2010 Bordeaux en primeur: Chevaliers, Durfort, Malescot

10/06/11

TFI Friday. It's been a week of high drama in Bordeaux. Some wines received a rapturous reception. Some didn't. But it's not over yet. This morning, from one of the wisest heads in Bordeaux, came one of our favourite reds from the left bank. For us, this holds its own against the likes of Haut-Bailly and Pape-Clement, yet it's half the price. Ever modest, Olivier Bernard says his 2010 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge most resembles his 2008. Those who've been lucky enough to taste that wine will realise that's no bad thing, but we suspect that, with production down 35%, this is going to turn out rather better than that. But of course that's not even the star of the show. 2010 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is one of an elite group of Bordeaux white wines which is otherwise scarcely obtainable - either by price or by rarity, or both. Olivier uses one word to sum up this vintage: "long". We think this ranks among the best whites he's made.

Gonzague Lurton appears to have produced his best Durfort-Vivens yet in 2010. Although the critics are beginning to latch onto the progress he's made, this continues to be one of the best buys in Margaux, and looks set to be by far the best value second growth we offer this year.

Other highly rated releases are Grand Mayne and Malescot St-Exupery, as well as the very fairly priced Barde-Haut from the Garcin family who also own the popular Pessac-Leognan, Haut-Bergey.

We don't wish to bombard you with too many emails so please check the Offers and stock listings pages of our website for the very latest releases, prices and availability.

Finally, the first tranche went immediately to last year's buyers but we now have a very small second tranche of one of our favourite wines of the vintage, the flamboyantly styled and utterly gorgeous Leoville-Poyferre. /AR

Halves & magnums £10 extra per 9 litre case; other formats on request

View all 2010 Bordeaux en primeur