CHÂTEAU PEDESCLAUX
2015 5ème Cru Classé Pauillac
52% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot. Very dark, with a little spice in the round and smooth blackberry fruit. Some succulence and definition in the smooth volume which puts it ahead of some of the other lesser Pauillacs. A bit of bracing tannin. Quietly confident, quite juicy, jolly rather than serious. At the right price this could be a crowd-pleaser, drinking by 2020. Rating: 89-90 L&S (Apr 2016)
* 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.
Bright crimson. A little raw on the nose. Quite notable acid and tannin without being fully integrated. Bit tough. Drinking range: 2023 - 2029 Rating: 15.5 Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2016)
A good, broad Cabernet cassis nose and palate that is nicely lifted. A modern wine that is on the way up, showing fine fruit, character and charm. Drinking range: 2020 - 2035 Rating: 90 Steven Spurrier (Apr 2016)
The 2015 Château Pédesclaux is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, incidentally the first time that the latter has been used in the blend. It was picked form 18 September with the young Merlot and finished 26 October with the Cabernet Sauvignon at 50 hl/ha. It has a very pure bouquet with iodine-tinged blueberry and blackberry fruit, graceful and harmonious. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, precise in the mouth with perhaps the best tension that I have discerned in this rejuvenated Pauillac - one where a pretty penny has been spent, I might add. Granted, it is not a Pédesclaux with profound depth and I was anticipating greater "volume." That said, it is nicely proportioned and sure to age well, continuing the vigorous upward curve of this estate. One to watch. Drinking range: 2020 - 2035 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)
The 2015 Pédesclaux comes across as quite understated and delicate. Although the aromatics are appealing, the 2015 lacks depth and personality. The limits of the vintage are evident here. The blend is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. Rating: 86-88 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Apr 2016)
On the red fruit side of the spectrum, with currant and cherry flavors lined with light floral and iron hints. Pretty, if a bit shy on stuffing. Rating: 87—90 James Molesworth, The Wine Spectator (Apr 2016)
This is very balanced and fine with blueberry, black currants, and licorice. Medium to full body, integrated tannins and a clean finish. Sexy. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Mar 2016)
Château Pédesclaux
Fascinating visit here with the winemaker Catarina Freitas in 2012. Catarina showed us the map of the parcels which were owned by the property at the time that it was bought in 2009, and then two others, showing how, by purchases and swaps, they has vastly reduced the number of parcels and are consolidating the vineyard.
This was also where we first saw Alessandro Masnaghetti's maps of the area, which is a fascinating insight into where all these wines actually come from.
Catarina explained that as a result of the strength of the co-operative movement in Saint Estèphe and northern Pauillac, properties passed down though families often got split into tiny plots. The previous owner, in a rush to expand the surface area, bought what he could. Sometimes this was just a couple of rows of vines in the middle of someone else's vineyard. This made vineyard management harder, and also made it difficult to see clearly what they had at vinification - it was impossible to vinify every tiny bit separately.
Winemaking includes pre-fermentary cold maceration that can last up to an astonishing fifty days. Like properties such as Charmail, they tried using dry ice to cool the harvest so as to make sure the fermentation did not start, but from 2011 on they are using a new method, which I have not come across anywhere before, which is to hold the harvested grapes in a cold room at 3C for twenty-four hours before beginning the egrappage and final sortings and putting them into vats.
We were also shown the proposed new winery, which will use the natural slope of the built part of the property down to the Gironde. It will be built into the hill and use gravity thoughout to avoid pumping. Make no mistake, there intent is very serious here and its a name to look out for.
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.