The wine is gorgeously fruited and fragrant on the nose showing dark fruit richness with smoked game, vanilla, chocolate tart and cedar characters. The palate is concentrated and wonderfully weighted, delivering fabulous fruit intensity and stylish oak infusion, backed by fine chalky tannins, finishing superbly long and sturdy. At its best: now to 2025.

This wine shows the style of the vintage and quite likely the impact of the small crop. In such years, Cabernet Sauvignon in particular, has a complex but somewhat subdued nose, where the wine hints of the underlying power and complexity but takes years to reveal its true colours. So here we see smouldering red currant, black currant and mulberry, with a floral, violet lift, sitting over cedar and tar. On the palate there is concentration and length - dark fruits combining with firm tannin and leather and tarry notes.

A truly serious Bordeaux from the Saint Estephe appellation in the Northern Medoc. Dominated by tannin and acid at the moment, it will fill out to reveal all it's velvety richness in years to come.

An attractive wooden twin-pack case showcasing two classic Bordeaux blends: 2018 Chateau Haut Madrac is a Cru Bourgeois in the Haut Médoc. A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon and 42% Merlot, it is an elegant yet powerful example claret with depth of flavour. 2022 Horizon de Lynch is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Intense purple in colour, with aromas of toasty cedar, dark plums, and liquorice. Fine tannins round out the silky finish - a great example of a modern and highly drinkable claret.

Château Lilian Ladouys, is a winery situated in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of Bordeaux. Classified as a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, this historic estate embodies centuries of viticultural tradition. The vineyard, with its optimal terroir and careful cultivation, produces wines of exceptional quality and character. The meticulous craftsmanship involved, blending traditional methods with modern expertise, yields a product that speaks to the essence of its land. Château Lilian Ladouys' wines are renowned for their deep hues, complex aromas, and robust yet elegant flavours, a true representation and a rising star of Saint-Estèphe.

A measured yet powerful grip holds interest from beginning to end of the palate. This is just dripping with salinity from crushed stones, graphite and slate - a physical presence that balances beautifully with the fleshy black cherry and damson fruits, and the chocolate shavings. An excellent quality Lassegue, hard hitting and muscular but with pace and persistency.