Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux 2018 (750ML)

95+ Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "As mentioned during my barrel tasting of this wine, the 2018 Pavillon Blanc is made of 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was picked at the end of August. The vines here are 40-50 years old, going some way to helping them cope with periods of extreme heat and drought, as was the case in 2018. The nose begins a little reticent, requiring a fair bit of swirling to unlock youthful, pristine notes of freshly squeezed limes, lemon tart and fresh grapefruit with touches of sea spray, green mango and acacia with a waft of crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate delivers a seriously racy backbone of acidity, supporting the super intense citrus and chalky flavors layers, finishing long with great purity. It will require a good 4-5 years in bottle to emerge from this shell and should drink for a good 15 years or more beyond that." 03/21

98 Points, James Suckling, jamessuckling.com: "A dynamic dry white with lemon rind, pears and sherbet, as well as vanilla and lilac character. It’s full-bodied with a tight, focused palate of lovely ripe fruit and vivid acidity. Timid, yet classy at the finish. Energetic acidity. 1,000 cases made. Try after 2023." 01/21

97 Points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator: "This ripples with tension as the core of gooseberry, chalk, white asparagus and fleur de sel is chiseled and taut while the sides of the wine glisten with floral notes. There's a late flurry of thyme and tarragon for additional range and length, as if it needed any. About as pure and unencumbered an expression of a grape as you can get. Drink now through 2028. 833 cases made." 03/21

95 Points, Jane Anson, Decanter: "Easily one of the best whites that I have tried this year. It's extremely juicy, showing white pear and stone fruits on the nose, with lovely grip and a slatey texture on the palate that suggests minerality, although it doesn't quite have the mineral punch of 2017. It just gets and gets better and better in the glass - a delicious wine with the depth that you expect at this level. Harvest ran from 27 August to 31 September, yielding just 17hl/ha because of the mildew (the vines are 4km from the main estate and were worse affected). The ph is at 3.1, unchanged from last year, helped by the fact that they fraction the juice at Margaux, using just the first, freshest portion for their own wine and selling the rest in bulk." 03/19

99 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com: "I'd say the finest white I've ever tasted from this estate, the 2018 Château Margaux Pavillon Blanc is all Sauvignon brought all in barrel. Its vivid gold hue is followed by an incredible bouquet of candied lemons, white grapefruit, crushed stone-like minerality, and a rich, flower oil-like character that develops with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, racy, yet incredibly concentrated, with serious extract, richness, and glycerol, it has an almost red wine-like sense of structure and length. Whites in 2018 don't get any better than this. Enjoy this sensational white any time over the coming 15-20 years." 03/21