VINTAGES

After a difficult vintage in 2021, 2022 looks well placed to win the title of best vintage of the century – to date – surpassing the triptych of excellence of 2018, 2019 and 2020, and potentially going down in history, following in the footsteps of the legendary 1982.

Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about all this is that nobody expected it. The vines had to contend with record drought, in addition to above-normal temperatures. On the other hand, there was no extreme heatwave (like the one in 2003), and night-time temperatures remained relatively cool. The vines got used to the hot, dry conditions from the start of the growing season, which meant that they had to adapt their water consumption and the growth of the plant cover to make do with the little water available. They drew on the reserves accumulated during the rainy year of 2021, before being rewarded with an additional water ransom in June, and then surviving 50 days without rain, until mid-August.

Château La Cardonne 2021: a landmark vintage in more ways than one.

At the end of August 2021, in the Bordeaux region, the weather was dry, with the sun shining without excess over the green vines, giving way to cool temperatures every night. The weather conditions are ideal for allowing the grapes to finish ripening. More than that, this unexpected weather, which is set to continue into September and October, is a godsend for the success of the wine vintage. In fact, it will counterbalance a relatively cold spring and early summer with little sunshine, which delayed the ripening of the grapes.

Some people are talking about 2021 in Bordeaux as a vintage reminiscent of the last century. After a multitude of sunny, colourful, warm and voluptuous vintages, 2021 in the Médoc brings freshness with a more ‘Atlantic’ style.
Château La Cardonne 2021 is elegant and refined.

Château La Cardonne 2020 is characterised by its elegance.

The profile is less powerful than 2019, which had riper notes, but has more silkiness, finesse, delicacy and exceptional colour, as well as being superbly structured and balanced, suggesting great ageing potential. In any case, this is a vintage that has everything it takes to improve with age.
Château La Cardonne 2020 is distinguished by its colour and structure. The great terroirs, which have not suffered from water stress, have produced some very fine wines, full of elegance and built to stand the test of time.

Quantity, freshness, ripeness, concentration, sugar and acidity: 2019 has all the qualities of a very good vintage.

Following on from the testing but elegant 2017 vintage and the incredible 2018 vintage, 2019 is another in a long line of excellent years that have tested the nerves of winegrowers. A vintage of extreme climatic contrasts, 2019 was marked by a summer of scorching temperatures. At the beginning of September, a return to cool, damp weather ensured a calm harvest with excellent ripeness.

The fruit of a superb year, the 2019 Bordeaux wines highlight a “winemaker’s” vintage, requiring constant attention and tireless work in the vineyard to respond effectively to the vagaries of the weather and the terroir. More than ever, the 2019 vintage underlines the expertise of the winegrowers, their ability to sublimate the year’s harvest without masking the identity of the terroir and by working in harmony with nature.

At Château La Cardonne, the 2019 wines are distinguished by the roundness and vibrant fruit of the Merlot, while the Cabernet Sauvignon displays superb complexity and great freshness, both aromatically and on the palate. Structured, the tannins are nonetheless extremely fine, while the acidity will ensure exceptional cellaring life for the most patient.

After a 2017 vintage in a style that emphasised freshness and delicacy, we can now say that 2018 is returning to a style associated with the Bordeaux identity: powerful, well-balanced wines with silky textures and an ageing potential that already looks very promising.

In practical tasting, the 2018 primeurs confirm the theory. There is no doubt that this is a great vintage. In the reds, the 2018 primeurs develop very elegant aromatic expressions, faithful to the terroirs and appellations. There is also strength and power, but the balance is so precise that this power is in no way aggressive. On the contrary, it lends an indisputable depth to the 2018 primeurs. What’s more, the cool nights at the end of the season gave these Bordeaux wines the acidity they needed to prevent this vintage from becoming too sun-drenched. Precision is clearly a hallmark of this vintage, with a purity and balance rarely seen at such a high level.

The 2017 vintage was shaping up to be a challenging one for Bordeaux. And yet, after the two excellent years of 2015 and 2016, 2017 confirmed the consistency of the great terroirs, while also bringing to light some unexpected discoveries. With aromatic, pure and bright fruit, elegant and silky tannins, well-balanced acidity and racy, fresh wines, 2017, while lacking the substance of the previous two vintages, is sure to be memorable.

It’s always challenging to write about a wonderful vintage, when it follows a wonderful vintage. That said the 2016 scores higher in our minds than the 2015. The color is superb, the aromas and tannins were released without effort, and the wine is beautifully balanced.
The bud break happened in late March, following a very mild winter. Springtime was rainy, very rainy, and fortunately flowering took place during a window of dry weather in June. The very dry weather set in in July and lasted until mid-September giving the grapes a remarkable concentration with colour and tannins.
The rains arrived just at the right time to accelerate maturity, and allowed for stress-free harvesting.
We started picking the merlots on October 6th, the last cabernets were crushed on the 21st.
This year the wines were aged in a higher percentage of New oak barrels than normal, and for 16 months vs 12 months, as we occasionally do on very special vintages.
The 2016 vintage has the quiet nobility of great vintages, sure of their charm and their power.
The vintage was bottles in march 2019.

When asked to describe the 2015 vintage we see a combination of the fruit of 2005, the body of the 2009 and the profound tannins in 2010.
Winter, which was appreciably colder than those of the previous years, caused late, but perfectly regular blossoming. Dry and sunny weather in the spring made for optimal conditions, so flowering took place very quickly and homogenously. Sizzling hot, sunny, dry weeks in June, July helped shape the 2015 Bordeaux vintage. August will go down in history as one of the wettest Augusts recorded, our soils drained well before the drought returned in September. The harvest of the Merlots started on September 21st and we picked the last grapes on October 9th.
There were no surprises during fermentation, and these small thick-skinned berries flushed out wonderful levels of concentration and ripe tannins.
The result is a very opulent vintage with great depth and plenty of complexity. It was bottled in May 2018 and some customers, particularly in the United States are so pleased with how it’s currently tasting that we will release it to their customers in 2019.

In the early hours of Monday 9th June, a hailstorm passed over the vineyard. As a result, we lost over 80% of the newly formed grape bunches. We finally decided late in September than we would not harvest the remaining grapes, and subsequently did not release a 2014 vintage.

The 2013 vintage produced some wonderful Cabernet, compensating for rather rushed Merlot, and although we can’t describe our wines as extraordinary, very stringent selection allowed us to produce a well-balanced Claret for every day drinking.
The particularly cool temperatures at the end of winter and into spring delayed the growing season with flowering by 12 days later compared to the average. It rained throughout providing us with challenges with mildew, and overall the vines were finding it very tough to photosynthesize sufficiently A welcome summer drought brought the hottest July in record for 60 years, but we spent hours and hours green harvesting to ensure that the best grape bunches ripened consistently. When harvesting started on October 1st we had warm weather, and we finished on October 18th.
It’s unlike to be a vintage that one will stock in the cellar for many years,, however we will release this wine to the market in 2019/2020 as it is already releasing wonderful red fruit notes, and we think it will be most enjoyable between 2019 and 2025.

We often describe the 2012 vintage as delicate, balanced and refined. We had substantially less rain than usual during the five winter months and the temperatures were mild except for the extremely cold first half of February. Budbreak was noted on April 5rd, which was otherwise a particularly wet month. A rainy and mild June was followed by a very dry July and August, ensuring a slow ripening. The weather changed again from the first day of autumn: the moderate rains, which fell regularly from September 20th onwards, arrived too late to greatly upset the ripening or health of the grapes.
The harvest took place from October 8th to October 18th, with a little more rain than we would have wished for, however the grapes remained in excellent health.
The Cabernets were more expressive than the Merlots during fermentation however during the final blending we were pleasantly surprised by their floral notes.
We expect to start releasing the vintage in 2019.

After two blessed vintages, when nature distributes all that is necessary, when it is necessary, 2011 delivered a charming yet younger drinking vintage.
This was a strange year for weather – as many said at the time, it was summer in spring, autumn in summer, spring in autumn. A hot start to the year that meant early bud break and flowering that was two weeks earlier than in 2010. From April we had drought conditions with temperatures 6°C higher than average.
Flowering was fully underway by May 17th, the earliest date ever recorded. From the second week of June, the weather began to change, and summer pretty much disappeared in July, with low levels of sunshine hours, cool temperatures and a rainy August. In September good weather returned for harvest, with occasional rains.
We harvested 2 weeks ahead of previous vintages, starting on 15th September, and finished picking on September 30th.
The vintage is full and charming, with an elegant nose with floral notes, and on the palate it is very fruity with lovely soft tannins.

In 2010 we were looking at another vintage of the century hard on the heels of 2009.
This vintage is a velvet dress of incredible density, an explosion of fruits and spices, with noble, rich and silky tannins.
Following a mild Autumn, the first months of 2010 were particularly cold and dry. Bud break was delayed until mid-April, and flowering was challenging during a cool first half in June. The vine roots worked miraculously, digging deeper as water was scarce. Add to that the mild temperatures during the months of July and August, the sunny months of September and October with just enough rain to perfect the balance of fruit and we had the ideal recipe for a great vintage. We harvested Merlot from October 7th to 13th, Cabernets Francs on October 14, and Cabernets Sauvignons from October 15th to 21st.
In the vats, aromas of raspberry and black cherry filled the air when pumping over, and slow fermentation allowed for a very smooth extraction of colours and tannins.
The 2010 vintage has such intensity in colour, the nose is incredibly expressive, pure and aromatic. On the palate, the structure is extremely elegant with dark berry flavours.

We previously thought the 2005 vintage was the vintage of our lifetime, as the 2009 was simply astonishing as a young wine. It has the fullness of 2005 and the softness of 1990.
Even right at the start of the Growing Season things were looking promising, with temperatures slightly above average and 220 hours of sunshine. This was tempered by a mild but rainy April, until May saw the return of fine weather, leading to swift and even flowering in late May and early June. Summer turned out to be extremely warm and even, with 293 sunshine hours in June, 262 in July and 270 hours in August. The flowering was uniform, although we were slightly worried as we had just 48mm of rainfall compared to the 30-year average of 90mm in September. Harvesting begun on the October 1st and we picked the last cabernets on October 22nd.
The aromas in the chai were glorious, and during fermentation little intervention was required to extract scintillating ruby red color and smooth velvety tannins.
The 2009 in bottle possesses extraordinary aromatic intensity, freshness and precision. Rich, ripe and mineral, with a very long, lingering finish.

The 2008 vintage reminds us of the depth and charm of 2004.
A dull, wet, stormy March brought slow, uneven budburst. Uneven flowering and poor berry set typified a dreary May (second wettest since 1946) and luckily July’s dry sunny weather allowed us to select the best bunches.
Following a cool, sodden August, glorious sunshine arrived. From mid-September to mid-October daytime temperatures averaged 22 degrees C and warm Atlantic breezes hastened ripening and kept grapes healthy. A remarkable temperature difference between day and night in September led to a very rapid synthesis of phenolic compounds of grapes. The Merlots were harvested from October 6th to 13th and the Cabernets from October 11th to 17th.
The 2008 vintage has taken longer to evolve than most vintages. Most of the vintage remained in our cellars until 2015, when suddenly the tannins softened, and a very classic wine arose from a long and deep sleep.

After a mild February, budburst arrived 10 days earlier than usual, at the end of March. Temperatures soared in April – it was the warmest since 1949 – but then sunk in May and flowering was a week later than the norm. Rain and May’s chronic lack of sunshine endured until August, bringing the constant threat of mildew. Unceasing work in the vineyards was needed to maintain healthy grapes and then reduce yields in the harvest run-up. Although August began warm and sunny, rain and cooler weather soon returned, swelling the berries and creating huge variety in the relative development of various plots and vineyards. But then came 64 days of unbroken sunshine – and a long, drawn-out harvest at last got underway. We started picking on the 4th October and picked the last perfectly ripened Cabernets on the 18th.
The chai was filled with wonderful aromas of Strawberries and raspberries, yet we probably conducted the most rigorous selection in our history to produce a vintage that has stood the test of time as an everyday perfectly enjoyable claret.

A very tricky vintage marked by highly variable weather from beginning to end. A cold, wet winter that was welcome after the searing and dry conditions of 2005 gave way to dry weather from spring through mid-summer, which was marked by prolonged scorching heat in July and a soggy September which interrupted harvest and caused us lots of sleepless nights.
After a very dry 2005, the heavy rains of March were a relief but cause a delay in bud burst compared to the last years. The Merlots did not open until early April, as in the year 2000. The hot and dry month of June led to very fast flowering, Merlots and cabernets blooming at the same time. We arrive at the veraison 2-3 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of 2000 and 2004, and harvested between September 25th and October 10th.
Despite the challenges the vintage has richness of the 1986 vintage and the grace and the purity of 1996.

It’s hard to remember when a new vintage has been more widely praised. Even modern classics such as 1989, 1990 and 2000 did not receive as much early acclaim as 2005, its voluptuousness and harmony make it a truly exceptional vintage.
We have never seen more perfect grapes harvested, following a warm, sunny growing season. We believe the cool nights during August and September helped maintain balance in the grapes, and the wines will be most noted for being ultraripe yet superfresh. In other words, the wines had loads of ripe fruit and tannins, along with high acidity levels. It’s difficult to imagine a more perfect scenario.
The beginning of the harvest was progressively postponed until September 29th. The fruitiness of the young merlots was impressive. The yields were low but what concentration! We patiently waited for the Cabernets to fully ripen, and we picked the final grapes on October 18th.
Fermentation was at a lower temperature than usual, and the vats required less intervention than usual to extract colour and tannin.
We think it’s the finest vintage we’ve produced on the vineyard to date.

Widely regarded as a vintage in the classic style of such fine vintages as 1996 and 1988, our 2004 vintage proved fresh and pure, and well structured for mid to long-term ageing. The 2004 growing season was characterised by alternately wet and dry periods, with a fortunate co-incidence of the dry spells firstly with the flowering, and then with the harvest. Central to the quality of the vintage, as well as to the return to normal levels of production, was the extremely good, even and short flowering which ran during the glorious weather of late May and early June. This laid the foundation for the subsequent generous crop and for the even ripening at the end of the season. Rainfall in August was unusually high leading to widespread gloom over the prospects for the vintage. However, at the beginning of September the fine weather returned and the the crop ripened beautifully, and picking of the Merlots began a little later than usual on the 4th of October. The Cabernets followed and we finished harvesting on the 18th.
The fermentations were slow, which allowed time to clearly identify the personality of each parcel and adapt the vinification accordingly. It was a vintage dream for a winemaker.
In each bottle of 2004 there is great finesse and a beautifully subtle combination of floral, fruit and spice aromas on the nose.

2003 will be remembered as the year of the heatwave, producing a wine of unparalled density with power, strength, depth and length, and wonderfully silky tannins.
The vines, with their deep roots, suffered less than other crops. Nevertheless, some grapes were scorched by the burning sun of August. The high night temperatures disrupted the synthesis of polyphenols while also sugar concentrations increased rapidly. All our usual indicators were swept away, and it was difficult to decide when to harvest and which parcels to harvest first. Daily Observation and tasting were our only guides. Then 30 mm fell in three days during the first week in September, and we filled the first vats of juice on September 10th. With the high temperatures we decided only to harvest in the morning. Yields were very low and very naturally concentrated grapes. We harvested at a slow pace finishing on October 2nd. Fermentation were slower than usual which allowed us to master the extraction. At the end of a grueling season, facing unknown situations, we produced magnificent wine, very round and very charming.

2002 was a small harvest that yielded first-rate, well-structured, stylish wines, yet requiring considerable cellaring before they reach their peak. After a mild, relatively dry spring there followed a cooler than normal summer culminating in a wet August. A major factor early in the year was the cool spring that upset the flowering, and distressed the early-developing and more fragile Merlot grape. However, we were blessed with a glorious Indian summer through September and October and this saved the harvest. Day after day the grapes were enriched in sugars and aromas, the tannins at first rough refined, and our spirits soared. 2002 was the smallest crop since 1991, yet the quality is unquestionable.
We started harvesting on October 3rd, and the last parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon were picked 9 days later. The polyphenolic potentials were impressive. The analysis laboratory had to change its rating scale as the anthocyanin numbers were off the chart. The juices were almost black, fruit and jam flavors immediately noticeable. The Merlots were particularly aromatic, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Francs exceptional. The vintage is superb: rich, powerful and harmonious with the tannic elegance of the cabernets.

The vintage reminds us of 1999 in terms of expressive aromas and dense and harmonious tannins.
The preceding winter was the wettest since 1982/83. May and June were dry, and flowering in June was early, rapid and uniform. Though July started out wet and cool, it ended warm and dry, and August was hot with average rainfall for the month. September was rather cool, providing excellent conditions for ripening, and we were able to wait for full maturity before picking. The young Merlot vines opened the show on October 2nd but the serious things really started on October 5th and ended on the 12th. During this period, the weather was very favorable, the few rains having the good idea of falling rather night.
From the first days of winemaking we were happily surprised by the deep color, when led to a much softer extraction than usual.
It’s always difficult to follow a vintage such as 2000, however the 2001 vintage will bring us many years of drinking pleasure.

In 2000 the growing season was by no means straightforward, and little did we know that we would harvest one of the greatest vintages of the 20th century. The New Year and spring were more than mild, resulting in early bud burst. However, though
the warmth continued in April and May, it was wet,
flowering started at the end of the month. The damp
conditions continued in June and July. What saved the day (rather like
1978 though the heat and sun arrived a month earlier)
was almost unbroken sunshine without rain from
August through September, resulting in fine ripening
conditions favouring the Merlot and, for those who
waited and timed it right, the late-ripening Cabernet
Sauvignon. We began our harvest on September 25th starting with the older Merlot vines, and as we waited for the Cabernets to fully mature we completed the last parcel on October 12. Fermentation was very smooth and maceration lasted 3 weeks. With an elegance and softness on the palate, reminiscent also of the 1990 and 1996 vintages, this is one of our greatest vintages.

Tasting note

Superb deep ruby red. The wide-open bouquet of ripe red fruits is accompanied by delicate floral notes of wisteria and acacia blossom. The highly elegant palate is chewy and fruity with a dense tannic base. In it, you can detect a mixture of small wild berries, finely integrated oak and some floral, cut hay notes persisting through to the long, fresh finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Pressé of guinea fowl with apricot & almonds
Ham hock, lardo, piccalilli & mace

*Main courses**

Thinly sliced beef rump, spiced aubergine, red onion, pink firs, garlic and rosemary
Roast guinea fowl, glazed onions, girolles, broad beans and black truffle
Lamb fillet, anchovy cream, dandelion and burdock salsa
Pavé of venison cooked with mugwort,

Tasting note

Deep ruby red in colour. Mature, complex nose of blossom and ripe fruit.The palate is supple yet firm, with black berried fruits (cassis, bilberry), superb length and a delicious touch of liquorice at finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Crown of quail, confit leg, mushroom, madeira
Mandarin, chicken liver parfait & grilled bread

**Main Course**

Veal rump, grelot onion, and sage
Roasted pheasant breast, puff pastry case with confit legs, quince compote
Roasted free range guinea fowl breast and confit leg stuffed with leeks, black garlic flavoured anna potatoes
Soy glazed slow cooked duck breast with mushroom ketchup and duck ragout & broad bean tart

Tasting note

An engaging crimson in colour, with aromatic expression that improves on swirling. It then opens up to reveal sun-soaked fruit, jammy notes and light tobacco. The palate is an array of fine spices, toasty notes and black fruit. The rich, tightly structured tannins mellow to a rounded, delicate finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Seared duck foie gras, wild rocket and apricot
Black pudding, lovage velouté, smoked egg yolk pureé

**Main courses**

Sauté of calves’ liver with mashed potatoes, caramelised onions & madeira jus
Roast grouse with blackcurrant & beetroot sauce
BBQ beef onglet, white shallot pureé, wild garlic
Roast pigeon, aubergine and lemon balm

Tasting note

Crimson to ruby in colour, with a beautifully balanced bouquet (oak and fruit with a slightly meaty note), displaying a firm, elegant palate. There follows a succession of complex aromas, with fruit but also dead leaves and cut straw, leading to a subtle liquorice finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Miso glazed lamb belly, goat’s curd, sea beet
Confit duck foie gras, cherry, almond and basil

**Main courses**

Roast of pork belly, choucroute, roast potatoes, beetroots & yorkshire pudding
Slow cooked short rib of wagyu beef with roast and pickled celeriac,
Veal sweetbread, black garlic, white shallot purée

Tasting note

Sustained colour, brick at rim. Very ripe nose of cooked fruit with smoky notes, slightly cedary. Volume on the palate which displays well-integrated aromas initially, gaining power towards the end of palate. Beautiful finish of liquorice and jammy fruit.

Food and wine parings

**starters**

Crispy bacon glazed in maple with textures of cauliflower and lemon sorrel
Black pudding with apples and a pan fried duck’s egg on brioche toast

**Main courses**

Aged short rib of beef, creamed potato & bone marrow
Caramelised pork belly, almonds, rhubarb & onions
Roast pork loin with roast potatoes, apple sauce and yorkshire pudding
Roast breast of guinea fowl with wild garlic pesto, braised morels

Tasting note

Sustained garnet in colour. Nose of wonderfully ripe fruit, underlaid with notes of damp earth and undergrowth. The palate is full-bodied, with plenty of depth, wide-open aromas and a beautifully long lasting finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Rabbit terrine with caper jam
Grilled ox tongue with beetroot and pine nuts

**Main courses**

Roast angus beef, yorkshire pudding, potatoes roasted in beef fat, seasonal vegetables
Smoked duck breast, white shallot puree, glazed roscoff
Roast chicken, sprouting broccoli & white onions
Slow cooked lamb with crushed peas and crispy polenta

Tasting note

Magnificent deep ruby colour with purple tints.
Nose of liquorice and violet wrapped around classic black fruit aromas.
Voluminous, soft palate. The tannins are well-integrated, showing plenty of character but without aggressiveness and underlying some fine fruit. One word sums it all: elegance.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Popcorn-crusted chicken wing stuffed with bone marrow
Smoked quail, celeriac, winter truffles, piedmont hazelnuts, confit egg yolk

**Main courses**

Wood pigeon with turnip remoulade, wild garlic& pickles
7 hour braised lamb, pickled watermelon, feta, smoked aubergine
Highland wagyu beef, beetroot, smoked bone marrow, bitter leaf
Roast pigeon, aubergine and lemon balm

Tasting note

Dark purple red with violet hue and almost black core. Elegant nose with distinct berry fruit, raspberries and blackcurrants, discreet hints of mild spices in the background. On the palate medium bodied with wonderful length, fine fruit and firm tannins.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Pressed quail & duck liver, truffle dressed vegetables
Pork rilette with toasted country

**Main courses**

Loin of venison with carrot & marmite purée, keema dhal, salt baked carrot and spiced beef puff
Jowl of pork, carrot, apricot and girolles
Roast partridge, endive cooked in grilled oil, red leaves and mashed potato
Roast breast of chicken, truffle creamed potato, and girolles

Tasting note

Brillant ruby red. Attractive bouquet of red fruit, mineral and spices.
Delicious and lovely attack.
The palate is full of fruit character with a refreshing structure.
Soft elegant tannins surround the fine, fruity palate, leading to a generous, mouth-filling finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Haggis beignets, potato velouté, madeira jus
Corned beef terrine with toasted sourdough and mustard butter

**Main courses**

Veal rump, grelot onion, and sage
Roasted pheasant breast, puff pastry case with confit legs, quince compote
Roasted free range guinea fowl breast and confit leg stuffed with leeks, black garlic flavoured anna potatoes
Roast suckling pig with crackling, peppered sauce with golden raisins and confit shallots

Tasting note

Deep purple in colour, sparkling with ruby highlights.
The bouquet is wonderfully rich, with notes of candied fruit, gingerbread, brioche.
Well-rounded on the palate, with fine spices, toasty notes, with supple tannins that linger on a delicate finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Pickled beetroot and cheddar tart with haggis and horseradish cream
Duck liver parfait with fig and cherry chutney

*Main courses**

Roast goosnargh duck with crispy legs, beetroot tatin and port jus
Poached and roast veal head and sweetbreads, pimento, egg and caper dressing
Veal chop, creamed morel mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes
Roasted wood pigeon, black pudding cream, potato and fig terrine, choucroute of kohlrabi

Tasting Note

A lovely, intense red colour. The nose reveals hints of cooked red fruits, which are expressed by balsamic and chocolate flavoured nuances. The first taste is full of style, thanks to the rich tannic flavours and the finely roasted touch, which enhance tasting pleasure and provide a well-enveloped finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Terrine of rabbit and foie gras, pickled turnip,chutney
Parfait of chicken liver, apple jelly and toasted walnut loaf

**Main courses**
Leg of lamb & courgette flower tempura
Buttermilk poached guinea fowl, wild garlic, pickled mushroom, white onion puree
Fallow deer with elderberry, beetroot and kale
Suckling pig, roasted alliums & baby beetroots

Tasting note

Deep garnet red, with purple highlights. The bouquet mingles black fruits (blueberry, blackberry), spices and perfectly integrated wood. The palate is rich, round and fresh. Impressive and yet fine tannins, very promising. A long finish with vanilla aroma.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Beef toast and dripping with mustard butter
Pan roast duck foie gras pineapple, dark rum caramel, tonka

**Main courses**

Roasted sweetbread, tomato, garlic and basil. Slow cooked veal cheek, grelot onions, watercress and bacon, warm bone marrow espuma
Wild boar, bramley apple, black treacle, fennel, panisse, beetroot
Sauté of calves’ liver with mashed potatoes, caramelised onions & madeira jus

Tasting note

Beautiful velvety purple color. The bouquet displays aromas of berry fruits (blueberry, blackcurrant) with a delicate woody note. Harmonious, the palate is a perfect balance between freshness and silky tannins.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Duck liver parfait with orange chutney and toasted brioche
Rabbit & ham hock terrine, heritage carrots, mustard, liver & kidney, caraway crostini.

**Main courses**

Barbecued fillet of angus beef served with caramelized shallot tart tatin, sautéed girolle mushrooms and savory scented jus
Rose veal, slow cooked cheek, sweetbread, garden onions
Roast saddle of rabbit with crispy potatoes and parmesan
Roast beef, bone marrow, roasted carrots, fine bean & foie gras salad, truffle, hazelnut, marrow sauce

Tasting note

Beautiful dark ruby red with purple tints.
The expressive nose of flowers and fruits is accompanied by herbaceous and woody notes.
The front palate is supple, round and sublely oaky.
Refreshing and minty at first , it evolves into a pretty fruity finish (blackcurrant and raspberry).

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Croquettes of suckling pig, fried quail egg, foie gras, pancetta, red pepper mostardo
Pork & pickled onion pie and spiced date purée

**Main courses**

Grilled tender rabbit fillets, served on a celeriac fondant, glazed chestnuts and armagnac sauce
Roasted best-end of lamb under a herb crust, served with a lightly spiced shoulder fritter and vegetable bayaldi
Challandais duck roasted with dukkah spices, vegetable tartlet, plum chutney and jus
Braised venison, rösti potato, new season garlic and rainbow chard

Tasting note

Brilliant, deep red in colour, with a fresh bouquet of red current and cherry evolving to floral and slightly minty notes as it breathes. The palate is meaty, the tannins dense yet velvety, with a flowery acacia note. The discreet and elegant wood results in a perfect balance.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Clear duck broth with turnip flan and smoked duck
Wild mushroom & truffle ravioli, pea velouté

**Main courses**

Crown of anjou squab, confit leg, port & coriander
Veal sweetbread, arabica coffee, pickled walnuts, macadamia nut purée
Grilled fillet of scottish beef, wild mushrooms red wine shallot sauce
Suckling pig, belly & loin, spanish peach, onion & almond purée

Tasting note

Magnificent deep ruby colour with purple tints.
Nose of liquorice and violet wrapped around classic black fruit aromas.
Voluminous, soft palate. The tannins are well-integrated, showing plenty of character but without aggressiveness and underlying some fine fruit.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Roast marrowbone with snails, radish, mace & lovage
Glazed chicken wings, smoked eel, sauteed duck liver, celery and nettle

**Main courses**

Iberico pork chop with white pudding, and pickled onion
Roast belly of lamb, pickled cucumber heart, onions, broad beans & rock samphire
Fillet of beef with mushroom ketchup & triple cooked chips
Dry aged sirloin, dauphinoise and bone marrow

Tasting note

Superb deep ruby red. The wide-open bouquet of ripe red fruits is accompanied by delicate floral notes of wisteria and acacia blossom. The highly elegant palate is chewy and fruity with a dense tannic base. In it, you can detect a mixture of small wild berries, finely integrated oak and some floral, cut hay notes persisting through to the long, fresh finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Pressé of guinea fowl with apricot & almonds
Ham hock, lardo, piccalilli & mace

*Main courses**

Thinly sliced beef rump, spiced aubergine, red onion, pink firs, garlic and rosemary
Roast guinea fowl, glazed onions, girolles, broad beans and black truffle
Lamb fillet, anchovy cream, dandelion and burdock salsa
Pavé of venison cooked with mugwort,

Tasting note

Deep ruby red in colour. Mature, complex nose of blossom and ripe fruit.The palate is supple yet firm, with black berried fruits (cassis, bilberry), superb length and a delicious touch of liquorice at finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Crown of quail, confit leg, mushroom, madeira
Mandarin, chicken liver parfait & grilled bread

**Main Course**

Veal rump, grelot onion, and sage
Roasted pheasant breast, puff pastry case with confit legs, quince compote
Roasted free range guinea fowl breast and confit leg stuffed with leeks, black garlic flavoured anna potatoes
Soy glazed slow cooked duck breast with mushroom ketchup and duck ragout & broad bean tart

Tasting note

An engaging crimson in colour, with aromatic expression that improves on swirling. It then opens up to reveal sun-soaked fruit, jammy notes and light tobacco. The palate is an array of fine spices, toasty notes and black fruit. The rich, tightly structured tannins mellow to a rounded, delicate finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Seared duck foie gras, wild rocket and apricot
Black pudding, lovage velouté, smoked egg yolk pureé

**Main courses**

Sauté of calves’ liver with mashed potatoes, caramelised onions & madeira jus
Roast grouse with blackcurrant & beetroot sauce
BBQ beef onglet, white shallot pureé, wild garlic
Roast pigeon, aubergine and lemon balm

Tasting note

Crimson to ruby in colour, with a beautifully balanced bouquet (oak and fruit with a slightly meaty note), displaying a firm, elegant palate. There follows a succession of complex aromas, with fruit but also dead leaves and cut straw, leading to a subtle liquorice finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Miso glazed lamb belly, goat’s curd, sea beet
Confit duck foie gras, cherry, almond and basil

**Main courses**

Roast of pork belly, choucroute, roast potatoes, beetroots & yorkshire pudding
Slow cooked short rib of wagyu beef with roast and pickled celeriac,
Veal sweetbread, black garlic, white shallot purée

Tasting note

Sustained colour, brick at rim. Very ripe nose of cooked fruit with smoky notes, slightly cedary. Volume on the palate which displays well-integrated aromas initially, gaining power towards the end of palate. Beautiful finish of liquorice and jammy fruit.

Food and wine parings

**starters**

Crispy bacon glazed in maple with textures of cauliflower and lemon sorrel
Black pudding with apples and a pan fried duck’s egg on brioche toast

**Main courses**

Aged short rib of beef, creamed potato & bone marrow
Caramelised pork belly, almonds, rhubarb & onions
Roast pork loin with roast potatoes, apple sauce and yorkshire pudding
Roast breast of guinea fowl with wild garlic pesto, braised morels

Tasting note

Sustained garnet in colour. Nose of wonderfully ripe fruit, underlaid with notes of damp earth and undergrowth. The palate is full-bodied, with plenty of depth, wide-open aromas and a beautifully long lasting finish.

Food and wine parings

**Starters**

Rabbit terrine with caper jam
Grilled ox tongue with beetroot and pine nuts

**Main courses**

Roast angus beef, yorkshire pudding, potatoes roasted in beef fat, seasonal vegetables
Smoked duck breast, white shallot puree, glazed roscoff
Roast chicken, sprouting broccoli & white onions
Slow cooked lamb with crushed peas and crispy polenta

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