Calvados, White, chardonnay, C...

Pauillac

 5ème Cru Classé

The 2019 Lynch Bages is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel, if not moreso. What a wine! Towering and vertical in its bearing, the 2019 is a total stunner. There is plenty of Lynch Bages charm, but what distinguishes the 2019 most is its spine of tannin and energy. Time in the glass brings out sweet red cherry, plum, blood orange and pomegranate and mint. The 2019 is a great, great, great Lynch Bages. It reminds me of the epic 1989, but with the youthful grip of this vintage. A towering Pauillac, the 2019 Lynch Bages will make a great addition to any cellar. Antonio Galloni 99

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

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

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

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

Pre- Arrival 3 bottles available

The 2022 Pichon Baron is one of the most elegant, polished wines I have ever tasted here. Silky and refined, the 2022 is super-impressive right out of the gate. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. Blood orange, herbs and floral notes lend notable delineation to a core of Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. As I did en primeur, I find the wine's balance nothing short of exquisite. There's more freshness and vibrancy here than in the past, along with a noticeably lower oak imprint and more sensual tannins that lend notable sophistication throughout. The Grand Vin spent 16 months in French oak barrels, 70% new, and then two months in wood vats prior to bottling. (98) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

Beautiful fragrance, lots of fresh and ripe black and red bramble fruit - so alive and expressive on the nose with liquorice, wet stones and cedar spicing. Smooth, ample and full in the mouth, but not overly textured or plush. There's a real refinement to the tannic structure, clearly giving the frame to the wine but detailed and precise with edges of liquorice, slate, dark chocolate, cedar and tobacco. It balances richness, intensity and concentration with sleekness, bright acidity and a real charm to the juicy fruit. Rich and tense, just giving a hint of its potential, clearly powerful but totally seductive too. A sublime wine in the making. Ageing 18 months in French oak, 70% new, 600% one wine. Drink 2030 - 2047. (97) GEORGINA HINDLE, Decanter

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

Pre- Arrival 1 bottle available

The 2022 Canon is a regal wine of total sophistication and class—aromatic, light on its feet and super-expressive. Crushed flowers, chalk, mint, dried herbs, incense and blood orange all race across the palate. Clean saline-inflected notes extend the mid-palate and finish effortlessly. Even with all of the heat and drought of the year, Canon retains its essential, highly refined personality. (99) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

From an estate that is delivering its greatest run of vintages since the superb Post War series that preceded the frosts of 1956, the 2022 Canon is a magical wine that will be worth every effort to track down. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, wild plums and cherries mingled with hints of bay leaf, spices and violets, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with huge levels of concentration, vibrant acids and beautifully refined tannins. Concluding with a long, saline finish, this pure, perfumed and ineffably complete Canon is built for the ages, even if its structural polish is such that it will be approachable at a surprisingly early age. (99-100) WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

Pre- Arrival 1 bottle available

The 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a towering masterpiece from Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier. Dark and seamless in the glass, the 2022 presents an exotic mélange of black cherry, lavender, sage, blood orange, menthol, espresso and dried flowers, showing tremendous depth and substance in all of its dimensions. Time in the glass hints as to what is to come in the years and decades that follow. The 2022 is a co-ferment of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot done with 70% stems that saw six full weeks on the skins. Élevage is 70% new oak, 20% 18HL cask and 10% amphora. Most importantly, all the elements are so well balanced that nothing sticks out. Instead, it is the wine's total sense of harmony that is mind-blowing. Magnificent. (100) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

The remarkable 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a strong candidate for the title of wine of the vintage. It's also one of the most singular, characterful wines being produced in the region today. Unfurling in the glass with complex aromas of blackberries and cherries mingled with notions of exotic spices, orange zest, pencil lead, rose petals and vine smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a velvety attack that segues into a layered, seamless and multidimensional mid-palate framed by rich, powdery tannins. Pure, perfumed and penetrating, this blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot is a brilliant success that caps a decade of relentless work by Guillaume Pouthier and his team that have seen Les Carmes Haut-Brion emerge as one of Bordeaux's leading estates. It checks in at a mere 13.5% alcohol, with a very healthy pH of 3.64. (99-100) YOHAN CASTAING, Wine advocate

Pauillac

5ème Cru Classé

The 2019 Pontet-Canet is plush, dense and explosive, with tremendous richness and pure, soaring intensity that strengthens in all directions with time in the glass. A wine of gravitas, the 2019 is statuesque in build. As always, Pontet-Canet offers a very personal, idiosyncratic expression of Pauillac. A range of lifted floral and savory notes ring out on the finish.

The 2019 is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, harvested between September 23 and October 10, which is a typical time frame for the estate. Yields came in a 33 hectoliters per hectare, more or less the historical average these days. For the first time, all sorting and destemming were done by hand and the wine was vinified only with manual punchdowns (i.e. no pumpovers), without any motorized equipment. Cuvaison was around 21 days, after which the wine was taken off the skins for the malolactic fermentation (which was done in the fermentation vats), and then racked into barrels and concrete for aging - 50% new oak, 35% amphora and 15% once-used barrels. Sadly, 2019 is the last vintage at Pontet-Canet for long-time Technical Director Jean-Michel Comme, who left after 31 years to focus on his own projects. He is succeeded by Mathieu Bessonnet, formerly at Chapoutier. Antonio Galloni 95-97

The aromas to this are really amazing, with a potpourri of spices and dried flowers, as well as redcurrants, sweet plums and even some peaches. Full-bodied with layers of ripe fruit and ultra-fine tannins that spread across the palate in an encompassing yet always elegant and pure way. It’s succulent and unadulterated. Like crushed, perfectly ripened grapes. The length is rather endless. The tannins build. Fabulous young red. 35% in amphora and the rest in 50% new oak and 15% one-year oak. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot, the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2028, but an absolute joy to taste now. 99 JAMES SUCKLING

The highlight of the Bernard Magrez stable is also the most prestigious, and tellingly it has achieved consistent high scores. It's up 7% on the 2017 release, which is no surprise as it is perhaps the best releases to since 2010.  -Tom Portet
 
Lisa Perotti Brown 96-98
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Pape Clement is a little closed, slowly unfurling to reveal fragrant earth, crushed rocks, iron ore and tobacco notions over a core of crushed red and black currants plus kirsch, red roses and Ceylon tea. Full-bodied and wonderfully vivacious, it offers a solid line of firm and fine-grained tannins and amazing freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced.

James Suckling 97-98
This is a very driven Pape Clément with fantastic density and finesse at the same time. Linear and driven, the finish goes on for minutes with incredible tension and focus. More cabernet. Refinement with power.

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

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

Pre- Arrival 4 bottles available

The 2022 La Mondotte is another heady wine in this range from the Neipperg family. Inky dark fruit, gravel, pencil shavings, iron, sage and scorched earth infuse the 2022 with notable intensity and tons of brooding, somber character. Readers will have to be patient, as this is a potent, structured Saint-Émilion. I would not plan on opening a bottle anytime soon. The 2022 is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, so a bit more Franc than in some recent years. This spent 35 days on the skins followed by 16 months in French oak, 40% new. It's a superb edition of this wine made from one of the most distinctive sites in the appellation. (97+) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com

Blackberries and blueberries with chalkboard and dark earth aromas. Flowers, too. Lead pencil. Full-bodied and very deep in the palate, which is reserved and texturally sophisticated. Chalky, too. Silky and very polished. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. From organically grown grapes. (97-98) JAMES SUCKLING

12 bottles available at time of offer

Jean-Luc Thunevin was one of the original Garagiste winemakers of the right bank, and his home estate presents the success of Merlot in the vintage, at 90% of the blend (vineyard plantings at 75%). Produced in miniscule quantities, it's one of the most sought-after wines in Saint Emilion (and you don't need to sell your house). - Tom Portet

James Suckling               97-98
This is a fantastic young Bordeaux with superb depth of fruit and complex tannin structure. Hints of smoke, spice and toasted oak. Full body and firm, dusty tannins. Very long finish.
 
Antonio Galloni                     97+
The 2018 Valandraud is every bit as compelling as it was from barrel, maybe more. Power and vertical, with tons of explosive energy, the 2018 dazzles right out of the gate. Inky dark cherry, plum, chocolate, spice, new leather, licorice and chocolate all race across the palate. The 2018 is a wine of tremendous stature that distinguishes itself in a vintage peppered with stunning wines. I would allow for a few years in bottle to help the tannins soften. I loved it.

Andrew Caillard, MW 95
Deep crimson. Intense dark plum cedar spicy aromas with wood varnish notes. Immensely concentrated and oaky with attractive inky complexity and plentiful graphite textures. Elemental but impressive despite the oak right now. Should settle down into completeness.  

A minuscule production and allocation but a delightful second wine from the great Ausone stable of Vauther family. Its volume is just a third of the volume to Ausone itself, and almost always close to a 50:50 blend of Merlot and Cabernets. It has great poise, purity and no excess of weight that will reward to whoever asks for it first. -Tom Portet

Andrew Caillard, MW                       95
Deep colour. Intense dark plum mocha praline aromas with violet notes. Generous and deep set with ripe dark cherry, blackcurrant fruits, fine chocolaty tannins. Long fresh sweet fruit finish. Classic proportioned wine with energy and density.

James Suckling                 94-95
This is a very tight and structured second wine with blueberry, spice and light hazelnut character. It's full of volume, but shows underlying firmness and brightness. Lovely length.

Antonio Galloni                 91-94
The 2018 Chapelle d'Ausone is a drop-dead gorgeous second wine. Wonderfully finessed in every way, the 2018 conveys intensity allied to a sense of weightless elegance.

Pre- Arrival 3 bottles available

The 2022 Tertre Rôteboeuf is silky, elegant and polished. Scents of raspberry jam, mocha, cinnamon, new leather and blood orange are immediately inviting. On the palate, the 2022 is soft and caressing, but there's plenty of tannin and overall structure lurking beneath. Floral, savory and mineral overtones extend the sustained, vibrant finish. Tertre Rôteboeuf remains one of the most singular wines in all of Bordeaux. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com

Coming from an incredible hillside terroir on the eastern side of Saint-Emilion, the 2022 Château Tertre Roteboeuf reveals a dense purple hue to go with a kaleidoscopic array of cassis, blueberries, cherries, acacia flowers, violets, and orange blossom. Always exotic, singular, and overflowing with character, the 2022 looks to be no exception and is full-bodied, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. (96-98) JEB DUNNUCK

This monumental 1998 version of Bin 707 was tasted as part of the Penfolds Rewards of Patience tastings in 2007. I don’t have information of where each vintage is sourced from but I will fill that in later.

This is a ‘wow’ wine. Mint and blackcurrant, strong and straight. Oak here has been majorly consumed – though what wouldn’t succumb to such a boom of gorgeous, dark fruit flavour? Big tannin, big minty fruit, quite phenomenal. Length and purity. A star. 2030. (96) CAMPBELL MATTINSON

The outstanding 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 is a thick, rich, full-bodied Cabernet emphasizing copious quantities of cassis fruit. Pure, with nicely integrated oak, acidity, and tannin, it cuts a broad swath across the palate. While still young and grapy, this 1998 is loaded with potential. ROBERT PARKER

The 2021 Ornellaia captures all the magic of this sensational vintage on the Tuscan Coast. Rich, ample and expansive, with tremendous polish, the 2021 is pure class. Dark-toned fruit, mocha, espresso, licorice, plum and dried herbs abound. The tannins are present but also beautifully integrated, as is the French oak. There was a time not too long ago when young wines here needed years in bottle to drink well. That's not at all the case with the 2021. The blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot works so well (99) ANTONIO GALLONI

Aromas of blackcurrants, iodine, crushed stone, hints of mint and sage. Blue fruits. Full-bodied with chewy tannins that open with air. It’s racy and very long. Very tannin driven and energetic with power and focus. Muscular and very toned. This is the best Ornellaia for the cellar in years. (99) JAMES SUCKLING

Very dark with black core. Extremely pure cassis nose. Tight and dark and savoury on the palate with graphite dark freshness. Very fine texture, dry but not drying. Paper layers of subtle tannins building density but shot through with pure cassis scent. Extremely moreish and fresh. Long and scented on the finish. JULIA HARDING, jancisrobinson.com

A blend of 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 0.8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Les Forts de Latour has a medium to deep garnet color with a lingering hint of purple. It prances out of the glass with fragrant scents of black raspberries, mulberries, and black currant pastilles, leading to suggestions of lilacs, iron ore, fragrant earth, and black truffles, plus a waft of fallen leaves. The palate delivers an elegantly styled, medium body with fantastically ripe, ever so fine-grained tannins and beautiful tension supporting the intense black and red berry layers, finishing with impressive length and loads of mineral and floral sparks. LISA PEROTTI-BROWN

Pre- Arrival 7 bottles available

The 2022 Montrose is insanely beautiful. That much is obvious. When it might be ready to drink is another question. In recent years, Montrose has acquired notable finesse in its tannins, so that is not an issue. But the 2022 is packed with tremendous density and concentration that will need time to soften. Blackberry, graphite, licorice, lavender and chocolate stain the palate in a stunning, riveting wine of the very highest level. I can only hope to be around when the 2022 starts to drink well! Montrose is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Unforgettable. (100) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

The 2022 Montrose is such a compelling wine that assigning it a bracketed score seems a mere formality. A brilliant terroir, impeccable viticulture, perfectly timed harvest dates and judicious extraction have aligned to deliver a monument in the making, reminiscent of a far purer, more precise, modern-day version of the 1990 vintage at this address. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, violets, iris, pencil lead and cigar wrapper, it's full-bodied, deep and authoritative, its velvety attack segueing into a layered, elegantly muscular core that's framed by supple, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, resonant finish. A blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, this only confirms Montrose's status as a de facto first growth and unquestionably one of the contemporary Médoc's very greatest estates. (99-100) WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

Pomerol - LIMITED
2 BOTTLES reamin at timne of offer
The 2017 L'Évangile, 100% Merlot for this first time, is just as impressive from bottle as it was from barrel. Dark, sumptuous and wonderfully inviting, the 2017 has so much to offer. Dark fruit, spice, mocha, leather and licorice infuse the 2017 with notable depth. Time in the glass brings out lovely aromatic top notes that add freshness. A rapturously beautiful wine, L'Évangile is stellar. Frost wiped out half of the potential crop, including all of the Cabernet Franc, which means the Grand Vin is 100% Merlot. Technical Director Jean Pascal Vazart opted for gentle pumpovers and longer extractions than normal. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI

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

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

12 Bottles available at time of offer

A real star amongst the second wines this vintage, and always in very tight supply. It contains an unusually higher blend of Merlot this year (40%) with lower yields consistent with the vintage story. A little sheep in volume, but always rewards buyers for its Pauillac credentials of black fruit and graphite, and perfect for drinking in around 5 -10 years. -Tom Portet

Antonio Galloni     93
Just as it was from barrel, the 2018 Le Petit-Mouton is fleshy, radiant and very easy to enjoy. Soft contours and silky tannins add to its considerable allure. Because of low yields, the Petit-Mouton was aged entirely in new oak. Rich, sumptuous and bold to the core, the 2018 is a rock star wine.

James Suckling                 97-98
This is phenomenal with such dense and layered tannins that go on for minutes. It's full-bodied with blackberries, blueberries and chocolate. Sexy and so beautiful. Not sure what to say here. Maybe it should have gone into the first wine?

Lisa Perrotti-Brown                 92-94
Deep garnet-purple, it comes bounding out of the glass with sit-up-and-beg notes of crème de cassis, plum preserves and mulberries plus nuances of chocolate box, Chinese five spice, licorice and candied violets. Full-bodied, rich and oh-so-hedonic, the palate is packed with juicy black fruit layers wrapped in a firm, velvety structure, with loads of fragrant spice layers on the very long finish.

Andrew Caillard, MW                       93
Medium deep colour. Lovely blackcurrant herb aromas. Sweet blackcurrant black cherry fruits, fine slinky textures and toasty oak notes. Still elemental with firm tannins. Pretty wine.

Pre- Arrival 4 bottles available

The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has a very sensual, perfumed, floral bouquet with crushed violets and licorice infusing the black fruit. It needs time to really open in the glass, manifesting more underlying graphite scents with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins and quicksilver thread of acidity. It offers the sensuality of this Pauillac Classed Growth with structure and poise, just firming up a little with time, which is not a bad thing. This estate has enjoyed a scintillating run of form in recent years, and this latest bottled vintage shows that there is no end in sight. (98) NEAL MARTIN,Vinous.com

The 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is one wine where a comparison with this estate's magical 1982 doesn't appear to be far-fetched. Wafting from the glass with deep aromas of cassis, plums, violets, rose petals, tobacco leaf and pencil shavings, it's full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with a layered, seamless core of fruit that largely conceals its chassis of powdery structuring tannin. Concluding with a long, expansive and beautifully perfumed finish, it's a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that has the potential to equal or even surpass the 2019 and 2016 vintages at this address. It checks in at a very classical 13.6% alcohol and a rather high pH of 3.80. (97-99) WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

The 2020 Cos d'Estournel is a wine of extreme elegance. Silky and light on its feet, the 2020 is incredibly nuanced. In fact it is without question the most finessed of all the top wines in Saint-Estèphe, showing more in common with some of its neighbors in the north of Pauillac than the more potent wines of Saint-Estèphe. Impossibly soft, silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red fruit, spice and orange zest. The 2020 is not a huge Cos, but rather a wine for readers who appreciate elegance over power. I can't wait to see how it ages. Magnificent. 97 ANTONIO GALLONI, vinous

3 BOTTLES AVAIALABLE

Antonio Galloni                                  97
The 2018 Haut-Bailly soars out of the glass, showing magnificent poise that only grows with time. Sweet, perfumed aromatics, silky tannins and mid-weight structure add to its considerable allure. Ripe red berry fruit, spice, blood orange, licorice, cedar, tobacco and menthol are all woven together in an effortless, classy Haut-Bailly that delivers the goods. I suppose the 2018 doesn't quite have the explosive energy of the very best years, but it more than makes up for that with its sensual, seductive personality.

James Suckling                                   97-98
Incredible depth of fruit to this with a center palate that shows superb character and texture. I love the hazelnut and coffee-bean undertones to the beautiful fruit, which shows great finesse. Full-bodied yet compact and tight, giving a sense of agility and flight to the wine. Extremely tight and polished tannins.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown            96-98
Deep purple-black in color, it opens slowly with profound notions of Black Forest cake, crème de cassis, roasted nuts and black olives, unfurling to reveal notions of menthol, crushed rocks, molten licorice and chargrilled meat plus a hint of lilacs. Full-bodied, rich and densely laden with layer upon layer of vibrant black fruits and mineral nuances, it has a solid backbone of firm, velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long with compelling restraint and exciting energy.

Andrew Caillard, MW                                     97
Deep colour. Perfect claret style with intense blackcurrant plum graphite aromas with some savoury notes, fine graphite grainy tannins and underlying vanilla oak. Tannins are plentiful but perfectly ripe with some al dente notes and plenty of thrust. Elemental but voluminous needing time to meld. Sine inky mineral notes at the finish.

Pre- Arrival 8 bottles available

The 2022 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a wine of total sensual allure. All the elements are wonderfully woven together. Black cherry, plum, licorice, chocolate, spice and lavender infuse the palate with striking depth. The sustained, persistent finish is a thing of real beauty. Lifted floral accents extend the finish nicely.  (97) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

Pre- Arrival 5 bottles available

One of the finest wines to ever pass my lips, the 2022 Château Cos D'Estournel is a monument in the making. Based on 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this saturated ruby/purple-hued Saint-Estèphe offers a full-bodied, massive, opulent style as well as perfumed red, blue, and black fruits, ample spice, chocolate, graphite, and lead pencil-like aromatics, a stacked mid-palate, flawless balance, and a monster of a finish. An improved version of the 2009 (if that's possible), this is a legendary wine in the making. Hats off to Michel Reybier and technical director Dominique Arangoïts. (98-100) JEB DUNNUCK

The 2022 Cos d'Estournel is a huge wine that is going to need a number of years to be at its finest. Dense, rich and explosive, the 2022 represents the essence of opulence. Sumptuous curves wrap around a core of blackberry, cloves, new leather, licorice and espresso that screams out of the glass. The 2022 is a wild, exotic beauty. All it needs is time. Tasted twice. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

DON'T MISS! - If Kimmeridgian could be distilled, it would likely smell exactly like the nose of the 2019 Les Clos with the additions of wet chalk, citrus zest and oyster shell. There is equally good delineation to the snappy, painfully intense and overtly stony large-bodied flavors that deliver superb length on the balanced finale. This elegant and classy effort is also built on a base of almost pungent minerality and a wine that is indisputably going to age effortlessly for years. BURGHOUND

FIVE STARS - 2ha of Les Clos were planted by Maurice Fèvre between 1947 and 1952, a time when much of the hillside was bare. The 2019 yields just 25 h/ha and had recently been racked, so had not fallen clear. The bouquet is immense. Keep sniffing, and it keeps offering more. This year Les Clos has a dimension over and above all the others. Not just density, but amazing depth. A little touch of bitters too, which we like at this stage. Such great length! (97) JASPER MORRIS MW

Eight bottles available at the time of offer

An easy argument for the Médoc's fifth 1st growth, year after year it presents as an exceptionally poised wine that evokes total class. I love it. It comes from the oldest vines of the property that average around 50-years old, this year the blend is structured with 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 9% Merlot. -Tom Portet

James Suckling                           99-100
OMG. This shows amazing depth of fruit and density. Full-bodied and so layered with incredible fruit and power. Blackberries. Blueberries. Violets. Hints of dried flowers. Fantastic fruit and tannins, yet agile and energetic. The château says 2016 plus, plus.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown                                             98-100
The finished blend for the 2018 Léoville Las Cases is yet another triumph for this great estate. Very deep purple-black in color, it is a little closed to begin, slowly emerging from the glass to reveal subtle woodsmoke, violets, tilled soil and underbrush scents over a core of warm cassis, wild blueberries and redcurrant jelly plus hints of rare beef and iron ore. Full-bodied, rich, super concentrated and bursting with latent energy, this is an atomic bomb waiting to go off in your mouth. It has a rock-solid foundation of firm, very ripe, very finely grained tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular fruit through the epically long, amazingly nuanced finish. Simply breathtaking.

Antonio Galloni                 95-98
Sumptuous and spectacularly rich, the 2018 Las Cases is atypical but gorgeous in its singularity. The 2018 Léoville Las Cases is a rich, sumptuous, exotic wine in 2018. Plush fruit and suave, silky tannins give the 2018 a level of textural richness that is unusual for a young Léoville Las Cases. Crème de cassis, lavender, mint and sweet spice all build in this extraordinarily beautiful wine. I can't recall tasting a young Las Cases with this much immediacy and sheer allure. The 2018 Las Cases has a very bright future. It is also one of the unquestioned stars of the vintage. In 2018, the blend is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 9% Merlot.

Jeff Leve               98-100
Chris Kissack               98-100
Decanter                       98

Regarded as one of the premier producers in Jurançon, Clos Joliette was founded in 1929, when the Migne family cleared forest in a natural southeast-facing amphitheater to plant a hectare of vines.
The result has been an incredible selection of complex and aromatic off-dry wines, reflecting the reputation Antoine Gerbelle bestowed on the domaine as “the Romanee Conti of the South-West France”.

What makes these wines so sought after is the combination of three unique aspects. First, its location. With only 1.85 hectares Clos Joliette sits at 300m altitude, on the slopes of the hill of Beauvallon (Commune of Jurancon). The vines were planted in 1929 by Madame Migné and exposed to the East and South-East in a natural amphitheater, allowing the grapes to capture the gentle morning sun, rather than afternoon heat.

Second, an atypical terroir made of clay-silica, pudding stones, Ponto-Pliocene pebbles and crossed through by a vein of iron.

Third, the wine itself - a single varietal 100% Petit Manseng, treated with minimal intervention throughout vinification, no fining or filtration, and long aging in oak barrels for 4 to 6 years.

DON'T MISS! - This too could be from nowhere else other than Chablis with its combination of strong mineral reduction, cool citrus, shellfish and iodine. The dense, opulent and powerful large-bodied flavors brim with dry extract that imparts a sappy texture to the lemony and massively long finish. Not surprisingly for a classic Les Clos, this super effort is very much built-to-age and a wine that I would advise not touching for at least 6 to 8 years first. BURGHOUND

WORTH A SPECIAL SEARCH - 4.10 ha, principally the higher section but some lower towards Grenouilles - mainly planted before 1950 by that father of Willaim Fevre. Always the only wine in this - or pretty much any line-up of great Chablis that makes me think - Chevalier-Montrachet - but this year I see Chablis! Extra breadth to this aroma - almost a hybrid of the previous two wines - but then it changes gear, floral and mega-impressive - wow - I almost don't need to drink it! Okay, for science ?? : This is not the most forceful or incisive but it has a mouth-filling fluidity that infuses the senses. (Almost) always a wine apart and it is certainly that in 2021 - undisputedly great - bravo! BILL NANSON, The Burgundy Report

This 6 pack consists of the following Premier Crus:

1 x William Fevre Chablis Vaillons 2018 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Fourchaume 2018 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Montee de Tonnerre 2018 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Vaulorent 2018 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Mont de Milieu 2018 1er
1 x William Fevre Chablis Montmains 2018 1er

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William Fevre Chablis Vaillons 2018 1er
A cool, pure and citrus-tinged nose speaks of oyster shell, iodine and discreet green apple nuances. There is a fine sense of energy to the crisp, minerally and racy flavors that deliver solid length on the bone dry finish that already displays very good complexity. Lovely stuff and worth checking out. BURGHOUND

The 2018 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru is laced with strong mineral and earthy tones that are such a signature. Savory herbs, menthol, licorice, citrus peel and a touch of reduction are all woven together in a Chablis of real class and nuance. This is another wine in the range that is both dense and understated, with a real sense of aromatic lift. ANTONIO GALLONI

William Fevre Chablis Fourchaume 2018 1er
SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING. In much the same fashion as the Les Lys the nose is overtly floral in character with background nuances of oyster shell, iodine and wet stone. The impressively rich, concentrated and powerful medium weight plus flavors possess excellent intensity that carries over to the complex, long, dry and focused finale. This is, in a word, terrific. BURGHOUND

The 2018 Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru is superb. Rich and ample with tremendous structure, the 2018 possesses terrific depth and textural resonance throughout the finish. Orchard fruit, lemon confit, almond and menthol infuse the 2018 with notable complexity and intensity. Textured, oily and deep with a bit of a savory edge, the 2018 has so much to offer. ANTONIO GALLONI

William Fevre Chablis Montee de Tonnerre 2018 1er
SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING. An elegant, pure and relatively airy nose combines plenty of Chablis typicity with notes of white orchard fruit, citrus, algae and iodine wisps. There is very good minerality and delineation to the lacy and refined yet punchy flavors that deliver sneaky good length where the intensity really builds from the mid-palate to the driving finish. BURGHOUND

The 2018 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru is very tight, but it was also racked just prior to this tasting, and Montée de Tonnerre is naturally a site that yields intensely mineral wines. Bright citrus, mint, chalk and white pepper open up gradually in a brisk, focused wine that needs time to show at its best. ANTONIO GALLONI

William Fevre Chablis Vaulorent 2018 1er
SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING. Not surprisingly this is aromatically similar to the Fourchaume though here there is a whiff of wood in evidence. The slightly sleeker and finer medium-bodied flavors possess good power and punch while remaining refined and composed on the impressively long and well-balanced finale. BURGHOUND

The 2018 Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru takes all the signatures of this small site and amps them up to the next level. Lemon confit, almond, dried fruit and floral notes lift from an intense, vertical wine endowed with real palate presence and depth. Seamless, ample and creamy, the Vaulorent is simply superb. Tasted next to the Fourchaume, the Vaulorent is a bigger and more dramatic wine. ANTONIO GALLONI

William Fevre Chablis Mont de Milieu 2018 1er
SWEET SPOT, OUTSTANDING. A beautifully fresh and ripe nose; indeed this is ripe to the point that there is a hint of exoticism to the pretty nose of tidal pool, pear, apple and tangerine nuances. There is good verve and volume to the textured medium weight flavors that culminate in a balanced and lingering finish that coats the palate with dry extract. This is excellent and while there is a touch of warmth, it's not enough to materially detract from the overall sense of balance. BURGHOUND

William Fevre Chablis Montmains 2018 1er
An elegant and quite floral suffused nose evidences a lovely array of classic Chablis elements on the mostly white orchard fruit aromas. I very much like the intensity and detail of the medium weight and decidedly rich flavors that display a mild touch of bitter lemon rind character on the sappy finale… BURGHOUND

Saint Julien

2ème Cru Classé

Purchase En Primeur. Arrival due September 2022.

The 2009 Léoville Poyferré has an outstanding bouquet with blackberry, mint and cedar aromas, almost Pauillac in style, very dense and with plenty of horsepower. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins that frame layers of blackberry infused with graphite and white pepper. I love the symmetry and control of this Poyferré, in particular its persistent finish. This is a magnificent wine from Didier Cuvelier. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits' Ten Year On tasting. Neal Martin 96

Pomerol

Just as it was en primeur, the 2017 Vieux Château Certan is regal and soaring right out of the glass. Inky blue and purplish fruit, chocolate, licorice, lavender, spice and mint come together in a dense, dark and powerful Pomerol. The 2017 is an explosive, vivid wine of monastic beauty. In this vintage, VCC is especially dark and somber, which adds to a real feeling of mysterious beauty. It is a towering achievement from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont.. (98) ANTONIO GALLONI

Pre- Arrival 3 bottles available

The 2022 La Conseillante is a gorgeous, racy wine. Pliant and super-expressive, La Conseillante is positively stellar. The 2022 is a vertical, statuesque Conseillante. As alluring as the 2022 is at this stage, it also clearly needs cellaring to be at its finest. Time in the glass releases the aromatics, along with brisk acids that keep things in check. Blood orange, lavender, spice, menthol and espresso linger on the sustained finish. Technical Director Marielle Cazaux turned out what is quite possibly the most elegant wine in Pomerol. The 2022 is one of my favorite recent vintages here. The 2022 was harvested from September 5th for Merlots through to the 20th, when the last Cabernet Franc was brought in. It was aged in 70% new wood, 27% once-filled barrels and 3% amphora. (98) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

The 2022 La Conseillante is a remarkable wine that has the potential to emerge as one of the wines of the vintage. A blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc, it unfurls in the glass with deep aromas of black raspberries and mulberries mingled with notions of rose petals, violets, orange zest and mint. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's velvety and enveloping, with a textural attack that segues into a multidimensional mid-palate that's framed by sweet, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. Checking in at a very healthy pH of 3.65 and 14% alcohol, it is a beautifully supple, suave wine that retains all this estate's signature elegance but in a slightly deeper-pitched and broader-shouldered format than the profound 2020. Congratulations to winemaker Marielle Cazaux, consulting enologist Thomas Duclos, the Nicolas family led by Jean-Valmy, and all the team at La Conseillante who have firmly established this estate at the very top of Pomerol's qualitative hierarchy in recent vintages. (97-100) WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

Pomerol

Purchase En Primeur. Arrival due September 2022.

The 2009 La Conseillante has a very classy and sophisticated bouquet with beautifully defined black and red fruit mixed with black truffle and pressed rose petals. The oak is just completely subsumed here. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe and saturated tannin, a fine line of acidity, fresh and tensile with a sense of mineralité on the finish. This bottle shows even better than the one poured at the property 12 months earlier. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin 97