The weeks following the close of an En-Primeur campaign are always the best time for a little horse trading, which can be particularly frustrating when ‘key’ wines are held back during the campaign itself. However, we are where we are and we must not let our Bordeaux frustrations get the better of us. Instead, let’s be glad we have compiled a list of the most sought-after wines as well as ones you really should consider stockpiling your home cellar with... For ease – All wines are available to purchase, securely via our ecommerce website. Stock purchase certificates will follow once we are in receipt of your order. Finally, may I take this opportunity to thank you very
much indeed for your kind orders throughout this year’s campaign.
Châteaux / wines with the
largest demand
44 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Lynch Bages @ £590.00 IB per case
Neal Martin (97-99) placing it above Château Lafite, Pontet Canet and both Pichon’s and equal to Château Montrose...
“The 2016 Lynch Bages is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot with 13.7% alcohol and an IPT of 95, the highest ever for this property and probably one of the highest on the Left Bank this vintage. It was picked between from 27-30 September for the young vines, then the picking team stopped, restarting on 3 October with the Merlot and the Cabernets finished on 12 October. This vintage is matured in 75% new oak. It has a very concentrated, almost opaque bouquet that required some coaxing from the glass, developing floral and crushed limestone scents with time: disarmingly fresh and with stunning vivacity. The palate is concentrated and tannic, although they are not obtrusive and appear neatly embroidered into the multi-layered black fruit. This is a classic Lynch Bages with
ambition and recalls vintages like 1990, a Lynch Bages built for long-term ageing. That arching backbone is counterbalanced by the keen line of acidity and a freshness that knows no bounds. There is ethereal delineation and tension on the finish, but I would give this at least ten years in bottle to enjoy this audacious Lynch Bages at its peak. Maybe the biggest surprise of the vintage, this has all the makings of a sensational wine”
Simply offered on a first-come-first-serve basis...
• 13 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Rauzan Segla @ £367.50 IB per case
• 1 x Case (12x75cl) Carruades de Lafite @ £2,000.00 IB per case
• 8 x Cases (6x75cl) Le Petit Mouton Rothschild @ £825.00 IB per case
• 14 x Cases (12x75cl) Château Tour St Christophe @ £250.00 IB per case
One of the biggest sellers (by volume) during last year’s campaign and a huge seller this year too. James Suckling awards 96-97 points and declares it better than 2015!
Too Good to Miss
(Those which are modestly priced)
• 22 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Leoville Poyferre @ £400.00 IB per case
I scratch my head to why we have available stocks – Simply a stunning wine. 95-97 Neal Martin, 18.0 Jancis MW, 95-98 James Molesworth (Wine Spectator) & 96-98 Jeff Leve (The Wine Cellar Insider)
A stunning Trio from Margaux
• 15 x Cases (12x75cl) Château Malescot St Expurey @ £504.00 IB per case
James Suckling believes its on-par with Château Margaux itself (same score of) 98-99 “This is a superb wine. I didn’t think it could be better than the 2015 but indeed it is”
• 15 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Giscours @ £270.00 IB per case
96-97 James Suckling “Better than the 2015?”
• 36 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Brane Cantenac @ £315.00 IB per case
“The 2016 is a benchmark against which future
vintages will be compared” 96-98 Neal Martin
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• 8 x Cases (12x75cl) Château Capbern @ £170.00 IB per case
Sharing the same owners and wine-making team as Calon Ségur
hence the huge demand...
• 3 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Grand Puy Lacoste @ £367.50 IB per case
Sitting comfortably with Château Pontet Canet and Pichon’s but considerably cheaper! 95-97 Points Neal Martin & 96-97 James Suckling.
• 17 x Cases (12x75cl) Domaine de Chevalier ‘Rouge’ @ £648.00 IB per case
Oddly overlooked by Pape Clement & Smith Haut Lafitte, which is a mistake!
• 20 x Cases (12x75cl) Malartic Lagraviere ‘Rouge’ @ £492.00 IB per case
Ditto here... Neal Martin awards 94-96 (the same as Domaine de Chevalier ‘Rouge’)
• 33 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Pavie Macquin @ £360.00 IB per case
Gosh – Rather a bargain when you compare to Figeac, Canon, VCC etc... 96-99 Antonio Galloni & 97-98 James Suckling
First Growths (It would be unfair to leave out La Mission)
• 3 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Lafite Rothschild @ £2,950.00 IB per case
• 3 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Mouton Rothschild @ £2,592.00 IB per case
• 3 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Margaux @ £2,592.00 IB per case
• 1 x Case (6x75cl) Château Haut Brion ‘Rouge’ @ £2,485.00 IB per case
• 2 x Cases (6x75cl) Château La Mission Haut Brion ‘Rouge’
@ £1,995.00 IB per case
‘Top’ Right Banks
• 3 x Cases (6x75cl) Château L’Eglise Clinet @ £1,370.00 IB per case
97-100 Antonio Galloni, 98-99 James Suckling & 19.0 Jancis MW
• 5 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Figeac @ £930.00 IB per case
“Tasted on four separate occasions, and in the end, only one (banded) score became inevitable” 98-100 Neal Martin
• 2 x Cases (6x75cl) Vieux Château Certan @ £1,180.00 IB per case
“It is quite simply a remarkable wine” 97-100 Galloni. 98-99 Suckling & 19.0 Jancis MW
• 3 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Clinet @ £432.00 IB per case
A magnificent Clinet pens Neal Martin 96-98
• 6 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Larcis Ducasse @ £320.00 IB per case
“Quite simply, the 2016 is an exceptional Larcis. Don't miss it”
declares Antonio Galloni 94-97
• 6 x Cases (6x75cl) Château La Conseillante @ £930.00 IB per case
99-100 James Suckling “This is the greatest Conseillante in modern times”
Super Seconds / Second Growths
• 23 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Leoville Las Cases @ £1,050.00 IB per case
On-par with all the First-Growth and clearly a wine with every chance of gaining the magical 100 points. 98-100 Neal Martin, 98-99 Suckling & 19.0 Jancis MW
• 13 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Cos d’Estournel @ £775.00 IB per case
Best price in the world market... Neal Martin awards 98-100!
• 6 x Cases (12x75cl) Château Léoville Barton @ £745.00 IB per case
Perhaps Jancis MW longest tasting note! (18.0 Points) “Dark blackish purple. Less obviously aromatic than Langoa. Tea-leaf notes. Round texture with gloriously ripe tannins. Really a standout Barton. So unusually supple! Yet with masses of tannins underneath. This will surely be one of the vintage's longer-living wines. Glorious texture and flavour. Utterly minerally dry, but not drying. Very good freshness – much fresher than many of its peers. Real energy”
Third Growths
• 20 x Cases (12x75cl) Château Lagrange @ £420.00 IB per case
“A superior Lagrange to the 2015, this may well rank as the finest produced” 94-96 Neal Martin. 95-96 James Suckling
• 4 x Cases (12x75cl) Château Langoa Barton @ £420.00 IB per case
With the exception of Neal Martin – All other critics prefer Langoa Barton over Beychevelle, which sold-out @ £680.00
Fifth Growths
• 20 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Pedesclaux @ £198.00 IB per case
This leaves the 2015 Pedesclaux far behind 93-95 Neal Martin. 94-95 James Suckling
Every Cellar should have at least one case of the following
Denis Durantou wines...
• 66 x Cases (6x75cl) Château La Chenade @ £70.00 IB per case
• 114 Cases (6x75cl) Château Les Cruzelles @ £100.00 IB per case
• 120 Cases (6x75cl) Château Montlandrie @ £87.50 IB per case
• 94 Cases (6x75cl) Château Saintayme @ £62.50 IB per case
• 9 x Cases (12x75cl) Château Lalande Borie @ £230.00 IB per case
Produced by the Ducru Beaucaillou team. Jancis MW (17.5) prefers this to Château Ducru’s second wine, La Croix de Beaucaillou, which was released @ £420.00
• 5 x Cases (6x75cl) Château Ormes de Pez @ £125.00 IB per case
Owned and made by the Cazes family of Lynch Bages. 92-94 Neal Martin “This might be one of the best wines from the estate”
• 6 Cases (12x75cl) Château Potensac @ £210.00 IB per case
Produced by the Leoville Lascases with excellent scores from all the leading critics’
• 23 x Cases (12x75cl) Château Sénéjac @ £112.00 IB per case
A perennial favourite and a wine we have been following since their 2009 vintage, which currently sells around £220.00 IB per case (93 points)... We believe the 2016 is better as does Neal Martin who awards 91-93 “This is a very stylish Haut-Médoc, one of the best that I have tasted in many years. This comes highly recommended”
All wines will be shipped late spring 2019
and offered Ex-LCB, Vinotheque
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