Bordeaux Region Report

St Julien, 2eme Growth Classification

The 1981 Ducru Beaucailiou has a very intense red; nose of berries, nice claret bouquet; good fruit on the palate, broad; initially quite green - not a great vintage but quite acceptable.

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, located in the renowned Saint-Julien appellation of Bordeaux, France, is an iconic estate celebrated for its exceptional wines and illustrious history. Dating back to the 18th century, this historic property has been meticulously tended by generations of the Borie family, who have upheld a tradition of excellence in winemaking. Situated on gravelly soils along the Gironde River, …
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Price: £149.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

St Julien 2me Growth Classification

A deep tawny rim with a mahogany core. This has a delightful nose, very good intensity with notes of cooked meats, roasted chestnut, toffee and a touch of marzipan. It smells as if it is from a hot vintage! After five minutes in the glass, it become a little muffled but develops a touch of mint. The palate certainly has more fruit concentration than the 1980, a rounded texture, quite sharp acidity with notes of sour cherry, a touch of leather and a dry, rather gamey, but attenuated finish. Not bad for a 1981.

Château Léoville Poyferré is a prestigious wine estate located in the Saint-Julien appellation of Bordeaux, France. …
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Price: £165.00
Stock: 6 in Stock

Chateau Larcis Ducasse

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1980 Bordeaux – Château Larcis Ducasse (Saint-Émilion)

A fully mature Right Bank claret showing classical, savoury finesse over fruit weight. Garnet core with a broad tawny rim. The nose is gentle and tertiary: dried redcurrant and plum, cedar and pencil shavings, tobacco leaf, bay, leather and a touch of sous-bois. Mid-weight, silky palate—lively acidity carries redcurrant, dried cherry and earthy spice; tannins are fine and resolved. Finish is tapering and elegant with cedar, leaf tobacco and a hint of dried rose.

Producer note: Historic limestone-coteau estate on Saint-Émilion’s south-facing slope; traditional élevage emphasises mineral lift and aromatic polish rather than brawn. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Pauillac 1er Grand Cru Classe

The 1980 Château Latour from Pauillac, one of Bordeaux’s First Growth estates, comes from a less celebrated vintage. The 1980 growing season was challenging due to a cooler and wetter summer, resulting in less-than-ideal conditions for ripening. However, Château Latour is known for its ability to produce outstanding wines even in difficult years and the 1980 vintage is one of the top wines from the vintage, although lighter and less structured compared to more renowned vintages.

Tasting notes for the 1980 Château Latour: The wine is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot typical of Latour’s blend. …
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Price: £495.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Paulliac 1er Cru Grand Classe

The 1980 Château Mouton Rothschild is a fascinating example of how even First Growth estates navigate the challenges of difficult vintages. This particular year was marked by variable weather across Bordeaux, including a wet spring and cool summer, which led to uneven ripening and modest fruit concentration. As a result, wines from the 1980 vintage, including Mouton Rothschild, are generally considered less powerful and less age-worthy than those from more acclaimed years. Yet, despite these hurdles, Mouton’s reputation and meticulous winemaking ensure that even its weaker vintages hold interest. …
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Price: £335.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Château Cormeil-Figeac is a family-owned estate located in the Saint-Émilion appellation of Bordeaux, France. Situated between the renowned Châteaux Figeac and Cheval Blanc, the estate benefits from an exceptional terroir. Currently managed by the fourth generation of the family, Victor and Coraline Moreaud, the vineyard spans approximately 10 hectares with vines averaging 45 years of age. The vineyard is planted with 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc.

Tasting Notes:
Expect a garnet coloured wine with aromas of red berries (cherry, raspberry), dried herbs, earthy notes, hints of cedar and tobacco. …
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Price: £69.00
Stock: 2 in Stock

St Estephe 5th Growth Classification
Magnum

Château Cos Labory, a fifth-growth estate in Bordeaux's Saint-Estèphe appellation, has a history of producing robust and age-worthy wines. The 1979 vintage experienced a cool growing season, leading to wines that were initially graceful and well-balanced but have since declined, often exhibiting lean tannins and diminished fruit. ​


After over four decades, the 1979 Château Cos Labory may present pronounced earthy and leathery notes, with a reduced fruit presence. Proper decanting is recommended to separate any sediment and to allow the wine to breathe, potentially unveiling subtle nuances that have developed over time. …
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Price: £129.00
Stock: 2 in Stock

Pauillac 5th Growth Classification

1979 Château Croizet-Bages – A Mature Pauillac from a Classic Era
Château Croizet-Bages, a fifth-growth estate in the Pauillac appellation, is known for producing Cabernet Sauvignon-led wines that offer a more approachable and elegant expression of the region. The 1979 vintage in Bordeaux was a moderate to good year, producing wines that were medium-bodied, well-structured, and capable of aging for several decades. While overshadowed by the more powerful 1978 and 1982 vintages, 1979 Bordeaux wines have proven to age gracefully, particularly from well-regarded estates.

Now at over 40 years of age, …
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Price: £89.00
Stock: 12 in Stock

Sauternes
Sweet White Wine

The 1979 Château La Tour Blanche Sauternes, a Premier Cru Classé from the Sauternes appellation, exemplifies the estate's commitment to producing refined and age-worthy sweet wines. Crafted predominantly from Sémillon, with smaller proportions of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, this vintage reflects the favorable conditions of the 1979 harvest, which allowed for the development of noble rot (Botrytis cinerea), essential for the concentration and complexity characteristic of Sauternes wines.

In the glass, the 1979 La Tour Blanche displays a golden yellow hue, indicative of its maturity. The nose reveals an intense exotic expression with notes of pineapple, …
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Pauillac 5th Growth Classification

Château Lynch-Moussas, a fifth-growth estate in Bordeaux's Pauillac appellation, has a storied history dating back to the 18th century. The 1979 vintage, while not among the most celebrated years in Bordeaux, offers a unique glimpse into the evolution of this estate's wines over the decades.​

Specific tasting notes for the 1979 Château Lynch-Moussas are scarce, reflecting the vintage's overall modest reputation. However, given the wine's age, it's likely to exhibit tertiary aromas such as leather, tobacco, and earthy notes, with softened tannins and a harmonious palate. It's important to note that individual bottle conditions can vary, especially with wines of this age. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 3 in Stock

Chateau Prince Larquey

Bordeaux, in the south-west of France, needs little introduction to anyone with an interest in wine. One of the world's most prolific wine regions, it also manages to rank among the most famous and prestigious. The secrets of Bordeaux's wine success (other than magical Bordeaux Blend) are its three trump cards: diversity, quality and quantity. The majority of Bordeaux wines are the dry, medium-bodied reds that made the region famous.
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Price: £69.00
Stock: 9 in Stock

Chateau Balan

Bordeaux, in the south-west of France, needs little introduction to anyone with an interest in wine. One of the world's most prolific wine regions, it also manages to rank among the most famous and prestigious. The secrets of Bordeaux's wine success (other than magical Bordeaux Blend) are its three trump cards: diversity, quality and quantity. The majority of Bordeaux wines are the dry, medium-bodied reds that made the region famous.
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Price: £69.00
Stock: 4 in Stock

Pauillac 5th Growth Classification

Château Batailley, a fifth-growth estate in Bordeaux's Pauillac appellation, has a longstanding reputation for producing robust and age-worthy wines. The 1978 vintage, while not among the most celebrated years, has matured gracefully over the decades, offering a unique tasting experience for enthusiasts of aged Bordeaux.​

Tasting notes from this vintage reveal a wine that has developed classic aged claret characteristics. Earthy notes, tobacco, and moss are prominent on the nose, indicative of its maturity. On the palate, it presents as quite light and elegant, showcasing the subtlety that can come with extended aging. …
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Price: £89.00
Stock: 2 in Stock

Haut-Medoc, 5th Growth Classification

The 1978 Château Belgrave hails from a vintage that saw a cool, wet spring followed by a hot and dry summer, leading to uneven ripening across Bordeaux. As a fifth-growth estate in the Haut-Médoc, Château Belgrave has long been known for its classic Bordeaux blends, primarily composed of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with smaller portions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. While some 1978 Bordeaux wines showed promise in their youth, their longevity has varied depending on storage conditions and individual château vinification styles.

At nearly 50 years old, the 1978 Château Belgrave has likely developed complex, aged characteristics, with earthy, leathery, and dried fruit notes taking center stage. …
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Price: £79.95
Stock: 2 in Stock

Pessac-Léognan
Level top shoulder or better
96 Robert Parker

The 1978 Château La Mission Haut-Brion is widely regarded as one of the standout Bordeaux wines of its vintage. Hailing from the Pessac-Léognan appellation in Graves, this wine exemplifies the estate's reputation for producing deeply structured and long-lived reds. Notably, Robert Parker awarded it a score of 96 points, describing it as "one of the top ten wines of the vintage" and a strong contender for "the" wine of 1978.

In the glass, the wine displays a dark garnet color with minimal lightening at the rim, indicating its maturity. The bouquet is rich and complex, offering aromas of truffles, charcoal, scorched earth, black currants, plums, figs, and crushed rocks. …
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Price: £895.00
Stock: 6 in Stock

Pessac-Leognan Cru Classe

With a vibrant medium garnet colour the 1978 Pape Clement shows a lifted bouquet of spice, graphite, subtle tobacco and dried herbs. On the palate blackcurrant, plum and sour cherry interwoven with subtle dried herbs, tobacco and earth. Smooth and seamless mid-palate with lively acidity and a long and satisfying finish with hints of menthol and fine grain tannins. At its peak now.

About Chateau Pape Clement Château Pape Clément, located in the Pessac-Léognan appellation of Bordeaux, France, is one of the oldest Grands Crus vineyards in the region, with a history dating back to the 13th century. …
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Price: £89.95
Stock: 1 in Stock

Sauternes 1er Cru Classe
Sweet White Wine

Beautiful copper in colour with bouquet that can fill a room with apricots and gardenia with a hint of ocean breeze. In the mouth it is wonderfully delicious as most desert wines are but what set this apart is it's not so sweet with good firm tannin structure and a bit of honeydew and cinnamon on the back end. Also as with most desert wines the finish lingers for (seemingly) hours and butter, honey, and citrus coating your throat. This wine is absolutely wonderful.

Château Rieussec, located in the Sauternes appellation of Bordeaux, France, is renowned for its prestigious history and exceptional sweet wines. …
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Price: £129.00
Stock: 4 in Stock

Margaux- Barton & Guestier

Appearance: Likely a brick-tinged garnet or tawny rim, somewhat faded color intensity.

Aromas: Tertiary aromas will dominate. Think dried red / black fruits (dried cherry, plum), leather, forest floor, tobacco, old wood, possibly dried herbs. Some residual floral hints (rose, violet) might survive.

Palate / Structure: The primary fruit will be weak or receded. Tannins will be very soft (or perhaps somewhat mellowed to a gentle grip). Acidity will likely be low to moderate. The mid-palate may show earthiness, mushroom, underbrush, and that aged Bordeaux feel.

Finish & Complexity: The finish will probably be medium to short. …
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Price: £75.00
Stock: 1 in Stock

Pauillac, 1st growth Classification
Upper shoulder / glue striped label

A very rare 1977 first growth wine - the bottles have been stored well and the condition is good. Probably the best wine of a poor Bordeaux vintage. Cellar Tracker reviews mention notes of earthy, mushroom truffles. There are some recommendations not to decant (open and reseal).

Château Latour, located in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux, France, is one of the most prestigious and historically significant wine estates in the world. Classified as a First Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, Château Latour is renowned for its powerful, long-lived red wines primarily made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and other classic Bordeaux varietals. …
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Price: £425.00
Stock: 3 in Stock

Pauillac, 1st growth Classification
top shoulder

A very rare 1977 first growth wine - the bottles have been stored well and the condition is good. Probably the best wine of a poor Bordeaux vintage. Cellar Tracker reviews mention notes of earthy, mushroom truffles. There are some recommendations not to decant (open and reseal).

About Chateau Latour Château Latour, located in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux, France, is one of the most prestigious and historically significant wine estates in the world. Classified as a First Growth in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, Château Latour is renowned for its powerful, long-lived red wines primarily made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and other classic Bordeaux varietals. …
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Price: £495.00
Stock: 2 in Stock

St Julien 4me cru classe

This 1976 Chateau Beychevelle wine has retained its immensely enjoyable, plummy, fat, fruity character. This seductive effort from Beychevelle continues to provide surprising pleasure.

About Château Beychevelle Chateau Beychevelle is a prestigious wine estate located in the Saint-Julien appellation of Bordeaux, France. With a history that dates back to the 17th century, the estate has garnered a reputation for producing exceptional red wines. Spanning approximately 90 hectares, the vineyard benefits from gravelly soils and a favorable microclimate, ideal for nurturing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot grapes. …
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Price: £149.00
Stock: 3 in Stock

Cantenac Margaux 3rd Growth Classification

The 1976 Château Boyd-Cantenac is a well-aged Third Growth Margaux, originating from a hot and dry vintage that resulted in early harvests. While 1976 Bordeaux wines initially showcased ripe fruit and richness, some lacked long-term balance due to the extreme weather conditions. Now, nearly 50 years later, this vintage remains an interesting but fragile example of aged Margaux.

With time, this wine has developed delicate tertiary aromas, though reports suggest that its bouquet fades quickly once opened. On the palate, it may exhibit softened fruit, earthy notes, and a tired structure, indicating that it has likely surpassed its peak. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 7 in Stock

St Julien, 4th Growth Classification

The 1976 Château Branaire-Ducru is a fascinating example of a Bordeaux wine from a year marked by extreme weather conditions. As a Fourth Growth estate in the Saint-Julien appellation, Branaire-Ducru is known for its refined and well-balanced wines, and this vintage was shaped by an unusually hot and dry summer. The intense heat led to thick grape skins and high tannin levels, resulting in bold and structured wines across the region. However, rain during the harvest introduced some dilution in certain cases, leading to a mixed vintage overall.

Upon release, the 1976 Branaire-Ducru displayed a medium ruby hue, with aromas of ripe fruit, spicy oak, caramel, and hints of toffee. …
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 3 in Stock

Haut-Medoc

The 1976 Cantemerle is mature and complex nose with leather, cigar box and just a little red berries. On the palate it is surprisingly fresh but rather lean. Not much fruit, as earthy notes have taken over. On the palate it has a relatively high acidity and smooth tannins. Enjoyed best accompanying food.

About Château Cantemerle Chateau Cantemerle is an esteemed wine estate situated in the Haut-Médoc appellation of Bordeaux, France. With a history dating back to the 12th century, the estate is one of the oldest in the region and holds the distinction of being classified as a Fifth Growth (Cinquième Cru) in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. …
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Price: £99.00
Stock: 20 in Stock

Pomerol
Mid Shoulder level

Excluded from our guarantee

The 1976 Clos de l'Église is a wine from the Pomerol appellation in Bordeaux, France. Pomerol is renowned for its Merlot-driven wines that exhibit richness, depth, and finesse. The 1976 vintage, while not among the top Bordeaux vintages, offered ripe and approachable wines due to a very warm and dry growing season, leading to earlier-maturing wines with softer structures.

Wine Overview
Clos de l'Église is a respected estate in Pomerol, producing small quantities of wines that highlight the appellation’s signature elegance. The 1976 vintage is likely composed of:

Merlot (dominant): Providing lush, ripe fruit flavors and softness. …
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Price: £119.00
Stock: 1 in Stock