As with every Bordeaux En Primeur campaign, it can be difficult to know exactly which wines to look out for. Martin Tickle, our Fine Wine Buyer, and the Jeroboams Private Sales team have selected their highlights from the En Primeur tastings held in our London offices.
Château Lagrange
2020 is the first vintage that we’ve been able to offer Lagrange, a 9 hectare Pomerol chateau we have long coveted. 100% Merlot which will be aged in 30% new oak barrels for 18 months. Edouard Moueix described this to us as his ideal “shooting claret” and you can see why – it has so much early appeal and will drink beautifully either out in the field or at the dinner table at any point during its first decade.
Martin Tickle, Fine Wine Buyer
Château Lynch-Bages
Fifth Growth | Pauillac | Left Bank
In a word “spellbinding”. Heavenly aromatic and perfumed, deep in colour and aroma but lifted and elegant on the palate. Lynch Bages has been on a roll for the past few vintages, the investment made by the Cazes family certainly paying off, and their 2020 is a triumph in every sense of the word. Showcasing the very best that Pauillac has to offer, those who are lucky enough to secure a case will not be disappointed when the time comes to pulling corks.
Alex Turnbull, Private Sales Manager
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Second Growth | Saint-Julien | Left Bank
Ducru-Beaucaillou is positively aristocratic with its finely honed complexity and power. In 2020 it shows lifted violets on the nose, graphite, mineral and spice. Ripe but fresh. Taut and restrained now – “chiselled” – but there is a big wine in there, with an exciting future. Reassuringly only 13.5% alcohol. Also, Croix de Beaucaillou is one of the best second wines in Bordeaux – and is a big value pick in 2020.
Xavier Hornblow, Private Account Manager
Château Léoville- & Langoa-Barton
Second & Third Growth | Saint-Julien| Left Bank
Saint Julien produced some cracking wines in 2020, and the Barton pair did not disappoint! Léoville-Barton is thrillingly precise, with an abundance of detail to the nose and palate; a real Cabernet Sauvignon masterclass. Langoa-Barton is richer, ripe and welcoming, yet still with a sense of effortless balance. Both will feature at some excellent dinners.
Henry Chambers, Private Account Manager
Château Lafon-Rochet
Fourth Growth | Saint-Estèphe | Left Bank
I’ve had a soft spot for Lafon-Rochet ever since first visiting over a decade ago. Under the stewardship of the Tesseron family (Pontet Canet) there has been a complete revolution. With its enviable look-out across Lafite’s vineyards and with Jean-Claude Berrouet (of Petrus fame) as consultant, this is a go-to St Estephe offering fantastic value for money. Rich and full, this sophisticated St Estephe draws you in with beautiful fruit and layers of complexity that will beguile drinkers for the coming decades.
Luke Cianfarani, Private Account Manager
Château Cantenac-Brown
Third Growth | Margaux | Left Bank
Cantenac-Brown continues its fine return to form, one of the real insider Chateau from the Margaux appellation. Its distinctive Golden label always turns heads but it’s the 3rd Growth pedigree that customers rightly buy into here. Once again in 2020 they have produced lovely rich fruit, with that Margaux alluring perfume and a structure that will enable this wine to cellar for a few years before hitting its stride. Elegant Margaux finesse with vivid purity and everything in harmony, this should turn out very well.
David Standfield, Private Account Manager