The gap has been closing recently between Langoa and Léoville Barton, but Langoa is not quite keeping up in this vintage. There`s no question that here is a firm, structured, complex and concentrated wine with an effortless St-Julien signature, but the tannins are a touch more foursquare on the finish, not quite as supple and full of life as in 2016. Still, it will be ready to drink sooner and offers tons of pleasure in the glass, so I`m not complaining. 60% new oak. 93 points

63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc; 60% new oak. Black core. Intense, small-berried wild black fruits. A very nice combination of dark fruit and savoury black olive. Firm, dense and compact in tannin structure but not tough or drying, just very tannic. The second time I tasted this it seemed more supple. Even with these obvious tannins, there`s freshness on the very end. 16.5 points

The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Langoa Barton is slightly shy at this nascent stage, revealing wonderfully pure, warm red and black currant scents with nuances of blueberry preserves, chocolate mint, smoked meat and a waft of bouquet garni. Full-bodied, rich and sporting a lot of vibrant, juicy fruit in the mouth, it has firm, rounded tannins and a lively backbone lifting the fruit to a good, long finish. 92-94 points

The blend is 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc. One notable feature here is a slightly lower alcohol than many of its St Julien peers, coming in at 13.85%. It has a very forward nose of creamed red cherry and summer fruits, with a little time revealing notes of black bean and liquorice, although it is tightly wrapped up in toasted oak at the moment. While the nose seems rather dominated by oak right now, and a little muted as a result, there is no doubting the wine`s intentions on the palate, where there is an immediate flourish of texture, rich and broad, running from the start, through the middle and end of the palate. It does of course still carry that oak, but it also has a fabulous weight of creamed damson, black cherry and liquorice fruits. This is just absolutely delicious, a great example of the vintage and the appellation which should age brilliantly as it rides along on its firm frame of tannins, seen in the finish. The élevage will be in 60% new oak. 96-98 points