2018 Château Paveil de Luz Margaux 375mL

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot from 35 year old vines on deep pea gravel soils.  Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 12 months in 30% new French oak barrels. 14% alcohol. 208,000 bottles made.

Fantastic value on half bottles from a great house and a great vintage. Offers up fragrant mint chocolate, red roses and cedar chest scents over a core of baked black cherries, warm cassis and preserved plums. Full-bodied with plenty of juicy black fruit, it has a plush texture and plenty of freshness, finishing perfumed. In a prime drinking window right now and will continue to drink well over the next five or so years.

Château Paveil de Luze is one of the oldest properties of Médoc. On the road of Cru Bourgeois, in the heart of the appellation of Margaux, in the small town of Soussans, stands a beautiful edifice with two towers that form a landmark on the horizon of vineyards. In front of the castle lie 75 acres of vines with ideal east/west exposure atop gravelly soil, which provides the perfect natural drainage for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.   The winery was founded n 1862 and has spanned seven generations so far. In 2004, Frederic de Luze took over the management of the estate. With his two sisters, Marguerite and Catherine, and their children, they write together a new page in Margaux history. Frédéric de Luze and Stéphane Fort, his cellar master, both succeeded their fathers to the Château Paveil de Luze. Surrounding themselves with winemakers in love with the terroir, they ensure the harmonious development of the vineyard, vinify with passion, and meticulous perfect each step of the wine process, from breeding to bottling.

92 points, Wine Enthusiast. "Young but already elegant and complex, this wine is destined for long-term aging. Ripe blackberry fruits and serious tannins will take time to mature. Drink from 2025 when this wine will be in balance."

91 points, James Suckling. "Fresh blueberry, blackberry, tea-leaf, cocoa and crushed-gravel aromas. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins. Elegant and refined."