Bordeaux

The 2005 Pontet-Canet is a heady, exotic wine. Inky dark fruit, mocha, chocolate, liquorice, spice and tobacco are front and centre. Readers will find an unabashedly opulent, full-throttle 2005 with quite a bit more oak influence and overall extraction than is the norm these days. Even so, the 2005 is a young, young wine with a bright future. This is one sexy Pauillac, that's for sure.

Drink 2025 - 2045

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (April 2021)

Our Good Ordinary Claret is an early-drinking style of red Bordeaux – one that is versatile and reliably delicious. The 2020 vintage is predominantly Merlot, supported by Cabernet Sauvignon and a dash of Cabernet Franc. On the nose, ripe hedgerow fruits mingle alongside warming aromas of cedar and allspice. 

The palate is plump and moreish, laden with black cherries, blackberries and myrtle berries. Meanwhile, a backbone of smooth, velvety tannins brings structure and complexity. This is a great wine to please a crowd, perfect with a Sunday roast or a winter vegetable stew.

Ready to drink now

Georgina Haacke, Bordeaux Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2000 Cheval Blanc is a wine that I have encountered more than a dozen times. Now at just over 20 years of age (how time flies - I remember tasting this from barrel), it has a lovely, quite beguiling bouquet of brambly red berries, iron rust, Provençal herbs and clove, powerful and somehow enveloping. The peppery palate is medium-bodied with quite firm, stocky tannins and good backbone, though coming after a vertical of recent vintages, it feels more rustic and feral.

As Pierre-Olivier Clouet noted, there are fewer "pixels" in this millennial Cheval Blanc, but you can’t help falling for its charms. Ready to drink now but will age for the next 20–30 years.

Drink 2021 - 2040

Neal Martin, Vinous.com (September 2021)

The second wine of Château Brane Cantenac (2éme Cru Classé), the 2014 Baron de Brane consists of 60% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon with small additions of Cabernet Franc and Carmenère that add depth and flavour dimension to the final wine. Black cherry, cassis and coffee all jump out of the glass, combining with a punchy palate full of dark ripe fruits. There is a touch of tobacco that provides a warming spice to the finish, while silky, ripe tannins create a rich and glossy mouthfeel. This is a very good example of the quality you can find from a property’s second wine.

Drink 2023 - 2026

Breathtakingly complex and vibrant nose of lightly burnt creme brulee, white peaches, apricots, mustard seed and gorgeous light new oak heralds the way to the most magnificent mouth-filling essence. With the texture of melted butter and a perfect balance of precision acidity, it feels as fresh, zingy and exciting as any wine you can imagine with a concentration you can't imagine. Total nectar. If the nose and the palate aren't enough to blow you away the 30-minute (at least) aftertaste is ethereal.

Sémillon was added to the blend of the Cheval Blanc white from 2018, and it was immediately apparent that it added an extra layer of interest. This is a vintage that I've tried several times over the past few years, and it keeps getting better, showing white peaches riven with waxy lemon rind, sage and saffran that bring it in line with the complexity and finesse of the rest of the (red) Cheval stable. Aged for 18 months in large-sized new oak barrels.

Drink 2023 - 2032

Fully mature (yet I'd say in the early stages of its drink window), the 2000 Château Gruaud Larose offers a ripe, powerful, medium to full-bodied style as well as lots of currant and darker fruits followed by cedarwood, tobacco, iron, and assorted meaty, spicy nuances. It's a rich, almost chunky effort with a great mid-palate, still present yet ripe tannins, and an excellent finish. It lacks some of the purity and precision of today's wines yet is a satisfying, rich, impressively textured Saint-Julien to drink over the coming 15-20 years.

Drink 2021 - 2041

2000 saw a warm, dry July and August with a small amount of rain from mid-September onward. Composed of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2000 Latour has a deep garnet color and is showing a good amount of evolution, sporting mature notes of fried exotic spices, hoisin, unsmoked cigars and fruitcake with hints of incense, potpourri, cast iron pan and charcuterie.

Medium-bodied, soft, plush and savory in the mouth, it has a long, mineral-tinged finish. 14,000 cases were made this year, representing 48% of production.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (February 2019)

A Second Growth in 1855, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou regularly gives the First Growths a run for their money  Eespecially since the arrival of third-generation owner Bruno Borie in 2003. Bruno never saw such an “easy vintage Eas 2005, apparently: he considered every bunch “perfect E Some 18 years on, this is only starting to come into its own, with the promise of spectacular things to come.

There are pronounced, complex aromatics of fresh black fruits, leather, liquorice, dried leaves and cigars, though this is only a hint of what further ageing will bring. This is a dense, mouth-filling Claret with a lot of structure, a real concentration of fruit and lively, refreshing acidity. Approach it now if you are that way inclined, though it will evolve wonderfully for decades yet.

Bruno is famed for his cooking, and this standout wine deserves a special dish: a côte de boeuf or grilled portobello mushrooms would work very well.

The 1996 Ausone is a vintage that I have tasted on four or five occasions. This was similar to previous examples with a very floral and outgoing bouquet, those wilted violet petals infusing the boysenberry and blueberry fruit, quite glossy in style, one of the most modern of that decade. It certainly has more intensity than earlier vintages. 

The palate is medium-bodied with sweet and ripe tannin, impressive acidity and weight, although it does not revel in the complexity of other vintages, perhaps because the growing season did not favour the Right Bank. There is a touch of headiness on the finish that is a little otiose, but otherwise, this is a thoroughly enjoyable Ausone—tasted at the Ausone vertical in London.

Drink 2018 - 2038

Neal Martin, Vinous.com (March 2018)

With a massive concentration of bramble fruit and a high level of firm, ripe tannins adding structure, Cheval Blanc was one of the most masculine wines we tasted on the Right Bank during the 2009 en primeur tastings. Dense and earthy with a dark olive, almost sweet ‘n’ sour twist, this was a big, complex wine with many layers of flavour rippling across the palate towards the toasty finish. Very impressive indeed, this was one of the best Merlot-dominant (60%) wines we tasted in 2009.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Francois Xavier Borie is now producing some of Bordeaux's greatest wines, expressing the personality of the terroir possibly more than any other proprietor. A fabulous wine balancing concentration, ripeness of fruit and complex structure all in one. One of the finest wines of the vintage.

Made from 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, the silky, incredibly concentrated and elegant brambly fruit is wonderfully fragrant with lovely minerality and hints of cedar. The super-ripe tannins are accompanied by layer upon layer of fruit alongside a freshness and firm acidity. This slumbering giant will eventually awaken and become one of the most prized of the 2005 treasures. Even so it is utterly compelling now, with each taste like a PhD of Claret, such is its complexity. It may not have the immediate appeal of the legendary 2000 but we were all agreed that it is unquestionably a better wine. One of the wines of the vintage.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Extremely Cabernet dominant, with savoury black fruit and a ton of Pauillac character. A fairly reserved, finely-boned Lafite, with menthol and tobacco leaf. Subdued right now but in it for the long haul. The vintage with the Chinese symbol for eight engraved on the bottle, to commemorate the planting of the Long Dai vineyard in China - a fact that made the price of this bottle shoot up when it was released. Harvest October 1 to 14. 40% of overall production.

Drink 2021 - 2038

Jane Anson, Decanter.com (February 2021)

Swathes of Cabernet fruit here. This wine has wonderful concentration, impressive layers of new oak, opulent fruit and a marvellously long finish. This is a wine that can be enjoyed in its youth, middle age and in 10 years time. Outstanding!

The sensuous, generous dollop of 40 % Merlot that went into this I think is what makes this so exquisite and beguiling. Warm, sweet red fruit with a hint of vanilla leading you to a palate which is plump and fleshy but elegant and sophisticated. It really reminds of a top Grand Cru Burgundy from a great year with its purity and grace. Please don't be put off if you read words like "elegant" to mean thin and lacking flavour as it can often mean in wine terms. Quite the contrary here, this is jam packed full of oomph and the finish is 3 to 4 minutes long. If its a small Christmas Day or New Years Eve gathering this year for you ( or you are an incredibly generous host/hostess and having the hordes in!) and you want something that will tick all the boxes ( and some boxes you hadn't even known you had) you wont be disappointed and you will certainly have a very happy Christmas.

Simon Staples, Berrys' Fine Wine Director (November 2009)

The annual release of 10 year old Château Palmer, and this time it's an often-underrated but delicious vintage that sits in the shadow of the most prestigious years of the last decade. Proof of how slowly this wine ages, it is packed with blueberry and cassis fruits, a shot of mint leaf, mandarin peel, sage and dark chocolate, with shoulders and a serious architecture, bigger than you might expect for a vintage with such an easy-drinking, gourmet reputation.

I last tasted this vintage around eight months ago and it has opened up further since then, often the case as wines shift around the decade mark, and this is an upscore. A moment when Palmer was fully committing to farming biodynamically, doubling its coverage to almost 15 hectares, and had just unveiled a new cellar. Harvest October 1 to 15, Sabrina Pernet technical director, Thomas Duroux director. 68% new oak. No rush to drink, and has many decades ahead, but you can begin thinking about it.

Drink 2023 - 2042

Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com (July 2022)

Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot.

The yield was 40 hectolitres per hectare this year: that doesn't represent a great yield, but it is much better than recent years, in particular 2013. I always buy this wine for my own cellar and will be doing so again. Soft and really approachable, this is a gentle wine. Shy, but pretty on the nose, it is decadent and could be enjoyed very early; but that's not to say it won't age well, all the component parts are singing in harmony: ripe, fleshy fruit, freshness, attractive acidity and silky, fine tannins. The finish is soft too. This is so silky and enjoyable, even when tasting a barrel sample.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Crisp, classic Cabernet aromas of blackcurrant and tobacco lifted with hints of dark cherry and rosemary. A pleasing, measured mid-weight appeal and a freshness that really brings this wine to life. On the palate the primary dark berry and cassis notes are joined by notions of forest floor occasional hints of black pepper then a savoury yet sapid blackcurrant finish. Despite this wines immediate appeal there is also some gentle tannic grip that will ensure it drinks well for a number of years to come. Very easy to drink and neatly presented in a classic Pauillac mould.
Peter Newton - Private Account Manager

Belonging to the Mouton stable, and with a prestigious location right next to both Mouton and Lafite, Ch. Clerc Milon is a fresher, lighter style of 2008 which has a delicious hint of creamy raspberry fruit to the more classic blackcurrant backbone. Fine with exceptionally fine tannins this has a lovely rounded finish with more than a hint of the savoury minerality of the vintage.

A wine of the vintage candidate in 2008, Troplong Mondots offering was produced from yields of 41 hectoliters per hectare and achieved 14.5% natural alcohol. A classic blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, it offers copious quantities of blue and black fruits, a full-bodied opulence, sweet tannin and a fabulous texture as well as finish. Already drinking beautifully, it will be even better in 2-5 years and should last for 20 years. A great effort for the vintage, it couldnt happen to a more deserving proprietor, Christine Valette. Bravo!
Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 02/05/2011

One of several highlights of 2008, Ch. Léoville-Las Cases is an example of how brilliant St Julien can be in a good year. Interestingly it was also virtually the only estate in the Left Bank where Cabernet Franc really seemed to work in 2008 and the successful addition of a heady 12% in this blend adds a voluptuous perfume to the 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Intensely concentrated with dense blackcurrant cassis, vanilla, a creamy texture and tannins which are linear but softened by a massive coating of black fruit, this is most definitely a must-buy wine this vintage.

Domaine de Chevalier always seems to know how to please. The 2008 has a fantastic, opulent nose of liquid blackcurrants and a concentrated, intense palate of dark cassis fruit but with that lovely freshness indicative of the vintage. This is a wine with plenty of flesh on its bones, but one which combines power with grace and balance. Ripe, grainy tannins and a savoury, mineral finish complete this very rewarding wine.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

"This stunning wine is one of the vintage's great successes. Administrator Thomas Duroux has fashioned a modern day version of Palmer's brilliant 1966. Displaying a rare combination of power and elegance, this dense purple-colored offering exhibits notes of blackberries, truffles, flowers, incense, and camphor. Long, classic, and medium to full-bodied with stunning texture and richness, this superb effort is a candidate for the finest Margaux of the vintage."
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate - 30-Jun-2007

This property seem to be able to deliver exceptional wines whatever the weather due to arguably one of the best terroir in Bordeaux and a dedicated wine making team who is adverse to trends and do not manufacture their wines. This year is no exception, the nose is intense and layered with cassis and blackberries. Once on the palate the power and drive is instant, covering all parts with meaty, powerful black fruits. The length is firm and focused but the tannins are very ripe. This vintage will open up quite quickly but with such power and balance this is also built for the long term.

Max Lalondrelle, Fine Wine Buying Director, Berry Bros. & Rudd

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc.

This Fourth Growth St Julien estate has been performing consistently well for the past several vintages and 2014 is no exception. The nose is pretty, attractively perfumed, fresh and expressive. The palate is dominated by rich, fleshy fruit. There is a purity here, great precision and ripe tannins which grip, and offer an intense focus. High acidity, complexity and a persistence on the finish suggest this wine has excellent potential for aging. Elegant and fine, it is a wine that the château can be proud of. Bravo indeed.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc.

Patrick Maroteau's excellent 2015 from this Fourth Growth estate shows real purity, with great precision and ripe tannins that grip and offer an intense focus—the rich, fresh, spicy nose of damsons and blackberry fruit oozes class. There is precision here, a polish—quite simply harmonious. The wine tastes glorious, just as great wine should taste: crunchy, pure and fresh fruit, high acidity, silky ripe tannins and nice balance. This is a triumphant wine, with a typical and classic blend for this great estate and phenomenal length. It's really elegant and one of our favourites—a must-buy this year.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Deep crimson. Something of the farmyard on the nose. Not recommended for technophiles. But a solid, mature Bordeaux for traditionalists that is now tasting drier than du Tertre usually does in its youth. There’s a hint of leather and saltiness too. I suspect those tannins will outlast the fruit.

Drink now to 2026

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (May 2022)

The 2000 Grand Puy Lacoste is even better than such recent vintages as 2005 and 2009. A broad, classic, large-scaled effort, it boasts a deep blue/purple color as well as tell-tale notes of creme de cassis, subtle smoke, flowers, and unsmoked tobacco. Powerful, full-bodied flavors have shed a lot of tannin, but they remain relatively youthful. This is a young adolescent, broadly flavored Pauillac with an enticing texture as well as abundant richness and fruit. It can be enjoyed now, and last for two decades.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate - June 2010

We usually struggle with tasting Montrose this early on in its life. It’s not only because it is the most Northerly “Super Second” and really tends to need that shot of Indian Summer to finish it off, but you also try a couple of their other wines first, which are ok but very firm, structured, tannic and ungenerous affairs and when you come to taste La Dame and the Grand Vin your mouth is coated with high levels of tannin and acidity.

However, this year, the Grand Vin brushes away everything in its path with its rich, multidimensional, complex, and, honestly, glorious weight, power and fruit. The team was a little split on this, but this Montrose, for me is more subtle and refined and consequently far more rewarding than the dynamic duo of 2009/2010. It may also surprise us with a reasonably affordable price. Fabulous.

Simon Staples, Asia Wine Director, Berry Bros. & Rudd

One vintage missing from my extensive vertical earlier this year was the 2001 Léoville Las Cases, and when curiosity got the better of me, I opened a bottle from my cellar. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and classy new oak, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered core of vibrant fruit, ripe structuring tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Youthful and aloof, it’s a classic Las Cases that is just at the beginning of a long drinking window. It would be fascinating to compare the 2001 directly with the much-lauded 2000, as the two are very close in quality to my palate.

Drink 2025 - 2065

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (December 2023)

Magical aromas of blackberry and blueberry compote with just a hint of mouth-watering vanilla make you want to dive in and embrace this beautiful wine. Packed full of concentrated black cherry and dark fruits of the forest it has a fabulous core that is very hard to top. Beautifully refined tannins coat this liquid centre. Exceptionally long finish that just leaves you gasping for more. Not as serious and St Estèphesque as 2010 but with more charm and opulence this could be their best wine since the brilliant 2005. Delicious.
Simon Staples, Sales Director - Asia

There will be many ‘yin and yang’ statements made this year, with commentators and châteaux owners alike comparing last year with this, and nowhere is this more present and true than at Ch. Beychevelle. 2009 is soft, warm and seductive and 2010 is firm, serious, yet totally beguiling. The 2009 will drink a lot younger than the 2010 but I have a serious hunch that the 2010 will ultimately give you more. Bravo Philippe, an awe-inspiring brace from Beychevelle.
(54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc. 14.3%abv)
Simon Staples, Fine Wine Director

70% new oak. Hold + 3 years or carafe 3 hours.

Inky plum in colour, you can see this is rich and textured even before going anywhere near the nose, which then displays ripe fruit. Gorgeous quality, a wine that is packed full of graphite, pencil lead, waves of violet, cassis, liqourice, and chewy but well defined tannins. Leaps out of the glass and is clear proof that, when it gets it right, the 2014 vintage equals the 2015 in this northern sector of the Médoc. Good value also compared to the 2015 and 2016 - a must buy for me.

Drink 2024 - 2044

Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com (November 2022)

Absolutely fantastic! Rich, opulent and creamy-textured with the spectacular Léoville-Las Cases signature deftly etched across it from nose to finish, packed full of perfect dominating red fruit and a stunning finish.  Usually Las Cases blows this out of the water, but not so in 2010 – it’s the best any of us can recall: a must-have.
(75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc)

Simon Staples, Fine Wine Director

Our Good Ordinary Claret is an early-drinking style of red Bordeaux. The 2021 vintage combines Merlot (52%) with Cabernet Sauvignon (44%) and a dash of Cabernet Franc (4%). This was a “classic” year for red Bordeaux: lighter-style wines defined by purity, lower alcohol and crisp acidity.

The nose here is bright, brimming with red and morello cherries, with a subtle lift of raspberry leaf and a hint of sweet spice. The palate is juicy and smooth, layered with crunchy red and black fruit. This is versatile and, as always, reliably delicious.

Georgina Haacke, Bordeaux Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Cabernet Sauvignon is 70% of the blend, with 22% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, all of which will be aged in 60% new barrels.

Ch. Langoa Barton impresses in 2012. The character of its Cabernet Sauvignon is vivid and expressive, created from low yields by nature’s vicissitudes during the growing season and supported by a rigorously enforced selection process, which removed any fruit deemed even possibly unripe. The wine presents with a remarkably juicy initial expression of cassis and the palate remains fruit-driven. Any thoughts that Langoa might tend towards rusticity in this vintage should be dismissed although the wine should be considered for earlier drinking after five or so years.

Mark Pardoe MW, Wine Director, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Château Brane-Cantenac is among the most reliable names on Bordeaux’s Left Bank, ranked a Second Growth in 1855.

The 2014 has immediate appeal on the nose, with black fruits, peppery spice, violets and cigar box aromas. It’s a delicious Claret to drink now, with inviting flavours of blackberry, plum and earthy complexity from bottle age. It also has the structure to age further, with fine tannins and refreshing acidity. The spicy note works very well with Ixta Belfrage’s porcini mushroom ragu, though you couldn’t go wrong with a simply prepared duck breast.

Charlie Geoghegan DipWSET, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Because of its high proportion of Cabernets, Figeac is always the most restrained (and sometimes misunderstood) of the best St. Emilions, with a lacy quality in lighter years but a beguiling presentation in the best. In 2005, the wine had majestic harmony, and although the tannins were exceptional, they were also perfectly ripened.  The finish is lifted by a creamy, fresh acidity whilst the multitude of scents and flavours of black fruit, leather, dried spice and liquorice swirl and ascend on the palate. This is an impeccable Figeac, almost accessible now but glorious in 10 years (and for many more after that).

Mark Pardoe MW, Wine Director, Berry Bros. & Rudd

61% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc.

Not young vine stuff – that goes into another wine. Half in screwcap since 2004. Nervy. It really quite chewy on the end. Light and lively and fresh and vivacious. Quite delicate. Warm, rich, very juicy, fruit juice. Sold a little En Primeur but not via the Bordeaux Place, through their négociant instead.
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com

The 2009 Les Tourelles de Longueville has a lovely, pure bouquet with joyful red cherry and crushed strawberry aromas. The oak is beautifully integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and a fine line of acidity. It is fleshy and nicely framed with raspberry and blackberry laced with tobacco and a generous sprinkling of cracked black pepper on the finish. Excellent.

Drink 2022 - 2038
Neal Martin, Vinous.com

The second wine of Pichon Baron, the Les Tourelles de Longueville, is the best second effort I have tasted from this estate. An equal part blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine is very seductive, with loads of black fruits, an almost caramelized note, low acidity and voluptuous texture. Endearing and pure, this full-bodied second wine is better than many vintages of the grand vin from the 1940s and 1950s. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

Drink 2012 - 2027
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

Composed of 54.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41.7% Merlot and 4.1% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour opens with a deep garnet-purple colour and beautifully expressive notes of crushed blackberries, chocolate-covered cherries and black raspberries with touches of baking spices and potpourri. Medium-bodied, finely crafted, refreshing and with wonderful purity in the mouth, the fruit is supported by velvety tannins and finishes long and spicy.

Drink 2020 - 2034

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (March 2020)

60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc.

There is fleshy, tasty fruit here, and a lovely intensity on the nose. The bouquet is beautifully expressive and laced with sweet, dark fruits. Cassis and dark fruit continue to dominate on the palate, the crunchy tannins a welcome arrival. The wine is very dark, and you can sense an underlying power, even though it doesn't express itself that way, yet. A wine to be cellared for several years, it will reward those with patience. Well balanced, harmonious and, dare I say it, a classic Poyferré.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This estate has been under new ownership since 2010 and the 2012 is a great success story.  The fruit shows luscious redcurrants and the overall style is really soft and attractive. It is the finish, however, where the wine really shows off a wonderful sapidité (a French term meaning an almost salty, mineral savouriness). The château's director, Guillaume Pouthier, puts this down to using ripe stalks in the blend, a difficult method frequently used in Burgundy but very rarely seen in Bordeaux. This 2012 is very much a success.

Ch. Ormes de Pez, St. Estèphe is a well known chateau that the Cazes family (Ch. Lynch Bages etc) has given more attention to in recent years. It shows the concentration and balance of 2005, a great year, as well as a sweetness of fruit which gave it real appeal.
Tom Cave, Cellar Plan Manager - Dec 09

The Jean-Michel Cazes estates have had a great year in 2005, and this one is no different. This is benchmark St Estèphe, with lots of earthy minerality, this has far more generosity than usual. Extremely accessible, the spicy nose with notes of licorice and pepper leads on to a rich balanced palate with lashings of sweet loganberries and cassis with tobacco hints. This is at once classy, concentrated and quaffable, but with great ageing potential too.
Simon Staples, BBR Fine Wine Director

70% new oak. Hold +2 years or carafe for 4 hours.

Density, power, concentration—this is a full-on Pauillac with a ton of cassis and blueberry, liquorice, espresso, and cocoa beans, with an intense muscular tannic frame. With precise architecture, it delivers on the promise that has been building for several years—muscular, ripped, will power for decades.

Drink 2025 - 2050

Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com (September 2024)

Château Beychevelle’s 2009 has a beautiful nose of ripe bramble fruit, dark cassis, and a smooth but highly concentrated palate of red and black fruits. The Merlot content (44%) is surprisingly well-balanced here, considering the turbo-charged nature of some of the Right Bank wines. Beychevelle have blended it perfectly with their 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and a touch of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to make a truly harmonious wine.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Blackish crimson. Very fresh and crisp. Zesty. Very direct. Lots of fine tannins. Seems to have more volume and fruit than the 2005! 

Drink 2018 - 2035

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com 

Very much the epitome of an English gentleman, the charming Anthony Barton must be one of the most reasonable proprietors in Bordeaux. Year after year he leads the quest for prices to come down; if only other châteaux owners would follow suit! The 2008 is loaded with massive, chewy tannins that coat the mouth while the underlying essence of dark, brooding blackcurrant fruit is perfectly complemented by notes of coffee and chocolate. It will take many years for the complexity and depth of this wine to shine through but the long, fulfilling finish is an indication of just how good it will become. This will be a force to be reckoned with when fully mature.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This small Pomerol Château has crafted a wine which exploits the very best hallmarks of the vintage. Modern and forward in style, it offers pure black cherry, blackberry and blueberry characters alongside an attractive bramble spice. Lifted, succulent and intense, this really is silk in a glass. Fine acidity injects real energy across the palate and the tannins are very fine with the balance exceptional.

Martyn Rolph, Head of Buying, Berry Bros. & Rudd

I have loved this wine on many occasions, and I love it here again. This is not a wine that is hiding its age - there are already some tertiary notes developing - and you'll find younger-looking 2005s, but it has a generosity of spirit, a succulence to its fruit, and a hauntingly fresh menthol edge to the finish that is really beautiful. Mouthwatering brilliance. 45% of production.

Drink 2018 - 2030

Jane Anson, Decanter.com (November 2017)

Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Brane-Cantenac features bold scents of redcurrant jelly, kirsch and cassis plus nuances of forest floor, tree bark, fungi and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has bags of bright, energetic fruit with a grainy texture and tons of freshness, finishing long and perfumed.

Blackberry and licorice aromas, with full body, very fine tannins and a long finish. Very silky. So much for jammy wines in 2003. Very fresh and refined. - James Suckling

Ripe and succulent with the lovely perfume of great Margaux, this is concentrated but fresh, supple but structured, and very, very harmonious. Beautifully balanced and with great poise, this wears its 60% new oak like a glove. Henri Lurton mentioned that in 2009, the grape juice before fermentation was so fragrant that the vat room was already full of the smell of blackberries and raspberries. This certainly translates into the wine; it is a very fine achievement.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

A prodigious beast of a wine that's now starting to shed just a touch of its considerable baby fat, the 2003 Château Montrose is based on 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. It shows the vintage's richness with its ripe, opulent core of fruit, yet it freshens up noticeably with time in the glass, offering currants, mulberries, smoked tobacco, minty herbs, and liquorice. Full-bodied, deep, and powerful on the palate, it still has classic Bordeaux focus and structure. It's drinking brilliantly today with a decant and has another 20-30 years of prime drinking.

Drink 2022 - 2052

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (August 2022)

The 2005 is a beautiful Calon Ségur, with sweet mocha, black cherry, leathery fruit, medium to full body, attractive purity, a gorgeous texture, and serious nobility, gravitas and density. Drink it over the next 20-30 years, yet it is surprisingly accessible. Drink 2015 - 2045. - Wine Advocate

Following on from last year’s marvel, Figeac has done it again. It is almost impenetrable, a huge, brooding beast below the surface, with a dark red/black colour and a viscosity that matches. Having said that, this does not take anything away from the wine; it is incredible! Super-fine tannins and a sweet, silky, velvet-like mouthfeel have amazing complexity and vibrancy that takes your breath away. It might even be better than 2009 if that’s possible. Brilliant.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is a stunning wine, epitomising St Julien's breed and elegance but with an extra dash of generosity. A fabulous rich nose leads to a structured palate with a lovely weight of ripe, creamy raspberry and loganberry fruit with liquorice and toast hints. The fruit quality is outstanding, with real energy and freshness, topped off by a long, pure finish. The harvest was very late here so the Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Merlot (30%) were able to really blossom. Given their reasonable pricing policy this is one of the wines of the vintage for value as well as quality.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Tasted blind. Some polish, charm and rigour too. Just what I want of a St-Julien! Very vibrant. Dry finish but I think it will all come right as there is just so much going on there. Wonderfully long. Intense.

Drink 2025 - 2045

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com

The 2014 Château Pontet-Canet has a deep, rich colour that comes from beautifully ripe grapes. The nose is shy at first but opens up to reveal balsam and dark cherry notes that are seriously impressive. The rich cherry fruit shines through on the palate, backed by clean acidity and fine tannins. It has a classy, structured feel, suggesting it will age brilliantly.

There’s a lovely balance here, with waves of wild strawberry and raspberry, plus a hint of savoury aged beef and tapenade for extra depth. The wine is pure and refined, with silky tannins and great acidity, which gives it energy and precision. It’s another superb vintage from Pontet-Canet, showing incredible finesse and proving they keep raising the bar.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

One of Bordeauxs shining lights in terms of both quality and consistency over the last decade, the 2001 is no exception. As with the other wines in Franois-Xavier Bories care the beautiful, pure ripeness of fruit and vanilla oak hints immediately win you over. But Ducru is in another league to its stablemates. Viscous yet deliciously silky, it boasts blackberries and cream, spices, leather and firm ripe tannins on the palate. With a generous 30% Merlot in the blend, this is as well-balanced, elegantly structured and rewarding as ever. Drink 2008-2025.

Very full colour and still very young. Classic St-Julien with very well judged use of oak. Intense, harmonious, and beautifully balanced with a long lingering finish. Needs another 5 years of bottle ageing.

This wine is gorgeous, with a lovely perfumed floral nose of violets and black fruit supported by a pure, creamy and elegantly structured palate. Classy blackberries and cassis shine through with great precision, alongside minerality and firm tannins. The wines of this estate are renowned for their purity, but in 2005 they have taken on that extra richness that they required to make them truly outstanding.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Wow! A profound, precise Pauillac at a price to please even the most price conscious (I hope!). Raspberries and strawberries are dominant on nose and palate, with a very natural weight and comely seductive charm that just makes you want to quaff it. This really is a terrific and something new to boot.
Simon Staples, Asia Wine Director

For me Beauséjour Duffau Lagarosse is one of the absolutely outstanding wines of the vintage on the Right Bank. The big challenge in St Emilion was to retain freshness in the face of the high alcohol and high tannins, and this is a resounding success. Nicolas Thienpont, cousin of Alexander and Jacques of Vieux Château Certan and Le Pin fame, holds the reins here and the family talent is much in evidence.

Sumptuously rich on the bouquet and palate with flavours of dark chocolate, plum and berry fruits, the finish is beautifully fresh with excellent balancing acidity, and has a real sense of minerality and great persistence.
(73% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon)

Awesome. Showstopping. Remarkable. Palmer is all of these things in 2005. A stunning, full bodied expansive beauty of a wine, it is quintessentially Margaux with a Pomerol-like richness. It is silky and gorgeous with unbelievably pure, firm and precise fruit on the palate. With multiple layers of complexity, the finish was so long we could still taste it - without any exaggeration - 15 minutes after leaving the château. The 78-year-old former winemaker said the only vintage to compare to the 2005 was the 1945 and in his view the 2005 surpassed the legends of 1961, 1983 and 1989 at the same stage.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

A lavish wine of extraordinary complexity. Rich, hugely extracted, with masses of fat and glycerin. Plenty of over-ripe tropical fruits, smoky new oak and astonishing length. Will go on developing for half a century or more.

An explosive nose of sweet, ripe, black fruits with layers of vanilla and toasted new oak. Broad, extremely ripe and sensual on the palate, with an intoxicating flavour of blackberries and cream. Drinking from 2005-2018.

Tasted from an ex-château bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London. The 2000 Calon Segur is one of those wines that reminds you how great the millennial vintage could be. Now at fifteen years old, it has a brilliant, vivacious red berry nose infused with ash and cigar box aromas. The detail here is a beguiling and it just "sings" Saint Estèphe. The palate is medium-bodied with dense, firm tannin that provide a rigid backbone, but it is swathed in copious tobacco-drenched black fruit and a superb line of acidity. It finishes with a twist of bitter cherry on the finish that completes what is a deeply impressive Calon-Ségur; it might just outclass the 2005. Tasted March 2015.

Neal Martin - 28/10/2016

Initially I had my reservations about this controversial wine. Question marks have hovered above the vintage across Bordeaux since release, many Chateaux claiming their 2003s are great but atypical. Let me set the record straight, this 2003 Ch. Latour is more than great, and quintessential Latour. The nose is rich and pure Pauillac. In the mouth the ripeness really shines through.

The wine builds and builds, the volume of flavour is outstanding but all kept in check by a beautiful structure. The wine is complete and now beautifully integrated with an endless finish. Of course, this icon will age almost indefinitely but has the balance to give some much pleasure now. If you love Latour, your cellar is not complete without this.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Ch. Giscours is one of the largest Margaux properties and now producing wine worthy of its Troisième Cru Classé status. Giscours was in a dire state when it was acquired by Nicholas Tari in 1952. He invested heavily and the quality of the wine improved beyond recognition. In 1995 he sold the property to Dutch businessman Eric Albada Jelgersma. Giscours produces richly aromatic wines that are surprisingly powerful on the palate, displaying ripe, black fruit with hints of cedar and new oak.

In 2004 Giscours produced a restrained and precise example. Powerful yet sophisticated, densely fruited yet refined, this is one of the most masculine wines of the Margaux appellation. The 2004 vintage is seriously under-rated and it’s in a cool style, with elegant fruit and a structure which allows the terroir to shine through.

Wonderful, this is the best Giscours since 1970. A great waft of fruit on the nose is amply supported by a palate that epitomises the best of 2005 Bordeaux: it is full and rich yet is also very fresh with ripe but firm tannins and a lovely minerality. Making 25% less of the Grand Vin than in 2004, this is reminiscent of the 1990 vintage but is cleaner with better acidity. This is very classic, masculine and serious and makes an ideal counterpart to the more approachable Du Tertre. Once again, the Margaux terroir shines through here, with wonderful concentrated fruit and a structure that marks it out as a real vin de garde.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Léoville Barton’s 2005 has an inky ruby/purple color and shows fairly high tannin levels, but the balance is slightly better that the Langoa Barton, which is very hard. This is probably a 30-year wine and needs at least another 20 years of cellaring, and while the tannins are high, they are balanced more thoroughly and competently. With deep cassis and red currant fruit, the wine is earthy, spicy, medium to full-bodied, and needs at least another decade. Drink it between 2025 and 2050. - The Wine Advocate 92/100

It is great to see Pichon-Lalande back on superb form in 2006 with a wine whose purity and linear cassis fruit is reminiscent of their cracking 1996. General Manager Gildas d'Ollone and his team have produced a cerebral yet beguiling Pichon-Lalande full of sensual, exotic aromatics and pure supple flavours. This is a massive Pichon softened by a silky texture and velvety finish. New owners Louis Roederer must be delighted with their first vintage here, and rightly so.

This rightly popular wine from the owners of First Growth Lafite-Rothschild is as engaging and sumptuous as ever in 2007. The soft, dense, rich texture is classic Rieussec while the level of sweetness is more balanced than in some previous vintages. A rich, precise, apricot tart nose is followed by an incredibly concentrated, succulent, creamy palate with apple, caramel and overripe peach, relatively low acidity and a long, intense finish. This hedonistic Rieussec may be a smidgen behind their 2005 and 2001 in quality but it is nevertheless an immensely impressive effort.

Pichon-Lalande's 2008 is, in our opinion, the chateau's best wine since 2002. With big, soft tannins, good fruit concentration, lots of oaky spice and a juicy, fruity finish, this displays classic Lalande elegance with the rounded, plump, fleshy fruit of the vintage. Not quite as majestic as next-door neighbour Latour's 2008 perhaps, but this is very fine nonetheless.

Tasting at Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou is a surreal experience. To say that the Borie family have an unusual taste in modern art is an understatement but once you get past the flamboyant bright orange-yellow décor and copper filigree sliding doors of the tasting ‘tunnel’, the 2008 wine was by far the finest Ducru we had ever tasted. Bruno Borie attributes the triumph of 2008 to his 45-strong team who had worked together meticulously to create this enormously pure, clean and complex Ducru with sophisticated, supple tannins and gorgeous, fat, juicy fruit. Sensational. Ducru’s tasting note compares this wine to ‘a Roman construction, all in roundness, but imposing’. PR spin perhaps but, in 2008, we are forced to agree. Sensational.

The 2008 Morey St. Denis Clos de la Bussiere is sweet, sensual and totally beguiling, Dark cherries, herbs, violets and white flowers are some of the nuances that emerge from this precise, striking wine. An underpinning of minerality accentuates the energy of the fruit and the wine’s overall persistence. This is a gorgeous 2008. - The Wine Advocate 93/100

With its fantastic texture and crunchy cassis fruit, Claire Villars-Lurton acquitted herself with honours with her 2009 Ch. Haut-Bages Libéral. This is a beautiful wine which wears its new oak seamlessly whilst a cleansing freshness and an intriguing earthy complexity add perfect balance. Punching well above its weight, this is destined to be a great value buy in 2009.

The finest wine ever made by proprietors Daniel and Florence Cathiard, the 2009 Smith-Haut-Lafitte exhibits an opaque blue/purple color in addition to a glorious nose of acacia flowers, licorice, charcoal, blueberries, black raspberries, lead pencil shavings and incense. This massive, extraordinarily rich, unctuously textured wine may be the most concentrated effort produced to date, although the 2000, 2005 and 2010 are nearly as prodigious. A gorgeous expression of Pessac-Leognan with sweet tannin, emerging charm and delicacy, and considerable power, depth, richness and authority, it should age effortlessly for 30-40+ years. Bravo! - The Wine Advocate 100/100

Tasted at the pre-dinner vertical to mark Sylvain Pitiot's retirement from the domaine, the 2009 Clos de Tart Grand Cru has a more intense bouquet than the 2010, although it does not possess the same otherworldly sense of nuance and complexity. Yet it blossoms in the glass, attaining more and more precision, and redcurrant and cranberry scents appear mixed with rose petal and bergamot. The palate is medium-bodied with lovely balance and poise; the tannins are perhaps a little firmer and grippier than the 2010 with a symmetry on the finish that is beguiling. It actually becomes more like the 2010 on the finish so that the two wines end up more similar than you would expect, given the growing season. It is a sublime expression of the vintage. - Neal Martin

A fabulously intense, fruit driven nose, with wave after wave of all the typical Pauillac nuances, leads to notes of pencil and tobacco. It is powerful and rich on the palate with a cool, sensual core of precise blackberry fruit. Xavier Borie’s 2009 was one of the wines of the vintage for us and he’s given us a double whammy here, with possibly an even finer example with his incredible 2010.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenère.

This wine, a close contender to Mouton-Rothschild, is a testament to quality and value. It’s not a mere imitation but a unique expression of masculinity, coolness, and definition. Priced significantly lower than its prestigious counterpart, it rivals, if not surpasses, the brilliance of the 1990. Consider trying it in both bottles and magnums for an irresistible offer!

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is a blend from half a dozen different vineyards within Vosne-Romanée and lovely fruit is evident right across the palate before a very stylish finish. Etienne has tamed the tannins beautifully as he set out to do.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

This has been one of the most exciting cellars in the whole of Burgundy for the last few vintages, a fact which is beginning to be reflected in the pricing. The significant reduction in crop this year, which Etienne Grivot ascribes more to the extreme winter cold than poor flowering, is also a factor. Etienne has been working hard to refine the tannins in his wines, and has surely succeeded in 2010, by producing wines of great energy but with suave, sophisticated finishes. These are brilliant wines that unfortunately, are in short supply.

50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot.

This is a very juicy wine and, in line with many of the most famous estates his year, remains faithful to the style of the Grand Vin. A lightness, a soft fruit profile and a tannic structure balanced by beguiling acidity. It is seriously refreshing on the finish. The fruit has a lushness, good weight, and a sense of poise. The property is clearly happy with the result, as they certainly should be. This is a good second wine from 2014; it is authentic, positive, and enjoyable.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2014 La Gaffeliere appears to have improved since it's showing in barrel (I did hint at this at the time). The nose is perfumed and slightly floral, certainly well defined with neatly integrated oak, dark fruit emerging with aeration in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly edgy, chalky tannin on the entry, shrouded by plenty of dusky black fruit and a potent, graphite-tinged finish. This is one to watch. Drink 2019-2040. - The Wine Advocate

52% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot.

Ch. Palmer's second wine is really aromatic in 2015, a hallmark of this great commune in Bordeaux, but something that always seems to be taken to the next level at this historic estate. One of the top second wines, Alter Ego, is lush and approachable, with red fruit dominant on the nose. The wine almost has its own identity now, which is one of the greatest compliments we can pay it. Beautifully fine tannins surround a mighty, meaty, focused core of fresh, ripe, crunchy fruit and a creamy texture. Very good indeed; the length is quite astonishing. Really enticing and attractive, this is a real triumph indeed.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is a lively deep crimson colour and feels full and sweet. There is a lovely core of fruit, with velvety tannins and large acidity. There is an enticing nose with full, dense, dark fruit. The creamy red fruit finish is ever so delicious.

The succulent palate effortlessly combines the powerful character of St Estèphe with extraordinary finesse. This wine is surely going to be one of the bargains of the vintage.

Blend: 49% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot

Blended of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, the medium garnet-purple colored 2015 Guinaudeau G Acte 7 opens with gorgeous plum preserves, spice cake and oolong tea notes with hints of kirsch, blueberry preserves and Sichuan pepper plus a waft of potpourri. The palate is medium to full-bodied and very firm, with wonderfully fine-grained tannins and impactful freshness and tension, finishing long. This needs time! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot.

What a lovely, rich and fresh wine. Ch. Angludet is always one of the most reliable châteaux. The rich concentration is so generous and rewarding. I love the sweetness at the front of the palate. It has good depth, a bit of intensity and lovely tannins that harmoniously combine with an appealing acidity on the finish. Often described as a traditionalist's wine, this is rather delicious. Cabernet provides the power here, but it is so restrained, floral, aromatic and flavoursome. Margaux performed very well in 2015 and this wine reflects the quality of the vintage. Given that the price is always appropriate to the quality of the wine here, we have no hesitation in recommending it.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is an engaging treat of plums, damson, cherry, blackcurrant and blackberries, all rounded off by lovely creamy notes. The wine shows a bright, deep  ruby colour and a perfumed nose of ripe, red fruit as well as a hint of spice from oak-ageing. The palate is well balanced, with brambly fruit shining through.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The first thing that is immediately obvious when visiting Ch. Pedesclaux is that things have changed! The difference in the glass is remarkable, with a deep blackcurrant nose that is powerful, rich, and harmonious. The palate demonstrates that they have been able to harvest at the perfect time, with blackcurrant fruit having the perfect fresh edge in the form of very fine tannin and juicy, fresh acidity. There is a touch of spice to round things off that hints at the complexity that will undoubtedly develop over the coming 20 years.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is seriously impressive, with a kick of sweet cassis fruit beautifully cloaking the grippy but extremely ripe tannins. It is a fine introduction to the wines of the great Ch. Lynch-Bages estate and really well proportioned. It is so cool, so refreshing, yet wonderfully ripe and opulent.

There is lovely creamy blackcurrant and strawberry fruit, all kept together by a fine persistence. A delicate, harmonious red fruit nose leads onto a silky, feminine palate and a beautifully balanced finish. This is an excellent (and very good-value) glimpse at the wonders of the estate, but is also a very good wine in its own right.

Blend: 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot

Balance, purity and finesse are the hallmarks of this approachable, intense wine – another fine example from the 2015 vintage. Very pure, fresh and clean, it also has a super attractive palate of blackberry and raspberry.

The finish is peppery and full of spice, with some hints of cedar too. I really like this wine. It's a top-class Pauillac, brilliant Claret and so precise. The velvety palate is polished and direct, but there is lots of interest dancing around the mouth. Another fantastic wine from François-Xavier Borie.

Blend: 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc

In recent years this fine estate has performed extremely well and 2015 is no exception. The wine has a great balance of ripe raspberry fruit and soft-grained tannins. It is simply delicious and will be a joy to drink two to three years after the vintage and 10 years thereafter. It shows a silky, seductive nose, with a core of redcurrant fruit. It is certainly one of the more successful wines from St Emilion this year.

This wine demonstrates why Clinet is currently one of the most exciting properties in Bordeaux. There is an alluring perfume on the nose, which is full of ripe blueberry and redcurrant fruit.

The tight kernel of fruit unfurls on the back palate coupled with persistent tannins. The finish is accompanied by an attractive smoky profile, suggesting clever use of oak. With plenty of dense and concentrated fruit, liquorice and blackberries, this is the most enjoyable tasting of this wine en primeur that we can remember.

Blend: 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc

Philippe Blanc was on top form when we visited him to taste his 2015. This estate seems to improve with every year that we visit and the initial sweetness on the palate here is terrific. The round, plump, fleshy feel of 47 percent Merlot is certainly evident and there is plenty of crunchy bright fruit here.

The wine is really fresh, inviting, sumptuous. Balanced and rewarding, the wine has a clear structure, with fine integration of vanilla spice, cassis fruit and silky tannin. A bit broody, the wine will benefit ageing.

Blend: 47% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot

44% Cabernet Franc, 32% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The new cellar, winery and tasting room is now open at Les Carmes and it really is quite an astounding building. The 2015 is a pretty powerful wine, serious, complex and very interesting indeed. The floral bouquet is very pretty, layered with really ripe raspberries which are ever so attractive. My favourite aspect of the wine has to be the earthy, mineral character though, as well as the brilliant tannic structure.

The gravelly soils offer a lovely character and the wine has a sense of place, of terroir. Light in the mouth, the tobacco, sweet black fruits and creamy texture create a wonderful palate, but the savoury characteristics are what I enjoy most about this wine. It is another really promising wine for this up and coming estate.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2015 Canon was a benchmark wine that seemed to revitalize this historic estate. I was crossing my fingers that it would not disappoint in bottle and I am glad to say that it delivers the goods. It has a very intense bouquet (just as it showed out of barrel) with laser-like precision offering wild strawberry, raspberry preserve, wet limestone and hints of truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, clean and fresh with pure black and red fruit whose every atom appears infused with minerals. The mouth is tingling long after the wine has exited and your brain is thinking...when is the next sip coming? It is frankly heads and shoulders above almost every Saint Émilion this vintage, to reaffirm, a benchmark for this historic estate that will give pleasure to many over the coming years. Astonishing. Anticipated maturity: 2021 - 2050. - Neal Martin

The delightful, vibrant Clos La Gaffelière is the perfect chance to experience the winemaking expertise of Château La Gaffelière. Merlot dominates in this St Emilion red, bringing vivid aromas of ripe red berries and tart cherry, while a touch of Cabernet Franc (10%) further lifts its fresh, aromatic profile. A ribbon of minerality runs through a rounded palate full of soft red fruits and juicy blackberry. This is a joy to savour and a perfect wine to drink with a Sunday roast.

Victoria Bull, Junior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Merlot 52%, Cabernet Sauvignon 42%, Cabernet Franc 5%, Petit Verdot 1%.

This has a dark, ruby hue. Even before you have lowered your nose into the glass, this comes at you with a wave of dark, black fruit – think Morello cherry, cassis and liquorice. The palate feels “cool” but is full-bodied, with elegant, silky tannins and a long finish.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This white from the famed Lynch Bages stable often stands out as one of the whites of the vintage. Beautifully crisp and clean on the nose, this is full of white stone fruit with a citrus verbena note. The palate is fresh and vibrant packed full of citrus, with lemon pith, wet stone and a lovely phenolic feeling that gives the palate great depth and yet a vivacity with its precise tannins. Delicious. Keep for three – five years in bottle and enjoy.