Emerging from the team at Haut-Bailly, the 2018 Château Le Pape is mostly Merlot from deep, gravelly soils brought up in 20% new French oak. It's a classic Graves offering loads of gravelly earth and tobacco as well as chocolate black cherry fruits, medium to full body, a rounded, beautifully textured mouthfeel, integrated tannins, and a great finish. It's going to shine in 2-4 years (it's far from unapproachable today) and keep for 10-15 years.

The 2018 Le Pape is blended of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merlot was harvested on September 17, 18 and 24, and the Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested October 9. Deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with beautiful floral notions of red roses and lavender over a core of warm plums, black cherry compote and redcurrant jelly with hints of truffles, tapenade, yeast extract, licorice and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with juicy black plums and savory notions, framed by firm, rounded tannins and just enough freshness, finishing fragrant. (LPB)

Welcoming berry fruit aromas make it clear that this is extremely concentrated. There are excellent floral and fruit aromatics that layer up over each other, and its power is latent. It's hard to ignore as it widens and deepens through the mid-palate. Brambly black fruits join tannins that build to the finish, making this a pretty serious Le Pape. 30% new oak. 3.87pH versus 3.85pH in 2009, so pretty high, which helps give this a luxurious feel although it lacks a little typicity. Hail affected 4ha out of the 9ha which, combined with mildew, meant a yield of 21hl/ha. (JA)