The 2018 La Tour de Bessan is a soft, fruity Margaux that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Bright floral notes and dark red toned fruit add character to this gracious wine's overall feel. Silky tannins give this mid-weight Margaux tons of immediacy, while floral overtones add freshness throughout. The blend is 60% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot. Tasted two times.

The 2018 La Tour de Bessan comes across very disjointed and slightly reduced on the nose. The palate is slightly better and there is a core of attractive, spicy black fruit here. But so far it has not developed much harmony and feels slightly attenuated on the finish.

Terra Vitis. A Marie-Laure Lurton property alongside Ch de Villegeorge made up of various clay-gravel blocks. Planted with 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 55% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot that was introduced in 2012. Oak-aged for 10 to 14 months depending on vintage. Dark, healthy crimson. Intense, deep flavoured, sweetly fruited, with quite some potential to age. Funnily enough, its stablemate Ch de Villegeorge is more like stereotypical Margaux. Quite concentrated and powerful with some velvety texture though the substantial tannic charge stops it being sickly. Ambitious and very, very different from the Villegeorge. (JR)

60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot. Barrel sample. Judging from this small early tasting of Bordeaux 2018s at the Grand Cercle event in London, this vintage seems to obscure the differences between communes. The tannins are thick and there’s plenty of dark fruit but not much fragrance. Chewy and overly oaky on the the palate. Like chewing a piece of wood. (JH)