Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of currants, blackberries, black cherries and fresh flowers follow through to a full body with super integrated, polished tannins and an intense mineral and salty character at the end. Such beauty. Drink after 2024.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from the upper limestone plateau of Saint-Emilion and largely Merlot, the 2018 Château Boutisse reveals a deep ruby/plum hue as well as a rich, full-bodied, decadent style that's already a joy to drink. Mulled black cherries, licorice, chocolate, graphite, and chocolaty minerality all define the nose, and it has building yet ripe tannins, a great mid-palate, and one heck of a lengthy finish. It's every bit as good as the 2016, if not better. Readers looking for a gem of a Saint-Emilion that will deliver the goods over the coming 10-15 years won't regret buying this.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Boutisse comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notes of baked black plums, boysenberries and Morello cherries, plus suggestions of rose hip tea, fragrant soil, cinnamon stick and star anise. The full-bodied palate is rich and oh-so-plush, featuring a fantastic backbone of freshness and loads of spicy sparks to complement the black and red berry preserves, finishing long and mineral tinged. Beautiful.
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Wine Enthusiast
The two Milhade siblings have produced a rich, many-layered wine. With dense tannins balanced by equally intense fruit, this Merlot-based wine is concentrated. Black fruits, acidity and layers of tannins need time to come together. Drink from 2025.
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.