Pédesclaux was purchased in late 2009 by real estate mogul, Jacky Lorenzetti. In addition to the purchase of Pédesclaux and its 26 hectares of vineyards, Lorenzetti was also able to acquire an additional 12 hectares of vineyards planted at 10,000 vines per hectare that sit atop the Milon plateau (their rows are interspersed with those of Mouton and Lafite). The total vineyard acreage in 2018 was 49.7 hectares with an average vine age of 35 years. The soils are typically gravelly atop a clay subsoil. It will spend an estimated 16 months on the lees in barrels, 60% new and 40% second year. The blend is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, and it has 13.96% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Pedesclaux comes charging out of the gate with rambunctious baked plums, warm cassis and Morello cherries scents plus hints of spice cake, menthol and fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black fruits and spicy accents, with a soft, fine-grained frame, finishing long.

Tasted blind. First bottle TCA. Quite a powerful nose. Lots of savoury guts here. Verges on stodgy but escapes that and turns out to be a pretty impressive, slightly saline wine. Really very smart. (JR)

Barrel sample. Darkest crimson with smudgy, wide rim. Fragrant with small dark berries, both cassis and elderberry and just a little hint of vanilla. Firm, chewy and rich in fruit. Thick yet rounded, the fruit enveloping the tannins. Juicy, fresh finish, even if the texture has a thickness about it. (JH)