In July 2011, Nicolas Thienpont bought three hectares in the Côtes de Castillon area. This new wine admirably reflects the finesse, class and minerality of these soils.Old vines 50+ years. Very dark crimson. Smells of little ripe wild berries. Hint of Cab Franc's more linear character even though it is only 5%. Good combo of dry minerality and sweet fruit. VINIFICATION AND AGEING Vatting: 24 to 28 days Ageing time: 16 to 18 months Barrels: 50% new wood, 50% one-year-old wood SPECIFIC METHOD The whole berries are placed in the vats (no pressing). The vats are temperature controlled. Extraction by pumping over during the first fermentation. Malolactic fermentation in barrels and in vats. Aging on fine lees to bring down the alcohol content: first racking after 6-10 months (before the summer) and the second a year later before bottling. Fining and filtering are done only if necessary.

This wine is available to order En Primeur. When you order wines En Primeur you buy wines that are as yet not available for physical delivery but are available for purchase. They are sold without Excise and VAT taxes and an invoice is issued soon after order, for payment. Excise and VAT may become payable when the wine physically arrives in the UK. When a wine arrives in the UK is a matter of when it becomes available from the producer and when we are able to import it. Normally wines will be shipped 2-3 years after harvest, but it can take longer or less than that. When the wines are shipped to the UK they can either be transferred, under bond, to an account in a Bonded warehouse or delivered duty paid. For Under Bond deliveries. Please indicate by return if you wish the wine to remain under bond and before the wine arrives provide details of the bonded warehouse address and the account you would like it held under. A charge for the under bond transfer will be made at the time of delivery, and varies from Bond to Bond. For Duty Paid Deliveries. All prices exclude HM Excise, Customs and VAT. Current Excise rates are £13.39 per 4.5 litre case (equivalent to 6x75cl), Customs are Zero and VAT is currently charged at 20%. These taxes are liable to change, and will be charged at the prevailing rate when the goods are shipped and delivered. At that time, a refund will be issued for the value of the amount paid En Primeur and a new VAT invoice issued, including a charge for onward delivery. Only the balance of the two will be payable on delivery. Contact orders@cambridgewine.com with any further enquiry.

This wine is available to order En Primeur. When you order wines En Primeur you buy wines that are as yet not available for physical delivery but are available for purchase. They are sold without Excise and VAT taxes and an invoice is issued soon after order, for payment. Excise and VAT may become payable when the wine physically arrives in the UK. When a wine arrives in the UK is a matter of when it becomes available from the producer and when we are able to import it. Normally wines will be shipped 2-3 years after harvest, but it can take longer or less than that. When the wines are shipped to the UK they can either be transferred, under bond, to an account in a Bonded warehouse or delivered duty paid. For Under Bond deliveries. Please indicate by return if you wish the wine to remain under bond and before the wine arrives provide details of the bonded warehouse address and the account you would like it held under. A charge for the under bond transfer will be made at the time of delivery, and varies from Bond to Bond. For Duty Paid Deliveries. All prices exclude HM Excise, Customs and VAT. Current Excise rates are £13.39 per 4.5 litre case (equivalent to 6x75cl), Customs are Zero and VAT is currently charged at 20%. These taxes are liable to change, and will be charged at the prevailing rate when the goods are shipped and delivered. At that time, a refund will be issued for the value of the amount paid En Primeur and a new VAT invoice issued, including a charge for onward delivery. Only the balance of the two will be payable on delivery. Contact orders@cambridgewine.com with any further enquiry.

CWM First Class. 47% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 3.8pH, yield of 26hl/ha. Ageing in 30% amphora, 70% French oak (30% new), 13.5% ABV. Lovely sweet fruit, flowers and chocolate ont he nose, very appealing. Glossy dark ruby. Fruity but not jammy, mouthwatering, stylish and very moreish. There’s a lot to like here.

Damien Pagès is the grandson of Marc Pagès (who took on Château la Tour de By in 1966). Château Noaillac is situated 15 kilometres north of Château la Tour de By. Planted to approximately 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 55% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, with an average age of 40 years. Damien is a qualified oenologue and a brilliant winemaker. He describes his 2021 as follows: Charming and complex on the nose, with an elegant balance of fruit and oak aromas. Nice, intense claret colour, rich and full bodied with a long finish. An elegant, silky and luscious wine. Super value, almost too good!

Deep ruby in colour, this Merlot incorporates scents of rich black cherry and plum, displaying further complexity on the palate. Flavourful and medium bodied with hints of cedar and dark chocolate leading to a pleasing finish.

CWM First Class. 47% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, 3.8pH, yield of 26hl/ha. Ageing in 30% amphora, 70% French oak (30% new), 13.5% ABV. Lovely sweet fruit, flowers and chocolate ont he nose, very appealing. Glossy dark ruby. Fruity but not jammy, mouthwatering, stylish and very moreish. There’s a lot to like here.

A new cuvée here from Basket Range - a juicy, fruity, delicious chillable red blend. From Sholto Broderick at Basket Range Wines: This wine is comprised predominately of Merlot and Petit Verdot from our vineyard. These were macerated with the use of whole bunches and with gentle handling, which gives lifted fruit and a spice from the stalks. The components were then blended with small amount of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. This makes for a red wine with gentle tannin and a lifted mid-palate. The Bantam is a dynamic wine that showcases juicy soft plums, white pepper, and graphitic tannin, with a savoury, highly drinkable quality. Designed for earlier drinking, it's best served cooler, at about 12c.

Fermented in steel or concrete tanks. Aged 12 months in barrel, 20% new. Deep cherry red and an impression of freshness in the aroma. Still lots of pure dark fruit, stony cassis and a hint of oak. On the palate, this is refined in texture, fresh in a warm year, with a touch of chocolate sweetness on the finish that seems to be from the oak. Elegantly structured by the tannins, tightly wound even with that chocolate smoothness on the finish. Needs time and should age thanks to the balance between fruit and structure.

Flowers, black raspberries, liquorice, black cherries and plum scents are out in front here. Medium-bodied, silky, fresh, pure and vibrant, as well as refined in texture, the wine offers ample, sweet, ripe, red berries and a touch of cocoa in the finish. Drink from 2024-2040.

This natural wine is chocca block packed full of bramble fruit notes with raspberry and blackberry dominating the aroma, smooth and juicy with complex notes of blueberry and moderate acidity and smooth tannins on the finish.

Nicely balanced, refreshing acidity with plenty of lush fruit and richness. A good value and successful wine in this vintage.

The Guimberteau family has owned the Château Franc-Baudron estate since 1923. This is a vineyard on a human scale where each generation has left its footprint on the family heritage. Since 2010, the new generation of Château Franc-Baudron has embarked on an environmental approach by converting the entire vineyard to organic farming. The area hosts bee-hives, uses plants for treatments (horsetail, nettle and ferns) and seeds flowers to encourage biodiversity of wildlife in the vines. They have begun implementing new winemaking techniques by using minimal inputs to express at its best the nature of the grapes and the type of soil. Most of the family’s plots of Montagne Saint-Emilion are located on a clay-limestone plateau. Bright and intense in colour with aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry and oak notes.Well balanced, powerful and velvety.

Jane Anson 92/100 "Powerful, concentrated, extremely sexy and confident. Very young and knitted down at this stage, suggest holding off for a good five years at least, but there is a ripple of cassis, liquorice, baked earth, gingerbread and slate that suggests great things ahead. Owned by the Meslin family, aged in 100% new oak."

Jean Christophe Meyrot, ex La Violette (one of the top properties in Pomerol) . Full on but good structure. Juicy palate. Certainly ripe. Warm, good acid, persistent. More powerful than elegant. Forthright. Dark ruby color with black fruit notes like blackberries and black cherries, violet and dry herbs, leather and black pepper, nice minerality and French oak, some vanilla and tobacco. Nice balance and structure with a long finish.

Ruby red colour. Aromas of raspberry, cherry and spice. Very good balance in the palate. Fruity and supple.

CWM Ranking - High 2:1 The best wine I have tasted from this usually reliable estate, an improvement even on the 2016 vintage. Packed with ripe fruit the extraction is well controlled, allowing the palate to build and remain fruity to the finish.

Jean Christophe Meyrot, ex La Violette (one of the top properties in Pomerol) . Full on but good structure. Juicy palate. Certainly ripe. Warm, good acid, persistent. More powerful than elegant. Forthright. Dark ruby color with black fruit notes like blackberries and black cherries, violet and dry herbs, leather and black pepper, nice minerality and French oak, some vanilla and tobacco. Nice balance and structure with a long finish.

Damien Pagès is the grandson of Marc Pagès (who took on Château la Tour de By in 1966). Château Noaillac is situated 15 kilometres north of Château la Tour de By. Planted to approximately 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 55% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, with an average age of 40 years. Damien is a qualified oenologue and a brilliant winemaker. CWM Ranking - High 2:1 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot. 12 months in french oak. Damien Pages believes this is one of his best vintages. Although it was a small harvest there was enough rain in June and August to allow the old vines produce healthy grapes. Very dark ruby. Ripe cassis nose with some vanilla and spice. Fine and poised palate, all rather silky and fresh yet with plenty of blackcurrant and plum flavour, and ripe tannin. Full bodied and well-balanced.

This wine is produced by the 11th generation of winemakers of the Vauthier family, which has owned Château Ausone for over 300 years. Le Petit Vauthier is located on an exceptional terroir. The wine composition is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the vines are an average age of 31 years. The winery converted to full organic farming in 2020. Enjoy layers of rich red berry fruit (raspberry, cherry, spiced plum, ripe strawberry) that spring from a complex bed of crushed stone, potting soil, bay leaf, clay, and pipe tobacco.

This comes from a small property on the plateau of Pomerol. The wine is structured, with some serious tannins as well as generous Merlot fruits. Its shape and concentration are just right for aging while the blackberry flavors promise a more fruity future. Drink this wine from 2024

Meerlust, one of the Cape's most historic wine estates, originally planted in 1693. In 1756, it was purchased by the first Myburgh and has been the pride of the family ever since. Today, after seven generations, Hannes Myburgh, the present owner, continue the great family tradition of wine making. This is a juicy, opulent and rich wine that is a perfect example of the variety.

Château Haut Boutisse, Saint Emilion Grand Cru, is a family property that has existed since the middle of the 19th century. Located on the foothills of Saint Emilion, the soil (Graves, clay-limestone and sandy loam) is similar to the greatest properties in Saint-Emilion.. A beautiful garnet colour. The complex nose presents a beautiful synergy between aromas of jammy strawberry and rose accompanied by fine smoky notes and dried figs. The mouth has a very nice balance between volume and freshness. The harvest is done manually. Vinification is a cold pre-fermentation maceration followed by alcoholic fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with pumping over/punching down. The wine is aged for 15 months in new barrels (90%) and concrete vats (10%).

Deep ruby in colour, this Merlot incorporates scents of rich black cherry and plum, displaying further complexity on the palate. Flavourful and medium bodied with hints of cedar and dark chocolate leading to a pleasing finish.

"The 2019 Siaurac has a more introverted bouquet than some of its Lalande-de-Pomerol peers: deep broody black fruit, touches of undergrowth and black plums. The palate is more vivacious and provides the energy thanks to the keen thread of acidity. It is quite a muscular wine, firm grip with a tang of black pepper towards the finish and a citric aftertaste. It is a bit rough around the edges but the component parts will come together with time." Drink 2024 - 2040 90 - 92 Points, Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate, June 2020

A beautifully put-together claret, made from 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from vineyards located on cool limestone soils. The terrific Stephane Derenencourt consults here. Lovely extraction with lots of fruit, ripe tannina nd acidity. Long and complex and able to age although beautiful now.

Chateau Citran is one of the best performing Crus Bourgeois wines and this second wine is suave and sophisticated. Mint, blackcurrant and cigar box aromas lead to a velvety pallet. A second wine means that it's made from slightly younger vines than the Grand Vin, but with just as much care. An excellent freshness, balancing acidity, ripe fruit flavour and a great potential to improve with age. It has perfumed notes of raspberry, black cherry and strawberry, a great texture and a long finish

The wines of Château Tronquoy-Lalande know how to seduce from their youth and gain in elegance after several years in cellar. In their blends we find the particularity of the estate's grape varieties, atypical for a Saint-Estèphe wine, dominated by Merlot, which fruit combines with the power of the Cabernet Sauvignon. The hint of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc adds freshness, finesse and aromatic complexity. 90/100 Jane Anson "From the same team as Château Montrose, this is always a great wine, full of finesse and drama. This is very good quality, with a lovely rich, deep texture with sexy, ripe fruit. The alcohol is perhaps the highest of the appellation in this vintage, but it's balanced. 1% Cabernet Franc rounds out the blend."

2nd Wine of Ch Laroque, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé. Made of 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc from vines more than 50 years old, the medium to deep garnet-purple coloured 2019 Les Tours de Laroque opens with pretty raspberry coulis, black cherries and warm plums scents with underlying fungi, black loam and cracked pepper hints plus a touch of beef drippings. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and fresh, with a firm line of grainy tannins, it delivers a graceful, earthy finish.

Silver Medal winner for this Merlot-based red wine that is packed with flavour and very well balanced already. Lots of plum and blackberry primary flavours, soft tannins and a nice lick of acidity that keeps the wine energetic.

A great follow up to the excellent 2020 vintage from this petit chateau that shows what great value can be found at the lower prices in Bordeaux. Velvety tannins and sweet blackcurrant fruit, it's very approachable although young and ready to drink.

Deep ruby in colour, this Merlot incorporates scents of rich black cherry and plum, displaying further complexity on the palate. Flavourful and medium bodied with hints of cedar and dark chocolate leading to a pleasing finish.

The Guimberteau family has owned the Château Franc-Baudron estate since 1923. This is a vineyard on a human scale where each generation has left its footprint on the family heritage. Since 2010, the new generation of Château Franc-Baudron has embarked on an environmental approach by converting the entire vineyard to organic farming. The area hosts bee-hives, uses plants for treatments (horsetail, nettle and ferns) and seeds flowers to encourage biodiversity of wildlife in the vines. They have begun implementing new winemaking techniques by using minimal inputs to express at its best the nature of the grapes and the type of soil. Most of the family’s plots of Montagne Saint-Emilion are located on a clay-limestone plateau. Bright and intense in colour with aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry and oak notes.Well balanced, powerful and velvety.

Château Palais Cardinal, a magnificent estate on Bordeaux’s Right Bank, takes its name from the sublime former residence dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries, the remains of which are still visible. The property took the name of Palais Cardinal in the 14th century, when it was enlarged. Owned by the Louis Ballande family since 2018, Château Palais Cardinal is now one of the leading names in the Saint-Émilion appellation. From 2008 to 2018, Château Palais Cardinal has experienced unprecedented growth. From 4 hectares of vines in 2008, Château Palais Cardinal now boasts 22 hectares. Located in the commune of Saint-Sulpice de Faleyrens, Château Palais Cardinal is an exceptional vineyard planted on some of the finest terroirs in the Saint-Émilion appellation. Combining tradition and modernity, Château Palais Cardinal's ambition is to produce great wines that reflect the identity of the Saint-Émilion appellation, thanks to the constant attention paid to the vines, the monitoring of each plot and the appropriate vinification methods. The grape varieties planted in the vineyards reflect those found on the right bank. Merlot (71%) is the predominant grape variety, complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon (23%) and Cabernet Franc (6%). Aged for a minimum of 12 months, the wines of Château Palais Cardinal offer an intense aromatic expression marked by fine notes of black fruit with hints of incense. Structured by a silky body, the palate evolves with suppleness, held together by a fine acidity.

This Claret is fresh and balanced. The blend is Merlot-based and the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 12 months, giving a nice aroma of spice and wood smoke. The palate is fleshy with a hint of plum, the tannins fine and firm, leading to a generous finish. Drink now to 2036

The 12 hectare vineyard of Chateau Faizeau is planted to 94% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. The entire vineyard is one large block of vines. The terroir is a mix of sand, clay and limestone soils. On average, the vines are close to 50 years of age. However, the vineyard has some of the oldest vines in the Right Bank. The oldest vines survived the devastating frost of 1956. In fact, they have vines that are more than 100 years of age, as they were planted all the way back in 1911! More than just old vines, their hillside terroir is on perhaps the highest elevation in the appellation. The vineyard, located on the hill of Calon hits 89 meters at its peak.

2nd Wine of Ch Laroque, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé. Made of 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc from vines more than 50 years old, the medium to deep garnet-purple coloured 2019 Les Tours de Laroque opens with pretty raspberry coulis, black cherries and warm plums scents with underlying fungi, black loam and cracked pepper hints plus a touch of beef drippings. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and fresh, with a firm line of grainy tannins, it delivers a graceful, earthy finish.

Bright ruby, sweet ripe fruit, vanilla, lot sof sweet fruit, good density and nice acidity, long and very moreish,

Las Condes Merlot has clean and intense aromas of ripe red fruits especially plums, cherries and strawberries accompanied with cinnamon notes. The palate offers these same flavours and confirms a well-balanced wine with soft tannins and a pleasant finish

Victoria Moore writes (of the 2013 vintage) "a favourite all-rounder red. It’s merlot made precisely à point; there’s a juicy generosity, but also a refreshing leafiness: redcurrant leaves and lightly stewed damsons."