2018 Larmande

The 2018 Larmande is composed of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it gracefully wafts out of the glass with fragrant scents of kirsch, wild blueberries and plum preserves, plus hints of violets, sassafras, clove oil and forest floor. The full-bodied palate is rich and opulent, featuring perfumed black fruit preserves and a velvety texture, lifted by seamless freshness and finishing long and mineral laced. It is delicious right now but will cellar for a good 18+ years.

The 2018 Larmande is ripe and generous on the nose, featuring red berry fruit, undergrowth, fig and light brown spices. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, but this has a jarring sweet-and-sour finish, greenness underlying the carapace of sweetness and leaving a bitter note on the aftertaste. A bit disappointing.

Another consistent source for outstanding wines, the 2018 Château Larmande checks in as 81% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. This beauty does everything right, offering a rocking bouquet of black raspberries, cassis, spicy oak, and chalky minerality, medium to full body, a round, expansive, seamless texture, and a great finish. Beautifully done, it will continue drinking nicely for another 10-15 years.