Majestic, intense, full bodied and tannic, Cos dEstournel is considered the leading wine of St Estèphe. Highly tannic in its youth, over time it develops much much like the great wines of adjoining Pauillac. The wine is typically a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, consistently displaying immense power and evident breed.
Château la Mission Haut-Brion is on uniquely stony soil in the Pessac-Léognan appellation close to the city of Bordeaux. It is a Cru Classé in the Graves Classification of 1953. The 22.5 hectare red wine vineyard is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon (46%), Merlot (44%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). The chateau wine is vinified in large (180hl) temperature-controlled, stainless steel vats and aged in 100% new French oak for an average of 22 months. Annual production is 6000-7000 dozen. The famous white wine of the chateau comes from 3.5 ha planted to Semillon (62%) and Sauvignon Blanc (38%). Overall planting density is 10,000 vines per hectare (red) and 8000 vines per hectare (white). Since 1983, under the ownership of Domaine Clarence Dillon (which also owns the neighbouring Chateau Haut Brion), the entire estate has been renovated vineyards, winemaking facilities and the chateau itself. The property got its name in the 1600s when it was owned by the Catholic Church.
Taking its name from its uniquely rocky terroir (beau caillou translates as beautiful stones), and Bertrand Ducru who purchased the estate in 1795, what we know today as Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou as a wine producing estate, has history stretches back to the 13th century. Owned today by The Borie family (who have long-standing roots of their own in Bordeaux), the Chateau is, according to many, producing the best wines in their history at this very moment. The 2016 vintage has already been hailed as yet another monumental success for the winery with Antonio Galloni praising it as simply magnificent.
With one of the longest and most pedigreed histories in the Medoc region, Chateau Leoville-Las-Cases has passed through the hands of some of Frances most notable and wealthiest noble families, culminating in the Las Cases family - the final royal family to hold title to the Chateau. Up until the French Revolution, after which large portions of it were sold off, it was one of the largest vineyards in Bordeaux. Today, the estate remains family owned by the Delons, of which brother Jean Hubert and sister Genevieve manage proceedings. Famed for producing a wine of structure, power, and traditional style, the 2016 vintage has earned outstandingly high praise, including a score of 100 from Andrew Caillared and a 19/20 from Jancis Robinson who praised its extraordinary vitality and energy and proclaimed it glorious to taste now.
This is a complex blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc finished with Carmenere and Petit Verdot - flavours and perfume are thus layered, intense, detailed and glorious. A cavalcade of fruit, spice, earth, savouriness and beautiful wood handling. The estate is managed by Patrick Leon, whose talents are writ large in the finesse of handling the complex array of fruit, and judicious use of winemaking technique to elicit this most elegant yet finely wrought style. It's relative approachability is another key to this wines excellence.
Penfolds' Block 42 vineyard is one of the most historic Cabernet vineyards in the world. Planted only 30 years after the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, Block 42 has the oldest plantings in the world that have continuously produced Cabernet Sauvignon. This unique history is harnessed by Peter Gago in the 2004 Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet that has produced a beautifully aromatic, perfectly balanced and ripe Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit simply explodes across the palate, giving tremendous depth and length of flavour. While young, plush and full-bodied today, the Block 42 has many years of ageing ahead of it and will be comfortable in your cellar well into the 2020s.
PAVILLON ROUGE DU Chateau Margaux Second wine of Chateau Margaux
The second wine of Chateau Margaux came about partly due to misfortune - when an attack of phylloxera decimated the vineyards, necessitating a replanting of the majority of their vineyards. The lack of grapes eliminated the possibility of a First Growth Quality wine and led to the production of their second wine - the Pavillon Rouge de Chateau Margaux, the first official vintage of which was released in 1906. Renowned as a sterling example of a second wine, the 2016 has been hailed as a particularly superb vintage. Medium-bodied, silky, intense and tannic, it continues its impressive trajectory year upon year.
PAVILLON ROUGE DU CHATEAU MARGAUX Second wine of Chateau Margaux 2025
Named in honour of Vanya Cullens passionate and inspired efforts as a dedicated winemaker and celebrating her love of Cabernet, the Vanya is the ultimate expression of Cullens style - this is Cabernet manifest.