Leon Stolarski Fine Wines Provence Red Wine

The Domaine de Trevallon is located outside the small town of Saint-Etienne-du-Grès, 25 km south of Avignon and 7 km west of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. It is situated on the northern slopes of the Alpilles, a massif composed of limestone rock with sharp, jagged crests reminiscent of what the Provençal poet, Frédéric Mistral, described as a "Greek landscape". The Trévallon vines are planted in a series of vineyards dotted about the hillside, surrounded by holm oaks, olive and almond trees and scrub - to the avid wine enthusiast, a quite magical landscape. And the wines made here are simply wonderful. Indeed, to lovers of fine, terroir-driven wines, Domaine de Trévallon is undoubtedly one of the greatest estates in the whole of France.

The celebrated wine writer Clive Coates speaks of Trévallon thus;

“It is here, literally dynamited out of the solid, craggy limestone rock, that Eloi Durrbach blasted the surrounding garrigues into submission and planted a vineyard. It is here that one of the great and most individual wines of the Midi is produced………. If anything comes close, it is Mas de Daumas Gassac, or Auguste Clape’s Cornas, or the Peyraud’s Domaine Tempier in Bandol. Or a mixture of the three. All these are splendid wines in their own right. But they will only hint at what Trévallon has to offer.”

As one of the pioneers of the wine-growing renaissance that took place in the region around Les Baux, Eloi Dürrbach planted his first vines here in 1973. "My father, René Dürrbach, who was a friend of the painter, Albert Gleizes, one of the forerunners of Cubism, used to come and visit him in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, back in the 1950's" said Eloi Dürrbach. "At the time, we lived in Cavalaire, on the French Riviera, where I was born. My father wanted to find somewhere more peaceful to live and, in 1955, bought the Trevallon farmhouse, surrounded by 60 hectares of scrubland. Back then, nothing grew here, there was nothing but rock. But my father always thought it would be an excellent place to make wine."

And that is just what Eloi Dürrbach decided to do - but not before embarking on the monumental task of preparing the ground for the planting of his vines. The rock was broken up with dynamite, the ground was worked to a deep level, mixing the splinters of rock into the soil. Finally, Eloi planted his first 3 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon (grown from cuttings taken from nearby Chateau Vignelaure) and Syrah (cuttings taken from Chateau Rayas in Chateauneuf-du-Pape) in the winter of 1973, with the first Trevallon wine being produced in 1976.

The Domaine de Trévallon red wine is a 50/50 blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each variety is vinified and aged separately. 90% of each goes into large old oak foudres, whilst the remaining 10% is aged in 2 year-old 225 litre oak barriques, which will have been used for ageing the previous year’s white wine. The white itself is a blend of 45% Marsanne, 45% Roussanne and 10% Chardonnay, which is aged in 1 year-old 225 litre oak barriques. This is a very special white wine that will age gracefully for 10 years or more.

Many of these wines are available elsewhere in the U.K (though often only in full case quantities) but rarely will you find such an array of vintages on any single merchant’s list - and at prices that are hard to beat. If you have tasted the wines of Domaine de Trévallon before, then you will know just how good they are. If you haven’t, then you really should – this estate is undoubtedly the “1st Growth” of Provence, and to my mind one of the greatest estates in the world.

Domaine de Trévallon has a superb website www.domainedetrevallon.com where you can read more about the origins and development of the estate, together with tasting notes for every vintage ever produced.

Domaine de Trévallon 2001 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine_de_Trevallon_2001_table

Vintage	2001
Region	Provence - Saint-Etienne-du-Grès, near Les Baux
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged in oak foudres for 20 months
Grapes	Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.0%
Food	Fillet steak, rack of lamb, game, cheese
Next day	Still going strong
Drink	Can be drunk now, but will age beautifully for 15+ years
A purple core with a ruby edge, this has a densely fruited and perfumed nose, with mulberry and blackcurrant fruits and floral hints. A big wine and very much of its vintage - at 14.0%, this is 1% to 1.5% higher in alcohol than most Trévallons - but nevertheless displaying remarkable balance and elegance. Yes, there is a touch of baked fruit, but the depth of fruit is immense. Slightly lower in acidity (as to be expected with Rhone/Provence 2001’s) but deliciously drinkable. Warm spicy, full of fruit and very classy, this may well turn out to be one of the greatest and most long-lived Trévallon vintages. Limited stock.

Price: £43.99 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de Trévallon 2003 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine de Trevallon 2003

Vintage	2003
Region	Provence - Saint-Etienne-du-Grès, near Les Baux
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged in oak foudres for 20 months
Grapes	Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Fillet steak, rack of lamb, game, cheese
Next day	Still good to drink
Drink	Can be drunk now, but will age for another 10 years
Despite the very hot vintage - and what turned out to be by far the earliest harvest in the history of the estate - this has many of the attributes of classic Trévallon. The nose offers remarkably fresh aromas of blackcurrant, raspberry and damp undergrowth, along with a distinct note of violets and a very slight herbiness and savouriness at the end. The palate is equally fruit-laden, displaying plenty of ripeness, without being too rich or soupy. And whilst the tannins are a little more dusty and grippy than in a "normal" vintage, they are fairly ripe, leaving an impression of dark, bitter chocolate, rather than any feeling of greenness. There is also a core of delightfully fresh, almost lemony acidity - I don't know if there was any re-acidification in this vintage (and if there was, who could blame them) but if so, it has been very skilfully done. The finish is grippy and quite dry, but there is more than enough fruit and acidity to keep the tannins at bay. Whilst this may not go down as a classic Trévallon vintage, it is nevertheless an extremely interesting and enjoyable wine, which every Trévallon aficionado should have in their cellar, which is beginning to drink well now and should soften-out and evolve nicely for another 5 to 10 years. Limited stock.

Price: £40.00 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de Trévallon 2004 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine de Trevallon 2004 table

Vintage	2004
Region	Provence - Saint-Etienne-du-Grès, near Les Baux
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged in oak foudres for 20 months
Grapes	Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Fillet steak, rack of lamb, game, cheese
Next day	Still going strong
Drink	Best kept for a few years and will age for 15+ years
Black cherry colour. The nose has lovely depth and complexity of fruit - some sweet cigar box notes along with blackcurrant and blackcurrant leaves. Elements of both Cabernet and Syrah showing on the palate, with black fruits and spice and lots of complexity, but with a very youthful, tight structure. This has tannins, fruit and acidity in abundance – all the structure necessary for longevity, though it may take longer to come round than the 2005. This will start to drink well in 3 to 5 years and evolve nicely for 15 or more. A classic Trévallon for the long haul .

Price: £34.50 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de Trévallon 2005 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine de Trevallon 2005 table

Vintage	2005
Region	Provence - Saint-Etienne-du-Grès, near Les Baux
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged in oak foudres for 20 months
Grapes	Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Fillet steak, rack of lamb, game, cheese
Next day	Still going strong
Drink	Approachable now, but will age beautifully for 12+ years
All blackcurrants and raspberries at present, with a lovely fruit pastille sweetness to the fruit, remarkably fine tannins and lovely acidity – a wine with superb balance. Opens out beautifully in the glass, with a touch of pepper and herby garrigue to compliment the intense fruit flavours. Although it needs time to knit together a bit more and gain complexity, this will be a delicious medium-to-long term drinker (say over the next 10 to 12 years or so). A lovely wine.

Price: £34.50 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de Trévallon 2006 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine de Trevallon 2006 table

Vintage	2006
Region	Provence - Saint-Etienne-du-Grès, near Les Baux
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged in oak foudres for 20 months
Grapes	Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Fillet steak, rack of lamb, game, cheese
Next day	Lovely
Drink	Approachable now, but will age beautifully for 12+ years
Slightly transluscent blood red core, with a narrow ruby rim. The nose is classic Trévallon - a touch of pastilley sweetness peeping through on the nose, along with blackcurrant, herbs, polished mahogany and a whiff of iodine.The palate has masses of red and black fruit flavours - almost with a suggestion of sweetness - along with flavours of garrigue herbs, spices and a touch of savoriness. Delve a little deeper and there is a lovely, refreshing cranberry quality giving extra lift and interest. Juicy, almost citrussy acidity and a backbone of firm, but very fine tannins completes the package. Everything is there, in complete harmony - a truly elegant wine. OK, so it is still young, but it is actually a joy to drink now. But give it the benefit of another 5 to 10 years and it will be yet another in a long line of really great Trévallons.

Price: £34.50 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de Trévallon 2007 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine de Trevallon 2007 red

Vintage	2007
Region	Provence - Saint-Etienne-du-Grès, near Les Baux
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged in oak foudres for 20 months
Grapes	Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	14.0%
Food	Fillet steak, rack of lamb, game, cheese
Next day	Still going strong
Drink	Can be drunk now, but will age beautifully for 15-20 years
A deepish purple, semi-transluscent core with a tiny ruby rim, this has an intensely fruity, pastilley, perfumed nose, with classic Trévallon mulberry, bramble and blackcurrant fruits combined with notes of flowers, meat, leather and citrus. As with most Trévallons from great vintages, it has immense concentration and depth of fruit, but the balance is nigh-on perfect, with juicy, citrussy acidity combining with super-ripe tannins in a wine which I find almost impossible to fault. Trévallon is never velvety or soft - it is wild, herby, ever-so-slightly spicy and full of the flavours of Provence. But this particular vintage is generous, whilst remaining tremendously focused, complex and possessed of real finesse. Even at this relatively early stage, it is a wine with the generosity, depth of flavour and structure that marks it out as one the great Trévallons - if not the greatest - produced in the last 20 years. And whilst I have rarely - if ever - encountered a Trévallon which is so deliciously drinkable at such a young age, I have no doubt that it will also be very long-lived. An absolute masterpiece. Very limited stock - limited to 2 bottles per customer.

Price: £43.99 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Domaine de Trévallon 2008 Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine de Trevallon 2008

Vintage	2008
Region	Provence - Saint-Etienne-du-Grès, near Les Baux
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged in oak foudres for 20 months
Grapes	Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Fillet steak, rack of lamb, game, cheese
Next day	Not yet tested
Drink	Can be drunk now, but will age for another 10-15 years
Medium/dark purple, with a 1cm ruby rim. The nose is oh-so attractive and alluring - clean as a whistle and packed with all manner of fruit flavours, leaning more towards the red than black. Notes of redcurrant, raspberry, even strawberry, with hints of blackberry and blackcurrant lurking in the background. But it isn't all about the fruit, as there are some enticing notes of polished old wood, tobacco, allspice and garrigue herbs - in fact, this is very complex stuff. On the palate, you get a big hit of beautifully ripe, juicy fruit, along with plenty of herb and spice. The tannins are remarkably fine, whilst a backbone of mouth-watering acidity keeps everything tight and focused. The finish is long, spicy and gently warming, with that acidity staying all the way to the end. Although very young, this vintage is remarkably easy to drink now. Then again, although it probably won't be as long-lived as some vintages of Trévallon, it will certainly age nicely for at least 8 to 10 years.

Price: £34.50 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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The Domaine de Trévallon Vertical - Save £15
Trevallon Vertical

We currently stock every vintage of the fabulous Domaine de Trévallon red wine, back to 2001 (none was made in 2002). This 6-bottle mini vertical of the most recent vintages is offered at a discount of £15 against the usual retail prices. Normal price £221.99 - offer price £206.99. The selection comprises one bottle each of the following wines;

Domaine de Trévallon 2003 - Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine de Trévallon 2004 - Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine de Trévallon 2005 - Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine de Trévallon 2006 - Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine de Trévallon 2007 - Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône
Domaine de Trévallon 2008 - Vin de Pays des Bouches du Rhône

Price: £206.99 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Chateau d'Estoublon

As a merchant specialising in the wines of southern France, I tend to get numerous emails every week from some or other grower or their agent, looking to gain a foothold in the UK wine market. Time (or a distinct lack of it) dictates that I reply to only a small percentage of these emails – usually dependent on whether I am one of hundreds of recipients of a bulk email, or the target of an altogether more selective campaign. And although the majority of the growers on our current list are there because I found them, a few are there because they found me.

One such grower is Chateau d’Estoublon, a long-established estate, situated on the southern slopes of the Alpilles, which was purchased in 1999 by the Schneider family (of Breitling watches fame). The family immediately set about restoring the imposing 18th Century Chateau and the surrounding vineyards and olive groves, whilst their young winemaker Remy Reboul (under the tutelage of the legendary Eloi Durrbach of Domaine de Trévallon) set about making the wines. Some replanting was also carried out – mature Grenache and Syrah vines were already there, together with Grenache Blanc for the white wine. But unfashionable workhorse varieties such as Counoise, Cinsault and Ugni Blanc were replaced with more noble varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvedre, Marsanne and Roussanne, which came into production with the 2002 vintage.

The red wines are based on Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, with the main Chateau red also containing 20% Cabernet Sauvignon (the maximum permitted for the Les Baux de Provence appellation). Despite the Cabernet in the blend, these reds are stylistically quite similar to Chateauneuf-du-Pape – and bloody good Chateauneuf, at that! Just one white is made, being a blend of Marsanne, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc. Because Marsanne and Roussanne are not permitted varieties for the AOC, this wine bears the label "Vin de Pays des Alpilles". But make no mistake, this is brilliant stuff, which stands comparison with the (far more expensive) Trévallon white wine – and indeed, many a top white Chateauneuf or even Hermitage. The wines are certified organic (Ecocert).

Chateau d'Estoublon 2007 Les Baux de Provence
Chateau d'Estoublon 2007

Vintage	2007
Region	Provence - Fontvieille, on the southern edge of the Alpilles
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged 18 months in large oak barrels.
Grapes	Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Mourvedre
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.4%
Food	Venison and other game, beef, mushroom risotto
Next day	Still excellent - maybe even better
Drink	Lovely now, but will age for 8 to 10 years
This wine has a medium/dark, semi-transluscent ruby red core, fading to a wide raspberry-tinged rim. A delicious combination of smoke, meat, garrigue herbs, soft spices, polished leather, red capsicum and rotting, high-toned red and black fruits fairly leap out of the glass. It really is a tremendously complex and alluring nose, which strikes a perfect balance between fruit and savoury, with a touch of florality thrown in for good measure. The palate is full of fresh red and black fruit flavours, combining all of those qualities of fruit, herbs, spices, peppery and savoury/meaty notes with tremendous concentration, fine, grippy tannins and admirable acidity - and a tremendous length of flavour. That said, this is no Parkerised monster - despite the concentration, it has plenty of subtlety, with that lovely acidity giving real lift and vitality. This is another multi-dimensional wine, from one of the great Provence vintages in recent memory, with the balance and structure to age and evolve gracefully for at least 8 to 10 years (or maybe more).

Price: £19.99 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Chateau d'Estoublon Cuvée Mogador 2008 Les Baux de Provence
Chateau d'Estoublon Mogador 2008

Vintage	2008
Region	Provence - Fontvieille, on the southern edge of the Alpilles
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged 18 months in new oak barriques
Grapes	40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.9%
Food	Venison and other game, beef, mushroom risotto
Next day	Fabulous!
Drink	Can be drunk now, but will age for another 10+ years
The colour is a fairly opaque deep blood red, with a narrow ruby rim. The nose exudes class - indeed, it is quite beguiling, with heady black fruit aromas, a touch of meat, polished wood, garrigue herbs and incense. As you might expect with such a young wine, it is quite big on the palate, but it certainly isn't foursquare. The tannins are present, though undoubtedly very fine - in a slightly dusty, chocolatey fashion - whilst the core of rich, ripe, almost sweet bramble and blackcurrant fruit really is impressive, though there is a bitter cherry quality to it that keeps it fresh, in a sweet and sour sort of way. There is a certain amount of oak influence, not charred or toasty, but rather more in the way of old polished mahogany - integrated, subtle and beautifully aromatic. Again, it is ever-so-slightly savoury, herby, even meaty, whilst the mouth-watering acidity provides a perfect foil for the sweet fruit and the tannins - so much so that it is almost drinkable now. Then again, this is a wine built for the long haul and I would say it has at least a decade of evolution ahead of it. A completely magnificent wine.

Price: £42.95 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Chateau d'Estoublon Jeunes Vignes 2005 Les Baux de Provence
Chateau d'Estoublon Jeune Vignes 2005 table

Vintage	2005
Region	Provence - Fontvieille, on the southern edge of the Alpilles
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged 1 year in large oak barrels.
Grapes	A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.6%
Food	Roast or grilled red meats, sautéed vegetables, pasta
Next day	Still very good
Drink	Excellent now, but will age for another 5+ years
A bright, transluscent ruby/raspberry colour, fading gently to a pale raspberry rim - the result of what I assume to be quite a lengthy period of ageing before bottling. The nose offers aromas of the warm south - spiced red and black fruits, polished wood, undergrowth, garrigue herbs and a hint of garam masala. Give it a good swirl and you might even detect a hint of ripe peaches - for a "jeunes vignes" (from young vines) this offers surprising complexity. The palate is rich and concentrated, with a huge core of ripe fruit, but never blowsy or overpowering. There is a cherry skin element to it, which gives it lift, with a decent level of acidity and fine tannins adding grip and definition. As with all the Estoublon reds, it manages to combine rich, ripe flavours with juicy/tangy acidity and spicy warmth, without ever suggesting heat. If I were tasting this blind, I might think I was drinking an unusually subtle (and really very good) Gigondas.

Price: £16.25 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Chateau Pradeaux

Château Pradeaux

We first visited Chateau Pradeaux in 2007 and were mightily impressed, both with the wines and with the estate itself. Since that visit, Pradeaux had featured very high on the list of growers I wanted to have in our portfolio. And finally, here they are. Chateau Pradeaux is one of the oldest and most traditional wine estates in Bandol (which is itself one of the oldest appellations in France) and has been in the ownership of the Portalis family for many generations. The wines here are for the purist, rather than the modernist – and made from virtually all Mourvedre (for the reds, especially). The grapes are not de-stemmed and the wine is aged in large, very old oak foudres, rather than newer barrels. So if you are looking for modern, oaky fruit bombs, you are looking in the wrong place. For these are sturdy wines, offering a combination of power and elegance and a strong tannic backbone – wines to age and to be enjoyed with food. The rosé is quite simply world class – and is also capable of ageing for up to 10 years.

Le Lys de Chateau Pradeaux 2006 Bandol
LeLysdeChateauPradeaux2006

Vintage	2006
Region	Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, between Marseilles and Toulon
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged 4 years in old oak foudres
Grapes	90% Mourvedre, 10% Grenache
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.0%
Food	Beef, lamb, Toulouse sausages, mushroom risotto
Next day	Best consumed on the night
Drink	Can be drunk now, but will evolve for 8 to 10 years
Although this wine is made from vines aged between 20 and 30 years old and is effectively the "second wine" of Pradeaux (the vines used for Chateau Pradeaux are 35-plus years old) it is very similar to the grand vin in both aromatic profile and structure. Iodine, polished old leather, meat and garrigue herbs are prevalent on the nose, whilst the palate is very definitely old-school Bandol - plenty of black fruit flavours, laden with herbs and spices, but with a firm tannic backbone and a tight, earthy, minerally structure. Of course, it also possesses typical southern warmth and generosity, making it really rather nice to drink already, especially with food - we paired it with some Toulouse sausages and a herby, garlicy tomato sauce, and it was a wonderful match. It is a lovely wine, and an excellent introduction to top-notch estate Bandol, at a price that won't break the bank.

Price: £16.75 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Chateau Pradeaux 2004 Bandol
Chateau Pradeaux 2004 table

Vintage	2004
Region	Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, between Marseilles and Toulon
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged 4 years in old oak foudres
Grapes	95% Mourvedre, 5% Grenache
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.5%
Food	Game, beef, lamb, mushroom risotto
Next day	Best consumed on the night
Drink	Can be drunk now, but will evolve for another 5-10 years
This one is from a more typical vintage than the 2001. Deepish blood red in colour, semi-transluscent. On opening, there is a whiff of farmyard, which quickly dissipates to reveal some quite Chateauneuf-like aromas of red and black fruits, garrigue herbs and red meat. Along with further notes of undergrowth, crystallised fruits, vanilla, sandalwood and leather, this is pretty complex and alluring stuff. The palate is packed full of fruit, although - having been bottled only in 2009 after over four years in large (old) oak foudres - the tannins need time to soften. Then again, the tannins are more than offset by a herby, mineral quality and fabulous acidity. In other words, a beautifully balanced and fresh wine. Again, this can be drunk now, but needs hearty food. This is excellent, traditional Bandol which needs a year or two more to really get into its stride, and will be perfect after a few more years of ageing. Tasting note by The Wine Gang - April 2010 "Mourvèdre with just 5% Grenache, this wine was aged for four years in old oak foudres (huge barrels). The nose is rustic and traditional, the aromas of sweet, damp earth, vegetation and meatiness rather than anything overtly fruity. There's a refined sandalwood note too. On the palate this comes together beautifully: it has a core of svelte black fruit wrapped in those smoky, meaty and vanillin flavours, the tannins surprisingly refined and the balance excellent. Powerful stuff with serious cellaring potential (10 years plus). 93/100"

Price: £20.95 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Chateau Pradeaux 2006 Bandol
Chateau Pradeaux 2006

Vintage	2006
Region	Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, between Marseilles and Toulon
Colour/Style	Dry red, full bodied. Aged 4 years in old oak foudres
Grapes	95% Mourvedre, 5% Grenache
Alcohol (a.b.v)	13.5%
Food	Game, beef, lamb, mushroom risotto
Next day	Best consumed on the night
Drink	Can be drunk now, but will evolve for another 8 to 10 years
The nose is considerably complex and intensely aromatic, with notes of tobacco, incense, cinnamon, clove, orange peel and damp earth, allied to bramble and cherry fruits and just a hint of eau de vie. As one of the oldest and most traditional estates in Bandol, its wines have always been fiercely traditional too - and one of the criticisms in the past has been that the tannins can sometimes outlast the fruit. But with recent vintages, I detect a slight shift in that approach, for whilst still possessing a firm backbone of tannin, the wines are seemingly more approachable in their youth. And the 2006 is a classic example, with a core of ripe bramble and sour cherry fruit that is more than a match for those tannins. There is plenty of grip, of course, but plenty of fruit to go with it, not to mention a delicious layer of juicy acidity and a whole host of savoury, gently spicy elements, in a wine that shows a remarkable degree of elegance and complexity, even at this relatively young stage. I'd say you can drink it now, or hold for another 8 to 10 years. A fabulous wine, from a famous old estate which is back to top form.

Price: £21.95 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Minimum order value, delivery charges, times and restrictions

We deliver only to UK and Northern Ireland addresses. The minimum order value is £75 (plus the delivery charge). You may of course choose a mix of any wines in our range. Orders between £75 and £200: delivery charge is £7.50. Orders over £200: delivery is free! (If your order is over £200, please remember to change the delivery charge in checkout to £0.00). Please note: Delivery to non-mainland addresses (Scottish Highlands and Islands, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, etc.) is usually possible, but may not be on a next-working-day basis. It is also more expensive than delivery to mainland addresses, so will be charged at cost (for orders under £200) but with a small discount for orders over £200 - please call us for a quote.

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It is an offence to purchase or attempt to purchase alcohol if you are under the age of 18. (Section 149 Licensing Act 2003).We reserve the right to seek proof of age. Leon Stolarski says "drink less, but drink better!" Please consume alcohol in moderation.