Armailhac 2018

Pauillac, Fifth Growth

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Tasting Notes
The 2018 d’Armailhac has retained its alluring floral bouquet, delivering layers of blackberry and boysenberry fruit, crushed violet petals and background scents of marjoram and sage, all beautifully defined. The palate is perhaps just a little oakier than I recollect from barrel [I subsequently found out that this spent 17 months in barrel, longer than in the past] but still very well balanced, with a fine bead of acidity. Harmonious and silky-smooth toward the finish, with a touch of graphite lingering on the aftertaste. It may merit a higher score with cellaring but I will remain prudent with my score... for now. Score: 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024 - 2045 25 August 2021
The 2018 d’Armailhac has a fragrant, floral bouquet of blackberry and boysenberry fruit infused with pressed iris flowers, the new oak (45%, which is higher than vintages six years ago) beautifully assimilated and allowing it to retain superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, a little more backbone and density than the 2017 tasted alongside, and conspicuous salinity toward the precise finish. This is a superb d’Armailhac in the making. Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024-2045 01 November 2019
The 2018 d'Armailhac is bright, fresh and so inviting, just as it was en primeur. Sweet red cherry fruit, cedar, spice, tobacco and anise add lovely aromatic complexity. All of the intensity of the year comes through nicely and yet the personality of Armailhac is evident also. I would cellar the 2018 for at least a few years, to allow some of the baby fat to melt away. There is a bit more breadth and richness that is the result of yields that were just 32 hectoliters per hectare as opposed to the more typical 42 or so. It was a vintage marked by heat stress, small berries and lower juice to skin ratio, as well as some parcels affected by mildew. Score: 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024 - 2043 25 August 2021
The 2018 d'Armailhac is lifted, floral and nicely focused, although a touch closed today. Bright red cherry and floral notes add nuance throughout. Medium in body and fresh, the 2018 has quite a bit of aromatic depth from the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, which helps hide the 14.5% alcohol nicely. Yields were just 32 hectoliters per hectare as opposed to 42-46, which is the norm. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Tasted two times. Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 01 April 2019
Awesome notes of camphor, new leather, cedar pencil, chocolate, and cassis emerge from the 2018 Château D'Armailhac, a full-bodied, concentrated Pauillac that stays nicely focused on the palate, with firm yet ripe tannins, wonderful purity, and a great finish. In short, it's a classic Pauillac that needs 4-6 years of bottle age and should have two decades of prime drinking. Score: 93 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2025 - 2045 18 July 2021
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 D’Armailhac (a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot) hits the ground running with wonderfully open-knit, flamboyant scents of Morello cherries, black raspberries, blackcurrant jelly and rose oil, leading to an undercurrent of cinnamon toast, aniseed and mossy tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with energy and expressiveness, delivering red and black berry layers with loads of spicy sparks, framed by plush tannins, finishing long and fragrant. Score: 93 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2022 - 2039 10 July 2021
The 2018 D'Armailhac (14.5% alcohol) is composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, harvested September 12 to October 3. Deep garnet-purple colored, it reveals a very fruity nose of crushed blackberries, warm black cherries and mulberries plus hints of potpourri, spice cake and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, the decadent palate delivers loads of black berry layers and a firm, grainy frame with underlying freshness and an earthy finish. Wonderfully opulent D’Armailhac! Score: 91 - 93 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 23 April 2019
Armailhac has held its success from en primeur and has further gained in weight during ageing. This is a wine that is changing a little in style, deepening in profile and upping the new oak for ageing from 30% to 50% (and staying in barrel for a little longer). Unusually high alcohols for this corner of Pauillac, likely from the concentration that happened in September on the Armailhac gravels (there is less clay in the soil at this spot). It comes through in a rich mouthfeel, chewy tannins and chocolate-covered damson fruits. 5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Bottled mid-May. New winery under way. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2026-2044 10 November 2020
This is clearly one of the most concentrated d’Armailhacs that has been produced in recent decades owing to the extremely small and concentrated berries, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested at the end of the growing season. It’s also one of the best, with clear personality and power, and although still the least complex of the three Pauillacs in the Mouton stable, it should offer the best value giving a ton of rich fruit and cigar box frisson. 5% Petit Verdot makes up the blend. 3.7pH. Tasted several times – always with the same impression. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2026-2040 16 April 2019
Deeply colored, the 2018 Château D'Armailhac is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot brought up in 40% new barrels. Cassis, hints of blue fruits, graphite, charcoal, and spicy oak notes all emerge from this deeply colored effort. Rich and full-bodied on the palate, it offers ripe, present tannins, terrific freshness, and a great finish. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 01 May 2019
A soft and generous red with plum, tobacco and currant character and a delicious, full body and brightness. Juicy. Attractive, earthy aftertaste. Layered and dense. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 11 April 2019
Lively cassis and blackberry notes are liberally laced with briar, tobacco and smoky details. Reveals a serious chalky underpinning on the finish. A bit backward, but all the elements are here. Score: 91 - 94 James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 01 April 2018

Tasting Notes

The 2018 d’Armailhac has retained its alluring floral bouquet, delivering layers of blackberry and boysenberry fruit, crushed violet petals and background scents of marjoram and sage, all beautifully defined. The palate is perhaps just a little oakier than I recollect from barrel [I subsequently found out that this spent 17 months in barrel, longer than in the past] but still very well balanced, with a fine bead of acidity. Harmonious and silky-smooth toward the finish, with a touch of graphite lingering on the aftertaste. It may merit a higher score with cellaring but I will remain prudent with my score... for now.

Score: 91

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024 - 2045 25 August 2021

The 2018 d’Armailhac has a fragrant, floral bouquet of blackberry and boysenberry fruit infused with pressed iris flowers, the new oak (45%, which is higher than vintages six years ago) beautifully assimilated and allowing it to retain superb delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, a little more backbone and density than the 2017 tasted alongside, and conspicuous salinity toward the precise finish. This is a superb d’Armailhac in the making.

Score: 91 - 93

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024-2045 01 November 2019

The 2018 d'Armailhac is bright, fresh and so inviting, just as it was en primeur. Sweet red cherry fruit, cedar, spice, tobacco and anise add lovely aromatic complexity. All of the intensity of the year comes through nicely and yet the personality of Armailhac is evident also. I would cellar the 2018 for at least a few years, to allow some of the baby fat to melt away. There is a bit more breadth and richness that is the result of yields that were just 32 hectoliters per hectare as opposed to the more typical 42 or so. It was a vintage marked by heat stress, small berries and lower juice to skin ratio, as well as some parcels affected by mildew.

Score: 92

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024 - 2043 25 August 2021

The 2018 d'Armailhac is lifted, floral and nicely focused, although a touch closed today. Bright red cherry and floral notes add nuance throughout. Medium in body and fresh, the 2018 has quite a bit of aromatic depth from the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, which helps hide the 14.5% alcohol nicely. Yields were just 32 hectoliters per hectare as opposed to 42-46, which is the norm. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Tasted two times.

Score: 90 - 92

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com 01 April 2019

Awesome notes of camphor, new leather, cedar pencil, chocolate, and cassis emerge from the 2018 Château D'Armailhac, a full-bodied, concentrated Pauillac that stays nicely focused on the palate, with firm yet ripe tannins, wonderful purity, and a great finish. In short, it's a classic Pauillac that needs 4-6 years of bottle age and should have two decades of prime drinking.

Score: 93

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2025 - 2045 18 July 2021

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 D’Armailhac (a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot) hits the ground running with wonderfully open-knit, flamboyant scents of Morello cherries, black raspberries, blackcurrant jelly and rose oil, leading to an undercurrent of cinnamon toast, aniseed and mossy tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with energy and expressiveness, delivering red and black berry layers with loads of spicy sparks, framed by plush tannins, finishing long and fragrant.

Score: 93

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2022 - 2039 10 July 2021

The 2018 D'Armailhac (14.5% alcohol) is composed of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, harvested September 12 to October 3. Deep garnet-purple colored, it reveals a very fruity nose of crushed blackberries, warm black cherries and mulberries plus hints of potpourri, spice cake and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, the decadent palate delivers loads of black berry layers and a firm, grainy frame with underlying freshness and an earthy finish. Wonderfully opulent D’Armailhac!

Score: 91 - 93

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 23 April 2019

Armailhac has held its success from en primeur and has further gained in weight during ageing. This is a wine that is changing a little in style, deepening in profile and upping the new oak for ageing from 30% to 50% (and staying in barrel for a little longer). Unusually high alcohols for this corner of Pauillac, likely from the concentration that happened in September on the Armailhac gravels (there is less clay in the soil at this spot). It comes through in a rich mouthfeel, chewy tannins and chocolate-covered damson fruits. 5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Bottled mid-May. New winery under way.

Score: 94

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2026-2044 10 November 2020

This is clearly one of the most concentrated d’Armailhacs that has been produced in recent decades owing to the extremely small and concentrated berries, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested at the end of the growing season. It’s also one of the best, with clear personality and power, and although still the least complex of the three Pauillacs in the Mouton stable, it should offer the best value giving a ton of rich fruit and cigar box frisson. 5% Petit Verdot makes up the blend. 3.7pH. Tasted several times – always with the same impression.

Score: 94

Jane Anson, Decanter.com Maturity: 2026-2040 16 April 2019

Deeply colored, the 2018 Château D'Armailhac is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot brought up in 40% new barrels. Cassis, hints of blue fruits, graphite, charcoal, and spicy oak notes all emerge from this deeply colored effort. Rich and full-bodied on the palate, it offers ripe, present tannins, terrific freshness, and a great finish.

Score: 92 - 94

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 01 May 2019

A soft and generous red with plum, tobacco and currant character and a delicious, full body and brightness. Juicy. Attractive, earthy aftertaste. Layered and dense.

Score: 93 - 94

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 11 April 2019

Lively cassis and blackberry notes are liberally laced with briar, tobacco and smoky details. Reveals a serious chalky underpinning on the finish. A bit backward, but all the elements are here.

Score: 91 - 94

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 01 April 2018

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