Social media posts and some French media reports suggested hip-hop star and producer Jay-Z enjoyed a trip to Bordeaux wine country earlier this month, even if the precise itinerary of the tour remained open to speculation.

The trip coincided with Jay-Z’s 54th birthday on 4 December, and was also held to celebrate the 50th birthday of Jay Brown –  co-founder of Roc Nation with Jay-Z in 2008, and the label’s current vice chairman.

Although details of the trip remained somewhat mysterious, it’s believed Brown temporarily ‘privatised’ exclusive spa hotel Les Sources de Caudalie for guests.

Beyoncé, married to Jay-Z since 2008, and Rihanna were among the other high-profile guests visiting the region, according to Le Figaro newspaper, citing Instagram posts by celebrity news agency Backgrid. 

One photo posted to Instagram by @KodakLens appeared to show Jay-Z with a glass of red wine at famous Pomerol estate Petrus, along with the message ‘Brooklyn to Bordeaux’. The account is run by senior Roc Nation executive Lenny Santiago.

Jay-Z visits Bordeaux wine country…Photo published on Instagram by @kodaklens.

There were also unconfirmed reports of a visit to Châteaux d’Yquem, with media outlet France 3  citing Instagram updates from Santiago. One photo appeared to show bottles of Yquem 1969 and 1973, the birth years of Brown and Carter, noted Le Figaro.

Other social media footage purportedly from the trip showed several guests in-front of large-format bottles of Petrus.

Château d’Yquem, owned by LVMH, said it had no information about the journey of Jay-Z and friends in Bordeaux.

Alice Tourbier, owner of Les Sources de Caudalie, said that she couldn’t comment on reports about the venue’s latest high-profile guests. 

Les Sources de Caudalie, which lies within the grounds of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, is one of the most luxurious hotels in the greater Bordeaux area – it recently welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla during their state visit to France. 

Local newspaper Sud-Ouest also speculated last week about the arrival of a rarely spotted luxury train, the Venice Simplon Orient Express (VSOE), at Bordeaux’s St-Jean station in the same period.

It is operated by the Belmond group, which is part of LVMH’s portfolio, but it wasn’t clear who would be getting onboard. 

Jay-Z is no stranger to the wine world, and in 2021 LVMH acquired 50% of the star’s Armand de Brignac Champagne, also known as ‘Ace of Spades’.

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Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota has created a work named ‘Universe of Mouton’ to illustrate the Château Mouton Rothschild 2021 label, the Bordeaux first growth estate said today (1 December).

Mouton Rothschild 2021 is the latest vintage of the estate’s grand vin to be bottled, around 18 months on from an initial release during the Bordeaux en primeur campaign.

Pauillac-based Mouton has commissioned artwork for every vintage label since 1945.

Alongside the Mouton Rothschild 2021 label release, the estate has partnered with Christie’s to offer a one-off lot of the wine in various bottle formats, including a 15-litre ‘nebuchadnezzar’ bottle.

The online auction runs until 8 December and proceeds from the sale will benefit the Association Antoine Alléno, a charity that supports grieving families. 

Concept of the Mouton Rothschild 2021 label

Chiharu Shiota. Photo credit: Sunhi Mang / courtesy of Château Mouton Rothschild.

Mouton described how the label design depicts a ‘fragile silhouette of a human figure [facing] gorgeous, generous nature’, at the same time as reflecting a delicate interconnectedness between the two. 

Berlin-based Chiharu Shiota said, ‘When I visited Château Mouton Rothschild, I was very inspired by their relationship with nature. They depend on the weather and do not interfere with mother nature. They accept the conditions in which the grapes grow. I think Mouton is holding on to the balance of human and nature.’ 

The award-winning artist added, ‘The four lines connecting the human to the environment represent the four seasons (winter, spring, summer, autumn) and all the emotions linked to them (solitude, hope, achievement).

‘It is like preserving the memory of the year in the wine. I find this very fascinating because I also believe that the objects that surround us accumulate our memories and existence.’

Mouton Rothschild co-owner Julien de Beaumarchais with Chiharu Shiota. Photo credit: Atelier Chiharu Shiota.

Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, co-owner of Château Mouton Rothschild and responsible for artistic and cultural matters at the estate – including relations with the chosen label artist – said, ‘I was fascinated by Chiharu Shiota’s vision, so close to the world of wine, especially in the relationship between humankind and nature, fragile and fertile, generous but unpredictable. 

‘And then there is that bright red colour, one of her trademarks, so reminiscent of new wine running out of the vats. For me the label embodies what I would call metaphorical realism: I see in it a vinegrower firmly grasping a fabulous cluster of grapes.’

Chiharu Shiota was born in Osaka in 1972 and has seen her work displayed at art institutions and galleries worldwide. In 2008 in Japan, she was awarded the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s ‘Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists’.

Mouton Rothschild 2021 charity lot at Christie’s

Château Mouton Rothschild 2021 (specimen bottle). Credit: Courtesy of Mouton Rothschild.

Bordeaux’s 2021 vintage was particularly challenging from a weather perspective, although excellent wines were still made at many châteaux.

Decanter’s Bordeaux correspondent, Georgie Hindle, rated Mouton Rothschild 2021 at 96 points after tasting it en primeur.  

Christie’s said it was offering the one-off charity lot of Mouton Rothschild 2021 online until Friday 8 December at 17:00 (GMT+1). It said the lot includes:

• Six 75cl bottles
• Three magnums
• One double magnum
• One imperial (six litres)
• One nebuchadnezzar (15 litres) – the only one so far bottled in this vintage

The buyer and three guests will also be invited to tour Château Mouton Rothschild, and attend the unveiling of the 2022 vintage label at the estate next year. 

On top of that, chef Yannick Alléno, who holds 15 Michelin stars, will offer the buyer and three guests an immersive dining experience at Le Pavillon Ledoyen, his three-Michelin-star restaurant in Paris. 

The guests will be able to help prepare a service with the chef and his team, before dining with Alléno and a member of the family that owns Mouton Rothschild – during which dishes will be paired with vintages from the estate.

Alléno founded the charity Association Antoine Alléno following the tragic death of his son, Antoine, to help support families of young people who have suffered violence at the hands of a third party. 

Mouton Rothschild artist label series

The estate first commissioned artwork around its 1924 vintage, but it wasn’t until after the Second World War that this became an annual event – beginning with the now-legendary Mouton Rothschild 1945 vintage.

Artists who have previously designed vintage labels for Mouton Rothschild include Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon, Annette Messager and David Hockney.

Peter Doig created the artwork for the Mouton Rothschild 2020 label, revealed last year.

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As the two smallest communal appellations in the Médoc region, after the big four of St-Estéphe, St-Julien, Pauillac and Margaux, Moulis and Listrac may not carry the same name recognition or prestige as their more famous neighbours on Bordeaux’s Left Bank, but these are the places to look for happy, characterful and food-friendly wines at accessible prices (often under or around £20 per bottle).

Scroll down for Georgie Hindle’s pick of 18 wines to try from Moulis & Listrac

See Georgie Hindle’s pick of 18 wines to try from Moulis and Listrac

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Considered one of the region’s greatest-ever vintages, 1982 produced a plentiful crop and a raft of ripe, generous and rich wines that ushered in a new style of ‘rockstar opulence’ for Bordeaux.

It effectively launched the career of the now-famous (and retired) critic Robert M Parker Jr, who opposed leading US wine writers at the time by exuberantly praising the vintage. And it was a vintage that re-energised the Bordeaux en primeur market following a decade of economic gloom, bringing much-needed investment into the vineyards.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for all the 1982 Bordeaux wines tasted

See notes and scores for all the 1982 Bordeaux wines tasted

Some wines in the tasting were faulty or corked so were omitted from this list. 

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Contrary to popular belief, not all Parisian pours need be natural. Despite the rise in glou-glou wine bars and natural-heavy selections, a plethora of classically-styled wine lists still dominate a good number of Parisian establishments.

From prestigious growths to Médoc-based Cru Bourgeois to the great Cru Classés of Saint-Emilion, an endless amount of current release and back-vintage Bordeaux is just waiting to be discovered in Parisian cellars everywhere.

Not sure where to look? Check out the Bordeaux-heavy lists at these classic City of Light institutions, here.

Le Clarence

31 Av. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 75008

In the realm of Paris-based Bordeaux offerings, Le Clarence undeniably holds one of the best selections. Located on the prestigious Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt in Paris’ 8th arrondissement, the impressive 1,400 references are exclusively French. Strong holdings come from Burgundy, the Rhône, and of course, Bordeaux. The restaurant itself falls under family-owned Domaine Clarence Dillon, the famed family behind Château Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion and Château Quintus. While the restaurant’s set menus will cost you a pretty penny – think €180 for three courses, €250 for five courses, and €350 for seven courses, its back-vintage verticals from some of Bordeaux’s top estates make it entirely worth it.

La Tour d’Argent

19 Quai de la Tournelle, 75005

Credit: HJBC / Alamy Stock Photo

After more than a year of having its doors shuttered, La Tour d’Argent reopened this summer. Located in Paris’ 5th arrondissement, La Tour d’Argent’s roots date back to 1582, though the establishment of the restaurant took place about 300 years later. Today, this breathtaking Michelin-star restaurant is beloved for its panoramic views, as well as its Bible-like wine list, which promises something for every curious Bordeaux drinker out there. While the meal itself isn’t necessarily cheap, heading to La Tour for lunch offers a more budget-friendly option.

Garance

34 Rue Saint-Dominique, 75007

Located just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Les Invalides, Garance offers a flavour-packed reprieve from the neighbourhood’s large number of tourist-focused destinations. Established under the oversight of Guillaume Muller, this quality-focused restaurant highlights seasonal ingredients and meticulous attention to detail; even the restaurant’s beef comes from the family farm located in nearby Limousin. With regards to the wine cellar, the impressive list boasts over 8,000 bottles – and of the 21-page wine list, two full pages are dedicated to red wines from Bordeaux. Responsibly-sourced meat and a bottle of claret? Sign us up.

Le Taillevent

15 Rue Lamennais, 75008

Credit: Glenn Harper / Alamy Stock Photo

For fine wine and impeccable plates served in a classically elegant ambiance, head to Le Taillevent. Located in the city’s 8th arrondissement, this iconic Parisian staple first opened its doors back in 1946 and has remained an institution ever since. The restaurant’s wine game has only gotten better over time and its list is now spearheaded by Antoine Pétrus, whose focus remains on great wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux. The cellar’s offerings include an impressive vertical from Château Latour, as well as a number of top Left and Right Bank selections. Note: The restaurant is closed on weekends but offers dinner Monday to Friday with a lunch service Tuesday to Friday.

Frenchie Bar à Vins

6 Rue du Nil, 75002

For those looking to enjoy Bordeaux wines in a more laid-back environment, look no further than Frenchie Bar à Vins. Located on the quiet Rue du Nil in Paris’ 2nd arrondissement, this small-yet-fierce wine bar offers something for every Bordeaux budget and palate preference. A number of bottles under the €100 mark exist, with the most affordable starting at just €40 (Château Dutruch Grand Poujeaux, Moulis en Médoc, Petit Dutruch). For those looking to splurge, worry not – two prestigious bottles of Petrus from the 2003 and 2012 vintages currently grace the list, as well as picks from Château Pontet-Canet, Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Palmer, and more.

Le Petit Sommelier

49 Avenue du Maine, 75014

Although the Montparnasse area of Paris is generally known for its Bordeaux-bound trains and overpriced, Hemingway-frequented bars, a visit to Le Petit Sommelier will completely change your view of the neighbourhood. While the bistro may look slightly unimpressive from the outside, the restaurant’s list of over 1,000 references is sure to get your curiosity going. Now spearheaded by wine director Pierre Vila Palleja, this boisterous, French-heavy wine list offers a large number of selections perfect for pairing with the kitchen’s hearty, meat-heavy cuisine. The only thing more impressive than the 13,000-bottle cellar? The extremely affordable prices, especially on back-vintage bottles.

Restaurant La Truffière

4 Rue Blainville, 75005

Credit: Meghan Bulmer / Alamy Stock Photo

There’s no better place to send our Bordeaux list out with a bang than Restaurant La Truffière, which first opened its doors back in 1984. Situated in the 5th arrondissement, this old school Parisian restaurant offers an extensive selection of Bordeaux wines, spanning current release and back-vintage offerings from the region’s top names. The wine list is overseen by La Truffière’s chef-owner Christian Sainsard, who also has an equal affinity for wines from Burgundy and the Rhône. For those truly looking to indulge, be sure to splurge on the six-course truffle tasting menu (for a more modest option, stop in for lunch from Thursday to Saturday) – and if possible, be sure to request seating in the restaurant’s 17th-century wine cellar.

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Corinne Mentzelopoulos has decided to retire from her position as CEO of Chateau Margaux’s holding company after 43 years in charge, and the reins will now be formally passed to the next generation.

Her son, Alexis Leven-Mentzelopoulos, 30, will take over as head of Château Margaux. He joined the Bordeaux first growth in 2020 as business development director, before being appointed deputy general manager in charge of strategy and development in September 2021.

His sister, Alexandra Petit-Mentzelopoulos, will become president of the holding company’s supervisory board. She has spent the past 11 years as part of the estate team, first as brand ambassador, and then deputy managing director of communication and image since 2016.

Decanter jointly spoke to both Alexis and Alexandra about the new structure and what the future holds for Château Margaux.

‘It’s big news of course, after 43 years of management by my mother,’ Leven-Mentzelopoulos said.

‘Château Margaux was her life and her passion, but recently she’s been a bit less hands-on in some ways on a daily basis, and of course one of our objectives from the very beginning was for it to stay in the family.

‘We’re one of the only ones at this level to be owned by so few family members [some wine estates have a large group of extended family members and other parties as shareholders].’

He added, ‘We have a second sister who is not involved but is also a shareholder, so it’s really the continuation of the family business – my mother will in someway stay involved and continue to be aware of what’s going on because she’s passionate about it, and I’ll be happy to tell her the big news that is going on.’

Leven-Mentzelopoulos said there wouldn’t be any significant changes in the immediate future and confirmed that the existing winemaking and technical teams will remain in place.

‘We have our amazing terroir, which of course stays the same, we have a fantastic technical team, which my mother put in place and which we’ll be relying on – all the team will stay the same. The moment is to respect Château Margaux and to continue to produce a great wine each year.

‘Every management is different and every generation sees things a bit differently, so in that respect this will be a change but the passion of Margaux is the same and as for the quality of the wine, we’ll do everything we can to make sure that stays the same.’

‘There’s a lot of pressure…but it’s a dream come true’

When asked if he feels any pressure taking up the helm at such a young age, he replied: ‘There’s a lot of pressure, it’s a huge amount of responsibility, especially when you’re so young, right? I’m 30 years old, but at the same time, even more than some pressure, it’s determination. I’m very motivated and I feel there’s no choice other than to make it work.

‘Château Margaux needs it, the team needs it, every wine lover that loves Château Margaux wants it to continue to work so well, so of course there’s responsibility, I totally realise that. A lot of things are waiting for me, but it’s a dream come true.’

With the estate at the top of its game in terms of prestige, reputation and wine quality, Leven-Mentzelopoulos finds that although it’s perhaps an easier job than it was in the 1980s, there are still modern-day challenges that will need addressing.

‘The big difference between when my mother took over at 27 years old in 1980 was it was at time when Château Margaux was just emerging from the major economical and qualitative crisis – she had a lot more to do in some ways,’ he said.

‘Every generation has its own dilemmas to deal with’

‘When I inherited it today, it could hardly be in a better state – the wines are amazing, financially people are willing to purchase the wines at expensive prices, so in this sense we’re very privileged, but of course there are some new matters and subjects that will have to be put on the table which my mother didn’t have to deal with.’

Leven-Mentzelopoulos highlighted climate change, sustainability, and being more responsible and respectful of the environment and the impact of production.

He also cited the different style of consumers who might be moving away from high-end wines, plus the emergence and expansion of other wine regions around the world, placing Margaux in a more competitive climate; ‘certain topics that didn’t really exist in the 1980s,’ he said.

‘Every generation has its own dilemmas to deal with. I still feel we’re in a more secure environment compared to what my mother had to deal with in 1980. The idea is not to stand on our laurels, it’s always trying to improve and perfect what can be done, and this is what my mother has always been doing.

‘There’s a big difference between on the one hand, respecting the terroir and understanding that this Château has been here for 500 years and that you should definitely not feel that you’re suddenly arriving and know better than all the previous generations. You’re not here to revolutionise anything, but at the same time you cannot just stay the same and say that the wine is great and it will stay that way.

‘So, it’s about finding the balance between inheriting the knowhow and looking upwards and dealing with the present times. Along with my sister, I am firmly committed to continuing the family objective of making Château Margaux one of the greatest wines in the world.’

Speaking about her new role, Alexandra Petit-Mentzelopoulos said: ‘Alexis will be the one in charge on a day-to-day basis, he will be the one hands-on, and this is something I profoundly support. He’s been doing an amazing job over the last few years and has been much more involved than I’ve been.’

Since becoming a mother of two, Petit-Mentzelopoulos has ‘stepped aside a little’, but ‘a love for Margaux’ meant she wanted to stay involved – albeit in not such a 24-7 capacity.

The role will keep her in the company in a supervisory role, ‘giving support and maintaining a family running things together’, she said.

‘If we can hand the next generation an estate in 30 or 35 years which is as qualitative as it is now, it would be a great success,’ Leven-Mentzelopoulos said. His sister added, ‘We’ve been handed something amazing and transmission is definitely the goal.’

In a press statement sent out by the estate, Corinne Mentzelopoulos said: ‘I am deeply proud to see Alexis take over the reins of a company that I have managed for 43 years. It’s a natural progression in this great family adventure. With Alexandra at his side, his human and operational qualities will enable him to meet the challenges of the future and ensure that Château Margaux retains its position.

‘I have every confidence in the future of Château Margaux because I know that he will be able to continue the tradition of excellence that Château Margaux has maintained for five centuries, in a constant quest for progress and innovation.’

Château Margaux’s rise under the Mentzelopoulos family

The first growth estate was acquired by André Mentzelopoulos in 1977 and passed on to his daughter Corinne soon after, following his sudden death in 1980.

By 1986, it was reported that the money invested in the estate was equivalent to the funds used to buy it, some 70 million francs against a purchase price of 72 million francs.

Alongside a programme to replant vines more than 30 years old, famous Bordeaux wine professor and consultant Emile Peynaud worked for Margaux as an oenologist.

Meanwhile, reportedly on Peynaud’s recommendation, talented young winemaker Paul Pontallier had joined the estate in 1983. The Château Margaux 1983 wine went on to enter Decanter’s hall of fame as a Wine Legend.

A 75% stake in Château Margaux was initially sold in the early 1990s to the Agnelli family of Italy, founder of Fiat and owner of Juventus football club, but Corinne Mentzelopoulos retained full management of the first growth.

The Mentzepoulos family kept a minority stake in the property and subsequently repurchased the estate, becoming sole owner in 2003.

At the time, Decanter contributor Stephen Brook wrote: ‘Corinne Mentzelopoulos has been an impeccable custodian of Château Margaux for decades. She and (managing director) Paul Pontallier have created a golden age for this wonderful estate.

‘I expect wine lovers the world over will be delighted that sole ownership is now in her hands. There couldn’t be a better outcome.’

Paul Pontallier, who had become Château Margaux’s MD in 1990, passed away in 2016 aged 59. He spent his career at the first growth, forging a celebrated working partnership with Mentzelopoulos ‘that has never been surpassed, even by that of Jean-Bernard or Jean-Philippe Delmas with Haut-Brion’, said the late, great wine critic Steven Spurrier in a tribute.

He was succeeded as MD by Philippe Bascaules, who had originally been hired by Pontallier in 1990 as estate director, remaining at Château Margaux for 21 years from 1990 until 2011. Bascaules left to run Francis Ford Coppola’s Inglenook Winery in Rutherford, Napa Valley, where he is still director of winemaking alongside his duties at Margaux.

He will continue in that capacity, supporting Leven-Mentzelopoulos, who is based equally between Bordeaux and Paris, and Alexandra, based in Paris.

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Earlier this month, the Great Wine Capitals Global Network announced the 2024 Best of Wine Tourism awards for Bordeaux.

This year’s eight winners (see below), selected from 23 finalists, were announced at a ceremony in the Bordeaux CCI’s building on the Place de la Bourse.

The winners highlight just how open Bordeaux now is, and not just for classic cellar visits. Eclectic initiatives show how innovative winemakers are being in sharing their world. It’s also a great network for the winners to exchange and share ideas on wine tourism, innovation, education and sustainable development.

Winners from all regions across the seven categories (Architecture & Landscape, Art & Culture, Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences, Wine Tourism Restaurants, Accommodation, Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices and Wine Tourism Services), as well as a surprise jury selection, will compete in the international final in Lausanne next month (November). In addition, the winners will compete for a yet to be decided People’s Choice Award, which is voted for online by the public.

Created in 1999 by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) to reward innovative wine tourism, the network now includes 12 ‘wine cities’ worldwide: Adelaide (South Australia), Bilbao/Rioja (Spain), Cape Town/Cape Winelands (South Africa), Hawke’s Bay (New Zealand), Lausanne (Switzerland), Mainz/Rheinhessen (Germany), Mendoza (Argentina), Porto (Portugal), San Francisco/Napa Valley (US), Valparaiso/Casablanca Valley (Chile) and Verona (Italy).

The network is a partner of the Porto Protocol Foundation, and is also one of the founders of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable. Furthermore, it has a web portal which matches exchange and internship requests, in addition to offers in the wine and tourism industry across the regions.

Aside from the winners, many of the runners up are worthy of a mention. The Cellar of Lights at Château La Fleur de Boüard and the galaxy of disco balls and stroboscopes that shower visitors with stars at Château Siran are playful, immersive experiences.

There are beautiful guest rooms in the elegant 18th century chartreuse of Château Laffitte Carcassett in St-Estèphe. At Château Lamothe-Cissac in the Haut-Médoc there is a wine escape game that liberates the bottle rather than the guests.

The Cellar of Lights at Château La Fleur de Boüard. Credit: Château La Fleur de Boüard

Château de Rouillac in Pessac-Léognan shares its passion for horses and wine with a tasting in its beautiful stables, while the Courselle sisters at Château Thieuley have increased biodiversity by planting olive trees, orchards, truffle oaks, hedges and bee hives for its Bee Friendly certification.

La Maison du Vin de Blaye organises a two-day spring festival at the UNESCO World Heritage site of La Citadelle on the Right Bank of the Gironde estuary for its 450 winemakers.

If you can’t decide, La Bulle Verte operates eco-stations across Bordeaux. Thanks to a mobile app, its e-bikes take visitors to more than 30 sustainable wine tourism destinations, including many previous ‘Best Of’ winners. As with many of the experiences offered by this year’s victors, it offers wine education wrapped in pure enjoyment.

Explore Bordeaux at a slower pace with La Bulle Verte. Credit: Bordeaux Tourisme & Congrès

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An original Premier Grand Cru Classé, since St-Emilion established its revisable classification in 1955, Clos Fourtet benefits from the unique clay-over-limestone plateau of the appellation. But it has never obtained the requisite promotion plaudits to reach the classification’s top tier.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for a 19-vintage vertical of Clos Fourtet

Clos Fourtet vertical: Notes and scores going back to 2001

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Château Haut-Brion stands apart from its peers in many ways. Some of these differences are historical: it is the only first growth of 1855 that is not located on the Médoc peninsula. Although the area around the city of Bordeaux was the birthplace of winemaking in the region, by the time of the 1855 classification, Haut-Brion was the only château here deemed worthy of the honour.

It is also the oldest of Bordeaux first growths. It is a venerable property indeed – it is thought that vines were cultivated in Roman times, although the first recorded mention of the estate under its present name (as Aubrion or Haulbrion) was in 1521.

Scroll down to see Charles Curtis MW’s notes and scores for 12 vintages of Château Haut-Brion

See Charles Curtis MW’s notes and scores for 12 vintages of Château Haut-Brion

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Château Margaux has long been an enigma to me. It has a very high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in its vineyards—more than any other first growth save Château Latour—and Cabernet often dominates the wine.

Both the 2000 and 2010 vintages are 90% Cabernet. Yet despite the preponderance of this grape, the word that springs most readily to mind in describing the wines of this château is ‘finesse’.

Scroll down to see Charles Curtis MW’s notes and scores for 17 vintages of Château Margaux

See Charles Curtis MW’s notes and scores of 17 Château Margaux wines

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Sotheby’s said sales from its ‘Monumental Cellar’ auction on 7 September hit $9.3m, its second highest total on record in the US, behind the sale of William I. Koch’s cellar in 2016 for $21.8m.

It’s been a relatively subdued year for the fine wine secondary market, with some data pointing to falling prices following a strong period of growth, yet the Sotheby’s sale offers further evidence that buyers have not entirely disappeared.  

It said its US wine and spirits division has achieved sales of $30m in 2023 so far, which is up 25% year-on-year as the autumn auction season gets underway.  

The single-owner ‘Monumental Cellar’ sale featured what Sotheby’s described as a ‘century of Petrus’, spanning vintages from 1924 to 2015, as well as other Bordeaux wines in large formats.

This included a five-litre jeroboam of one of the 20th century’s most lauded wines, Château Latour 1961, which sold for $50,000, including buyer’s premium, equalling its pre-sale high estimate. 

Burgundy was well-represented, too, and the auction’s highest prices were achieved by the wines of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC), a regular occurrence given their relative scarcity and allure.

Top lot was five bottles of DRC, Romanée-Conti 1999, which fetched $275,000, including buyer’s premium, albeit the final price was towards the lower end of the pre-sale estimate range ($260,000 to $350,000).

Five bottles of the same wine’s 1966 vintage fetched $93,750 (estimate: $45,000 – $65,000). 

Petrus made up a big proportion of the Bordeaux part of the collection. The oldest Petrus in the sale was a lot featuring two bottles of the 1924 vintage, which sold for $8,125, including buyer’s premium (high e: $7,000). 

Other highlights included:  

• Two bottles of Petrus 1947 sold for $25,000, more than three times above the pre-sale high estimate.
• Three magnums of Petrus 1959 fetched $40,000 | estimate $20,000 – $28,000
• Twelve bottles of Petrus 1961 fetched $118,750, including buyer’s premium (pre-sale estimate $85,000 to $120,000)
• One double magnum of Petrus 1998 fetched $25,000 | estimate $13,000 – $18,000
• One double magnum of Petrus 2015 fetched $22,500 | estimate $14,000 – $20,000

Among the large-format wines in the auction, Bordeaux’s famous 1982 vintage commanded significant attention. Several lots featured six-litre Imperials of 1982-vintage wine from top estates.

These included an Imperial of Château Lafite Rothschild 1982, which sold for $22,500 (estimate $19,000 – $26,000).

Two Imperials of Latour 1982 each fetched $20,000, equalling their pre-sale high estimates, and an Imperial of Figeac 1982 sold for $9,375 (estimate $4,000 – $5,500).

Coming soon from Decanter: Bordeaux’s highly prized 1982 vintage will be featured in the October 2023 issue of Decanter magazine

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Like Beaune in Burgundy, St-Emilion seems to have more shops selling wine than anything else. A quick Google search reveals 58 different shops in the town alone, ranging in size and offering – some independent and others comprising a commercial empire of between three to 14 outlets all with the same owner. 

Whether you’re looking for Grand Cru Classé bottles from your birth year, wines from estates that no longer exist, or large formats of 3L and above, St-Emilion will have them.

The UNESCO World Heritage site is easily reached from Bordeaux city – roughly 45km away and a 45-minute drive from the airport (Mérignac) or train station (Gare St Jean) or a 30-minute train ride.

St-Emilion wine shops map

In recent years the town, and surrounding wineries, have fully embraced oenotourism, transforming shops and cellars into top tourist destinations.

A large number of estates have opened wine boutiques, and the majority of shops in town offer free daily tastings, sometimes with up to 40 wines open to taste at your leisure.

Many are filled with experienced and knowledgable staff to help you pick out a bottle for a special occasion or memorable keep-sake from the trip. Almost every shop in the town offers shipping around the world and some will let you keep your wine purchases there for the day, or duration of your holiday, to pick up on your way home.

The cobbled streets fill up during the summer time (April-October) with people enjoying outdoor dining terraces, riding electric bikes through the nearby vineyards and sightseeing on the tourist train that ventures into the countryside revealing the history and culture of wine in the region, but the shops stay open all year long. Some close only for Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve so there’s never a wrong time to visit.

Part of the fun is going into a few to see for yourself, but below we’ve highlighted some of our favourites.

Maison du Vin de St Emilion

Situated at the top of town, this is a great place to stop at first. It’s both a wine shop and tourist information centre focused on the region’s wines. There are daily tastings available and a large selection of wines from both well-known and smaller estates on offer, ranging in price from €10.50 to over €1,000.

There is currently a large selection of 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2018 wines as well as some from the neighbouring appellations of Puisseguin St-Emilion and Montagne St-Emilion.

A 2005 Clos Fourtet is listed as €91, 1993 Château Figeac for €261 and Château Ausone 2002 for €1,100.

La Grand Cave

A selection of older bottles and fine-wine boxes inside La Grand Cave

Opposite the historic restaurant L’Envers du Décor, owned by Château Pavie, is La Grand Cave – a large, bright and shiny shop filled with impressive icon bottles from the region including two huge wine fridges full of Left Bank first growths and top estates from the Right Bank.

Be sure to check out the cellar downstairs housing back vintages (see above) – and the oldest wine in stock (currently 1928) – as well as a range of old Burgundies, vintage Champagnes and large-format bottles.

You can also find lots of Armagnac and Cognac here as well as Riedel glasses and decanters.

Vignobles & Châteaux

Credit: Michel Cavalier / Hemis / Alamy Stock Photo

An excellent wine store and négociant business full of large format bottles, Bordeaux white wines and back vintages. At the time of enquiring, the oldest bottle in stock was an 1895 Château Larcis Ducasse (it was previously an 1866 Château d’Yquem, but that was recently enjoyed by the sales team, I was told).

Look out for the ‘recent release’ tag at the bottom of many of the bottles – including a 1958 Clos Fourtet – signifying the bottle has not long come direct from the wine estate’s cellars, guaranteeing perfect provenance. There is also an impressive Petrus vertical from 1981-2019.

It also runs a wine bar on the corner opposite.

Comptoir des Vignobles

A list of years with corresponding available wines

Just down the street, crowds gather to look at the placards outside this shop (above) featuring a list of birth years and the wine in stock. Indeed, when I was in there someone asked for any 1953s and after a quick look through the catalogue there were three different wines from the year.

Inside there’s an almost ‘pot-luck’ wall of wines, many of which are from lesser-known, humble estates from mature vintages dating back to 1959 at great prices.

It also has a great selection of Yquem, a Petrus 1951 for €4,262 and Château Mouton Rothschild 1964 for €2,760.

Marchand de Soif

New bottles available to taste

One of the largest wine shops in the town with a lot of staff and more than 30 open bottles and wines in Enomatic machines to taste.

Prices start as low as €7 up to €7,000 and this carries new labels you may not find elsewhere (the first vintage of Nina Mitjavile’s Pitray, Les Prairies 2020 for instance).

Open 363 days a year, there is a huge selection of top Pomerol wines and a small cellar downstairs filled with older bottles. Some ‘hors Bordeaux wines’ sold via the Place de Bordeaux were also spotted with cases of Bibi Graetz’s Testamatta and Colore on offer.

Bordeaux Classique

This relatively small shop is filled with great bottles from estates that no longer exist including Château L’Arrosée 2011 (last vintage 2012, now part of Château Quintus) and Magdelaine 2001, 2003 and 2010 (last vintage also 2012 becoming subsumed into Château Bélair, now Bélair-Monange).

It has some allocation only bottles from Champagne and Burgundy as well as a huge collection of Darroze Armagnac.

It works with small estates such as La Voûte and can also arrange and accompany winery visits in the region.

Ets Martin

Credit: Nick Maslen / Alamy Stock Photo

Same owner as La Grand Cave, but this has even more gems and underground cellars that can’t be missed. There are two rooms upstairs – the main filled with top labels from the left and right banks including fridges full of first growths – and a second room featuring smaller, local producers and some rare spirits and Champagnes.

The 15th-century cellar houses the older vintages from 1945-2005 as well as an incredible selection of Burgundies and large-format Champagnes.

Further inside, round the corner, you’ll find hidden treasures with drawers full of Petrus, Le Pin, Selosse and DRC as well as several rare Bordeaux cuvées including Château Angélus, Hommage à Elisabeth Bouchet.

The Wine Buff

The tasting room housed inside a limestone cave

Rated as the best wine shop in St-Emilion on several different platforms, owner Paddy O’Flynn and his wife Pilar run one of the most fun, friendly and informative shops in town.

Originally created to promote their large wine shop empire in Ireland, it has become a must-visit destination since opening in 2015. The store is filled with wines ‘they want to drink’ as well as several cuvées they personally select and blend from local estates (two St-Emilion wines, a Pomerol and a Margaux, with plans to increase the range).

The husband and wife team is full of knowledge and enthusiasm for the wines of the region and host courses and classes on wine tasting for novices and experts alike.

Located off the main thoroughfare, the shop features a bar and outdoor terrace.

Badon Boutique

A stunning space at the foot of the Badon Boutique Hotel, owned by local wine magnate and consultant Jean-Luc Thunevin, who also has a négociant business as well as several high-profile wine estates in the region, including Château Valandraud Premier Grand Cru Classé.

There are almost 10 shops owned by Thunevin in St-Emilion – two right next door to each other when you enter the town on Rue Guadet. You can usually spot one by the signage or bottles from the Bad Boy range in the window. The shops focus unsurprisingly on his own properties and branded labels as well as those at which he consults, and there’s a large range of prices with something for everyone.

The Badon Boutique is beautiful, presenting the bottles in custom cabinets like one would in one’s own dream cellar. Tastings are also possible inside.

La Cave du Marché & L’Emilion

These two shops have the same owner with the former (above) stocking a large selection of well-priced wines ‘from great vintages only’, the owner told me.

There were lots of 2000, 2005 and 2009 wines and, as they don’t work with tour operators taking commission, they are able to price the wines more competitively than some of their neighbours – Château Troplong Mondot 2019 was €93.60 for instance.

Les Cordeliers

If you’re craving something other than red wine be sure to visit the UNESCO listed 14th century Les Cordeliers, where AOC Crémant de Bordeaux has been produced for 120 years in St-Emilion.

The vast shop is filled with different cuvées – vintage, white and rosé – as well as gifts and trinkets to buy and take home.

There is also a cloister and garden which can be explored for free and a wine bar where you can purchase picnic hampers filled with regional specialities to enjoy with a glass or bottle of Les Cordeliers in the sunshine.

Guided tours of the winery and underground tunnels are also possible.

Les Caves Nature

If natural, organic and biodynamic wine is what you’re after, then stop here for a large selection of bottles from both Bordeaux and the rest of France. There’s a Bordeaux pét-nat, sparking Cabernet Franc and several amphora-aged wines on offer.

The owner is also a wine consultant for some of the estates.

St-Emilion chateaux that also have wine shops

Credit: Perrogon / Andia / Alamy Stock Photo

Winery shops are also a great source of back-vintages and special bottles.

Château La Dominique: This château is known for its modern architecture and has a dedicated wine shop where you can purchase a large selection of its wines and wine accessories. Their panoramic restaurant La Terrasse Rouge is also worth checking out. 

Château de Pressac: Housing a charming boutique, this château also offers various tasting packages as well as a private tour with cold buffet or hot lunch. 

Château Fonplégade: Known for its picturesque location, this stunning château offers tours, tastings and a beautiful shop selling its wines. 

Château Soutard: This château welcomes visitors to explore both its cellars and tasting room as well as its nature trail. Opt for a full tour, food and wine pairings or a browse in its large shop. 

Other wine tourism options

Château Franc Mayne: Open for tours, tastings, buying wine and even overnight stays in the estate’s 18th century residence, Relais Franc Mayne, this is definitely worth a stop. 

Château La Tour Figeac: This château, close to the town, offers tours and tastings and the possibility of buying wine in-situ.

Château Laniote: Open all year round by appointment, this historic estate offers tours and tastings and a place to buy wines. 

Please keep in mind that the availability of wine shops and visiting experiences can change, so it’s a good idea to verify the current status and offerings of these châteaux before planning a visit. Additionally, asking locals or checking the official websites of these châteaux can provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information.

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The post Best wine shops in St-Emilion appeared first on Decanter.

When considering the finest estates of the Médoc, there is no shortage of names which spring to mind.

The 61 which comprise Bordeaux’s grands crus classés are likely first on any list, with top crus bourgeois châteaux following close behind.

Yet, it is unlikely that Listrac (together with neighbouring Moulis) will feature high on many wine lovers’ lists.

A reappraisal is needed.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of 11 Château Clarke wines

See tasting notes and scores of 11 Château Clarke wines

The wines are listed in vintage order youngest to oldest

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Bordeaux has been approaching its 2023 harvest after something of a rollercoaster growing season.

Whilst the key flowering period went well, suggesting potential for a big crop, subsequent bouts of hot weather and rain brought humid conditions that enabled mildew to thrive, said Christophe Château, communications director at the Bordeaux wine bureau (CIVB).

More favourable weather in August has increased optimism for the fruit that survived, although Reuters reported this week that heat spikes across swathes of France have brought concerns about vineyard working conditions. Météo France recorded a high of 42.7 degrees Celsius in Orange, in the Rhône Valley.

Mildew outbreaks in Bordeaux

Around 90% of Bordeaux vineyards were affected by mildew to some extent, said the regional chamber of agriculture in July.

‘I think it’s the strongest mildew attack in Bordeaux in a long time,’ said Simon Blanchard, oenologue and partner at Derenoncourt Consultants, set up by major wine consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt.

Merlot has been most affected, with white wine grapes not really hit and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec more resistant, he said.

Damage has varied significantly between producers and locations. At the CIVB, Château said, ‘I have some winemakers telling me that they are going to do [a] normal yield and they won’t have any problem, and others saying that they are not going to harvest anything.’

It’s too soon to know what the impact on harvest size will be, he said in mid-August, with early picking for Crémant sparkling wines having only just begun.

Blanchard said vineyard management and resources have been particularly important in 2023, adding it has been especially challenging for smaller-scale growers with relatively little money.

Alongside that, ‘it’s important to understand your terroir very well’, he said, explaining that humidity can vary between vineyard sites, affecting mildew risk.

Bordeaux mayor Pierre Hurmic visited winegrowers affected by mildew in the Blaye area this week, reported FranceBleu, and there have been calls for government aid.

Mildew may have added to a precarious situation for some producers. More than 1,300 Bordeaux winegrowers reported being in financial difficulty earlier this year, and the region has been preparing to begin a funded scheme to uproot around 9,500 hectares of vines to help cut a wine surplus.

Cautious optimism for Bordeaux 2023 quality

Fabien Teitgen, winemaker at Château Smith Haut Lafitte in Pessac-Léognan, said he expected the estate’s Merlot crop to be around 40% down in quantity, due to mildew. White grape varieties and Cabernet Sauvignon were not so badly affected, with losses of around 10%.

Whilst any losses are always difficult, he said the team considered this an ok result, given that the estate is committed to organic vineyard management, and so avoids various chemical sprays.

‘We remain optimistic regarding the quality of this vintage,’ said Teitgen last week, adding the foliage looked healthy and weather conditions were favourable.

‘We are now at the eve of the start of the harvest of our whites. The grapes are starting to taste good, very aromatic, [with] only a few more days of maturation [needed].’

Martin Krajewski, owner of Château Séraphine in Pomerol and Clos Cantenac in St-Emilion, said last week: ‘I did a tour of the vineyards yesterday and I am really surprised at how good it all looks, apart from the one parcel where we were badly touched [by mildew]. Even that looks ok now, just a much smaller yield coming in.’

He added, ‘I think 2023 will be remembered [as] a complicated year of extremes in frost, rain, sun, humidity and heat waves.’

There is still a long way to go, but Blanchard said he was optimistic about quality, citing favourable August weather and noting that mildew was mainly an issue in terms of quantity.

Picking for reds was set to take place around ‘classic’ dates, he said, with Merlot likely beginning around 10 September and Cabernets later in the month and into October.

Nicolas Glumineau, MD of Château Pichon Comtesse in Pauillac, said Merlot picking would likely start around 11 September. For the reds in general, he added, ‘We have a beautiful crop and we’ve worked a lot to protect it from mildew, but it’s all under control, even if it’s 100% organic.’

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One of the greatest pleasures in life is having a fully stocked cellar of mature wines to dip in and out of at will. With the world of wine evolving at a rate of knots, it is, of course, not quite as easy as that any more, even with the best will and the deepest pockets.

For wine drinkers, the one positive to have come from the meteoric rise in the price of Burgundy and other cult wines from across the globe is that Bordeaux has never looked better value than it does right now. That being said, there is undoubtedly a value sweet spot when buying claret, and following a few simple rules like those outlined below can help you get the best out of the region, for present and future, without an excessive budget.

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Domaine de Chevalier reflects the charismatic nature of tireless owner Olivier Bernard, 63, whose energy impresses everyone who meets him.

‘Olivier is a great connoisseur with a mouthwatering way of life,’ says Michael Grimm, of German importer Bacchus Wines. ‘You taste and enjoy his vision to produce one of the most delicious and best Bordeaux wines for clients and connoisseurs all over the world.’

Scroll down to see notes and scores of 12 white and red wines from Domaine de Chevalier

See tasting notes and scores for 12 top white and red wines from Domaine de Chevalier

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As the world woke up on 1 January 1980, at the exact moment Debbie Harry reached peak stardom, the vignerons of Bordeaux no doubt let out a collective sigh of relief. The 1970s had been one of the most difficult decades on record for the winemakers of the most lauded of regions.

In 1973, Pauillac’s Château Mouton Rothschild had been elevated to first growth status, owing to the fact that Baron Philippe had been the star performer in almost all of the seven ‘Vintages of the Century’ that occurred between the end of the war and 1961 (1945, ’47, ’49, ’53, ’55, ’59 and ’61).

It was, sadly, not representative of the wines that were being made at the time of Mouton’s promotion, a few short years before the world succumbed to the microwave oven and the moment Bordeaux hit reputational rock bottom, losing the 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting to a Napa Valley Cabernet from one of their rivals across the pond. The 1980s was a chance to wipe the slate clean – but it didn’t start well…

Scroll down to see a selection of tasting notes and scores for Bordeaux 1980s wines from each year

1980

The Bordeaux 1980s vintages: top wines

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While merchants have reported strong collector interest in some Bordeaux 2022 en primeur wines, high release prices may not help the region’s near-term market momentum.

Matthew O’Connell, CEO of LiveTrade at Bordeaux Index, said of the campaign: ‘I don’t recall any wines that I would describe as [released at] investible prices.’ Prices may rise in future, ‘but for something to be investible at the present time it has to be better value than other vintages’, he said.

Each estate has its own context, but he said the well-regarded 2020 and 2019 vintages were options to consider, as well as Bordeaux’s benchmark 2016 vintage.

Analyst group Wine Lister said Château Canon 2022 has ‘potentially strong investment potential’, given the lower-scoring 2020 vintage was up by 85% since release.

The Bordeaux Index view

Fine wine & spirits specialist Bordeaux Index kindly sponsors this section of Decanter, and provides its view on the market here every issue. It can be found at bordeauxindex.com

Bordeaux’s en primeur campaign for the 2022 vintage ended with a busy last fortnight of releases, but with no real change in trend vs the remainder of the campaign: in most cases pricing of this excellent vintage proved to be acceptable to ongoing collectors but of less interest to those with more of a focus on relative value or outright investment merit.

The result – compounded by lower volumes as châteaux take a longer-term perspective on release strategy (gone is the Big Bang release approach of old) – was a campaign that was small and somewhat uneventful, despite wines which in the glass were fundamentally very interesting.

There are two market implications arising from this campaign. One is the attractiveness of back vintages of high quality – 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020, but even some much older vintages – particularly in the context that it seems likely that higher release prices are here to stay. The second is that it will be interesting to see how much interest the Bordeaux market commands in the second half of 2023. We tend to find that smaller EP campaigns lead to muted market activity in the months that follow – but we shall see this time around.

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Repeated applause from 300 dinner guests greeted Peter Kwok and his family, as he hosted a belated, Covid-delayed celebration this past April for the recently renovated cellars at Château Bellefont-Belcier, a grand cru classé in St-Émilion that the Chinese billionaire acquired in 2017.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of 10 vintages from Château Bellefont-Belcier

Château Bellefont-Belcier vertical: 10 vintages tasted and rated

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