Whoop! Whoop! Hang out the bunting, clear out your cellars, dust off your corkscrews: it’s the highlight of many a wine-lover’s year and time for our annual offer of ‘defrocked’ clarets from our confrères at FromVineyardsDirect.
I know you know this but I’m going to remind you anyway – these wines come from the most famous of all Bordeaux estates, the absolute top. They are the excess production or the wines made from younger vines that don’t suit the estates’ grands vins. They are made in the same cellars as the grands vins, by the same winemaking teams and with the same devotion, and although they might not quite have the same depth and concentration as the grands vins, they boast the same impeccable pedigree and at knockdown prices.
I’m not allowed to name the estates in question, but I can hint at them with the hidden clues below and, being the intelligent, canny Spectator readers that you are, you can easily identify them.
The 2020 Saint-Estèphe (1) is my one naughty treat really, of serious excellence. It was hugely enjoyable when we offered the same vintage last year and that enticing juiciness remains, along with that characteristic Saint-Estèphe earthiness. But that slight austerity I detected last time has softened over the past 12 months and the wine has developed beautifully and will continue to do so. £22 down from £23.95.
The 2021 Saint-Émilion (2) is a frightfully impressive, generously expressive artful claret. It comes from a stellar château whose winemaker hosted a memorable Spectator Winemaker Lunch in the boardroom last year and whose grand vin sells for just shy of £400 a bottle. With rich, plentiful bramble fruit, the softest of tannins and whispers of spice, this Merlot/Cab Sauv/Cab Franc blend gets better and better as you go down the bottle. £23 down from £24.95.
The 2022 Margaux (3) is the latest vintage from this estate, one that FVD’s Esme Johnstone, à la sungazer, believes is richer and more profound than the 2020 incarnation and already very approachable. Indeed, he reckons it’s almost too good to be declassified and it’s hard not to agree, given its aromas of rich, red fruit, hints of spice and tobacco, soft tannins and long lingering finish. It’s quintessential Margaux, all sleek elegance and finesse, and although ready now has at least another ten years in it. £26 down from £27.95.
The 2021 Pauillac (4) is like a fabulously intense taste experience. Another new vintage, it’s a class act for sure, although it probably needs a bit more time than the Margaux to show its true potential. It’s definitely worth tucking away, coming as it does from one of the most famous of all châteaux and already boasting pronounced blackberry/plum notes, an appealing freshness and rich, chewy autumn fruit. £26 down from £27.95.
As oil scales level, so the 2021 Saint-Julien (5) softens, develops and evens out, and this is even finer than it was last year. From one of the most celebrated of all Saint-Julien estates, it’s classic fare with cedarwood and spice on the nose along with plenty of sloe/mulberry fruit and an engaging Merlot-inspired depth and softness. £26 down from £27.95.
Finally, the 2016 Sauternes (6), fully integrated, lithe, honeyed, overtly tempting. I adore sweet wines, and this is a beauty that has developed wonderfully since last we offered it. Its golden hue has deepened, the honey notes, the roasted nuts and candied fruits have become more pronounced and yet that citrus freshness remains. It’s a glorious glass of wine, as fine with rich puddings as it is with strong, pongy cheeses or on its own as an 11 a.m. treat. £15.50 down from £16.95 per half bottle.
The mixed case has two bottles of each wine, and the mixed red case has three bottles each of 4 & 5 and two bottles each of 1, 2 & 3. Delivery, as ever, is free.
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