CHÂTEAU PRIEURÉ LICHINE
2023 4ème Cru Classé Margaux
Well structured, deliciously fragrant rosebud and tomato leaf on the opening, this treads lightly at first and then builds in structure and and power through the palate, widening to show creamy raspberry and damson fruit, with a saline kick on the finish. An excellent quality estate that is always worth checking in with. 35% new oak for ageing. Drinking range: 2030 - 2045 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (May 2024)
75cl bottles (wood 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 Prieuré-Lichine offers up copious red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and mint. This is very nicely perfumed. Silky tannins add to an impression of finesse. There is just a touch of dryness on the finish, which is the only real question mark here. Tasted two times. Drinking range: 2028 - 2038 Rating: 91-93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (May 2024)
The aromatics here call to mind sweetly toasted berries, with layers of dusty currants, juniper and mint. The palate of the first sample encountered is carrying a lot of spirity oak, less so the second and third samples I tasted though, nevertheless it has a charming and quite seamless texture which wraps nicely around it, with attractive flavours of wild berries, griottes, violets and chalk. Underneath there is a firm grip of tannins, nicely grained, all supported by fresh acidity too. This works very well; primary, with a more silky texture than some of its peers, but also gripped, showing a good length which simmers with tannins. All in all, this is full of potential; well done. Tasted three times. Rating: 93-95 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2024)
Fleshy and demonstrative, the 2023 Prieuré-Lichine offers up aromas of sweet berries, plums and smoke, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and textural, with good depth and persistence, it's a strong effort that will offer a broad drinking window in a more modern style. Rating: 91-92 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2024)
A very fine and polished PL with blackcurrant, fresh-herb, terracotta and crunchy-seed character. Medium body, fine and focused tannins and a flavorful finish. Lots there in a classic way. Rating: 93-94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2024)
Château Prieuré Lichine
Margaux Quatrième cru 1855 As the name suggests, the early history of Prieuré-Lichine starts with the Benedictine monks of the Prieuré de Cantenac who assembled, by the 18th Century, quite a reputation for their wine. The Revolution put an end to ecclesiastical ownership, La Prieuré was seized and sold off with much of the vineyard becoming parts of other estates including Château Palmer. A with many Médoc estates, the first half of the 20th Century was a period of decline. By 1951 Château Prieuré-Cantenac was reduced to 11ha of rather sorry vines. Salvation came that year with the estate's purchase by wine writer Alexis Lichine. He renovated the chais and the château, and gradually increased vineyard holdings by buying spare vineyard land from other Margaux estates. Château Prieuré-Lichine is to the east of Cantenac. There are, now, around 70ha of vineyard, somewhat dispersed around the appellation, with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot with a small balance of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The Grand Vin spends 16 months inn wood (55% new).
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.