2018 Alban Roussanne Estate

Just to be bottled shortly after this tasting, the 2018 Roussanne Estate offers a gorgeous bouquet of nectarines, hints of tropical fruits, flowers, and plenty of brioche and spice. It reminds me a great vintage of Château de Beaucastel's Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc with its medium to full-bodied richness, beautifully pure fruit, and great finish. There are certainly no dogs in the recent vintages from John Alban – 2016, 2017, and 2018 are all brilliant vintages. At the top of the heap, the 2016s have everything: Incredible purity of fruit, flawless balance, and power paired with considerable elegance. These are magical wines and some of the finest I've tasted from the estate. Mostly still resting in barrel, the 2017s have big, exuberant personalities with already complex aromatics as well as plenty of structure on the palate. I was only able to taste the Patrina from 2018, but this is always a good indication of the quality from John, and it has a touch of the 2016s’ purity and elegance. I'll review the 2018s from barrel prior to release. Readers can't go wrong with any of these latest wines.