Premier

The 2020 Alter Ego de Palmer is a sensational wine in its own right. This Alter Ego de Palmer wine is charming on the nose, deep and seductive, expressive and richly scented. Juicy and succulent but with a richness in terms of texture and depth. Seductive, defined and refined with a chalky, grip to the tannins. Feels rich and charming at the same time with blackcurrant, black cherry, blueberry, pomegranate and a touch of balsamic with an undercurrent of crushed stones and liquorice. A lovely second wine of Chateau Palmer with clear ageing potential.

This 2020 Alter Ego de Palmer wine has a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. A Margaux wine with great balance from an excellent vintage.

94 points Decanter
93 points Jane Anson
93 points Vinous

The 2013 Amiral de Beychevelle wine is a medium-bodied with a firm, chewy frame, it has lovely freshness and purity, finishing on a mineral note. This Amiral de Beychevelle wine has aromas of currant and orange peel follow through to a medium to full bodied red, solid core of fruit and a light cassis aftertaste. This Saint-Julien wine is firm and silky to taste. The Amiral de Beychevelle wine has a powerful attack with great elegance, young tannins with great aging potential, crunchy fruits, spices, dark chocolate, impressive final finesse.

Chateau Beychevelle is a Premier Cru Classé St-Julien wine property that boasts one of the most impressive châteaux in the whole of the Médoc. Its label depicts a beautiful galley with a large sail, as a consequence of its ownership in the 16th century by the Duc d`Eperon, Admiral of France at the time. The L’Amiral is the second wine of Chateau Beychevelle, from the young vines of the estate, same care is given to these vines the same finesse as the first wine of the domain is enjoyable.

This 2013 Amiral de Beychevelle wine is composed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

A wine of joy and pure pleasure, the 2015 Carmes de Rieussec is absolutely delicious. The 2015 Carmes de Rieussec wine has a pale to medium golden color and a lovely nose of lemon tart, orange marmalade and preserved apricots with hints of musk perfume and candied ginger. This Sauternes wine is medium to full-bodied, richly fruited and with compelling savory and earthy layers intermingled with the citrus preserves, it finishes with great freshness and length. The 2015 Carmes de Rieussec wine is composed of 87% Sémillon, 7% Sauvignon Blanc and 6% Muscadelle.

93 points Vinous
91 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
90 points Wine Spectator

The Second Wine of the prestigious Premier Grand Cru Classé – Château Lafite-Rothschild – the Carruades de Lafite 2010 reflects the identity of the great terroirs of Pauillac.

The 2010 Carruades de Lafite wine offers a smoky nose and a fleshy sensation with dark plum, charcoal and coffee notes. These are the characteristics of a nice grip on the finish which reveals a sensation of persistent plum skin in this second wine from Pauillac. The Carruades de Lafite wine displays much of the same lead pencil, charcoal and black currant notes of its bigger sister, although it is forward, precocious and far less structured than the grand vin. Nevertheless, this wine, which can be drunk now, will cellar beautifully for at least 20-25 more years.

This 2010 Carruades De Lafite has a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42.5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot.

95 points James Suckling
94 points Wine Advocate
93 points Wine Spectator

The Second Wine of the prestigious Premier Grand Cru Classé – Château Lafite-Rothschild – the Carruades de Lafite 2015 reflects the identity of the great terroirs of Pauillac.

The 2015 Carruades de Lafite wine has a satisfying purity on the nose. This Carruades de Lafite has a blackberry and briary, a distant, cold slate-like note just underneath, with the new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. There is moderate depth to this slightly foursquare and conservative Carruades, but there is also plenty of freshness and it has an appealing, unassuming finish that is both harmonious and precise.

This 2015 Carruades De Lafite has a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc.

95 points Wine Enthusiast
94 points James Suckling
91 points Wine Advocate

The Second Wine of the prestigious Premier Grand Cru Classé – Château Lafite-Rothschild – the Carruades de Lafite 2016 reflects the identity of the great terroirs of Pauillac.

The 2016 Carruades de Lafite wine has a velvety tannins coalesce with the black plum and berry fruits. This Carruades de Lafite is juicy and perfumed, with notes of spice and dark fruits as well as intense final acidity. It has an attractive bouquet with smoke and tobacco infused black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin. This Pauillac is rather sophisticated (a great representation of the terroir) with fine and well-integrated tannins. Freshness and precision are waiting for us in every sip. A classic and solid Carruades.

This 2016 Carruades De Lafite has a blend of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot this year that matured in around 20-25% new oak.

95 points James Suckling
95 points Wine Enthusiast
91 points Wine Advocate

The Second Wine of the prestigious Premier Grand Cru Classé – Château Lafite-Rothschild – the Carruades de Lafite 2018 reflects the identity of the great terroirs of Pauillac.

The 2018 Carruades de Lafite wine has a deep garnet-purple colored, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheery scents of redcurrant jelly, blackcurrant pastilles and Morello cherries with hints of candied violets, pencil shavings, menthol and crushed rocks. This Carruades de Lafite wine is a medium-bodied and elegantly styled, with layers of crunchy red and black fruits. This Pauillac wine is beautifully ripe with fine-grained texture and loads of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.

This second wine of Lafite is the 2018 Carruades De Lafite has a blend of 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc.

96 points James Suckling
95 points Wine Enthusiast
94 points Wine Advocate

The Second Wine of the prestigious Premier Grand Cru Classé – Château Lafite-Rothschild – the Carruades de Lafite 2019 reflects the identity of the great terroirs of Pauillac.

The 2019 Carruades de Lafite wine is a beautiful with currant, sweet-tobacco and wet-earth aromas and flavors. This Carruades de Lafite is a medium-bodied with a dense center-palate and tight, polished tannins. Fresh, with tension. This is a powerhouse wine that shows little of the radiance.

This 2019 Carruades De Lafite has a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc.

96 points James Suckling
95 points Decanter
94 points Jeb Dunnuck

The 2017 Charmes de Kirwan wine has a lovely garnet red color shows that the wine is still young. The nose is complex, a mix of ripe fruit with fine woody and vanilla notes. With a fresh and gentle attack, the palate is round, ample and juicy and displays some quite ripe red and black berries. This Charmes de Kirwan wine shows fantastic depth and fruit quality for the vintage with crushed currant and flowers to the medium to full body, round and ripe tannins and flavorful finish. The second wine of renowned Margaux property of Chateau Kirwan, this promises high quality and fantastic value for money.

This 2017 Les Charmes de Kirwan is the second wine of Chateau Kirwan, launched in 1993. It is the Grand Vin’s little brother and is generally made from the fruit of the youngest vines and parcels of the vineyard that are less gravelly. The Chateau Kirwan wine confirms the position of the property among the greatest of the appellation.

This 2017 Charmes de Kirwan has a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.

93 points James Suckling

The 2019 Charmes de Kirwan wine has a deep garnet purple in color. This Charmes de Kirwan offers a quintessential Margaux. A fruity wine dazzling with red berries and roses, including the elegance of soft spicy notes—cinnamon, vanilla, toasted nuts and even buttered brioche. With just a trace of tannins. This second wine of Chateau Kirwan is thoroughly round and silky, each sip caressing the palate. No need to wait several years to enjoy, this delicious 2019 Charmes de Kirwan is ready to enchant your taste buds.

This Vintage 2019 Charmes de Kirwan does justice to its name. Bottled in June of 2020, it has already begun to reveal an irresistible, gourmand charm. The 2019 plentiful harvest provided a beautiful selection of varietals for this blend. The second wine of Chateau Kirwan which has been returned to former glories in recent years.

This 2019 Charmes de Kirwan 2019 wine has a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc.

The 2016 Chateau Angludet is a fine, elegant wine. A wine of impressive style and character, this 2016 Chateau Angludet exhibits a deep bouquet of cassis, blackberries, loamy soil, burning embers and violets, framed by a deft touch of classy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with excellent concentration, ripe tannins and a long, penetrating finish,

This structured Margaux wine comes from the Sichel family-owned estate. It has tannins and a dry character although this dry core is balanced with ripe black currants. Structure and fruit make this a good wine for medium-term aging.

This Chateau Angludet wine has a blend of Merlot 38% – Cabernet Sauvignon 50% – Petit Verdot 12%.

92 points Wine Enthusiast
91 points Wine Advocate

The 2018 Chateau Baron de Brane Cantenac wine has a deep red colored wine with a restrained fruit-driven Nose. This Chateau Baron de Brane Cantenac wine has a very pure and charming bouquet with brambly red fruit, cedar and pencil shavings, very assured for a Deuxième Vin. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannin on the entry, the fruit a little darker than the nose suggests, segueing into a well-defined second half with brown spices and hints of leather. This is an intriguing Baron de Brane wine. The 2016 Baron de Brane is a blend of 65% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc.

The 2018 Chateau Brane Cantenac is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised and grilled dishes. Chateau Brane Cantenac is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, salmon, mushrooms and pasta as well as cheese.

91 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

An exceptional Premier Grand Cru Classé, Chateau Beau Sejour Becot 2018 displays all the grandeur and elegance of a Saint-Émilion wine born in a magnificent vintage. Dense, rich and explosive, this 2018 Chateau Beau Sejour Becot wine has it all. Soaring aromatics and a huge spine of tannin give the 2018 its regal contours.

The 2018 vintage was barreled down late, and it is still coming together, especially in its aromatics, but its potential is evident. A wine of tremendous character and personality Beau Séeour Bécot dazzles in 2018. It is an utterly captivating Saint-Émilion from Juliette Bécot and Julien Barthe, along with their consulting winemaker Thomas Duclos

This Chateau Beau Sejour Becot wine shines bright in the Saint-Émilion appellation, on the right bank of Bordeaux. It has a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

99 points Wine Spectator
97 points Wine Advocate
97 points Vinous

The 2015 Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot wine has a very intense bouquet with copious black cherries, kirsch and blueberry fruit, just a slight warmth of alcohol but nothing too much to get concerned about. The palate is rounded and sexy on the entry, quite plush for this estate, rounded and caressing with a slight savory element from the Cabernets imparting more complexity on the finish. Maybe not the longest Saint-Émilion in terms of longevity but very delicious.

This 2015 Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot is a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2020 – 2040.

The 2009 Chateau Belair Monange wine is an extraordinary terroir, now exploited by Edouard Moueix, the son of Christian, seems to be coming to life in a dramatic fashion. Never a hedonistic wine, but very intellectual, the 2009 Chateau Belair Monange wine suggests a liqueur of crushed rocks intermixed with black currants and black cherries. Still somewhat closed, medium to full-bodied, and impressive rather than seductive, this is a structured wine that needs to be forgotten for at least a decade, and then drunk over the following 30+ years. If readers are looking for the quintessential example of a terroir-dominated wine, this is Lesson 101 in terroir.

The 2015 Chateau Bernateau wine has aromas of fresh raspberries, plum and blackberries on the nose. This Chateau Bernateau wine is beautiful full fruit, but approachable multi-layered texture and taste on the palate. This Saint-Emilion wine has a smooth and silky finish. On the palate this is full-bodied and beautifully polished with excellent depth and concentration. The Bernateau wine possesses an opulent core or ripe dark fruits which is lifted by a lovely underlying acidity, that drives it into the finish. The 2015 Chateau Bernateau is a total success in this 2015 vintage.

This 2015 Chateau Bernateau wine is an extremely well balanced red Bordeaux blend with Merlot 70%, Cab Franc 25% and Petit Verdot 5%.