8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 1
WINE MERCHANTS
E TA B L I S S E M E N T S J E A N - P I E R R E M O U E I X 2013 Pomerol and Saint-Emilion Classics from the Right Bank
Summer 2014
8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 2
E TA B L I S S E M E N T S J E A N - P I E R R E M O U E I X 2013 Pomerol and Saint-Emilion Classics from the Right Bank Nick Clark and I have been dealing with the Moueix family uninterruptedly since March 1970, making this our 45th vintage! Etablissements Jean-Pierre Moueix own many of the finest châteaux on Pomerol’s central plateau as well as Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Bélair-Monange in SaintEmilion, which is located alongside Château Ausone. In addition, they manage the vineyards of several other Right Bank châteaux, helping them to produce wines of the greatest beauty and elegance. Christian Moueix has been the guiding light of the family's progress since his first vintage in 1971. He is now aided by his son Edouard and a brilliant team in vineyard and cellar. Etablissements Jean-Pierre Moueix belong to the classical school of winemaking. Their aim is to make wines which are fully ripe, while maintaining freshness, harmony and length of flavour – with the ability to gain smoothness, complexity and silkiness as they mature. The 2013 wines described in these pages have intense fruitiness, finely-balanced acidity, gentle tannins and lingering aftertastes, with traditional Claret’s hallmark ability to smoothen and grow in complexity with bottle-age. Thanks to our longstanding relationship and friendship with the Moueix family, we are fortunate to have generous allocations of some of their rarest, most brilliant wines. However, these wines are available in limited quantities. Pomerol properties are genuinely tiny, and this year's yields exceptionally low. Where demand exceeds supply, we will do our best to allocate them fairly.
The Bordeaux 2013 Vintage It is no secret that the 2013 growing season in Bordeaux was challenging. The vineyard-flowering was late, with rains causing loss of yields and damage to some grape bunches. Also unfortunate was deterioration in the weather just before some grapes ripened. Many châteaux were forced to pick before optimum ripeness, to avoid damage or total loss of their crop. 1
8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 3
Luckily, July and August had preserved the vintage. Both months had more sunshine and higher maximum temperatures than recent averages, and warm weather continued during September, ripening the healthiest grapes slowly but surely. There are big quality differences between individual châteaux across Bordeaux. This is not a vintage where one or two communes outshone others, but it is clear that Merlot grapes growing on clay-rich soils in Pomerol and Saint-Emilion often performed exceptionally well. Given the tiny productions (often half, or less, of a normal crop) at many of the best châteaux, these are the focus of our first selections. One Pomerol which we normally offer – Château Hosanna – was ravaged by the adverse flowering, and sadly no wine could be been made there at all. Before people tasted the 2013 wines, there was negative comment about the vintage. In total, we spent 17 working days (spread between four people) tasting, talking and assessing the qualities across Bordeaux, in early April. We take this vintage just as seriously as 2012 and 2011 – both of which yielded many delicious wines. In 2013, the best wines are characterised by rich, garnet-purple colours, attractively fresh, ripe fruitiness on the nose, and fine balance between alcohol, tannins, acidity and fruit intensity. While waiting for wines from bigstructured years like 2010 or 2009 to soften and mature, these 2013s will provide lively, delicious drinking, enjoyable soon after shipment, and over the next 10+ years.
Why Buy These Wines Now? Most Bordeaux châteaux have now released their 2013 En Primeur prices. Taking into consideration quality and value, we believe that many wines do not justify being purchased at this early, en primeur stage. However, we do believe that these right-bank Moueix wines are worth securing immediately. They are made and offered to us directly by the Moueix family and subsequently are not traded like stocks on the Bordeaux market place. Their production is tiny, much more comparable to Burgundy Domaines than large Bordeaux châteaux. With this in mind, and with an improvement of Sterling against the Euro in the last year, we consider these wines to represent immediate and excellent value. 2
8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 4
In addition, by buying now, you lessen the pain, by splitting the payment! The first two wines featured, for instance – Vieux Lartigue and Les Vieux Ormes – are just £9.75 and £10 per bottle for the actual wine, if secured now. There will be £2+ per bottle of duty to advance, plus the VAT, when the wines are cleared for delivery to you. Anthony Hanson MW May 2014
Buying Wine In Bond Prices in this offer are quoted per case of 12x75cl bottles in bond UK, unless otherwise stated. Once shipped to the UK in 2016 and released from bonded warehouse, duty and VAT will be incurred at the prevailing rate (duty is currently £24.60 ex VAT per case of 12 bottles of wine). Any wines not delivered by our own delivery vehicles will be subject to a carriage charge.
Supplements for Special Format Bottlings Please remember: by deciding now, you can order your wine to be bottled into Magnums, Double-Magnums or Imperials - with future, special celebrations in mind. Supplements for special formats are as follow: BOTTLE SIZES Half bottles Magnums (2 regular bottles) Double Magnums (4 regular bottles) Imperial (8 regular bottles)
UNITS PER CASE 24 x 37.5cl 6 x 1.5L 3 x 1.5L 3 x 3L 1 x 6L
£ PER CASE 15.00 15.00 10.00 30.00 45.00
Transferring Wine Under Bond We are able to arrange under bond transfers of the wines in this offer. For transfers into Octavian accounts there is no charge, however a charge will be incurred for transfers to accounts held at other bonded warehouses. If you are interested in setting up a storage facility with Nexus Wine Collections at Octavian, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Ways to Order Please contact one of our offices (details on back cover) or visit our website: www.hhandc.co.uk
3
8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 5
Château Vieux Lartigue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2013 £117.00 / case of 12 bottles
This is a tiny property (less than 15 acres) whose vines lie on sandy-gravel soils which have benefited from recent investments in improved drainage. The blend in 2013 reflects the plantings: 80% Merlot, with 20% Cabernet Franc, the average age of the vines being 35 years. Wine-maker Florens Caldier tells the story: “We started picking our Merlots on 22 September, and went straight on, without a break, into the Cabernets [as weather deterioration threatened]. The grapes were soaked at cool temperature for 48 hours, then two weeks of fermentation have produced a wine with unctuous texture, lively fruitiness and gentle tannins, without excessive alcohol level (13%).” The wine is now aging in 40% new oak barrels. Colour is vibrant, red-purple, the nose being fragrant and ripe. The palate is full, with rich fruitiness, soft finish and fine length (for drinking 2016-2018+).
Gloucestershire 01451 870 808
|
London 020 7584 7927
|
Hampshire 01256 830 104
4
8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 6
Château Les Vieux Ormes Lalande de Pomerol 2013 £120.00 / case of 12 bottles
This immaculate property has been owned by the same family for 5 generations. Traditional ploughing is the rule, with no weed-killers being used. Thanks to its pebblerich soils, the grapes are always amongst the fastest of the appellation to ripen, which was a big advantage in 2013. 80% Merlot is the heart of this wine, with both Cabernets completing the blend. Here we happily meet up again with talented, Moueix-trained wine-maker Yannick Reyrel, who previously worked at Pomerol’s Château Vray Croix de Gay. “Extra sessions in the vineyard prior to picking allowed us to green-harvest, de-leaf on the sunny side, and to eliminate slow-ripening grapes,” said Reyrel, “then careful sorting took place after picking. Fermentation temperatures were kept low, no punching down took place and juice pumping-over was judicious – all this to favour fresh, ripe fruitiness.” The colour is purple-red of medium depth, the nose vibrant and very pretty. The palate shows rich fruit, with crisply harmonious, gentle aftertaste and refreshing length – for ebullient, immediate pleasures on delivery, then drinking 2016-2018+.
5
All prices are quoted per case In Bond (for delivery 2016)
8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 7
Château Lafleur-Gazin Pomerol 2013 £235.00 / case of 12 bottles
The vines of Lafleur-Gazin lie on the edge of the clay-rich, central plateau of Pomerol, beside two famous neighbours: Châteaux Gazin and La Fleur-Pétrus. The vineyards are managed by Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix, on behalf of their owner, Madame Delfour-Borderie. There is a relatively high proportion (for Pomerol) of Cabernet Franc - 20% - bringing complexity and vivacity, the other 80% being Merlot. Average age of the vines is more than 30 years, with a fifth to a quarter of the barrels being renewed each year. Like many Pomerol châteaux, this is a small property, with just 21 acres under vines. The wine is particularly successful in 2013, and clearly outshines several famous, and more expensive, Pomerol properties. The colour is attractive purple-red of medium depth, the nose being fresh, open and ripe. The palate has a plump, beguiling fleshiness to it, with full structure, excellent length, and a lovely, harmonious aftertaste (for drinking 20172022+).
Gloucestershire 01451 870 808
|
London 020 7584 7927
|
Hampshire 01256 830 104
6
8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 8
Château Bourgneuf Pomerol 2013 £255.00 / case of 12 bottles
“Here in Pomerol, our grapes often ripen 8 days ahead of other Bordeaux districts. Our Cabernets Francs were radiant in 2013. My daughter had to be very precise, and vigilant – like looking after a baby in an incubator!” said owner Madame Dominique Vayron. Daughter Frédérique has been taking over management of this property’s vines and winery since 2008. The workers had to go back and forth many times through the vines in 2013, to bring healthy grapes to the moment of picking. This meant judicious leaf-plucking, careful elimination of irregularly-ripening fruit, and eagle-eyed sorting of the bunches. The vineyards are superbly situated, adjoining some of Pomerol’s greatest, like Trotanoy and Latour à Pomerol. The soils are warm, so many vines avoided total destruction by the devastating 1956 frosts. Those pre-1956 vineyards are being progressively replaced, but the average age of the property’s vines is still around 40 years, which contributes greatly to the beautiful quality. As usual, about one third of the secondary fermentations took place in new oak casks, contributing roundness and creamy texture.
7
The proud mother is right – 2013 Bourgneuf is exceptional. The colour is impressive, purple-red, the aromas being rich, fragrant and complex. The palate is well-structured, with dense fruitiness, fine tannins, great charm, and excellent, silky length. This will reach full maturity when it is 7-8 years old, but will make superb drinking from 2017 onwards to 2025, and beyond. It is a perfect candidate for bottling into magnums and larger formats.
8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 9
Château La Serre Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé 2013 £285.00 / case of 12 bottles
Less than 16 acres are in production at this jewel of a property, situated entirely on limestone, close to Saint-Emilion’s ancient moat and medieval walls. The vines average 30 years of age, being 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Owner Luc d’Arfeuille’s nephew Arnaud has been helping him for the last two vintages. “We were lucky in 2013, with disease held at bay, thanks to our airy, limestone plateau,” said Arnaud. “We picked a bit earlier than originally planned – Merlots the first week of October, Cabernet straight after, and quantities are down….” The quality is again outstanding here. Colour is mid-deep, red-purple, the nose being brightly fruity, very pretty. First impression on the palate is full-bodied, with sweet, dense fruitiness, beautifully balanced freshness, gentle tannins, and elegant harmony (for drinking 2017-2025+).
Gloucestershire 01451 870 808
|
London 020 7584 7927
|
Hampshire 01256 830 104
8
8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 10
Château Bélair-Monange Saint-Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classé 2013 £325.00 / case of 6 bottles
With the 2012 publication of a revised Saint-Emilion classification, the vineyards of 1st Growths Châteaux Magdelaine and Bélair-Monange were merged together. Their soils and aspects – lying alongside Château Ausone – are indeed very similar, so this makes excellent sense. And it allows the Moueix family to choose wines from only the best plots of each château to go into this one final, Grand Vin selection – which carries the name Château Bélair-Monange. Thanks to the reasonableness of the owners, the price is down from last year’s £385.00 (per case 6 bottles). The wine’s colour is ruby-red of medium depth, the nose being powerfully fragrant, recalling fresh, red fruits. The palate is full-bodied yet delicately structured, with dense fruitiness and velvety texture being the dominant impressions. On the finish, there is fine acidity, gentle tannins, and superb length. This is a gorgeous wine, of spectacular finesse and complexity. Now that international demand has taken the price of Château Ausone to levels where regular consumption is sadly beyond the reach of most of us, Bélair-Monange is an unalloyed comfort in our distress. Stocks are limited, however, so we urge you to seize some, while they remain available. It will be a real beauty, for drinking 2017-2030+.
9
All prices are quoted per case In Bond (for delivery 2016)
8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 11
Château La Fleur-Pétrus Pomerol 2013 £435.00 / case of 6 bottles
Here also, thanks to the good sense of the owners, the price is down, compared to last year’s £525.00 (per case 6 bottles). As with the previous wine, broader swathes of superbly-situated vineyard are now available to the Moueix family, when they assemble those vats which constitute the Grand Vin blend of La Fleur-Pétrus. The historic vines lie just across a narrow road from Château Pétrus itself, and touch another rare, outstanding Pomerol, Château Lafleur. In 2011, more superbly-placed vines were acquired, lying between Le Pin and Trotanoy. We believe that La Fleur-Pétrus now has greater structure, more stuffing and finer, potential complexity than ever before. In colour, the 2013 is solid, purple-ruby of impressive depth. Aromas leap from the glass, showing fresh ripeness, with black fruit complexity. The palate is excellently structured, with remarkable fleshiness, dense fruit, vibrant length, and the gentlest of tannins. This is the quintessence of Pomerol, which will make spectacular drinking from 2018-2040+. We are tasked with ensuring that this wine goes into the cellars of wine lovers who will open it and revel in the sensuous pleasures it brings (not those seeking to make a fast turn, by flipping it!). We will do our utmost to favour genuine consumers, when making the allocations, so please do not delay in contacting us.
Gloucestershire 01451 870 808
|
London 020 7584 7927
|
Hampshire 01256 830 104
10
8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14_8330_HHandC_JPM_Brochure_May14 13/05/2014 16:32 Page 12
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
LONDON
HAMPSHIRE
Sheep Street, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, GL54 1AA
7 Elystan Street, London, SW3 3NT
7 Church Street, Whitchurch, Hampshire, RG28 7AA
stow@hhandc.co.uk t: 01451 870 808 f: 01451 870 508
london@hhandc.co.uk t: 020 7584 7927 f: 020 7584 7967
www.hhandc.co.uk facebook.com/hhandc twitter.com/hhandc
whitchurch@hhandc.co.uk t: 01256 830 104 f: 01256 895 065