CHÂTEAU LES CRUZELLES
2020 Lalande de Pomerol
Really tight and refined tannins and focus. It’s really clear. Medium-bodied. One of the best I have had here. Approachable, but so long and structured. Best after 2026. Drinking range: 2026 - 2040 Rating: 94 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2023)
* 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 2020 Les Cruzelles is a serious, potent Lalande de Pomerol that is going to need a few years to soften. I wouldn't think of touching a bottle any time soon. Firm yet well-balanced tannins lend energy and drive. Black cherry, graphite, sage, mint, tobacco and incense add to an impression of virile intensity that gains vigour over time. This is such a gorgeous and inviting wine. Drinking range: 2026 - 2040 Rating: 93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
More power and generosity than La Chenade, a clear difference in the vintage, with beautifully sculpted bitter almond and frangipane, tobacco, liqourice and black cherry. This is a Lalande-de-Pomerol with true character, starts off pretty austere and then widens through the mid palate and delivers creamy blue fruit. 50% new oak, harvest September 10 to 16. 3.72ph, 38hl/ha yield. Noemie Durantou winemaker alongside Olivier Gautrat. Drinking range: 2024 - 2038 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter (Feb 2023)
The 2020 Les Cruzelles has dispensed with some of its ostentation that I commented upon from barrel. This has become more "serious" with dark cherries, cassis and light violet scents. The menthol element has ebbed away during its time in barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins. Wonderful purity, sleek and intense with veins of blue fruit towards the very satisfying and silky smooth finish. This has upped its game and represents one of the finest Les Cruzelles in recent years. Drinking range: 2025 - 2040 Rating: 92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Feb 2023)
This is a much less backward wine than previous vintages and while the nose is a little tense and closed the mid-palate onwards seems nicely harmonious and while there are some wilder notes here, this is a civilised Les Cruzelles. Rating: 17 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Jun 2021)
The 2020 Les Cruzelles is a wine of tremendous depth and power. This part of the vineyard, planted on gravel and clay, along with the pedigree of the fruit, yields a Lalande de Pomerol built on textural resonance and power. Black cherry, spice, chocolate and menthol all come together effortlessly. This potent, virile wine has a ton to offer. Drinking range: 2028 - 2048 Rating: 91-93 Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com (Jun 2021)
The 2020 Les Cruzelles offers plenty of brambly red fruit on the nose, where touches of undergrowth, menthol and cassis unfold with time. Compared to the La Chenade, there is a little more showiness here. The palate is medium-bodied with superb acidity that cuts through the graphite-tinged black fruit. Displaying wonderful focus and energy from start to finish, this is a classy Lalande de Pomerol that should give 12–15 years of drinking pleasure. Superb. Drinking range: 2024 - 2038 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2021)
Stands out from La Chenade in the vintage, with its velvet texture and a more serious sculpted feel overall. Tobacco and liquorice notes besides black cherry and raspberry fruits, good tension, serious but with Lalande-de-Pomerol unfussy appeal. 3.72pH. A yield of 38hl/ha. Drinking range: 2023 - 2034 Rating: 94 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)
Black earth and clay with dark-berry and violet character. It’s medium-to full- bodied with creamy tannins and a fresh finish. More opulent than the 2019. Rating: 92-93 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Apr 2021)
Château les Cruzelles
Among the brightest stars of the exalted Pomerol appellation is Denis Durantou at Château l’Eglise-Clinet. Little more than a kilometre to the north, near enough to see one from t’other, across the Barbanne stream in Lalande-de-Pomerol is Château les Cruzelles, also owned by Denis. The 10ha of vines boast the highest proportion of Cabernet Franc in the area – 40% - with the rest being the more usual Merlot. Aside from Château les Cruzelles proper Denis also produces here La Chenade, a Lalande-de-Pomerol cuvee he made with Cruzelles’ grapes even before he bought the estate in 2000. Denis also owns a small vineyard of 35 year old Merlot vines at Saint Etienne de Lisse at the eastern end of St Emilion that goes under the name of Saintayme. And, a little further south-east, across the boundary in the Côtes de Castillon is Château Montlandrie that Denis bought in 2009. Much renovation has taken place at the 12ha vineyard that includes, almost uniquely for the Right Bank, new plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon that now make up 15% of the vineyard alongside the usual 65% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.
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.