Easter Cellar Raids - Bordeaux

Rich and opulent with concentrated flavours of marmalade and candied peel. This is really unctuous but remains fresh thanks to very bright acidity cutting through the richness of the palate.

Tasted April 2022. Raspberries and blackberries, fresh and ripe, mingle with light floral notes and black pepper in this medium-bodied, fresh style of Larcis-Ducasse. The savoury, mineral, umami notes carry on through the long finish. Quite restrained at the moment, but with plenty of complexity developing already.

Deep and brooding, very mineral and fine, striking tannic structure and there's a depth to the fruit. Power, balance and intensity. Really impressively put together with energy and length.

This Pauillac is produced by Domaine Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) using grapes collected from younger vines at Château Duhart Milon and Château Lafite Rothschild. The wines of the Lafite stable performed very well in 2020, with the Réserve Spéciale Pauillac being no exception. There's charming black fruits, with blackcurrant, a brambly character, and a precision consistent with its pedigree. The wine, though approachable now, should continue to drink nicely for years to come.

The 2020 Rieussec is delicious. Full of layers of zesty citrus, fresh mandarin, peach, honeysuckle and white flowers, as well as baking spices and a hint of marmalade. Rich, textural but refreshing and lifted on the finish. Each bottle has a distinctive resealable cork closure.

An impressive Le Gay, this opens with notes of violets, chocolate, and ripe purple fruit. The palate finds the perfect balance between freshness and exuberence with fleshy bramble fruit clothing the wine's ripe tannin. This ends with a long, supple finish and accents of liquorice and brine.

Biodynamically farmed, with one of Bordeaux’s most innovative approaches in the cellar, Palmer is a wine that perennially impresses with its opulence, nuance, and wonderfully aromatic expression of black and blue fruits. The 2020 Palmer is a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. Mesmerising aromas of Morello cherries, cassis, and fresh, crunchy plums unfurl effortlessly in the glass while there are hints of Pauillac-like pencil shavings too. The finish is long, complex and harmonious. This is a wonderfully proportioned, beautiful Palmer sure to impress for years to come.

Tasted April 2022. Soft plummy fruit and bramble notes. Generous and full on the palate, with moderate grip in the tannins and a lovely fresh red fruited finish.

An outstanding value Pomerol, now owned by Calon-Segur this is undoubtedly one to watch. An insider's tip from the Pomerol plateau, this has energy, power, and ripeness in perfect balance. A beauty.

Tasted April 2022. Incredibly impressive, from a tiny plot mainly next to Troplong Mondot. Very cool and fresh, with crunchy red fruits on the finish. The core of the wine is full of dark cherry, black plum, and spicy notes like clove and licquorice. There's a chalkiness to the texture and a long, mineral finish. Truly breathtaking.

The 2020 Château La Gaffelière is another incredible wine from this estate, that's producing some of the finest wines on the right bank right now. Chiselled and precise, with lots of energy, this manages to balance the solar character of the vintage, with real purity and precision. An incredible wine, and one of the picks of the vintage.

The 2020 Pavie-Macquin is another lovely wine from this impressive Thienpont-owned estate. Fine tannins and intense fruit, with lots of spice and minerality on the finish. Really well put together in 2020.

When asked whether the Château was having to change anything to compensate for climate change, Marie Descotis, who heads up the Château's research and development department, explained that their terroir is proving to be perfect for the somewhat warmer and drier conditions over the last few years, allowing their Cabernet Sauvignon to flourish. The blend this year is made up of 86% of this Cabernet, 10% Merlot and the rest split between Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The resultant wine is the most concentrated they have ever produced, yet it is also incredibly poised and balanced. Dark berry fruits, notes of woodsmoke and spice come through on the nose. The palate is immediately fresh and pure, with a layered sense of fine tannin, depth and power. There is a graphite-like grip to the structure, a definite minerality and a core of cool-natured, classic fruit. Despite the concentration and density in the wine, the balance is such as to give it an almost approachable sensation. Beautiful rather than pretty, this is an elegant and refined wine that shows what could be achieved in 2011 with great terroir and a deft hand.

Floral and expressive, haunting aromatics with wonderful ripeness of fruit. Palate is very textured and fresh, and very saline. Impressive density and length on the finish. This is wonderful.

The 2020 Cos d'Estournel is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot, aged in 55% new barrels. Its label commemorated 200 years of the estate, and 20 years of the ownership of Michel Reybier.

Plush on the nose with dark and blue fruit, silky tannins, and wonderful floral notes, this is an impressive Belgrave: one of the best I've tasted. There's texture and length to rival the best. Simply delicious.

Pichon-Baron is a top choice in 2020, and that quality stretches down to Les Griffons. Finely judged, with pure acidity and lots of juicy fruit, this is an impressive second wine, worthy of close attention.

Lovely intensity and power. There's so much depth and concentration here, spanning floral notes to deep dark fruits, bound up with lovely tension and elegance. This is beautiful. The finish is nicely balanced with a cool, saline finish and more spice and flowers. Quite brilliant.

La Pointe is under the radar in Pomerol but always impresses in tastings. It's full of fresh black and red berry fruit, tobacco, spice, incense and floral notes. Some light truffle notes are starting to emerge now it's had a short time in bottle, and this will carry on ageing beautifully. It's soft in texture but has a brightness and vibrant acidity to balance.

Tasted from a barrel sample sent to the UK, the 2019 Tertre de la Mouleyre has a beautifully floral, elegant nose. There's a purity here, and depth to the dark fruit. Notes of violets, silky tannins and plenty of crushed rocks on the finish. Beautifully structured and poised, this is classic claret at its zenith. Wonderful.

An alluring perfume of crushed violets, cassis and fig, this is a wine which you can really enjoy before even tasting. The palate has finesse and elegance with fine tannins and purity of fruit. A mineral touch then leads you into a persistent and bright finish, completing a wine which exudes class and sophistication.

The 2019 d'Yquem has a higher proportion of Sauvignon Blanc than ever before, with 45%. It has a beguiling, aromatic nose with lemongrass and green pineapple, and a palate that is all about elegance and refinement. Complexity grows, and the finish is a peacock's tail of an incredible breadth of flavours, with spice, sea spray, and pure fruit all coming to the fore in waves. This is a remarkable wine: it will not disappoint.

Ripe, unashamed, and powerful, this is a remarkable St-Emilion. From a single, tiny, walled vineyard farmed biodynamically, this is a true demonstration of terroir. In your face today, with a few years in bottle this is sure to turn into an utterly delicious St-Emilion

A brilliant 2019 from Chateau de Ferrand, located on the end of the limestone plateau in St-Emilion. Offering bright bramble fruit with cedar and baking spices on the nose, this has the supple tannins and concentration to age gracefully. Cabernet Franc brings a floral freshness to the wine adding to its refined and elegant style.

Made from a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot. Restrained with notes of very powerful black fruits. This is the key to 2010 - power, finesse, concentration, yet balance. A beautiful wine which will need many years of cellaring to sing, but which undoubtedly will be a classic.

The Pavillon Rouge in 2020 reflects the remarkable effort made on its bigger brother: this is one of the finest Pavillons we've come across. Notes of violets and graphite on the nose give way to a palate with blue fruit, and a tightly wound core. This is an astonishing second wine, a real tour de force.

The 2019 Troplong-Mondot is a simply brilliant wine. On the nose there's pure, focused fruit, as well as plenty of fragrant floral notes, and lots of spice. The palate is silky and suave, with so much latent energy. This will need time, but will be astonishing.

Inky and brooding in colour, the 2018 Cheval Blanc has freshness with so much power, there's length and juicy fruit. Notes of spice and wild berries, with amazing refinement of tannins and cool fruit, too. Impeccable balance.

The 2020 Peymouton is a brilliant example of the value that can be found on Bordeaux’s right bank. It’s from the same estate as Château Laroque, from vineyards that have not been classified as Grand Cru Classé. It’s crunchy and finely judged, with a wonderfully classical profile, grippy yet refined tannins, and a very long, mineral finish. It’s utterly delicious, and a real bargain.

Anseillan is sourced from a small property within the estate of Chateau Lafite Rothschild, and is made by the same team that make Lafite too. It's got the trademark elegance and plenty of stony, mineral character, with some bright, lively red fruits this vintage and plenty of concentration. A taste of the brilliance of Lafite.

It is anticipated that just 10,000 bottles will be produced, and this iconic Pomerol has created a memorable wine in 2013. Deep concentrated aromas of sweet red fruits and violets lead into a palate of rich, ripe cherry and strawberry fruits, with fine, ripe tannin and well-judged oak influences. Well structured, it will drink in four to five years and unfurl into a beauty. Very enjoyable, even as a barrel sample!

The Franco-Scottish de May family were gifted this estate in Pomerol in the 16th century, and owned the estate until 1925. The 2019 has sweet spice on the nose, with plenty of focus, and a silky and pure palate. There’s lovely juiciness on the finish.

Deep and brooding, very mineral and fine, striking tannic structure and there's a depth to the fruit. Power, balance and intensity. Really impressively put together with energy and length.

Second wine of Chateau Pavie, from limestone soils on the plateau, a 50:50 blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

Always a good value Pomerol, the 2020 Moulinet-Lasserre, from the middle of the appellation, has loads of juicy fruit but also excellent acidity. For lovers of Pomerol, who don't want the pricetag, this is a smart buy.

The 2020 Tertre de la Mouleyre is breathtaking. The nose is pure and soaring, with notes of dark fruit, as well as an almost citrus lift. But it’s on the palate you really feel the potential here. Notes of violet and dark cherry, with sumptuous, impeccably balanced tannins, and a finish that lasts for minutes, with stunning detailing of fruit and loads of minerality. Astonishingly good.

Château Palmer created this blend as a homage to the days when Bordeaux proprietors would often blend in Syrah to add heft to their Cabernet. Syrah lends the wine a smooth, broad texture, precise tannins, velvety mouthfeel and notes of black truffle. This 10th vintage is characterized by an unprecedented high proportion of Petit Verdot (44%) in the blend and no Merlot.

Haut-Brion is one of Bordeaux’s most historic wines: it was even mentioned in Samuel Pepys's 17th century diary. It was the only wine from outside the Médoc included in the 1855 classification, and this first growth is now one of Bordeaux’s most sought after wines.

This is gorgeous. Very elegant, fine and floral, with lovely delicacy and salintiy. There’s much purity to the fruit, with lovely lift and acidity, and balance in spades. The finish unfurls violets and stones, and tons of red fruit. Wonderful and saline, and so much energy.

This is a very pure Belair-Monange, and the best we can remember tasting. The palate has a lovely savoury edge to it, with amazing purity of fruit and excellent persistence. The texture coats the mouth, and the building flavours seem to last an age. Chapeau Christian, Edouard and all the team.

A great vintage of Chateau Latour with potential to age for decades. Approachable now with some dense fruit cake flavours and a hint of savoury tobacco just starting to emerge. Plenty of structure for age with robust and fine grained tannins, but restrained use of new oak means the fruit really shines through.

Château Palmer created this blend as a homage to the days when Bordeaux proprietors would often blend in Syrah to add heft to their Cabernet. Syrah lends the wine a smooth, broad texture, precise tannins, velvety mouthfeel and notes of black truffle. This 10th vintage is characterized by an unprecedented high proportion of Petit Verdot (44%) in the blend and no Merlot.

The 2020 Léoville Las Cases is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot, ageing in 80% new French oak barriques. We haven't yet had the chance to taste it, but given the considerable critical acclaim, we can't wait to do so.

There are big expectations with new ownership for this Grand Cru sandwiched between Angelus and Le Dôme. The 2017 has impressive texture and energy with finely judged tannins.

"Another spectacular effort from L’Evangile, the 2010 is a close rival to the 2009 and should be fascinating to compare with that vintage over the next 30 or so years. Stunningly rich and black/purple in color, the 2010 L’Evangile offers up the tell-tale floral note as well as black raspberry jam intermixed with cassis and kirsch. There are also ethereal floral notes and a hint of background oak. The pH is slightly above average (3.7 versus the pH of 4.0 that the 2009 and 2000 possessed). This is a massive, rich, very impressive L’Evangile, and readers should take note of the “+” in my rating, which could certainly push this wine way up there. Remarkably, I was shocked when I learned that this wine was aged in 100% new oak, as the oak is a background element in this blockbuster l’Evangile. Forget it for 3-5 years, and drink it over the following 30-40. " 98+ points, Robert Parker

The 2020 Giscours is classic Margaux. There's refinement of tannins, and a lovely tension to the palate. The finish has breadth and complexity, and a hint of stony minerality. This is a lovely effort from the team at Giscours.

Fragrant and scented aromas of red fruits, blueberry and a touch of vanilla from the oak. The palate is smooth and round with really fine tannin. This wine emphasises the purity and intensity of the fruit character and reveals its Pauillac power and attack as it builds on the palate with repeated tasting.

The nose is reticent at first, but with time and aeration, aromas of pure blackcurrant, violets, cocoa bean and smoke emerge. On the palate this is a wine of grand stature. There is a ripe sweetness and multilayered depth to the fruit which offsets the fine and insistent grip of the tannin. This wine is classically Haut-Brion in its broad and powerful nature, alongside a lightness of touch, elegance and precision. There is a hidden depth to this wine, with just a touch of nuance and detail evident at this young stage. The incredibly long finish is an early testament to the potential that this will evolve into great wine with time.

Part of the same Chanel ownership as Rauzan-Ségla, this is a property that has seen a renaissance over recent years, with new investment improving the management of both the vineyard and the chais. Open and expressive on the nose, this boldness of style continues onto the palate, which has rich fruit core, balanced by a mouthwateringly fresh nature. The tannins are well-resolved and finely tuned, making this an attractive and balanced St-Emilion. Extremely good.

Known for its vibrant, exuberant style, the 2008 from Château Coutet is a triumph. It is full of white peach, grapefruit and now, with age, a lot of developed marmalade, dried apricot and gingery spice notes. There is still so much energy in this, and the zingy acidity helps keep it incredibly fresh considering its high levels of sweetness.

Tasted April 2022. Rich, powerful, and inky with concentration of blackberry, raspberry, pepper, and dark chocolate flavours. Spicy, clove notes from 50% new oak. There’s a real lift and elegance to this to carry that generosity, possibly from some careful use of whole bunch fermentation. It finishes long, with saline flavours balancing the richness of this seriously impressive Moulis.

The 2020 Clerc Milon is a really beautiful iteration of this well-placed Pauillac. More elegant than usual, there's lovely purity here, and silky acidity, and a very long, savoury finish.

This Cheval Blanc is deep and brooding, with notes of pencil lead and spice around the dark fruit. It's finessed and classical, with lots of refined, elegant tannins. Really balanced, and long too, with a nice savouriness to the finish.

A great vintage of Chateau Latour with potential to age for decades. Approachable now with some dense fruit cake flavours and a hint of savoury tobacco just starting to emerge. Plenty of structure for age with robust and fine grained tannins, but restrained use of new oak means the fruit really shines through.

Managing richness and finesse, there’s fine and dancing acidity with pure peach fruit and hints of grapefruit. A wonderfully floral finish.

The 1996 Calon Segur is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Full of developed notes of cedar, forest floor, dry spice and tobacco. There's still some grippy tannin and muscular St-Estèphe structure, as well as some subtle red cherry and bramble notes.

The best value second wine of a First Growth, the 2020 is a blend of 60.1% Merlot, 31.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.7% Cabernet Franc and 1.5% Petit Verdot.

The second wine of L’If, from the Jacques Thienpont stable, shines in the fantastic 2019 vintage. It’s a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and comes from three hectares of young vines in the L’If estate. It’s aged in 50% new oak for one year, and the result is a lovely balance of bright red berry fruit and creamy texture. Vibrant and complex on the palate, it has sweeter spice notes like licquorice and a fresh minty character on the finish.

“The Lafleur is a blend of 45% Merlot picked on 1 and 2 October, and 55% Cabernet Franc picked on 9 October. Leaving the wine to open up over 5 minutes you can discern a distant marine influence that suffuses the black fruit: small dark cherries and boysenberry. The palate is medium-bodied with very good structure. The tensile tannins are immediately recognizable and as Baptiste mentioned, reminiscent of classic vintages such as 1988, 2001 and 2004. It is a masculine Lafleur, upstanding and perhaps even slightly aloof, but there is great penetration and focus towards the saline finish. If you want a more flamboyant Lafleur then head for the 2009, but if you appreciate a more reserved Lafleur then head here.” 93-95 points Neal Martin’s Wine Journal, eRobertParker.com

63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. One of the standout successes of this tricky vintage in Bordeaux, this is a rich and concentrated 2007 from one of our favourite Bordeaux producers Branaire Ducru. It's mature and drinking now, with some fresh red cherry fruit remaining amongst developed leather and tobacco, as well as lots of stony, mineral notes. The tannins are fine and resolved, and it finishes long and minerally.