This is great stuff and highly drinkable with a wonderful richness on the nose and palate. It’s pretty fierce in fact and has real impact with the austerity of the mid palate quickly filled out by rich sweet black cherry fruit and a deeply spiced finish. The harvest took place between 24 September and 5 October. 92 points

85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec. Black core, purple. Sweet bramble fruit and a light note of oak sweetness. Dark and a little charry on the palate but the tannins are silky. The fruit profile is a little severe but there`s freshness on the finish. 16 points

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Puygueraud features scents of warm blueberries, plum preserves and kirsch with touches of chocolate box and yeast extract. Full-bodied with a firm frame of ripe, grainy tannins, it has loads of freshness lifting the densely packed layers of black fruit and finishes with great length. 90-92 points

The 2018 Puygueraud packs a serious punch. Bold, super-ripe and explosive, the 2018 possesses striking depth at this level. Blackberry jam, chocolate, grilled herbs and spice are all generous in this rich Côtes de Francs. It will be interesting to see how the 2018 develops during élevage. Today, it is quite promising and complex, especially within its peer group. Even with gentler hand in vinification, the 2018 is a powerful wine that very much shows the richness of the year. The blend is 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec. Tasted three times. 88-90 points

From Nicolas Thienpont, this is 85% Merlot, picked September 24th, 26th and 28th, October 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th, 12% Cabernet Franc, picked October 5th and the 9th, and 3% Malbec, picked October 1st. The yield was 42 hl/ha, from 31.4 hectares. A very pure style, fresh, with black cherry stone and vanilla flowers. Quite taut and sinewy on the palate, lush in the middle, with dark liquorice and soy notes swirled a round the black cherry fruits. There are little savoury notes of black bean, peppered oak, with grip and energy, and a nicely grained bed of tannins. Fresh, charming, confident, this will drink well for a decade if not more. Well done. 93-95 points