A selection of quality wines from Bordeaux, France, available to European customers only. The wine is enclosed in a custom-made, reusable Say No to Woke collector’s wine crate.
There are two selections of six wines each. Each case has three high-end wines that may be consumed now and three that may be left to age for maximum enjoyment. The selections are all exceptional years and come directly from the châteaux. Most are not available in retail stores.
For more information on the individual wines, please click / tap the unfolding arrow symbols.
Vignobles Vaulthier, Saint-Emilion
Grapes: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 13.0%
Body: Full Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2020-2040
DESCRIPTION
Situated on seven hectares in a plot which borders the south entrance of St Emilion, the 2017 is a blend of 80 percent Merlot and 20 percent Cabernet Franc. It has attractive aromatics of red fruit, blueberry, crème de cassis and a suave, bright texture. A long, persistent finish.
TERROIR
Château Moulin Saint-Georges has been referred to as a junior version of Château Ausone as it is owned by the same proprietors, the Vauthier family. Its 17.3 acres of vineyards are located between those of Ausone and La Gaffelière and are well-sited on a south-west facing slope, known as the Pavie slope. The vineyards are planted with Merlot (66%), the rest (34%) Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2017 Moulin St Georges is medium garnet-purple in color with lovely notes of red currants, black cherries, black raspberries and allspice with touches of roses and garrigue. Medium-bodied with a solid backbone of grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, it finishes long.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown – 27/04/2018
Bright and fruity, this wine has soft tannins and attractive, juicy acidity. The wine’s structure and fruitiness suggests that it will age quickly, so drink from late 2020.
Roger Voss – 3/1/2020
Domaine Labruyère, Saint-Emilion
Grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.5%
Body: Full Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2020-2037
DESCRIPTION
Deep crimson red with lots of black cherry roasted almonds and some blueberry muffin. Medium to full bodied with silky smooth tannins and long persistent finish.
TERROIR
Gravelous soils mixed with clay. This soil composition, combined with an exceptional exposure, confers all the typicity, elegance and finesse to Château Rouget wines.
Grape Varieties
85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Planting density
7,500 vines per hectare
Average age of vines
40 years
VINTAGE
The first winter months were abnormally dry, but February and March 2017 saw quantities of water rarely observed in the vineyard. Bud break started early and the vegetation has advanced in April. The buds were homogeneous and are well spread over the vine. We did not observe any presence of fungous diseases.
On April 28th and 29th, an unprecedented in the last 25 years episode of frost has touched most of the western parcels of the property, irremediably impeding the future Carillon de Rouget 2017.
The high temperatures in the beginning of May helped vines to continue growing regularly and healthily.
Flowering begun on 15th May for Merlot and on 20th May for the Cabernet Franc and both were perfectly homogeneous. Veraison was completed by 12th July.
Harvest took place from 20th to 29th September, first for Merlot and then for Cabernet Franc. More than ever before it was haute couture work since each parcel was picked in several steps depending on maturity of the grapes.
Medium-bodied, forward and floral, with the right amount of licorice, plums, dark cherries and even darker cocoa, the wine is soft round and needs only a few years in the cellar.
Jeff Leve – May 2020
The nose is aromatic, elegant, well-built and offers power as well as complexity. It reveals notes of boysenberry, small wild fruits, small berries and more slightly violet, clay (terroir), spices associated with a hint of tobacco, lily, crushed cardamom as well as subtle touches of toasted and a very discreet hint of pepper. The palate is fresh, fruity, well-balanced, slightly tight and offers a good definition, a fine acid frame, racy minerality, a small juiciness, a beautiful tension, fat, straightness, a fine unctuosity, a beautiul gourmandize, dynamism, a good freshness as well as a beautiful finesse of the grain. On the palate this wine expresses notes of blackberry, blueberry and more slightly strawberry associated with fine/dsicreet touches of flowers, clay (terroir), tonka bean and sweet spices. Tannins are elegant. The finish is slightly powdered. Good job!
VertdeVin – Apr 2018
Vignobles Garcin, Saint-Emilion
Grapes: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.5%
Body: Full Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2023-2040
DESCRIPTION
The wine of Château Barde-Haut offer an admirably balanced dialogue between power and freshness, resulting in a product of rare elegance.
With its deep ruby color and aromas of black cherry, plum, and vanilla, this wine is a true delight for the senses. On the palate, the 2017 Chateau Barde-Haut is full-bodied and well-structured, with flavors of dark fruit, spice, and a hint of oak. The tannins are firm and well-integrated, providing a long and satisfying finish.
TERROIR
Chateau Barde Haut is a 17 hectare estate located at the extreme east of the village of Saint-Emilion. The vineyard forms an natural amphitheatre and is particularly well exposed to the south. The soil is very typical of Saint Emilion being mainly composed of clay which is found on a layer of chalk.
Grape Varieties
75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc
Density
7,150 vines per hectare
Ripe, luscious fruit flavors make this wine surprisingly approachable now. The smoky tannins and structure will allow the wine to age, but it is the generous juicy character of the wine that is immediately appealing.
Roger Voss – 04/2018
The 2017 Barde-Haut is deep garnet in colour. The bouquet is well defined, demanding just a little coaxing from the glass, unfurling with pure scents of blackberry, briary, faint cassis scents and potpourri. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins, quite sapid in the mouth with a touch of white pepper and clove towards the finish. It is a classically-styled Haut-Barde with a briny aftertaste. Very fine.
Neal Martin – 02/2020
Domaine Labruyère, Saint-Emilion
Grapes: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.5%
Body: Full Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2012-2032
DESCRIPTION
Invitingly complex nose. Rich, earthy entry immediately followed by ripe plums, olives and bitter chocolate. Big wine. Very smooth.
TERROIR
Gravelous soils mixed with clay. This soil composition, combined with an exceptional exposure, confers all the typicity, elegance and finesse to Château Rouget wines.
VINTAGE
2009 was an exceptional vintage, with perfect conditions. The summer saw plenty of sunshine, neither too hot as in 2003, neither too rare as in 2007. The spring was humid, but not excessively, allowing the vines to build up sufficient water reserves for the whole growing season. At not time where the conditions excessive or detrimental to the quality of the vintage. The flowering was very consistent, in one weekend everything was blooming, which was the sign of a great vintage. Water-stress only came very late in the season, and the ripening was very homogenous across the estate.
Round, supple textures, fresh dark cherry, earth, fennel and cocoa scents and a fresh, sweet, plummy, rich, plush finish. This is another example of how great 2009 is for the entire appellation of Pomerol
Jeff Leve – June 2012
This rounded wine is dense, with firm tannins that are well molded into its sweet-tasting structure. Packed with ripe fruit, this will age relatively quickly, giving pleasure in 5–6 years.
Jan 2013
Domaine Cruse, Margaux
Grapes: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot
Alcohol: 13.82%
Body: Medium Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2025-2055
DESCRIPTION
Medium bodied. Nicely incorporated acidity and medium tannins. Blackberry and tobacco on the nose. Black currant, blackberry, and graphite on the palate.
TERROIR
The wine is made from the old vines in the Château d’Issan enclosure in the middle of the Margaux appellation. The soil here is mainly made up of surface gravel on top of a clay subsoil, which contributes to optimal ripeness and freshness in our two grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Château d’Issan expresses the exquisite bouquet so characteristic of Margaux, and stands out with its suppleness, subtlety, elegance and long keeping potential that come from its unique terroir.
VINTAGE
Thanks to the mild spring, followed by an incredibly warm and sunny month of June, flowering during the last week of May took place quickly and very evenly.
The hot and dry month of July confirmed the potential of the vintage. Despite some peaks in temperature, this did not stress the vines due to lack of water. The abundant rains in winter had supplied ample water in reserve to see the vineyard through the hot weather. Conditions were totally normal throughout the month of August. The mid-point of veraison was reached during the first week of August. The weather in September was especially favorable for both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon at the critical time of maturation. The chemical analysis on the 7 th of September showed that the Merlot was at exactly the same level as it had been in 2009, and the Cabernet Sauvignon exceeded all expectations. The berries ripened gradually in the most optimal way to produce complexity and preserve freshness.
“Elegant, refined, floral, and fresh, the wine is packed to the brim with perfectly ripe, exuberant, lively, earthy, black plums, cherries, blackberries, cigar wrapper, and flowers. Full-bodied, vibrant, soft, and silky, give this beauty just a few more years of aging and enjoy it over the following 2 decades or more with ease.
Jeff Leve – Jul 2022
This is a serious, structured wine. It has plenty of black plum flavor, although the firm tannins will play an important part in its development. The ample acidity and fresh finish are other harbingers for the wine’s good future.
Jan 2016
Château Le Tertre-Roteboeuf, Cotes de Bourg
Grapes: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 14.5%
Body: Medium – Full Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2023-2038
DESCRIPTION
Powerful perfume and earth, slightly floral and fruity on the nose. Solid oak and tobacco spice on the palate, a little cassis.
TERROIR
Roc de Cambes is located in the Cotes de Bourg appellation. The 12 hectare vineyard is planted to 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc.
The terroir is mostly limestone and clay soils, similar to what you find in the Right Bank of Bordeaux, especially in Saint Emilion.
VINTAGE
2018 was a year when many records were broken. The springtime proved to be extremely wet and the soil, saturated with water, was thereby well fortified to protect the vine and allow it to survive the heat of the summer without undue stress. For the summer in its turn proved to be simultaneously drier, hotter and sunnier.
The actual grapes, moreover, were small, resulting in wine with great density.
Ripening was slowed by the summer drought, and ripening ended in the fall, with cool temperatures (harvest in early October). The fruit therefore has a beautiful shine, while the great maturity of the polyphenols presents a deep structure.
We therefore have a deep, muscular wine with good dynamics.
The hint of chocolate, smoke, licorice, old wood, and black cherry come alive this year. The fruit has a wildness to it along with sweetness, freshness and purity. The energetic, lusty finish wraps everything nicely.
Jeff Leve – Mar 2021
The nose is elegant and offers delicacy, a fine grain, intensity as well as subtility and a beautiful ripe/fleshy fruit. It reveals notes of fleshy blackberry, fleshy/juicy violet plum, small notes of small red berries associated with touches of cherry, violet, lilac as well as very fine hints of toasted, cardamom, a very discreet hint of grilled and a subtle hint of citrus. The palate is fruity, fresh, well-balanced, mineral and offers a beautiful definition, tension, richness as well as a certain power. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy/fleshy cassis, fleshy/juicy Boysen berry, small notes of plum associated with touches of small red berries as well as hints of violet, lilac, a subtle hint of small acidulous/ripe berries, hints of toasted, tonka bean, cardamom, a very discreet hint of caramelization and tobacco. Good length. An imperceptible hint of dry grape and small hints of chocolate on the persistence.
Sep 2020
Beautiful cassis and blackcurrant notes, as well as classy oak and tobacco, emerge from the 2018 Roc De Cambes.
It’s beautifully layered, textured, and deep on the palate, with fabulous tannin quality and length. Coming from the Cotes de Bourg, this brilliant wine will shine for two decades.
Jeb Dunnuck – May 2019
Roc is more backward and more obviously
tannic than Domaine de Cambes in 2018. It is more red-fruited and more austere and the elegance and edge are fascinating as it shuns the black fruit spectrum and it majors on red fruit. The oak is perfectly matched to this lusty red fruit and there is a cinnamon dusting of spice which invigorates the palate. The length is mellow and long and the tannins never dry the palate.
Matthew Jukes – April 2019
Price: €650
Domaine Henri Lurton, Margaux
Grapes: 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1 % Carmenère
Alcohol: 13%
Body: Medium Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2015-2040
DESCRIPTION
Intense, vivid colour. Very delicate, subtle fruit- driven nose with attractive floral notes, and hint of tobacco. The palate is promising, offering fine tannin, palpable energy and sorbet-fresh red berry fruit laced with cedar and pencil lead. Great balance. This wine is pure and elegant, delivering precision and typicity.
TERROIR
Located in the heart of the prestigious Margaux appellation, Château Brane-Cantenac, second Classified Growth in 1855, is one of the most famous châteaux of the Médoc. Renowned for making wines of remarkable elegance and finesse, our 75 hectare family-owned estate is an emblem of quality and excellence.
Grapes: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 0,5% Carmenère.
Vine average age: 35 years
VINTAGE
The 2011 vintage was complicated throughout the growing cycle. In addition to all our efforts, there were two key factors in obtaining high-quality wines. The first was the plateau of Brane’s soil water reserves, thanks to which the vines did not suffer from the spring drought. The second was the use of optical sorting. Sun scald, uneven ripening within bunches and between the stocks and the poor health status of certain grapes made careful grape selection especially important. It is clear that without this tool, the wines produced would not have achieved the same quality level.
Forest floor, flowers and bright, fresh black raspberries are in the open, with this elegant, feminine, medium bodied, ready to drink soft wine.
Jeff Leve – May 2014
This serious estate has made a fine 2011 wine. While deep and ripe with blackberry flavor and acidity, it also has dense structure. It shows both power and style, with notes of wood aging likely to fade.
Jan 2014
Domaine Labruyère, Saint-Emilion
Grapes: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.5%
Body: Full Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2012-2032
DESCRIPTION
Invitingly complex nose. Rich, earthy entry immediately followed by ripe plums, olives and bitter chocolate. Big wine. Very smooth.
TERROIR
Gravelous soils mixed with clay. This soil composition, combined with an exceptional exposure, confers all the typicity, elegance and finesse to Château Rouget wines.
VINTAGE
2009 was an exceptional vintage, with perfect conditions. The summer saw plenty of sunshine, neither too hot as in 2003, neither too rare as in 2007. The spring was humid, but not excessively, allowing the vines to build up sufficient water reserves for the whole growing season. At not time where the conditions excessive or detrimental to the quality of the vintage. The flowering was very consistent, in one weekend everything was blooming, which was the sign of a great vintage. Water-stress only came very late in the season, and the ripening was very homogenous across the estate.
Round, supple textures, fresh dark cherry, earth, fennel and cocoa scents and a fresh, sweet, plummy, rich, plush finish. This is another example of how great 2009 is for the entire appellation of Pomerol.
Jeff Leve – June 2012
This rounded wine is dense, with firm tannins that are well molded into its sweet-tasting structure. Packed with ripe fruit, this will age relatively quickly, giving pleasure in 5–6 years.
Jan 2013
Les Domaines Delon, Médoc
Grapes: 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
Alcohol: 13.2%
Body: Medium/Full Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2020-2038
DESCRIPTION
The Merlots offer a soft tannic structure and expressive fruit. The Cabernet Francs are dense and complex. The Cabernet Sauvignons are powerful yet silky. The 2017 blend offers very attractive ripe fruit and a smooth, tight tannic structure. The wine is powerful and harmonious. There is a perfect balance between the flattering aromatic palette and a long, refined structure in the mouth.
TERROIR
The château derives its name from the Potensac plateau that it sits on, in the Ordonnac district of the Médoc. The Delon family owns two other Bordeaux estates, Château Nénin in Pomerol and the prestigious second growth Château Leoville-Las Cases in Saint-Julien.
Château Potensac produces two wines, both red and both made of the common Bordeaux red varieties. Historically, Cabernet Sauvignon was the dominant grape, but Merlot has taken over recently as the style of wine moves towards more approachability and earlier drinking.
The vineyards have limestone subsoil with surface clay and a high concentration of gravel. The flagship wine is the eponymous Château Potensac. It is accompanied by the smaller production second wine Chapelle de Potensac, first produced in the 2002 vintage. Château Potensac was one of the nine producers awarded the Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel status in the 2003 reclassification, the highest possible designation.
The 84 hectares (208 acres) of land are planted to 46 percent Merlot, 35 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 16 percent Cabernet Franc, 2 percent Carménère, and 1 percent Petit Verdot. Average vine age is 38 years, with some as old as 80.
VINTAGE
2017 was an early but balanced vintage. Spring frost was avoided thanks to the hilltop morphology of our vineyard and its proximity to the Gironde. The grapes were able to develop rapidly and homogeneously, benefiting from heat and necessary episodes of rain. The attention paid to the vineyard allowed us to reach full maturity and to maintain a very good sanitary state until the last days of the harvest.
Ruby in color with a cedar wood soul and leafy green spirit, you’ll find bright red fruits assigned to the nose. Medium/full bodied and nearly approachable right now, the willing, accessible fruit displays a cheerful and zippy personality.
Jeff Leve – Apr 2018
Tannins in this wine are supple and lithe, providing a good backbone for the blackberry fruits. It is already an attractive wine, ready to drink over the medium term from 2022.
Roger Voss – Mar 2020
Grandes Murailles, Saint-Emilion
Grapes: 100% Merlot
Alcohol: 14.4%
Body: Full Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2020-2038
DESCRIPTION
Medium to deep garnet-purple in colour, expressive scents of raspberries, blackberries
and warm plums with touches of dried herbs, tobacco and new leather. Medium to full-
bodied, fresh, driven and pure with savoury-laced black fruits and chewy texture
finishing with a compelling herbal lift.
TERROIR
Chateau Les Grandes Murailles is produced from a small 1.46-hectare vineyard
located on the Saint Emilion plateau not far from Clos Fourtet, just outside the village.
Grapes: 100% Merlot
Vine average age: 30 years
Truffle, chocolate, plum and leafy notes on the nose lead to a medium bodied, polished, fresh wine. You’ll find dark plummy, round fruits, silky tannins and a touch of oak on the back end.
Jeff Leve – Apr 2018
The nose is fruity, gourmand, slightly tight and offers a fine richness as well as a fine grain. It reveals notes of fleshy blackberry/wild blackberry, crushed cassis and small notes of crushed wild strawberry associated with fine touches of ripe blue fruits/griotte, Cuben pepper as well as toasted hints, liquorice, spices and very discreet hints of caramelization. The palate offers an acidulous frame, a beautiful suavity, richness, a good guideline as well as a good definition. On the palate this wine expresses notes of fleshy blackberry, fleshy cassis and small notes of crushed small blue fruits associated with very fine hints of liquorice, violet as well as subtle hints of caramelization. Tannins are elegant and very slightly dry. Good length. A very fine hint almost saline on the finish/persistence.
VertdeVin – Oct 2019
Vignobles Malartic, Pessac-Léognan
Grapes: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
Alcohol: 13.5%
Body: Full Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2020-2040
DESCRIPTION
Dark garnet in colour. Nose has heavy dose of vanilla, oak, cherry, blackberries, some spice, cedarwood. On the palate, silky soft tannins, balanced, layered complexity, medium minus body, long finish. Great wine and will benefit from some aging to soften the oak.
TERROIR
Château Malartic Lagravière is a high terrace that has been deeply scored by the Eau Blanche river and its tributaries. The Malartic “hillock” is considered to be among the best in the region, as most of its plots are on the upper Gunzian terrace, dating from the first ice age of the Quaternary period.
VINTAGE
An early and challenging 2017 vintage, in which the Malartic teams rose to the occasion!
Climatic conditions were marked by historic frosts in late April, that impacted especially the second wines. Fortunately, this was followed by some excellent spring weather, resulting in a fast, uniform and beautiful flowering mid-May. The late spring with a heatwave period was followed by an uneven summer, but this promoted excellent ripening.
We approached the harvest early September with optimism. The whites, with great concentrations and nice freshness, showed superb aromas. The reds quickly followed two weeks later (14 September to 3 October)
These harvests required a responsive approach: relatively early and intense, but calm. The changeable weather forced a day-to-
day monitoring, but without ever overwhelming us. Despite low volumes, the grapes had ripened very well, thanks to the careful selection work carried out after the frost by our team.
For the whites, the aromatic profiles are superb; the wines show a crisp line of acidity, good tightness and a pleasant sappiness, with plenty of fruit and a good quality framework.
The Malartic reds also present beautiful aromatic concentrations, with delicious fruitiness
accompanied by a pleasant freshness, a sure sign of balance. The tannins are ripe, with a velvety, rounded texture. Overall, the impression is of superb complexity and depth.
Lush, round, sensuously textured, smokey fruits with extra notes of espresso, wet earth, thyme and tobacco leaf hit your nose with ease. Round, soft, plush and loaded with ripe, dark red berries and a kiss of oak from start to finish, give this at least 7-8 years and could merit a higher score.
Jeff Leve – May 2020
This ripe, structured wine is dense with tannins as well as acidity and black fruits. The weight and concentration promise well for the future, offering a richly juicy wine.
Roger Voss – Jan 2020
Famille Lorenzetti, Pauillac
Grapes: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Alcohol: 13.3%
Body: Medium/Full Bodied, Dry Red
Consume: 2020-2037
DESCRIPTION
This wine has a subtle nose of red fruits enhanced by musky notes. On the
palate the musk evolves towards floral aromas, fresh almonds and blackcurrant buds. A spicy finish – fresh hints of Timut pepper
– gives it a nice length, structured with a mineral and coated tannin note.
TERROIR
The Pédesclaux vines are rooted in a geological masterwork that has existed for 40 million years. This unique vineyard, almost 50 hectares in size, is located right at the heart of Pauillac’s superb terroir. The soils are deep gravel, blended with clay and limestone in certain places.
VINTAGE
The cold and dry winter allowed for a good vegetative rest of the vine. Starting in the Spring, everything sped up. The warm
temperatures caused an early budding, then a fast and homogeneous blooming, 10 days before usual. That fast pace kept going
during the summer: it was dry and cloudy with cool nights, which protected the fruits and acidity of our grapes.
The 12 days harvest went smoothly and ended on the 29th of September. Once the fermentation process was complete, our first impression was very promising. Our 4 grape varieties showed very different expressions, with a lot of personality.
The Cabernets-Sauvignons are incredibly refined. The Merlots are very tense, with a very strong expression of fresh fruit. The Cabernets Francs are the best that were ever harvested on the property. Moist, dense and airy, they have all the qualities to make a delightful wine. The Petit Verdot turn up with their characterized spicy expression.
The nose pops with black currant, tobacco leaf, licorice, cedar and forestry aromatics. On the palate, the wine displays freshness in the fruits and cream on the tannins. Medium/full bodied with a lot of black and red fruits, which carry through to the endnotes, this has both charm and age ability. The higher percentage of Cabernet adds complexity and character to the wine.
Jeff Leve – Apr 2018
The nose is elegant, fine and offers a racy minerality. It reveals notes of blackberry, ripe strawberry and small notes of violet associated with small touches of cornflower/small blue fruits as well as discreet hints of camphor and caramelization. The mouth is fruity, fresh, well-balanced and offers minerality, a good definition and suavity. On the mouth this wine expresses notes of fleshy raspberry, fleshy cherry and small notes of blueberry associated with fine touches of violet, cornflower as well as discreet hints of liquorice stick, cardamom and vanilla. Good length. Tannins are elegant.
VerteDeVin – Jan 2020
Price: €650