Almaviva 2018

Decanter (96pts) - Confident complexity on display here, fresh, powerful spicy notes of tobacco and grilled coffee beans alongside cool blueberry fruits. Winemaker Michel Friou has made a brilliant wine in this vintage that expands outwards through the palate. 100% new oak. Blend completed with 3% Petit Verdot.

James Suckling (98pts) - This is such a beautifully nuanced red with tobacco, dried herbs, wet earth and currants. Some leather and rose petals, too. Full-bodied and chewy, yet refined with great polish. It’s rich and intense at the same time. Very focused center palate. Broad layers of tannin and fruit. A blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Carmenere, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Better after 2024, but already a joy to taste.