CHÂTEAU FERRIÈRE
2014 3ème Cru Classé Margaux
Powerful stuff from the dynamic Claire Villars. The sample is from only new barrels - the finished wine will be a blend of old wood too - with new wood making up just 40% of the total. As such, for now the profile is burly. The fruit is beautifully bright - almost tangy red strawberries and lovely cherry notes and there is a lovely restraint here, no unnecessary gloss or weight. Full bodied for sure but there is a sense of measured power a seriousness - and when the élevage is complete it should offer attractive mid-term drinking. Rating: 90 L&S (Apr 2015)
* 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 2014 Ferrière has a perfumed nose with violet-tinged red fruit, incense and earthy tones. There might just be a touch of TCA here. The palate is definitely corked. Tasted non-blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting. Rating: 0 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Mar 2024)
The 2014 Ferrière has a backward bouquet with brambly black fruit, graphite, pressed violets and cedar aromas that gather pace with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. It just feels a little muddled on the finish compared to its peers. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Drinking range: 2019 - 2032 Rating: 88 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Mar 2018)
Deep crimson. Some richness and perfume. Rather too emphatic for classic Margaux but it’s flattering and easy to like. Dry finish with sandpaper tannins for the moment. Drinking range: 2023 - 2035 Rating: 16.5 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Feb 2018)
The 2014 Ferrière is long, silky and nuanced, with lifted aromatics and lovely persistence. Sweet rose petal, mint and red stone fruit nuances are nicely delineated, and there is good brightness and energy to the flavors. Drink this midweight, feminine Margaux over the next few years. Drinking range: 2017 - 2024 Rating: 88 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2017)
The Château Ferrière 2014 has a lovely nose that is punchy and bright: violet-tinged black fruit that are vivacious and precise. The palate is medium-bodied with a citrus fresh entry, a keen thread of acidity, good weight in the mouth with a surprisingly (for Ferrière) structured finish. There is a sense of energy here that wins you over and it should be translated into the wine post-bottling. One not to overlook as this is often keenly priced compared to its peers. Drinking range: 2018 - 2032 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2015)
Fine, fragrant Cabernet nose. Shows well both its Margaux elegance and 2014's clean fruit and high acidity. Not a big wine but nice florality and persistence. (Highly recommended Margaux, Decanter.) Drinking range: 2018 - 2028 Rating: 90 Steven Spurrier (Apr 2015)
Dark red cherry, smoke, tobacco, game and incense are pushed forward in the 2014 Ferrière, an attractive, mid-weight wine to drink in its youth, while the flavors remain fresh. Hints of sweet tobacco, earthiness and lavender add nuance on the close. Rating: 87-90 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2015)
Notably deep blueish purple. Very heady and ripe. A bit sour and austere. Hard work! Some fruit weight but a heck of a lot of acidity too. Drinking range: 2021 - 2034 Rating: 16 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2015)
Floral violets fragrances the black fruits have a lovely brightness and freshness. Richer in the middle the firm black cherry underpinned by sweeter cassis the back palate and finish has a nice depth of flavour. Drinking range: 2025 - 2037 Rating: 88-90 Derek Smedley MW, www.dereksmedleymw.co.uk (Apr 2015)
Ferrière has been a bit of a disappointment in recent years, making rather angular wines, so it was a joy to taste this stylish 2014. Highly scented and refined, with minerality and freshness, subtle oak integration and hints of blood orange, cassis and wet stones. The best Ferrière I've had in ages. Drinking range: 2020 - 2028 Rating: 92 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2015)
Presents a blast of bright plum and cassis fruit, along with a noticeable savory edge and notes of violet and white pepper. The acidity is a bit perky through the finish, but this should be pretty if it settles in. Rating: 88-91 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2015)
This shows a wonderful finish with lots of blackcurrants and blackberries. A full bodied, serious and back-ended wine. Very serious. Excellent potential. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Mar 2015)
Château Ferrière
Margaux Troisième cru 1855 The Ferrière family owned their eponymous estate from its origins in the 18th Century right up until 1914. During the 20th Century, Château Ferrière's star fell considerably with the vineyard leased to Alexis Lichine and the wine made at Château Lascombes, and Château Ferrière was rarely seen or known outside France. Ferrière was purchased by the Taillan Group (who own, among others, Gruaud-Larose and Chasse-Spleen) in 1988, and the story since then has been of continued improvement. The connection with Château Lascombes was ended and all wines are made at Château Ferrière now. Château Ferrière is the smallest of the Cru Classé estates, with just 8ha of vines dispersed around the centre of Margaux village. 80% are Cabernet Sauvignon, with 15% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. The Grand Vin spends 18 months in wood (60% new). Both in terms of quality and availability, Château Ferrière is unrecognisable from where it was a few short years ago. Classic, gently assertive Margaux and excellent value for money.
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those of the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do call us, but see the 'practical notes' below.
Ordering
Prices are per case as listed 'in bond London'.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment from you to buy the wines you order on release, subject to the price being below the upper price of the estimated band on our website. You may also set your own upper price limit, lower or higher than ours. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability. Providing this firm commitment to us effectively gives you priority.
Wines listed on the website (after any pre-orders and allocations have been fulfilled) can be ordered in the usual way via the website order form or by email or telephone 020 7221 1982, always subject to stock remaining.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are contractually binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of the confirmation date, apart from pre-orders which are binding if the release price is below the top estimate or other price you have set.
Invoices are raised at the In Bond price, excluding any duty and VAT which will become payable at the prevailing rates on arrival of the wine if required duty paid.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or credit transfer. We reserve the right to charge 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (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 £1000, orders below this total will be charged £16.50+ VAT when the wine invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery for 2016 Bordeaux primeurs will probably be completed by October 2019, but we make no guarantee as to specific delivery times, and some of the Sauternes may be later.
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) for immediate payment. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option, but do please note that confirmed orders are still binding as above even if the final invoice has not been issued.
When the wine is shipped, unless previously specified we will assume that delivery is to be to bonded storage with Elephant Storage, but in any case, we will contact you requesting any alternative instructions. If you have another bonded delivery address you would like the wine to go to, please tell us at the time of ordering. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue invoices at the rates prevailing at the time for the excise duty (currently £25.98 per case) and the VAT (currently at 20%) on the total of the wine cost and the duty.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the bottle size you want. Even if a wine is only listed in one size, you can order any bottle or case size you want if the property supplies it, but you must order the case/bottle size you require and check that the correct size has been invoiced.
Additional charges are as follows:-
- +£15 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£15 per case of 6 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£35 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£45 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
