CHÂTEAU FERRIÈRE
2019 3ème Cru Classé Margaux
Deep colour. Pure but restrained with a dark-fruit nuance. Hint of mint as well. Fruit clean and juicy with good depth but masked by the oak (awkward stage of prise de bois). Should be absorbed but presently leaves a drying finish. Could well merit a higher note. Drinking range: 2027 - 2040James Lawther MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Jun 2020)
* 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.
Claire Villars uncompromising stance on samples here always means this very serious Margaux does not show in a glitzy glamorous way en primeur. Over the years we have got used to tasting here and know the great potential of these vineyards and the team.
Grippy and good structure, but also fabulous fruit. Dark and firm, yet not baked - and there is a gorgeous freshness and lift of juicy acidity. Lots of slate and lead - and crunchy leaf too, some mint or eucalyptus as well. Nice spice and classic cedar wood waft. This is intense, quite concentrated for now and yet ripe in the middle. Full of potential. This has all the bones it needs for a very happy future. Good grunt for Margaux - but bags of dark charm too.
40% new oak, 40% once-used barrels and 20% amphora.L&S (Jun 2020)
The 2019 Ferrière is a dense, packed wine, just as it was from barrel. Black fruit, graphite plum, licorice and spice infuse the 2019 with tremendous character. This powerful, brooding Margaux is going to need at least a few years to come together. It sure is alluring in this tasting. Readers will have to be patient, though. The tannins are pretty formidable. Ferrière was impressive en primeur. It is equally compelling today. Drinking range: 2027 - 2049 Rating: 95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2022)
The 2019 Ferrière was tasted from a bottle sent by Clare Lurton following our conversation via Zoom. This Margaux has a really lovely bouquet of black plum and hints of blue fruit and crushed violet, then later orange zest. The palate is rounded and smooth. While not as deep or as grippy as others, this is endearingly harmonious and sensual, with a pure, caressing finish. I like the detail here, something I never used to find in Ferrière when I was tasting it 15 or 20 years ago. A delightful 2019 that might be deceptively long-lived. Drinking range: 2025 - 2050 Rating: 93 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2022)
Rich depths to the colour, and the gunsmoke reduction that I am finding across the range, opens up to show character and concentration. Has momentum and precision, eucalyptus and white pepper spice, fresh acidities. Showed successfully En Primeur and the depth of fruit is still there. 40% new oak, 20% amphora, rest one year old barrels. The Petit Verdot in the blend is over 70 years old. 30hl/h yield. Drinking range: 2027 - 2044 Rating: 93 Jane Anson, Decanter (Jan 2022)
There feels to be a real step change in Ferrière this year, with a greater density of fruit and a richer seam of freshness. They have made a few changes in the vineyard, most notably pulling up Merlot that they felt wasn't working and leaving only the oldest Merlots that date back to the 1950s. We may also be feeling the impact of the clay in the gravel soils that helped hold freshness in this hot summer, as well as a reductive style of working in the cellar, bringing SO2 additions down low. Whatever it is, there is violet edging to the colour, a deliciously sappy, energetic quality to the wine, with bright berry fruits, chocolate shavings and a gentle gunsmoke edge that brings interest and grace. 40% new oak, 20% amphoras and cement eggs, and the rest in one year barrels. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.6ph. A relatively small yield of 30hl/ha. Drinking range: 2027 - 2043 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter (Jun 2020)
The 2019 Ferrière is fabulous. Inky, dark and savory, the 2019 has so much to offer. Blackberry jam, gravel, smoke, dried herbs, menthol, licorice and spice infuse the 2019 with captivating layers of gravitas and overall intensity. Far from an easygoing 2019, Ferrière is going to need time to come together, as the tannins are quite imposing at present. Aging will be 18 months, 40% new oak, 40% once-used barrels and 20% amphora. Rating: 93-95 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2020)
An upgrade with the tannins here, which are strong, but at the same time fine. It’s full-bodied, very long and racy. Fresh black fruit and chocolate a-plenty here Rating: 95-96 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2020)
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 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 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2027. 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 2027. 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.