Château Giscours 2019
Deep, near-opaque ruby with violet edge. The nose offers concentrated blackcurrant, dark cherry, blueberry and graphite, with notes of cedar, violet, sweet spice and a fine toasted-oak frame and the classic Margaux perfume of crushed flowers. Full-bodied, structured and polished on the palate, with fine-grained ripe tannins, vibrant Left Bank acidity and a long, persistent, layered finish. Drink 2027–2040.
Clos Lunelles 2016
Deep, near-opaque ruby with garnet edge. The nose offers concentrated black plum, cassis, blackberry compote and dark chocolate, with notes of liquorice, graphite, sweet spice and a fine toasted-oak frame. Full-bodied and structured on the palate, with ripe, fine-grained tannins, bright Right Bank acidity and a long, persistent finish. Drink 2026–2032.
Château du Cèdre Le Cèdre 2019
Deep, near-opaque inky purple. The nose offers concentrated black cherry, cassis and blackberry compote with notes of cedar, graphite, dark chocolate, violet and a savoury, earthy minerality. Full-bodied and powerful on the palate, with firm but ripe tannins, vibrant acidity and a long, layered finish. Drink 2026–2035.
Château La Lagune 2020
Domaine de Galuval Les Collines Rasteau 2020
40% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 30% Mourvedre
Colour:
Deep garnet with purple highlights — dense and youthful.
Nose:
Ripe black cherry, blackberry compote and plum lead the way. Layers of garrigue (thyme, rosemary), cracked black pepper, liquorice root and a touch of cocoa. Subtle smoky mineral edge underneath.
Palate:
Full-bodied and powerful but polished. Concentrated dark fruit core with notes of kirsch, black olive tapenade and sweet spice. Tannins are firm yet rounded, typical of Rasteau’s warmth. Fresh acidity keeps it lifted despite the richness.
Finish:
Long, warming and savoury — dark fruit, spice and a hint of dried herbs lingering.
Yves Cuilleron Saint-Joseph Les Pierres Sèches 2023
Yves Cuilleron Saint-Joseph Les Pierres Sèches 2023 opens with a bright ruby-to-purplish hue and an elegant aromatic profile that showcases fresh red and dark fruits—think raspberry, blueberry, and cassis—lifted by floral violet notes and a dash of black pepper spice that’s typical of Syrah from the northern Rhône. There’s also a subtle mineral edge reflecting the sandy, granitic soils of the hillside vineyards where the grapes are grown, giving the nose both vibrancy and precision.
On the palate, the 2023 Les Pierres Sèches displays juicy, tangy fruit balanced by crisp acidity and supple tannins, making it both expressive and approachable. Flavours of ripe berry, cherry, violet, pepper, and a hint of smoky mineral interplay seamlessly, while the wine’s medium-lean structure keeps it lively rather than heavy. The finish is fresh and focused, with a persistent juicy quality and gentle spice that lingers.
Overall, this Saint-Joseph is a well-balanced Syrah that melds fruit intensity with classic northern Rhône savoury character. It’s enjoyable young for its energetic fruit and approachable texture but also has enough structure and freshness to evolve gracefully over the next several years. Its versatility makes it a great match for grilled meats, richer poultry dishes, or earthy roasted vegetables.
Château Cantenac Brown BriO de Cantenac Brown Margaux 2017
BriO de Cantenac Brown 2017 is the opulent, accessible second wine of the 3rd Growth Margaux estate, designed for earlier drinking. It features intense, velvety red fruit—specifically black cherry, raspberry, and blackcurrant—balanced with notes of dark chocolate, tobacco, and vanilla. The palate is typically medium-to-full-bodied, soft, and, well-structured with silky tannins.
Key Tasting Notes and Characteristics
Aroma: Highly perfumed with ripe red and black fruits, including cherry, strawberry, and blackcurrant, complemented by subtle hints of dark chocolate, earth, and tobacco.
Palate: Rich, velvety, and textured. It provides a generous ripe fruit profile with a velvety,, full-bodied mouthfeel.
Structure: Soft, well-integrated, and, silky tannins with a, fresh, lasting, finish.
Blend: Predominantly Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, creating a approachable style.
Food Pairings
Meats: Seared beef tenderloin, roast lamb with herbs, or duck breast with cherry sauce.
Other: Umami-rich mushroom risotto or aged Gouda cheese.
Château Montaiguillon, Montagne Saint-Emilion 2020
Montaiguillon’s 2020 is another resounding success, continuing a string of excellent vintages at the estate. It is a deep ruby colour with notes of spiced plums, cassis and blackberries on the nose. There’s a savoury, graphite note woven through the juicy, sumptuous palate. Its rounded tannins are already integrated with the plump fruit, and the finish has a fresh, balanced length, the likes of which you’d expect from wines with much bigger price tags.
Crocus Le Calcifère 2016
Tasting Note
Deep purple, with touches of fuchsia on the rim. An intense malbec displaying aromas of red cherry, blueberry, rose petal, ripe Italian plum, black liquorice and spice box. The palate is concentrated and bright, cascading with focused flavours of black cherry, red plum, milk chocolate, talc and hints of butterscotch and star anise, supported by fine-grained tannins.
Food Matching
Braised leg of lamb, Lamb shanks, Duck confit.
Coudoulet de Beaucastel Rouge 2022
Coudoulet de Beaucastel Rouge may be labelled Côtes du Rhône, but in reality this wine is so much more than that. It’s made by Châteauneuf’s iconic Château de Beaucastel and lavished with the same care and expertise that the Perrin family invest in their legendary Châteauneuf du Pape. The grapes are a classic southern Rhône blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre, plus a splash of Cinsault, all from prized vineyards on the estate. Fruit is sorted by hand and state of the art laser scanners, ensuring that only the ripest, juiciest grapes are selected for the cuvée. Peppery bramble fruit aromas lead to vibrant black cherry and spiced plum flavours. You’ll find this a Côtes du Rhône of rare depth and class that excels with casseroles or slow roasted belly pork.
