In 1815, Guillaume Lawton said of Château Lafite, “I consider it to be the the most elegant and delicate, with the finest substance of the three (Premier Crus). The location of its vines is one of the finest in the Médoc”. In 1855 the Château was ranked as a Premier Grand Cru in the famous classification that was prepared for the Universal Exhibition of that year. A recurring phenomenon in recent years, the beginning of the winter was mild and dry, and it was only at the end of January that beneficial colder temperatures arrived, accompanied by rain. Bud break began in early April as usual, and the vines then grew quickly, as they had ample reserves of water and the weather was mild. In June, flowering was early and uniform, which is always a promising sign. The influence of the Atlantic ocean and the Gironde estuary helped to reduce the effect of a somewhat hot summer with high temperatures. Water stress was high, but rain in August brought the freshness required for the grapes to change colour and then to ripen perfectly. Conditions were ideal during the harvests, enabling us to obtain optimal ripeness for each plot.

Château Latour is situated in the heart of the Médoc wine region, about 50 km north-west of Bordeaux, where the legend of the vineyards of Bordeaux began. The Château’s prime terroir, l’Enclos, overlooks the Gironde Estuary which, over the centuries, has given the vineyard its geological complexity and, on a daily basis, ensures a mild climate. In the years since 1993, under the leadership of the Pinault family, the estate’s owner, significant changes have been made with a view to maintaining Château Latour’s pursuit of excellence in the wines that it produces. Dark ruby in colour with a very elegant nose with beautiful aromatic purity. Generous and powerful on the palate with a velvety mouthfeel, full of silky tannins. Brimming with energy, the finale is superbly precise with fabulous length.

Ashtonishing value and pedigree are on offer with the Mouton Cadet Rouge - a historical wine created by Baron Philippe de Rothschild in the 1930s. With access to some of Bordeaux's finest appellations, the Mouton Cadet is considered the premier affordable Bordeaux wine on the market today. Hard to argue when attractive notes of blueberry, morello cherry and blackcurrant simply cascade from the glass creating a truly memorable red wine experience. Sourced from growers from limestone rich soils of the Entre-Deux-Mers and Côtes de Bordeaux to the clay soils around Blaye and the gravel rich Côtes de Bourg. All contributing to what is possibly the bargain old world wine of the year.

Haut Bailly II is the second wine of Chateau Haut-Bailly based in Pessac-Leognan, which was previously released as La Parde de Haut Bailly. A lovely wine with energy and drive.

The Chateau Les Ormes De Pez is an evocative Saint-Estephe blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Age will be kind to this Bordeaux, allowing the palate to round and develop. A touch of sweetness on the nose meets with rich cassis, herbs, and liquorice. On the palate, you will taste candied violets and juicy blackberry, with grippy tannings and a refreshing line of acid. A full-bodied Bordeaux from one of the top value chateau of Saint-Estephe, it finishes long and lingering.

Château Duhart-Milon is a fourth growth (Quatrième Cru Classé) estate in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux. Part of the Domaines Barons de Rothschild, the wine is made by the same winemaking team as Château Lafite. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with a substantial component of Merlot, the Grand Vin is matured for 18 months in approximately 50% new French oak barriques. Château Duhart-Milon is typically a sturdy solid Pauillac with firm structure and earthy savoury richness.

One of the very greatest estates of Bordeaux, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild is in the commune of Pauillac in the Haut-Medoc, 50km north-west of the city of Bordeaux. Its Chateau wine or ‘grand vin’ is among the world’s most highly-rated and expensive. Excluded from the highest rank (Premier Cru or First Growth) of the famous Bordeaux Classification of 1855, Mouton was finally promoted in 1973 after decades of lobbying by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who ran the estate from 1922 until his death in 1988. Mouton was first in the region to bottle at the estate, rather than shipping its wine to merchants for bottling elsewhere. Since 1924 artists including Braque, Dali, Picasso, Henry Moore, Miro, Chagall, Kandinsky, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, David Hockney and Lucian Freud have been commissioned to produce artworks for the Mouton label. Since 1924 artists including Braque, Dali, Picasso, Henry Moore, Miro, Chagall, Kandinsky, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, David Hockney and Lucian Freud have been commissioned to produce artworks for the Mouton label. Mouton, uniquely among the First Growths, remains in the hands of the same family as it was at the time of the 1855 Classification. The vineyards are on slopes with gravel-based soils leading down to the Gironde estuary and total 75ha – 80pct Cabernet Sauvignon, 16pct Merlot, 3pct Cabernet Franc and 1pct Petit Verdot. The Chateau wine is (unusually) fermented in large oak vats and then matured in new oak barrels for between 19 and 22 months. Total production of the ‘grand vin’ is 20,000 dozen or less. There is a ‘second wine’, Le Petit Mouton, established in 1993. The ‘grand vin’ is noted for its flamboyance – exotic, powerful aromas of cassis, minerals, tobacco leaf and graphite, an opulent palate and impressive length of flavour.