CHÂTEAU LABÉGORCE
2018 Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Margaux
This is a property in a rich vein of form and they have produced a superb 2018. It has lovely, pure dark fruit which travels nicely through what is quite a well-structured wine. Very impressive concentration but unlike many Margaux in 2018 it's not overdone at all. The mid-palate is silky and full of energy. You do notice quite a bit of tannin on the finish but they are very fine and should integrate perfectly with all that lovely fruit. This will be an excellent Margaux in five or six year's time and should drink well for at least a decade. A very good cellar filler. Drinking range: 2024 - 2035L&S (Apr 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.
Rich blackberry and fig fruits, well structured dominant tannins that remain fairly tight at this point, exuberant turmeric, black pepper and dried herbs, with a flash of heat on the finish. Atypical in the lineup, reflecting the heat of the vintage, but a ton of pleasure to be found here. 33% new oak. Harvest September 20 to October 15, technical director Marjolaine de Coninck. Drinking range: 2025 - 2038 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, Decanter (Mar 2023)
The 2018 Labegorce has a very seductive bouquet of pure black cherries, blueberry and crushed floral scents. This is one of the more precocious 2018 Margaux, revealing an increasing floral element with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red and black fruit laced with tar and licorice. Very cohesive, tightening up toward the finish, which retains fine nuance and mineralité. Drinking range: 2023 - 2045 Rating: 93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Mar 2021)
The 2018 Labégorce is a plump, juicy Margaux that will drink well right out of the gate. Succulent dark cherry, plum, spice, licorice, chocolate and new French oak are all kicked up in this decidedly opulent, heady Margaux. Soft curves and pliant fruit add to its raciness. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. Drinking range: 2023 - 2038 Rating: 93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Mar 2021)
Another winner from Margaux is the 2018 Château Labégorce, which is an interesting blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, and the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot (although I was given slightly different blends for the two samples tasted). Aging in 40% new oak, this deeply colored effort offers a beautiful perfume of blueberries, raspberries, flowers, and spice. It’s medium to full-bodied, has remarkable purity, and fine tannins, and should be approachable right out of the gate. It’s worth mentioning this estate has been managed by Marjolaine de Coninck since 2009, and it’s a rocking value in the market today. Tasted twice. Rating: 93-96 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (Apr 2019)
Black core with purple rim. Sweet, dark and a little charry on the nose. Darkly and sweetly spiced. Rich and chewy, not meshed yet but in good health for the future. Drinking range: 2025 - 2033 Rating: 16+ Julia Harding MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2019)
Beginning with the 2009 vintage, Labégorce Zédé has been folded into Labégorce, both of which are owned by the Perrodo family (as is the recently acquired Marquis d'Alesme). The 53-hectare vineyard has thus grown to 65 hectares and remains situated on the plateau just north of the town of Margaux, across the road from Lascombes. Density now approaches 10,000 vines per hectare with an average age in 2018 of 29 years. Aging is in 40% new and 60% one-year-old barrels. The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot and it has 14% alcohol. Deep purple-black colored, the 2018 Labégorce is a little subdued by cedar to begin, giving way to a core of plum preserves, Black Forest cake and Indian spices with wafts of garrigue and lavender. Full, concentrated and laden with black fruit preserves, it has an approachable frame of firm, rounded tannins and just enough freshness, finishing on a peppery note. Rating: 91-93 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Apr 2019)
This is a plump and rich Labégorce with a full body, juicy tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Lots of pure and intense fruit. Rating: 93-94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2019)
In this vintage Labégorce is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, and the declared alcohol is 14%. It begins with a nose dominated by reductive elements, along with a wealth of toasted oak, although there are also intriguing seams of praline, liquorice and black bean too. The palate is certainly attractive, showing a really beautifully polished substance, with creamed summer berry, black cherry and blackcurrant fruits, laced with black bean and black pepper, beneath which sit some fine and peppery tannins, all elegantly knit together. This is a really serious effort from Labégorce, surely one of the best efforts in recent years. A lovely juicy substance in the finish, with a fine grain of tannins beneath. The élevage is in 40% new oak and 60% second-fill oak. Rating: 93-95 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (Apr 2019)
There are notions of some serious wood aging here, which are happily sustained by the black currant flavor and lively acidity. It will be a firm wine for many years before it opens up. Rating: 94 Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast www.winemag.com (Apr 2019)
2018 is the first year for eight vintages that this wine is back to being 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, after replantings have come on line. That helps, perhaps, with the lift it shows even in this extremely concentrated year. It's a lovely Labégorce, with some bouncy, chewy tannins alongside blue and bramble fruits and some spice. As it opens up, a more floral character comes out. Harvested between 20 September and 15 October, producing a 35hl/ha yield - less from mildew and more a consequence of the frost in 2017 that affected growth in some areas. There were also some young Cabernet vines on gravel that over-concentrated. Aged in 40% new oak from six forests in Germany and Austria as well as France. 3% Petit Verdot makes up the blend. Drinking range: 2025 - 2038 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, Decanter (Mar 2019)
Château Labégorce
Nathalie Perrodo brought her father's dream to reality with the 2010, the 'first' vintage from the newly reunited Labégorce vineyards, after they had spent a couple of centuries split into three. The Labégorce vineyard seems to have been named after an Abbé Gorsse, but the truth is somewhat shrouded in mystery. Feret, in his edition of 1865, mentions the existence of the noble La Bégorce house in Margaux from 1332. The estate was split into three after the revolution. The part that was named Labégorce Zédé in 1840 was reintegrated for the first time since then in 2010. Hubert Perrodo bought Labégorce in 1989, and the buildings of l'Abbé Gorsse de Gorsse in 2002 (the vineyard of this one escaped him, bought by Château Margaux). But his dream of re-uniting the historic Labégorce estate after he bought Labégorce Zédé in 2005 was cut short by his death in a ski-ing accident at Courchevel in 2006. After a couple of years of reflection, his twenty-five year-old daughter Nathalie has taken up the challenge of continuing his work, directing this really quite large domaine which also includes the fifteen hectares of the Cru Classé Château Marquis d'Alesme.
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.