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Each variety is harvested separately and manually. Vinification takes place in oak fermenters for the reductive varieties (Mourvedre, Syrah) and in traditional enameled concrete tanks for the Oxidative grapes (all the others). Once the malolactic fermentation is finished, the Famille Perrin blends the different varieties. The blend is then aged in oak Foudres for a year before being bottled.

The 2020 Beaucastel has lots of Mourvèdre character in its bright red and blue fruits as well as spice, pepper, and assorted meaty nuances. With medium to full-bodied richness on the palate, it shows the fresh, elegant, yet still nicely concentrated style of the vintage and is unquestionably another impressive, classic vintage for this cuvée. It should offer some pleasure in its youth as well as evolve for 20+ years in cold cellars

Robert Parker: 97Pts; James Suckling: 97Pts; Jeff Leve: 97Pts; Decanter: 96Pts; Jeb Dunnuck: 96Pts; Falstaff: 95Pts; Jancis Robinson: 18/20Pts

Magnificent shiny red colour with carmine undertones. Powerful and complex, the nose reveals a superb aromatic bouquet with aromas of very ripe red fruit, combined with notes of chocolate, tobacco and undergrowth. Generous and silky, the palate opens with a soft and round attack before revealing its elegant tannic structure, perfectly well balanced and very harmonious. A refined wine with remarkable harmony, a sign of great maturity in this particularly hot and dry vintage.

Points: James Suckling: 97Pts; Decanter: 96Pts; Vinous: 94Pts; Jancis Robinson: 17.5.20Pts

Deep-red colour with purple undertones. Both subtle and of great aromatic richness, the nose reveals a very nice balance between the maturity and freshness of the fruit and superb notes of fresh fruit and spices. Very elegant, ample and silky on the palate, it opens up with a spicy attack with aromas of “garrigue” then reveals, as on the nose, a perfect balance between its beautiful tannic richness and its delicate roundness. The very long finish suggests great potential.

Points: Decanter: 96Pts; Hudin.com: 96Pts; Jeff Leve: 95Pts; Owen Bargreen: 95Pts; Wine Spectator: 94Pts

Each variety is harvested manually and separately, then sorted in the cellar. The harvest is heated to 80C (skins) and then cooled down to 20c. Classic maceration occurs in cement tanks for 12 days. Pressing in pneumatic presses. Blending of the different varietals after malolactic fermentation. Ageing in large Oak Foudres for 6 months. beautiful ruby-red colour with shiny reflections and shows a powerful nose with notes of red fruit, spices and ‘garrigue’. With great finesse, the mouth is full bodied and silky with velvety tannins and fruity, chocolate and thyme aromas. A nice length on the finish.

Certified ‘AB’ (Agriculture Biologique) organic grapes

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.

This wine has great fruit, rich tannins, and attractive acidity.  The nose is very expressive, with ripe red fruit aromas as well as spicy nuances. The middle palate is velvety and full-bodied with rich, smooth tannin. This is a wine of substance, with a great balance between ripe aromatics, finesse, elegance and a long after taste.  

James Suckling: 93Pts; Tim Atkin: 93Pts; Wine Enthusiast: 93Pts; Jeff Leve: 92Pts; Wine Spectator: 91Pts; Jeannie Cho Lee: 91Pts

 
Robert Parker: 91Pts; James Suckling: 91Pts; Wine Spectator: 90Pts

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

The 2010 Lafite Rothschild, a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot, achieved relatively high alcohol of 13.32%, according to administrator Charles Chevalier. The wine is very impressive, not as fleshy, flamboyant and massive as the 2009, but nevertheless, a big, rich, full-throttle Lafite-Rothschild meant to age a half century or more.

Deep purple, with notes of white chocolate, mocha, cedar and charcoal as well as hints of vanillin and creme de cassis, the wine is full-bodied yet has that ethereal lightness that makes it a Lafite. Rich, with good acidity, precision and freshness, this is a slightly zestier version of the 2009 as well as more restrained and structured than that particular vintage. It will need at least 10-12 years of cellaring and keep for 50+ years.

Possibly the wine of the vintage, the 2017 Vieux Chateau Certan is a blend of 81% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from the highest point on the Pomerol plateau. Deep purple, with a heavenly bouquet of creme de cassis, blueberries, scorched earth, crushed violets, tobacco, and earth, this beauty is full-bodied, has incredible depth of fruit, ripe, present tannins, integrated acidity, and a great finish. This estate has been on fire of late, and this is undoubtedly a worthy follow-on to the otherworldly 2015 and 2016. It has the depth of fruit and texture to offer pleasure even today, yet a solid 7-8 years of cellaring are warranted, and it should be long-lived.

2005 was an exceptional vintage, and Chateau Croizet-Bages display its great potential. The wine has a dark ruby color, with aromas of ripe blackcurrant and some notes of spice on the nose. Good volume in the mouth, excellent material, rich, with beautiful tannins.

Rating: Wine Enthusiast: 90 Pts

The 2017 Chateau Pape Clement Blanc showed spectacularly well and is one of the wines (if not the wine) of the vintage. Based on 55% Sauvignon and 45% Semillon aged 14 months in barrel, it offers powerful notes of honeyed melon, tart pineapple, green figs, and floral notes as well as a terrific sense of minerality. Concentrated, medium to full-bodied, with rocking levels of acidity, give it 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 15 years or more.

This comes from 50- to 90-year-old vines and is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot. The 2017 Leoville Las Cases is deep garnet-purple in color, and wow, the nose bursts with beautiful blackcurrant cordial, blackberry pie and blueberry preserve notes followed by hints of lilacs, dark chocolate, cedar chest, sassafras and licorice with emerging wafts of oolong tea, lavender and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is an exercise in elegance and soft-spoken nuances within a mouth-coating palate of almost electric black and blue fruits, framed by very firm, exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing epically long and wonderfully perfumed.

A classic, well-balanced Franciacorta, pleasantly fresh and crisp. Perfect for any occasion. This beautiful sparkling wine shows a unique aromatic profile with spicy notes of spearmint and fresh oregano leaf. Beyond those vertical aromas are heavier tones of stone fruit, honeydew melon and blanched almond.  Ideal aperitif and its elegant texture pairs well with an assortment of seafood, delicate charcuterie, soft cheese and hors d’oeuvres

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!

Modest but sure of its presence, Clinet lies at one of the highest points upon the renowned plateau at the heart of Pomerol – instantly recognisable by its red shutters and beautiful roses. It is home to one of the oldest vineyards in the appellation, with traces of the vineyard’s existence dating back to 1595. This vineyard is equally famed for offering wine with an incomparable character and quality. 

Clinet has been on a hot streak lately and the 2009 appears to be the greatest wine ever made at the estate, surpassing even the late Jean-Michel Arcaute’s monumental 1989. A blend of 85% Merlot and tiny amounts of Cabernet Franc (12%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (3%), this big Pomerol boasts an opaque, moonless night inky/blue/purple color in addition to a gorgeous perfume of blueberry pie, incense, truffles, black raspberries, licorice and wood smoke. Viscous and multi-dimensional with silky, sweet tannin, massive fruit concentration and full-bodied power, there are nearly 4,000 cases of this thick, juicy, perfect Clinet. It should drink well in 3-5 years and keep for 25-30 years.

The 2016 d’Yquem is a magical wine. It also looks like an Yquem that will drink well right out of the gate. Like so many of the better wines in this vintage, it manages to express richness while avoiding excess heaviness. Pineapple, orange marmalade, exotic flowers and spice all blossom in the glass. There is a real sense of phenolic richness and overall viscosity to the 2016 that adds to the wine’s singular personality. The 135 grams of residual sugar are not especially evident. In 2016, the vineyard was harvested in four passes, but it was not until after the October rains that noble rot started to appear on the vine.

Raised to the ranks of Premier Cru Superieur appellation in 1855, Chateau d’Yquem is the product of meticulous work in the vineyard. Since its beginnings, it has benefited from an exceptional terroir, as well as being the result of a unique ancestral know-how since 1593.