Once a sister property to Thomas Barton's Châteaux Langoa and Léoville Barton, 18th-century Château Le Boscq was purchased by Maison Dourthe in 1995. It then went through a complete renovation and a big step up in the quality of its wine. Its 18 hectares of vineyard, unusually in one single block, are planted on gravel and clay soils in the northern part of Saint-Estèphe.
Clay provides a cooler soil which favours Merlot, hence a higher than normal proportion of Merlot is planted – just over half, with 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, the usual hero of the Left Bank, plus Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. A year's ageing in nearly half new oak barrels adds to the gravity and longevity of this firm claret. Open early and decant or cellar a while.
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Wine Advocate is emphatic in its praise for RedHeads winery: "Tour-de-force winemaking. Genius. Must be tasted to be believed." Esulé is a deep, dark seductive Cabernet Sauvignon enriched by aromatic Cabernet Franc, a worthy 90-pointer.
Lying close to Margaux's Châteaux Giscours and du Tertre, Château Cazauviel remains surprisingly under the radar. It was inherited by Régis Bernaleau from his father in 1978 and today remains in family hands. It is situated on the prized gravel soils of the Arsac plateau, which lends both an intensity and a finesse to the wine. This pretty claret is from a vintage struck by early April frosts – the most devastating for many years.
It reduced yields, but as Decanter wrote, "there are some excellent wines." Most, like Cazauviel 2017, are not long keepers, but makes delightful drinking now. Ideally open a couple of hours before serving and decant. It'll make a delicious glass with roast chicken with morels or a mushroom croustade.
Lionel Tramier’s family estate, Château Sainte Marguerite, lies tucked away in the village of Bégadan in Médoc, just north of the famed Saint-Estèphe appellation.
Here, their clay and gravel vineyards are planted with the region’s classic grape varieties, which benefit from careful, environmentally friendly vineyard and vinification practices.
Château Sainte Marguerite 2009 showcases the greatness of the region’s top grapes, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Taste punnets of inky fruit (dark cherry, plum and blackcurrant), smoky spice notes, minerals and a touch of cigar-box. Decant for an hour and serve in large glasses to release all its aromas and flavours.
Save $1,260 when ordering 12 btl and we will also throw in a FREE Le Roi Bœuf 2019, worth $269!
Gold, Concours Mondial des Vins Féminalise, 2016
Le Roi Bœuf 2019 is a unqiue BIG red . Along with local star winemaker Lionel Osmin, our Bordeaux buyer Jean Marc has crafted, what he calls "the ultimate steak wine". One sip of its decadent, richly spiced black fruit flavours and you’ll agree. Order 6 or 12 bottles today, we will throw in a free bottle in your case, worth $269!
