RED WINE RECOMMENDATIONS

'Esprit du Vent', Corbieres 'Castor', Caves de Castelmaure, Languedoc 2020 £13.95

A fresh blend of Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, from the small, high-quality Caves de Castelmaure. A dense, robust wine, the dark  carignan dominates with aromas ripe of prunes, dried goji berry and garigues.

Château Durand-Laplagne, Puisseguin St.-Emilion, Bordeaux 2018 £14.50 

"...scents of plum preserves, Black Forest cake and Chinese five spice with wafts of potpourri and fragrant earth. Full-bodied, rich and decadently fruited in the mouth, it has firm, plush tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and perfumed.  91-93 points."  Lisa Perotti-Brown MW, RobertParker.com

Rioja Crianza, Valserrano, Bodegas de la Marquesas 2018 £14.95 
"Bodegas de la Marquesa (Valserrano) is often described as a traditional producer, but its wines are not old-fashioned in the least. This smooth, floral textured Crianza combines Tempranillo with 5% Mazuelo, aged in French and American wood, and has fresh red berry fruit and notes of forest floor and fresh tobacco. 2020-24. 91 points." Tim Atkin MW, October 2019

Château Durand-Laplagne, Puisseguin St.-Emilion, Bordeaux 2016 in magnums, £32.50

"...a crisp bouquet with blackcurrant, mulberry and attractive floral aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin... with plenty of fresh black fruit mixed with cedar towards the finish. Very fine potential here. …" Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Corbières 'Grande Cuvée', Caves de Castlemaure, Languedoc 2020 £17.50

The big sibling of our 'house' Corbières.  Plum fruits and spice from the 50% Syrah, 50% Grenache blend.  Additional oak ageing gives structure, depth and a full-bodied intensity.

Château Unang 'La Source', Ventoux 2020 £19.50

Intense, smoky nose, with primary red fruits, blackcurrant; and violets. A big, mouthfilling attack but still with a pleasing astringency and some spice.  Layered flavours and persistent tannins on the finish, this has lots of development ahead of it, superb.  RKL

Saumur Champigny, Thierry Germain, Domaine Roches Neuves, Loire Valley 2021 £19.95

Beautiful leafy Cabernet Franc on the nose, wonderful intensity and notes of redcurrants…Lovely soft entry with excellent concentration; fresh, ripe fruit, crunchy tannins with a beautiful vibrancy.  It’s a relatively light wine, but perfectly balanced.  Serve at ‘cellar temperature’.

Château La Chenade, Lalande de Pomerol 2018 £18.50

"A heady, sumptuous wine, the 2018 La Chenade is so delicious right now. Inky dark fruit, mocha, chocolate, spice, new leather and licorice race across the palate. The 2018 is plush, open-knit and ready to give pleasure. There is a lot of substance to La Chenade in 2018, but I would prefer to drink it over the next decade, while the fruit is vibrant. 2023-2033.  92 points."  Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Mar '21

Château Caronne St Gemme, Cru Bourgeois Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux 2015 £20.50

"In the glass, it still has plenty of black fruit that is intense but not severe, helped along by fine but firm tannins that give digestible grip. The complex palate offers spice, graphite, leather and dark chocolate in a pleasingly typical style. Perhaps more surprising is the long and dignified finish with plenty of primary fruit still in force, suggesting capacity for further evolution over the next five to ten years. 'Wine of the Week' 1st Sept. 2023" JancisRobinson.com (RH)

Château Cambon La Pelouse, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux 2016 £22.00

"Closed right now, a good sign that this has the structure for ageing. This is a serious wine with spiced cassis and blackberry fruit, fresh acidities and plenty of tannins. Enjoyable, and an excellent example of the value and quality that can be found with the 2016 vintage. 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot.  Drinking Window 2022 - 2036.  92 points."  Jane Anson, Decanter Jul 2020

Syrah 'Les Valines', Collines Rhodaniennes, Jean-Luc Jamet 2020 £22.50

Very pure notes of black cherry, blackcurrant and bramble fruits on the nose, with peppercorns and herbs on the nose and an impression of freshness, more elegant than in 2019. This is confirmed on the palate which is wonderfully fresh and elegant, despite the fruit intensity. Also some graphite-mineral notes on palate. Possesses a balance which is almost burgundy-like, excellent. RKL

Château Unang 'La Croix', Ventoux 2019 £25.40

"Violets and tar; rusted iron and chocolate. Dense flavours, dense acidity, dense tannins. A sense of waiting-earth anticipation, like a hot tar road running toward the towering black clouds of a storm. The burn of chilli, petrichor, raw cacao. So much power and substance, a smouldering taciturnity. 17.5 points." (TC) Jancisrobinson.com

Château Thivin Cote de Brouilly 'Les Sept Vignes', Beaujolais 2021 £24.50

"... aromas of ripe cassis, candied violets and plums…it’s medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated, structured around fine-grained but chewy tannins and tangy balancing acids, with considerable depth and substance at the core. … 94 points" Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (WK)

Santenay Vieilles Vignes, Domaine P&L Borgeot 2020 £28.00

Bright cherry and raspberry fruits on the nose, with lots of herbal and stem-wood aromas, not from oak, more likely a result of some whole-bunch fermentation.  In cooler vintages, the Santenay Vieilles Vignes had a rustic quality to the tannins, but this is more polished and fruit-forward, whilst retaining a savoury style.  RKL

Palazzo delle Torre, Allegrini 2019/20 £26.00

"Intense nose with hints of coffee and black chocolate to the raspberry jam and dark cherries. Nicely dry and bitter with dark-chocolate character that extends to the long, polished finish with silky tannins. Drink or hold.  93 points." Jamessuckling.com, Sep '22

Château Montlandrie, Castillon Côte de Bordeaux 2015 £27.50

"Flowers, black licorice, blackberries and minerals all rise to the surface. Transparent. Medium to full bodied, polished and ultra-fine. This is a wine guided for a long time by the owner of Pomerol’s l’Eglise Clinet. Regal. Drink now or hold.  94 points."  James Suckling, Feb 2018

Le Petit Haut Lafitte (2nd wine of Château Smith Haut Lafitte) Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux 2014 £28.00

"Graphite, dark stone fruits, smoke, iron, tar, leather and incense are some of the notes that emerge from the 2014 Le Petit Haut Lafitte. Cabernet Sauvignon takes the leading role in a gorgeous second wine that captures the essence of this great site. A real sense of gravitas informs the powerful, vertical finish. This is another gorgeous showing from the team at Smith Haut Lafitte. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. 90-93 points."  Neal Martin, Apr 2015, www.vinous.com

Moulin-à-Vent Clos de Thorins, Château des Jacques, Louis Jadot 2020 £28.00 

The Clos des Thorins is on deep granite soilsand usually offers greater depth and profundity than the Rochegres.  The 2020 is no exception, but as well as gorgeous plum fruits, there is great refinement to the tannins, even more of that velvety texture, shot-through with a stony-mineral character.  RKL

Château Fonbel 2012 £28.00

"Graphite, dark blue/black fruit, smoke and spices meld together in the 2012 de Fonbel. Beams of supporting minerality and tannin give the 2012 much of its energy and sense of direction. This is a very pretty, impeccably balanced wine from the Vauthier family. The blend is 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Carmenère. Drink this attractive Saint-Emilion over the next decade or so. 91 points" Vinous.com(AG)

Le Volte dell'Ornellaia 2021 £28.00

"Attractive aromas of blue fruit with slate and black-licorice character. It’s full-bodied with juicy fruit and an orange-peel undertone. Wet earth, some fresh sage and rosemary, too. I like the Mediterranean flavors in this vintage. Drink or hold.  93 points."  Jamessuckling.com, Aug '22

Château Potensac, Cru Bourgeois Médoc, Bordeaux 2016, £29.50

"Suave aromas of cedar and fresh red flowers with a thread of ripe red berries and blackcurrants, mulberries, coal smoke and cool stones. The palate delivers a wealth of rich red-fruit flavors, framed in sleek tannins that build with precision and length. A class act. One of the best from here in the modern era. Try from 2023. 94 points." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, Feb '19

Mercurey 1er Cru 'Clos des Grands Voyens', Domaine Jeannin-Naltet 2019 £29.50

A beautiful 5ha walled vineyard site (in the centre of the photo below, just in front of the woods), a monopole for Jeannin-Naltet.  Dark fruit character on the nose, even some cassis notes, with lovely purity and intensity. Complexity and depth apparent.  Lovely richness in the mouth with dark, almost Cote de Nuits fruit flavours. Ripe tannins and balanced acidity. After the immediacy of the entry it shows a good level of elegance and finesse on the finish. RKL

Rioja Viña Ardanza Reserva, La Rioja Alta 2016 £30.00

"Savory and complex with dried orange peel, cedar and plenty of sweet spices, walnuts, caramel, dried mushrooms and pine needles. Shows maturity here, with a medium body and superb freshness. Incredibly long finish with lots of truffle and walnut. Lasts over a minute. Very complete now, but you can still hold it.  95 points."  James Suckling

Château La Crock, St-Estéphe £32.50

"A brilliant estate, well worth knowing about, owned by the Cuvelier family of Château Léoville Poyferré...Clearly standing out in this line-up, an impressive, well-crafted wine with great tannic hold; a wine you would be thrilled to own.  94 points."  Jane Anson, Decanter, Aug 2020 (Tasted Jul 2020)

Château Poujeaux, Cru Bourgeois, Moulis-en-Médoc, Bordeaux 2012 £35.00

"This is a complex wine that's dry at the heart and powered with dark tannins. Slowly the juicy fruit shows through on the mid palate, yielding a wine that offers the potential of solid fruits and excellent acidity. "  Wine Enthusiast

Monthelie 'Sur La Velle' 1er Cru, Château de Monthelie, Domaine Eric de Suremain 2019 £38.00

The three-hectare premier cru 'Sur la Velle' is one of the best terroirs in Monthelie, extending onto the slopes of Volnay, 230-370 metres above sea level.   Yields for the 2019 were just 17hl/ha.  Matured in oak vats and barrels  for 18 months.  Intense violet, raspberry and some cherry on the nose, leading to a broad, full palate, with vibrant, energetic raspberry fruit and extremely supple tannins, which bring Volnay to mind.  Wonderfully open and approachable now, no sign of this wine 'closing' down, but with lots of potential for development.  RKL

Château Musar, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon 2000 £39.50

"Garnet red with a tawny rim, lovely rose petal freshness on the nose, stunning for a 19 year old wine, beautifully textured palate, length, finesse and a harmonious finish - Steven Spurrier" September 2019

Château Prieure Lichine, Margaux, Bordeaux 2015 £45.00

Volnay Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Joseph Voillot 2019 £49.50

The village Volnay is from old vines, averaging 50 years of age. These are spread across several parcels totalling under 2 hectares, with an average age of 50 years. Delicate red fruits and floral notes (rose petal) but with more luxurious fruit than we are used to here. This does an amazing tight rope walk between elegance and ripeness, remarkable how it is still so elegant even with all this fruit. RKL

La Croix de Beaucaillou 2005 (2nd wine of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou) £55.00

"The second wine, the sensational 2005 Croix de Beaucaillou, is the finest example of this cuvee I have ever tasted. Sweet black raspberry and black cherry fruit aromas soar from the glass of this open-knit seductress. A dense ruby/purple color, beautiful full-bodied, lush, expansive flavors, low acidity, and sweet tannin suggest this lovely cuvee should be drunk over the next 12-13 years. It is an amazing sleeper of the vintage!  90 points."  Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, Apr '08

Château Brane-Cantenac, Grand Cru Classé Margaux 2004 £65.00

"...red berry fruit and hints of tobacco, sage and sous-bois, all beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and crisp acidity, and very well balanced, even if it is missing a little complexity and mineralité toward the finish. This is a conservative Brane-Cantenac that refuses to go the extra inch. But it should please those who appreciate classic claret over the next 10 or so years...2018-2030.  90 points." Neal Martin, Vinous.com, Mar '18

Château Branaire-Ducru, Grand Cru Classé Saint-Julien 2001 £75.00

"...well-defined, cohesive bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, tea leaf and clove is less evolved than the 2000. The palate is medium-bodied with a firmer backbone and solid tannins that frame the lightly spiced, tobacco-tinged red fruit, which has ebbed a little since I last tasted it. This is well balanced and fresh, a little more persistent than the 2000, and it may benefit from another 2-3 years in bottle.  2022-2036,  92 points."  Neal Martin, Vinous, Jun '21

Château Talbot, Grand Cru Classé Saint-Julien 2003,  £75.00

Two decades on, this heatwave year has surprised many, with the wines often drinking well.  "Light, leafy and smoky with berry, hedgerow notes as it opens in the glass (perhaps better to decant before). Surprising lift and freshness on the palate for this heatwave year. Lacks depth and power but juicy and constructed with a perception of fruit on the finish. 16 points."  Jancisrobinson.com

Morey St.-Denis 'Les Charmes' 1er Cru, Domaine Tortochot 2012 £75.00

"...attractive floral scents: dried rose petals, hints of bergamot and bay leaf. The palate is medium-bodied, succulent and surprisingly fleshy on the entry. This blossoms beautifully in the glass and represents a distinct level up in quality over the village cru thanks to its superior weight and presence, though it has more to give with three or four years in bottle. This comes recommended – a delicious Morey Saint Denis. Drink 2016-2025.  91 points."  Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, Feb '14

Chambolle-Musigny 'Les Baudes' 1er Cru, Louis Jadot 2012 £80.00

"Full red. Pungent aromas of black raspberry, crushed stone, licorice pastille, violet and spices. Broad, chewy and backward in the mouth, in a rather masculine, brooding, slightly medicinal style, showing little early sweetness. With its serious structure and notes of wild spices and herbs, this is like a mini-Bonnes-Mares. Needless to say, it will require patience.  2023-2035.  92+ points."  Vinous.com, Nov '14