CHÂTEAU LE THIL
2023 Pessac-Léognan
Intense spice and fennel, high aromatics, bitter chocolate and fennel, with a fresh kick on the finish. 25% new oak. Production of Le Thil will be smaller than for the others because more Merlot here, so more impact by mildew, harvest September 8 to October 5. Drinking range: 2026 - 2036 Rating: 90-100 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)
75cl bottles (case of 6)
* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.
The 2023 Le Thil is a rich, exuberant wine that makes its presence felt right away. Dark cherry, plum, new leather, licorice and spice are front and center. There's more Cabernet Franc in the blend than usual, which adds aromatic presence. This is an especially dense vintage for Le Thil, the reflection of clay soils that produced small berries in 2023. All the elements are nicely balanced. Drinking range: 2026 - 2038 Rating: 90-92 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2024)
The proportion of Cabernet Franc in the blend is now up to the heady heights of 8% here, with 92% Merlot, with more new plantings of Cabernet Franc coming online in future years. A wonderfully perfumed nose, with dried blackberry, plum, currant and dark chocolate. The palate is just lovely, with a broad and lightly velvety substance, medium-bodied, with dark fruits, underpinned by a peppery energy. Great fruit combined with the restrained and sinewy texture of the vintage here, plenty of energy, a sappy drive and a peppery finish; I can see this developing well. The alcohol is about 14% here. Rating: 90-92 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)
Slightly shy and closed for the first sniff, the 2023 Le Thil reveals aromas of dark wild berries, spices and mulberries after time in the glass. Medium-bodied, juicy and elegant, it’s seamless and charming with structured tannins and a long, ethereal finish. This blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, matured 30% in new oak barrels, has turned out nicely. Drinking range: 2025 - 2035 Rating: 89-91 Yohan Castaing, www.robertparker.com (Apr 2024)
Blackberries, blackcurrants and a hint of lead pencil. Medium to full body with flavors of graphite and dark fruit. Creamy and fine tannins. Vivid at the end. 92% merlot and 8% cabernet franc. Rating: 93-94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2024)
Château Le Thil
A very pretty little Château set in parkland, with 11 hectares of vines attached, on the top and south-facing slope of a clay-limestone hillock. The clay soil has prompted the planting of a high proportion of Merlot, and Florence Cathiard calls this 'the Pomerol of Pessac-Leognan'. The Cathiards of Smith Haut Lafitte bought the property in 2012, reuniting it with Smith, as it has previously been under the same ownership in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and the two Châteaux were linked by a long drive. Viticulture is done in the same way as at Smith, using the Cathiards system of 'bio-precision'. This is a wine at a modest price which benefits from all the expertise of its great neighbour, and is excellent value.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
- Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
- Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2023 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
Practical notes - how it works
We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2026. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.