2018 Vieux Chateau Mazerat

Normally one of the sexier, more opulent wines in the lineup from Maltus, the 2018 Vieux Château Mazerat checks in as 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc that was vinified and aged in 80% new French oak. It's slightly more restrained in 2018, yet still brings beautiful fruit and richness. Deep purple/ruby-hued, with a brooding bouquet of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, candied orange, sandalwood, and violets, it's another wine from this estate that blossoms beautifully with air and already has complex, layered aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied 2018 with ripe, chalky tannins, a layered, focused texture, serious mid-palate depth, and a great finish. This gorgeous wine needs 4-6 years of bottle age and is going to evolve for two decades or more.

The 2018 Vieux Château Mazerat is laced with inky dark fruit, chocolate, graphite, blackberry jam and cloves. This is an especially flamboyant style, but there is plenty of energy, too, and that makes for a compelling Saint-Émilion loaded with personality. Like all of the wines in Jonathan Maltus' range, Vieux Château Mazerat is exuberant, but it is more medium in body and less overtly juicy than the top selections.