Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabe...

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

Saint Estèphe

Cru Bourgeois

Purchase En Primeur. Arrival due September 2022.

The 2019 Le Boscq is fabulous. A rush of wild cherry, smoke, licorice, tobacco, incense and scorched earth races across the palate. This deep, flavorful Saint-Estèphe is wonderfully expressive today. I would give the tannins a few years to soften. Le Boscq is a great choice for readers who want to explore the appellation without splurging on some of the bigger names. Antonio Galloni 93

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

Striking violets and blueberries here. Some leafy notes, too. The palate adds some light, creamy oak, tastes of summer-berry pudding and supple tannins to close. Drink or hold. JAMES SUCKLING

36 bottles available at time of offer

A pair of Marquis' in one tranche can't be a bad thing, especially when you're  the second wine of Calon Segur. Built with richness combined with approachability and this year uses a greater proportion of Merlot to drive volume.  -Tom Portet
 
Lisa Perotti-Brown 92-94
Big, rich, full-bodied and voluptuously fruited in the mouth, it has bags of black fruit preserves and exotic spices with a firm, plush frame, finishing long with a minty lift. Definitely one for the hedonists!

Andrew Caillard, MW 94
Medium deep crimson. Ripe plum carob, hint raisin aromas. Very attractive palate with generous red plum, raspberry, cassis fruits, some panforte notes, smooth velvety tannins. Larger framed than Capbern with density and volume. Very good. 

Plenty available at time of offer

The largest estate of Saint-Emilion with over 140 acres, half producing, is under the stewardship of the highly focused David Suire, formally of Thienpont superstars Pavie-Macquin and Larcis Ducasse. It’s a very consistent, Merlot dominated, value option and a very well-priced opportunity. -Tom Portet                                                            

Antionio Glloni      94
The 2018 Laroque is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. Silky, polished and refined, the 2018 marks a major step forward for the château. Lavender, spice, blueberry, cedar and mint all grace a Saint-Émilion built more on finesse than power. The long, persistent finish, with its saline accents, adds to the wine's pedigree. The 2018 is beautifully done. The blend is 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Technical Director David Suire gave the 2018 lots 26-29 days on the skins fermented in cement, with manual pump-overs and punch-downs. New oak is 55%.

Lisa Perotti Brown                                                         95-97
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Laroque is a little closed to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal fragrant black cherries, wild blueberries and blackberry preserves scents with hints of crushed rocks, underbrush and violets plus a waft of Marmite toast. Full-bodied and jam-packed with bright, crunchy black and blue fruits, it has a firm line of ripe, fine-grained tannins and loads of freshness, finishing very long and layered. Impressive! Being aged in oak barriques, 50% new, the blend is 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.                                                

James Suckling                                                               93-94
This is really delicious with so much dark-berry and stone character. Full to medium body and super, integrated tannins. Bright and generous. One of the best from here. We will see if it is better than 2016 and 2015.

This tiny estate’s (less than 12 acres) sensational terroir has never been fully exploited, but that will change now that the owner of Chateau Latour, Francois Pinault, has purchased an approximately 50% interest in Vray Croix de Gay. Made from a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the dark ruby-hued 2013 exhibits notes of black cherries, loamy soil and underbrush. Consume this medium-bodied effort during its first 4-5 years of life. ROBERT PARKER, 2014

24 bottles available at time of offer

Sitting on the western side of St Julien sitting alongside the great classified growths of the appellation. It is owned by the Borie family of Ch Ducru Beaucaillou, another top performer the bears .  -Tom Portet
 
Andrew Caillard MW 94
Deep colour. Lovely fresh mulberry cassis fruits with inky cedar complexity. Intensely concentrated and juicy with fresh dark berry fruits, some brambly notes, fine slightly gritty tannins and underlying cedar notes. Very good at this level.

Antonio Galloni 90-92
The 2018 Lalande-Borie is pliant, supple and wonderfully inviting. Bright floral notes perk up the red/purplish berry fruit in a silky, succulent Saint-Julien that will drink well right out of the gate. In the glass, the 2018 is heady and alluring, and yet it retains its classic mid-weight personality and structure. Readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine. The blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Plenty available.

A pleasant blend of 79% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc from the famous house of Moueix. Enough said. -Tom Portet
 
Andrew Caillard, MW 94
Medium crimson. Fresh mulberry raspberry cassis aromas and flavours, fine loose-knit graphite tannins, lovely minerally textures and supple mid palate. Finishes chalky firm it long and inky. Really surprisingly very good. Elegantly styled but energy buoyancy and persistency.

James Suckling 92-93
This is so delicious already with wonderful, tight and polished tannins, medium body and a long, flavorful finish. Always excellent quality for the money.

EP Order minimum 6 bottles

Owner Basile Tesseron's 2018 reflects the deep density of fruit the estate is known for, and maximising the benefits of a brand-new winery. Lafon-Rochet is well worth it's fourth growth status and from the sub-region of the vintage. - Tom Portet

Antonio Galloni                     92-95
A wine of lovely finesse the 2018 Lafon-Rochet offers a striking combination of fruit density and nuance, all in an understated style that is quite appealing. Dark cherry, sweet tobacco, menthol, dried flowers and mint all run through this silky, supple Saint-Estèphe. As always, Lafon-Rochet is one of the more laid back, elegant wines of the appellation. Even so, the 2018 has lovely mid-palate sweetness and silky tannins, both of which add to its considerable appeal. The blend is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Yields were a healthy 50 hectoliters per hectare, higher than the average, which is closer to 42-45. Tasted three times.

James Suckling               93-94
A firm and silky red with blackberries and hints of chocolate and hazelnut character. Medium to full body. Beautiful, fresh finish. 

4 bottles avalible at time of offer

James Suckling 95-96
Gorgeous purity of fruit in this wine with depth and beauty. Full-bodied. It really grows on the palate with a hyper fine tannin texture.

Antonio Galloni 94
The 2018 Barde-Haut is a powerful wine, but it is also rather closed. That won't be an issue in time; the 2018 needs quite a bit of air to show all of the rich, layered fruit readers have come to expect from this Saint-Émilion. Succulent dark cherry, chocolate, new leather, espresso and sweet spice build into the rich, layered finish.

24 Bottles available at time of offer

The classified 5th growth from the house of Mouton, and immediately next door. The wines have consistently over-achieved and represent excellent, smart buying for collectors and drinkers alike. Enjooy anytime over the next 20 years.. -Tom Portet

Antonio Galloni 92
The 2018 d'Armailhac is bright, fresh and so inviting, just as it was en primeur. Sweet red cherry fruit, cedar, spice, tobacco and anise add lovely aromatic complexity. All of the intensity of the year comes through nicely and yet the personality of Armailhac is evident also. I would cellar the 2018 for at least a few years, to allow some of the baby fat to melt away. There is a bit more breadth and richness that is the result of yields that were just 32 hectoliters per hectare as opposed to the more typical 42 or so.
 
Andrew Caillard 96
Deep colour. Fresh liquorice cassis pure blackcurrant aromas with some mocha aniseed notes. Well concentrated buoyant wine with deep set liquorice blackcurrant fruits, plentiful ripe tannins and integrated acidity. Finish firm. Really lovely density and purity of fruit with gravelly notes.

James Suckling 93-94
A soft and generous red with plum, tobacco and currant character and a delicious, full body and brightness. Juicy. Attractive, earthy aftertaste. Layered and dense.

12 bottles avalible at time of offer

Created in 2007, Le Petit Lion is mostly young-vine Cabernet, plus old-vine Merlot that does not make it into the Grand Vin of Leoville Las Cases. The vine source is principally from the large Grand Clos that is currently being replanted, in the northern part St-Julien - right next to Latour.  -Tom Portet

Lisa Perrotti-Brown                             92-94
Deep garnet-purple colored, it gives a wonderfully perfumed nose of violets, star anise and fragrant soil over a core of plum preserves, blackberry pie and blueberry compote plus a waft of spice cake. The palate is rich, seductive and spicy with plush, rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and opulent. Love it!

Antonio Galloni                 91-94
The 2018 Le Petit Lion is a magnificent second wine. Aromatic, sweet and pliant, the 2018 is also remarkably light on its feet, something that is especially notable given the alcohol at 14.5%. Silky, giving and super-expressive, the 2018 has it all. The Petit Lion is 45% old-vine Merlot, 42% mostly younger vine Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc. More importantly, it is a real overachiever in 2018.

Plenty avaliable at time of offer

Established in 1902 the Clos du Marquis comes from very specific parcels of vineyard surrounding the great Leoville Las Cases, Leoville Barton and Poyferré. It is not the second wine of Las Cases, and rightfully sings to its own beat, but within the sure class of the terroir at an affordable price.   -Tom Portet

Antonio Galloni       94
The 2018 Clos du Marquis is so expressive, and frankly, delicious. In 2018 there is a bit more richness than typical, but that is 2018. A rush of inky dark fruit, graphite, lavender, spice, crushed rocks and smoke all race out of the glass. All the elements are so impeccably balanced. The 2018 spent 16 months on French oak, 55% new. It is one of the hidden gems in this vintage. I would give it a few years to soften, as the tannins are imposing.
 
James Suckling 94-95
The purple-fruit and black-olive character with violet undertones is wonderful here. Full-bodied, yet reserved and intense. Finesse. Graphite and minerality. Layered.

Andrew Caillard, MW 95
Deep colour. Fresh intense black currant mocha aromas with herb garden aniseed notes. Well concentrated wine with deep-set black currant mulberry fruit, fine plentiful chalky tannins and underlying mocha dukkah oak. Classical structured wine with good potential.

Antonio Galloni 90-93
The 2018 Clos du Marquis is a powerful, heady Saint-Julien. Smoke, cedar, tobacco, menthol, licorice, iron, scorched earth and gravel all run through this potent, virile Saint-Julien. In 2018, Clos du Marquis is especially tannic. There is so much to like about Clos de Marquis in 2018, but it will need time in bottle. Best of all, it should be a solid value. The blend is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. Tasted two times.

24 Bottles available at time of offer

Perhaps the least known of the Saint Julien Chateaux, Saint Pierre is one of the most underestimated classified growths of Bordeaux.  Located right behind the township, the wine scored consistently well, releasing at a justifiable higher prices this vintage that still lets consumers put the lack of recognition to use.  -Tom Portet
 
Lisa Perotti Brown 94-96
The deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Saint-Pierre displays shy scents of rose hip tea, dried mint, crushed rocks and lavender to begin, opening out to a growing core of warm blackcurrants, baked blackberries and Morello cherries plus wafts of garrigue and wild sage. Full-bodied and absolutely laden with black fruits and provocative mineral sparks, it has a firm texture of grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and savory..

Antonio Galloni 92-95
A powerful, virile wine, the 2018 Saint-Pierre is also one of the highlights of the vintage. Black cherry, graphite, smoke, leather, menthol, violet and spice meld together in a brooding, tannic Saint-Julien that is going to need a bit of time to truly come into its own. Saint-Pierre is muscular, massively tannic and forbidding, and yet there is a ton of fruit behind all of that structure. Cabernet Sauvignon features heavily in the blend, and that comes through in the wine's flavor profile and overall feel. Readers will have to be patient. I can't wait to taste it from bottle. The 2018 is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot. Tasted four times.

5 Bottles available at time of offer

Antonio Galloni 96
The 2018 Branaire-Ducru is every bit as captivating as it was en primeur. Ripe, silky tannins give the 2018 a striking air of sensuality that only grows as the wine sits in the glass. Succulent red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, mint, spice and gravel inflections all open more over time. Even with all of its natural radiance, Branaire remains a model of grace. It is unquestionably one of the under the radar wines of the year.

James Suckling 95-96
This is a fantastic Brainaire with deep and dark fruit, such as blackberries and blackcurrants. Lots of raspberries, too. Full-bodied with firm and creamy tannins and a super long finish. We will see if it's better than 2016, but on its way.

Has scored very consistently from leading critics, making it a standout well-priced Saint-Emilion. Made by Michel Rolland, the wines are not surprisingly full bodied and rating well with three American journalists below.  -Tom Portet
 
Antonio Galloni 94-97
A regal, soaring Saint-Émilion built on vertical intensity and structure. The 2018 Beau-Séjour Bécot is fabulous. Dense, rich and explosive, the 2018 has it all. Soaring aromatics and a huge spine of tannin give the 2018 its regal contours. The 2018 was barreled down late, and it is still coming together, especially in its aromatics, but its potential is evident. A wine of tremendous character and personality Beau-Séjour Bécot dazzles in 2018. It is an utterly captivating Saint-Émilion from Juliette Bécot and Julien Barthe, along with their consulting winemaker Thomas Duclos.

Lisa Perotti Brown 95-97
Full-bodied, the palate is laden with latent energy, offering slow-releasing glimpses at dark, seductive berry preserves layers and vibrant earthy accents, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.

James Suckling 95-96
A very fresh and beautiful wine with extremely fine tannins that melt nicely into the pure fruit. Medium to full body. Crisp and very fruity. Wonderful finish that lasts for minutes. It grows in stature at the end.

Antonio Galloni 93-96
The 2018 Vray Croix de Gay is sensual, open-knit and inviting. Rose petal, mint, lavender and spice add striking aromatic presence to a refined, sensual Pomerol that hits all the right notes. Beautifully persistent and layered, Vray Croix de Gay is absolutely gorgeous. This is an especially nuanced, understated style.

James Suckling 93-94
Very tight and focused with ultra-fine tannins that are polished and beautiful. Medium body. Fresh finish.

Pessac Léognan

Grand Cru Classé

Purchase En Primeur. Arrival due September 2022.

The 2019 Domaine de Chevalier has the potential to be one of the wines of the vintage. Regal and soaring in the glass, with tremendous intensity, the 2019 is pure magic. An exotic mélange of ripe red plum, gravel, spice, cured meats and incense develops with time in the glass. Effortless and wonderfully nuanced, the 2019 is a fabulous wine in the making. Don't miss it. Antonio Galloni 95/97

14 bottles available at time of offer.

A wine that really shows the diversity and differences of wine critics and cast the numbers away. You can double down on this theory for en-primeur, where the wines are still not baked. Located next too the hill of Mondot, with Pavie to the south. Organically made and extremely limited availability -Tom Portet
 
James Suckling 97-98
This is a decadent and beautiful young wine with wild aromas and flavors of meat, wet earth and plums. Very complex. Full-bodied yet soft and very velvety. The tannins melt into the wine, as if they aren't there. Extremely long finish. 78 per cent merlot, 20 per cent cabernet franc and two per cent cabernet sauvignon.

Andrew Caillard, MV 96
Deep colour. Intense enervating blackberry cedar wood varnish aromas with aniseed notes. Generous vigorous sweet fruited wine with plentiful new oak and fine grainy graphite tannins. Still elemental but balanced. Massive dense graphite wine with great potential. 

Antonio Galloni 95
The 2018 Pavie Macquin is voluptuous and exotic to the core. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, mocha, espresso, licorice and chocolate all race out of the glass. Pliant, supple and silky, the 2018 is lights out. This is an especially heady, flamboyant style, so readers should be prepared for a pretty intense Saint-Émilion. That said, the new oak has now integrated quite nicely..

Pessac Léognan

Grand Cru Classé

Purchase En Primeur. Arrival due September 2022.

The 2019 Pape-Clément was picked from 17 September to 10 October, underwent a 30 day maceration. Matured in 90% oak barrels and 10% wooden foudres for 18 months. It has a very perfumed bouquet with luscious black cherries and boysenberry fruit, touches of raspberry preserve and crème de cassis. The palate is full-bodied and quite muscular, exerting a firm grip and displaying plenty of tobacco-tinged black fruit that dovetails into a more saline, marine influenced finish. This is a very serious Pape-Clément that will require longer ageing than its peers, but will surely be rewarding for those with patience. Tasted on five occasions - hopefully there is some wine left back at the château. Neal Martin 96-98

Saint Émilion

1er Grand Cru Classé B

Purchase En Primeur. Arrival due September 2022.

The 2019 Pavie was picked from 30 September to 11 October at 29hl/ha. It is initially exubertant, feisty on the nose, a bit like the Pavie-Decesse. Allowing my sample an hour in the glass, it evolves more grace and composure with scents of blackberry, briary, incense and iris flowers. The oak beautifully integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, quite an edgy line of acidity, touches of graphite infusing the very pure black fruit on the satin-textured finish. This is undoubtedly a very impressive, sauve Pavie destined for long-term drinking. Neal Martin 96-98

Ten bottles avaliable at time of offer.

Antonio Galloni 94
Just as it was from barrel, the 2018 Duhart-Milon is a real powerhouse. Black cherry, gravel, spice, espresso and savory herbs infuse the 2018 with notable depth and power. A brooding, virile wine, the Duhart-Milon packs a serious punch. I would give it a few years to soften. The 2018 has really come together since en primeur. In fact, the bottled wine bears little semblance to the en primeur sample, which is a very good thing. There is real density and weight here, with all of the natural richness of the year.

James Suckling 95-96
This is a very powerful Duhart with blackcurrant and blackberry character. Lots of graphite and black tea. Full-bodied and muscular with lots of formed muscles and great length. Could be best ever?

Andrew Caillard, MW 95
Deep colour. Very classical with pure blackcurrant pastille aromas and toasty vanilla notes. Medium powered but really well-balanced wine with pure blackcurrant cassis fruits, fine lacy graphite tannins and underlying mocha vanilla notes.
 
Lisa Perotti Brown 93-95
Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with exuberant notes of Black Forest cake, plum preserves and crème de cassis with hints of spice cake, woodsmoke, potpourri and eucalyptus. Full-bodied, rich and laden with layers of black fruit preserves and spices, it has a velvety texture and just enough freshness, finishing long. Very impressive-the densest, most opulent Duhart I have tasted!

Sixteen bottles available at time of offer

It's always a joy to visit this lovely chateau with owners Xavier and Emeline Borie. They could easily be Australian, with their easy charm and grounded views that flow delightfully into their wine. A long-time favourite of Bordeaux insiders, could easily be upgraded to a 3rd Growth considering its quality and the critic reviews below. -Tom Portet

Antonio Galloni            96
The 2018 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is fabulous, just as it was from barrel. Strong Cabernet inflections soar out of the glass, giving the wine a compelling aromatic profile laced with the essence of graphite, dried herbs, menthol and dark fruit. One of the most classic (for lack of a better word) wines in the Left Bank in 2018, Grand-Puy-Lacoste is super-impressive right out of the gate. Grand-Puy-Lacoste is ultimately a wine of tremendous class that remains restrained and aristocratic in breeding. Don't miss it.

Andrew Caillard, MW                                   95
Deep colour. Lovely blackcurrant white pepper aromas with herb notes. Well concentrated black currant aniseed flavours, fine-grained but plentiful tannins. Lovely inky graphite plum.

EP Order minimum 3 bottles

Pauillac
The Mouton team delivered an outstanding effort that uses a complete blend of five varieties; mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot but also Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and the relatively little used Carmene?re. Always presents well.  -Tom Portet
 
James Suckling 95-96
Very generous and dense with layers of gorgeous blackberries and blueberries. Full-bodied and so layered with fantastic tannin backbone at the same time.

Andrew Caillarc, MW 94
Deep colour. Fresh aromatic wine with red plum red currant cassis aromas with toasty oak notes. Supple wine with red currant black currant fruits, plentiful grainy tannins and underlying espresso notes. Finishes firm and tight.

8 bottles available at time of offer

98-99 points JAMES SUCKLING
 Wow. This really sends a tingle down my spine. Love the energy and length to this. Very distinguished. Full-bodied yet tight, polished and compressed. It has a great finish. Exciting. Really.

93-96 points ANTONIO GALLONI
The 2018 TrotteVieille is a super-intriguing wine. Aromatically deep and layered, the 2018 offers tremendous depth and textural finesse. Mocha, grilled herbs, black cherry, new leather and spice all wrap around the palate in a dense, racy Saint-Émilion. The blend is 54% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.

91-93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Trotte Vieille leaps from the glass with vivacious scents of baked red plums, black raspberries and prunes with underlying scents of dried herbs, fallen leaves, dusty soil and tobacco. Full-bodied with a firm line of chewy tannins, it delivers a lot of stewed fruits on the mid-palate with a slightly warm finish.

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

1er Grand Cru Classé B

Purchase En Primeur. Arrival due September 2022.

The 2019 Troplong Mondot is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Vertical and explosive in feel, the 2019 dazzles with its magnificent balance. Inky red/purplish fruit, cinnamon, chocolate, dried flowers and lavender open with a bit of time, but Troplong is not a wine for the here and now, but rather a wine for readers who can be patient. The 2019 is all class and refinement. Those qualities become increasingly apparent over time, once some of the initial power and density subsides with air. This is the first time the Grand Vin was blended before the malolactic fermentation. Antonio Galloni 97

One of Robert Parker's shining lights, with vineyards sitting south in the valley between Pavie and Ausone. It is always generous and full of mocha and dark black fruits and extremely well structured with tightly woven tannins. -Tom Portet

Antonio Galloni            95-98
The 2018 Canon La Gaffelière is extraordinary. Fresh, vibrant and bursting at the seams with energy, the 2018 takes full advantage of all the work Stephan von Neipperg and his team have implemented at their properties. Expressive floral and savory notes add myriad shades of nuance to a dark, sumptuous Saint-Émilion that melds together aromatic intensity and fruit richness. Even with all of its intensity, the 2018 retains an element of translucence that is beguiling.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown            94-96
Full-bodied, concentrated and wonderfully decadent, it has a firm yet plush texture and just enough freshness in the background, finishing long with a menthol lift.

James Suckling                             94-95
A lovely, fruity and juicy red with mineral and dried-tea character. Full and tightly structured with a long and flavorful finish. Tight at the moment, but shows momentum and depth.

Six bottles avalible at time of offer.

Antonio Galloni 96+
The 2018 Ducru-Beaucaillou is surprisingly reticent at this stage, almost shockingly so. I imagine that won't be an issue in time. If anything, I am quite struck by the wine's energy and drive. Dark-fleshed fruit, spice, mint, lavender and new oak build in the glass. From barrel, the Ducru was opulent and sensual, but it appears to be going through a closed phase at the moment. Decanting helps, but I would not be in any rush to drink this. The 2018 is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak.

Andrew Caillard, MV                               95
Deep crimson. Blackcurrant praline aromas with herb chinotto notes. Blackcurrant praline espresso, fine plentiful fine grainy tannins and integrated savoury oak. Really good.

James Suckling 93-94
This is concentrated with a solid core of fruit, yet it's energetic and driven with plenty of pretty and forceful tannins. Dusty texture. Persistent finish.

More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!

12 Bottles available at time of offer

With a great terroir so close to Lafluer, and history that sold 12.5 acres to to Petrus in 1969, it is highly respected, especially in France. Great for consumers looking for a plump, tasty, iconic Pomerol. - Tom Portet

NEAL MARTIN 94
The 2018 Gazin has a lively, generous bouquet of vivacious wild strawberry, boysenberry and hints of tobacco. The aromatics are well delineated and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, offering seductive black fruit mixed with black pepper, truffle and clove. There is so much finesse toward the finish that it is approachable now, yet it certainly has the substance to suggest long-term aging. Not to be underestimated, this is another wonderful Gazin.

Andrew Caillard MW 96
Deep crimson. Attractive plum inky cassis herb garden flavours, supple and well concentrated with fine graphite tannins and vanilla spice oak notes. Finishes chocolaty firm and minerally. Effortless in its class and elegance.

James Suckling 94-95
This is very tight and polished with a compact and beautiful palate of blackberries, currants and black olives. Full-bodied yet structurally solid with a very long finish.

10 bottles available at time of offer

The best of Pessac-Léognan from the tiny gem that is also hard to get. CHB is stand-alone property to nearby Haut-Brion, and it possesses just as much complexity as the 1st Growth in top vintages - like this one. The clay and limestone subsoils are well-suited to Cabernet Franc (37%) which delivers freshness, and balances a warmer style than its illustrious neighbour. -Tom Portet
 
James Suckling 97-98
This is really exotic with peaches, oranges and blackberries. Full body, lovely purity of fruit and soft and integrated tannins that are barely detectable. Extremely long and persistent. Savory. White pepper and bark with black-tea and charcoal undertones. Superb complexity. 53 per cent whole-cluster fermentation.

Antonio Galloni 95-98
 Guillaume Pouthier crafted what is arguably the wine of the vintage in Pessac-Léognan in 2018. The 2018 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is one of the wines in this vintage that comes very close to its 2016 sibling. A wine of dazzling intensity and stature, Les Carmes Haut-Brion is simply magnificent. Rose petal, wild black cherry, sage, menthol, licorice and dried herbs add myriad shades of complexity to this explosive, dense wine. As always, Les Carmes is done with a fair amount of whole clusters, 40% in this case, but in 2018, the maturity is such that the stems are very well integrated into the wine's fabric. The blend is 37% Cabernet Franc, 34% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Lisa Perotti Brown 94-96
Deep garnet-purple colored, it is slightly broody and reduced to begin, slowly growing to reveal notions of charcoal, smoked meats, truffles and tilled soil over a core of black raspberries, warm black cherries, blackberry coulis and redcurrant jelly plus wafts of Provence herbs and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is taut and muscular, tense with latent energy, offering a rock-solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness to support the bright, vibrant fruit, finishing long and mineral laced.

SOLD OUT

Calon Segur take a bow. A wet spring and heated summer were always going to suit soils with higher clay content and few exploited that more than Laurent Dufau's chateau of the heart. The terroir of Saint-Este?phe has the highest  proposition of clay in Médoc's sol du grave, slowly distributing moisture under hydric stress. This delivers a lovely freshness, evenness, and an outstanding display of purity, elegance and class. This is a new record release price for the Chateaux. -Tom Portet

ANDREW CAILLARD MW 96
Medium deep colour. Intense dark plum, blackberry fruits with fresh vanilla dukkah oak notes. Chalky textures wine with volume and density. Generous and inky deep with deep-set dark black currant, lovely nutty dukkah oak notes and fine chalky tannins. Fresh minerally finish with aniseed notes. Very successful.

ROBERT PARKER  96-98
Full-bodied and completely packed with concentrated black fruit and spice layers, it has a firm frame of grainy tannins and a wicked backbone of freshness giving an energetic lift to the very long finish. There's lots of brightness coming from the Cabernet Franc component in here, but it is nonetheless a decadent expression.

JAMES SUCKLING 97-98
The quality of the tannins is most notable here; they are present, but totally integrated and folded into the wine. Medium-to full-bodied with lovely savory fruit and a persistent and long finish. Very harmonious and fine. Yet, with air, it takes off with tannin power.

SOLD OUT

Perhaps the greatest Rauzan Segla ever, which much like Palmer, is down +40% in volume and so up in price. Scarcity will drive its long-term value, enhanced as this great property is in overdrive at the moment - note that in 1855 it was considered Bordeaux's best wine after the quartet of premier crus.  -Tom Portet

James Suckling                           99-100
This is one of the most structured and deep Rauzans I have tasted with a full body, layers of fruit and a firm and polished tannin backbone. Compact and composed. Such depth and power. 60 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 40 per cent merlot.

Antonio Galloni             97-100
An epic, brilliant Rauzan that will likely take its place as one of the truly legendary wines ever made here. The 2018 Rauzan-Ségla is fabulous. Regal and soaring in the glass, Rauzan-Ségla is simply unforgettable. Stunning aromatics and layers of flavor develop in the glass in a drop-dead gorgeous Rauzan that will leave readers weak at the knees. Inky and explosive, the 2018 possesses off the charts intensity and richness. Leather, licorice, spice and grilled herbs add nuance as the 2018 builds to a huge crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures on the finish. I won't be surprised if one day the 2018 is considered among the greatest Rauzan-Séglas of all time. It is a tremendous achievement by the property and the team lead by Technical Director Nicolas Audebert. Don't miss it! Tasted four times.

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Pessac Léognan

Cru Classé

Purchase En Primeur. Arrival due September 2022.

The 2019 Haut-Bailly was picked 23 September to 10 October. After 10-15 minutes in the glass the wine gradually unfurls to reveal beautiful red berry fruit, crushed stone, wilted rose petals and faint hints of blueberry. The palate is quite brilliantly balanced, the tannins extremely fine and framing the slightly earthy black fruit laced with salt. Though Véronique Sanders suggests that it bears a semblance to the 2009 with more depth, I cannot see that verisimilitude. To me, it is a less flamboyant and more terroir expressive Haut-Bailly that has an effortless allure and a sense of sophistication. Wonderful. Neal Martin 96-98