Wine & Spirits

Winemaker Notes Our Merlot, particularly those on hillsides, behaved admirably this year. We must also pay tribute to the success of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc and their breathtaking aromatic radiance. Precise management of the harvest ensured that we retained freshness and crisp fruit. The dry summer months resulted in fairly small-sized grapes, and low yields meant that the fruit was naturally very concentrated. Dark and intense in colour with rather generous alcohol levels, opulent on the palate, with smooth, silky tannins. This is a powerful, concentrated, rich vintage. Sublime, sunny 2018 can be compared to the exceptional 2009 or even the great 2005.Blend: 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon

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This Magnum (1.5 liter) from Château Fleur Cardinale Surf Edition is a limited series, only 1,500 anointed magnums bearing this unique label. This is the second edition produced by the castle which started last year with the Hard Rock Edition. With the 2019 vintage, the family knight of Château Fleur Cardinale sets sail and storms the Hawaiian waves, the time for a Collector's Edition "Surf Session". This "Surf Session" Collector's Edition is coming for the 2019 vintage, which can be compared to the ideal wave that you will never surf twice. It is the only witness to a year of extreme weather conditions, which began between the frost in early May, followed by a very dry and hot summer, and ended under optimal harvest conditions. He is like a surfer seeking to tame the natural power of the wave in a flexible posture, and a perfect mastery of balance.

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97% MERLOT / 2,5% CABERNET FRANC / 0,5% PETIT VERDOT Croix Mouton produces wines intended for pleasure, and excellent while still young. Entirely Merlot driven, they are full bodied and rich in flavour, easy to drink but with finesse and a stunning display of fresh red fruit on the palate. After the release of its first vintage, Château Croix Mouton was very quickly recognised by Bordeaux wine experts as being excellent value for money. The ‘M’ on Château Croix Mouton’s label is special. It changes shape and colour each year to reflect the personality of each vintage.

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Rated 91 by James Suckling Sweet and ripe currants with dark cherries, too. Floral and perfumed. Medium-bodied with firm, silky tannins and a fresh, vivid finish. Second wine of Pedesclaux. 67% merlot, 27% cabernet sauvignon and 6% petit verdot. Drink after 2025.

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The wines are intense in color, immediately charming with bright aromas of fruit and purity. The attack is soft then very quickly the wine takes on breadth with silky tannins and a nice tonic length. Wine Spectator Lively raspberry and blackberry fruit forms the core here, with juicy intensity running through the bramble-edged finish, revealing a light flash of tobacco. Not big, but fresh and engaging, with light-handed toast at the end. Drink now through 2028. 4,167 cases made. Vinous V86 The 2016 Carlmagnus has come together well during its elevage. Super-ripe cherry, kirsch, vanillin and spice give the wine its racy, flamboyant personality. The oak, so overpowering when the wine was in barrel, has integrated somewhat, yet remains evident.

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Since 1983, Denis Durantou has been at the helm of this historic estate. He has quietly performed something of a revolution, introducing a host of innovations and bringing his wine-making philosophy to one of the greatest terroirs in Bordeaux. The 4.5 hectares used for the grand vin are situated next to the church in Pomerol on gravel and clay soils. A further 1.5 hectares of on sandy soils account for the excellent Petite Eglise. Denis' wines receive many accolades, all richly deserved. The grand vin is consistently amongst the best wines of the vintage; they are typically perfumed, nuanced and posses the structure to age gracefully for many decades.94 Points Wine AdvocateTasted at BI Wine & Spirits' 10-Years-On tasting, the 2007 L'Eglise Clinet has long been a strong performer. Here, at a decade old, it offers gorgeous aromas of redcurrant, crushed strawberry, tar and truffle, a discrete mineralité that only surfaces with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with superb acidity, impressive cohesion and outstanding structure (for a 2007) towards the finish. It is brimming with sophistication, class and character—one of the standout Pomerols of the vintage. Tasted February 2017.

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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 La Gaffeliere is a little closed to begin, slowly unfurling to offer peeks at notions of stewed red and black plums, mulberries and Morello cherries, plus hints of damp earth, tar and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is tightly wound, delivering crunchy red and black fruits with an approachable texture of fine-grained tannin's and loads of freshness, finishing long with a lifted perfume. This is a refreshing, beautifully perfumed and skillfully crafted expression of the vintage. Give it 4-5 years in bottle and then enjoy it over the next 20 years+."Wine Enthusiast - “This estate is on a roll. Replete with powerful tannins and dense black fruits, this latest release continues the succession of fine vintages. Perfumed, ripe with berry flavors and, more importantly, with rich tannins, the wine will age impressively. Drink from 2027.  Cellar Selection”

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93 James Suckling“Blackberry and blueberry aromas with black licorice and dark violets that follow to a medium to full body with ultra fine tannins and a pretty finish. Very fine texture. Drink after 2024.” 91 Decanter“Attractive, bright and bristling fruit, from grapes that were small and concentrated after a particularly dry summer in St-Julien, with rain at the right time in September. Things have been well-handled over ageing and this is rippling with life and succulent acidity. Previously known as Lalande-Borie. Drinking Window 2023 – 2038.”

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Decanter A lovely wine from vines averaging 44 years of age. It gets the balance pretty well nailed down, displaying the richness and power of modern St-Emilion with polish and lift. It shows a hint of elegance, with some salinity on the finish. 50% new oak. 47hl/ha yield. Consultant is Jean-Claude Berrouet. James Suckling Attractive red plums and roasting herbs with a stony and quite grainy edge. The palate has a punchy and grainy core of rich, dense tannins. Assertive, clear-cut finish. A blend of 80 per cent merlot and 20 per cent cabernet franc. Try from 2022.

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Neil Martin 92 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: "The 2016 Sérilhan has a wonderful, quite high-toned and generous bouquet with ample blackberry and raspberry scents laced with violet and hints of iodine. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip in the mouth, quite symmetrical and focused with impressive precision on the finish. This feels dialed back in terms of power to the benefit of this elegant Saint-Estèphe. Tasted at the Cru Bourgeois tasting in London." 9/18 James Suckling 93 Points, James Suckling: "Layered and very intense with dark-fruit and spice character. Hints of chocolate. Full-bodied, juicy and fruity. Long finish. Best ever from here?" 4/17

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The 2019 Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru, which contains around 60% whole bunch, has a well-defined bouquet of ebullient dark berry fruit laced with light woodland and earthy scents. So much vigor and coiled-up energy! The palate is medium-bodied with wonderful balance, supple tannins, perfectly judged acidity and a crescendo of flavors toward the splendid, mineral-driven finish. The cooler microclimate really benefited this cuvée in 2019, and it is one of the Trapet’s finest contributions to the vintage.Vinous Media | 96-98 VM The 2019 Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru is the finest rendition of this cuvée I’ve ever tasted from Trapet. Unfurling in the glass with an incipiently complex bouquet that mingles dark berry fruit with nuances of coniferous forest floor, peonies, bergamot and exotic spices, it’s full-bodied, layered and velvety, with terrific depth and concentration, framed by powdery tannins and animated by a lively spine of acidity that carries through the mouthwateringly mineral finish. I wrote that Trapet’s 2018 Latricières was worth a special effort to seek out—I’m happy to have some in my cellar—and that applies a fortiori to this brilliant 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP

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Terroir: Domaine Jacques Prieur owns just under two acres of Grand Cru Musigny. This is one of the greatest terroirs in the world for Pinot Noir. The 2-acre vineyard sits high on the hillside overlooking the larger Grand Cru of Clos de Vougeot in the village of Chambolle-Musigny. Soil composition is very thin and made primarily of small stones. Drainage here is optimal. Vinification: Grapes are hand harvested, strictly sorted and de-stemmed. The must will sit on the skins for 23 days prior to fermentation. The wine ages for a total of 16 months in oak barrels, located deep in the cellars of Domaine Jacques Prieur.

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