DOMAINE LUCIEN LE MOINE 1er Cru Les Chalumaux , Puligny-Montrachet Lucien Le Moine is a unique négocianthaute couture is often how they are described. Husband and wife, Mounir and Rotem Saouma source small parcels of wine from many producers. Their contribution to the wine is in the elevage, esoteric regime which changes each vintage relying on Mounirs sensory talents forged in a Trappist monastery in Lebanon and honed in their vaulted cellars in the Cote dOr. Working with the best (Jupilles, FRA), fine-grained new oak, the Saoumas produce a staggering number of Grands and 1er Crus cuvees.

In the upper echelon of 2nd Growth estates, Chateau Cos D''Estournel is located in St-Estephe appelltion, on the fringe of Paulliac and notably just north of the famed Lafite vineyards. Tourists flock to the Medoc estate to see the unusual, Asian-inspired Chateau design, but the wines hold their own and rightfully are considered the finest within St-Estephe. Oak is set to around 80% new barrels while alcohol is a modest 14.5%; the blend in 2010 is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon with 19% Merlot and complimentary Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot in tow. A wine for thirty or so years.

Laurent Ponsots new company is a stage in a wide-ranging project that began four decades ago. In this different format, Laurent Ponsot continues to use his experience, his craftsmanship and his passion to serve the terroir of Burgundy. The company Laurent Ponsot is neither a domain nor a maison: its a state of mind. To create an exceptional wine is the equivalent of designing luxury goods. Haute couture is how we have decided to describe these incredible wines, like unique designer pieces, made even more glorious through our experience and craftsmanship. In 775 Emperor Charlemagne donated this vineyard to a Catholic institution in Saulieu, which kept it for the next 1000 years! Laurent Ponsot SAS sources its grapes from these three villages via six different producers, making a wine representative of the appellation whose richness is derived from its diversity. The wines are finely chiselled, precise, and rich with the scent of flowers and minerals. Match with fish, shellfish or a cheese platter to perfectly showcase their qualities.

Regarded a Super Second (but technically a 3me growth), Palmer is capable of producing wines that equal or even outstrip the quality of its famous Premier cru neighbour, Ch. Margaux. Named for the wealthy English military man who bought the estate in the early 19th century, Palmer is now majority owned by the Mahler Besse and Sichel families - famous Bordeaux negociants. Many of the best plots on the property were purchased after the Classification of 1855, explaining in part why Palmer did not warrant higher standing at that time. Certainly today there is no question that the wine is among Bordeauxs best. The estate also makes a separate second label - named Alter Ego - which is made from similarly high quality fruit but treated differently in the winery with the aim of producing a counterpoint in style to the First wine.

DOMAINE LUCIEN LE MOINE 1er Cru Grandes Ruchottes, Chassagne-Montrachet Lucien Le Moine is a unique négocianthaute couture is often how they are described. Husband and wife, Mounir and Rotem Saouma source small parcels of wine from many producers. Their contribution to the wine is in the elevage, esoteric regime which changes each vintage relying on Mounirs sensory talents forged in a Trappist monastery in Lebanon and honed in their vaulted cellars in the Cote dOr. Working with the best (Jupilles, FRA), fine-grained new oak, the Saoumas produce a staggering number of Grands and 1er Crus cuvees.