2006 Chateau Cantenac Brown
Regular price £115.50 Save £-115.50ABOUT THE WINE
At the start of the 19th century, the well-known Scottish, animal painter, John Lewis Brown purchased the estate and Bordeaux wine vineyards. As was the tradition in the Medoc at the time, he renamed the estate Cantenac Brown. More recently, in 1989 AXA, the massive insurance company with several Bordeaux chateaux in their portfolio including Pichon Baron in Pauillac, and estates in Pomerol and Sauternes bought the vineyard. AXA sold the property in 2006 to the Halabi family.Today, the Simon Halabi family are the owners of Chateau Cantenac Brown. One of the first moves made by the new owners was to place Jose Sanfins in charge of the wine making at Cantenac Brown.
TASTING NOTES
Aromas of blackberry, cherry, currant and lightly toasted oak. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a fresh, clean finish. Very refined. Best to drink now.
FOOD PAIRING
Any game, red meat, super creamy cheese and fatty fish cooked with complex herbs and spices.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
Cantenac Brown is typically Margaux in character - fragrant and perfumed on the nose and medium bodied and harmonious on the palate.
2012 Chateau Leoville-Poyferre
Regular price £113.10 Save £-113.10ABOUT THE WINE
The history of the Leoville estates can be traced back to 1638, when all three Leoville properties were one. After the French Revolution, the estate was split into the Leovilles Barton, Poyferre and Las Cases. Purchased in the early 1900s by the Cuvelier family, Leoville-Poyferre lagged behind the other Leoville properties in terms of quality and renown, until 1979, when Didier Cuvelier took over management of the property. Extensive modernisation and replanting followed, culminating in the hiring of Michel Rolland in 1994. This program of improvement continues, and Leoville-Poyferre is currently one of the most impressive and exciting properties in Saint-Julien.
TASTING NOTES
The latest harvest since 2008; this vintage of Poyferre contains more Cabernet Sauvignon than most, adding distinction and herb-etched complexity to the usual ensemble of black fruit and vanilla. Beautifully satisfying on the palate, with luscious weight tempered by excellent structure.
FOOD PAIRING
Complex beef or lamb stews; would pair well with earthy, tomato-based sauces.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
With more edge than most Poyferre wines from recent vintages, this is one to leave until after 2022 but it has the potential to easily outshine its more accessible siblings thereafter.
2014 Chateau Fleur de Gay
Regular price £106.25 Save £-106.25Located on the southern slopes of the Pomerol plateau, Château la Croix de Gay has been in the Raynaud-Lebreton family for five generations. The estate’s first vintages were in the 1700s, and the vineyard underwent gradual expansion over the subsequent centuries, until 2012, when 6 hectares were sold off to Château l’Evangile, leaving La Croix de Gay with just under 4 hectares of vines. The wines are aged in French oak, 50% new, for 18 months prior to release, and offer excellent value for the appellation.
TASTING NOTES
A dazzling and complex bouquet of black fruits, and smoky - earthy truffle notes. Quite a structured vintage that isn't shy and will get much smoother and rewarding after 2022.
FOOD PAIRING
Perfect with feathered game dishes – try with pheasant ragout.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
The name of the estate is drawn from a cross which stands at one of the corners of the property.
2016 Chateau Figeac, Petit Figeac
Regular price £150.10 Save £-150.10An ancient vineyard, named after its Gallo-Roman owners, the Figeacus family, the Figeac estate has been continually occupied and farmed for at least two thousand years. The terroir is very special indeed, a large part of the original 200-hectare estate was sold off during the 18th Century to the Ducasse family to become Chateau Cheval Blanc, and other sections contribute to some of the finest estates in the appellation. The 42-hectare vineyard that remains contains vines over 100 years of age, with an unusually high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon planted.
TASTING NOTES
A supple, expressive wine laced with sweet dark cherry, plum, tobacco, mint, liquorice and leather. Open and accessible, this is a delightful, Cabernet-dominated second-wine.
FOOD PAIRING
Roast beef, veal and venison. Steak pies. Beef daubes, ox cheek and other stews cooked in red wine.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
Petit Figeac may lack the longevity of the grand vin, but serves up a greater generosity of fruit and an earlier-drinking style.
2014 Clos du Marquis
Regular price £160.75 Save £-160.75Own by the Delon family of Leoville Las Cases, Clos du Marquis was created in 1902. The name was taken from the Petit Clos, the residency of the Marquis de Las Cases, and the estate consists of a patchwork selection of vineyards within the appellation of Saint Julien which were not historically part of the Domaine de Leoville. Having been created after the 1855 classification, the estate has no ranking, but represents an excellent expression of the region.
TASTING NOTES
Attractive, perfumed aromas of red berries, wild heather, cedar and raspberry coulis. Opulent on the palate, with genteel tannin giving structure to red and black fruit characters, finishing with a mineral element. 50% new oak adds a plush smoothness to the overall experience.
FOOD PAIRING
Best for beef dishes, although the wine is quite versatile and will serve well with a wide array of full-bodied dishes.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
An impressive, accessible Saint Julien, with excellent ageing potential – this will drink well until 2034 and beyond.
2014 Chateau Cantenac Brown
Regular price £163.30 Save £-163.30ABOUT THE WINE
The Chateau for Cantenac Brown is unique in the Bordeaux wine appellation. It is perhaps the only Bordeaux chateau designed as a traditional Tudor estate in the entire region! At the start of the 19th century, the well-known Scottish, animal painter, John Lewis Brown purchased the estate and Bordeaux wine vineyards. As was the tradition in the Medoc at the time, he renamed the estate Cantenac Brown. More recently, in 1989 AXA, the massive insurance company with several Bordeaux chateaux in their portfolio including Pichon Baron in Pauillac, and estates in Pomerol and Sauternes bought the vineyard. AXA sold the property in 2006 to the Halabi family.Today, the Simon Halabi family are the owners of Chateau Cantenac Brown. One of the first moves made by the new owners was to place Jose Sanfins in charge of the wine making at Cantenac Brown.
TASTING NOTES
Among the finest Cantenac-Browns of the last three decades, the saturated purple-coloured 2000 is a sleeper of the vintage. Loaded with chocolatey black currants intermixed with sweet earth, cedar, and spice box, it exhibits medium to full body, surprisingly ripe tannin for a wine from this estate, a multi-layered texture as well as mid-palate, and a finish that lasts 25-30 seconds.
FOOD PAIRING
Any game, red meat, super creamy cheese and fatty fish cooked with complex herbs and spices. Lamb curry.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
This is the wine for you if into earthy, tannic full-bodied wines.
2015 Chateau Cantenac Brown
Regular price £74.80 Save £-74.80ABOUT THE WINE
The Chateau for Cantenac Brown is unique in the Bordeaux wine appellation. It is perhaps the only Bordeaux chateau designed as a traditional Tudor estate in the entire region! At the start of the 19th century, the well-known Scottish, animal painter, John Lewis Brown purchased the estate and Bordeaux wine vineyards. As was the tradition in the Medoc at the time, he renamed the estate Cantenac Brown. More recently, in 1989 AXA, the massive insurance company with several Bordeaux chateaux in their portfolio including Pichon Baron in Pauillac, and estates in Pomerol and Sauternes bought the vineyard. AXA sold the property in 2006 to the Halabi family.Today, the Simon Halabi family are the owners of Chateau Cantenac Brown. One of the first moves made by the new owners was to place Jose Sanfins in charge of the wine making at Cantenac Brown.
TASTING NOTES
Among the finest Cantenac-Browns of the last three decades, the saturated purple-coloured 2015 is a sleeper of the vintage. Loaded with chocolatey black currants intermixed with sweet earth, cedar, and spice box, it exhibits medium to full body, surprisingly ripe tannin for a wine from this estate, a multi-layered texture as well as mid-palate, and a finish that lasts 25-30 seconds.
FOOD PAIRING
Any game, red meat, super creamy cheese and fatty fish cooked with complex herbs and spices. Lamb curry.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
This is the wine for you if into earthy, tannic full-bodied wines.
2009 Chateau Lascombes
Regular price £70.50 Save £-70.50ABOUT THE WINE
Chateau Lascombes, a Margaux ranked Second Growth in the 1855 classification, bears the name of its first owner, Chevalier de Lascombes, born in 1625. At the turn of the 18th century, Jean-Francois Lascombes, a counsellor at the Bordeaux Parliament, dedicated his wealth to making a great wine at Lascombes. The existing chateau was built in 1867 by Chaix D'Est Ange. Alexis Lichine took over the property in 1952. He completely restructured Chateau Lascombes and renovated the vineyard and cellars, giving this large vineyard new life. In 1971, he sold everything to the English brewer, Bass-Charrington. Since its purchase in April 2001 by Colony Capital, a new era has begun for this property.
TASTING NOTES
The wine has a beautiful blueberry-scented nose with hints of acacia flowers, liquorice, graphite and some subtle charcoal and background oak. Clearly a modern style of Margaux, it is pure, seamless, full-bodied and opulent, and the high glycerin and silky texture of 2009 are brilliantly displayed in this wine.
FOOD PAIRING
Venison, creamy dishes, hard cheese are a perfect pair with this wine!
1998 Chateau Nenin
Regular price £69.00 Save £-69.00ABOUT THE WINE
Located just outside the village of Catusseau, this estate boasts 32 hectares of clay-gravel vineyards located in a large area of parkland, southwest-facing on a high plateau. Purchased by Domaines Delon in 1997, it has since seen significant investment, and changes in the cellar and vineyards have imbued the wines with greater purity and depth of fruit.
TASTING NOTES
Exceptionally smooth, aged character; soft, cooked plum and dark fruits, with a rich, smoky chocolate-touched finish.
FOOD PAIRING
Ideal with rare beef, or pork, dishes with subtle flavours will allow the wine to shine through.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
This estate has always been a particular favourite of the British royal family.
2015 Chateau Marquis d'Alesme
Regular price £68.10 Save £-68.10ABOUT THE WINE
Château Marquis d'Alesme is a distinguished wine producer that has been tending to an exceptional terroir in the heart of the Bordeaux region since 1616. With a unique combination of mystique and classicism, the estate is a land of culture and passion that consistently delivers premium Margaux wines.
The vineyard, spanning 15 hectares, is managed in a meticulously individual manner, much like a beautiful garden, with utmost care and craftsmanship by the team.
TASTING NOTES
The grapes of this wine were carefully selected by hand and underwent rigorous sorting in both the vineyard and cellar. Fermentation took place in 80 hl truncated wooden and stainless steel vats, followed by malolactic fermentation in barrels. The wine was aged in French oak barrels, consisting of 65% new and 35% first-fill barrels, with 3 months spent on lees. This Margaux wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. The nose is complex and rich, with fragrances of black fruit such as dark mulberries, liquorice, and smokiness. The palate has a lively vibrancy, followed by powerful yet, silky and elegant tannins. This wine is not shy but provides lush exuberance with layered, deep fruit notes with savoury complexity, which linger in the long, showy finish.
FOOD PAIRING
Juicy and tender grilled lamb chop with a balsamic reduction with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, and mushroom duxelles
FRIARWOOD SAYS
The vines, averaging 40 years of age, are planted on clay-limestone, silica-gravel and silica-marl soils.
2016 Chateau Gloria
Regular price £130.75 Save £-130.75ABOUT THE WINE
One of the better-known Crus Bourgeois of the Medoc, still at reasonable prices. Chateau Gloria is made up of holdings of classified Crus and would deserve to be classified in its own right. Recent vintages have found all their character again, in the tradition of the great Saint-Julien wines.
TASTING NOTES
A majority Cabernet Sauvignon blend, expect beautiful aromas of blackcurrants and blueberries. The body is full, with very fine tannins that are strong and bright. Drinking very well right now, and will continue to develop over the next two decades and beyond.
2018 Vintage also available
2018 Chateau Gloria
Regular price £130.75 Save £-130.75ABOUT THE WINE
One of the better-known Crus Bourgeois of the Medoc, still at reasonable prices. Chateau Gloria is made up of holdings of classified Crus and would deserve to be classified in its own right. Recent vintages have found all their character again, in the tradition of the great Saint-Julien wines. A surprising wine if you are prepared to wait.
2016 Vintage also available
2014 Chateau Fonplegade
Regular price £48.70 Save £-48.70See more wines from Chateau Fonplegade
ABOUT THE WINE
For centuries, the vine rows of Chateau Fonplegade have been the source for some of St. Emillion's most coveted grapes. Since 2004, new owners from California, Stephen and Denise Adams, have invested time and passion to elevate the wines of Fonplegade to new heights.
TASTING NOTES
Lots of fruit, already showing an appealingly soft roundedness. Incredibly smooth tannins are supported by a wonderful acidity that provides a remarkably long finish. Deep purple colour. A modest amount of grapes from somewhat younger vines is also incorporated into the blend, adding voluptuous black fruit notes and a tannic structure.
FOOD PAIRING
Roast beef, stews, lamb chops, barbecue.
FRIARWOOD SAYS
This is an absolutely brilliant wine, and probably the best to date from this American-owned Chateau, which has been completely renovated and is now enjoying a resurrection/renaissance in quality.