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  • Chateau Feytit-Clinet

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    A visit to Feytit-Clinet is so unlike a visit to most Bordeaux chateaux. It’s not a castle or a stately home, nor are you filtered past receptionists or along mirrored halls. In fact, it’s much more like a visit to Burgundy where the owner stomps out from round the back in welly boots, kicking their kids` toys out of the way as they go. Jeremy Chasseuil lives and works here, and has done since the year 2000 when he took over.

  • Chateau Figeac

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    Figeac was one of the winners in the 2022 St-Emilion reclassification, and it now plays in the very top league. Premier Grand Cru Classe (A). It should probably have always been there, but never mind. It is one of the oldest properties in Bordeaux, with roots in the second century and the Roman Figeacus family. (I know that sounds like it comes from the Life of Brian, but it’s for real, and there are Gallo-Roman remains on the property). The Manoncourt family arrived in 1892, and remain here to this day.

  • Chateau Fombrauge

  • Chateau Gazin

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    Run by a staunch free thinker, who considers Rolland and Parker to be, if not anathema, not of the true Pomerol faith. This estate is huge by Pomerol standards and is the largest of the Grand Crus at 26 hectares in a region where the average size is 4has. It is planted to 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. They use mostly concrete tanks for fermentation and barrels for maturation; and have a brand new, high tech basket press which is already making a contribution to quality./CW

  • Chateau Giscours

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    Having made it as a third growth in the 1855 classification, Chateau Giscours began a period of graceful decline that lasted almost a century and a half, before being arrested by the ownership of Nicolas Tari and his money. Even then things did not go smoothly with someone putting oak chips into the second wine Sirene de Giscours in the late nineties. That is in the past, however and so moving on, we find Giscours under new owner Dutchman Eric Albada Jelgersma finally achieving the sort of quality that a third growth with this sort of terroir should.

  • Chateau Grand Mayne

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    At one point in its history a 250 hectare estate, Grand Mayne now has just 19ha under vine, but they are beautifully sited on the clay limestone slopes for the most part, with some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon on the sandy soil at the foot of the hill. Viticulture, though not organic, is concentrated on making the vines work hard for their nutrition and to put their roots deep to pick up necessary minerals and water. A precautionary green harvest is carried out when appropriate and harvest and sorting are by hand.

  • Chateau Grand-Puy Ducasse

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    With history building an ownership of three main shareholders, an estate of vineyards split into three distinct plots across Pauillac and the Chateau itself unusually sited in the town docks, Ducasse prospers. Possibly despite the complicated nature of the enterprise. Those three vineyard plots are of fine and homogeneous terroir, all brilliantly sited on deep gravel mounds with some really old vines as well as some more recent replantings as part of the large and ongoing investments.

  • Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste

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    Of the two Pauillac properties whose names begin Grand-Puy, it is Grand-Puy-Lacoste that enjoys rather more prestige over Grand-Puy-Ducasse. Turn the clock back to the 1855 classification of the Medoc, and they were the same property. Grand Puy, awarded fifth-growth status. Grand-Puy-Lacoste still holds fifth-growth status, although that seems a sad undervaluing of a property that regularly puts many second-growths to shame.

  • Chateau Gruaud Larose

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    1855 second growth Gruaud-Larose is very much one of the grander estates in Saint-Julien. It occupies a high point on the Medoc plateau and I can attest it gets windy there; that wind serves to dry the vines and help prevent vine infections. The modernistic viewing tower that divides opinion and stands in angular contrast to the classical chateau does enjoy some far-reaching views of the Medoc.

  • Chateau Guillot Clauzel

    Horribly underperformed in the nineties, but under the brilliant Francois Despagne, an oenology professor and superb viticulturalist, and with Dominique Thienpoint at the sales helm, this is one property that is sure to come to greater prominence. We were very impressed with the silky tannins and black cherry fruit. An ideal buy for those wishing to get in on the ground floor!/CW

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