Berliquet can seem like a relative newcomer. In fact it is an historic estate, but one whose grapes for generations were sent to the local co-op. In-house bottling did not begin till 1978, and so, despite the excellent location, it wasn’t even classified till 1986. Nicolas Audebert freely admits that when the Wertheimer brothers acquired Berliquet in 2017, the intention had been to roll the vineyards into their neighbouring Chateau Canon. But they realised that Berliquet has an identity all its own, on a much more distinct range of soils (gravel, clay, limestone and alluvial) than the more homogeneous neighbour. A quarter of the vineyards lie on the Magdelaine plateau, the rest roll over the cusp onto the slopes below. Instead of submerging Berliquet into Canon, Audebert and his team began a comprehensive plan of vineyard and cellar restructuring. This is a chateau on a fast upwards trajectory. (NT 11/08/23)