2016 Chateau Chantelune Margaux Bordeaux France

2016 Chateau Chantelune Margaux Bordeaux France

CHÂTEAU CHANTELUNE

MARGAUX 2016
BORDEAUX, FRANCE

2016 Chateau Chantelune Margaux Bordeaux France

Château Chantelune is a small estate with 40-year-old vines grown at the highest elevation within the Margaux AOC. 

José Sanfin, the director of Château Cantenac Brown, is the proprietor of Château Chantelune, and he focuses on producing the most exceptional quality fruit from his small vineyards.

This classic Right Bank Bordeaux centers on Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. Even better, 2016 is considered one of the stand-out vintages of the last decade due to ideal weather conditions.

This vintage produced fruit with incredible structure, depth of flavor, and refined tannins, sculpting a wine that’s drinking beautifully now, with the ability to age.

CHÂTEAU CHANTELUNE
MARGAUX 2016
BORDEAUX, FRANCE

Your Price: $49.99

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“Owned by José Sanfins, director of Cantenac Brown, who also owns Haut Médoc property Château du Moulin. Chantelune is a tiny estate, but quality is high. Extremely silky with some lovely caramel and coffee bean notes alongside damson fruit. Here the flavours go all the way through the mid-palate, really making you smile, intense but not overpowering.”

91 Points

2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux

2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux

ESPRIT de PAVIE

RED BORDEAUX
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2016

2016 Esprit de Pavie Red Bordeaux
Esprit de Pavie made its debut in 2008, created by the visionary Gerard Perse, who is also the owner of world-famous estates such as Chateau Pavie, Chateau Monbousquet, Chateau Pavie-Decesse, and Chateau Bellevue-Mondotte. The wine receives the same care and attention as its illustrious sister properties, ensuring a high-quality level for each bottle produced.
 
Esprit de Pavie arose from southern-facing slopes in the valleys of the Dordogne, characterized by sandy and gravelly foothills, clay hillsides, and a clay-limestone plateau. This classic regional blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon came from one of Bordeaux’s best vintages and spent just the right amount of time maturing in the bottle for more complex flavor development and a softer tannin structure. The wine is a “total charmer,” as Jeb Dunnuck writes, and it’s also an incredible value.
 
ESPRIT de PAVIE
RED BORDEAUX
BORDEAUX, FRANCE 2016
 
Your Price: $35
 
 
“Extremely aromatic with kir, cherries and flowers. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins. Juicy fruit. So round and inviting now. Drink and enjoy.”
91 Points
2015 Chateau Trapaud Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux

2015 Chateau Trapaud Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux

CHÂTEAU TRAPAUD

SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU
BORDEAUX 2015

2015 Chateau Trapaud Saint Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux
Beatrice Larribiere is the fourth generation owner and winemaker of Château Trapaud, located just a few hundred meters from Château Valandraud and a close neighbor to the renowned Château Pavie. Beatrice’s winemaking style reveals the intricate balance between fruit, tannic structure, and expression of terroir from her vines organically farmed since 2009. She achieved this balance in the glorious 2015 vintage Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.
 
Saint Emilion Grand Cru AOC adheres to strict yields, a minimum alcohol level, and must be estate-bottled, ensuring a higher quality product. 2015 vintage is considered an excellent growing season for the region, which produced concentrated wines with soft tannins that are ready to drink now but likely have many years of potential in the cellar. At under $40, this remarkable Bordeaux is a staple in our shop, and the 2015 vintage is among their best yet.
 
CHÂTEAU TRAPAUD
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU
BORDEAUX 2015
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“Impressive concentration here; this smells of dark-berry pastries, plums and fresh cedary wood. Slick and flavor-packed palate with blueberry and deep-set plum-fruit flavors. Drink or hold.” 
92 Points
2018 Chateau Guillon Bordeaux Graves

2018 Chateau Guillon Bordeaux Graves

CHÂTEAU GUILLON

2018 BORDEAUX
GRAVES

2018 Chateau Guillon Bordeaux Graves
Graves, named for its deep gravel soils, is historically significant as the home of the first vineyards in Bordeaux and famed first-growth Chateau Haut-Brion. Bordeaux is now one of the most sought-after wine regions globally. Its top producers sell their wines for monumental prices; however, most wines produced in this classic region are surprisingly affordable.
 
Chateau Guillon manicures their pristine vineyards with an attention to detail that artistically translates into their gloriously structured red wine. This Left Bank blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon scored an impressive 95 points at the 2020 Decanter World Wine Awards, securing its spot as one of the more collectible wines in the fantastic 2018 vintage.
 
CHÂTEAU GUILLON
2018 BORDEAUX
GRAVES
 
Your Price: $24.99
 
“Sweet, full and mellow, with settled, attractive, bright red berries, blackberry, cedar and leather. Extremely elegant and well put together, this is an accomplished and hugely satisfying wine”
95 Points
2016 Espirit De Fonrozay Bordeaux

2016 Espirit De Fonrozay Bordeaux

ESPRIT DE FONROZAY

2016 BORDEAUX

2016 Espirit De Fonrozay Bordeaux
The Bordeaux AOC growing region in France does not allow irrigation, period, no exceptions. In 2016, the magic of Bordeaux proved itself again when not one drop of rain fell during the summer, yet the natural water-retaining qualities of the clay and limestone soils of the area fully sustained the vines. The 2016 vintage is considered one of the most outstanding vintages of Bordeaux, with Jeb Dunnuck rating it as “Extraordinary” and Wine Enthusiast asking, “Is 2016 the Perfect Bordeaux?”
 
The 2016 vintage of Espirit de Fonrozay is blended from select vineyard sites throughout Bordeaux, adding a mosaic of complexity to the vintage’s intensely concentrated flavors. Wines of this caliber often sell at triple-digit prices, but this wine has an “every night sipper” price that you shouldn’t miss.
 
ESPRIT DE FONROZAY
2016 BORDEAUX
 
Your Price: $16.99
 
 
“Warm and ripe, this wine is full of black fruits and rich tannins. It is structured but this foundation is already well integrated with the fruit. Spice and a touch of licorice indicate the wood aging and also the potential of this wine. Drink from 2021.” 
90 Points
2018 Galius Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux

2018 Galius Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux

GALIUS

SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU 
2018 BORDEAUX 

2018 Galius Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux
Named for a Roman soldier that settled in Bordeaux after receiving land for military service, Galius lives up to its namesake delivering powerful favors with enchanting old-world complexity, depth, and minerality, balanced with military precision. The 2018 Galius commands an impenetrable presence on the palate and has “gorgeous fruit,” as noted by Decanter. At $32, the quality dominates. 
 
Farmed sustainably, with terroir on the front lines, Galius’s eleven hectares of half-century-year-old vines grown in clay-limestone soils produce fruit with intense minerality and penetrating focus. 
 
Fermented in stainless-steel tanks for freshness and polished with 15 months in oak, the blend is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Merlot offers rich, supple approachability and the Cab Franc, contributes floral lift and heightened refinement.
 
GALIUS
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU 
2018 BORDEAUX
 
Your Price: $32
 
 
“Enchanting nose of sweet leather, ripe blue fruit and even honeyed flowers. Refined, plunging, gorgeous fruit on the palate…”
93 Points
2016 Chateau Haut-Beausejour Saint-Estephe Bordeaux

2016 Chateau Haut-Beausejour Saint-Estephe Bordeaux

CHÂTEAU 

HAUT-BEAUSÉJOUR
SAINT-ESTÈPHE
2016 BORDEAUX

2016 Chateau Haut-Beausejour Saint-Estephe Bordeaux
Saint-Estèphe is the Northernmost sub-region of Medoc’s six communal appellations and produces sturdy, robust wines rich with old-world charisma, depth, and character. Château Haut-Beauséjour is a dark horse of the region, acquired by Louis Roederer in the 90s and crafted by Nicolas Glumineau, a graduate of the University of Bordeaux with a Master of Genetics applied to enology, who began his career at 1st growth producer’s Haut-Brion and Château Margaux. 
 
St. Estèphe’s proximity to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde River create a temperate, maritime climate, combines with well-draining gravel over clay soils to produce powerful fruit with chiseled character. 
 
Calling on a more significant percentage of Merlot than other Châteaux in Saint-Estèphe at 62%, Nicolas completes the blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and a dash of Petit Verdot, creating a supple, fleshy aspect, balancing Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon’s powerful tannins.
 
CHÂTEAU 
HAUT-BEAUSÉJOUR
SAINT-ESTÈPHE
2016 BORDEAUX
 
Your Price: $37.99
 
 
“A generous, dramatic but forthrightly tannic St.-Estèphe that has enough cassis fruit, smoke and minty freshness to easily carry this structure and still come off energetic at the long, refreshing finish. Drink or hold.”
92 Points
 
“Another Pichon Comtesse estate up in St-Estèphe with a lovely ripe fruit expression. There are some tight, austere tannins right now, and the wine is a little less immediately exuberant than some, but give it a few years in bottle to flesh out…”
90 Points
 
“The 2016 Haut-Beauséjour is a very pretty, expressive wine that isn’t trying to do too much or be something it is not. Supple, plump and juicy, it offers lovely depth and impeccable balance in an open, approachable style that will offer plenty of pleasure over the next 15-20 years, give or take.”
89-91 Points
2018 Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere Margaux

2018 Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere Margaux

CHATEAU HAUT BRETON

LARIGAUDIÈRE
2018 MARGAUX

2018 Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere Margaux
One of the top 5 wines from the 2020 Decanter World Wine Awards Top 20 Best of Bordeaux list, Haut Breton Larigaudiere exudes the confidence and balance that you’d expect from a 97 point Margaux. Meticulously farmed, the Estate consists of 20 micro-plots ranging from deep gravel, sand to clay and limestone subsoils. Their Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend embodies the area’s hallmark elegance and captivating palate presence, and at $55, the value is significant. 
 
The vineyard’s geological characteristics, including low-lying topography and well-drained soils, aid in their Cabernet vines reaching full physiological ripeness at low sugar levels, resulting in lower alcohol and brilliantly balanced wines.  
 
The wine is fermented plot-by-plot, in varying vat sizes, on the skins for 15-30 days, which extracts color and richness. After 15-20 months in barrel, the resulting wine is powerfully complex and irresistible right out of the bottle. 
 
CHATEAU HAUT BRETON
LARIGAUDIÈRE
2018 MARGAUX
 
Your Price: $55
 
 
“A gorgeous wine, with deliciously ripe fruits including black cherry, blue plums and spice. There’s a huge amount here, in what is a brooding, deep, broad and earthy wine. A Margaux for the hedonists and sensualists.” 
97 Points, Platinum
2017 Chateau Moulin De La Grangere Bordeaux Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

2017 Chateau Moulin De La Grangere Bordeaux Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

CHÂTEAU MOULIN DE LA GRANGERE

2017 BORDEAUX  
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU 

2017 Chateau Moulin De La Grangere Bordeaux Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
On paper, Château Moulin de la Grangère has everything you would want from a great Bordeaux. Their location is next to Château Pavie, one of Saint-Émilion’s most revered wineries that earns regular 100 point scores. Next, their consulting winemaker is Michel Rolland, whom many would argue is the world’s top winemaker. Their 2017 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru follows through with penetrating fruit, beautifully integrated tannins, and perfectly balanced acidity on the palate. At $33, the only thing this wine doesn’t have is a high price to match its tangible pedigree.
 
Château Moulin de la Grangère sits at the foot of the finest slopes of Saint-Émilion, where they planted their certified organic vines in clay-limestone soils. The winery excelled in 2017, and it was a vintage the Wine Spectator described as follows… “Cloudy July kept wines on the fresh, pure side, with good acidity and modest tannins. St.-Emilion atop the limestone plateau is excellent.” 
 
This wine is often 100% Merlot, but in 2017, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon increased structure in the final blend. Before fermentation, the wine team used vibrating tables to meticulously sort the most pristine berries, which shows in this stunning Grand Cru. 
 
CHÂTEAU MOULIN DE LA GRANGERE
2017 BORDEAUX  
SAINT-EMILION GRAND CRU
 
Your Price: $33
 
“The Château Moulin de la Grangère 2017 is a beautifully elegant Bordeaux, beginning with a nose of red currants, pomegranates, crushed granite, freshly turned earth, and light florals. There is an intriguing tension between red currants, mountain blackberries, crushed minerals, and cool blue fruits on the palate. It is elegant and focused with a seamless, supple mouthfeel and a long finish. Drink now through 2028.”
93 Points
2015 Chateau Soussans Margaux

2015 Chateau Soussans Margaux

CHÂTEAU SOUSSANS

2015 MARGAUX 

2015 Chateau Soussans Margaux
Our weekly tastings are done unbiased, with the retail price often unknown until after a wine makes our selection. We choose them based on quality, varietal and regional standards, and many other determining factors. Once a wine passes that test, the price comes into play, and we look for wines that outperform others in the same price category. I had pegged Château Soussans 2015 Margaux as a $50-$60 outstanding and classic representation of the region and vintage. When I found out that I could offer it to you for $36, I grabbed all I could…
 
Shaped from the highly sought after 2015 vintage, which the Wine Spectator describes as “truly special” in Margaux, Château Soussans is the second wine of Château Deyrem Valentin. Christelle Sorge tends the vines and manages both Estates, and she stands apart for her pure, traditional processes in the vineyards and winery, where her wines are 100% organic and natural. 
 
Christelle’s wine team forged Château Soussans from a small 5-acre parcel planted equally to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and located within the Deyrem-Valentin property. The 25 + year-old vines follow the same routine as Deyrem-Valentin, and the wine balances elegance with power and beautifully defined flavors that are classic to the region. 
 
CHÂTEAU SOUSSANS
2015 MARGAUX
 
Your Price: $36
 
“The Chateau Soussans 2015 is a beautiful, elegant achievement that begins with an intriguing nose with red plums, powdered stone, white flowers, forest ferns, and saddle leather. The palate has waves of mixed berries, red cherries, liquid minerals, and vanilla spice. It is a beautiful balance between power and elegance, which is everything you want from a Margaux.”
94 Points
 
“Made with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot the wine is soft and silky with perfumed strawberry jam on the nose. Ripe plum and cream come through on the palate which has supple tannins and an attractive, lively red fruit finish. This elegant Margaux will be lovely to drink, share and enjoy over the next decade.”