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France
SICCPL
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pomerol
Grape variety: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc
Tasting notes: Top-flight modern Lalande de Pomerol which does admittedly show a quite opulently oaky nose, but which also has the volume and depth of fruit to complement it. Round and mouth filling, succulent and long, it is delicious drinking now.
Beautiful deep ruby red with tints at rim showing no signs of ageing as yet. Rich, powerful and many-layered nose of red fruits, dark spice, fresh oak and cocoa. Supple, velvety palate with fine, crisply elegant tannins. Fresh lingering finish with menthol flavours. A charming, easy-to-drink wine which will go down well with any fine food.
CBR
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Cabernet Franc, Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon
Background: Château Bauduc is a wine estate just south of the town of Créon in Bordeaux's Entre-deux-Mers region between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers, although its wines are predominantly produced under the wider Bordeaux appellation title. The estate – owned and managed by expat Britsh husband-and-wife team Gavin and Angela Quinney – produces a range of wines including a Bordeaux whites, Bordeaux reds, rosés and a sparkling Crémant de Bordeaux.
Tasting notes: Refreshing, juicy and really tasty on the palate.
The house rosé at Rick Stein's for a decade!
Gordon Ramsay and Rick Stein’s House Rose – Delicious.
Expert opinion for previous vintages
Château Bauduc Rosé (Bordeaux) 2019
I can’t say I spend any time drinking much (or indeed any) rosé, nevertheless this one won me over. It has a great colour, a peachy sunset-pink, and most importantly a nose of fresh rather than sweet or confected fruit, all crisp strawberry and leafy raspberry, with nuances of peach stone, pear and acacia. It has such delicious vigour on the palate, showing weight but also poise and energy, the substance cut by a fresh acidity and citric energy. It is so delicious and so fresh, with a long, tingling finish too. Bottled under Stelvin screwcap. From a 2021 Update. 92/100
Chris Kissack, thewinedoctor.com. January 2021.
“The Bauduc Rosé is something of a revelation… It is a delightful wine. Aromatically I find delicate red fruits, with notes of peach and tangerine. It shows a lovely structure in the mouth, possessing the feel of a white wine, light and fresh, and imbued with vibrant acidity. This is really good…”
Chris Kissack, thewinedoctor.com
“Very pale pink. Fresh, red fruit aromas - raspberry and redcurrant nuance. Clean and dry on the palate but with an underlying ripeness of fruit. The freshness is what appeals. Delicious.”
James Lawther MW, Contributing Editor for Decanter magazine
“The other day I had Chateau Bauduc’s lovely Bordeaux Rosé, which goes against the region’s general trend of harvesting late by picking grapes (merlot and cabernet) early to keep the style fresh, dry and modest in alcohol (12% abv). You can buy the wine, which stocked at Rick Stein’s restaurants and Gordon Ramsay’s, direct from the chateau.”
Fiona Beckett, The Guardian
CBSB
Region: France, Bordeaux
Background: Château Bauduc is a wine estate just south of the town of Créon in Bordeaux's Entre-deux-Mers region between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers, although its wines are predominantly produced under the wider Bordeaux appellation title. The estate – owned and managed by expat Britsh husband-and-wife team Gavin and Angela Quinney – produces a range of wines including a Bordeaux whites, Bordeaux reds, rosés and a sparkling Crémant de Bordeaux.
Tasting notes: Not only Gordon Ramsay's house wine for the last 20 years - but also Rick Stein's, and more recently, more recently, the prestige house white at the Hotel du Vin. A crisp, dry white wine, made from Sauvignon Blanc.
A very varietal and fruit-dominated style, with yellow capsicum underpinning the notes of peach and tangerine. The palate carries the same characteristics, defined and reinforced by the slightly pungent, gooseberry, capsicum character. Lots of vivacity, but also some substance, a sandy weight to it, and a pithy, bitter-fruit finish.
Expert opinion
Previous Vintages:
Château Bauduc Sauvignon Blanc (Bordeaux) 2019
A blend of 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Semillon, vinified in stainless steel, and listed as the house white in a number of top restaurants. A nice concentration in the glass, and a charming nose, although it takes an hour or so to really open up, moving from a slightly herby and grassy start to plentiful peach and apricot fruits, with a smoky core of crushed chalk. The palate follows the lead of the nose, with plenty of energy, a chalky and textural weight, with stone fruit notes as a nod to the ripeness of the vintage, but with nice acid freshness too. Already bottled, under screwcap, and good to go now. From my Bordeaux 2019 primeurs assessment. 92/100
Chris Kissack, thewinedoctor.com. June 2020.
Château Bauduc Sauvignon Blanc (Bordeaux) 2018
It is easy to forget, in the green and grassy world of commercial Sauvignon Blanc, that the variety is in fact an aromatic one. If you find yourself in need of a reminder of its status look no further than this wine; aromatically this is all lychee, kumquat and mango, a tropical fruit salad dusted with scented white chalk, with none of that grassy edge. It offers the same evocative fruit profile on the palate, with a glycerol-tinged texture, and happily it has a little tingle of acidity too, keeping it fresh, leading into a lime and buttercream finish. Rich in fruit and body, this will be a real crowd-pleaser. Bottled under Stelvin screwcap. From a 2021 Update. 92/100
Chris Kissack, thewinedoctor.com. January 2021.
'The Quinney family's 20th vintage sauvignon is a bosky, gooseberry, lime and lemongrass mouthful.'
Jane MacQuitty's Star Buy in The Times, £11.95, June 2020
Selected for 'best summer wine to buy now': 'This sauvignon blanc is dry and refreshing, with a subtle citrus note.
Will Lyons in The Sunday Times, June 2020
“These bottles were intended for Rick Stein’s restaurant, where Bauduc sauvignon blanc has been a stalwart of the list for many years now. Bordeaux sauvignon blanc is refreshing, nettly, citrusy and greatly under-appreciated by sauvignon drinkers. You’ll find some newer releases on the Bauduc site as well, with free delivery to England and Wales for orders of 12 or more bottles, though please order in multiples of 12.”
Victoria Moore's Easter Wine of the Week in the Telegraph, April 2020
"Bright, breezy sauvignon with ripe peach flavours, good depth and a long, dry finish."
Bordeaux Hot 50, 2020 selection.
"This is a classic Sauvignon Blanc that has been the house wine for the Hotel du Vin, Gordon Ramsay and Rick Stein for many years."
Jane Anson's 'Top 10 Affordable Bordeaux Wines', Decanter 2018
“This scrumptious Sauvignon is packed with refined nettle and lemon grass zing”
Jane MacQuitty’s Best Buys in The Times, £10.95, January 2018.
“A crisp, unoaked white. Unlike the wines of Marlborough, Bordeaux sauvignon blanc has gentlemanly understatement. Think unripe nectarines.”
Victoria Moore's 60 Best Wines for Christmas in The Telegraph in ‘Whites over £10'.
“The question I get pretty much more than any other is how to find reliable value in Bordeaux,” writes Jane Anson, Decanter’s Bordeaux critic. “This is a region with 110,000 hectares, with 6,568 producers declaring a harvest in 2016.
“The sheer bewildering choice is one of the reasons for paying a little bit more for a bottle of wine when looking for assurance over quality, but there are plenty of producers who manage to deliver it at lower price points.
“I taste through thousands of wines each year… and there are certain names that surface again and again – and cost no more than £30 a bottle and often under half that.
“This is a selection of the wines that make it into my fridge or on to the table regularly.
“The classic unoaked Bordeaux white. Always difficult to suggest bottles from people that you know well, but the British Quinney family has lived in the Créon region of Entre deux Mers since 1999, and make a fresh, understated and extremely juicy white wine that matches well with food.
“This is a classic Sauvignon Blanc that has been the house wine for the Hotel du Vin, Gordon Ramsay and Rick Stein for many years.
“A quick walk through the vineyards here also tells you these steep slopes are perfectly exposed for maximizing the ripening sun.”
Jane Anson's 'Top 10 affordable Bordeaux wines' in Decanter.
“Gavin and Angela Quinney have created a very slick and successful operation at Château Bauduc outside Bordeaux - it says something that they supply the house wines for Rick Stein and Gordon Ramsay. The Château Bauduc blanc 2016 is 100% Sauvignon and made in the modern style, with attractive grassiness on the nose and enjoyable texture on the palate - it’s fresh but not thin.”
Harry Eyres, ’What to drink’ in Country Life, May 2017 issue
“Chateau Bauduc Sauvignon Blanc 2016. 12%. www.bauduc.com. £11.
Englishman Gavin Quinney makes this sauvignon blanc at his estate 15 miles from Bordeaux and it's lovely - no wonder it's been the house white at Rick Stein's for years. Bright but gentle, crisp and modern but not pithy, just fresh with a lemon, elderflower and yellow nectarine taste. Class act.”
When we wrote to say thanks, Victoria replied:
“It is the most perfect wine. I feel like a specialist in £10 wines as I taste so many of them, and it hits exactly the beautiful spot. I love love loved it. And say any of that if you want.” Oh, alright then.
Victoria Moore, Telegraph 'Wines of the Week', August 2017.
“The nose pole-vaults out of the glass and embraces you with its citrus generosity. The palate is zesty, taut and refreshing with more depth than you might expect allowing you to shovel down some hastily prepared canapés to reward this delicious drink. Bauduc Blanc is the Holy Grail for those of you who can’t get the pot pourri and fruit salad notes out of your olfactory system left behind by chemistry set, bulk-bottles Sauvignon. It is classy, elegant, nerve-tingling and, dare I say it, what we should all taste to remind us what Sauvignon Blanc should be like!”
Matthew Jukes, The Week and Money Week
“A thoroughly fine dry white Bordeaux… it would make a lovely wine at the table. Excellent value.”
Jancis Robinson MW, Jancisrobinson.com
and one of our favourites:
“Without a shadow of a doubt, the best value white we have had all year is Château Bauduc, a crisp, white Bordeaux that we scoffed merrily both as an aperitif and with food. Apparently, it is the house white in Gordon Ramsay’s three-star restaurants, whoever he is.”
Pat Leahy, The Sunday Business Post (Ireland)
MOIBV
Region: France, Burgundy, Beaujolais Villages
Grape Variety: Gamay
Background: These fruity, fleshy wines reflect the characteristics of the terroirs they came from. The fruit of granitic and sandy soils, Beaujolais-Villages have an intense robe with cherry to garnet tints and aromas of red fruit with blackcurrant and strawberry at the fore, the appellation also stands up very well to its rank of cellaring wine. Beaujolais is part of the greater Burgundy region, although its climate and soil make-up are quite different. It's well known for its light, fresh and fruity reds made from the Gamay grape. Wines produced labelled 'Beaujolais-Villages' come from the better sites in the hilly northern area, and the best of Beaujolais tends to come from one of the ten communal villages, Fleurie, Brouilly and Morgon to name three.
Food Pairing: This wine can be enjoyed with dishes that contain poultry, pork, veal, pasta recipes or even cured meats.
DLBR
Region: France
Grape variety: Pinot Noir, Meunier & Chardonnay
Background: Since 1859, Duval-Leroy family has been perfecting the quality of its non-vintage Brut Reserve, balancing passion with an aesthetic sensibility. It is in this product that one can feel the unique power and character which marks out a top-of-the-range champagne. Consistency, expertise and a creative spirit ensure a success which needs no further demonstration. The Maison Duval-Leroy revels in the art of blending Pinots and Chardonnays. Enriched with around fifteen crus and a generous quantity of reserve wines, Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve confirms its complexity and is recognised for its consistency.
It was the only Champagne recognised by Wine Spectator magazine in its Top 100 classification.
Tasting notes: Listed in over 250 Michelin rated restaurants in Europe.
A big, full-bodied bubbly, featuring graphite, toast, lemon and nut aromas and flavours. Providing a perfect balance between finesse and power, it draws out flavours of dark chocolate, cinnamon and roasted yellow figs, expressing its subtle, and melt-in-the-mouth vinosity.
Awards: Gold Medal at Mundus Vini 2023.
VEGAN
DLCC
Region: France
Tasting notes: Sparkling vibrant acidity focuses this crowd-pleasing Champagne, enlivened by flavours of ripe blackberry, peach tart, toasted brioche, candied lemon zest and graphite. Refined and satiny in texture, this shows fine balance through to the lasting, spiced finish.
VEGAN
DLRPC
Region: France
Tasting notes: The perfect pre-starter, a top of the range pink Champagne blended from the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Presented in a beautiful, seductive bottle, the Brut Rosé shows a salmon colour with aromas of wild cherries, figs and even a hint of ginger and geranium. With a solid maturity and balanced vinosity, this wine represents the best of what Duval-Leroy has to offer to wine lovers and fans of fine rosés.
VEGAN
MOIJ
Region: France, Beaujolais
Grapes Variety: Gamay
Tasting Notes: Aromas of strawberry, violet, cinnamon, red currant, and peony, releasing fleshy. Well-built in flavours that are discreetly spicy and a good length in the mouth. It is worth leaving the bottles to age for 3 years for the nuances of vanilla and spice to fill out.
Food Pairing: This wine pairs well with cured meatsa, pasta and dishes that contain veal, port and poultry.
MOIMV
Grapes Variety: Gamay
Tasting Notes: An exceptional Beaujolais of great weight and intensity, retaining the classic fresh raspberry and cherry fruit flavours synonymous with the region. If Fleurie is the queen of Beaujolais then the silky Moulin a Vent is the king. So vital, so energetic, this wine will bowl you over.
Food Pairing: This red wine pairs well with veal, pork, poultry dishes, pasta dishes and cured meats.
MOIMR
Region: France, Burgundy
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Well-made wine from an excellent negociant. Soft and round with overtones of red fruits. A good, easy drinking wine and a very good introduction to the charms of Burgundy.Food Pairing: This wine pairs well with main dishes, red meats, poultry, charcuterie and prepared meat.
TRISA
Region: France
Grape variety: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
Tasting notes: Rich dark purple with bright ruby highlights. Aromas of ripe black cherries, nutmeg and clove. It is full and concentrated and is a wine that can be enjoyed upon release and over the following ten to fifteen years. Its elegant colour offers a dark purple colour with intense ruby reflections. Harmony and finesse are combined with aromas of ripe black fruit and spices.
TRIR
Region: France, Burgundy, Provence
Grape variety: Cinsault, Syrah, Grenache & Merlot
Tasting notes: This wine has a bouquet of strawberries and white flowers with hints of vanilla. It has the harmony and elegance that has earned world-wide appreciation of the rosés of Provence. The nocturnal harvest makes it possible to obtain this pretty pale colour, while preserving an aromatic nose of red fruits and marshmallow. Without roughness, its mouth is round and harmonious.
TRIM
Region: France, Burgundy, Provence
Grape Variety: Merlot
Background:
Domaine de Triennes is a winery in the South of France, created by two legendary winemakers in the fine wine world of Burgundy.Tasting Notes:
This Merlot greets you with a nose of cherry, blackcurrant and liquorice. On the palate, it is well structured, fresh, bright and with overtones of cacao and tobacco. A fantastic showcase of how Merlot can taste.Food Pairing: Beef, lamb and game dishes are best served with this red wine.
CPPDP
Region: France
Grape variety: Picpoul
Backgroud: The Cave - Pomerols, South of France, are one of the leading producers of Picpoul, a grape well known along the southern coast of France. Stretching along the Thau Lagoon to the west of the Mediterranean’s Golfe de Lyon lies the largest white wine producing area in the Languedoc: The Picpoul de Pinet terroir. It consists of a triangle bounded by Agde, Pézenas and Sète: a limestone plateau basking in the rising sun covered in highly perfumed garrigue, rows of vines, and scattered pine groves. This rare grape, from vines grown near salty étangs on the very edge of the Mediterranean, produces a wine of fascinating contrasts.
Tasting notes: The gloriously fruity, perfumed, light-bodied Picpoul de Pinet reveals copious notes of honeyed citrus (grapefruit and lemon zest) and delicate honeyed pear-like flavours. Fragrant aromas of pear and white flowers leap enticingly from the glass leading to a palate that is crisp and lively with hints of grapefruit and exotic fruits.
Food pairing: Known as the Muscadet of the South in France this is a thirst-quenchingly mineral wine that is the perfect choice as a seafood partner, particularly oysters!
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SICPGH
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Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc & Sémillon
Tasting notes: Pale gold with an extraordinary complex nose of summer fruits, peaches and apricots. Rich and concentrated - it drinks exceptionally well now and will last for at least another 10 years.
Gilded with fine gold, the dress is more than promising. This 2020 offers a bouquet of remarkable complexity with aromas of ripe apricots, pineapple, mango and honey. On the palate, a smooth, rich and refined liquor instantly invades the palate with a great freshness. This is delicious and is undoubtedly a rich and subtle wine from great origin.
VEGAN
PJCLC
Region: France, Rhone
Grape variety: Syrah & Grenache
Background: The Jaboulet family started working the land in the Rhone region in 1834. The generations continued to succeed one another until Maison Paul Jaboulet Aine was acquired by the owners of Chateau La Lagune in Bordeaux, the Frey family, in 2006. Although lauded for wines like Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert and the famous Hermitage La Chapelle, winemaker Caroline Frey has been receiving excellent reviews for her wines from the Southern Rhone region. From a robust Vacqueyras, to Chateauneuf du Pape Les Cedres and the Secret de Famille Cotes de Rhone wines, Paul Jaboulet Aine offers fantastic quality from these much loved regions. This is the most famous appellation of the southern Rhône and also one of the best-known in France and abroad.
Tasting notes: Deep ruby red colour with very thick legs. The bouquet offers complex and intense notes of macerated red berries, blended with sweet spices and a final hint of garrigue (Mediterranean vegetation). Powerful and warm attack in the mouth, with a spicy and hot finish.
CBHR
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon
Background: Château Bauduc is a wine estate just south of the town of Créon in Bordeaux's Entre-deux-Mers region between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers, although its wines are predominantly produced under the wider Bordeaux appellation title. The estate – owned and managed by expat Britsh husband-and-wife team Gavin and Angela Quinney - produces a range of wines including a Bordeaux whites, Bordeaux reds, rosés and a sparkling Crémant de Bordeaux.
Tasting notes: Medium bodied and partially aged in oak, it’s easy, fruity and supple enough to drink quite young. A French bistro sort of wine. Although it is a young red, it is ready to drink now, with attractive, easy fruit and soft, supple tannins.
A special cuvée, this blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon was made from two parcels of vines in a single block, and aged in small French oak barrels. A full bodied wine, it's ripe enough to drink young or keep it for years.
DPMS
Region: France, Loire Valley
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Winemaking process: Pneumatic pressing with gravity flow, cold settling, natural fermentation (without added yeasts) in small, temperature regulated stainless steel tanks. Aging on fine lees with stirring and regular tastings.
Tasting notes: A beautiful example of Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley. Elegant and refined, it has charming notes of elderflower, lemon and a mineral character.
The pleasant, fine and elegant nose reveals citrus fruit and after breathing notes of peach, pear and white flowers. The elegant palate is well balanced and plump, with complexity and minerality.
LLPF
Region: France, Loire Valley
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting notes: Beautiful brilliant golden colour. Exquisite fruity and floral aromas with a touch of honey. Full-bodied with great acidity and perfect alcohol. Persistent beautiful aftertaste.
SICCFSE
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Emilion
Grape variety: Cabernet & Merlot
Background: Château Fonplégade's name (literally "fountain of plenty") was derived from the historic 13th century stone fountain that graces the estate's vineyard. It quenched the thirst of passing pilgrims for hundreds of years, and continues to provide sustenance to the estate's vines in the driest vintages. Grapevines have thrived at this exceptional site, perched on the limestone plateau that is home to Saint-Emilion's finest vineyards, since the late 1500s. In 1852, legendary wine merchant Jean-Pierre Beylot purchased the estate and built the elegant château that still stands on the property. Enchanted by the terroir, history and grandeur of the estate, with its ancient Roman pathways and graceful vine rows, Denise and Stephen Adams acquired Château Fonplégade in 2004 and spent 15 years tirelessly revitalizing the vineyards, renovating the cellar and lovingly restoring the château.
Tasting notes: Deep ruby colour with a generous nose of fresh red fruits and spice. Full-bodied, round mouthfeel supported by an elegant acidity (from the limestone terroir). Remarkable mineral focus.
SICCHLEN
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pomerol
Grape variety: 88% Merlot & 12% Cabernet Franc
Tasting notes: Deep ruby colour. Smooth cherry and raspberry’s tints along with lilac and mellowed oakiness notes. Full-bodied wine with silky tannins.
SICRB
Region: France, Bordeaux, Cotes du Bourg
Grape variety: Merlot (85%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) & Malbec (5%)
Background: Côtes de Bourg is a 'Right Bank' appellation; Merlot is always the dominant grape here. The inclusion of a tenth of Malbec is unusual; little of this variety is seen in the Gironde these days. The 7-hectare estate is run with passion and precision by Corinne Baudouin, who succeeded her mother and her mother before her. The Côtes de Bourg appellation is some 12km NW of Bordeaux city. The wines are invariably easy drinking and fun, a world away from the stuffy, aristocratic appellation of Margaux, just across the estuary. The wines offer superb value for money, especially during better vintages.
Tasting notes: Chunky and robust, with a dashing deep hue and lifted scents of pine, dark berries and fruitcake. Full and intense wash, with assertive tannins supporting juicy flavours of plum, beetroot and kelp. Complex and intense.
Food pairing: Go all out and match with slow-cooked lamb shanks on a bed of Colcannon mash and roasted root vegetables.
AWEW
Region: France, Rhone
Grape variety: White blend - Grenache Blanc complemented by Clairette and Viogner
Background: The word “Barville” evokes the history of our ancestors in Château Neuf-du-Pape since 1880. A great wine that shows character and elegance, and honours the historical grape varietal, king of the southern Rhône: Grenache. To get the best out of Grenache, sustainable viticulture is applied, with a strict winter pruning in order to limit the yield in favour of concentration. The Grenache is handpicked at good maturity.
Winemaking process: Direct light pressing (pneumatic press). Cold settling overnight at 10°C. Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks at a low temperature between 16 – 18°C. No malolactic fermentation to preserve the freshness. Maturation on fine lees with regular stirring in stainless steel vats for 6 months. Bottling in March, April of the year following the harvest.
Tasting notes: Aromas of exotic fruits, white flowers and citrus fruits. Wonderful complexity with notes of peach and apricot, this wine displays excellent freshness and length.
CHACOEUR
Background: Magnificent assemblage of different ages make XO Superior alcohols, ripening period ranging from 23 to 35 years. The exclusive design of the bottle is a heart of glass, flat on one side. 2 bottles connected together, you get a three-dimensional heart, decorated with silver or gold, which lies a treasure of Gascony. Armagnac bottles with romantic design is a popular gift for Valentine's Day or a wedding.
Review:
Wine Enthusiast 90-95 Points: Initial scent reminds me of walnuts and nougat; aeration and swirling encourage plumper, more candied/honeyed/minty aromas to emerge. Taste at entry is sensuous, sweet and like brown sugar; at midpalete there is a seductive smokiness that takes on a pipe-tobacco quality. Concludes moderately sweet, yet razor sharp and nicely acidic.
CBRGE
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon
Background: Château Bauduc is a wine estate just south of the town of Créon in Bordeaux's Entre-deux-Mers region between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers, although its wines are predominantly produced under the wider Bordeaux appellation title. The estate – owned and managed by expat Britsh husband-and-wife team Gavin and Angela Quinney – produces a range of wines including a Bordeaux whites, Bordeaux reds, rosés and a sparkling Crémant de Bordeaux.
Tasting notes: Medium bodied and partially aged in oak, it’s easy, fruity and supple enough to drink quite young. A French bistro sort of wine. Although it is a young red, it is ready to drink now, with attractive, easy fruit and soft, supple tannins.
Expert opinion
Previous Vintages: Château Bauduc (Bordeaux Supérieur) 2017
The year of the frost, nevertheless this has come out of it rather well. A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a good concentration in the glass, with a dusty and claretty hue. The nose is restrained when compared to other vintages, with savoury notes of dried cranberry and blackberry, in a taut and crunchy just-ripe style, touched with vanilla caramel presumably from the oak. Medium bodied, cool and restrained on the palate, the taut vibe continues here with damson stone and cranberry fruit, and a touch of black pepper. Lightly textured, with dry and lightly grained tannins, and fresh acidity, this is good to drink now. From a 2021 Update. 89/100
Chris Kissack, thewinedoctor.com. January 2021.
Château Bauduc (Bordeaux Supérieur) 2016
This was a benevolent vintage in the region, providing volume and good quality, and the latter aspect shows here. As always it is 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. In the glass it shows a surprisingly modest concentration, with a gentle claretty red hue. The nose hints at some early evolution here, with scents of spiced and degraded red cherry fruit, with a medicinal twist. The palate, meanwhile, shows a cool and supple style, with a little silky edge. I see that medicinal twist coming in again, along with notes of red pepper, red cherry and a touch of coconut. Fresh and lightly composed, and for drinking over the next few years. From a 2021 Update. 90/100
Chris Kissack, thewinedoctor.com. January 2021.
'These are excellent-quality wines - reds as well as whites - consistent and easy to enjoy. One to follow.'
Inside Bordeaux, by Jane Anson. Published by BBR, 2020.
“Wonderful plummy fruit and liquorice and leather scent. Soft, feathery tannins and just the right amount of mid weight. Not hugely complex, but presses all the right buttons for this level of Bordeaux. Very pleasurable claret.”
Richard Hemming MW, Jancis Robinson.com
“Today this is a model estate for Bordeaux, the white wines clean cut and vibrant, the reds increasingly good. And yet they remain affordable.”
Chris Kissack, thewinedoctor.com
“Red, pink and white, they are utterly drinkable, each possessing a classic, mouthwatering Bordeaux texture and easy going fruit.”
Oz Clarke
DLFBG
Region: France
Background: The prestigious cuvee Femme de Champagne is the product of the development of select vineyard plots put in place by the House of Duval-Leroy. The Chardonnay Grand Crus of Mont-Aigu from Chouilly, Chapelle of Avize, Terre de Noël from Oger, and Chetillon and Aillerand from Mesnil sur Oger, are vinified separately in oak barrels to highlight the elegance and vitality, while a touch of Pinot Noir imparts roundness and character. Femme de Champagne vintage 2000 is an outstanding example of a special year. It is in the line of other unforgettable vintages, 1990, 1995 and 1996.
Tasting notes: Its yellow gold colour carries fine strands of bubbles which reveal complex notes of a lively maturity: brioche, vanilla and wood aromas alternating with citrus fruits such as lemon and mandarin. After the fine initial burst of flavour in the mouth comes a silky touch interwoven with remarkable length on the palate.
Awards: Gold Medal at Mundus Vini 2023
GUYPN
Region: France, Loire Valley
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Background:
Guy Allion's Pinot Noir is a great example from the Loire Valley. Made from biodynamically grown grapes, the wine is unoaked and delightfully fresh.Tasting Notes: Aromas are of ripe, almost sweet berry fruit and floral notes. Juicy strawberry flavours, refreshing acidity and the gentlest of tannins come together in this great value cool-climate Pinot Noir.
This is a lovely example of Loire Pinot, really supple and soft with good fruit depth and rounded tannins. The wine sees 15% new oak in its barrel aging which gives it good structure but still letting the strawberry and raspberry fruits come to the fore. There's a hint of richer, darker berry fruits there too with a dash of white pepper in the mix.Food Pairing: This wine pairs well with lamb, pork, poultry and goats milk cheese.
GUYSB
Region: France, Loire Valley
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting notes: There are delicate aromas of elderflower and gooseberry with hints of peach and grass; it is fresh, light and perfectly piquant. It is dry and crisp on the palate with spades of minerality; it is a classic example of Touraine Sauvignon.
HCCB
Region: France
Grape variety: 85% Pinot Noir & 15% Chardonnay
Background: Henri Champliau is a family winery located in Mercurey, region of Burgundy - France. Founded by Alexandre Graffard, grandson of Henri Champliau, we produce AOC Crémant de Bourgogne and a 'Signatures' range to the same high-quality standards of our winery.
Award: 96 points - Decanter World Wine Awards 2023
HCCR
Region: France
Grape variety: 75% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay & 10% Gamay
Background: Henri Champliau is a family winery located in Mercurey, region of Burgundy - France. Founded by Alexandre Graffard, grandson of Henri Champliau, we produce AOC Crémant de Bourgogne and a 'Signatures' range to the same high-quality standards of our winery.
95 pts in a recent Decanter Wine Magazine. This is made exactly the same as Champagne Rose. Delicious!!
A beautiful salmon pink colour, a delicate nose of white flowers and red berries, clear and intense on the palate. Pinot Noir is predominant in the blend, bringing elegance and strength, while the freshness of Chardonnay and the delicacy of the Gamay perfect the balance of this cuvée.
Award: 95 points - Decanter World Wine Awards 2019
HCSWM
Region: France
Background: Henri Champliau is a family winery located in Mercurey, region of Burgundy - France. Founded by Alexandre Graffard, grandson of Henri Champliau, we produce AOC Crémant de Bourgogne and a 'Signatures' range to the same high-quality standards of our winery.
Tasting notes: A youthful rose-pink colour, refined and light bubbles note of raspberry and cherry and a natural generosity which comes straight from the grape. Produced using the ancestral method to give a 'demi-sec' sparkling wine with a low alcohol content.
PJDMB
Region: France, Rhone
Grape variety: Marsanne (50%) & Roussanne (50%)
Tasting notes: This wine offers lots of buttered citrus, lychee, nut and white flowers. It is medium-bodied, fresh and lively, if not racy on the palate.
PJDDT
Region: Rhone, France
Grape Variety: 100% Syrah
Tasting Notes: Shiny and lipid deep ruby colour. Intense, complex and aromatic on the nose, notes of small red fruits, animals, graphite and Provenal olives. Powerful but fine on the palate, elegant tannins with a smooth texture.
Food Pairing: Enjoy this magnificent Syrah from the Rhone with game,wild fowl and lamb with young vegetables. Before enjoying, decant this red wine for at least one hour.
Awards:
Sakura Awards 2020 - Double Gold
PJLJ
Region: France, Rhone
Grape Variety: Syrah
Tasting Notes: This wine is very richly balanced. Its length gives expression the ripe apricots, honey and spice notes.
Food Pairing: Suggested dishes to pair with this wine are stuffed aubergine, lamb and venisons peppered haunch.
ORGANIC
PJCR
Region: France, Rhone
Grape Variety: Syrah
Tasting Notes: There are notes of dark berries, chocolate, and a hint of fresh black olive on the finish. Long and approachable.
Food Pairing: This Syrah pairs well with BBQ, tex mex, cuisine epice, vegetrian dishes and cheese.
PJRLJ
Region: France, Rhone
Grape Variety: Syrah
Tasting Notes: Bright and fragrant, violets and cherry blossom lift. Very pretty nose. Hints of leather, black berry, bruleed spice, marzipan but also a real core of dark fruit. Still tight and structured with a real presence of power and focus. Touch angular still, very bright acidity and a medium long tart red fruited finish.
Food Pairing: This wine pairs well with quail, pigeon, duck confit and Beijing duck.
PJGPA
Region: France, Rhone
Grape variety: Grenache (80%), Syrah (10%) & Mourvedre (10%)
Tasting notes: The resulting wine has an aromatic nose with red fruits developing into notes of macerated fruits. Straightforward attack on the palate, with strong tannins, finishing with great depth and strength.
PJLTVR
Region: Rhone, France,
Grape Variety: Grenache
Winemaking Process: ‘Les Traverses’ are the dry stone walls which were built to support and protect the slopes in Ventoux from the significant erosion caused by the strong Mistral winds. 40+ year old vines on average From the foothills of the Mont Ventoux – clay and limestone soils with south/southwest exposure 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah Aged in 20% large older barrel and 80% in stainless tanks.
Tasting Notes: Blood orange, raspberry, fresh pepper and wild herbs emerge from this delicious Ventoux Rouge. Incredibly sappy and persistent with laser focus and precision. When they are well-made by a gifted winemaker, reds from Ventoux are usually excellent value. This one really is, boasting fresh aromas of red fruit, spices and cedar. Palate is fruity and lively with fine tannins in the background. Nothing over complicated, this bottle is a great pick for your everyday drink!
Food Pairing: This Grenache pairs well with lamb shank with mushrooms, roast duck with apples and beef tataki.
Awards:
India Wine and Spirits Award 2018 - Gold
PJLMB
Region: France, Rhone
Grape Variety: Syrah
Tasting Notes: From the eastern part of the hill where the soil is deeper. It has wonderful depth of soft fruit, plummy and rich, blackberries and spice with real density and excellent ripe tannins to give structure.
Food Pairing: Jaboulet Hermitage is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted braised ans grilled dishes,. It is also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms and pasta.
PJP45R
Region: France, Rhone
Grape Variety: Grenache
Tasting Notes: This wine has the Southern Rhône's classically warm, ripe feel with red fruits blended with spices. Well-structured on the palate with rounded tannins and a final spicy note.
Food Pairing: It will make a perfect match with fish or poultry and mushrooms especially prepared using garlic.
Awards:
Sakura Awards 2024 - Gold
Japan Wine Challenge 2021 - Silver
Sakura Awards 2020 - Silver
The Global Masters 2019 - Silver
Japan Wine Challenge 2019 - Silver
PJSDFV
Region: France, Rhone
Grape variety: Viognier
Tasting notes: Its nose is very expressive with aromas of white fruits, peach, accompanied by notes of flowers, a typical Viognier complexity. On the palate, the attack is lively and fat, the palate unctuous and gourmet revealing notes of apricots and exotic fruits.
PJSDF
Region: France, Rhone
Grape variety: Grenache Blanc
Tasting notes: It is made of a subtle blend of various local grapes providing concentrated flavours of white fruit and flowers, while remaining crisp and fresh. A short stay in oak barrels brings in a toasted hint for a greater personality.
LADRCF
Region: France, Burgundy
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes
Food Pairing: Shellfish, crab, lobster, goat cheese, green vegetables, fresh herbs and atomatic dishes.
LADFDR
Region: France, Burgundy, Beaujolais
Grape Variety: Gamay
Background: Régnard, one of the oldest and most prestigious houses in Chablis, was founded in 1860 by Zéphir Regnard. In 1984, Baron Patrick de Ladoucette purchased Regnard and has perpetuated the style and tradition of the wines ever since. The Baron's experience in modernizing the de Ladoucette cellars in Pouilly-sur-Loire inspired him to make similar changes at Régnard, including thermo-controlled stainless steel fermentation tanks and sodium lamps in the aging sheds to prevent light damage.
Tasting Notes: A dark red colour with violet highlights. An expressive bouquet full of the aromas of red fruit (raspberries and strawberries) accompanied by a small and agreeable vegetable point. The palate is agreeable and elegant with a frank attack accompanied by a light tangy note.
LADPF
Region: France, Loire Valley
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting notes: Nicely balanced with a subtle floral and earthy fern nose. Notes of stony minerals and lemon provide delights to the palate. It is velvety finish has hints of citrus fruits.
LADPFB
Region: France, Loire Valley
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting notes: The colour is pale gold with green tints. The nose is delicate with ripe fruit such as pear and white peach. It also has complex notes of beeswax, vanilla and flint. The mouth has a fresh fruity beginning, is fleshy and robust, and has good structure. It is balanced between a fruity roundness and mineral firmness. A very long finish.
LADSL
Region: France, Loire Valley
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting notes: Pale golden-green. Remarkable and aromatic intensity on the nose. Floral notes of acacia and elderflower are backed up by blackcurrant buds and rhubarb.
LADVMB
Region: France, Loire Valley
Grape Variety: Chenin Blanc
Winemaking Process: Marc Bredif Vouvray undergoes temperature controlled fermentation to retain its fresh structure and aromatic ifinish and is then matured on its lees for a further 6 months.
Tasting Notes: Pale gold colour with green reflections. Intense nose with notes of yellow fruits such as pear and apricot. Some hints of lemon and amyl reminiscent of bananda. On swirling, notes of citrus and exotic fruits. Fresh attack presenting a good balance between sweetness and aciditiy. A nice length on aromas of exotic fruits like pineapple.
Food Pairing: Pairs well with creamy pork or chicken dishes, port pastas with fish or vegetables.
HCP
Region: France, Burgundy
Winemaking process: Made in the South of France using the Charmat Method for a fresh, fruity and appealing style unusually horizontal vats are used for the production which favour the contact of the lees and the grapes and give a fuller more balanced wine as a result. This meant secondary fermentation and aging took 3 months to obtain a homogeneous mousse with rich fruity aromas and weight.
Tasting notes: Abundant bubbles, a nose with aromas of pear and apple, a tender yet full mouth that ends up on a nice freshness with citrus notes. A serious competitor for the best dry Proseccos.
MOIMVC
Region: France, Burgundy, Maconnais
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Background: A wine lovers wine. Moillard has been making wines for more than 150 years. Back in 2002 the decision was taken for the majority of the vineyards to be grown according to the rules of lunar-organic viticulture. This type of vine-growing associates the rules of organic agriculture to the lunar cycles.
Tasting Notes: All of the crisp, steely characteristics of Chablis are present but are underpinned by a warm, creamy texture and delicious nutty aromas. A wine lovers wine.
Food Pairing: Suggested dishes to pair with this wine are quiche Lorraine, pizza Napolitana, presa Iberico and manchego.
MOISBM
Region: France, Bourgogne, Cote de Nuits
Grapes Variety: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes:
Great classic red Burgundy. Elegant plum and birch aromas, earth, redcurrants and truffle perfumes develop in the glass. Complex red fruit, pine, and spices blend well with the elegant acid and fine tannins.Food Pairing: This Pinot Noir pairs well with dishes that contain duck, goose and game birds. Other suggested dishes are Escargots Bourguignonne a l'Ancienne, braised veal, quail and fillet steak in brioche.
PBCC
Region: France, Burgundy, Chablis
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: A generous wine with excellent mineral characteristics. Made from a careful blending, this is truly the wine style of Pascal Bouchard. Our low yielding vines average between 30 and 40 years of age have deep roots that help produce a high class wine ; fat, concentrated with mineral notes. This is an intense and racy wine. Brilliant light gold. Fine and mineral, with beautiful shelly notes. Both fresh and mineral, just like the nose, this wine offers a sapid juice, where harmony between citrus, saline and iodine notes reigns. A generous wine with excellent mineral characteristics. Made from a careful blending, this is truly the wine style of Pascal Bouchard. This is an intense and racy wine.
Food Pairing: Char siu bao, salmon with yuzu dressing, crispy shredded beef in birds nest and camembert.
MOICTR
Region: France, Bourgogne
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Winemaking Process: Hand-picked in small crates, the grapes are carefully sorted so that only the best are used. Winemaking is traditional, with alcoholic fermentation followed by malolactic fermentation, and the wine is then aged for 12 months in neutral French oak barrels (to soften it, rather than add wood and vanilla flavours through new oak).
Tasting Notes: Golden yellow colour with green highlights. The wine is a pure expression of the Cote Chalonnaise: minerality with chalky notes, freshness with a great acidity holding together the finish, elegance with orange blossom and hawthorn notes.
Food Pairing: Very good for pairing with fish based dishes or vegetarian dishes.
SICANG
Region: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Grape variety: Merlot (38%), Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) & Petit Verdot (12%)
Background: D’Angludet has long been the quintessential ‘insiders’ Bordeaux, a wine that drinks like a third or fourth growth yet still available for a reasonable price. This is due, in large part to the efforts of Peter Sichel who took this Chateau from obscurity in the fifties to widespread recognition in the early eighties.
Reviews
89 points Wine Enthusiast: Big, ripe fruit emerging from soft, dusty-textured tannins makes this a wine that is already pleasurable. Black fig and plum juice fruits roll comfortably around the mouth, balancing well, and maturing quickly. (3/ 2009)
89-91/100 Wine Spectator: Lots of blackberry and liquorice character follows through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a medium finish. Well done."
90/100 Robert Parker - April 2015: Another truly exceptional wine from the Sichel family, the 2012 d’Angludet has a deep ruby/purple colour, a sweet floral, blueberry and blackcurrant-scented nose with a touch of liquorice, light tannins, low acidity and a nice, fleshy mouthfeel. This is a sexy, mouth-filling and satisfying wine from both a hedonistic and intellectual vantage point. Drink this sleeper of the vintage over the next decade.
SICDPAB
Region: Italy, Veneto
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gros Manseng & Petit Manseng
Winemaking process: The art of this wine lies in fermenting several different grape varieties in one barrel. The Petit Manseng is harvested six weeks before the Chardonnay and the juice is kept carefully in insulated vats with all the solid matter during this whole, long period. The blend (done by tasting the juices) ferments naturally in 225 litre oak barrels (30% new). The grapes are pressed gently in a pneumatic press and the press juice blended back in. This wine was barrel-aged on fine lees for 9 months and was not filtered before bottling so as to keep all the fruity, oaky aromas fully intact.
An original, easy-to-drink wine. The distinctive trait of this wine is the nose, with its powerful bouquet of white fleshed fruit (peach and apricot). The vanilla notes are a sign of masterful barrel-ageing. The structure and fatness of the Chardonnay predominate on the front-of-palate, while the predominating characteristics at the finish are the freshness and elegance of the Petit Manseng. A truly great dry white wine, displaying remarkable balance and originality.
Awards
Top 100 France Selection in 2010: Ampéloméryx is one of the 100 best IGP french wines in UK and has been elected the Best White Wine of the Top 100 (Trophy of the white wine category).
Vinalies Internationales 2010 Selection, 1000 wines of the World, Silver Vinalies Medal: Some fine aromas of dry fruits (nuts, almonds) and undergrowth are present in this wine. A pale yellow colour with some hints of green. On the palate, the oak is revealed as silky and soft, very structured. This wine is harmonious, with a good balance of freshness and body.
SICRD
Region: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Grape variety: Merlot (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) & Petit Verdot (10%)
Background: Château d'Angludet is a wine estate in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux's northern Médoc wine region. La Réserve d`Angludet is the new name that has been given to the second wine from Château Angludet.
Aging: 12 month of ageing, 50% barrels (30% new french oak) & 50% amphorae
Tasting notes: Fine deep cassis berry flavours with gentle rounded tannins.
This cuvee stands out thanks to the richness and elegance usually found in the first-label of Margaux wines. A deep garnet hue with deep purple tints and a generous bouquet, where red fruits harmonise perfectly with spicy, earthy notes, vanilla and masterfully restrained toastiness. The well balanced palate displays smooth, lingering extract, prolonged by an aromatic back-of-palate of blackcurrant and violet.
SICLAT
Region: France
Tasting notes: Tremendous nose, so elegant, so refined! Slightly soapy start to palate but eventually comes through revealing delicious floral character. Pleasant finish with a little rye toast.
SICLA
Region: France
Background: Chateau de Pellhaut is situated at the heart of the Armagnac appellation, named La Tenareze. The XO La Fleur de L'age is rich and fruity with powerful flavours and this 20 year old shows the characteristic rancio associated with aged brandies.
Tasting notes: Amber hue with golden tints. Rancio aromas of hazelnut and gingerbread on nose. Palate generous, characterized by liquorice and toasty notes.
SICCA
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc
The excellent terroir produces robust and soft fruited wines with concentration and balance. Château d'Argadens is one of the best Bordeaux Supérieur around.
After a comprehensive renovation of the vat room, building a cellar, and restructuring the vineyards, Sichel raised the viticultural level to the highest possible standards---essentially they farm this Bordeaux Superieur vineyard with the same approach they use in their Grand Cru Classé vineyards!
Tasting notes: Clad in a beautiful hue of garnet, this wine has a rich, open bouquet that reveals intense aromas of ripe, concentrated blackberry fruit and elegant oak. The same impression of generous fruit is found on the powerful, rich and chewy palate, which is structured by taut, dense tannins and lingers to a long, ample and spicy finish.
Awards
Gold medal - Concours de Bordeaux 2015
Bronze medal - Decanter World Wine Awards 2015
SICCAW
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon
Tasting notes: Pale yellow wine, green at the rim, displaying a crisp and powerful nose in which citrussy and floral aromas are subtly mingled with rose and passion fruit. The chewy, ample palate is underpinned by a hint of refreshing acidity. Harmonious, lingering finish. After a fresh front-of-palate, the rich, fat structure is revealed - a perfectly balanced wine.
Awards: Silver Medal - Concours de Bordeaux 2023
SICCGW
Region: France, AOC Bordeaux
Grape variety: Semillon & Sauvignon Blanc
Background: Château Guiraud is committed to the production of traditional Sauternes, but also produces this dry Bordeaux Blanc. Currently 15 of the Château's 100 hectares are currently used for the production of this interesting wine. G of Château Guiraud is a dry white wine of Bordeaux Appellation. Its wine reveals a rich expression and a confident personality. It is made from ripe grapes. Its high level of sauvignon blanc firms the style of the property. The G represents the front door into the Château Guiraud brand.
Tasting notes: Classic dry white Bordeaux, giving crisp, gooseberry and nettle aromas combined with soft honey and blossom. Well balanced on the palate, with a refreshing finish.
An excellent dry white, giving crisp, gooseberry and nettle aromas combined with soft honey and blossom. Well balanced on the palate, with a refreshing finish.
SICLAM
Region: France, Bordeau, Medoc
Grape variety: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Petit Verdot
Tasting notes: Dense, with dark cocoa, graphite and roasted spice notes embedded in a core of fleshy plum sauce, currant paste and blackberry confiture. The long, racy finish smoulders with dark fruit.
SICCPLF
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pomerol
Grape Variety: Merlot
Tasting Notes: The wine is a compote of black and red fruits, very pure in character. A hint of toasted oak on the nose, with balanced acidity and freshness.
The colour is intense garnet. Very fruity and spicy, gourmand and elegant with a very nice freshness. There are notes of blackberry associated with fine blackcurrant and black cherry. Well balanced, full-bodied with a nice minerality and a smooth attack in the mouth, good structure with silky tannins, and a long good finish with spicy and leather notes.
Award:
Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 - 93/100 points (Silver Medal)
Reviews: Jeb Dunnuck Rating - 90 points (2/28/2019): A selection of the top Merlot brought up all in foudre, the 2016 Perron La Fleur offers more black cherry and blackberry fruit as well as more concentration, with a rich, mouth filling texture, plenty of spice and saddle leather notes and building tannins. It will keep for decades.
ORGANIC
SICCTG
Region: France, Bordeaux, Graves
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
Background: Chateau Trebiac Graves is skilfully managed by Arnaud de Butler, Château de Trébiac lies on a gravel plateau at Portets, 35 km south of Bordeaux. Over the past five years, both the estate's vines and winery have been completely rehabilitated. This really is the product of this exceptional gravel terroir on the Plateau du Portets, crafted with painstaking care by Arnaud de Butler.
Tasting notes: This wine is a beautiful, intense garnet red. Red berried fruit (cassis, redcurrant) predominate in an expressive bouquet, together with smoky, more mineral notes.
Oak aged in French barrels for three months giving a bouquet of dark chocolate and toast. The palate offers a fruity finish with velvety tannins. This wine will age beautifully.
SICGB
Region: France, Bordeaux
Tasting notes: Château Guiraud 2009 is a beautifully harmonious wine. Intense, ripe pineapple mingles with lemon and lime marmalade notes of botrytis whilst a seam of wet-stone minerality adds freshness. This, in conjunction with the crisp acidity, makes this a very sophisticated Sauternes. Château Guiraud 2010 has a spectacular balance and freshness always reinforce by 35% of sauvignon. It presents intense aromas, hawthorn flowers, fresh fruit, with a minty note which characterizes the vintage. The feeling in mouth is magnificent, soft, but robust. The tonic feeling of the botrytis is amplified by a great freshness. Mouth aromas strengthens up the nose: the botrytis now shows them crystallized, of great precision and purity. The aftertaste is long. The sugar power never gives heaviness: It is the magic of natural sugars sublimated by botrytis.
SICHS
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Emilion
Grape variety: Cabernet Franc (35%) & Merlot (65%)
Tasting notes: Ripe, sweet and fairly intense. Firm, grippy structure. A touch tighter and longer than stablemate Simard.
SICCM
Region: France, AOC Bordeaux
Grape variety: Merlot (60%), Cabernet Franc (25%) & Cabernet Sauvignon (15%)
Background: This family-owned estate lies on a limestone plateau in the village of Juillac near Castillon la Bataille. Born into a family which had rented the property for 3 generations, Pierre Ciroli purchased it in 2000. Pierre Ciroli does all the viticultural and winemaking work on the estate, shouldered by his two sons who will be taking up the reins of the business after him. The greatest possible attention is paid to the vines and no effort is spared to ensure that tradition is respected in this vineyard of human dimensions.
Tasting notes: The dark red colour is prolonged by a rich and generous bouquet, where we distinguish notes of small red berries, spices and undergrowth. The palate is not to be outdone, its structure reveals elegant tannins perfectly rounded and married to a fleshy texture which gives it both balance and length in the mouth. A perfect Bordeaux for any meal! Gourmet fruity, it goes perfectly well with many dishes.
SICPAL94
Region: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
Tasting notes: Ruby colour with a flowery blackcurrant scented nose leads in to a fleshy palate of black fruit intermingled with liquorice and a hint of truffle.
SICP18
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting notes: The nose is elegant and offers a fine richness, deepness and intensity. It reveals notes of lily of the valley, white flowers and small notes of fresh and crunchy lychee, fresh and crunchy apple as well as discreet hints of spices. The palate is fruity, fresh, elegant and offers a beautiful definition, gourmandize, a fine acidulous frame and a small fat. On the palate this wine expresses notes of lychee, white flowers and honeysuckle and small notes of pink lychee, acidulous rose candy and almond.
SICDPHR
Region: France, Gascogne
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Petit Verdot
Tasting notes: Pellehaut Harmonie de Gascogne rouge is remarkably well balanced, showing intense fruit flavours married with subtle, toasty oak. Very approachable, easy drinking but with lots of class and depth. A bouquet of aromas, combining blackcurrant, dried strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and hints of clove. Supple and fresh, an array of fruit is also expressed on the palate.
Food pairing: This wine will pair easily with all styles of cuisine and offers fantastic quality at an everyday price.
Concours des Feminalises 2018 - Gold
Concours National des Vins IGP 2018 - Gold
SICDPHB
Region: France, Gascogne
Grape variety: Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Sauvignon, Gros Manseng & Petit Manseng
Tasting notes: A unique blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng. A french wine that smells like Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - only lighter and classier.
With a clear and bright colour, the wine offers a full scented nose with notes of flowers, ripe fruits and candied fruits. It starts off clear for a smooth, suave, very balanced and persistent palate. This vintage reveals unrivalled intensity and concentration!
Food pairing: To be enjoyed with seafood, fish or poultry.
Review: Wine Enthusiast 2023 - 89 points: " This is an unusual blend of six grapes, including Chardonnay and both Mansengs. It is harmonious with fresh acidity and citrus flavours, just touched by honey and kiwi."
Awards
Concours des Vins du Sud Ouest 2023 - Silver
Concours des Vignerons Indépendants 2022 - Gold
Challenge international des vins 2021 - Silver
Concours des Vins IGP 2021 - Gold
Concours des Vins du Sud Ouest 2021 - Silver
Challenge International du Vin 2020 - Gold
Concours des Vins du Sud Ouest 2020 - Silver
Concours des Vinalies Nationales 2020 - Silver
Concours Général Agricole 2019 - Gold
Concours National des Oenologues de France Vinalies 2019 - Silver
Concours des Vins du Sud Ouest 2018 - Gold
SICCD
Region: France
Background: Owned by Yvan Meyer, Maison Sichel's Technical Director, Château d'Orignac has won accolades in France and throughout the world. It is made from two-thirds grape must (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) with one-third Cognac and takes almost 10 years to produce, which results in an intense, complex nose of peaches, apricots, honey, almonds and Cognac and an unforgettably smooth texture on the palate.
Winemaking process: Château d'Orignac Pineau is made in the time honoured way, by carefully blending aged eau-de-vie and unfermented grape juice that comes from selected Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, picked when perfectly ripe. After blending, it is aged for a minimum of 5 years in oak casks, made by top coopers based in central France. Only after this extensive maturation period does Château d'Orignac Pineau take on its full depth of flavour and balance.
SICSBR
Region: France, AOC Bordeaux
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
Background: Sirius is a modern Bordeaux both in style and presentation, a wine of the finest quality with fullness and depth of a typical Bordeaux.
Winemaking process: The majority of the grapes are vinified in the traditional Bordeaux way: the bunches are totally de-stemmed and the grapes fermented, in vat, at between 27 and 32oC to extract colour and tannins. There follows a period of vatting (15-21 days) to give the wines their characteristic Bordeaux structure and the potential to age well. To maximize the fruit, however, the remaining proportion of grapes undergoes carbonic maceration. Once the different vats are blended, Sirius is aged in French oak barriques for 12 months.
AWELR
Region: France
Grape variety: Grenache & Merlot
Background:
Tasting notes: Like fresh pepper cracked on a juicy orange peach, rolled in dried black tea leaves. Earthy, juicy, luscious fruit. A bold mouthfeel coats the entire palate and a low acid leaves balanced tannins to slowly melt away.
AWELRO
Region: Vin De Pays, Mediterranee, France
Grape Variety: Grenache & Syrah
Tasting Notes: Beautiful brlliant pale pink robe. The nose is frank and straight with a beautiful intensity of small red fruits (grenadine, redcurrant). The mouth is harmonious, combining unctuosity and freshness. Very delicate, we find the fruity expressions of the nose with a slight milky touch (yoghurt).
Food Pairing: Perfect with charcuterie, seared tuna, bouillabaisse and Thai noodle dishes.
GCDFRSB
Region: France, Touraine
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting notes:
Lovely blackcurrant leaf notes on the nose, fresh and grassy, juicy and ripe on the palate with just the right amount of zing, this just goes on and on being brilliant.
LDF
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan
Grape variety: Semillon (50%) & Sauvignon Blanc (50%)
Tasting notes: In the glass, it shows a light yellow with green reflections. The white wine convinces with a beguiling bouquet of ripe Mirabelle plums, green tea, nectarine skin and a fine vanilla touch. The middle palate shows grapefruit, verbena and lemongrass. A juicy, classy and lively pleasure.
Reviews
Bettane & Desseauve - Rated area (2023 guide) 3*Stars (A high quality production, which can serve as a reference in its sector): 'This cru was long famous first for its white wine, one of the most complete of Léognan, then also its red, at its best one of the most brilliant illustrations of the character of pessac-léognan. The last decade marks the return to the best level of white fieuzal. The new cellars, ultra efficient, with many small vats of various capacities, concrete, stainless steel or wood, now allow Stephen Carrier, the director, to make haute couture.'
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide to the Best Wines of France - Graded domain (guide 2023) 1*Star (Stars in the making or quality winemakers with good level production, you will not be disappointed by tasting the wines of these estates): 'This classified growth located in the south of Léognan produced some of the greatest whites of Bordeaux in the 1980s. After being sold in 1994 to Banque Populaire, Fieuzal declined until 2001. It was that year that Irish businessman Lochlann Quinn bought it, then hired Stephen Carrier from Champagne as director. From then on, the vintage found an excellent level, with an obvious search for body, holding and tannic elegance in the reds, and freshness now with the entry on the scene of councillor Thomas Duclos. With failures (2013) and great successes (2008), whites gradually reconnect with their whole, intense and guard-like character.'
James Suckling - Rated area (2023 guide) Recommended
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate - Rated domain (2023 guide) Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
SICSGL
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Julien
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (48%), Merlot (37%), Cabernet Franc (8%) & Petit Verdot (7%)
Tasting notes: Ruby colour black reflections, frank nose that opens on aromas of stewed fruit, candied fruit, notes of toasted wood, animal tip, good balance on a fairly fleshy and full wine, the character is pretty with finesse, frankness, tannins are ripe, good frank and straight lengthening on finesse.
SICCRL
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Emilion
Grape Variety: Merlot
Background: A fabulous vintage, this wine is expressive and typical of great right-bank wines. It hails from the lassagne family who’ve been managing their estate for three generations. The vineyard in the commune of Abzac is small at 4 hectares and is situated on welldrained soils with vines of around 30 years old.
Food Pairing: This Merlot pairs well with red meat, rich sauce based dished, matured cheese and pasta.
SICDSB
Region: France, Vallee de Cucugnan
Grape variety: Roussanne
Tasting notes: Produced from old vineyards at high altitude – think of a cross between white Chateauneuf du Pape and a top white Bordeaux.
SICDSR
Region: France, Vallee de Cucugnan
Grape variety: Syrah, Grenache & Carignan
Tasting notes: Aromas of red fruit with a note of rose. An elegant, fine, subtle wine that on the second mouth opens on a great concentration, a beautiful power but in the freshness. Note an exceptional tannic structure.
SICCBD18
Region: France, Bordeau, Saint Julien
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot & Cabernet Franc
Background: Château Branaire-Ducru is located in the heart of the Medoc, between Margaux and Pauillac in the Saint-Julien appellation area. It is surrounded by the other great Classified Growths that populate this outstanding terroir. The vines grow in a mixture of gravel and pebbles, deposited there by the River Garonne in the Quaternary Period.
Tasting notes: An appealing nose, aromatic with hints of pepper and blackberry fruit. Good body and really well judged balance. This is the second wine of Château Branaire-Ducru.
SICCB18
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Julien
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (62%), Merlot (35%) & Petit Verdot (3%)
Review: 92/100 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, March 2021: "The 2018 La Croix de Beaucaillou is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, aged 12 months in two-third new barriques. It has a pH of 3.75, 15% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 96. Deep garnet-purple coloured, it rolls effortlessly out of the glass with vibrant notes of crushed blueberries, baked plums and blackcurrant cordial with hints of bouquet garni, underbrush, clove oil and cast-iron pan. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a sturdy frame of firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing earthy. Not a second wine as such, because it comes from a dedicated part of the vineyard, the blocks for La Croix de Beaucaillou are generally located on the south bank of the La Mouline steam."
SICGBP
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pauillac
Grape variety: Cabernet-Sauvignon (52%) & Merlot (48%)
Background: Château Pichon Baron de Longueville is made from vines on the estate's historic terroir. The result is wine that's full-bodied and rich in tannins and characterised by finesses and elegance. Their length on the palate is exceptional and they have excellent ageing potential. In the 17th century Jacques de Pichon, Baron de Longueville, began to develop the vineyard at Pichon-Longueville. The wine's reputation was established a few years later.Tasting notes:
The colour is a deep and intense pomegranate red. The nose is accentuated by the fresh fruit, crème de cassis and blueberry, as well as a sophisticated oaky note. The palate is soft and velvety, and the tannins delicate and precise. Borne on the great maturity found in the quality of the fruit, the finish is flavoursome, elegant and distinguished, in an opulent whole devoid of heaviness.
SICDM
Region: France, Pauillac
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
Awards
93-95pts, Neal Martin, vinous.com: "The 2019 Duhart-Milon was picked from 18 September to 4 October and raised in 50% new oak. Of course, this comes from one of the coldest terroirs in Pauillac due to the orientation of the vineyard and less proportion of clay, which has become an advantage in warmer growing seasons such as this. The 70% Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the aromatics with dense black fruit, pencil shavings and tobacco aromas, traces of dark chocolate in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with spicy black fruits on the entry. This is quintessential Duhart: a bit broody, conservative in a non-pejorative use of the word, harmonious and quite sturdy towards the finish. I like this. Whilst it has no intention of being the most flamboyant Pauillac on the gravel terrace, it is imbued with nobility. Drink: 2026-2052"
92-94pts, Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Advocate: "The 2019 Duhart-Milon is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, harvested from the 19th of September to the 4th of October. Deep garnet-purple in color, it springs from the glass with vivacious notes of plums preserves, black raspberries and blackcurrant pastilles with suggestions of menthol, dark chocolate, pencil lead and woodsmoke plus a touch of garrigue. Medium-bodied, the palate is spritely and refreshing, with bags of juicy, mint-laced black fruits and an approachable, plush texture, finishing long and lively."
95-96pts, James Suckling: "A very balanced, refined Duhart with ever so fine tannins and currant, tobacco and cedar aromas and flavors. Medium to fine tannins. Its extremely long and polished. Direct. You already want to drink this."
94pts, Jane Anson, Decanter.com: "This one might sneak up on you, confirming the rise of this wine in recent years. Clear depth of fruit, and above all clear Pauillac character. This feels strict and confident, with beautiful balance and restraint. Duhart is one of the later-ripening and cooler Pauillac terroirs which is why in the past it could be overly austere when young, but it is benefitting from recent hot summers in terms of its fruit ripeness. Pencil lead is prominent here, along with cassis and bilberry. Very precise, very elegant, with a creaminess to the fruit through the mid palate, and overall this is an excellent Duhart. Drinking window 2026 - 2042"
RWNCR
Region: France
Background:
The Pinot Noir grapes for the Comtesse de Neples come from the Côte de Bar region, the southernmost region of Champagne. Here, the noble grape Pinot Noir almost completely dominates the cultivations on the rolling limestone hills. Traditionally, this part of Champagne has gone a little under the radar in the absence of large Champagne houses in the area but more and more are now starting to discover the potential of the area and the unique terroir that is perfect for Pinot Noir. The wine consists of a mixture of 4 older vintages with the base in the 2017 vintage and is stored for a full 28 months on its lees.The wine is produced by Chassenay d'Arce, which with its 130 small family growers is a smaller cooperative that together has vineyards of 325 hectares, mostly planted with Pinot Noir. The grapes are hand-harvested from several smaller vineyard locations in the autumn at optimal maturity and vinified in a state-of-the-art facility with meticulous quality control.
Tasting notes:
This is an approachable, fruity Champagne, made to be drunk young. Well balanced with crisp citrus tang and bright acidity. The wine is dominated by Pinot Noir that grows so well in the Côte des Bar.Champagne Comtesse de Neples is a dry, fresh and tasty Champagne with elegant mousse and good balance with hints of citrus, orange, red apples, brioche and mineral. The aftertaste is long with a fresh and fresh finish. The long storage time on the lees gives discreet tones of macadamia nuts and nougat that lift the whole of the wine and add extra complexity.
Food pairing: Serve the champagne as a fresh start to dinner or for pre and main courses on seafood.
SICCA20
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Emilion
Grape variety: Merlot (60%) & Cabernet Franc (40%)
Background: The Premier Cru Classe Château Angélus takes its name from the three church bells of the town of Saint-Émilion whose tolling has always been audible from the estate’s vineyards. This legendary property was founded in 1782 and, for 8 generations, the family de Boüard de Laforest has carefully guarded its exceptional legacy.
The Château Angélus vineyard is located in the heart of Saint-Émilion. The vines are planted in clay-sand-limestone soils.
Winemaking process: The high levels of rainfall during the winter and spring allowed the soils to build up a significant water reserve, which helped throughout the year to preserve the balance of the vineyard. The 2020 vintage stood out for both prolonged drought and for the capacity of the soils (clay and limestone) to provide perfect balance by drawing on water reserves. The summer conditions were ideal to ensure good ripeness and yield healthy, balanced grapes rich in polyphenols. Balanced and complete, 2020 is a perfect synthesis of its two illustrious predecessors, 2018 and 2019.
The vinifications were carried out in oak and stainless steel vats for the Merlot, and in concrete vats for the Cabernet Franc. A pre-fermentation maceration, carried out in certain vats according to the specificities of the grapes, was followed by an alcoholic fermentation and then a post-fermentation maceration of 1 to 3 weeks. The juice ran off was immediately transferred to barrel. Lasting 20 to 22 months, the ageing took place in new French oak barrels for the Merlot and certain Cabernet Franc batches. A specific ageing was carried out in 30 hl casks for the Cabernet Franc, which was selected for its aromatic richness.
The colour is shiny and beautifully dense, the wine displays a dark, almost black colour. Purple nuances testify to the perfect ripeness of the grapes. The nose is aromatic, the nose blends delicious fruity fragrances (black fruits, wild cherries, blackberries) with elegant floral notes (peony, violet).
The refined tannins display a round and voluptuous structure. Fresh and harmonious, the palate seduces with its extreme elegance and purity, exuding the precision of Merlot and the character of Cabernet Franc.
SICDM19
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Estephe
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
Tasting notes: Dark inky purple core and hue. Fine purity, intense with violet scented dark fruit, wild berries, cassis and tobacco leaf. Fine density of fruit on the palate, layered with finely tuned tannins and good oak integration. Fresh and digest with a long and pure finish.
JCBPLCS
Region: France, Bourgogne
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Background:
Winemaking Process: The grapes are machine harvested and the bunches are de-stemmed before undergoing a period of cold maceration to increase extract of colour. The alcoholic fermentation lasts 8-10 days at controlled temperatures, with a daily pumping over of the juice. The malolactic fermentation follows and the wine is kept in tanks for 4-6 months before bottling.
Tasting Notes: Bright red with purple highlights. Vegetal flavours with nice fruity notes (black berries). Sunny, rich and well-balanced, this wine presents intense black fruit aromas. Silky tannins with a nice persistent finish.
Food pairing: Ideal with grilled or marinated poultry dishes, red meats with Mediterranean vegetables, a leg of lamb with rosemary.
JCBPLM
Region: France, Bourgogne
Grape Variety: Merlot
Background: “Vins de France” can be produced throughout the whole of France using grapes harvested exclusively within its borders. This quite new appellation (2009) allows for a greater liberty in winemaking compared to the appellation system. It is a great opportunity for our winemaker to express his skills with a wine with a steady style and unique personality.
Food Pairing: Enjoy with grilled poultry or poultry in sauce, red meat with Mediterranean vegetables, or a roasted leg of lamb.
JCBPLCH
Region: France, Bourgogne
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Background: “Vins de France” can be produced throughout the whole of France using grapes harvested exclusively within its borders. This quite new appellation (2009) allows for a greater liberty in winemaking compared to the appellation system. It is a great opportunity for our winemaker to express his skills with a wine with a steady style and unique personality.
Winemaking Process: The grapes were harvested during the cool hours of the night to keep the typical freshness of Chardonnay. Each plot was vinified separately so that we respect their true nature, and get a finer and purer wine. After the fermentation process, the wine is aged for 4 months on fine lees, in stainless steel tanks to keep the fruit and freshness of the grape.
Food Pairing: It should be an elegant companion to mixed salads, grilled meats, fish and shellfish.
JCBPLPN
Region: France, Bourgogne
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Background: The regional "Pays d'Oc“ appellation includes red, rosé and white wines produced mainly in the Aude, Hérault, Gard and Pyrénées Orientales departments of south-western France. Our Pays d’Oc Pinot Noir hails from the part of the Languedoc region where thesoil is predominantly limestone based.
Tasting Notes: A really decent example of Pinot Noir at this price point. Another bottle please! Cherry red in colour. Aromas of cherry and coffee with subtly integrated toasted notes. Lovely fullness. Appealing, silky tannins. Delectable and fruity with toasted notes and lovely power. Flavours of chocolate underscored by a hint of menthol. Long finish with assorted fruit flavours and a subtle touch of oak.
Food Pairing: The perfect match for all meats, barbecues, pizzas and assorted vegetables.
JCBPLSB
Region: France, Bourgogne
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Background: “Vins de France” can be produced throughout the whole of France using grapes harvested exclusively within its borders. This quite new appellation (2009) allows for a greater liberty in winemaking compared to the appellation system. It is a great opportunity for our winemaker to express his skills with a wine with a steady style and unique personality.
Winemaking process: Fermentation takes place at low temperatures in order to preserve all of the grapes’ aromas and flavours. The wine is then aged for a few months on finelees.
Tasting notes: Golden, pale straw yellow in colour. Very fine and mineral with notes of fresh fruit. Well balanced, with a strong acidity that is nevertheless sustained by good maturity. The aromas are typical (blackcurrant blossom, litchi). This wine has the characteristics of a typical Sauvignon Blanc with a lot of finesse and purity.
Food pairing: As an aperitif, with seafood, a tuna carpaccio, smoked salmon, sushi or Japanese fish dishes, but also goat cheeses or asparagus in sauce.
SICALT
Region: France, Corbieres
Grape variety: Grenache, Syrah & Carignan
Background: The winemaker is Alexander Sichel, Peter Sichel's grandson, who is devoting his life to these wines living in the Cucugnan valley in something approaching solitude in this beautiful and very remote region.
Tasting notes: The wine is a lovely grenache, syrah and carignan blend with bags of crunchy ripe fruit and a hint of plums, strawberries and spices with a lingering finish. It will age well and is altogether a complete and delicious organic wine.
Reviews
Tom Cannavan, wine-pages.com: "From the IGP Pays de Cucugnan in the Corbières area, and a property run by Alexander Sichel, this is Grenache, Syrah and Carignan from vineyards at 350 metres in the Vallée de Cucugnan. It's a dark, brooding, but ultimately very plush and fruity red, creamy tannins and moderate acidity giving backbone. Peppery spice flits around aroma and flavour in a robust but very approachable red."
Jonathan Ray, The Spectator Magazine: "The 2019 Altura 350, from winemaking royalty that is Alexander Sichel (grandson of mighty Peter), is a Grenache, Syrah and Carignan blend from vineyards 350 metres high (hence its name) in the Vallée de Cucugnan in Corbières. With dark, intense briary fruit, a touch of pepper and spice and a long, concentrated finish, it should be a shoo-in for your next barbecue."
SICP19
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting notes: The Vin Blanc de Château Palmer is pale yellow. Fresh nose with floral, fruity and citrus aromas. The aromas are perceived when tasting with predominant flavours of lemon and citrus.
SICCFP
Region: France, Pauillac
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) & Merlot (30%)
Background: The Peyronie family guards the independence of this 50-acre vineyard among the classed growth estates. It is a ripe wine, balanced and with some good aging ahead of it.
Tasting notes: Inky dark purple core and rim. Pure and floral with violet, crème de cassis, dark cherry, sage and mint notes. Dense palate with nice purity of fruit, very finely grained texture with refined tannin, savoury dark berries with a gentle herbal spiciness fine oak integration and a long supple finish.
SICDAV
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Merlot (45%), Cabernet Franc (21%), Cabernet Sauvignon (19%) & Malbec (15%)
Tasting notes: Deep purple colour, rich notes of blackberry and cocoa, plump palate with ripe soft tannins.
The wine’s colour is strong, but not excessively so and lets us perceive a refined style, already displaying the large proportion of Cabernet Franc in the blend. The nose is expressive on notes of fruit and lots of spice; it reveals ripeness and is very fresh. On the palate, this wine is charming, with surprising fullness, smoothness and also a lot of depth.
Award: Silver Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards 2021
VEGAN
SICDAU
Region: France, Bordeau, Saint Emilion
Grape variety: Cabernet Franc (15%), Cabernet Sauvignon (8%) & Merlot (77%)
Background: The estate was once part of Château Angélus and is still owned by the same family.
Tasting notes: This wine is rich in opulent black fruits and solid tannins.
SICPAL19
Region: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (53%), Merlot (43%) & Petit Verdot (4%)
Tasting notes: In its depth and intensity, the robe of Château Palmer 2019 recalls the purple of Tyre. From the first aromas escaping the glass we are captivated: notes of black fruits and the most precious spices mingle in a bouquet of extraordinary complexity that will continue to reveal itself over time. The texture lives up to the Cru’s reputation: an endless carnal sensation pervades our palate, revealing tannins of subtle finesse yet remarkable depth. This Château Palmer, anchored very deeply in its terroir, is built to defy time.
Reviews
James Suckling - 99 Points: “So much sweet tobacco, stone, brambleberry and currant on the nose. The palate is full and compact with very polished tannins, yet they are solid and sturdy and run the length and width of the wine. Energetic acidity. Very structured and powerful, yet agile and impressive. Historic feel. From biodynamically grown grapes. This needs at least six years of bottle age to soften. Try after 2027.”
Vinous - 99 Points: “The 2019 Palmer is beautifully defined on the nose with pencil lead infused black fruit, crushed stone, and hints of pressed flowers. Amazingly well focused. The palate is medium-bodied with supple and exquisitely sculpted tannins, unerring symmetry with a crescendo towards the utterly harmonious and persistent finish. This exudes a sense of completeness. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.”
Decanter - Jane Anson - 98 Points: “Iris and violet aromatics swirl out of the glass. In the mouth, things are velvet in texture and packed with concentrated cassis puree and blackberry fruit, gentle spice, soft charcoal and sappy tannins, with the whole thing just slowly expanding and building through the palate, tightening its grip as it reaches the close of play. The Palmer signature of energy and precision is here in spades, and altogether the wine is both measured and elegant, with textbook floral Margaux character, while being extremely juicy, creamy and enjoyable, with a mouthwatering salinity on the finish - up there with the very best vintages of this estate. Low SO2, as has been the case for a few years now in line with biodynamic principles. Back to normal yield this year of (a very welcome I would imagine) 45hl/ha. Harvest September 19 to October 19. 60% new oak, likely to be in barrels for the first year then large sized oak casks for the second year. 55% of overall production in the 1st wine.”
Jeb Dunnuck - 97 Points: “The 2019 Château Palmer is even richer, with a stacked, full-bodied, concentrated profile as well as beautiful notes of ripe black cherries, blackcurrants, lead pencil, tobacco leaf, and chocolate. I love its mid-palate, it has building, ripe, yet substantial tannins, tons of fat and glycerine, and a gorgeous finish. I don't think it will ultimately match the 2009, 2016, or 2018, but it's nevertheless a brilliant wine as well as one of the stars of the show from Margaux. It will benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age (it already offers pleasure) and have 30-40 years of overall longevity. Best after 2022.”
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 96 Points: “The 2019 Palmer is a rich, dramatic wine that soars from the glass with aromas of cherries, blackberries and berry fruit liqueur mingled with notions of violets, rose petals and sweet spices. Full-bodied, layered and seamless, it's powerful and immensely concentrated, with an enveloping core of lively fruit that largely conceals the wine's ripe, powdery structuring tannins. Concluding with a long, penetrating finish, it's a brilliant rendition of the contemporary Palmer style from Thomas Duroux and his team. Best After 2027 Rating 96+”
Wine Spectator - 94 Points: “Shows the powerful fruit of the vintage, with waves of dark plum, warmed cassis and cherry compote flavours driving through, inlaid with a graphite edge and backed by an iron note on the finish. Features good underlying energy and everything is knit tightly, without the toothy grain typical of the vintage. Very solid. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2024.”
SICLR
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pauillac
Grape variety: Cabernet & Malbec
Tasting notes: Opaque ruby and vibrant purple rim. Very restrained aromas hint at red cherry, raspberry and cedar. The palate has excellent concentration and texture. Tannins are firm but beautifully refined. Delicate with a refreshing, vibrant, long finish.
This has a slightly restrained nose at first but it opens up to reveal sumptuous aromas of wild berry fruit, graphite, cassis and plum. A fabulous multi-dimensional texture on the palate fills the mouth and crisp acidity brings perfect balance; great intensity of flavour, exceptional length, and a staggering quality to the abundant tannins; really fine. It is hard to find fault in truth, and worrying to think that we usually find Lafite grows in complexity over the next couple of months, so it will become even better!
Critics’ reviews
Jancis Robinson - 19/20 - jancis robinson.com, Apr 2011: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot. Now, will this be the only time I ever get to see this wine, before it all migrates east? Very intense dark blackish crimson. Lovely Lafite scent – recognisable member of the family with a hint of oyster shells. But some extra breadth, even fat, this year. Hugely ambitious. Dense and quite dry on the end. But with Lafite breed and race. Somehow manages to have real roundness, covering the notable acidity and doubtless tannins which are very difficult to discern. Already a marvel and a pleasure to taste. Lovely, lovely balance.
Robert Parker - 98/100 - Wine Advocate- Feb 2013: The 2010 Lafite Rothschild, a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot (a 3% difference from the barrel sample shown two years ago), 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.
CJBDB
Region: France
Tasting notes: This wine is very fresh and young with nice lemony characters. The colour is of a pale green gold. The tiny bubbles are charming the palate keeping a long body of acacia honey and white flowers. The minerality and the salty character is paring well with oysters and scampi but also as a summer appetizer and a nice desert.
Gloriously evocative, fresh aromas of Bramley apple, chervil and a hint of the seaside. An excellent Blanc de Blancs, with the delicacy and vibrancy of this Champagne style, married to the depth, length and complexity that comes from eight years' mellowing. Green apple, lemon zest, rising bread dough and Brie rind. Lovely!
CJBDN
Region: France
Tasting notes: The colour is of a nice gold with a hue of pink gold. The tiny bubbles are revealing the characteristic of this blend which is fruit characters of Cherry and Strawberry along with a nice freshness.
CJPC
Region: France
Grape variety: 70% Chardonnay & 30% Pinot Noir
Tasting notes: The hue is golden and the tiny bubbles form a persistent and delicate mousse. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in this vintage are expressed in a fresh and fruity bouquet. Its roundness and freshness are perfectly balanced making way for a long and acidulous finish.
Food pairing: Ideal for aperitifs and cocktails, it is also the perfect accompaniment to poultry.
SICCBA
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting notes: Beautiful dark colour tinged with bright red. Generous nose of ripe fruits with a jammy touch. The palate is heady, dense and balanced, delivering more of the same ultra ripe aromas.
This 2019 shows a deep garnet red colour with shades of purple. Expressive and flattering, the nose evokes a basket of ripe black and red fruits with hints of exotic spices. Equally charming and fruity, the palate is full, rich and warm, supported by silky tannins, a sign of great maturity of the grapes, with a fine fresh finish. A gourmet Bordeaux.
SICCLM
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
Tasting notes: Laced with dark fruit flavour (cassis, blackberries, plums and more) with delicious complexity and just the right amount of oak. Chateau Les Moines offers a perfect balance of spiced fruit and oak that will have you wanting more. The beauty of Cru Bourgeois wines is that they sit just below the Cru Classé levels and are continually evaluated. This means you get excellent, well tested wines that aren’t just relying on a famous name that offer incredible value.
Reviews
Jane Macquitty, The Times 9/4/2021: "Top Cabernet Sauvignon: Classy cru bourgeois claret, with gorgeous, rich, tarry, beef tea fruit."
Jonathan Ray, The Spectator: "A fine Cru Bourgeois claret that always goes down a storm with readers and rightly so. A blend of 70 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 30 per cent Merlot from a 10/10 vintage, its resolutely in its prime with buckets of spicy, plummy fruit, and should be knocked back with abandon."
SICCM04
Region: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot
Tasting notes:
With as much Merlot in the blend as the 1990 and 1996 the quality of this wine is as good as any vintage that winemaker Paul Pontallier can remember. When we tasted the 2004 Chateau Margaux we found it to be as fabulous and exciting as the 2000 had been at a similar stage. The nose was simply beautiful - ripe, fine sweet, elegant and powerful with huge potential. The palate is expansive and multi-faceted. Alongside Latour, this is one of the two wines of the vintage.2004 was born in conditions closely resembling those of 1996: the same unsettled summer weather, the same lovely early autumn, the same rainy harvest… Last minute rain though in no way modifies the body of a wine, nor weakens its muscle; it only takes away a bit of fatness, which gives it a finer silhouette. Château Margaux 2004 is therefore a great classic vintage. There is great finesse and above all purity on the nose in this subtle combination of floral, fruit and spice aromas; all are clearly present, but no single aroma dominates. On the palate, the tannic structure is tight-knit, fine and tender. The general impression is firstly balance, precision, freshness and finally an air-light grace which can only be found in great Margaux.
SICMR11
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pauillac
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Cabernet Franc
Tasting notes: Delivers a pure beam of cassis, raspberry and cherry, with lightly toasted spice notes and a firm plum skin edge holding sway on the finish. Stretched out somewhat already, this seems nicely tuned and has good buried minerality.
Reviews
Simon Staples, Berrys’ Fine Wine Director: 'Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 2011 is outstanding and the second best red wine of the vintage for me, just behind Ch. Latour, and I do mean just! A superb blast of cool and racy Cabernet blackcurrant fruit is at the centre of this divine beast. This does not taste like a 2011 at all, as it has meat on its bones and ripeness, flair and gravitas. There is a super succulent finish that lasts minutes and I really see this as a legend in the making. It reminds me of the brilliant 2006 and it might lead the way of pricing too this year. Come on Mouton, you can do it!'
Wine Advocate 92/100 - Neal Martin - 31/01/2017 - Tasted April 2016: 'Tasted at the Mouton-Rothschild vertical in London, the 2011 Mouton-Rothschild is probably the weakest of the releases between 2008 and 2012, although that would be unfairly disparaging what is a perfectly respectable, if rather unexciting Mouton. Here, it has those graphite and cedar aromas present and correct, the former a little more accentuated and with a light sea-spray note emerging with time. The palate is well balanced with cedar and a slight peat-like note infusing the black fruit, rigid in its youth but nicely delineated. As I discerned out of barrel, what it lacks is that peacock's tail on the finish, bolting out of the exit door before you have really got to know each other.'
SICCO
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (40%) & Petit Verdot (5%)
Tasting notes: This wine very elegant blackish colour boasts all the characteristics of a great vintage. The bouquet is appealing. On the palate the explosion of strawberry, blackberry and raspberry flavours combines with light, pleasantly silky tannins. The overall impression is smooth and fruity. The finesse of the cabernets and the roundness of the merlots once again turn out to be perfectly complementary. This is a great, racy wine, a perfect expression of its deep-gravel terroir and a wine that offers a new dimension.
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 aftertaste.
Reviews
James Suckling: 'Love the aromas of currants and black cherries with blackberries and sandalwood. Full body, round and soft tannins and a savoury finish. Shows brightness of fruit and intensity. Attractive balance. Drink in 2021.'
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 'Medium garnet-purple in colour, the 2015 Olivier is a little reticent at this youthful stage, offering exciting glimpses at fragrant earth, black raspberries, black cherries and red currant scents with suggestions of mossy bark, bay leaves and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with mineral and earth-laced red and black fruits with firm, grainy tannins and a lovely herbal lift on the finish.'
CJDH
Region: Epernay, France
Grape Variety: 70% Chardonnay & 30% Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Served between 8 to 10 °C (46 to 50 °F), it reveals the fresh, toasty characters of Chardonnay, which are followed by the fruitiness of the Pinot. The tiny bubbles provide a delightful sensation accompanied by elegant floral notes and suble fruity accents. The flavours of Smith apple blend wonderfully with those of candied pineapple, bringing an exotic and gourmet touch.
Food Pairing: This Champagne is ideal for cocktails and as an accompaniment to appetizers and poultry.
SICCTR
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Julien
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (66%), Merlot (26%) & Petit Verdot (8%)
Tasting notes: This wine seems to be all about structure and tannins. The fruit comes through slowly and has a way to go in its development. But black currants are there, ripe and promising well for the future.
SICCB
Region: France, AOC Bordeaux
Grape variety: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Malbec
Tasting notes: Dark ruby with some bricking. Shy nose combining floral scents, dark stone fruits, spice and toast touches. Lovely smooth, ample texture framed by fine tannins. Still reticent with a spicy mid-palate and vegetal finish.
A wine with a beautiful, sustained garnet colour heralding in a pleasing nose of small berried fruits with spicy touches. The generous, well-balanced palate is tautly structured over a carefully managed, well-integrated tannic base. A pleasant Bordeaux with real character, ideal for sharing over a family meal.
Food pairing: This wine will be associated with grilled or roasted meat, duck breast or accompanied by a cheese platter.
DPMSR
Region: France, AOC Sancerre
Grape variety: Pinot Noir
Winemaking process: Pneumatic pressing with gravity flow, cold settling, natural fermentation (without added yeasts) in small, temperature regulated, stainless steel tanks. Aging on the lees in stainless steel tanks and regular tastings.
Tasting notes: Crisp and clean. Very light pink on the pour. Green apple tartness.
Expressive wine which has a fruity and aromatic nose, with freshness. The mouth is refreshing and presents a perfect acidity, ripe fruit and some persistence; gourmet with a deliciously tart, fruity finish.
Food pairing: Cold vegetable starters, fish or meat carpaccio, grill Asian cuisine (sushi, sashimi), white meat (poultry, veal, sweetbread), and goat’s cheese.
SICCVT
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Emilion
Grape variety: Cabernet Franc & Merlot
Tasting notes: This wine presents the richness, elegance and classicism typical of Saint Emilion. The nose is a mixture of ripe fruit with toasty notes, vanilla and a hint of leather. The chewy attack supplied the Merlot is offset by fine vivacity which imparts freshness and a creamy texture. The persistent finish is borne along by taut tannins wrapped in generous extract. Very well-balanced wine, best drunk after a few years' cellaring.
CJRR
Region: France
Tasting notes: Its fine and delicate bubbles form a persistent bead. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay express themselves in the fresh and fruity bouquet. Its roundness and freshness are perfectly balanced on the palate to give way to a long and tangy finish.
Food pairing: This champagne would be perfectly suited with moderately sweet red fruit desserts.
SICCBC
Region: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Carménère
Tasting notes: A Second Growth of real complexity, its attractive nose has a wonderfully floral perfume. The well-integrated tannins and nicely judged acidity combine to produce a benchmark palate. There is real potential here. The racy freshness of the vintage is present and the coolness on the finish is rewarding. Ever so generous, delicious, fresh and juicy.
Rich, fruity and with great potential, this ripe wine is also dense with firm tannins. Its juicy fruits are a part of a package with the concentrated tannins and smoky wood flavors that allow for long aging. This is an impressive wine from one of the Margaux properties owned by the Lurton family.
LADRC
Region: France, Burgundy
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Medium body, bright golden colour. Intense orchard fruits dried flowers aroma. Peaches and pears palate following by, mineral notes and long nutty finish of gentle acidity. Still crisp and fresh, creamy, complex and balanced.
Food Pairing: Best served with shellfish, fish or white meats.
LADRS
Region: France, Cote de Beaune, Santenay
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: A hidden gem from the Cote de Beaune! Classic raspberry and cherry flavours.
Food Pairing: It is suggested to pair this wine with escargots bourguignonne a l'ancienne, pan fried quail breast, steak tartare and roast pigeon.
LADCV
Region: France, Burgundy
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: The wines are showing a good acidity level. They are briny with citrus hints. It is a very classic and harmonious vintage in Chablis.
Food Pairing: Suggested dishes to pair with this wine are ris d'agneau, leek and wild mushroom tart, rabbit with cream sauce or baked camembert.
SICCAM18
Region: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Grape variety: Merlot (34%), Cabernet Sauvignon (48%) & Petit Verdot (18%)
Tasting notes: On the nose, it presents an inviting bouquet of ripe red and black fruits, including plums, blackberries, and cherries, interwoven with subtle hints of cedar and tobacco. The palate showcases the wine's elegance and structure, with velvety tannins and a Full body. Rich flavours of dark berries, complemented by very fine notes of vanilla and a touch of spice, unfold gracefully. The finish is long and satisfying, leaving a lingering impression of ripe fruit and a touch of cherry.
SICANGL16
Region: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Grape variety: Merlot (38%), Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) & Petit Verdot (12%)
Tasting notes: A juicy, full-bodied wine. Rich purple in colour with very fresh aromas reminiscent of red and black fruits such as plums and raspberries, with a delicate spicy nose. In the mouth, it presents a strong personality. Its mature tannins and minerality transform it into a wine with great soil identity.
SICCAM19
Region: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Grape variety: Merlot (43%), Cabernet Sauvignon (45%) & Petit Verdot (12%)
Tasting notes: Finesse, elegance and complexity are the watchwords of 2019. We find the expression of the terroir that we look for each year in Angludet. Beautifully balanced, combining purity and structure, the wine displays great capacity to age well for a great number of years. The 2019 is a beautiful illustration of the Angludet style, generous and gourmand.
SICLPC
Reviews: Wine Advocate-Parker: The 2014 Les Pagodes de Cos, now in bottle, seems to be wasting no time in appeasing those who like to drink their Bordeaux young. (And why not? This is a deuxième vin after all.) The nose is open and generous with blackberry fruit tinged with dark chocolate and a touch of mint, the graphite element not evident here as it was in barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, very well-judged acidity and very fine focus. Like the Grand Vin, this is not an exotic or flamboyant Cos d'Estournel, but no way would you describe it as lean. There is an easy-drinking approachable nature to this Les Pagodes de Cos, without precluding it of precision and length, whilst the graphite note pops up right at the finish and on the aftertaste. This delightful wine should be drinking from 2018 and over the next decade. Tasted February 2017.
SICCF
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (75%), Merlot (10%), Cabernet Franc (10%) & Petit Verdot (5%)
Tasting notes: Ripe and spicy, this is a smoothly textured wine. Its wood aging and creamy texture are rich, opulent and generous. With tangy acidity in the background, this dense wine is already impressive.
Critical Acclaim
James Suckling - 94 points: "Blackberry and plums sit amid violets, earthy notes and gentle, hazelnut oak. The palate delivers attractively smooth, supple tannins that carry long flavours of fresh dark cherries. Try from 2020."
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 90 Points: "Medium to deep garnet-purple in colour, the 2015 De Fieuzal is scented of lovely ripe plums and crushed red currants with touches of forest floor and bay leaves. Medium-bodied, firm and grainy with great freshness cutting through the earthy layers, it finishes long."
PJLMB16
Region: France, Rhone
Grape Variety: Syrah
Background: Along the Petite Pierrelle street, not far from the stream of Torras and the road where the blackbirds sing, lies the pretty Maison Bleue. Leaning against the Hermitage Hill, one of the most beautiful vineyards in the world, this small stone house with blue shutters was once a real haven of peace for their winegrowers: a place to work, rest and share located in the heart of a legendary terroir. Today, this house of winegrowers has regained a new youth. Winegrowers and horses take shelter from time to time. The Maison Bleue still serves as a shelter for their grapes to dry the straw wine when they produce it. This year, they will use its space to dry their plants for biodynamic preparations. A new life in the respect of traditions.
Critical Acclaim:
James Suckling – 95 Points: This is a juicy and flavourful young wine with dusty and polished tannins. Lots of wild fruit and dark-berry and volcanic and salt undertones. Flavourful finish.
Jeb Dunnuck – 93 Points: The 2016 Hermitage La Maison Bleue (2,000 cases) comes from vines on the eastern side of the appellation and more sedimentary and limestone soils. This deep ruby/purple-coloured beauty gives up loads of black raspberry, toasted spiced, incense, and crushed rock aromatics. This flows to a ripe, sexy, and medium to full-bodied Hermitage that has moderate tannins, a layered, beautifully pure, elegant, even charming texture, and a great finish. It's already approachable yet will have 10-15 years of prime drinking.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate – 93 Points: The charming, already drinkable 2016 Hermitage La Maison Bleue comes from the eastern portion of the appellation. Raspberries and cherries lead the way in this full-bodied, velvety, lush offering, picking up subtle hints of baking spices on the long, silky finish.
PJLC19
Region: France, Rhone
Grape Variety: Syrah
Tasting Notes: Highly complex, distinguished nose, revealing the Syrah’s great finesse. Black fruits, sweet spices and, ultimately, finely woody. Full and generous on the palate with silky tannins and a very long finish.Food Pairing: Suggested dishes to pair with this wine are Argentine flank steak, grilled steak, sirloin steak and pizza diavolo.
Awards:
Concours des Grands ins de France Macon 2023 - Gold
DLFB
Region: France
Grape variety: Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Background: Cuvée Femme de Champagne Grand Cru is the result of careful valuation of every plot, as required by Maison Duval-Leroy. This cuvée is elaborated from a blend composed of 87% Chardonnay, classified Grand Cru and located in Mont-Aigu de Chouilly, Chapelle d’Avize, Terre de Noël d’Oger, Chétillon and Aillerand du Mesnil sur Oger. These Grands Crus are vinified separately, in order to highlight its elegance and energy. Then, 13% of Pinot Noir complete the blend, this grape variety being vinified in oak barrels, which brings structure and silkiness to the wine.
Tasting notes: Its beautiful golden colour carries fine bubbles which unveil a mature complex nose, with vanilla biscuit and wood aromas, followed by a white flower perfume, lemon cake and peach. It is one of the most refined and elegant champagne from Maison Duval-Leroy.
Food pairing: The prestigious cuvée Femme de Champagne Grand-Cru is ideal with gastronomic cuisine, such as caviar boiled egg, a lobster risotto, or pata negra iberic ham shavings.
VEGAN
SICFON19
Regioon: France, Bordeaux, Saint Emilion
Grape variety: Merlot & Cabernet Franc
Background: Folks have been making wine at Fonplegade – perched on the limestone that is home to Saint-Emilion’s finest vineyards – since the 16th century. And although the Chateau was included in the original 1955 classification of Grand Cru status, quality has shot even further upward since the estate was acquired by Denise and Stephen Adams in 2004. Their changes have been pioneering. First and foremost, they led the charge to handle the vineyards via biodynamic principles – the ultra-level beyond organic farming that has caught on through much of the wine world though is not as common in Bordeaux.
Tasting notes
ORGANIC
BIODYNAMIC
SICFDF17
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Emilion
Grape variety: Merlot & Cabernet Franc
Background: Folks have been making wine at Fonplegade – perched on the limestone that is home to Saint-Emilion’s finest vineyards – since the 16th century. And although the Chateau was included in the original 1955 classification of Grand Cru status, quality has shot even further upward since the estate was acquired by Denise and Stephen Adams in 2004. Their changes have been pioneering. First and foremost, they led the charge to handle the vineyards via biodynamic principles – the ultra-level beyond organic farming that has caught on through much of the wine world though is not as common in Bordeaux.
Tasting notes: Generous black fruits and mineral notes. Rich and big on the palate with velvety and sweet tannins. Great length.
Reviews
94/100 Points, VertdeVin: The nose is fleshy, gourmand and offers a fine richness as well as a fine freshness/concentration. It reveals notes of boysenberry, fleshy raspberry and more slightly crushed cassis associated with touches of liquorice stick, lilac, chocolate and spices. The palate is fruity, well-balanced and offers a beautiful precision, a beautiful minerality, a good freshness, finesse, precision as well as gourmandize. On the palate this wine expresses notes of fleshy blackberry, fleshy raspberry and more slightly cassis cream associated with touches of red berries, vanilla, chocolate/tonka bean, subtle touches of sweet spices as well as fine hints of mild tobacco, caramelization and an imperceptible hint of lilac/lily (in the background). Tannins are slightly firm.
Vinous 94 - Robert Parker 93 - Decant 92: Medium-bodied, the palate is soft-spoken and elegantly played with soft, well-managed tannins and lovely freshness, finishing earthy.
93-95 Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate # 236, April 2018: The deep garnet-purple coloured 2017 Fonplegade has quite a spicy nose sporting notes of anise, cloves, fenugreek and black pepper over a core of warm black plums and blackberries plus a waft of potpourri. Medium-bodied with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, it features bags of vibrant black fruits and a long, spicy finish.
ORGANIC
BIODYNAMIC
SICFON18
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Emilion
Grape variety: Merlot & Cabernet Franc
Background: Folks have been making wine at Fonplegade – perched on the limestone that is home to Saint-Emilion’s finest vineyards – since the 16th century. And although the Chateau was included in the original 1955 classification of Grand Cru status, quality has shot even further upward since the estate was acquired by Denise and Stephen Adams in 2004. Their changes have been pioneering. First and foremost, they led the charge to handle the vineyards via biodynamic principles – the ultra-level beyond organic farming that has caught on through much of the wine world though is not as common in Bordeaux.
Tasting notes: This well-balanced wine is ripe, with dense black fruits shot through with age worthy tannins. Poised and already offering fruitiness and ripeness built for long-term aging, this wine will be ready from 2026.
ORGANIC
BIODYNAMIC
SICALT20
Region: France, Bordeaux, Medoc
Grape variety: Merlot (46%), Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) & Petit Verdot (4%)
Winemaking process: At the end of February, the onset of the vines’ budburst almost two weeks ahead of schedule signalled the launch of what would be a very early vintage. March brought heavy rainfall, which made working the soil considerably more difficult, only to be followed by a damp spring with mild temperatures, conditions all too conducive to the spread of mildew. Throughout April and May, the vineyard would require superlative care to keep us on course for a healthy harvest. In mid-May, a return to warm, dry weather would set the stage for an ideal flowering period, raising hopes of a lovely vintage indeed.
In June, the summer weather arrived and settled in to stay. By the end of July, the berries had begun their colour change under a bright and constant sun, allowing for an early synthesis of polyphenols. Although the heat waves of August subjected the vines to a good deal of hydric stress, intense thunderstorms brought a welcome breath of fresh air: the Merlot grapes gorged themselves while the Cabernet, which weren’t as far along in their cycle, retained their small size. The return to dry weather at the end of August fostered the concentration of the tannins and marked a promising conclusion to the ripening process.
The harvest began on September 15th, with the Merlot picked in the cool of dawn and the Cabernet gathered between the drops of thundershowers. The harvest ended two weeks later on September 29th. In the vat room, the fermentations proceeded smoothly and the blending was carried out over two sessions in mid-November, for the most part during the run-off. Marked by the year’s eminently favourable climate, the 2020 vintage of Château Palmer is on par with 2018 in terms of structure, boasting sunny Merlot, fine and powerful Cabernet, and a terroir of brilliant clarity.
Tasting notes: The colour is deep and dark. The nose blends, with harmony and indulgence, fragrances of soft fruits, spiced flowers and fresh, slightly minty herbs.
SICOPD
Region: France, Bordeaux, Saint Estephe
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot
Tasting notes: Fine and elegant full-bodied wine with a nose marked by aromas of fresh black fruit. Its structure is harmonious, despite its young age, with aromas of blackcurrant and black cherry typical of the Merlot varietal; along with toasted notes. Beautiful aromatic persistence.
SICPM
Region: France
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot & Petit Verdot
Tasting notes: Intense ruby colour. Notes of plum, raspberry, currant, cherry, floral, fine herbs, toast and mineral. It has good acidity. Elegant and long finish.
SICCDHB
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pessac-Leognan
Grape variety: 58% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc & 4% Petit Verdot
Tasting notes: There is a generous and floral approach before the lovely fluid interplay between tannin and fruit on the palate. The wine then settles and confidently delivers its Haut-Brion calling card of sweet, open-textured savoury fruit.
SICCE
Region: France, Bordeau, Pomerol
Grape variety: Merlot & Cabernet Franc
Tasting notes: Deep ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, faint ochre brightening on rim. Ripe dark berry fruit, delicate plum, noble wood and nougat, a hint of cardamom and orange zest. Juicy, complex, fine sweetness, ripe wild berry fruit, vivid tannins, mineral and long, ripe sweet cherry, but also some tannic bite on the finish, savoury aftertaste.
SICANGL
Region: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (35%) & Petit Verdot (10%)
Winemaking process: Traditional vinification is carried out in cement vats. Vatting lasts for between 20 and 30 days, depending on the vintage and, after the malolactic fermentation, the wines go into barrel (one-third renewed every year) and remain there for 12 months. The final selection of which wines will go to make the final blend for Château Angludet is made in the following February or March. The process of selection is strict (as only the best wines can be included) and is done by a series of tastings. Once the final blend has been done, the wine is fined with egg whites and very lightly filtered before bottling.
Tasting notes: Wonderfully youthful on the nose, the wine seems innocent, but attractive and compelling. Aromas of bright fruit leap from the glass, red berries in abundance. There is a lovely richness here, great structure and depth. Acidity is incredibly well interwoven with tannins to create a concentrated mouth-feel. It's a really generous, yet fresh and juicy wine. It's actually rather delicious, even at this young age and a wine which really ought to be considered strongly this year.
“The first impression, provided by its sombre hue, is one of richness: this wine breathes sunshine! It has a dense, unctuous appearance in the glass. The nose confirms this richness and density with a hint of timidity, but the deep fruitiness is there, revealing fine aromatic intensity. The palate is mouthfillingly complete, while the aromatic length in the structure displays remarkable balance: you do not endure the tannins, you taste them! An elegant texture develops from its soft, dark depths. Definitely a wine with huge potential.” Benjamin Sichel – October 2016
Reviews
Wine Advocate 86/100 - Neal Martin - 31/03/2017: ‘The 2014 D'Angludet felt a little underripe on the nose: light black fruit, slightly green underneath, one of the few to exhibit that trait. The palate is medium-bodied with a smear of bacon fat infusing the black fruit, nicely balanced towards the finish, but missing the pedigree of its peers at this stage.’
James Suckling 91/100 - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com (Feb 2017): ‘The combination of ripe blackberry fruit and a hint of something floral is immediately appealing, and the dry tannins are quite discreet, making this solid wine easy to enjoy right away. But it will improve with age.’
Decanter16.75/20: ‘Good meaty, even slightly leathery cassis fruit – typical richness, deep flavours, length and balance from this estate. Always a good wine.’
SICAM12
Region: France, Bordeaux, Margaux
Grape variety: Merlot (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (48%), Petit Verdot (12%)
Winemaking process: Fermentation at 28°C-30°C. Maceration times: Merlot, 20 - 25 days, Cabernet Sauvignon, 19 - 28 days, Petit Verdot, 20 - 28 days. Pressed in a pneumatic press with a central bladder. Malolactic fermentation in vats; also barrels (Petit Verdot). Transferred to barrels in December.
Aging: Barrel-aged for 12 months in 32% new oak
Tasting notes: Blackberries and freshly ground spice evolve in to a beautifully restrained chewy palate of bramble fruit with a creamy elegance from this sensational vintage.
Reviews: 90/100 - Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 30/04/2015: ‘Another truly exceptional wine from the Sichel family, the 2012 D’Angludet has a deep ruby/purple colour, a sweet floral, blueberry and blackcurrant-scented nose with a touch of liquorice, light tannins, low acidity and a nice, fleshy mouthfeel. This is a sexy, mouth-filling and satisfying wine from both a hedonistic and intellectual vantage point. Drink this sleeper of the vintage over the next decade.’
VTCCSC
Region: France, A.O.C Bordeaux
Tasting Notes: Intense and deep garnet colour with bluish fringes. The expressive, fine and complex nose delivers notes of fruit such as blackcurrant and blackberry, liquorice and truffles. The attack on the palate is very rich, the mid-palate delivers supple and velvety tannins enhanced by a touch of freshness and a bouquet of fruit associated with spicy notes (pepper and cloves).
Food Pairing: Meat skewers, beef, poultry, vegetable gratins.
HUBCC
Region: France, Burgundy
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Clos de la Chatenière opens in the glass with scents of pear, gunflint, musk melon, wheat toast, wet stones and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, ample but controlled, its concentrated core of fruit is underpinned by lively acids and elegantly chalky structure.
Food Pairing: Suggested dishes to pair with this wine are crayfish and avocado cocktail, guinea fowl supreme, mac and cheese or gruyere.
Reviews
John Gilman’s View From the cellar Sept/Oct 2011: “This is a very dynamic domaine, on the top of its game right now, and there are a great many St Aubin 1er crus in the cellar here that are at least as stunning as well known 1er cru bottlings from Chassagne, Puligny, and Meursault, and the value that these wines currently offer make them amongst the most exciting white Burgundies to be found on the Cote.”. “The Domaine Lamy wines were amongst the most consistently superb that I have tasted from any estate of this vintage and clearly must be ranked up at the very pinnacle of 2009 white Burgundies.”
Antonio Galloni of Parker’s Wine Advocate, Sept 2011: “This is a fabulous set of wines from Olivier Lamy. From top to bottom, I can’t think of a single wine I wouldn’t be thrilled to drink. Simply put, I can’t recommend these wines highly enough.”. Criots-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2009 : 96-98/100 - Saint Aubin 1er Cru Derriére Chez Edouard Cuvée Haute Densitée 2010 : 96/100
burgundy-report.com: “I think you could easily be persuaded that this is a very good Chevalier!” Review by Neal Martin eRobertParker.com # , #210 (Dec 2013) Saint Aubin 1er cru Clos de la chateniére 2012: 91-93 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Les chaumées 2012 : 91-93 Puligny Montrachet Les Tremblots Haute densité 2012 : 91-93 Santenay Clos des Gravières rouge 2012 : 90-92.
The wine advocate William Kelley 2017 Domaine Hubert & Olivier Lamy - Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Clos de la Chatenière Rating: (91 - 93): “Notes of light reduction frame aromas of crisp green apple, dried white flowers and citrus oil, introducing the 2017 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Clos de la Chatenière, a medium to full-bodied, satiny textured wine with a tangy line of acidity and a pure, searingly mineral finish. Lamy adds the fruit from his young vines in this parcel to his Bourgogne, so this is effectively an old-vine cuvée.”
Wine advocate -Rated 91-93/100, Saint Aubin, Clos de la Chatenière, 1er cru, White 2018
Allen Meadows -Rated 89-91/100, Saint Aubin, Clos de la Chatenière, 1er cru, White 2018
Wine advocate -Rated 92-94/100, Saint Aubin, Clos de la Chatenière, 1er cru, White 2019
Jancis Robinson Saint Aubin, Clos de la Chatenière, 1er cru, White 2019 Cask sample. More backward aromatically than the Frionnes. Lots of extract here. Rather Riesling-like in construction (high praise!). Absolutely no hurry to drink this lemon-flavoured, dense wine.
SICM20
Region: France, Margaux
Grape variety: 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot & 5% Petit Verdot
Tasting notes: Endowed with a beautiful intense ruby colour, this Margaux delivers a pleasant bouquet of spicy notes and black fruits. In the mouth the wine is concentrated, generous without being capricious, very expressive, supported by high quality tannins which sign a persistent finish. An elegant, expressive Grand Vin of great distinction, the product of an exceptional terroir and crafted with care.
The Sichel range comprises wines that are representative of the label of origin and vinified with the highest levels of competence but which remain affordable. They are quality wines produced to bring guaranteed pleasure. This wine stands out thanks to the richness and elegance usually found in the first-label of Margaux wines. Generous bouquet of red fruits, spicy, earthy notes, vanilla and masterfully restrained toastiness. Beautifully smooth mouthfeel, elegant but with plump fruit and moderate tannins.
Food pairing: A great match for a fine cut of grilled meat or a well-garnished cheese board, but whatever the case over any informal meal.
AWLFW
Region: France, Rhone
Grape Variety: Grenache Blanc & Clairette
Winemaking Process: Gentle pneumatic pressing. Cold settling. Alcoholic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats at a low temperature (16°-18°C). 6 months ageing on the fine lees in concrete tanks.
Tasting Notes: Pale yellow hue with green tints. Aromas of exotic fruits, white flowers and citrus. Very complex encompassing notes of peach and apricot. This cuvee has a very good length and good freshness.
Food Pairing: A must pair with grilled fish and white meats in a warm atmosphere.
AWLFR
Region: France, Rhone
Grape variety: Grenache & Syrah
Winemaking process: Total destemming. 48-hour cold pre-fermentation maceration. Alcoholic fermentation at 26°C. Gentle extraction through pumping over and punching down the cap operations. 3 weeks maceration. 12 months ageing in concrete tanks.
Tasting notes: Bright deep ruby hue. Fruity and spiced bouquet with notes of blackcurrant and plums. Initially fresh and full, supple and fruity with dominant notes of small black fruit and liquorice. A long and pleasant finish.
Award: Wine Spectator 88 points
SICMON
Region: France, Vallee de Cucugnan
Grape variety: 70% Grenache & 30% Syrah
Tasting notes: A delicate infusion of red fruits from the Cucugnan Mountains. The dress is light ruby, nose clean and frank, red fruits, wild strawberries. The fine and elegant structure.
Sicpg
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Semillon & Sauvignon Blanc
Background: Eighty percent of the vineyard is made up of sandy gravel, the remaining 20% being deep earth that is a mixture of clay, limestone and gravel. The plots have a heterogenous soil on a subsoil that introduces numerous aromatic nuances. At the bottom of the slopes the presence of natural springs ensures perfect drainage of the vineyard and prevents the stagnation of humidity.
Tasting notes: Fuller-bodied, sweet. Lush on the nose with a well-balanced palate of apricot preserve, marzipan, spice, and dates. Finishes with refreshing acidity and mineral-salt notes.
Food pairing: Pairs well with desserts, Foie Gras, and blue cheeses.
HUBLP
Region: France, Burgundy, Cote d'Or, Saint Aubin
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Background: Domaine Hubert Lamy is a wine estate based in Saint-Aubin, Burgundy, producing well-regarded wines from that appellation. The domaine also has holdings in neighbouring appellations in the Côte de Beaune, including a tiny plot in the Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, several holdings in Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, and beyond. The domain was established in 1973, but the Lamy family history of vine growing in Saint-Aubin dates back to 1640. Since setting up, Hubert Lamy has passed management of the domaine onto his son, the Méo-Camuzet-trained Olivier Lamy and his wife Karine. The estate now covers just under 20 hectares (50 acres) across Saint-Aubin, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet and Santenay. However, the majority of the domaine vineyards are in Saint-Aubin, with around two-thirds of the holdings are given to Chardonnay and the remaining third, Pinot Noir.
Tasting Notes: This cuvée is from 10 parcels covering three hectares of village-level St Aubin. It’s aged mostly in larger 500- and 600-litre demi-muids, about 10% of which are new. These vines are mostly in the cooler parts of the village; they manifest themselves in a lemon-zest freshness that kicks in at the finish. The Saint-Aubin La Princée is very pretty, displaying notes of pear, white flowers, citrus oil and a subtle touch of anise. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, tangy and elegantly textural, with excellent length on the precise finish.
Reviews:
Wine advocate - Rated 89-91/100, Saint Aubin, La pincée cru, White 2018
Allen Meadows - 88-90, Saint Aubin, La pincée cru, White 2018
Wine advocate - Rated 90/100, Saint Aubin, La pincée cru, White 2019: “Aromas of pear, freshly baked bread, lemon oil and bread dough introduce Lamy's 2019 Saint-Aubin La Princée, a medium to full-bodied, layered and incisive wine built around a racy spine of acidity and chalky extract. Concluding with a saline finish, this has turned out beautifully.”
ARGC
Region: France, Bourgogne, Cote de Nuits
AWLFGP
Region: France, Southern Rhone
Grape variety:
The Fiole du Pape is the bestselling Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the world.
Winemaking process: Hand-harvested with berry selection, de-stemming and crushing before being put into vats. Each variety is vinified separately. A 20-day maceration period, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in concrete vats. Blending of dry wines and traditional maturation in traditional 100-year-old oak vats, for 1 to 5 years. A rigorous selection takes place before final blending of reserve wines of different vintages to obtain a Châteauneuf-du-Pape of consistent style and maturity. Bottling takes place only once these high standards have been reached.
Tasting notes: Deep and bright ruby. Fruity and spiced. Reminiscent of ripe berries, morello cherry, warm spices (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg), truffles and cedar. Elegant and well balanced, fleshy and powerful, with long lasting aromas. A pleasure to savour.
PBLCG
Region: France
Grape variety: Gewurztraminer
Tasting notes: Pale yellow and bright. The nose is floral, with some geranium flower and spices. The palate is ample, fat then fresh in the final. Very typical Gewurztraminer, off dry style, citrus, grapefruit. Beautiful balance, fine and exotic.
PBLFR
Region: Alsace, France
Grape Variety: Riesling
Tasting Notes: Golden yellow in colour. Strong aromas of candied citrus fruits, infusions, honey, flowers, botrytis, great complexity. Very lively, ample with an extraordinary spine. It ends with the magnificent aromas of the nose. Great, beautiful and rare.
PBLPR
Region: Alsace, France
Grape Variety: Riesling
Tasting notes: A fresh and nervous subtle Riesling with citrus noses. In the mouth, frank and tangy with a good density. A very dry Riesling on the finish on grapefruit bitters. Perfect at the table with oysters or mussels and fish. Do not hesitate to keep it for another two or three years.
SICMR21
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pauillac
Grape variety: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot & 1% Cabernet Franc
Tasting notes: The wine is deep and dark, with a lustrous purple hue. The intense and elegant nose displays seductively scented blackberry and blackcurrant aromas, combined with floral notes of iris and touches of spice and cedar wood. A luscious, succulent attack leads into a beautifully balanced, fresh and harmonious palate on which bigarreau cherry flavours are enfolded in a structure of sapid, patrician tannins. Sustained by an exquisite minerality, the long, lingering finish releases a succession of spicy fresh fruit notes.
SICCDL21
Region: France, Bordeaux, Pauillac
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon 55%, Merlot 36%, Petit Verdot 4% & Cabernet Franc 5%
SICLR21
Region: France, Pauillac
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Petit Verdot
Tasting notes: Deep, darkly pigmented ruby-red colour holds well to the rim. Cassis aromas are overlaid by notes of coffee, toasty oak & graphite. The palate is quite lean & introverted with lively cassis & dark plum complimented by cedary, graphite flavours. The wine is elegant rather than opulent. The wine is of medium to full body & the tannins are not big, but the structure is fine, grainy, cedary & dense. Alcohol is well in balance & the finish is lean & long, combining fresh black-fruit with cedary notes
SICELB21
Region: France, Pauillac
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot
Tasting notes: The fruit character is friendly and accessible, mostly showing blackcurrant and cherry. The palate is held by the tannins, forming a reassuring, solid block which will soften in the short term. This is the epitome of worthy dependability.
Reviews
Wine Advocate87-88/100: “Offering up aromas of minty cassis and blackberries mingled with loamy soil, the 2021 Echo de Lynch-Bages is a medium to full-bodied, lively and charming wine that's nicely balanced, but not especially deep or penetrating.”
Neal Martin, Vinous87-89/100: “The 2021 Echo de Lynch-Bages has a clean and pure bouquet, blackberry and bilberry fruit, a subtle marine/estuarine influence in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins on the entry, moderate weight and depth, gentle grip with a touch of graphite on the finish. It needs to knit together during barrel maturation, and I have little doubt that it will.”
Jane Anson90/100: “A little more angularity to the tannins than the Ormes de Pez, a little more serious overall, very much in the Pauillac spirit. This gets better as it opens, it has good balance and plenty of freshness, 11% new oak, rest one year old.”
SICCP10
Region: France, Margaux
Grape variety: 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot
Tasting notes: Although the alcoholic degree is very high, like in 2009, the acidity synonymous with freshness - and tannic concentration are greater, making for wines with an extremely solid foundation. Their power, combined with a high level of acidity, gives them the potential for becoming benchmarks, and for this to be a legendary vintage. Furthermore, as opposed to previous vintages of the century that are responsible for Bordeaux’s reputation, the ability to choose exactly the right time to pick and perfect control of extraction made it possible to temper the wines' strength and vigor. They are like a finely cut diamond that, over time, will fully express all the delicacy of Chateau Palmer's terroir.
Critical Acclaim
98 Points - James Suckling: A purity of fruit here with plum and dark chocolate undertones. Spices and treacle tart as well. Full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a long, long finish. Very fine indeed. Fit, fruity and reserved. Superb.
98 Points – Decanter: One of the great years of Bordeaux now at 10 years old and showing why this is such an unusual vintage in terms of the depth of structure and muscular concentration that was achieved. In fact, I am upping the drinking window from the last time I tasted this, as there is such a pulse of life and grip that shows no signs of going anywhere. The initial layers are starting to be peeled back, but this retains primary black and blue fruits that are still full of flesh alongside baked earth, tons of liquorice and black chocolate with a grippy tannic structure, fresh acidities and a serious attitude. Brilliant stuff that is clearly going to power on for decades. Harvest September 22 to October 20.
97 Points - Wine Enthusiast: While outwardly this wine is generous and opulent with great juicy sweetness, the core is structured and powerful. The wine is concentrated and complex, with dark tannins and a brooding, dense texture. This is a wine with a long-lived future. Cellar Selection
96 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Deep garnet in colour, the 2010 Palmer rolls out of the glass with warm cassis, baked plums and boysenberries scents plus hints of candied violets, star anise and dried bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is generously fruited, with a firm backbone of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long. Rating: 96+
96 Points - Wine Spectator: This is riveting, with terrific tarry grip coursing underneath layers of smoldering bay leaf, warm plum confiture, freshly brewed espresso, dark cassis and well-steeped black tea. The charcoal and tobacco backdrop is gorgeous and should move forward through the core of fruit over time. Be patient though, as the structure is ironclad. This will really be electric once mature. Best from 2017 through 2040.
VTCVM
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot
Tasting notes: Deep ruby colour, with red berries, and white flowers notes. It has a complex mix of spices and dark fruits, and a long wood finish.
ARMV
Region: France, Burgundy, Mâcon-Villages appellation
Background: In the Southern part of Burgundy, a regional appellation grown in 43 communes falling within the Mâcon-Villages appellation, which extends over 3 050 hectares.
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Vinification and Maturing: Vinification in low-temperature stainless steel tanks in order to preserve the freshness and tension of the grape variety. Followed by a 6 months ageing, for one part in stainless steel tank and the other part in oak barrels.
Tasting Notes: Pale gold with green hues. At the nose white flowers and white fruits aromas with pleasant notes of fresh almonds. A supple and charming wine in the mouth with flavours of white peach, lemon and a beautiful minerality.
Food Pairing: Will be perfect served as an "apéritif" wine with salty finger foods such as chips, crackers, peanuts and olives. Enjoy also with poultry or veal in cream sauce, creamy risotto with meat and all fish.
Ageing Potential: Already delicious, this wine can age 3 to 5 years in good storage conditions.
Serving Temperature: Serve chilled between 10°C and 12°C. (50-54°F.)
ARBPLG
Region: France
Background: The vineyards of Beaune are unique in that out of approximately 400 ha of vines under production, over 300 ha are classified as Premier Cru. The appellation is divided into two parts, north and south, which are separated by a division marked by the road that goes from Beaune up to Bouze-Lès-Beaune. In Old French, “Grèves” referred to sandy soil that was well adapted to viticulture. The 30-hectare “Les Grèves” vineyard is assuredly one of Beaune's best-known Premiers Crus. Seen from above, it forms a square block and occupies the entire length of the gentle, east-facing slope.
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Vinification and Maturing: The grapes were handpicked and collected in 20-kg perforated crates. They were sorted a first time in the vineyard and again on the sorting table when they arrived at the winery. At the winery the grapes were destemmed (50%) and were gravity-fed into tanks. Maceration lasted a total of 26 days including one week of cold maceration (12°C). Fermentation used indigenous yeasts only (no additives such as enzymes or tannins were used). Infrequent punching of the cap (8 maximum).
Aging: In the cellar aged on the lees for 17 months with no racking using a proportion of 30% new French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a very delicate touch of oak to the wine. The wine was not fined but was very gently filtered before being bottled using gravity.
Tasting Notes: Very intense ruby red in colour. At the nose red berry aromas, very open and complex. A wine with phenomenal power for a Beaune. Exceptional finesse. Very long on the palate.
Food Pairing: For its full-bodied structure and powerful aromas, this wine pairs perfectly with game meats or aged strong cheeses such as French Epoisses, Soumaintrain or Maroilles.
ARRB20
Region: Bourgogne, France
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Nice gold yellow colour with emerald reflections. The bouquet reveals very nice aromas of citrus and white flowers, with mineral notes and a very fine wood. Round attack, this wine is well balanced and offers a palette of flavours (citrus, mineral, toasted breads, butter). A nice length and a lot of freshness.
Food Pairing: This wine will be perfect paired with charcuterie platters (ham or pates) or seafood (scallop-shells or salmon). It can also be drunk with hot first courses, such as quiches and pies or with dry cheeses (goats cheese for instance).
ARB
Region: France
Grape Variety: 100% Gamay Noir
Background: The name Antonin Rodet has been rhyming with Mercurey in the heart of the Côte Chalonnaise since 1875, when the house was founded by Antoine Rodet, known as Antonin. The Clos Rodet, a 17th Century bourgeois mansion situated in the heart of the village, is embodying the House's historical heart, cellar and values. For decades, the visionary Rodet family did not hesitate to invest in one of the oldest terroirs in Burgundy and contributed to the business development of the House, brought the Rodet signature into international markets and enhanced its reputation to become a reference in Mercurey and far beyond the native region. Antonin Rodet Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines contributed to the international renown of the House whose consecration came with an award at the Universal Exhibition in 1900. Of noble character and fully expressive after traditional winemaking, the House wines respect their origins with great purity.
Tasting Notes: Elegant ruby red with purple reflections. Fresh and fruity bouquet wine with aromas strawberry. A fruity and lively taste, round and supple in the mouth, with good balance and smoothness.
Food Pairing: A pleasant, friendly wine, to be appreciated at any time of the day, with picnics, before meals, or with cold meats and starters.
ARBV
Region: France
Grape Variety: 100% Gamay Noir
Background: The name Antonin Rodet has been rhyming with Mercurey in the heart of the Côte Chalonnaise since 1875, when the house was founded by Antoine Rodet, known as Antonin. The Clos Rodet, a 17th Century bourgeois mansion situated in the heart of the village, is embodying the House's historical heart, cellar and values. For decades, the visionary Rodet family did not hesitate to invest in one of the oldest terroirs in Burgundy and contributed to the business development of the House, brought the Rodet signature into international markets and enhanced its reputation to become a reference in Mercurey and far beyond the native region. Antonin Rodet Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines contributed to the international renown of the House whose consecration came with an award at the Universal Exhibition in 1900. Of noble character and fully expressive after traditional winemaking, the House wines respect their origins with great purity.
Food Pairing: Drink with lamb, grilled fish or scallops, fresh tofu, cured meats, a light stew, kidneys, pizza, barbecues, light soups and blue cheese from the French Auvergne area.
ARRRB
Region: France
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Golden yellow. A nice floral expression for this vintage with honeysuckle aromas and discreet, delicate and well-integrated woody notes. A fruity wine, well-balanced with a nice aromatic persistence.
Food Pairing: This wine will be perfect paired with charcuterie platters (ham or pâtés) or sea food (scallop-shells, salmon). It can also be drunk with hot first courses, such as quiches and pies, or with dry cheeses (goat's cheese for instance).
ARMERC
Region: France
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: A purplish red. Fairly fine but with plenty of character. Aromas of fruits steeped in kirsch accompanied by animal and woody notes. Very well-balanced, combining fine fruity scents with a good structure thanks to the tannins.
Food Pairing: This wine will be perfect paired with beef steaks, lamb (braised or in sauce) or poultry-based stews. Its structure makes it a perfect companion for any type of cheese (fresh or aged).
LADRML
Region: France
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: The nose is fresh with notes of nuts honey, and citrus fruits. Medium body on the palate with delicate fruit flavours and a slightly spicy finish.
Food Pairing: This is an ideal companion for seafood, poultry and cheese.
VEGAN
SICDP21
Region: France, AOC Pomerol
Grape variety: 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc & 3% Malbec
Ageing: A very fine success that will have to wait at least 2 years after its vintage for the most impatient and which of course has good aging potential.
Tasting notes: Wine with a beautiful, dense purple colour. The nose is powerful with notes of black fruits, blueberries and blackcurrants, with nuances of black pepper. There are also fine aromas of vanilla and toast. On the palate the wine is full and fleshy, with a beautiful complexity on a smooth substance. The Merlots, harvested without being over-ripe, offer both roundness, delicate and crunchy flesh and a grain that harmoniously coats the tannins that give this wine length and structure. This wine reveals all the complexity, richness and charm for which Pomerol wines are renowned. A typical wine of its appellation.
SIC1883
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape Variety: 100% Merlot
Background: A 100% Merlot, no sulfites added wine that will delight wine lovers. An exciting discovery, and a fine tribute to Maison Sichel’s founding year.
A wine without added sulphur, crafted using the methods of yesteryear, yet resolutely contemporary, authentic and based on environmentally friendly methods. To create this wine without the addition of sulphur, the technical team at Maison Sichel select perfectly ripened grapes in impeccable condition from the best-quality parcels. Making wines without sulfites added calls for very special precautions and huge technical skill to ensure that the wines will keep and to prevent any risk of microbiological accidents. The absence of sulfites added is good news for anyone who loves young wines. Discover it for yourself…
Tasting Notes: In the glass, a beautiful Bordeaux with purple hints. A supple wine developing a complex nose with notes of red and black fruits. The palate continues with this pleasant sensation of freshness, with a full and generous body, without any harshness. The balance and expression of fresh fruit reflects all the elegance of the Merlot grape variety, easy to drink, supple and greedy. Ideally, savour this wine while it is young; serve it at a meal with friends for example or serve cooled for a festive aperitif.
Awards:
Concours de Bordeaux 2023 - Silver
Challenge International du Vin - Bourg et Blaye 2023 - Gold
VEGAN
NO SULPHITES
ARC
Region: France
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Background: Located in the north of Burgundy, in the Yonne department, the appellation extends over twenty communes bordering the pretty valley of the Serein. Its vineyard benefits from an exceptional and highly envied geological implantation. The roots will draw all their resources from its predominantly clay-limestone soil dating from the Jurassic, more precisely from the Kimmeridgian (150 million years ago).
Vinification and Ageing: Once arrived in the cellar, the grapes go through a long pneumatic pressing before static settling and alcoholic fermentation with yeasts selected in stainless steel tanks under temperature control of 18 to 20 ° C to preserve a maximum of fruit. Departure in malolactic fermentation quickly after the end of alcoholic fermentations to finish at 100% in January. The wine is then aged on fine lees for a period of 5 to 7 months.
Tasting Notes: Chablis is known as the “purest expression of Chardonnay” – and this is a great example from a well renowned producer. The colour is beautiful pale gold. The nose is rather an intense bouquet on grapefruit zest and cherry blossoms. On the palate it is a fresh and sweet wine, with aromas of lime, pear and hazelnut. The finish is saline, iodized and persistent.
Food Pairing: To be enjoyed on white meats, sushi and sashimi, chicken with cream, shellfish, lobster and fish in general.
ARBC
Region: France
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Background: The Chardonnays of the regional appellation Bourgogne are selected and harvested throughout the wine-growing territory of Burgundy. The Burgundy white appellation has about 1000 hectares.
Vinification and Ageing: Vinified in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks and aged in oak barrels for 6 months (15% of which are new).
Tasting Notes: The colour is white gold, clear and brilliant, with emerald reflections. Aromas of flowers, peach, pear and citrus. The palate is generous with ripe fruits and a beautiful.
Food Pairing: To be enjoyed as an aperitif or to accompany fish, shellfish or white meat.
Awards:
ARBPN
Region: France
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Vinification and Ageing: Fermentation in stainless steel tanks with daily pumping over and flexible punching. The duration of maceration is about 15 days. Partial aging in barrels of 1 to 3 wines in order to soften and round the tannins, for a period of 6 months.
Tasting Notes: The colour is ruby with purplish reflections. Domination of red fruits (strawberry, cherry), with a small note of spices and toast. The palate is ample, bright fruity with a slight woody. Persistent, firm, and well balanced.
Food Pairing: This Bourgogne Pinot Noir will go perfectly with grilled or roasted red meats, light game, soft cheeses.
Awards:
Japan Wine Challenge 2016 - Silver
ARCM
Region: France
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Beautiful pale gold, limpid and shiny with emerald reflections. The nose is fine, elegant, refined, floral (white flowers) and fruity (pear) wioth some notes of fresh almonds and hazelnuts. The palate is pure, with acidity well integrated and a nice roundness. The flavours are both floral and fruity and delicately woody. This wine will know how to assert itself with age. Very promising!
Food Pairing: This wine is perfect served with poached turbot and beurre blanc, Bresse chicken with a cream sauce, eel, smoked salmon, trout with almonds shellfish and veal sweetbreads. It is also an ideal match for Japanese mochi.
ARM
Region: France
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Vinification and Ageing: Pneumatic pressing followed by cold settling between 16 & 24 hours, with the aim of removing coarse sloughs (solid particles from the skin, stems, films, impurities that are deposited by sedimentation). Alcoholic fermentations in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks for precise temperature control and homogeneity of the cuvée then funning at the end of fermentation. Ageing of wines in barrels of 228 liters mainly (a few half-muids) on fine lees for 9 months. Occasional stirring (about 2 times a month) until malolactic fermentation in order to develop both complex aromas and preserve the purity of the fruit, to protect the wine from oxidation (wall and bounce hole) but also from reduction (accumulation of sometimes sulfurous deposits in the bottom of the barrel or vat), by resuspending the fine lees.
Tasting Notes: The colour is beautiful pale gold, clear and shiny. On the nose floral bouquet and finely woody on vanilla aromas. On the palate, it is a beautiful white Burgundy, frank and elegant, with a nice woodiness and a beautiful hold in the mouth.
Food Pairing: Goes well with fish, grilled lobster, shellfish, prawns, or blue cheeses.
ARPF
Background: The communal appellation Pouilly-Fuissé is located south of the Mâconnais vineyard. It covers the villages of Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly, Vergisson and Chaintré. As soon as the relief increases, south of Mâcon, around the famous rocks of Vergisson and Solutré, the vineyard of Pouilly Fuissé, on clay-limestone soils of the Jurassic, completely covers the steep slopes on small steep cirques.
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: The colour is beautiful pale gold with green highlights. On the nose a delicate fruitiness on yellow-fleshed fruits and citrus notes. The palate is lively, fresh and harmonious. The flavours are both mineral and fruity. A wine of beautiful typicity, full of charm.
Food Pairing: Aperitif, salads and cold starters, seafood and fish and white meats.
ARPM
Background: Puligny-Montrachet is a village on the Côte de Beaune located in the area producing the greatest white wines of Burgundy: the Golden Triangle, bounded by the villages of Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. The village takes its name from the Gallo-Roman era when during the first settlements it was named Puliniacus – the house of the marshes. It was not until the end of the 19th century that the name of Montrachet was attached to it.
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Vinification and Ageing: The grapes, harvested by hand, are sorted in the vineyards and on arrival in the winery to ensure a rigorous selection of the bunches. They are then pressed in a pneumatic press that allows a perfect and delicate extraction of the juice while respecting the integrity of the grapes. Vinification and aging are done with 40% new barrels. This ensures that the wine has a slow and continuous oxygenation, as well as olfactory contributions. The wine is aged for 10 months on lees with a few batonnages, which will give the wine more complexity.
Tasting Notes: The colour is a beautiful white gold, brilliant. Lemony aromas, a hint of citrus enhanced by elegant toasted and vanilla notes. On the palate, this beautiful Burgundy is fresh and airy. It offers a beautiful minerality, a delicate woody and a long finish.
Food Pairing: This great white of Burgundy is intended to honor a refined cuisine: Bresse chicken in sauce, seared veal with mushrooms, foie gras, lobster and lobster, sea fish and cheeses such as goats, Reblochon and Brie de Meaux.
ARVP
Background: A famous village located in the Côte de Nuits, in Burgundy, Vougeot takes its name from the small river that runs through it, the Vouge. This appellation covers about 15 hectares, 11 of which are classified as Premier Cru. "Cras" is a word often used in the Burgundian vineyards to designate stony hillsides and scree slopes, formed of limestone pebbles. Vougeot Premier Cru Les Cras lies against the north wall of the Clos de Vougeot, directly in line with the central section of the Grand Cru, at an altitude of 240 to 250 metres.
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Deep, dark ruby-red with purplish tints. Aromas of dark fruits (cherry, blueberry and blackberry) evolving onto notes of nutmeg, toast and smoke. Expressive with flavours of toast, black chocolate and rupe black fruits followed by minty notes. The tannins are dense and tight yet ripe.
Food Pairing: A great red Burgundy to pair with meat dishes such as roast fowl, roast lamb, or feathered game. Slow-cooked, spicy dishes such as couscous or glazed duck in the Chinese style will be perfectly at ease with its aromatic complexity. As for cheeses, medium flavoured, soft-centred cheeses like Reblochon or Vacherin will make a good match.
SICDE21
Region: France, AOC Saint-Emilion
Grape variety: 42% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc & 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
ARML
Region: France, Burgundy, Mâconnais
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Background: Regional appellation of the Mâconnais wine-growing district (dept. of Saône-et-Loire) in the South of Burgundy. Grapes are harvested in Lugny commune. The word Villages or the name of the commune of origin, just as Lugny here, may only be added to the word Mâcon for wines harvested within the defined area of the Macon-Villages appellation consisting of 26 named communes and grouped together.
Terroir: The terroir in the Mâconnais is quite different than that of Burgundy's northern regions. Here it is clay, silica or granite-based. It is particularly because of these differences in terroir that the wines made from the Chardonnay grapes harvested in this region have a mineral freshness about them that is a delight for those who like a change from the warmer more honeyed flavoured white wines of the Côte d'Or just north of the Mâconnais.
Vinification and Maturing: Vinification takes place in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks. The wine is partially aged in tanks and partially aged in barrels.
Tasting Notes: Clear and shiny goldfish yellow, with green hints. The nose is fresh and complex with flavours of white flowers and dried fruits with subtle notes of acacia. Medium-body, rich and balanced wine with a slightly spicy finish.
Food Pairing: Serve with seafood, quiches, grilled fish and goat's cheese.
ARRRP
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Background: Antonin Rodet is the exclusive winegrower and distributor of this ancient fortified Chateau dating back to the 12th Century has remained the property of the same family since its origins and today is the symbol of the village of Rully. The origin of "La Pucelle" comes from the way the land was divided in the family: the youngest daughter (a virgin in comparison with her elder sisters) was also given a plot as an inheritance. The vineyard estate covers nowadays over 12 hectares, producing about 60% of Premiers Crus.
Vinification and Maturing: The plot was harvested on September 2020, the 3rd. Grapes were hand harvested, carefully sorted and put into boxes, to avoid bruising or crushing. Once at the winery, the grapes went in a bladder press where they were squeezed from the inside to get the best quality of juice with a minimal exposure to oxygen. Then, the must was left to settle for 24 hours to clarify before starting fermentation. Vinification took place for a part in stainless steel tanks. Once the alcoholic fermentation was achieved, the wine was casked for a 9-month ageing period in oak barrels on thin lees. Stirring was occasional (twice a month) until the beginning of the malolactic fermentation. It prevented the wine from oxidising and helped develop its complexity. To complete the ageing process, we used a proportion of 25% new barrels to give more structure to the wine and bring more roundness.
Tasting Notes: The colour is golden yellow. Aromas of citrus and exotic fruits (pineapple) carried by elegant woody notes. In the mouth, a mineral attack on citrus and exotic fruits, mostly pineapple again. An ample yet lively wine perfectly expressing the parcel terroir with a beautiful length on citrus aromas.
Food Pairing: Enjoy with cold cuts, hot first courses, seafood, shellfish, fine fish or white meats in light sauces, fine cheeses, poultry in sauce.
ARMCR
Region: France, Burgundy
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Vinifcation and Maturing: The grapes are harvested by hand and totally destemmed to avoid any kind of bitterness or unwanted vegetal aromas. Maceration lasts about 3 weeks. Traditional vinification is carried out in temperature-controlled concrete vats. The wine is then aged for 12 months in oak barrels with 30% new oak. It will give the perfect touch of toasted aromas to the wine and its ripe tannins.
Tasting Notes: This wine is a colour of intense garnet red with aromas of black fruits and undergrowth. It is a dense and structured wine with strong tannins. Flavours of black fruits such as cherry and blackberry.
Food Pairing: Warm and fluid, its tannic structure is notably delicate and suvtle. Its natural partners are poultry and red meats which will not clash with its tannins, especially in spicey exoctic dishes to which its peppery vinosity forms a lively counterpart.
ARVR
Region: Bourgogne, France
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: This wine is the colour of a dark red robe. The nose shows flavours of red and black ripe fruits, especially red cherries with toasted hints of coffee and spices. The attack is full, rich, well-balanced, spicey and fruity (blackcurrent, blueberry, black cherry) with candied fruit. A generous and complex wine with velvety tannins and a very fine structure.
Food Pairing: Will be perfect with a warm Montd'Or cheese and Morteau sausage. feathered game, steak taratare, guinea fowl with a turnip bake, pan-fried brussels sprouts with bacon or a tender piece of Tome cheese from Savoie.
ARSR
Region: France
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Background: Located at the southern extremity of Côte de Beaune, Santenay is home to both the nymph of water and the god of wine: it is in fact a spa and a wine-growing area! The appellation extends over the little town of Santenay and neighbouring Remigny (Saône et Loire). The vineyard covers 947.5 acres, including 124 of Premier Cru. The great majority of wines made here are red ones.
Vinification and Maturing: Grapes were hand picked and carrefully selected. Traditional vinification was then carried out in temperature-controlled concrete vats with daily stirring and pumping-over. Alternating those two methods is a good way to obtain balanced wines because the tannins are not too much extracted. Then, the wine was aged for 8 months in oak barrels with around 20% new oak.
Tasting Notes: This french wine has a beautiful deep and brillant red dress. On the nose expect red and black fruits and toast. The wine is full of fruit and savoriness, carried by mellow and delicately blended tannins, and a fine length in the mouth.
Food Pairing: Its supple and intense attack, and its aromatic register with its distinguished finish mean it should be matched with slow-cooked dishes like braised veal or beef, to which its tannins will lend structure without being agressive. Glazed or caramelised poultry in the Asian style would also give it a warm welcome for its meaty texture, as would home-made hamburgers. And on the cheese-board: French Brie de Meaux, Pont-l'Evêque, Cîteaux, Reblochon, Bleu de Bresse...
ARSLM
Region: Cote de Beaune, France
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Beautiful true rub red. Aromas of small fruits (plum and blackcurrant) with smokey and toasty notes. Fruity savours in live with the nose followed by a serious get warm finish. The tannins are firm and dense.
Food Pairing: This wine pairs well with red meats such as beef, veal and game as well as poultry dishes.
SICCDO
Region: France
Tasting notes: It is the fruit of a maceration with the Eaux de Vie of Orignac and the delicately hand-peeled orange skins (from certified organic agriculture), brought together in perfect balance with a drop of Martinique sugar-cane syrup. There is a perfect harmony between the exotic Orange flavours and the noble Orignac Cognac, with a unique, perfumed bouquet, an unctuous taste lifted by a burst of freshness at the end.
SICCDHA
Region: France
Background: This exceptional cuvee is the result of a blend of the most wonderful “Eaux de Vie” of Ugni blanc from Château d’Orignac. It has been patiently aged for a great many years in French oak and bottled in September 2014. Only 980 bottles of this rare nectar have been produced.
SICBORD
Region: France, Bordeaux
Grape variety: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc
Tasting notes: The wine shows a beautiful red color, deep and brilliant, with very elegant purple hints. The nose kicks off with a charming and expressive bouquet revealing aromas of multiple red fruits mixed with toasted and vanilla notes. The palate is made of precision, an unctuous and fleshy mouth developing with fruit fullness, shaped by attractive tannins as dense as they are harmonious. The mouth perfectly prolongs the feeling of freshness, balance and delicacy enhanced by perfectly controlled wood aging. A wonderful Bordeaux to be opened without delay.
HCBDB
Region: France
Grape variety: Chardonnay
Background: Henri Champliau is a family winery located in Mercurey, region of Burgundy France Founded by Alexandre Graffard, grandson of Henri Champliau, they produce AOC Crémant de Bourgogne and a ' range to the same high quality standards of their winery.
Tasting notes: Refined and elegant bubbles, delicate notes of white fruits on the nose, clear and precise on the palate, with surprising finesse, length and freshness The minerality so present in this Blanc de Blancs is the trade mark of the best white Burgundy wines.
Food pairing: This Brut Organic can age very well thanks to its bright energy. Perfect for an aperitif, it can also be drunk with food such as fish, white meats, or also with desserts. The ideal tasting temperature is 7°C.
ARNSG
Region: Premeaux-Prissey, France
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Intense and bright purple dress. Aromas of black berries jam with a hint of liqourice. A strong and robust red Burgundy on the palate offering a light sensation of sweetness in the mouth.
Food Pairing: Drink with venison, duck meat and with roasted red meats or red meats in sauce. At the end of a meal, try it with Coulommiers cheese followed by a black cherry pie.You can also enjoy it simply as an aperitif.
Awards:
Concours des Grands Vins de France Macon 2008 - Gold
Indy International Wine Competition 2006 - Silver
AWEV
Grape Variety: 100% Vermentino
Region: Vermentino is a grape primarily found in Italy, which makes this particular bottle og Vermetino from France something worthwhile. Elicio Verminto comes from the Mediterranean IGP wine region which consists of land on the South-East coast of France and encompasses parts of the famed Provence and Rhone Valley winemkaing regions.
Tating Notes: Pale golden yellow colour. Intense nose, dominated by exotic fruits & peach notes. Refreshing citrus acidity. Sweet & delicate with a mineral finish.
Food Pairing: Aperitif, tapas, salads, white meat or grilled fish.
REVIEWS AND AWARDS
87 Wine Enthusiast
GCDFRPN
Region: France
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Ruby red in colour. This Pinot Noir with its itense aromas of red fruits and a hint of undergrowth.
Food Pairing: Goes perfectly with red meats or simmered dishes.
LADCRMB
Region: Loire Valley, France
Grape Variety: 100% Cabernet Franc
Winemaking Process: Fermentation lasts 15 days on skins with pumping over twice a day. Pressing and final fermentation of clear juice transferred to vats for malolactic fermentation. Matured in oak.
Tasting Notes: Very beautiful deep red colour with purple reflections. Very fine nose on aromas of red fruits: cherry, strawberry jam, blackberry that mingle with notes reminiscent of black olive and roasted coffee. Supple attack, beautiful tannic and silky structure. Very nice balance between warmness and a beautiful freshness typical from the Loire Valley. The finish extends for a long time on fruity and vanilla notes.
Food Pairing: This wine pairs well with lamb dishes, vegetarian, poultry dishes as well as goats milk and cheese.
LADCB
Region: Chablis, France
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Pale and bright yellow colour. The nose is frank and clean with notes of exotic frutis such as pineapple and banana. On the palate, the wine is ample and mineral, offering a beautiful structure. The delicacy of the palate ends with light notes of
coconut. This wine will gain complexity and maturity over time.
Food Pairing: Lamb sweetbreads, vegetable dumpling, lobster risotto or baked camembert.
LADBCV
Region: Beaune, France
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Cherry colour, quite dense, clear and brilliant. Racy nose and expressive exuding noble aromas of small fruits black (blackcurrant, blueberry) enhanced with woody notes. Fully and velvety palate, delicate and with fine tannis.
Food Pairing: Wine tasters suggest this would pair well with roast squab pigeon, fried steak or pan fried quail breast.
LADRCC
Region: Beaune, France
Grape Variety: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Beautiful light golden yellow colour. Lovely long delicate tears. The Nexpuissant reveals aromas of white and yellow fruits, then touches of honey, white earth and a nice hint of minerality. Supple attack. Oily, mineral palate, marked by a retroolfaction of white earth and infusion. Fresh finish with very good length.
Food Pairing: Suggested to pair with game soup, dover sole or dishes that contain chicken or turkey.
ARFCC
Region: Fixin, Clos Du Chapitre, France
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: Of purple colour with violet tints. The nose of this wine is of a bouquet of flowers such as violet and peony and fruits such as blackcurrant and cherry, carried by elegant spicey notes. The attack is powerful and reveals a solid structure with strong tannins and a long aromatic persistence.
Food Pairing: This wine is ideal with richly-flavoured dishes such as boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, wild game and ripe cheeses. It is drank ideally at a temperature of around 15 - 16 degrees.
ARF
Region: Fleurie, France
Grape Variety: Gamay
Food Pairing: Experts say this wine pairs well with veal, pork, poultry, pasta and cured meats.
ARGC22
Region: Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy, France
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: This wine consists of a shining, bright ruby-red colour with violet hues. It has aromas of small red and black berries (strawberry and blackberry) and spicey notes (liquorice and pepper). It leaves power and balance in the mouth. A great Burgduny with fruity flavours, firm structure and silky tannins.
Food Pairing: This wine pairs well with rib steak, lamb (braised or in brown suace) and all musky, solidly fibrous meats, that need time in the mouth to extract all of their davour. It is at ease with all strong cow milk and cheeses. It is ideally drank at a temperature of 15°C.
ARPPP
Region: Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Tasting Notes: This wine consist of an intense dark ruby colour. It has aromas of a certain virility, on a fruit, woody and animal frameowrk of great complexity. The structure is solid, the tannins still present. The chewiness is remarkabkle, the flavours are all at once fruity, animal, spicey and liqourice. Quite powerful, this is a racy wine wtih a strong character.
Food Pairing: To be drank with fine roasted or oven-grilled meats, prime rib, rump steak with pepper, marinated game or poultry in sauce. Not forgetting creamy Burgundy cheeses, but not too strong. It is served ideally at room temperature.
CHCIT
Region: Chateau Citran, Medoc, France
Grape Variety: 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 6% Cabernet France
Tasting Notes: The colour is clear with violet highlights. Th nose blends black fruit fragrances with delicious toasted notes. The elegant attack is fine and racy,. The palate is seduced by this wine's balance, its length and its power mixed with fresh and smooth touch. The finish is ample, persistent and aromatic.
Food Pairing: This wine pairs perfectly with sirloin steak, ribeye steak, 'minute' rump steak and Linconshire Poacher.
SICLB19
Region: Pauillac, France
Grape Variety: 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot
Tasting Notes: On the palate, this is a powerful and structured wine with firm but polished tannins that ensure longetivity. On the nose, it offers a complex and intense aromatic bouquet, dominated by ripe black fruits such as blackcurrants, blackberries and plms, complemented by notes of cedar, graphite and a subtle hint of sweet spices. and choclate from its ageing in French oak barrels.
Food Pairing: This wine pairs perfeclty with red meats, game, lamb dishes and aged cheeses. It is an exceptional example of the quality and winemaking tradition of Bordeaux and is a wine that can be enjoyed now or saved for special occasions in the future.
SICLB20
Region: Pauillac, France
Grape Variety: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot
Tasting Notes: With a purple garnet colour, this Lynch Bages reveals pronoinced notes of blackcurrant, choclate-covered cherries, blackberries and menthjol, supported by notes of heath and tapenade. Medium-bodied, rich and wondergfully concentrated, the generous fruit is beautifully framed by ripe and velvety tannins with hints of pepper, cinnamon and clove on the finish.
Food Pairing: This wine is best sertved with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted braised and grilled dishes.
SICCDW
Region: Bordeaux, France
Grape Variety: Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot & Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes: The purple bursts illuminate the dark depth of this wine. Its scents express all its complexity, they marry black fruits with spices with a slight smokey note. The flowers close this aromatic parade with other pleasant plant scents. The approach in the mouth goes through the sweetness and smoothness of smooth, elegant and slightly juicy tannins. It is accompanied by an explosion of fruity notes, complemented by an endless pinch of liqourice.
Food Pairing: This Chateau Dillon pairs well with dishes that contain game, beef or lamb.
Awards:
Gold Medal Independant Winegrowers Competition 2022
James Suckling February 2022 - 90/100
HCPN
Region: Burgundy, France
Grape Variety: 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Refined and elegant bubbles, delicate notes of red berries on the nose, clear and fruity on the palate with surprising finesse, length and freshness. This cuvee reveals the exceptional potential of the Burgundy terroir for sparkling wine.
Food Pairing: With its elegance and complexity, this cuvee can seduce the most demanding tasters. Perfect for an aperitif, it can also be drunk with food such as fish, seafood, white meats and also enjoyed with desserts.
PJDDT19
Region: Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone, France
Grape Variety: Shiraz/Syrah
Tasting Notes: Big, rich, dark-fruited and almost tarry, but this full-bodied wine is pleasantly velvety and marked by savoury notes of scorched wood and black olive tapenade that linger on the finish.
Food Pairing: This wine pairs well with grilled meats, barbeque, grilled vegetables and spicey dishes.
PJDDT16
Region: Rhone, Crozes-Hermitage, France
Grape Variety: Syrah/Shiraz
Tasting Notes: This wine has cassis and blueberry perfume mixes with black pepper and violets on the nose. The palate is vibrant and fresh, with sweet, wild berry fruit balanced by fine, velvety tannins.
Food Pairing: Wine experts believe this wine would pair well with grilled foods such as meat, vegetables and barbeque as well as spicey dishes.
PJLC17
Region: Rhone Valley, France
Grape Variety: Shiraz/Syrah
Tasting Notes: La Chapelle is full-bodied like Pauillac with deep inky colour. It is extremeley aromatic with raspberry, dark berry and smoke aromas, with herbal chracteristics such as rosemary, developing a wonderful bouquet of spices, cedar wood and berries. The body is velvety supported by immense ripe and round tannin. The finish is always fresh and beautifully balanced.
Food Pairing: Jaboulet Hermitage is best served with all types of classic meat dishes such as veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken or any roasted, braised and grilled dishes.
PJLC20
Region: Rhone Valley, France
Grape Variety: Shiraz/Syrah
Tasting Notes: The palate is dense with layers of blackerries, damsons, black cherries, liqourice, tar and all spice - a nod to the 15% new oak used in maturation, which brings complexity while leaving the emphasis on the purity of the fruit. Tannins are mouthcoating but gloriously fine and silky, while aromas of incense, violets, graphite and a dash of acidity bring a fragrant and refreshing lift. For all its richness and ripe fruit flavours, this is crisper and more poised than recent vintages. Elegant and beautifully balanced with a lingering finish.
Food Pairing: This wine would pair well with a rich cut of pork, slow-cooked shoulder or braised belly-pork.
SICPB
Region: Margaux, France
Grape Variety: Muscadelle, Sauvignon Gris & Lauzet
Tasting Notes: This wine is made from an unusual blend of Muscadelle, Sauvignon Gris and Lauzet. It is a fruiy and fresh expression, offering notes of lychees, white flowers, honeysuckle, a touch of almonds and spices.
SICPM00
Region: Margaux, Medoc, Bordeaux, France
Grape Variety: 64% Cabernet, 24% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot & 5% Cabernet Franc
Tasting Notes: Very powerful and concentrated but bright and exuberant with fresh blackcurrant and blackberry. Leafy, savoury notes and rose petal. Crushed velvet texture with creamy notes and a long, savoury finish. Tannins are incredibly fine and densely packed, ripe and mouth-coating.
Food Pairing: This Chateau Margaux is good when matcged with Asian dishes, rich fish courses like tuna, mushrooms and pasta.
