Originally a Benedictine foundation but owned by the legendary Alexis Lichine for nearly forty years and by his son for another ten, Prieure-Lichine has always had a good reputation for its wine. For those many years, it produced wines that were typical of the Margaux appellation, without necessarily being the most exciting. The Ballande group, a family with many interests in the wine business, and their director Justin Onclin are looking to change this. Alexis Lichine built up the size of the estate considerably before his death and those seventy hectares are somewhat scattered across the commune, so there isn`t a homogeneous terroir to call its own. But Lichine bought wisely and certainly was not interested in investing in land that wouldn`t increase the overall quality of the estate. So the philosophy of the new owners is to make the most of the gravelly soils that most of the vines brow on, and go for quality by reducing yields, employing rigorous sorting and increasing the concentration and ripeness of the wines. This style has emerged especially since the 2004 vintage and in years like 2009 is especially effective at expressing the Margaux character, though it shows more after a few years in bottle, while making a rich and satisfying wine, which can be drunk earlier. (CW 14/06/10)