Truffles in Bordeaux

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Bold

The prestige selection of Chateau de la Riviere, sourced exclusively from the estate's oldest Merlot vines in a single 1.5-hectare plot and aged entirely in new French oak. Produced only in the best vintages; a luxury expression of Fronsac terroir.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Bold · Elegant

Merlot and Cabernet Franc from 27 classified hectares at the foot of Saint-Emilion's slope. Generous, opulent and structured, with dark cherry, violets and cedar complexity; certified organic from the 2021 vintage.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

From just 7 hectares of steep limestone slopes, Ausone is a wine of concentration, precision and mineral tension. Cabernet Franc dominates, giving iron-rich structure, dried-flower fragrance and an extraordinary seamless finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

From 16.5 hectares of ancient underground cellars carved into the limestone of Saint-Emilion's plateau, Beau-Sejour Becot offers silk and velvet textures with floral aromatics, dark fruits and a crushed-stone mineral lift. Recent vintages show increasing use of amphora for freshness.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Cabernet Franc-dominant Saint-Emilion of breathtaking silkiness: violets and graphite on the nose, an opulent yet precise palate of black cherry and tobacco, seamless tannin structure and a finish of uncommon length.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Elegant

The most distinctive of the Saint-Estephe grands crus classés, with an unmistakable oriental spice and incense aromatic signature absent in Pauillac wines. Merlot-rich for Saint-Estephe, delivering seductive suppleness alongside the appellation's characteristic mineral-tannic power.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The most Cabernet-dominant Right Bank premier cru in Bordeaux: near-equal thirds of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classe A in 2022. Combines peony and iris fragrance with electric energy, grainy Cabernet tannin and remarkable mineral length.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Merlot-led first-growth Pessac-Leognan red combining cassis and graphite with earthy tobacco and cedar. Velvety tannins and exceptional length set it apart from Medoc peers.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Bold

La Mission Haut-Brion combines the gravel terroir of Talence with intense, brooding dark fruit. Blackberry, scorched earth, and graphite underpin a structured, powerful palate with velvety tannins and a finish that rivals the great first growths.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The archetype of Pauillac first-growth: Cabernet-dominant, with penetrating lead pencil and cassis aromatics, precise fine-grained tannins, and a finish that evolves over decades.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Unique Pomerol with an equal Cabernet Franc-Merlot split giving a perfumed floral lift and structural precision rarely seen in the appellation. Biodynamic farming since 2014; produced from just 4.5 hectares on the Pomerol plateau.

Dry · Full-bodied · High tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Bold

The most structured and austere of the Pauillac first-growths. The L'Enclos parcel of old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon delivers extraordinary concentration and mineral tension; legendary longevity requires patience of decades.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Contemplative

The most opulent of the Pauillac first-growths; Mouton Rothschild emphasises blackcurrant concentration, dark chocolate, and an extrovert aromatic generosity that sets it apart from the pencil-mineral restraint of Lafite and Latour.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Bold

From the oldest wine estate in Bordeaux, tracing its history to the 14th-century papacy. Cabernet-and-Merlot blend delivering cassis, graphite, and tobacco with flawless tannins; in great vintages approaches first-growth complexity.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Bold · Contemplative

From 42 hectares at Saint-Emilion's highest point (110m), Pavie delivers concentrated, structured Merlot-dominant blends with extraordinary mineral depth. Pairs elegance with considerable power; requires minimum 15 years to fully integrate.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Known for its silky texture and unusually high 32% Merlot for a Left Bank estate, Pichon Lalande bridges the power of Pauillac with a suppleness and perfume reminiscent of Margaux. Louis Roederer ownership since 2006 has brought further precision.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Contemplative

The leading biodynamic estate in Bordeaux and the only Fifth Growth that regularly receives 100-point scores. Demeter-certified since 2014; unique use of amphorae alongside barrique ageing. The wines combine Pauillac's classical structure with a biodynamic freshness and earth energy not found elsewhere in the Medoc.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Bold

A benchmark Pessac-Leognan Cabernet since the Cathiard family's acquisition in 1990. Cassis, graphite, and tobacco define a precise, structured palate; 60% new oak ageing adds cedar and spice. Consistent 97-98 point scores in recent vintages.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Timeless Saint-Julien classic: a Cabernet-dominant blend with classic Médoc pencil shavings, licorice and cassis, built for patience with rich powdery tannins.

Dry · Full-bodied · High tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Romantic

The most perfumed of the Médoc first growths: haunting floral aromatics of roses and violets above a core of concentrated cassis, extraordinary saline minerality, and tannins demanding decades of patience.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Classified Third Growth performing at first-growth level: extraordinary richness from an unusually high Merlot proportion, with Thomas Duroux's biodynamic conversion delivering added aromatic complexity and freshness.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Savoury

A revived Fifth Growth finding its stride under the Merlaut family: Cabernet-forward Haut-Médoc structure with dark fruit, cedar and characteristic menthol freshness from deep gravel soils near Saint-Julien.

Dry · Full-bodied · High tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

One of the great super-seconds of Bordeaux: extraordinarily concentrated cassis fruit with almost first-growth precision, dense tannins demanding patient cellaring of 15 or more years.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

100% Cabernet Franc from two old-vine parcels aged 65-100 years at the pied de cote. Produced in tiny quantities (5-9 barriques) only in exceptional vintages, this is a monument to the iron-mineral potential of old Cabernet Franc on Saint-Emilion limestone.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Micro-estate garagiste Pomerol with supremely hedonistic Merlot character: mocha-laced plum and violet aromatics, a voluptuous, fleshy palate, and remarkable concentration from just 400-600 cases per year.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

100% Merlot from 11.4 ha of blue clay at Pomerol's centre. Silk-and-velvet texture with truffle, chocolate, and dark cherry at its core; structurally imposing yet hedonistic, with a finish that stretches for minutes.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Pomerol's most Cabernet-Franc-inflected grand vin: 30% Cabernet Franc gives an aromatic lift and structural precision that sets VCC apart from Merlot-dominant peers. Sensuous and silky in great vintages, with decades of ageing potential.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The singular dry white wine of Chateau d'Yquem, made only in years when the estate decides against a botrytised grand vin or in addition to it. Sauvignon Blanc-dominant, barrel-fermented in 50% new oak, offering honeyed citrus, white peach, and mineral depth unique to the Sauternes terroir.