The best

• red wine
• white wine
• champagne
• rosé
• whisky
• spirits
• beer

deals in Australia

With a history dating back to 1143, Chateau du Tertre is one of the oldest properties in Bordeaux. Since 1995 it has been in the hands of the Jelgersma family, also owners of Chateau Giscours. The du Tertre vineyard is a large single block, with 52ha under vine, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon (55%), Merlot (27%), Cabernet Franc (11%) and Petit Verdot (7%). Biodynamic viticultural techniques were being introduced beginning in 2008 and du Tertre was one of the first in Bordeaux to ferment grapes in egg-shaped concrete vats. The property produces a second wine, Les Hauts de Tertre, and from 2014 a dry white wine, Tertre Blanc, an unusual blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier and Gros Manseng. This Margaux property was classified Cinquieme Cru (Fifth Growth) in 1855.

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.

La Dame de Montrose, first vintage 1983, is the highly-regarded second wine of Chateau Montrose, the St. Estephe deuxième cru (second growth). Montrose has a little more than 90ha of vines, the entire site overlooking the Gironde. The vineyard is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Around 50% (or less) of the crop goes to make the grand vin and around 30% (or more) goes into La Dame de Montrose. (The rest is used elsewhere or sold in bulk.) In good years La Dame de Montrose is considered a bargain, in the best years it stands alone as a great wine. The Dame de Montrose herself is the late Yvonne Charmolüe, who ran the estate from 1944 to 1960.