Winemaker Notes
#94 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2021
Blend: 78% Merlot, 22% Caberent FrancProfessional Ratings
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James Suckling
Blackberry, plum, blueberry and some stone and crushed cement on the nose. Full body with firm, chewy and ultra fine tannins that will soften nicely. I like the lightly smoked nuts and chocolate. Needs time to come around. Try after 2025.
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Decanter
Powerful and plush as it opens after an initial moment of full-on austerity. This needs a good 30 minutes in the glass to really open, and I suggest giving it a full eight to 10 years in bottle before it reaches the right moment to start drinking. This was the first full year for the Canon team, and the work will take another few years to fully show results, but this has clear blueberry and raspberry fruits, structured tannins and a density that comes from the clay that is shot through the limestone in the vineyard. Harvested around two weeks earlier than under the previous owner.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Berliquet is composed of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc and has 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly unfurls in the glass to reveal a classic nose of ripe black plums, wild blueberries and pencil shavings with hints of unsmoked cigars, tilled soil and red roses. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of blue and black fruit preserves, supported by plush tannins and impressive freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. Since the Chanel takeover and under Nicolas Audebert’s direction, the development of this site and the wine are truly impressive. I suspect a lot of selection has gone into making this 2018, and the results reveal a top-tier Saint-Émilion in the making.
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Wine Enthusiast
Under the same winemaking team as Château Canon, this wine shows richness, with swathes of ripe black-fruited Merlot and a licorice character. Bold, ripe flavors are warm and opulent, mitigated by fresher black-currant acidity at the end. Drink from 2026.
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Wine Spectator
This is delightful, with a fine chalky thread running through the middle of gently crushed plum and black cherry fruit flavors while sweet tobacco and bay accents hang in the background. Sneaky long. Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from the team at Canon and a blend of 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Château Berliquet sports a dense purple hue as well as a classic Saint-Emilion, mineral-driven bouquet of red and black cherries, chocolate, graphite, roasted herbs, and chalky, rocky nuances. A big, rich, dense 2018, it has chewy tannins, good mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. Rating: 91+
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.