Bordeaux

The French (and Bordelais in particular, it seems) being not respecters of English bank holidays, we do have a few releases today, but seeing as I’m at Seaview and should be watching my son sail, I’m going to keep this short. Ferrière is the pick of the bunch here, even if I am sad they could not keep the price down, but this is a much more serious wine than du Tertre. Meyney seems to have divided opinion – read all the notes but I did not particularly get it. Both Larmande and Clos Puy Arnaud (the latter another of these top-performing Castillons I keep mentioning), could offer good value.

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Château Poujeaux has followed Chasse Spleen onto the market at the same price. Château Bernadotte, the ‘entry-level’ wine from the Pichon-Lalande stable is out this morning too. This offers good value in a tight, classical but glossy style. Château Rol Valentin comes recommended by me – and see Jancis’ note too as it is very similar – a real, racy wine despite its ripeness and elevated alcohol level. Michel Rolland has released his ‘home’ property, the excellent Fronsac Fontenil. Finally Cap de Faugères is another good value wine from the underrated Castillon area, this one under the same ownership as Chateau Faugères (Saint Emilion).

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Chasse Spleen is out this afternoon, up around 7% on last year.

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Bravo again to Francois Despagne for this year’s Château Grand Corbin Despagne which is a Saint Emilion which just tastes real, remarkably unforced, and unites the English palates: "Good juice and flow, it tastes like real wine" L&S, "Proper wine!" Jancis Robinson, "very pure and precise" Neal Martin, "Splendid wine with extra depth and purity of fruit" James Lawther (Decanter). It is offered at the same price as last year, and comes recommended.

Château du Tertre is possibly slightly pushing its luck – it is no better than the 2009 (but probably very close in quality), but offered around 11% more than last year. But it’s hard to find a Cru Classé Margaux for less, and it offers solid value in a big, round, slightly sweet and smudgy style.

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If your wine sold out in seconds last year, and you have even better notes than last year, the temptation must be to hike a little. Sarget de Gruaud Larose flew last year, when it seemed one of the bargains of the vintage, and I’d suggest that this year it will also fly, because the 2010 is still a bargain. Sociando Mallet clearly just pushed above the critical point last year, and is offer about 16% down this year. I liked it even more, making it a bit of a bargain too. Long-term, mini-Latour like wine.

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Regular customers will know that we have has a soft spot for L’Arrosée ever since the Cailles took it over in 2002.

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Under the same ownership as Calon Ségur, Château Capbern Gasqueton is a Saint Estephe which offers cru-classé level drinking at lower-end Cru Bourgeois pricing.

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Nathalie Perrodo is bringing her father’s dream closer to reality with this ‘first’ vintage from the newly reunited Labégorce vineyards, after they had spent a couple of centuries split into three. The part that was names Labegorce Zédé in 1840 is reintegrated for the first time since then this year, and this new wine is offered at a very realistic, even bargain price for a Cru Classé level Margaux.

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Releases continue this morning. Slight doubts in my mind about Cantemerle - as you will see from the note I only saw it once, and the sample may have been tired. Steven Spurrier, Neal Martin, Robert Parker ond other have all rated it very well. 16 (Jancis Robinson MW OBE (www.

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2010 Les Ormes de Pez has been released at the same price as the 2009. Given the reasonable price level of this excellent and consistent wine, this is really the best one could have hoped for. Goes straight into our recommended Médocs list.

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