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Chateau Beychevelle,
Ready, but will improve,
With its excellent terroir, Beychevelle should produce one of the great wines of the region. Well, shock horror, in 2006 it has made a big leap towards doing exactly that. With lovely unctuous fruit and silky concentration, this surprisingly powerful 2006 is a revelation. General Manager Philippe Blanc has plans to replant some of his Merlot with Cabernet in the future and it is no coincidence that the success of this focused, sexy 2006 has the lowest amount of Merlot (29%) and the highest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon (59%) ever. Snap this up before the prices start going the same way.
Chateau Cantemerle,
Ready, but will keep,
This is an attractive wine from one of the Bordeaux’s most majestic properties. The 2006 builds on Château Cantemerle’s outstanding 2005, proving once again that this is a property worthy of Fifth Growth status. The wine combines classic Haut-Médoc earthy minerality with rich, stylish strawberry and blackcurrant fruit, all wrapped up in a refined, well-balanced package. Fresh, and beautifully perfumed.
Presented in a wooden case, this pack contains two magnums of the following:
- 2006 Château Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux (150cl)
Presented in a wooden case
Please note the price for this product in our Christmas brochure was incorrect; for more information, please contact our Customer Service team on 0800 280 2440.
Chateau Giscours,
Ready, but will improve,
The 2006 Giscours is very typically Margaux, with an extremely attractive perfumed nose of ripe red fruit and roses. The palate is poised, with a dark fruit core enveloped by an obvious, but very fine, tannic structure and a multi-layered complexity of flavour. Drink now to 2025.
Presented in a wooden case this pack contains two magnums of the following:
- 2006 Château Giscours, Margaux, Bordeaux (150cl)
Presented in a wooden case
Please note the price for this product in our Christmas brochure was incorrect; for more information, please contact our Customer Service team on 0800 280 2440.
Presented in a wooden case this pack contains two magnums of the following:
- 2006 Château Giscours, Margaux, Bordeaux (150cl)
Presented in a wooden case
Please note the price for this product in our Christmas brochure was incorrect; for more information, please contact our Customer Service team on 0800 280 2440.
Chateau Haut-Brion,
For laying down,
Manager Jean-Philippe Delmas (Jean Delmas' son) has every right to be enormously proud of his wines this year, not least his jewel in the crown, First Growth Ch. Haut-Brion. The 2006 is as powerful and masculine as ever, a taut, brooding mass of seriously intense ripe plum, strawberry and damson fruit packed with earthy minerality and spice. The nose is rich and chocolatey, while the huge tannins on the palate suggest that this is one to lay down to enjoy in your dotage. Made from 57% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc this is a very serious, very impressive and very intense Ch. Haut-Brion.
Chateau Leoville Poyferre,
For laying down,
Maybe, just maybe, this is the year owner Didier Cuvelier will finally see his estate get the credit he deserves. This is an exciting, exotic wine, with rich, racy, mocha coffee flavours complimenting the utterly intoxicating black fruit. Huge tannins and a firm structure make this a wine for the long term (not unusual for Poyferré), but unlike so many other wines in 2006 it has the concentration of fruit to support it. This elegant Claret is arguably the second best wine in St Julien behind Léoville-Las Cases, and certainly offers outstanding value.
Simon Staples, BBR Fine Wine Director, June 2007
Simon Staples, BBR Fine Wine Director, June 2007
Chateau Calon Segur,
For laying down,
Calon very much reflects the vintage in 2006. Rather than trying to make something big and brawny, this is full of finesse and class, and that inimitable austere St Estèphe style. Made with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon it is a wine for the long term. Its aromas are all dark fruit and raspberries imbued with minerals, while the palate is refined, with lovely crisp silky fruit and a firm tannic structure. This is another very impressive Calon.
Chateau Montrose,
For laying down,
In 2006 the wine is epitomised by balance and finesse. It has enormous tannins but not only are they very fine, they are serenely cloaked in dense crushed blackberry fruit, earthy spice and minerally coffee hints. The wine's cool classic edge merely serves to further reinforce its silky, feminine style - well for a St Estèphe anyway. Very good indeed.
Chateau Ausone,
For laying down,
Ch. Ausone is the cherry on the cake of the St Emillion in every sense of the word. Its tiny production (only 1500 cases a year) and wonderful quality makes it one of the most sought-after wines in the world, while its hilltop location looks out over the appelation like a lord surveying all he purveys. Made from 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot this has a real 'wow' factor again in 2006. It has an amazing nose of blackberry, smoke, pepper and roses followed by a complex, lush, mouthfilling creamy palate with vigorous tannins and layer upon layer of flavour and richness. This epic wine is one of the very best in Bordeaux.
Chateau Pontet-Canet,
For laying down,
Alfred Tesseron is currently producing astonishing wines that are easily of Super-Second Growth quality. This is one of the great wines of 2006. The work he has done in the vineyards, using organic and in some cases biodynamic methods, has clearly paid off in this tricky year. The wine has a spicy, brambly fruit nose followed by a tight-knit palate packed full of blackcurrant and raspberry fruit with cedar and coffee hints. The wine's focus, purity and minerality acts as a perfect counterpoint to its harmonious richness. This is an utterly complete wine, and a must-buy.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild,
For laying down,
There are few, if any, more beautiful wines in Bordeaux than Ch. Lafite. The ethereal finesse, the lacy tannins, the intense, pure fruit and feminine delicacy; they are all there in this lovely wine. It is beautifully silky with coffee, spice and cedar notes, and a long seductive finish. Elegant, seductive and multi-dimensional it has the firm tannins typical of the vintage and a lovely harmony. With only 40% of the crop going into the Grand Vin, General Manager Charles Chevalier has done what he has to maintain the exceptional Lafite quality in 2006.
Drink now,
There really can't be a better value wine than this in the whole of Bordeaux. It shows the sleek, generous, polished character that all the wines from the Cazes stable seem to share in 2006. A pure, intense nose is followed by fresh, concentrated, black cedary fruit and toasty coffee hints, all in a lovely modern package.
Made from 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, and aged in 20% new oak barrels, this really is a belter at the price. Buy as much of it as you can. Drink: 2009-2015. BBR Score: 15.5/20
Made from 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, and aged in 20% new oak barrels, this really is a belter at the price. Buy as much of it as you can. Drink: 2009-2015. BBR Score: 15.5/20
Domaine de Chevalier,
Ready, but will improve,
2006 is a much underrated vintage and as is so often the case, a so-called classic vintage proves its merit after a decade or so in bottle. Domaine de Chevalier is just such a case in point and whilst it’s starting to drink beautifully now, it will continue to mature and develop over the next decade and beyond
Fergus Stewart - BBR Private Account Manager - 19-Mar-2015 Owner Olivier Bernard's attitude to nature and wine, working the soil naturallyand respecting the terroir and the style of the vintage, makes him a Burgundian at heart according to Jasper Morris MW, which is praise indeed. 2006 was aCabernet vintage in Pessac, according to Olivier, and the extra Cabernet in hisblend (67% CS and 4% CF) has made his 2006 more structured than usual. It hasan exotic, creamy blackberry nose, a wonderful harmony and structure, and alovely concentration of pure, minerally cassis fruit with coffee hints. This isanother tour de force of outstanding quality.
Simon Staples - BBR Fine Wine Director - Jun-07
Fergus Stewart - BBR Private Account Manager - 19-Mar-2015 Owner Olivier Bernard's attitude to nature and wine, working the soil naturallyand respecting the terroir and the style of the vintage, makes him a Burgundian at heart according to Jasper Morris MW, which is praise indeed. 2006 was aCabernet vintage in Pessac, according to Olivier, and the extra Cabernet in hisblend (67% CS and 4% CF) has made his 2006 more structured than usual. It hasan exotic, creamy blackberry nose, a wonderful harmony and structure, and alovely concentration of pure, minerally cassis fruit with coffee hints. This isanother tour de force of outstanding quality.
Simon Staples - BBR Fine Wine Director - Jun-07
Chateau Latour,
For laying down,
Ch. Latour 2006 is the wine of the vintage. The pure, dark chocolate and cassis nose is followed by a palate of enormous intensity with lashings of cool blackberries and cream, minerals, cedar and coffee. The length of the finish is astonishing too - as if the wine is still in your mouth. Engerer says he did not aim for power in 2006 but a classical richness and lively minerality - the result is similar in style to the 'intellectual' 2005 'at the crossroads of elegance and refinement and power and richness'. He's right; it's very nearly as good too.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild,
For laying down,
In 2006 Mouton has justified its First Growth status with a vengeance. Since Mouton began to select their wines parcel by parcel in 2004, quality has soared. And with only 44% of the wine making it into the Grand Vin (normally it is 50-60%) this is about as good as it could possibly be. It has all the exotic richness you would expect, with a minty cassis nose, a lovely silky palate and opulent, expressive smoky black fruit. Made from 87% Cabernet Sauvignon (plus 13% Merlot) it has great structure with melted tannins and a gorgeously rich complexity. A truly majestic Mouton.
Simon Staples, Berrys' Fine Wine Director - Feb 2010
Simon Staples, Berrys' Fine Wine Director - Feb 2010
Chateau Lynch-Bages,
For laying down,
Ch. Lynch Bages, a Cinquième Cru Classé, is one of the best-known Médoc estates and has always had a particularly strong following on this side of the English Channel. The wine can be surprisingly soft and approachable when young; however, when fully mature, it develops a succulent richness and a heavenly bouquet of minty blackcurrants and cigar boxes. As Oz Clarke says, “Lynch Bages is impressive at five years, beautiful at 10 years and irresistible at 20.”
This is a remarkable 2006: voluptuous and sexy, its massive tannins are cloaked by the hugely concentrated, ripe, cedar-y, brambly fruit, while the sweet, rich, toasty aromas add an extra je ne sais quoi. The purity of fruit on the finish is sensational too. Certainly we cannot recall Lynch having been so far up the Bordeaux quality ladder in any previous year.
This is a remarkable 2006: voluptuous and sexy, its massive tannins are cloaked by the hugely concentrated, ripe, cedar-y, brambly fruit, while the sweet, rich, toasty aromas add an extra je ne sais quoi. The purity of fruit on the finish is sensational too. Certainly we cannot recall Lynch having been so far up the Bordeaux quality ladder in any previous year.
Chateau Margaux,
For laying down,
General Manager Paul Pontallier is rightly proud of his 2006. It boasts an aristocratic, fresh cassis nose with mocha and violet notes. The powerful palate shows dark chocolate, black fruit, hints of cedar and a long pure finish while the texture, as ever, is pure silk. Pontallier's opinion is that with the least amount of Merlot ever (4%) and only 36% of the crop making it into the Grand Vin, this is like a tighter version of the 1996. Make no mistake, this is not only one of the best wines of the vintage, it is also a fantastic wine in its own right.
Ready, but will improve,
Ch. Saint Pierre is one of the smaller and lesser known properties with the appellation of St. Julien. Firm in structure, the tannins create a large frame, filled with rich, dark fruit and cedary oak hints. Opulent with a long finish which ends with a savoury hit. Beginning to show very well with a little well time to air, with perhaps 15 years of pleasure still ahead.
Martyn Rolph, Fine Wine Account Manager
Martyn Rolph, Fine Wine Account Manager
Chateau Gruaud Larose,
For laying down,
This is an abnormally luscious and seductive wine for Gruaud Larose; especiallysurprising in a vintage like 2006. The powerful, spicy dark fruit nose withhints of violets acts as a highly enticing welcome. But, fear not, alongsidethe abundant, creamy, blackberry and strawberry fruit it has good tannic grip,freshness and lots of breed and elegance, in that typically chunky GruaudLarose way. Manager David Launay was ruthless with his selection, using only45% of his crop for this wine. The result is very satisfying, providing onceagain an irresistible combination of value and quality.
Simon Staples - Fine Wine Director - Jun-07
Simon Staples - Fine Wine Director - Jun-07
Chateau Pichon Lalande,
For laying down,
It is great to see Pichon-Lalande back on superb form in 2006 with a wine whose purity and linear cassis fruit is reminiscent of their cracking 1996. General Manager Gildas d'Ollone and his team have produced a cerebral yet beguiling Pichon-Lalande full of sensual, exotic aromatics and pure supple flavours. This is a massive Pichon softened by a silky texture and velvety finish. New owners Louis Roederer must be delighted with their first vintage here, and rightly so.
Vieux Chateau Certan,
For laying down,
The modest, but enormously talented Alexandre Thienpont has produced a sublime 2006 VCC (as it is known) with a finesse and silkiness rarely found outside top Grand Cru Red Burgundy. As usual, this is no blockbuster but has a piercing intensity, alongside great balance and harmony. Its attractive, pure, perfumed nose is followed by round, but very fine, crisp, sweet, crushed raspberry fruit, silky tannins and a lovely lively creaminess. Only 3000 cases of this wine have been made so we suggest you get your hands on one toute de suite before they sell out. A magnificent Pomerol.
Chateau Palmer,
For laying down,
Palmer 2006 is a lovely Margaux with a sumptuous, elegant nose with hints of coffee and licorice, and a smooth cassis palate. The fruit is cool yet velvety with a nice mineral complexity and creamy mocha hints. The tannins were, as elsewhere, very high indeed thus ensuring a very long life ahead, while the finish was long and pure. This is another superb Palmer, reinforcing its reputation at the top of the Super-Second tree.
Chateau Ferriere,
Ready, but will improve,
The smallest of all the Cru Classés, this little-known estate has become one of the best kept secrets in the Médoc. We particularly like the 2006 for its attractive, elegant, and typically fragrant Margaux style, showing a good combination of power, depth and delicacy. Its aromatics, pleasing ripe red fruits and earthy flavours also add weight to Claire's belief that 2006 is a great vintage for expressing terroir. With only 4000 cases made this is not only pretty rare but also offers lovely Margaux at a very good price. Drink: 2012-2020.
Chateau Angludet,
Drink now,
Ch. d'Angludet is one of Margaux's most reliable châteaux. It is this fact, plus perhaps the feeling that buying d'Angludet is about as close as British Claret lovers can get to being patriotic in Bordeaux, that has made it so hugely popular in the UK. British or not, d'Angludet has made a very good wine in 2006. It is charming and attractive with ripe, fruitcake aromas and a typical Margaux scent of violets. With more Cabernet (75%) and less Merlot (25%) than usual this has generous raspberry and plum fruit, a dash of spice and a good well-balanced structure. For the price this is an essential purchase for any traditionalist's cellar.
For laying down,
Terrific and distinctive, "Graves style", earthy notes on the nose combine with bright, pure cassis fruit. It has a delightfully smooth mouth-feel on the palate where the notes of fruit and spice mingle with just a hint of new oak. The finish is long and elegant with enough structure to ensure its longevity. Haut Bailly is really flying at present.
Chris Pollington, Fine Wine Specialist, Oct 2008
The legendary Jean Delmas, who made 40 vintages at First Growth Ch. Haut Brion, says that the terroir at Ch. Haut-Bailly is the best in Pessac, bar none! So in a terroir year like 2006, it is not surprising this is so spectacular. From its rich, fragrant nose to its precise, silky yet sumptuous raspberry and cream fruit, huge but supple tannins and long pure finish, this is glorious. Add in its complexity, freshness and finesse and Haut-Bailly's 2006 is clearly one of the best wines of the vintage.
Simon Staples, Fine Wine Director, June 2007 The legendary Jean Delmas, who made 40 vintages at First Growth Ch. Haut Brion, says that the terroir at Ch. Haut-Bailly is the best in Pessac, bar none! So in a terroir year like 2006, it is not surprising this is so spectacular. From its rich, fragrant nose to its precise, silky yet sumptuous raspberry and cream fruit, huge but supple tannins and long pure finish, this is glorious. Add in its complexity, freshness and finesse and Haut-Bailly's 2006 is clearly one of the best wines of the vintage.
Simon Staples, Fine Wine Director, June 2007
Chris Pollington, Fine Wine Specialist, Oct 2008
The legendary Jean Delmas, who made 40 vintages at First Growth Ch. Haut Brion, says that the terroir at Ch. Haut-Bailly is the best in Pessac, bar none! So in a terroir year like 2006, it is not surprising this is so spectacular. From its rich, fragrant nose to its precise, silky yet sumptuous raspberry and cream fruit, huge but supple tannins and long pure finish, this is glorious. Add in its complexity, freshness and finesse and Haut-Bailly's 2006 is clearly one of the best wines of the vintage.
Simon Staples, Fine Wine Director, June 2007 The legendary Jean Delmas, who made 40 vintages at First Growth Ch. Haut Brion, says that the terroir at Ch. Haut-Bailly is the best in Pessac, bar none! So in a terroir year like 2006, it is not surprising this is so spectacular. From its rich, fragrant nose to its precise, silky yet sumptuous raspberry and cream fruit, huge but supple tannins and long pure finish, this is glorious. Add in its complexity, freshness and finesse and Haut-Bailly's 2006 is clearly one of the best wines of the vintage.
Simon Staples, Fine Wine Director, June 2007
Chateau Cheval Blanc,
For laying down,
Director Pierre Lurton has one of the best and hardest jobs in Bordeaux, managing two of the region's great estates, Cheval Blanc and d'Yquem. In 2006 he been successful once again producing what he rightly calls 'a cashmere' Cheval Blanc. It is an outstanding wine, with a stylish, velvety texture, power and elegance and a lovely mouthwatering freshness. It has more Merlot than usual giving it a seductive richness, along with concentrated raspberry, blackberry and plum fruit and supple tannins. Just as you think you have tasted everything, another wave of fruit sweeps in on the long finish.
Chateau Angelus,
For laying down,
This is one of the few really sexy wines from 2006. It is a real fruit bomb, with an intense, spicy, minty nose and a rich decadence from beginning to end. It is packed full of tarry black cherry and blackberry fruit, with cream, coffee and dark chocolate notes. The posters at the château proudly inform you that Angélus is 'Le Choix de James Bond' in reference to its appearance in 'Casino Royale'. You could certainly do a lot worse than follow Mr Bond's lead by picking up a case of this gorgeous 2006.
Chateau la Conseillante,
Ready, but will improve,
La Conseillante's 2006 boasts all the finesse of a top Grand Cru Burgundy, with a heady perfume and rich, spicy, dark fruit aromas. It is incredibly fresh and harmonious, with bags of supple tannins supporting the smooth, creamy palate of intensely concentrated blackberries and crushed raspberries. The finish is long and incredibly pure. With so much tannin and structure the 2006 isn't as appealing as the 2005, although Jean-Michel says he wouldn't be surprised if it is the better wine 10 years down the line. One of the stars of the vintage.