CHÂTEAU DE FIEUZAL
2015 Blanc Cru Classé Pessac-Léognan
The 2015 de Fieuzal Blanc has a soft, slightly smudged bouquet at first, although it gains more definition with aeration, revealing scents of lime cordial, dried honey and peony. The oak here is present but well integrated. The palate is rounded on the entry, featuring pronounced lime notes and a fine bead of acidity, but rather simplistic compared to its peers, with a one-note finish. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting. Drinking range: 2019 - 2024 Rating: 87 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jul 2019)
* 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.
Some spicy wood on offer with attractive, ripe tropical fruits delivered in a smoothly textured palate that has impressive length and focus. Good concentration. One of the best whites from here in a while. 55% sauvignon and 45% semillon. Drink or hold. Rating: 95 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Feb 2018)
With one of the highest percentages of Semillon in Pessac-Léognan, this has classic candle wax and green herb notes. Creamy, yet crunchy, it has zesty, grapefruity acidity and subtle oak integration. Drinking range: 2017 - 2026 Rating: 91 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (May 2016)
Rather dull nose - sweet and powdery. Simple fruit. Drinking range: 2017 - 2020 Rating: 15.5 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2016)
The vineyard is 55% Sauvignon Blanc and 45% Semillon. The juice is fermented in barriques, using 30% new oak. A very rich and polished fruit character on the nose, creamed white peach sorbet with a peppery, leafy lift bolstered by a little smoky oak. The palate has a real presence of fruit, quite chalky in style, but substantial, fresh and lively, with mango, apricot and yellow peach complexity. This is mixed within a fleshy substance backed by a bright, vibrant acidity. A fine composure here, rather low-key acidity compared to some, but it is there. Lovely potential. Rating: 16.5-17.5/20 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2016)
A very attractive mix of fresh citrus with rich apricot running through – one of the 2015s that has managed to scoop up some acidity from the ripe grapes. 55% Sauvignon Blanc and 45% Semillon aged in 30% new oak barrels. Drinking range: 2018 - 2028 Rating: 91 Jane Anson, Decanter (Apr 2016)
The 2015 de Fieuzal Blanc has plenty of tropical fruit on the nose - pineapple, pink grapefruit and lime aromas that are designed to seduce. The palate has a little fatness on the entry, a little lower in acidity than its peers, with rounded peach and pineapple notes flourishing on the finish. A classy crowd-pleaser, in other words. Drinking range: 2019 - 2032 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)
Soft, open and inviting, the 2015 Fieuzal will drink well upon release. The oak is a bit dominant today, but there is lovely depth underneath that just needs time to emerge. Dried flowers, orchard fruit and sweet spices add the closing shades of nuance. Rating: 87-89 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)
Powerful and dense white with so much fruit and structure. This is one of the best whites from here in a while. Looking forward to see its evolution. 55% sauvignon and 45% sémillon. Rating: 95-96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Mar 2016)
Château de Fieuzal
Chateau de Fieuzal is named in honour of the family that owned it at the start of the nineteenth century. After that, the Bordeaux wine property was owned by the Griffon family. The Griffon’s, who were lucky to have connections to Pope Léon XIII in Bordeaux, were able to fill the Vatican’s cellars with their wines from Pessac Leognan. de Fieuzal was purchased by the Ricard family. The Ricard’s owned multiple Bordeaux wine estates including Domaine de Chevalier and Malartic-Lagravière. Today, Chateau de Fieuzal is owned by Lochlann Quinn, the chairman of Allied Irish Banks.
The Bordeaux wine vineyards are planted on sand and gravel soils. The 39 hectare vineyard is planted to red and white grape varietals. For the reds, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and 2.5% Petit Verdot. The white grapes are planted to 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Semillon.
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.