Luxury (€200-500) in Bordeaux

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

The second wine of Lafite shares the elegance and lead-pencil signature of the grand vin but with a higher Merlot component lending earlier approachability. Floral aromatic lift distinguishes it from heavier second wines.

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

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 · 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 · 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.

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

The world's most celebrated botrytised sweet wine; the sole Premier Cru Superieur in the 1855 Sauternes classification. Semillon-dominant with intense noble-rot character: beeswax, saffron, apricot, and honey balanced by electric acidity. Ages for decades and improves for 50 or more years in great vintages.

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

Archetype of refined Saint-Julien: cassis and dark cherry on a bed of Gunzian gravel minerality, with perfectly integrated silky tannins and an exceptionally lengthy finish.

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 · 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 · Medium-bodied · Racy acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

A rare Sauvignon Blanc white Bordeaux of extraordinary mineral precision: gunsmoke, slate and saline drive a taut citrus frame that ages beautifully over a decade or more.

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.