Chateau Portillon is Merlot dominant, but the Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc in the blend lend herb & earth notes.  Ch. Portillon is well above the average Bordeaux table wine & will match with serious cuisine at a very affordable price.

An intense "Claret" style from Saint Macaire. Merlot is dominant with 70% in the blend along with Cabernet Sauvignon.  Ample & rich with good body & classically balanced. Rounded, fruity flavours of kirsch, blackberry & vanilla with a lovely nose of rose petals & anise with a touch of blueberry. A lingering, long finish.

Produced in the Aude valley, this 100% Sauvignon benefits from  a climate influenced both by the Mediterranean and the Atlantic,  producing a fruity wine full of citrus and apple,  with nicely balanced acidity and a delicious finish. 

Petit Martin is from the Graves property of Chateau Saint Martin and is classified as a Bordeaux Superieur, produced from 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, this wine has a wonderful bouquet of red fruits and vanilla with hints of spice, in the mouth it has plenty of ripe red fruits with soft tannins and a roundness that comes from the soft aging in aok barrels.great to drink on its own or with a variety of meats or pasta.

Ch. Prieuré de Blaignan is the 'second' wine of Ch. Blaignan - part of a stable of prestigious Bordeaux chateaus. A clear, attractive red, with a fresh nose of forest berry characters & a freshness that's evocative of bilberry & red currant in. On the finish, it leaves supple tannins on the palate. 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 55% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc

This Superb Bordeaux Superieur of 12 ha is located between Château Siran, Château Dauzac (5th Growth) and the River Gironde. The family de Cazenove decided to replant this old estate that was frozen in 1956. They selected the best parcels of  Alluvium soil where they planted Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc on rootstocks adapted to the soil. A deep understanding of local traditions, dedicated work and high quality requirements allowed reaching maturity and an excellent plant level. This vintage is characterized by fragrances of ripe raspberries and a gorgeously dense structure, ample and long in mouth

In the Spring of the year 2000, guided by a shared passion for the region, Danièle Vialard and Eric Hosteins travelled the legendary terroir of Aniane in the Hérault department in the South of France and found Domaine de Saint Dominique. The Saint Dominique Estate's vineyard stretches across 14 hectares, located in a choice position. It is also bounded by the flagships of local viticulture: the Mas Daumas-Gassac, the Domaine de la Grange des Pères and the Château Capion. SOIL Miocene terrain (tertiary period) with limestone and sandstone gravel, 10 metres deep, filtering well.
VINEYARD Mainly on hillsides, two-thirds of the surface area has been replanted since 2001, with high average density of 6,000 vines per hectare.
GRAPE VARIETIES 31% Syrah / 15% Merlot / 28% Cabernet Sauvignon / 15% Carignan / 6% Petit Verdot / 5% Mourvedre.
HARVESTING AND VINIFICATION The grapes are carefully sorted in the vineyard and on arrival at the vats. We remove all stems when the grapes are placed in the concrete vats which are thermo-regulated by gravity. The wine making process is traditional with as much maceration time as possible during fermentation.
LA CHAPELLE DE SAINT DOMINIQUE The estate’s wine for pleasure, a combination of Southern French warmth and Bordeaux elegance. Vinification in concrete vats and aging for up to 9 months 20% in barrels and 80% in vats. A blend of 30% Merlot, 30% Vieux Carignan, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15%, Syrah & 10% Mourvedre

Located close to the communes of Saint Emilion & Pomerol, Chateau La Croix de Roche is a certified organic & Biodynamic wine, renowned for producing outstanding value wines and regarded by Robert Parker as one of his favourite lower priced wines.
Produced from 60% Merlot, 15% Carmenere, 15% Petit Verdot & 10% Malbec, the low yield crops are vinified separately per block in temperature controlled vats, before being selected for blending, aging takes place with 90% in tank and the other 10% in new oak barrels.
Soft fruity with lots of cherry and plumb fruits, in the mouth silky and soft with fine tannins and a very nice freshness. To be enjoyed now or over the next 3 years.

Almost anonymous until the 1980's, Dominique Hebrard, at the time owner of Chateau Cheval Blanc and Hubert de Bouard, owner of Chateau Angelus were amongst the first of the big names to realize the great potential of the Cotes de Francs appellation. They purchased Chateau de Francs in 1986, where they have been producing outstanding wines ever since. The 40 hectares of vineyards are predominantly planted with the red grape varietals to the proportions of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc & 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are traditionally vinified with aging taking place in French oak barrels of which 10-15% are new.

Few areas of Bordeaux arouse such interest & demand as Pomerol. Thats where the uber-expensive Ch Petrus comes from.

Ch. Gachet is right next door & although is a slightly less favoured terroir it nevertheless produces wines from Merlot & Cabernet Franc on clay soils, like Pomerol.

We first saw Vieux Château Gachet from the lush 2009 vintage. The 2013 turned out to be a good Bordeaux vintage - not exceptional but still very good

70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc & 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested by hand, & aged in oak for 12 months (20% new).  Dark colour, velvet purple,  cherry aromas & soft sweetness of oak; the palate is dark fruits & cherry, hints of sweet spice, good balance of tannins & these are balanced beautifully by the fruit.  Drinking well now.