BORDEAUX SUPPLEMENT

PAUILLAC Home to three of the five First Growths, Pauillac has supreme breeding and produces majestic Claret; it is always distinctive and powerful in style. The wines often have “graphite” or “pencil-lead” notes from the area’s deep gravel soils, also often discernible is the salty twang from the nearby Gironde – Pedesclaux has both these attributes in spades. Pauillac is home toperennial favourites: the superstars of Lafite andMouton, the twinned “Super Seconds” of Château Pichon Baron and Château Pichon Lalande, and the fabulous fifth growths including Châteaux Lynch-Bages, Pontet-Canet, Grand-Puy-Lacoste, and D’Armailhac. This year the river’s proximity to these estates staved off the frost. There was rain in the spring and during the first half of summer but the ripeness was achieved thanks to a hot spell in September. Grape analysis showed levels pointing to ‘90s vintages: low potential alcohol and high acid levels making this a “classic” offering in the true sense. There are plenty of good wines here and the quality terroir of these classed growths really shines through.

REDBORDEAUX

CHÂTEAUPÉDESCLAUX, 5ÈMECRU 64%Cabernet sauvignon, 27%Merlot, 6%Cabernet franc, 3%Petit verdot. 16 months in barrel, 60% new oak. Good red fruit note on nose with some blackcurrant and plum, maybe a hint medicinal with herbs and a slight floral lift. Very generous and showy. Savoury on palate with a big umami note, then red fruit and fine ripe tannin. The palate has decent freshness and vibrancy. The fruit has a real lift and the tannin is plentiful. The finish is on the earthy side, tannin and freshness. Good effort, could be one of the good value CHÂTEAUBATAILLEY, 5ÈMECRU “The 2021 Batailley shows promise, exhibiting aromas of cassis, plums, licorice, cigar wrapper, loamy soil and dark chocolate, followedbyamediumto full-bodied, layeredand charming palate built around ripe, powdery tannins. Supple and giving, it will offer a broad drinking window.” -WILLIAMKELLEY,WINEADVOCATE DRINK: 2026 - 2038 £320 - £375 / 12 BOTTLES WA90-92 CHÂTEAUD’ARMAILHAC, 5ÈMECRU 63% Cabernet sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 13% Cabernet franc, 2% Petit verdot. Bright ruby colour, red and black berry fruit on nose with herbal lift. The palate is fresh and full of red fruit. This is a juicy drinking wine with good ripe fruit on the flashy, modern palate. The tannin is very fine giving a medium body and the oak influence is quite restrained. The finish is punchy with more red fruit, a slight volatile acidity at the end. DRINK: 2027 - 2039 £180 - £225 / 6BOTTLES WA91-93 CHÂTEAUHAUT-BATAILLEY, 5ÈMECRU 70% Cabernet sauvignon, 30 Merlot. 16 months in barrel, 60% new oak. The nose shows plenty of dark cassis fruit and newoak. The palate hasmore ripe cassis and a bit of plum. Quite full bodied, the tannin is rather grippy. The finish is a little stalky and shows lots of coconut and smoke from the oak, it ends with a real grip from the firm tannin. Not themost elegant offering this year, but the fruit should see this through. DRINK: 2030 - 2048 £220 - £265 / 6BOTTLES WA90-93 buys of the vintage. DRINK: 2028 - 2042 £290 - £350 / 12 BOTTLES WA89-90

CHÂTEAUGRAND-PUY-LACOSTE, 5ÈMECRU 76% Cabernet sauvignon, 24% Merlot. 16 months in barrel with 60% new oak. A slightly restrained nose but which shows pretty red and black fruit and some wood smoke. Elegant and fresh. The palate is crunchy with red fruit and blackberry. It is very generous and fleshy and has a nice sweet spice note and a classy bit of new oak on the well-rounded finish. Well-structured and with plenty of freshness, this is a great wine and it should really deliver at this price level. DRINK: 2032 - 2044 £275 - £335 / 6BOTTLES WA92-94+ CHÂTEAUDUHART-MILON, 4ÈMECRU 81% Cabernet sauvignon, 19% Merlot. This is muted at first and graphite-driven - typical of the vintage and reflecting the high Cabernet percentage. The palate has plenty of intense dark berry fruit and a lithe minerality leading to pleasing bitterness such is the intensity. The tannin is fine with good grip providing a decent structure. The finish, like its cousin Lafite, is where the wine shows its mettle. This is long and intense and displays the excellent core and future longevity here. DRINK: 2029 - 2040 £310 - £385 / 6BOTTLES WA91-93+ CHÂTEAUCLERCMILON, 5ÈMECRU 59% Carbernet sauvignon, 38 Merlot, 10% Cabernet franc, 1.5% Carmenere, 1.5% Petit Verdot. A complex nose of dusty blackberry fruit, red berries, oak smoke, a lick of varnish and some serious Cabernet notes. The palate is modern and fleshy, generous in fruit with a nice lick of sweet spice on the finish. The tannin is fine giving medium body, but thefinish is a touchhot and volatile. Aflashywine toplease fans of amoremodern style. DRINK: 2029 - 2040 £310 -£385 / 6BOTTLES WA92-94 The 2021ClercMilon is “a success ... a compelling, characterful wine that transcends the vintage.” - WILLIAM KELLEY, WINE ADVOCATE

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