Description

WINERY ARRIVAL: Bunches arrived in small bins to ensure no berry damage, berries inspected over sorting table after destemming and gravity transferred to fermentation vats.

BARREL AGING: 100% French oak 15 months , 93% new and 7% oneyear-old barrels.

VARIETIAL BLEND: Merlot 77%, Cabernet Sauvignon 14% , Cabernet Franc 7%, & Malbec 2%

Excellent growing conditions in 2018, lent itself to a robust, full-bodied wine. Hotter than the previous years, day time temperatures above average with warmer night-time temperatures truly allowed the berries to ripen unimpeded leading to a greater structure. After pressing, the juice was aged composedly in new French oak which plays a vital role by supporting the concentrated fruit flavours and enhancing the rich yet elegant characteristic of Merlot lifting Le Charmant 2018 to a new level of well-balanced wine with an incredibly silky texture. This Merlot dominated Bordeaux right-bank style wine with ultra-ripe, creamy black fruit and touch of dark spice and chocolate scented. The palate is seductive, generous and a balance bodied with grainy tannin. The wine is surprisingly approachable after an hour or two opened, but this outstanding year will continue improving for many more years.

Brooding and smoky, a core of black berry and blue fruits, clove and cassis, violets, bacon and baked clay. Complex and captivating. On the palate – young, dry, a core of fruit and wood flavours that mirror the bouquet. A tense, ripe and textured palate with an abundance of tannins from wood and fruit, plenty of contrasting acidity and long finish. Requires cellaring to reach its full potential of complexity and enticement. Best drinking from 2024 through 2034+.

95 points

Outstanding – Cameron Douglas