Europe

Domaines Baron de Rothschild chose yesterday to release the 2011 Chateau l'Évangile, a wine which I am surprised to find myself the biggest fan of amongst the critics. Today has seen another mini-avalanche of releases, including Talbot at a sensible price, and some at spectacular drops in price over their 2010 counterparts - Beauséjour Duffau Lagarosse was £2200 in 2010, and is £540 this year.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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'.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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