2018 Charmail
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Tasting notes
There is a burnt toast note on the aromatics of the 2018 Charmail that I did not notice from barrel; it is rather off-putting. The palate is grainy in texture but there is a charred element to this Cru Bourgeois that I don’t find appealing.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
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One of those wines that punches well above its price point, the 2018 Château Charmail comes from the northern part of the Médoc and is a mix of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot brought up in mostly used barrels. Beautiful darker currants and cassis fruits as well as tobacco, chocolate, and damp earth give way to medium to full-bodied 2018 with a plush, rounded texture, a terrific mid-palate, silky tannins, and a great finish. It's a gorgeous wine and I think even a step up over the 2016. Enjoy bottles any time over the coming 10-12 years.
The 2018 Charmail is a bit perplexing. From barrel it showed so much promise. The bottled wine is unfocused in its aromatics and rather monolithic. Heavy torrefaction notes from the oak and harsh tannins are impossible to ignore.