90 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Date: 01 April 2019