Chateau le Crock Saint-Estephe 2018

94 points James Suckling  A complex nose with aromas of blackberries, spices and chocolate. It’s full-bodied with wonderfully integrated tannins that show dark fruit and berries with some lavender and violet undertones. Such gorgeous texture to this. Really impressive for this estate. A blend of 57% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot, 5% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. 

94 points Wine Enthusiast The Cuvelier family of Léoville-Poyferré in Saint-Julien have given us a strongly textured and rich wine from this property in Saint-Estèphe. Its power and density will allow it to age well.

93 points Decanter A serious wall of tannin and oak right now. Needed plenty of time to open in the glass and tasted even better 24 hours after initial opening - all of which bodes well for the ageing capacity of this wine. This is seriously classy and great value, full of cinnamon spice notes, and deep blueberry and blackberry fruits. A real standout among the Cru Bourgeois. 

93 points Jane Anson One of the standout Cru Bourgeois of the vintage, and full of signature St Estèphe flesh and power. Plenty of chewy tannins to hold in the blueberry and blackberry fruits, alongside black pepper, turmeric and cinammon spice. Give it a good few hours in a carafe, and in fact when I drank this I went back to it the next day and it had held up perfectly. 30% new oak, 35hl/h yield. Owned by the Cuvelier family of Léoville Poyferré. 

93 points Jeb Dunnuck The flagship 2018 Château Le Crock is 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It has a more serious, classic, focused, and age-worthy style to go with beautiful cassis and darker fruits intermixed with notes of cedar pencil, damp earth, graphite, and crushed stone. Nicely concentrated and structured, with ripe tannins a great mid-palate, it's a beautiful wine, but the cellar is going to be your friend. Forget bottles for 5-7 years and it should keep for 20'ish years or more. Unquestionably the finest wine I've tasted from this estate, it should be snatched up by readers. 

92 points Vinous The 2018 Le Crock offers plenty of Saint-Estèphe character in its brambly red berry fruit and burly, but well-balanced tannins. Cedar, tobacco, smoke and earthy notes add quite a bit of aromatic presence. This is an especially rich, potent edition because of dry, warm east winds that caused dehydration, thereby lowering yields. There is plenty of personality here. (AG)  (3/2021)

92 points Wine Spectator This has a frankly ripe edge, with plum and black cherry notes showing a caressing feel, while racy bay, charcoal and tobacco notes flow underneath. Hints of leather and humus emerge through the finish, while the fruit has the staying power to match them. Solid range and character.