Dear <<First Name>>,
Bordeaux 2020 En Primeur .. The show must (still) go on !
As we find ourselves still in the grip of a global pandemic, once again the annual ritual of the Bordeaux En Primeur campaign slowly but reassuringly springs to life.
Only the privileged few have made it to Bordeaux this year but for the vast majority of us there has been no fanciful trips, with only the sound of the door bell ringing and samples left on the doorstep. Zoom is once again the tool of choice to supplement this annual pilgrimage.
We all remember vividly the long hot summer of 2020, not least because 2021 has been well below average temperatures (with the odd exception) so far. The end of summer rain in August brought some respite from the prolonged searing heat and September provided perfect ripening conditions, particularly for the Merlot grape.
Whilst the heat has affected the yields, which are down, the quality is certainly in abundance and comparisons are being made the triple vintage success of 1988-1990. Nature is truly an amazing beast. So it appears that despite the chaos that surrounds us, another 'great' vintage has been born in adversity.
The next question on consumers lips will be .. What about the pricing? Cynically I believed we would never see the pricing levels of the 2019 EP campaign repeated and whilst that appears to be somewhat true, thus far pricing does not appear to have shifted much at all. Chateau Cheval-blanc was one the first major releases last week with only a modest 3% increase on 2019.
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 positively glowing.
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Jane Anson (Decanter)
"I would say 2018 is the most exuberant, 2020 the most structured and concentrated, while 2019 combines both and for me is the strongest of the three – certainly the most consistent. Yields overall were around 25% lower than in 2019, particularly with Cabernet Sauvignon but also Cabernet Franc in many cases."
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The market was surprised on Tuesday with release of Chateau Cheval-Blanc (not rated yet), a powerhouse of the Right Bank that came out of the blocks with a price of £2,325/6 (IB)
Again, this is marginally up from 2019 and sends a strong message for the upcoming releases. With another high quality vintage on the cards and pricing 'reasonable' it is once again .. One for the consumers!
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James Suckling
"After tasting more than 400-barrel samples from the 2020 vintage, I can 100% confirm that it is another great year for Bordeaux. The 2020 vintage marks a rare trilogy of excellent vintages that produced wines at the same or very close quality level across the board from great named chateaux to lesser-known estates. 90% of the wines I have reviewed show an outstanding quality level from first growths to Petit Chateaux, even from simple appellations such as Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superior."
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We start our 2020 EP offers with a few interesting wines at opposite ends of the Left Bank, one from the top of the area (Saint-Estephe), another a main stay of consistency from the Haut-Medoc and the remaining wine from Fronsac, a small Right Bank appellation which is 95% Merlot.
Château Beaumont is a drinker and has an appreciative fan base that probably cares little about scores because you simply get what it says on the tin - a classic claret wine from the Medoc, at a great price!
Château Lilan Ladouys is a well respected wine from Saint-Estèphe and has just been awarded a new level of status in 2020 - Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel. Those in the know will not be surprised by a wine produced just a few hundred metres from Chateau Lafite-Rothschild!
Château Dalem is one of the oldest estates in Bordeaux and has recently completed a major renovation and modernisation of their cellars. This is an under-rated wine from an up and coming appellation.
We are expecting a flurry of releases this week and next before the major wines in early June.
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Château Beaumont (Haut-Medoc)
Jutting out between the Atlantic Ocean and the estuary of the Gironde river, it is in the Médoc, originally meaning the «land in the middle», that lie the lands of Beaumont which, in the 18th century, were nothing more than moor-lands and heather, meadows and fallow land, belonging to the Duc de Duras, Marshal of France and a member of the French Academy.
In 1986, Château Beaumont started its 12th life with the arrival of the Groupe GMF, which joined together with the Japanese group Suntory to create the Société Grands Millésimes de France, also the owner of Château Beychevelle, a Saint-Julien Cru Classé and the Bordeaux wine-trading company Barrière Frères.
Today Grands Millesimes de France is owned by the Castel and Suntory Groups.
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2020 Château Beaumont (Cru Bourgeois Superieur)
51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot
The wines of Château Beaumont are characterized by their supple; feminine structure, which is often silky. The tannins are generally mellow and rarely aggressive. All this contributes to making the wine full of charm and finesse.
It can be tasted young, except for certain vintages which absolutely must be allowed to rest for a few years in the cellar.
It highlights the dominance of Cabernet Sauvignon on this land which is reputed to be among the best for growing this varietal... It is typical of the excellent Garonne gravel ridges which make up the land of the estate and thus the treasure of Beaumont.
£108.00 per 12 x 750ml (IB)
"Château Beaumont 2020 is characterized by very nice fruit notes, a beautiful concentration that makes it a full wine.
The Merlots have a very nice ripe fruit, the Cabernet Sauvignon are powerful with fine tannins and the Petit Verdots, in large amounts on this vintage, bring lots of black fruits and freshness."
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2020 Château Lilian Ladouys (Saint-Estèphe)
59% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
Born in the 16th century and a Cru Bourgeois Supérieur until 2020 from the 19th century, the estate is back in the limelight.
The history of Château Lilian Ladouys is inseparable from that of the Médoc. The existence of the ‘La Doys’ estate, a name which makes reference to the source in the Gascon language, can be traced back to 1564 when it was held in fief by Jacques de Becoyran, lord of Lafite. Château Lafite Rothschild is in fact just a few hundred metres away from the estate. In 1850, the first edition of Cocks & Féret named the estate as one of the best in Saint-Estèphe. According to the 1898 Féret edition, the chateau’s estate covered 75 hectares, three quarters of which were planted with vines. The guide accorded it the rank of Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, a status officially confirmed in 1932 and again in 2003.
£156.00 per 12 x 750ml (IB)
(James Suckling 92-93 pts)
"A very pretty, medium-bodied wine with fine tannins, lovely fruit and a creamy finish. Nicely integrated for the vintage in this appellation."
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2020 Château Dalem (Fronsac)
95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc
Chateau Dalem is one of the oldest properties in Bordeaux. The estate originated all the way back in 1610. Chateau Dalem remained in the same family ownership until it was purchased Michel Rullier in 1955.
Today, Chateau Dalem is managed by Brigitte Rullier-Loussert. Brigitte Rullier-Loussert took over managing the property in 2002. The Rullier family has long ties in the Bordeaux appellation.
In 2019, Chateau Dalem completed their full renovation and modernization of their cellars and wine making facilities.
The 33 hectare vineyard of Chateau Dalem is planted to 90% Merlot, 95 Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec. This is a big change in the vineyards. First the vineyard has increased in size since it was last acquired. In fact, it has more than tripled in size!
£180.00 per 12 x 750ml (IB)
(James Suckling 93-94 pts)
"Beautiful transparency and depth of fruit to this, yet it remains so refined and polished with extremely fine tannins that are energetic and long. Medium-to full-bodied. Such balance and intensity. One of the best I had from here in the making. 95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc."
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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 2023.
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