2016 Bordeaux – The Weather Report: why 2016 is such an oddity
By Charles Lea on 24/04/2017
In the first six months of the year, rainfall was over 60% up on average. From the 15th of June to the 13th of September rainfall was 50% lower than average.
Author Archives: Charles Lea
Grange Park Opera re-opens at West Horsley Place
By Charles Lea on 30/03/2017
By a series of astonishing coincidences Grange Park Opera is building a four-tier opera house at West Horsley Place, close to the A3 just beyond the M25, so within easy striking distance of many of our west-London-based customers. We think this development might well be of interest to you.
The best value of all in the 2015 Red Burgundy vintage?
By Charles Lea on 26/01/2017
Domaine Francois & Isabelle Lumpp - Givry, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy Amongst all the chatter about high prices in 2015 Burgundy, some real bargains get overlooked. We have been happy to see some of our regionals - 'Bourgogne Rouges' gain good traction as critics realise what great value they represent - from as little at £90 a case of 12 in bond.
2015 Bordeaux – Final Recommendations + Revealed: the new Carmes Haut Brion winery
By Charles Lea on 01/07/2016
At the beginning of the 2015 campaign, we advised those who thought we'd Leave to pile in before the pound plummeted, and those who thought we'd Remain to hold their fire until after the referendum as the subsequent bounce in sterling might result in the remaining primeurs looking cheaper now.
2015 Bordeaux – Château Lafite
By Charles Lea on 20/06/2016
2015 CHÂTEAU LAFITE has now been released. 'an excellent Lafite-Rothschild in the making and it often "finds its voice" only after bottling, so it could ultimately end with a higher score.' 94-96 Neal Martin, www.
2015 Bordeaux – L’Évangile, Carruades & (soon) Château Lafite
By Charles Lea on 20/06/2016
This afternoon will apparently see the release of Château Lafite, the most regal of all the firsts. Before that we have the release of Pomerol belonging to the Rothchilds of Lafite, 2015 CHÂTEAU L'ÉVANGILE, and Lafite's second wine, darling of the Asian market, 2015 CARRUADES DE CHÂTEAU LAFITE.
2015 Bordeaux – Chateau L’Église-Clinet
By Charles Lea on 17/06/2016
This morning we can offer one of the greatest Pomerols and one of the acknowledged great wines of the vintage 2015 CHÂTEAU L'ÉGLISE CLINET . Denis Durantou's flagship wine is another classic; 'a quite magical 2015 L'Eglise-Clinet' 96-98 Neal Martin, 'Don't miss it', 95-97 Antonio Galloni, 'a great L'Église-Clinet' 18-19 The Wine Doctor.
2015 Bordeaux – Mouton & Ducru Beaucaillou
By Charles Lea on 16/06/2016
This morning sees the releases of two of the Médoc greats, in the shape of Mouton Rothschild and Ducru Beaucaillou. 2015 CHÂTEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD (£2130 per six bottles) is highly-rated, as one might expect, with 19 from Jancis Robinson 'Very fine.
2015 Bordeaux – Léoville Las Cases & Second Slice Pontet Canet
By Charles Lea on 14/06/2016
The Delons have now released 2015 CHÂTEAU LÉOVILLE LAS CASES at £1475 per dozen, £737.50 per six. 'superlative Léoville Las-Cases with the substance to suggest long-term ageing will be repaid. 95 - 97/100' Neal Martin. 'Grabs the attention. 17.5' Jancis Robinson. 'This will be a very great wine.' 96 Steven Spurrier.
2015 Bordeaux – Saint Emilion Big Boys: Pavie, Angélus, Troplong
By Charles Lea on 14/06/2016
This morning sees the release of some of the big names in Saint Emilion, including Gérard Perse's 2015 CHÂTEAU PAVIE, Hubert de Bouard's 2015 CHÂTEAU ANGÉLUS and the one that missed out on the move up to Premier Grand Cru Classé 'A', 2015 CHÂTEAU TROPLONG MONDOT.
2015 Bordeaux – Pichon Lalande – back to true greatness
By Charles Lea on 13/06/2016
Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, everyone's favourite with its run of fabulous vintages spanning the seventies to the early nineties, definitely stumbled through under-investment over the turn of the millennium.
2015 Bordeaux – Palmer & Feytit-Clinet
By Charles Lea on 08/06/2016
With Pomerol and Margaux as two of the most successful appellations of 2015, we have two releases of note this morning, but the big one is probably Palmer, second only to Margaux itself in Margaux, and indeed to the other firsts in the Médoc.