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Chateau Batailley is a highly regarded 5th growth classified estate, located in the appellation of Pauillac on the left bank of Bordeaux. Owned by the Castéja family of négociants Borie-Manoux, it is one of the oldest estates in the Médoc. A Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend with smaller components of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it is a solid, classically structured mid-weight Pauillac displaying fresh notes of cassis and a backbone of fine-grained tannins.

Chateau Branaire-Ducru is a fourth growth (4ème Cru Classé) St-Julien estate, in the southern area of the appellation. The Grand Vin has a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon between 80-85% in most years; one of the highest in the Médoc. The grapes are hand-harvested and undergo a three week post fermentation maceration to build tannin structure before the wine is matured in 60-65% new French oak barriques for 16-20 months. Branaire-Ducru is renowned for producing classic claret wines that are elegant, ripe and well balanced.

A concentrated dark fruit spectrum with an abundance of ripe blackcurrants, cherries and a hint of cassis. Coffee bean, dark chocolate and black olives lie beneath. Subtle dustiness combines with a seductive violet lift, enhancing the varietal fragrance and increasing complexity. A dense and layered palate with incredible texture. The generosity of the palate is carefully laced with a fine and structural acid line. Dark cherries and currants weave through smokey and mocha notes, finishing with long tactile tannins.

LE BARON DE BRANE Second wine of Chateau Brane-Cantenac, Margaux

Still very youthful, the quality French oak riding high in the saddle. This is a wine of excellent quality, ticking every box. Its texture and balance are admirable, the varietal character likewise.

Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc & petit verdot. An unambiguously classy wine, its quality established by the first whiff, and confirmed by the super elegant, medium bodied palate. All the cabernet cassis/blackcurrant you could wish for floats along the mouth with the other members of the Bordeaux family in respectful support. Lovely wine.

Grape variety - 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Oak maturation - 15 months, 60% new and 40% 2 year old French oak barriques. Colour - Deep red with red-purple hue. Aroma - A ripe, concentrated and complex wine that’s loaded with cedar oak, cassis, bay leaf, damp earth, dried lavender and gravel dust. Palate - Rich and long with very fine tannin. There are classic Cabernet characters of cassis, bay leaf, mulberry, cocoa and lavender with cedar oak in support. A ripe, brooding wine that will benefit from decanting. Food matches - This wine suits the classics. Try with matured hard cheeses, rosemary infused lamb or rare beef fillet steak. Peak drinking - Drinking well upon release but has the potential to evolve and impress towards 2032. Viticulture - Fruit sourced to make the Yelverton is grown with absolute attention to detail. Identification of soil boundaries within blocks is the first step in selecting potentially superior fruit. Close monitoring and analysis of these vines leads to shoot or bunch thinning by hand if required to obtain the perfect balance for good exposure and healthy ripening. A philosophy of minimal inputs in these premium blocks allows the unique combination of variety, soil type and microclimate to shine through and produce a parcel of fruit with true character. The 2020 vintage was a near perfect growing season with mild day temperatures, cold nights and no heat spikes. Winemaking - Our Forester Yelverton Cabernet Sauvignon parcels are gently crushed to small open fermenters and receive a slight “drain-off’ of free run juice to increase the skin to juice ratio. This helps intensify the flavour, aroma and body of the wine without altering the underlying unique vineyard qualities present. A slow temperature controlled ferment is employed with daily draining away of fermenting juice under gravity and pumping back over the skins to assist in the extraction. Heading down boards keep the ‘cap’ of skins submerged beneath the cool fermenting wine to avoid excessive heat which we believe leads to a more refined wine. The ideal skin contact time in fermenter varies from one vintage to the next with the 2020 Cabernet spending an average 25 days in contact with skins before pressing out. The best parcels are aged in fine grained French oak barriques for 15 months with careful blending of the Yelverton taking place approximately three months prior to bottling. Storage and Bottling - The 2020 Yelverton was bottled in November of 2021 to premium claret glass with a stelvin closure. Stored in our temperature controlled cellar prior to release this wine is drinking exceptionally well now and with prudent storage should continue to show well towards 2032. Decanting recommended.