Château Lucas’ 2018 Lussac-Saint-Émilion is Right Bank Bordeaux in a generous, quietly mature phase. Merlot gives the wine its dark plum, black cherry and rounded fruit, while Cabernet Franc adds redcurrant, violet, dried herbs, tobacco leaf and a cool earthy lift. It feels classic rather than showy, with the warmth of the 2018 vintage now settling into a smooth, savoury register. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied, supple and reassuringly claret-like, with ripe black fruit, gentle tannic grip and a fresh line through the finish. The fruit is still present, but bottle age has brought softer notes of leather, spice, forest floor and tea leaf. A very satisfying mature Bordeaux for drinking now, especially with proper food. For whenA roast dinner needs honest Right Bank comfort with a little bottle age. Pairs withRoast lamb, beef stew, duck breast, mushroom pie, pork shoulder, hard cheeses, venison, shepherd’s pie or grilled sausages. Château Lucas is a Lussac-Saint-Émilion estate with the calm, traditional appeal of Bordeaux’s satellite appellations: proper clay-limestone terroir, Merlot and Cabernet Franc at the centre, and wines built for the table rather than for theatre. The 2018 vintage gives this bottle extra depth and ripeness, while the estate’s straightforward, tank-led approach keeps the fruit honest, fresh and unforced.
