2018 Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry

The 2018 Malescot St. Exupery has a very attractive bouquet of detailed scents of red currant, wild strawberry, wilted rose petals and crushed stone, all gaining intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins matched with a fine bead of acidity. It feels a little more compact than its Margaux peers and exerts an insistent grip on the finish. But I admire its focus and precision. A Margaux that should age with style over the next 20–30 years.

I loved the 2018 Château Malescot Saint Exupéry from barrel two years ago, and it certainly doesn't disappoint from bottle today. Based on 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this deeply hued beauty boasts smoking good notes of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and spice. Full-bodied and impressively concentrated, it has a stacked mid-palate, ripe, sweet yet certainly present tannins, a terrific sense of freshness, and a great finish. It's going to fun comparing this and the 2016 over the coming two decades! While there's some up-front accessibility and charm here, it really needs 4-6 years of bottle age and is going to have 20-25 years of overall longevity. This is gem of a wine that's well worth seeking out.