Château d'Armailhac, 5ème Cru Classé, Pauillac, 2018
Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, the supremely talented Technical Director responsible for Baron Philippe de Rothschild's three Bordeaux chateaux has crafted an exquisite range of wines, which marry generous, textural fruit with gloriously precise aromatics and velvety tannins. Procured from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and incorporating 13% press wines, the 2023 d'Armailhac is the most sophisticated and attractive example we can recall tasting from this Pauillac estate. Precise and finely detailed with a lovely floral bouquet and clear, bright cherry notes - this is packed with generous, pixilated fruit. There's a fleshiness to the bright and lacy mid-palate, garlanded by fine, smooth tannins and full of salty detail. Excellent!
critic reviews
A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2018 d’Armailhac has a deep garnet color, with a touch of purple. It charges out of the gate with notes of crème de cassis, blueberry pie, and fruitcake, with hints of Chinese five spice, rose oil, and sandalwood. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers bags of rich, opulent fruit with just enough freshness and velvety tannins, finishing very long.
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 DArmailhac (a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot) hits the ground running with wonderfully open-knit, flamboyant scents of Morello cherries, black raspberries, blackcurrant jelly and rose oil, leading to an undercurrent of cinnamon toast, aniseed and mossy tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with energy and expressiveness, delivering red and black berry layers with loads of spicy sparks, framed by plush tannins, finishing long and fragrant.
The 2018 d’Armailhac has retained its alluring floral bouquet, delivering layers of blackberry and boysenberry fruit, crushed violet petals and background scents of marjoram and sage, all beautifully defined. The palate is perhaps just a little oakier than I recollect from barrel [I subsequently found out that this spent 17 months in barrel, longer than in the past] but still very well balanced, with a fine bead of acidity. Harmonious and silky-smooth toward the finish, with a touch of graphite lingering on the aftertaste. It may merit a higher score with cellaring but I will remain prudent with my score... for now.