Château Lafleur is a tiny 4.5-hectare Pomerol property located opposite Pétrus and producing wines of comparable quality. It is owned and run by Sylvie and Jacques Guinadeau. While the majority of great Bordeaux châteaux have changed hands over the past several generations, Château Lafleur remains in the same family hands to this day. Its vineyards are situated on the gravel-rich Pomerol plateau and adjoin those of La Fleur-Pétrus. The soils here are particularly deep and are enriched by deposits of potassium and iron. Only natural fertilisers are used and yields are painfully low, even by Pomerol standards. Lafleur's wine is typically a blend of Merlot (50%) and Cabernet Franc (50%). It is aged in small oak barrels (50% new) for 18 months. Wines from Lafleur display a spectacularly intense perfume (partly attributable to the high percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend) and display layers and layers of concentrated, black fruits, minerals, tobacco spices and creamy liquorice on the palate. The best vintages can last for up to 50 years.

GIACOMO CONTERNO Monfortino Riserva, Barolo DOCG In 1974 the Conterno family purchased Cascina Francia, a 14-hectare site in Serralunga, replanting it with Nebbiolo and other native varieties.The spectacular 1978 vintage rewarded Giovanni Conterno with his first Monfortino from Cascina Francia, a wine considered one of the greatest Barolos ever made. Into the 2020s, Roberto Conterno continues the rich legacy of vineyard work and winemaking established by his father Giovanni and grandfather Giacomo before him. Monfortino remains a selection of the best fruit from within Cascina Francia and is bottled only in the very best years. Winemaking is rigorously traditional with long macerations, long fermentations and long maturation in large, old Slavonian oak casks (botti). Monfortino has built a phenomenal reputation for ageworthiness and is considered among the very greatest Italian wines.

A 1st Growth of the highest order, Château Margaux is one of the original 1st growths classified in the Médoc and is arguably the most important of the region. Producing only some 33,000 cases of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaux consistently produces wines that are among the finest examples of the vintage. 2009 is regarded as one of the finest in recent memory in the region and 'normal' wines form the Margaux appellation are being heralded as truly exceptional. One can only speculate how magnificent the Château Margaux will be in 15-20 years time, if one can be patient enough!