By Charles Lea on 24/05/2012
Late release of the day is Denis Durantou's flagship, l'Église Clinet at £575 per case of six bottles. At last someone who has listened to the market: this is offered at a price lower than any comparable vintage (2006 and 2008 are around £1400, 2009 and 2010 are over £3500). A 2011 primeur worth buying.
By Charles Lea on 24/05/2012
Latour, of course, stole a good deal of publicity at the beginning of the the 2011 campaign by announcing that it was going to withdraw from the primeur system from next year. (In future the wine will be released by the Chateau at ten years old or later).
By Charles Lea on 23/05/2012
Branaire Ducru looks fair value at £335 and joins the list of wines recommended in the 2011 vintage. Jean-Dominique Videau is rightly proud of this wine, and it was one of very few properties prepared to show us their 2009 and 2010 alongside the 2011.
By Charles Lea on 23/05/2012
Today sees the release of a fine Pomerol, Château la Conseillante. Under the intelligent directorship of Jean-Michel Laporte, La Conseillante is a property which has gone from strength to strength, and in this is a wine that all the critics liked a lot - all except Robert Parker who gave it a rather measly 88-91.
By Charles Lea on 22/05/2012
We can now offer Mouton Rothschild on general release, at £1900 per six bottles or £3800 per case of 12. As before click the wine name below to see all the critics on this. I confused the hell out of those who were paying attention to this morning's email by calling Moulin Saint Georges 'Croix Saint Georges'.
By Charles Lea on 22/05/2012
Slow start to the morning after yesterday's splurge. The buy here for me is the 'cheapy' from Alain Vauthier's Ausone stable, Moulin Saint Georges. This wine is just one of those which seems to hit the spot every year, and every year I'm surprised by how incredibly reasonable it is, but then is is a not so well-known, 'under the radar' name.
By Charles Lea on 21/05/2012
This afternoon has proved rather quiter than this morning, with just three wines to add to the list of releases. Léoville Poyferré has reduced its price significantly, and comes recommended at £550.
By Charles Lea on 21/05/2012
Another morning when many Chateau owners seem to have decided not to much to launch their wine onto the market as to rush them all out at once and hope no one notices them in the crowd.
By Charles Lea on 16/05/2012
France has a day off tomorrow, so we may have seen the last releases before next Monday. This afternoon saw the two junior wines from the Cheval Blanc stable take the the track. I liked both La Tour du Pin and Quinault l'Enclos, and the prices are not mad for the quality they are achieving here.
By Charles Lea on 16/05/2012
This morning looks like it might be a bit quieter than yesterday, with just three major releases, or four if you count red (£325) and white (£630) Domaine de Chevalier. The white has generated some interest in what is undoubtedly a very good vintage for this style.
By Charles Lea on 15/05/2012
Montrose, Lagrange and their seconds This afternoon has see the release of Montrose (£780) and Lagrange (£300), and their second wines Fiefs de Lagrange (£155) and Dame de Montrose (£250). Montrose rated for me as one of the wines of the vintage. Lagrange I rated (a rare circumstance for the vintage) the same as I rated the 2010 en primeur (93/100).
By Charles Lea on 15/05/2012
2011 Bordeaux - Too many to mention It seems that Bordeaux have decided that it's simpler just to dump all the wines on the market and let everyone sort it out for themselves, so here we go - not much we can say about each one individually, there simply is not time.