RED WINE RECOMMENDATIONS

'Esprit du Vent', Corbieres 'Castor', Caves de Castelmaure, Languedoc 2021 £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

2016 Château Trois Moulin, Haut-Médoc, Cru Bourgeois £14.50

"The 2016 Les Trois Moulins has a traditional cedar and pencil box scented bouquet, a little austere in the context of the vintage but well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, well-judged acidity, classic in style with graphite and cedar towards the finely sculpted finish....90 points."  Neal Martin, Vinous, Sep '18

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

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.

2016 Château Tour St. Bonnet, Médoc Cru Bourgeois £17.50

“This estate...has long produced great value, quintessentially Médoc-styled wines, and the 2016...has turned out especially well. Offering up aromas of sweet blackcurrant fruit intermingled with notions of loamy soil, tobacco leaf and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, with powdery tannins and a nicely concentrated core of fruit.  Robert Parker once described this estate as producing a miniature Grand-Puy-Lacoste, and that observation continues to resonate with me...90+ points. ” RobertParker.com (WK), Dec '23

2016 Château Tour St. Bonnet, Moulis-en-Médoc Cru Bourgeois £22.00 | Also available in magnums £49.50 (Very limited availability)

"From gravely soils in Moulis, the 2019 Brillette hails from an estate that has recently been restructured, with Cabernet Sauvignon repositioned on the most appropriate terroirs. Exhibiting aromas of cassis, wild berries, loamy soil and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with lively acids and powdery tannins.  90 points."  William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, Oct '22

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

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 £26.00

"... 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

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

Mercurey 1er Cru 'Clos des Grands Voyens', Domaine Jeannin-Naltet 2019 £32.50

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 2017 £30.00

"A more vibrant and fruitier expression of Ardanza this year with strawberries, mussels, warm spices and berries. Round and silky on the palate with lovely spices and a long, nicely saline finish. A nice touch of creaminess works really well here and further extends the finish. 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 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

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