Red wines from Bordeaux

The imposing Château Vieux Manoir was a former hunting house of the Duke of Epernon, and features on the label of this delicious classic, one of our best-sellers because of its elegant, medium-bodied appeal and traditional Merlot/Cabernet blend at an attractively affordable price.

With praise in recent vintages from leading critics as well as a steady haul of competition medals, this is a crowd-pleasing wine that will add a touch of luxury to any meal or gathering.

Those looking for a great wedding wine should snap it up!

A thoroughly impressive Bordeaux from a small five-hectare property, considered to be the original home of its owners, the Martin family, who have lived in Saint-Julien for more than three hundred years.

A pure, deep ruby red colour is matched by intense, elegant aromas of blackcurrant and plum reflecting the predominance of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. There is complexity underlying the fresh fruit character—hints of pencils, tobacco, mocha and vanilla—from at least a year of aging in oak barrels. The texture of the wine is soft and smooth, with lovely depth of fruit and fine-grained tannins that melt into a slightly spicy finish.

The second wine of the estate has appealing fresh red fruit aromas and goes on to reveal its pedigree in racy, crisp black and red fruit flavours that linger on and on through a sustained, lively finish.

Considered a star of the vintage, and highly praised in subsequent tastings, this is a plush, complex wine with fresh, ripe, opulent fruit, delicious, lengthy weight and intensity, and supple tannins that shape a long finish.

You could drink it now as an indulgent match for a special meal, or in all probability cellar it until the 2030s.

in stock, details coming soon

‘This has a deep rich ruby colour with powerful dark fruit aromatics. It's smooth, rich and extremely good quality, with an oak smokiness evident but well integrated. It feels at the very beginning of its life, with everything in place but a little overly tight on the finish, although lovely menthol notes come through. The fruit is optically sorted, and following fermentation is aged in 30% new oak. Michel Rolland consults.’
93/100 Jane Anson, Decanter, October 2018

‘Bernard Magrez's 2016 La Tour Carnet is ripe, open-knit and seductive. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, licorice, woodsmoke and tobacco are all beautifully delineated in the glass. A wine of striking inner perfume, sweetness and nuance, the 2016 Tour Carnet has all the elements to develop into a superb overachiever. Sweet, silky tannins add to the wine's considerable sexiness. This is the first vintage made in the new winery, where smaller tanks allowed for the separate vinification of multiple lots. The reduction in new oak is another big positive here. Bernard Magrez makes a number of terrific wines. La Tour Carnet is one of my favorites because of its budget friendly price and the way it ages in bottle. Tasted two times.’
89–92/100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2017

‘Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 la Tour Carnet has an earthy nose with tobacco and underbrush over a core of warm plums, kirsch and tea. The medium-bodied palate is refreshing, elegant, juicy and soft with a savory finish.’
91/100 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, November 2018

‘
Mid to deep crimson. Ripe, pure black fruit. Intense, lightly charry cassis. Chewy, chocolate tannins that both melt and resist. Bags of fruit, firmly built, just fresh enough.’
16+/20, Julia Harding, Jancis Robinson, October 2018

‘From the first vintage when this vineyard was fully certified biodynamic, this wine reveals an estate in its stride. It has richness and great depths along with a line of black fruits and acidity. Concentrated and tannic, the wine will age. Drink this long-lasting wine from 2026.’
96/100 Roger Voss Cellar Selection Wine Enthusiast, May 2019

‘This is really superb with beautiful density and ripe tannin texture. Full body and a round and polished texture. Rich and impressive but all in class. Made from biodynamic grapes. Almost all Cabernet Sauvignon.’
95–6/100 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com March 2017

‘Now biodynamically certified by Demeter as of the 2016 vintage… This was a great year for Cabernet, certainly as you move further up the Médoc, and it is flexing its muscles here. I just love this, it has a true sense of forward motion but it is also intense, complex and layered. Extremely clear liquorice and tight black spice, with waves of soft floral, almost violet, notes. Sometimes a forgotten estate in Margaux, as far as any 1855 property can be forgotten, but we are going to see the plaudits increase over the next few years, and this is sounding the starting gun. Drink: 2027-2050’
94/100 Jane Anson, Decanter, April 2017

‘The 2016 Durfort-Vivens is gorgeous. Cabernet Sauvignon aromatics and structure play off the natural intensity of the year beautifully. Blackberry, grilled herbs, licorice, leather and crème de cassis are all vividly sketched in this layered, expressive Margaux. Readers should expect a dark, exotic Margaux that stands a bit apart from the norm for the appellation.’
93/100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2019

‘Powerful black fruits nose; the palate is broad and generous, with splendid concentration. Tannic but not too extracted; power without caricature. Joyous, with very good length.’
Stephen Brook, Decanter Bordeaux 2017

‘The currants and blackberries on the nose are very impressive with wet-earth and lavender undertones. Full body and super-integrated tannins that melt into the wine. The quality of the tannins is incredible with fantastic length and mouthfeel. So much concentration and balance at the same time. Such beauty. From biodynamic grapes. This is the greatest wine ever from here. Drink in 2022.’
99/100 James Suckling, October 2019

‘This vintage is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, matured in 65% new oak barrels. Medium to deep garnet-purple, the 2015 Smith Haut Lafitte has a totally dazzling nose of exotic spices—star anise, fenugreek and Sichuan pepper—over a core of chocolate-covered cherries, wild blueberries, plum preserves, violets and earthy wafts of truffles, moss, tilled black soil and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced and packing a lot of flavor into a relatively modest package, it fills the mouth with spice and herb-laced black and blue fruit layers, supported by very ripe, very finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length. This is already a show-stopping, heart-pounding beauty, but should also age incredibly!’
97/100 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, February 2018

‘Smith Haut-Lafite sits on free-draining, günz gravel, with the 2015 showing classic smoky, earthy Graves character with herbs, spices and freshness on the palate. On the intense nose, floral notes and subtle new oak support the fruit. Although there is a silky, intense and concentrated core to the fruit, this is not at all showy - just a wonderfully balanced and complete example of Cru Classé Pessac-Leognan.’
96/100 Decanter, December 2019

‘ Another wine from the Cathiard family I was able to taste on multiple occasions is the 2015 Smith Haut Lafitte, and it’s brilliant stuff readers should snatch up. Offering a huge nose of chocolatey dark fruits, roasted herbs, graphite and flowers, this big, rich, opulent beauty has building tannin, loads of structure and great mid-palate. It will drink nicely for 20+ years.’
96+/100 Jeb Dunnuck, November 2017

‘…dense in expressive, dark fruit and solid tannins which give it a rich, enveloping feel. With its spicy score and crisp acidity, there is great potential for aging. ’
96/100 Cellar Selection, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast April 2018

‘This pumps out some serious blackberry, boysenberry, raspberry and black currant fruit flavors, with the texture of compote and a racy edge thanks to a terrific bolt of graphite that runs throughout. Waves of anise, roasted apple wood and tobacco drive the finish, with the fruit keeping pace easily. Destined for a long life. Best from 2025 through 2045.’
96/100 Highly Recommended, Wine Spectator March 2018

Pessac-Léognan is a subregion of Bordeaux that was carved out of the Graves in 1987. Its terroir points to its historical origins as part of the Graves, with the dominant soil type being the gravel (and sand) which gave Graves its name. The northern vineyards of the appellation coexist with the southern suburbs of Bordeaux city, while the southern vineyards are enclosed by the forests which produce the other main export of Graves: timber.

‘Dense colour, concentrated cassis nose, all the meaty richness from these well-placed vineyards and a good future. Drinking window 2016 - 2024.
’
87/100 Steven Spurrier, Decanter

‘I was very taken by Ch Meyney 2012 St-Estèphe in this vertical…This is a vintage of Meyney with a particularly high proportion of both Merlot, and Petit Verdot, this late-ripener demonstrating just how ripe the grapes were this year…The wine is still a dense, youthful crimson but is absolutely classic aromatic ‘stony’ St-Estèphe on the nose. On the palate the wine is more obviously generous (thanks to all that Merlot?) with lovely flattering roundness, almost but not quite obliterating the promising tannins on the end. I suggest ideally drinking it between 2020 and at the very least 2035 but you could certainly enjoy it already with chewy food such as roast meat. But this is a wine that offers classed-growth quality at a very reasonable price.’
Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com, July 2017

Reviews below are for the 2014 vintage.

We have just one precious bottle of the 2005 in stock.

‘Another contender for wine of the vintage. Here things get a little deep and fleshy, with crushed damson fruit that holds its integrity. Tannins are big and bold, oak influence clear but not offputting, just giving boots to slip your feet into. Your mouth responds to these tannins, reminds you that wine tasting us a physical activity. Great quality, what a brilliant wine.’
97/100 Decanter

'This is a very fine wine showing a new level of quality at Montrose. With its almost velvet tannins inside the intense black fruits, the wine is rich, smooth and generous. Blackberry and black-plum fruits are to the fore along with the fine acidity and great structure. A wine to age for decades, it will be ready to drink from 2027.’
97/100 Wine Enthusiast, February 2017

‘Incredible aromas of currants, blackberries, slate and flowers. Full-bodied yet so tight and beautiful with superb polish and brightness. The length is fantastic. Truly superb.’
97/100 James Suckling, February 2017

'Tasted at the château, the 2014 Montrose builds on the promise it showed in barrel with gorgeous blackberry, raspberry, cedar and orange sorbet scents that are extremely pure and refined. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, very precise acidity and layers of crisp black fruit laced with vanilla from the new oak at the moment. That will be subsumed in time. What you have here is a very precise, multi-layered, almost sensual Montrose that is going to delight many for years to come. This is highly recommended—one of the finest Left Bank wines this vintage.’
96/100 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, September 2016.

'This is seriously built, with an admirable core of red and black currant paste and bitter plum fruit inlaid with notes of tobacco, bay and smoldering charcoal. The finish is ramrod straight thanks to an iron girder supporting everything with ease. A tremendous effort for the vintage.’
95/100 Wine Spectator, March 2017

‘The wine shows plenty of tobacco and vanilla character with chocolate and berries. Full body, with super fine tannins. It’s so long and refined. This is a beauty and needs at least three years of bottle age.’
James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, December 2010 93/100

‘Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. I have criticized recent vintages over the alcohol levels, but I have no agenda against what is after all, one of the first properties I ever visited. And the 2008 is turning out to be a little beauty. It has a lovely floral bouquet with vibrant red fruit, cassis and violets that soar from the glass. It displays deftly integrated oak with Asian spices beginning to come through. The palate is full-bodied and tannic, very grippy with spice, black olive and blackberry. There is some fine, earthy Cabernet Franc here and shows good structure on the finish. It deserves a decade in the cellar. Tasted January 2012.’
Neal Martin, robertparker.com, May 2012 93/100

The château was built in 1745 on land owned by the aristocratic de Sèze family, at the time owners of many other properties in the region.

Raymond Troplong bought the estate in 1850, giving it independence; and his 33 hectares, of which 29 are vineyards, remain its extent today. Raymond's nephew Édouard succeeded him and added Troplong to the name of the property.

The estate entered its contemporary period when it was acquired by Paris wine merchant Alexandre Vallette. Further significant progress came when his great-granddaughter Christine took the reins in 1980, joined by her husband Xavier Pariente ten years later. Their years of work to improve the vines, cellar and château itself were rewarded in 2006 with the elevation of Troplong Mondot to 1er Grand cru classé status.

Subsequent developments included the addition of a guest house in 2010 and Michelin awarded restaurant ‘Les Belles Perdrix’ in 2012. The death of Christine in 2014 left M Pariente as CEO, and in July 2017 the estate was bought by insurance company SCOR Group for a sum later revealed to be of the order of €178 million.

Pretty nose of creme de cassis, blueberries and cedar follows through to a mid-weight, fine-tannined palate of briar fruit, forest floor, incense and coffee. Plush, opulent and ultra-refined.

Pauillac is one of the most sought-after red wine appellations in Bordeaux, located between Saint-Estephe and Saint-Julien on the "Left Bank" of the Gironde.

The stellar reputation of its wines is founded not only on their current quality, but on their historical success. The (in)famous 1855 Classification of the Medoc ranked the best chateaux of the area according to the average prices commanded by their wines at the time, and two of the top five (Chateaux Latour and Lafite-Rothschild) were in Pauillac; these were joined by Chateau Mouton-Rothschild in 1973.

The soils of Pauillac are largely made up of free-draining gravel, which is perfect for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. These soils, when combined with the temperate Bordeaux climate, are the starting point for Pauillac's top-class wines.

While Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant grape, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Carmenere, Petit Verdot and Malbec are also allowed.

This is an excellent basic Bordeaux whose easy charm and fruity, herb-scented attack suits all kinds of meals.

It's a true everyday wine, with relatively low alcohol and pleasant vanilla character enhancing the decent finish. Made from vineyards in the Entre-deux-Mers appellation, its blend of grapes is mostly Merlot for smoothness, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc add spice and structure to the blend.

The wine is named for an eleventh century monk, one of the first to join the abbot Saint-Gérard at the abbey of La Sauve Majeure and a passionate viticulturalist in addition to his monastic calling.

Pomerol is a relatively featureless gravel bank of eight hundred hectares with only a church as a landmark, the surrounding houses set among the vines. Seven times smaller than its famous neighbour Saint-Émilion, from which it was granted separate AOC status in 1923, it is now considered one of the most prestigious of the Bordeaux appellations.

Denis Durantou took over the Église Clinet estate in 1983, and has raised his acquisition to celebrity status with a series of impressive vintages.

This rich red has expressive, engaging and complex aromas, with the concentration and poise in the mouth that marks out a superior wine. A high proportion of Merlot gives an opulence and fullness counterpointed by the more herbal, earthy qualities of the Cabernet Franc in the blend. It's a wine that will keep easily until 2030 and beyond, but if you can contain your impatience till 2020 you can open it then to enjoy it as it begins its best years.

‘A smokier expression than most, this is hugely enjoyable and still intense in colour on its tenth birthday. Expect layers of juicy, succulent black cherry fruit with graphite notes, and just a hint of black truffle that should develop more over the next decade. Great depth of flavour here that stretches out through the palate. Drink 2018–2036. ’
Jane Anson, Decanter, July 2018 (tasted February 2018) 95/100

‘The 2008 L’Eglise-Clinet has a very perfumed, unapologetically floral bouquet replete with expressive red berry fruit laced with crushed limestone and truffle scents, almost Burgundy-like in terms of purity. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy cranberry and raspberry fruit, a fine and almost symmetrical structure with the density and mass you expect from Denis Durantou’s Pomerol. The Cabernet Franc lends a savory, almost dried blood note towards the long, persistent finish. This is ageing with style. Drink 2020–2045.’
Neal Martin, vinous.com, February 2018 95/100

‘A remarkable wine in this vintage, L'Eglise Clinet's 2008 has a color almost as dark as the barrel sample of 2010. Classic mocha and caramel-infused creme de cassis and black cherry notes, with hints of licorice and loamy soil soar from the glass of this opaque ruby/purple, aromatically compelling wine. Opulent, expansive, and savory, with a broad texture, a full-bodied mouthfeel, terrific purity and a layered finish, this is another big, massive wine that transcends the vintage character, and will probably need 7-10 years of bottle age. It should keep for 20 or more years as well.’
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (194), May 2011 95/100

‘Dense and pure with massive concentration yet undeniable elegance and precision’
Robert Parker, April 2009 94–96/100

‘The 2018 Prieuré-Lichine is gorgeous. Bright and racy in the glass, the 2018 impresses with its magnificent purity of fruit. In 2018, Prieuré-Lichine has terrific energy and cut. It is perhaps a bit less creamy than the 2016, but also impeccable in its balance. Part of that is driven by the higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend in 2018. Rose petal, lavender, mint and spice add nuance to a core of red/purplish fruit. Tasted two times.’
92–95/100, Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, May 2019

Vigorous, spicy, cedar nose with well-judged oak, black fruit, liquorice, chocolate and floral perfume. Very sleek and supple wine with everything in the right place. Poised, with a fine attack, silky texture and beautiful balance. Try this special bottle with steak, a soft, unctuous ratatouille or any meaty stew.

‘I cannot think how it could be improved. This is such a detailed wine with so much fruit integrity it is amazing and I have never tasted anything like it from this property. It follows that I am honour-bound to award this delicious wine a perfect score.’
20+/20 Matthew Jukes, matthewjukes.com, April 2019

‘The 2018 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is an outrageously beautiful, vivid wine. Gravel, crushed rocks, menthol, lavender, espresso, licorice and dark spice all infuse a racy, sumptuous Saint-Julien loaded with personality and class. In 2018 La Croix is especially fine. Ample, voluptuous and racy to the core, the 2018 is stunning in its beauty…’
91–94/100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous

‘Firm and spicy, this wine has a dense structure that will lend to good development. It shows a concentrated black-fruit flavor and intense acidity. Expect this wine to have some good medium-term aging.’
92–94/100 Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, April 2019

‘The 2018 Latour-Martillac is powerful, dense and explosive, with tremendous richness and energy that drive through to the palate staining finish. Abnormally low yields produced an unusually sumptuous, rich Latour-Martillac. Black cherry, chocolate, spice, gravel and incense build as this arrestingly beautiful wine shows off its racy, curvy personality.’
91–94/100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2019

‘Black core. Lovely fragrance of fresh dark fruit and something like lavender. Dark-fruited but still pretty. Elegant, scented with a complex range of aromas that are dark fruit, crushed rocks, and a hint of something floral. Poised and fresh.’
17/20 Julia Harding, Jancis Robinson, March 2019

Two childhood friends decided in 1986 to invest in a little-known wine region to see what could be done there. Since one was co-owner of Château Angélus and the other a former co-owner of Château Cheval Blanc, the results achieved by their loyal team at the Château de Francs have been impressive: fine, elegant wines offering a very attractive balance between quality and price.

‘The 2018 Les Cerisiers has a deep garnet-purple color and gives a wonderfully pure nose of warm black plums, baked blueberries and cherry pie with hints of dark chocolate, spice box and Provence herbs. Full-bodied, the palate is packed with juicy black and blue fruit, supported by soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with a spicy lift. ’
Wine Advocate