CLOS MANOU
2022 Médoc
We've been supporting this super wine en primeur for over a decade and are so happy that Stephane Dief is now beginning to receive the attention he deserves. Highly acclaimed last year by Jane Anson and this year William Kelley from the Wine Advocate has highlighted the estate - this is very much one to watch. In 2022 the Clos Manou has broader shoulders than we are used to - and there is a captivating richness to the wine. Ripe Plum, blackberry compote and sophisticated cigar box spice blend seamlessly here and deliver real class and real joy, with that tell-tale bright and lifted finish. Catch it while you can, as the secret about this over-performing estate is now out! 52% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.5% Petit Verdot and finished with Cabernet Franc.L&S (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 2022 Clos Manou (Stéphane and Françoise Dief's property up in St. Christoly, in the northern Médoc, where I visited in early April) has a tightly-wound, fresh and saline bouquet that opens nicely in the glass. A hint of bay leaf is in the background, a welcome damp loamy tincture. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, underpinned by superb acidity, taut and fresh with a precise and persistent finish. The Diefs have conjured an outstanding Clos Manou, the best that I have encountered thus far. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Drinking range: 2026 - 2046 Rating: 92-94 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Jul 2023)
As usual, this estate has produced a most voluptuous wine whose silky texture successfully integrates its tannins. The delicate fruit flavours reach into a sapid, clear-cut finish. Rating: 92-94 La Revue du Vin de France (May 2023)
Firm and velvety with medium body and juicy dark berries in the middle. Broad and chalky finish. Rating: 91-92 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)
As usual, Stephane Dief has produced a captivating wine from this over-performing estate nestled far in the northern Médoc, "where the busses don't run". The 2022 Clos Manou is a blend of 52% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.5% Petit Verdot and a smattering of Cabernet Franc. It stands out for its aromas of cassis, dark berries and plums mingled with peonies, violets and a subtle hint of cigar box. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a seamless, fleshy mouthfeel girdled by racy acids, concluding with a long, vibrant finish. Rating: 91-93 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)
Clos Manou
"We turned our garage into a makeshift wine cellar and made our first wine in 1998.” Françoise and Stéphane Dief. Which sounds impossibly idyllic! In a region of grand estates with long complicated histories the arrivistes of Clos Manou are a refreshing change. Starting with just .12ha of vines, the Diefs have patiently spent 15 years building their holding up to 18ha, along the way absorbing the obscure Cru Bourgeois of Château Cantegrive. The estate may be 'new' but amongst their holdings are Bordeaux’s oldest vines – they have a small pre-phylloxera parcel from the 1850’s. The estate is centred on the village of Saint-Christoly de Médoc in the increasingly popular area of the Haut-Médoc to the north of Saint Estèphe. All of Clos Manou’s vineyards are high-density plantings – some 10 000 vines per hectare – and all are converted to organic farming as soon as is practical. Grape variety proportions are 45% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. The first wine is aged in 100% new wood. The second wine is called Petit Manou.
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 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.