2012 was an important year for Angélus: it won the status of Premier Grand Cru Classé “A”, and a member of the eighth generation of our family joined the estate’s Directorate, while 2012 was also the 230th anniversary of the Boüard de Laforest’s arrival in Saint-Emilion. The year also saw extension and improvement work done on the estate on a hitherto unequalled scale.

Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal decided therefore to highlight this vintage with new packaging – a unique bottle to celebrate an historic vintage.

With its black capsule bearing the Boüard de Laforest family crest, the 2012 bottle also replaced the traditional paper label with a raised gold inscription, which decorates the glass, providing its own sparkle, while emphasizing the Angélus bell.

The entire 2012 harvest is conditioned in these beautiful bottles, some of which are large formats ranging from magnums to melchiors (18 litres).

Country : France | Region : Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

With its distinctive label of a sailing boat, Beychevelle is a Bordeaux that is popular the world over. Always one of the most forward and “user-friendly” of the Saint Julien classed growths, this is a wine that is usually made to give relatively early drinking pleasure rather than to win academic blind tastings. We have noticed a significant step-up in quality in recent vintages. The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon is low for the Northern Medoc and there is always a high percentage of Merlot in the final blend. Always polished and supple, it is in huge demand in China where it is known as “Dragon Boat Wine”. The vineyard is 78 hectares. In 2016 the wine was made in their brand new, glass-walled winery. 47% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. As always this wine is juicy and fleshy with blackcurrant and cherry fruit. The tannins are super-slick and refined, making this one of the most approachable wines of the vintage.

Country: France | Region: Bordeaux

Chateau Fleur Cardinale 2018 Hard Rock Edition Magnum, A special edition limited to 1,500 bottles in a chic 1-piece wooden box from one of the top wineries from Saint-Emilion. Château Fleur Cardinaleeine has been releasing a series of collector’s editions since the 2018 vintage, which show a new version of the Château Fleur Cardinale label every year, which reflect different contrasting themes while maintaining the identity codes of the original label. This first edition takes us into the energetic world of hard rock.

Tasting Notes:

Offers lovely fruit, with exotic plum and boysenberry notes gliding along, carried by a very velvety structure. The long finish has a nice flow, showing a latent anise echo. Consists of 74% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Colour: Deep garnet purple colour.
Nose: Vivid notes of wild blueberries, crushed blackberries and ripe, juicy plums as well as hints of sandalwood, unsmoked cigars, menthol.
Mouth: Polite and velvety, the palate is underpinned by wonderful freshness underpinned by wonderful freshness.
Finish: Ripe black and blue fruits, framed by velvety tannins and a beautiful freshness, with a long finish with many mineral and exotic layers of spice.

Country: France | Region: Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

The deep garnet-purple colored 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion is a blend of 58% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. Youthfully mute with bright, youthful red currants, black raspberries, cassis and freshly crushed blackberries notions, it slowly unfurls to reveal an earthy/minerally undercurrent of damp soil, charcoal, iron ore and truffles plus a waft of violets. Medium to full-bodied, decadently fruited and yet wonderfully elegant with very ripe, very silky tannins, freshness that sits well in the background and an almost electric intensity of vibrant red and black fruit flavors, it finishes long and minerally. Just. Beautiful.

Country : France | Region : Pessac-Leognan

La Tour Haut Brion is a classic, elegant, thoroughbred Pessac. Its bouquet develops aromas of cigar boxes, undergrowth and blackberry jam. Beautifully direct, well-balanced and delicate in the mouth. A truly great wine, now incorporated into La Mission Haut-Brion.

Country : France | Region : Pessac-Leognan

The Château Lafite-Rothschild 2014 is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, picked from 22 September until 10 October with the Petit Verdot, the Cabernet finished two days earlier.

The Grand Vin is adorned with surprising richness and opulence on the nose: layers of ripe black plum and juniper, fine definition with even a hint of fig developing with continued aeration. After 5 minutes it turns volte face and becomes much more graphite and cedary – more Pauillac in essence. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannin, a potent core of black and blue fruit with a bullish (for Lafite) peacock’s tail on the finish.

Country : France | Region : Bordeaux

The 2014 Lynch-Bages is just as powerful and dense from bottle as it was from barrel. Deep, powerful and bold, it possesses remarkable richness in all of its dimensions. Ripe red cherry, spice, leather, tobacco and rose petal all develop in the glass, but it is the wine’s sheer amplitude today that is quite remarkable. It will need quite a bit of cellaring to be at its best, and is clearly built to age. This is a terrific showing from the Cazes family. The blend is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

Country : France | Region : Pauillac