2018 Couhins-Lurton
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Tasting notes
Sauvignon Blanc on gravel and sand on a subsoil of limestone. Leaf-thinning. Picking from 27/08/2018 to 11/09/2018. Yields: less than 35 hl/ha. Fermented in barrel. Ageing for 10 months in oak barrels on full lees with bâtonnage. Consultant Valérie Lavigne. This is just starting to reveal itself as a classic Pessac white: aromas of mealy, creamy citrus. Subtle nuance of oak with a gentle cedary aroma, maybe a hint of almonds? On the palate, this is much more about the origin than the variety. There’s a herbal quality from the Sauvignon but it is much more about the mealy, cedary flavour combined with freshness, even though the intensity on the mid palate is moderate and there’s a slight lack of focus in the finish. Just getting into its stride but there’s no rush to drink this. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Couhins-Lurton has a tightly wound black currant, cedar and ash-scented nose, nicely defined and focused if not overly complex. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannins, though it feels a little green around the edges and slightly bitter on the aftertaste.
Lots of red and black fruits, toasted spices, and dried flower notes emerge from the 2018 Château Couhins-Lurton, a medium-bodied red with a lively, elegant texture, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It's already complex aromatically yet is going to benefit 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for a good decade.
The 2018 Couhins-Lurton packs a serious punch. Black cherry, gravel, smoke, cured meats, spice, licorice and menthol all blast out of the glass. There is not a whole lot of subtlety here, but the 2018 will do quite nicely at the dinner table paired with hearty cuisine. This big, chewy Pessac-Léognan is not short on character.