Search results

Composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, yields for the grand vin in 2017 were 43 hectoliters per hectare, and it was aged in 60% new oak. It came in at an alcohol of 13% and an IPT of 68. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cos d’Estournel needs a little coaxing to unfurl, revealing beautiful expressions of preserved plums, boysenberries, blackcurrant pastilles and wild blueberries with hints of Indian spices, menthol, lilacs and mossy tree bark plus a compelling suggestion of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and well-knit freshness supporting the tightly wound blue and black fruits layers, finishing long and fragrant. This wine will need a good 5-7 years in bottle before it begins to blossom and should go on for at least another 40 years. I expect this wine to be a blockbuster of a head-turner when I come back and taste it at 10 years of age!

The 2016 Figeac, crafteed with 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, was bottled at the end of July 2018, since Frederic Faye wanted to give the wine more time in barrel to develop more harmony. The stunning 24-carat bouquet rivets you to the spot with brilliant delineation and mineral-rich red fruit that articulates its terroir as well as any Right Bank you will find. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannin, perfect acidity, wonderfully integrated new oak and enormous depth toward the fresh, pencil-box- and cedar-infused finish. This is a classic Figeac, up there with the 1947 and 1949, both recently re-tasted and testifying to a wine that genuinely belongs among the elite Saint-Emilions. Faye believes it is the best Figeac he has ever made.

Château La Croix du Grand Jard – Bordeaux

Discover Elegance Château La Croix du Grand Jard, located in Braud-et-Saint-Louis, Bordeaux, blends 20% Cabernet Sauvignon with 80% Merlot. Crafted on a 23-hectare vineyard established in the 1970s, this 2020 vintage boasts a vibrant ruby robe, fruity aromas, and a balanced sweetness with robust structure. Perfectly paired with grilled and white meats or cheeses. Serve at 16°C-17°C.

Awarded the Gold Medal at Gilbert & Gaillard 2022. 

Château Bonesperance – Bordeaux

Refined Taste Experience Château Bonesperance, a premium 100% Merlot from rich clay-sandy soils in Bordeaux. Traditional vinification with slow fermentation preserves intense red and black berry aromas and flavors. This medium-bodied wine features supple tannins and a fresh finish, ideal for barbecues, tapas, cheeses, and chocolate desserts. Serve between 16°C-18°C for optimal enjoyment.

Château Butte de Charlemagne – Bordeaux

Sophisticated Blend Indulge in Château Butte de Charlemagne, a harmonious Bordeaux blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Vinified in stainless steel with controlled fermentation, this wine showcases an intense deep red color, concentrated fruit aromas, and a fleshy, structured palate. Perfect with charcuterie, meats, and cheeses. Awarding excellence through balanced craftsmanship. Serve at 16°C-18°C.

Chateau la Croix du Casse is a wine of charm and seduction, a product rich in finesse, very representative of its terroir. Lots of underlying iron and earth notes dominate this dense ruby/purple wine, which also has plenty of cassis, black cherry and spice. Full-bodied yet so fine with poised tannins. Polished and beautiful. Stunning.

James Suckling: 95Pts; Decanter: 95Pts; René Gabriel: 17/20Pts

No8 of Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of 2019

The 2016 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is another second wine that tastes more like a grand vin. Made from 51.3% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it too is deeply colored and has a classic Haut Brion bouquet of minerals, crushed rocks, cassis, graphite, and violet. With medium to full-bodied richness, good concentration, building tannins, and impeccable balance, it’s more supple and sexy that it’s big brother yet still has the balance, structure, and depth to keep for two decades. It’s a stunning wine in its own right.

Aged for about a year in oak, the wine has a beautiful red burgundy dress with garnets notes. Fine and supple, this wine reveal on the palate a round and smooth body. Served at 16 degrees, it will be delicious to accompany cooked meats, roasted meat and grilled fish.

Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni beautiful, bright ruby-red colour with tinges of purple. The nose reveals fruity notes of cherry, blackberry, blueberry and mulberry. Equally marvellous are the spiced notes of cinnamon and star anise and light hints of black pepper. More general tertiary and toasted notes then emerge. It is soft and enveloping on the palate. The tannins are resolved. The finish is long and persistent.

Crafted from substainably-grown grapes, certified by Agriqualita

This great wine is made for cellaring. It is slowly following its evolutionary path. It oscillates between periods of closure and openness during which one discovers a vast aromatic palette filled with a mix of black fruits, the scents of woody underbrush, and hints of minerals. The tannins have a strong presence and the acidity provokes a fresh finish in the mouth. Its anticipated maturity is without a doubt in 15 to 25 years.

Wine Enthusiast: 94 Pts; James Suckling: 93 Pts; Robert Parker: 90 Pts

A towering, thrilling wine, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild is unbelievably beautiful today. Aromatics, fruit density and vertical structure all come together. In the glass, the 2016 is remarkably vivid and powerful, and yet a gentler, more feminine side emerges with time in the glass. The intense, mineral, savory profile recalls the 1986, but the 2016 has more grace, inner sweetness and sophistication than that wine. Even so, the 2016 is going to need at least a number of years in bottle before it starts drinking well, although it won’t be the bruiser the 1986 remains to this day. This is breathtaking wine from Mouton, Technical Director Philippe Dhalluin and his team.

The 2010 Haut Bailly has consistently been a fantastic wine, and at seven years of age I have no reason to alter that view. It has a mixture of red and black fruit on the nose, wet stone, black olive and a light marine influence. It is still backward compared to other vintages, but it has not relinquished one iota of its intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. This is a voluminous Haut Bailly, one that is beginning to stretch its muscles, with a gentle grip in the mouth with a wonderful saline finish. There is huge potential locked into this wine, but patience is needed. 

No57 of Wine Spectator Top 100 wines of 2020