Finding a parcel of 2010 claret nine years after this 5-Star vintage was a coup for our Buyer Jean-Marc Sauboua. Critic Michael Schuster described the wines of 2010 on release as “massively elegant, fresher, firmer, more tannic”, Suckling praised them for being “very precise, focused and fresh to taste”, “dangerously good” said Jancis Robinson MW.
Médoc wines that year proved particularly good value too. The 40 hectare estate Château Carcanieux has very gravelly soils, hence its original name Carcanieux Les Graves. This encourages superb concentration and ripeness in the wines. Cabernet with Merlot, and aged in barrel, this silky claret has a fine balance of fruit and maturity, with spice from the oak. Decant and serve with steak au poivre.
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We have a long and very proud tradition in Bordeaux, dating back to 1969. As Bordeaux specialists, we use our extensive network of contacts to bring you outstanding clarets like this great-value discovery, blended by our own claret specialist.
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A fear of heights is a non-starter for those working in the vineyards of Vallée du Paradis. They perch perilously on the slopes below Peyrepertuse, an ancient Cathar fortress some 800m high in the Pyrenees. So collecting the intensely fruity, aromatic grapes is not for the faint-hearted. Luckily, winemaker Benjamin Andrieu is willing to put fear aside to tend them.
?The result is a really appealing red, with bright fruit and seductively spiced notes. Syrah brings ripe blackberry, herbs and liquorice notes, while juicy Grenache and peppery Carignan add even more depth and body. A top choice for those who love smooth, silky reds with the warmth of southern France. Great with grilled meats, pasta with pesto, aubergine bake or on its own.
Chai winemaker Mark Hoddy reserves the Belle Roche label for a red wine made from the best parcel of grapes of the vintage. In 2022 he found just the ticket in a few rows of dark, thick-skinned Cabernet, grown in high-up Languedoc vineyards close to Carcassonne. There the climate benefits both from Mediterranean and Atlantic influences, hence a wine that echoes both of the warm ripeness of the Med with the structure of Bordeaux.
It's a densely flavoured red, its colour almost black – the reason he calls it his precious ‘black diamond’ of the vintage. Meticulously crafted by Mark at the cellar, Belle Roche is best decanted an hour before serving, just like a claret. It’s ideal with a juicy steak, a rich lasagne or a hearty casserole. Decant.
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Christophe Reboul Salze is a big name in Bordeaux. Born in central France, he fell in love with the region's wines in his youth. Arriving in Bordeaux in 1980, he decided to make his passion a career. He gained a decade's experience trading in Grand Cru Classé wines and became director at one of the leading houses. Then started his own négociant business, which remains today a leader in the field.
However, he wanted to make wine too, so he purchased three estates in the Right Bank's Premières Côtes de Blaye and employed Stéphane Derenoncourt as consultant. The results have been exceptional. This superb claret uses a cuvée from each of his properties, Châteaux Les Grands Marechaux, Gigault and Belle Coline. A fine exclusive Bordeaux red.
From a fourth-generation-owned Pauillac cellar, B de Fonbadet may fall under the humble Bordeaux label, but it’s intensity and complexity leave no doubt about its high-end quality. This 2019 has even won the Decanter’s esteemed Platinum medal.
Morgon is one of the most sought-after of Beaujolais' 10 crus. Its supple, berry-filled reds age magnificently, on a par with many Moulin à Vent. That’s voluptuous, silky 2017.
