3eme Cru Classe
2020 Chateau La Lagune 3eme Cru Classe, Haut-Medoc 6x75cl
"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 La Lagune strides confidently out of the glass with bold, fantastically pure black fruit notes of crushed black plums, ripe blackcurrants and juicy blackberries,... plus hints of tar, dried Provence herbs, star anise and smoked meats, with a hint of black truffles. The medium-bodied palate delivers tightly wound, bright, crunchy black fruits with plenty of freshness and an approachable, grainy texture, finishing long with loads of earthy and herbal sparks." 92-94 pts., Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com
£162 / Case£27 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Chateau d’Issan 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 6x75cl
From one of the Left Bank's oldest properties dating back to the 12th-century and now run by the Lorenzetti family and located within a kilometre of the Chateau Margaux itself. Subtle fragrances and... moreish fruit in the 2020 d'Issan, and a third of three consecutive, stellar vintages and again an absolutely expression of Margaux terroir. Precision and elegance here combine for a an intensity of flavour defined by harmonious tannins that gives way to a long, generous finish.
£254 / Case£42.33 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Chateau Giscours 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 6x75cl
"A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot, the 2020 Giscours reveals a deep garnet-purple color and compelling notes of crushed redcurrants, plum preserves and Morello cherries, leading to... hints of lavender, wild sage, damp soil and black truffles with a touch of licorice. The medium-bodied palate bursts with vibrant red and black fruits and lots of savory accents, supported by soft, very well managed tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note." 92-94 pts., Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com
£246 / Case£41 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2022 Chateau Langoa Barton 3eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 6x75cl
“The first vintage produced in the estate's new winery, which more than doubled the number of vats, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot vinification, the brilliant 2022 Langoa Barton offers up aromas... of dark berries, cassis, violets and cigar wrapper, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy palate endowed with terrific depth and tension. Polished and penetrating, it should match or even surpass the 2019 and 2016 vintages, and it is sure to be one of the more intelligent purchases of the en primeur campaign.”
93-95+ pts., William Kelley, robertparker.com
£215 / Case£35.83 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2018 Chateau d’Issan 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 6x75cl
"The 2018 Château d’Issan offers fragrant blackberry, cedar and light peppermint scents on a nose that gently unfolds with aeration. This is charming and precise. The palate is medium-bodied with... sappy black fruit and fine intensity. A dusting of dark chocolate appears toward the finish, which needs some time to fully cohere; cellar it for 4–6 years. A very capable Margaux that should develop well in bottle." 92 pts., Neal Martin, www.vinous.com
£270 / Case£45 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2021 Chateau Lagrange 3eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 12x75cl
"Super-floral on the nose, a celebration of peony, violet and rose flowers. Juicy and supple with a real life-force. The starts off bright and upfront with strawberry and red cherry notes that merge... into a darker, more savoury mid-palate full of slate and chocolate. I like the persistence here, the clarity of the fruit expression and the brightness. It's not the most expansive but the individual elements are so well presented with detail on show. A great effort in the vintage with no drop in the mid-palate, acidity in check and nice floral fruit." 93 pts., Georgina Hindle, decanter.com
£407 / Case£33.92 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2018 Chateau Giscours 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 6x75cl
"The 2018 Giscours was tasted alongside the 2019 for comparison. This is more extravagant on the nose, delivering slightly more red fruit, black pepper and touches of graphite. This has opened since... I last tasted it. The palate is medium-bodied with bold tannins, very smooth and more sensual than the 2019, and more flamboyant, though perhaps without the same precision. Still, this is very fine." 94 pts., Neal Martin, www.vinous.com
£270 / Case£45 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Chateau Lagrange 3eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 6x75cl
Château Lagrange is 66% Cabernet, 27% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot aged up to 21 months in 60% new oak and is grown across 102 separate parcels on two gently sloping, gravelly hillsides.
Lagrange... is excellent value and of a vintage that is sure to appreciate consistently in coming years. With quality particularly high this year, yields from their impressive 138 hectares are particularly the opposite - a now-familiar narrative during the EP campaign so far. Forest leaf, cedar and a cigar box of florals enhance decent ripeness; creamy, spicy, long and vibrant fruit, it is a wine full of life and surely one to enjoy it at much length in your cellar.
£212 / Case£35.33 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2021 Chateau La Lagune 3eme Cru Classe, Haut-Medoc 6x75cl
"70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot. Cask sample.
Pretty nose with what appears to be a good concentration of fruit. Pure and precise on the palate, the tannins smooth and rounded. Compact and harmonious with adequate mid-palate fruit and length on the finish. Bravo." 16.5 pts., James Lawther MW, jancisrobinson.com
£157.50 / Case£26.25 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2020 Chateau Giscours 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 6x75cl
"A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot, the 2020 Giscours reveals a deep garnet-purple color and compelling notes of crushed redcurrants, plum preserves and Morello cherries, leading to... hints of lavender, wild sage, damp soil and black truffles with a touch of licorice. The medium-bodied palate bursts with vibrant red and black fruits and lots of savory accents, supported by soft, very well managed tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note." 92-94 pts., Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com
£246 / Case£41 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2021 Chateau Palmer 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 6x75cl
£1,422 / Case£237 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2018 Chateau Langoa Barton 3eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 6x75cl
"The 2018 Langoa Barton is succulent and racy right out of the gate. Inky red fruit, sweet floral notes, cedar and spice all mesh together effortlessly. This mid-weight, pliant Saint-Julien is every bit as seductive as it was from barrel." 92 pts., Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com
£210 / Case£35 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Chateau Palmer 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 6x75cl
"The 2020 Palmer, which was matured in 65% new oak, possesses one of the most perfumed bouquets of the vintage with entrancing, seductive scents of black cherries, wild strawberry, iodine and crushed... violets, all beautifully delineated (as per usual). The palate is medium-bodied with fine but quite firm tannins, lending this Palmer more backbone than presupposed. Blackberry, graphite and touches of liquorice develop with aeration that build towards an assertive, pencil box-tinged finish that nods towards Pauillac. This is a Palmer destined for long-term ageing, so readers should have a cool damp cellar handy. It is a serious Palmer, very different from the previous two vintages, not a mix of the two, but content in just being itself." 96-98 pts. Neal Martin, www.vinous.com
£1,440 / Case£240 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2020 Chateau d’Issan 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 6x75cl
From one of the Left Bank's oldest properties dating back to the 12th-century and now run by the Lorenzetti family and located within a kilometre of the Chateau Margaux itself. Subtle fragrances and... moreish fruit in the 2020 d'Issan, and a third of three consecutive, stellar vintages and again an absolutely expression of Margaux terroir. Precision and elegance here combine for a an intensity of flavour defined by harmonious tannins that gives way to a long, generous finish.
£254 / Case£42.33 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur