Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve 2018

Blackberry, blackcurrant and mint with some sage and crushed-stone undertones. Full-bodied with chewy tannins that are in-check and nicely polished. Smoke, toasted oak and bark at the end, complementing the fresh yet ripe fruit. Drink after 2024.

The flagship 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Georges De Latour Private Reserve is a gorgeous wine from this team that's reminiscent of the 2016, if not slightly more tannic. Blackcurrants, cassis, tobacco leaf, and nicely integrated oak all make an appearance, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a beautiful sense of purity and freshness, flawless balance, and a great finish. It has plenty of structure and, like a lot of 2018s, not a huge amount of baby fat, which gives it a firmer, more age-worthy vibe. While it's unquestionably approachable today, do your best to hide bottles for 4-5 years, and it should have a gradual evolution over the coming 20-25 years. I followed this bottle for multiple days and it only improved. It's brilliant, seamless wine in the making.

The famous wine lives up to its historic promise in this wonderfully complex and structured vintage, the wine showing an abundance of tension and youthful grip. Earthy in dried herb, cedar and sage, it shares notes of black currant, cassis and forest within a textured and brightly layered foundation of elegant ageablity. Enjoy best from 2028–2038. Virginie Boone

Dark ruby, purple reflections, discreet brightening on rim. Dark berry fruit, ripe cherries, fine tobacco nuances, some nougat, inviting bouquet, good complexity, taut, elegant, round tannins, good freshness, chocolatey touch on the finish, delicate nougat, already approachable and easy to drink. PM