CHÂTEAU DALEM
2019 Fronsac
The 2019 Dalem is quite attractive, if a bit understated in this vintage. Crushed flowers, sweet red cherry fruit, cedar, tobacco and mint open nicely in the glass. Dalem was far more flamboyant en primeur. It is still a pretty wine, but less opulent than it was back then. Red cherry jam, raspberry and mocha linger. In 2019, Dalem is not as exuberant as it can be, but that is not exactly a problem, as it is still a pretty heady wine. Drinking range: 2023 - 2034 Rating: 91 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2022)
* 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 2019 Dalem offers almost Burgundian purity on the nose, where blackberry, bilberry, crushed stone and pressed iris petal commingle. The palate is beautifully proportioned and quite saline, with fine tannins and an almost pixelated finish, which delivers superb grip and density. This is an outstanding Fronsac that will live long in the bottle. Excellent. Drinking range: 2025 - 2050 Rating: 94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2022)
You feel the alcohol through the mid palate and the heat on the finish. No question this is impressively silky, with a real feeling of concentration and gourmet seduction, but lacks a little balance. Drinking range: 2024 - 2038 Rating: 90 Jane Anson, Decanter (Jan 2022)
Deep purple-black colored, the 2019 Dalem needs a few swirls before it really starts to show off all its vibrant black cherries, kirsch and black raspberry scents, followed by hints of camphor, pencil shavings and tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of crunchy black fruits with loads of freshness and perfume and a soft, approachable texture, finishing with a minty kick. Rating: 92-94 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (Jun 2020)
The 2019 Dalem has a superb bouquet with sensual, pure black fruit that entice you in. It is beautifully integrated with the oak. The palate is well balanced with supple tannins, pin-point acidity and a harmonious, satin-textured finish that is pure delight. One of the best Dalems ever produced. Bravo. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Drinking range: 2023 - 2045 Rating: 93-95 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jun 2020)
Blueberries, minerals, slate and stone. It’s medium-bodied with medium,polished tannins and a linear finish. Nice balance. Lovely length to this. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2020)
Château Dalem
Brigitte Roullier-Loussert runs this property with enthusiasm, having taken over from her father, Michel Rullier, who bought it in 1955 from the family that had owned it for the previous three centuries. The estate dates back to 1610, making it one with one of the longest histories in the Bordeaux area, and has a rather lovely 'chateau' in the form of an eighteenth century manor house.
The vineyard Brigitte inherited in 2002 was around 15 hectares of south and south-west facing slopes, planted with Merlot and around 10% Cabernet Franc. She bought a further 11 hectares in 2015, and then 10 more in 2018, so has more than doubled the size of the property, building a new winery and driving the quality here so that it is now one of the most exciting names in Fronsac.
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.