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Claret

Vintages:
1982 - A great vintage. Very ripe grapes giving extraordinarily plump wines, easy to drink in their youth. Now that they are maturing, little wines should probably be drunk up, while grander wines are still tasting astonishingly youthful. I recommend leaving them in the cellar for years yet.
1983 - Quicker maturing than 1982. A classic claret vintage. Virtually all wines from this vintage are ready to drink now, but many will keep as well.
1984 - The worst vintage of the 80s, although some reasonably good wines were made.
1985 - A large vintage of lovely wines - approachable in their youth, with really attractive flavour.
1986 - Although this is said to be a keeping vintage, below Classed Growth level the wines are fine for drinking now.
1987 - This was a brilliant vintage for small shopkeepers like us. Attractive, fruity wines for early drinking were made. Unfortunately, most wines (apart from those at the top level) are now tiring.
1988 - A classic claret vintage - best of all for Merlot (St. Emilion, Pomerol).
1989 - A very hot summer produced rich wines, but with more fruit than structure, so a less impressive vintage (also more uneven) than 1990.
1990 - A really wonderful vintage. Certainly a great vintage. It was almost impossible to make bad wine in 1990.
1991 - Not a good vintage. However, there are exceptions.
1992 - My advice is to avoid 1992s. They seem to me dilute, one-dimensional and dull.
1993 - A much better vintage, rather underrated, with many wines exhibiting nicely defined fruit.
1994 - Said to be better than 1993. I'm afraid most of those that I have tasted lack the elegance of 1993, and seem to me rather clumsy. Better for wines from the right bank (St Emilion, Pomerol, etc), and Bourg and Blaye than the Medoc.
1995 - All the 1995s I have tasted have been delicious.
1996 - After tasting more 96s I am coming round to them. Some very nice wines were made.
1997 - The wines that I have tasted seem most attractive and very forward, for early drinking. This vintage is still drinking very well - and unfairly overlooked.
1998 - Good vintage, especially for Merlot.
1999 - Sound vintage - more interesting on the right bank (for example, the delicious Ch. d'Aiguilhe below). A bit patchier on the left bank; however, there are good wines in a soft style which are already providing very good drinking.
2000 - Absolutely delicious wines, with lots of ripe, forward fruit, making many, even at classed growth level, excellent for drinking now. Although prices for the grandest labels have been quite stiff, those for wines at less exalted levels have remained very reasonable.
2001 - An underrated vintage, in the shadow of 2000, but ultimately may turn out superior to its predecessor. The wines seem to be maturing more slowly than the 2000s, while retaining a better balance - worth buying.
2002 - There are always exceptions, but this is definitely a weak vintage.
2003 - Small vintage, atypical, exceptionally deep-coloured wines. Particularly good in the northern Medoc.
2004 - Attractive vintage - and some very advantageous prices since punters are chasing the 2003s and 2005s.
2005 - Undoubtedly a terrific vintage, and below the superstars not greedily priced.

 

L'ENCLOS DE SAINT JACQUES 2006 AC Bordeaux Supérieur 
Blackcurrants and vanilla on the nose; in the mouth brilliant crisp fruit, with a fresh, juicy finish.

   £8.95

Ch. ROUSSEAU DE SIPIAN 2003 AC Medoc
Deeply coloured, rich, full-bodied claret from an uncharacteristically hot vintage.

   £9.55

Ch. BERNADOTTE 2002 AC Haut Medoc
This property was bought in 1997 by May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, owner at the time of Ch. Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, who put considerable investment into it. In 2007 it was sold to Champagne Louis Roederer. The 2002 is firm and solid, a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. It needs decanting several hours before drinking in order to open out the flavour.

   £13.95

Ch. LIVERSAN 2000 AC Haut Medoc
At ten years old this Cru Bourgeois is still vigorous, but has developed and opened out to show generous, classic Medoc flavour.

    £13.95

Ch. MOULIN À VENT 2004 AC Moulis
Gentle Cru Bourgeois claret, lovely for drinking now. Excellent value.

   £14.50

Ch. de FONBEL 2006 AC Saint Emilion Grand Cru
This property belongs to Alain Vauthier, owner of fabled Ch. Ausone, and he has spared no expense here in reviving the vineyard, with impressive results. The wine is a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Carmenère. This vintage is beginning to come round and soften (bought a year ago, it was tough and challenging) - a bottle tasted recently was rich, firm and delicious.

    £17.50

Ch. CISSAC 2004 AC Haut Medoc
This is quite soft, fine for drinking now, but will also keep well.
A selection of other vintages also available
MAGNUMS also available (2001 and 2003) @ £39.95

   £17.95

CLOS LOUIE 2005 AC Côtes de Castillon
A garage wine! A tiny vineyard, only 0.8 hectare, planted with pre-phylloxera vines with an average age of over 150 years; grape varieties are Merlot, Malbec, Carmenère, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Fine concentrated flavour, but not overextracted or overdone, still firm and vigorous, will continue to develop for decades yet. 

   £29.95

Ch. CANTEMERLE 2004 AC Haut Medoc
Dense, almost black in colour, with vigorous but soft blackcurrant fruit and touches of vanilla, this stood out at a comprehensive of 2004 clarets tasting put on a couple of years ago. A wonderful wine, with a great future ahead of it, though delicious for drinking now, if decanted.

   £28.95