Dear <<First Name>>,
Bordeaux 2019 En Primeur .. The show must go on !
We continue our 2019 EP offers with the wines from the Lynch-Bages stable (JC Cazes), including two great classified growth wines from Pauillac and a property in Saint-Estephe.
With the release of the JC Cazes stable of wines this morning including the mighty Château Lynch-Bages with a 25% reduction on the price in 2018 and a glowing 97 pts from Decanter, this looks to be a great buy.
The 5th growth estate of Château Haut-Batailley is certainly not as well known than its famous neighbour but for fans of Pauillac who know where to look for value in an expensive region, this is perfect wine for the cellar.
Chateau Ormes dez Pez is the latest edition to the stable of wines and a quality wine from Saint-Estephe, also with a welcome 25% reduction on the 2018 with the same score.
We still have access to limited stocks of Château Palmer (£166.50 per btle) which is a solid buy at 30% less than the 2018 release price. More importantly, after an absence last year, the terrific Alter Ego de Palmer is a great value wine at £45 per btle and a must buy for any Margaux lovers!
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The 2019 vintage and resulting En Primeur campaign will be remembered long into the history of these illustrious proceedings, with nature clearly giving something back to help heal some of the wounds. Starting more than 4 weeks late, we expect this to be a short and concentrated campaign.
The weather was particularly wet during the winter of 2018 but this was a saving grace as the long warm, dry summer came round quickly. The heat was fierce for a few short spells but the flowering was well established early on and the berries (fruit set) in a good place to compensate. A pleasant autumn, with the odd shower during harvest had already got some talking of the great potential, with well formed concentrated berries, with good acidity and healthy yields.
The term 'great vintage' is not used lightly in Bordeaux and certainly initial reports are of a very high quality, with comparisons to 2009, 2015 and 2016 previously earmarked as the best this century. Pricing is a key factor of any En Primeur campaign and expectations are it will much lower than 2018, due to current global crisis.
There has not been any of the traditional April trips to the Chateaux for day long tastings and lavish dinners, instead during these difficult times, pallets of samples have been arriving on the doorsteps of critics all over the world. Those that follow social media closely will have seen snippets of enthusiastic commentary as each appellation is meticulously poured, tasted and written up. Most have yet to publish any meaningful reports and accompanying notes but the signs are more than positive, if not glowing.
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James Suckling
"2019 is an exceptional year for Bordeaux wines... Some say 2019 is close to the excellent 2016 vintage but with perhaps slightly less tannin concentration. They all agree that the quality is very close to 2018, 2016 and 2015."
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With Château Pontet-Canet (98-100 pts - Wine Advocate), a powerhouse of modern day Bordeaux, selling out in Bordeaux over a weekend at £61 per btle (IB) this seems to have defined the 2019 vintage!
This level of pricing has rarely been seen in the last 15 years and was lower than the 2013 release price, which was certainly one of the poorest vintages in recent memory. This gives hope that possibly one the best quality vintages in the 21st century will unusually be one of the best value.
A vintage for buyers and drinkers alike!
We have also seen a new release from Château Latour (96+ pts Wine Advocate) this week, the first since they decided to no longer participate in the traditional En Primeur process in 2011, opting to release wine when the Chateau felt it was ready. At a release price of £2,100 for 6 bottles this also represents the cheapest vintage of the previous 10 years.
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Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate)
"I have just begun receiving barrel samples of the 2019s and have so far been very impressed about how they have showed"
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Château Lynch-Bages (Pauillac)
Although there are records of the Bages territory as far back as the 16th century, the history of wine production in the area really began in the 18th century. From 1749 to 1824, the vineyard was owned by Thomas Lynch, the son of an Irishman from Galway who worked as a merchant in Bordeaux. Thomas Lynch managed the land wisely and produced high quality wines under the name of ''Cru de Lynch''. As part of the prestigious 1855 Classification, for the Exposition Universelle de Paris, his wine would soon be classified as one of the fifth growths.
In the 1930's, General Félix de Vial, a descendant of the Cayrou family, leased the vineyard to Jean-Charles Cazes, the son of ''Lou Janou'' and a farmer at Château Ormes de Pez in Saint-Estèphe. Cazes went on to purchase both properties in the wake of World War II. Lynch-Bages has been run by the Cazes family ever since.
Lynch-Bages' old vat-house represents a rare example of traditional winemaking equipment the Médoc area. Its slatted flooring which introduced the advantages of gravitational design now used in modern vat-houses, was invented by Skawinski in 1850.
These remarkable winemakers had a hard and quite dangerous job. The last of them was the exemplary Xavier Tibur, who ended his career at Lynch-Bages in 1975. The old Lynch-Bages vat-house is open for visits and will transport you to another era.
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Jane Anson (97 pts) - Decanter
"This takes hold from the first moment and powers along, delivering a ton of black brambly fruit, liquorice, grilled cedar and Pauillac confidence. The tannins are pretty chewy, really closing in on the end of play, giving no doubt that this is going to age slowly and for many decades, but there is a creaminess to the overall structure that is already evident. Drinking Window 2029 - 2046"
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2019 Château Lynch-Bages (5th Growth)
Daring, innovative and with a reputation for often being the last to harvest, Jean-Charles Cazes defined the style of Lynch-Bages in the 1930's. The wine's distinctive character has earned it a place amongst Pauillac's greatest. It combines structure, finesse and elegance, offering generous aromas in its youth and developing deeper complexities with bottle age.
The estate’s reputation as a top quality wine producer took off in 1945 after a series of exceptional vintages. Since then, Lynch-Bages has continued to produce excellent wines, even during years considered difficult in the Bordeaux region. The wine’s deep colour and tannic backbone have become part of its signature style. Jean-Michel Cazes, grandson of Jean-Charles, has worked hard to develop and refine the wine’s supple and smooth structure over the years. Vintage after vintage, the estate’s precise and excellent winemaking techniques have served to firmly establish Lynch-Bages reputation for consistent quality.
£395.00 per 6 x 750ml (IB)
£400.00 per 3 x 1500ml (IB)
"A tight and very focused young red with redcurrant, tile and blackberry undertones. Lead pencil, too. It’s full-bodied with very polished, creamy tannins and lots of intense dark fruit. Compact fruit and tannins. Structured."
James Suckling (96-97 pts)
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2019 Château Haut-Batailley (5th Growth)
76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot
Château Haut-Batailley, symbolised by the Tour l’Aspic tower, marks the entrance into the Pauillac vineyard. Located to the south-west of the appellation, bordering the Saint-Julien AOC, its vines stretch over 22 hectares of deep Garonne gravel soils. The Cazes family, who also ownns Lynch Bages and Ormes de Pez, acquired the property in March 2017 and has high ambitions for the estate.
The property extends over 22 hectares of vineyard spread over the Aspic and the Bécades plateaux, between Haut-Batailley and Pauillac, near the Gironde estuary. Its planted grape varieties, quite typical of the Pauillac appellation, include 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. The average vine age is 45 years and planting density is 10,000 vines per hectare. The vineyard has been perfectly maintained and monitored. Replacement vines have regularly been planted when needed. Château Haut-Batailley also has 19 hectares of non-planted AOC Pauillac land that has been resting for several years. The land to be planted is situated on the Aspic plateau, the so-called “Batailley” plateau and the Bécades plateau.
£213.50 per 6 x 750ml (IB)
£218.50 per 3 x 1500ml (IB)
"Plenty of blueberry and chocolate aromas and flavors. It's full and chewy with a powerful finish. Tar and graphite at the end. Solid core of fruit and tannin here. One of the most structured I have had from here. Cazes family making the difference."
James Suckling (95-96 pts)
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2019 Château Ormes dez Pez (Saint-Estephe)
50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
The wines from Ormes de Pez are powerful yet characterised by their harmonious structure. They are indulgent, pleasurable and combine a smooth, fleshy texture with the distinctive elegance of a Saint-Estèphe.
Made using the traditional grape varieties, these wines are rich, full-bodied and generous. They are made of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and complemented by a significant amount of Merlot for a combination of longevity and smoothness. The resulting wines are rich and fruity with a rather imposing tannic backbone. They are seductive in their youth and develop their finesse after a few years of bottle age.
Château Les Ormes de Pez is a harmonious, spicy and distinctive wine that reveals the authenticity of its terroir in the Saint-Estèphe appellation. It will charm you with its finesse, elegance and well-rounded structure. The palate offers robust tannins whilst retaining a smooth, fleshy side.
£210.00 per 12 x 750ml (IB)
£215.00 per 6 x 1500ml (IB)
"Plenty of spice and plums on the nose. Full body, round tannins and flavorful finish. Raspberries and hazelnuts at the end"
James Suckling (92-93 pts)
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All prices are 'In Bond' and exclude, duty, VAT & delivery and subject to availabilty and confirmation
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The wines above are subject to strict allocation on a first come first serve basis, confirmation and remaining unsold.
Different formats are available for most wines (375ml to 15L) at a small additional bottling cost.
Delivery is expected to commence in spring 2022.
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