2018 Chateau Villars 1,5 l - Magnum - Fronsac AC

*This is seriously enjoyable, a very good wine with a gourmet edge comprising liquorice, black chocolate and bramble fruits but still with freshness. A good year here, this is creamy through the mid palate and rich in fruit with balanced alcohols enrobing the austerity with silky tannins.* (92/100)

Falstaff Magazin – 89 pts – PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Etwas nach Cassis und Tabakwürze, ein Hauch von Kräutern, schwarze Kirschfrucht. Saftig, straff, etwas Holzwürze, extraktsüß nach dunklem Beerenkonfit im Abgang, Orangenzesten im Nachhall, guter Speisenbegleiter.* - 02/2021

*The 2018 Villars is deep garnet-purple colored and opens with cedar-laced notes of baked plums, warm blueberries and boysenberries plus hints of truffles and damp soil. Full, rich and packed with muscular fruit, it has a firm, fine-grained frame and an earthy finish.* (87-89/100)

Vinum Magazin – 16/20pts: *Komplex, würzig mit Noten von Waldbeeren; kräftiger Auftakt, gut gebaut, kernig, robustes Tannin mit spürbarem Korn; von mittlerer Länge, gesunde Herbe.* - 09/2021

JancisRobinson.com – 16/20pts – JR: *Lively, fresh, low-key nose with slightly drying tannins but it may all fall into place. Just a bit inky on the finish. A solid effort.* - 01/2021

JamesSuckling.com - 93pts - JS: *Wild-blackberry, blackcurrant, graphite and black-tea aromas. It´s medium-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Juicy and well balanced. Lovely finish. Drink from 2024.* - 02/2021

Vinous.com – 89 pts – AG: *The 2018 Villars is bold and racy to the core. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, spice and French oak give the 2018 its bold personality. The alcohol is a bit prominent here, while the tannins are a bit rigid than I remember. Give this a year or two in bottle.* - 03/2021

Vinous.com - 89pts - NM: *The 2018 Villars has what you might call a gentle bouquet of pretty black currant and boysenberry fruit, the oak nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied, quite sappy and citric. It tightens toward the finish and maybe just lacks a bit of breadth and girth, though I appreciate the saline aftertaste. This is a fine Fronsac that deserves a couple of years in bottle.* - 03/2021