Petit-Gravet-Aine 2018 (750ML)

93-95 Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "This is a tiny 2.5-hectare vineyard in the Saint-Émilion foothills, situated west of Château Canon-La-Gaffelière in deep, sandy-clay soils. Maturation is anticipated to be 12 months in 100% new oak barrels. The blend is 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot, and it has 14% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Petit Gravet Aîné charges out of the gate with vivacious black cherries, warm plums and wild blueberry scents with suggestions of menthol, candied violets and raspberry tart with a waft of wilted roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has tightly wound red and black fruit preserves layers with a firm, grainy frame and bold freshness on the long finish." 4/19

93 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: "The 2018 Petit Gravet Aîné has a lovely, quite sumptuous bouquet of a mélange of red and black fruit mingling with peppermint and herbal aromas; there is fine definition here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, demonstrating more density and grip than I expected. Grainy toward the cedar and graphite finish. This is a well-crafted Saint-Émilion that should age with style. Superb." 03/21

92-95 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous: "A wine of real character and personality, the 2018 Petit Gravet Aîné is also one of the under the radar gems of Saint-Émilion. Blood orange, bright floral notes and sweet red cherry fruit all pulse throughout this super-expressive, nuanced Saint-Émilion. Petit Gravet Aîné is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. At times, the Franc can be quite pronounced, but the 2018 is totally seamless and impeccably balanced from start to finish. This is another stellar showing from proprietor Catherine Papoon-Nouvel. Tasted two times." 4/19

91 Points, James Suckling, jamessuckling.com: "A tight, lightly chewy red with dark-berry, chocolate and walnut character and a hint of bark. It’s medium-bodied with nice tannins and a flavorful finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink after 2023." 02/21

95+ Points, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com: "The Cabernet Franc-dominated 2018 Château Petit Gravet Aîné (there's 20% Merlot) comes from the upper plateau in Saint-Emilion and was raised in new French oak. It's handled its élevage nicely and has just subtle vanilla and spicy oak notes as well as impressive red, black, and blue fruits intermixed with notes of acacia flowers, spice box, forest floor, and tobacco. Tighter and more backward from bottle than barrel, it's medium to full-bodied and has a balanced, elegant texture, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. It needs 3-5 years of bottle age and should have two decades of overall longevity." 03/21