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Château Rauzan Ségla 2016

Château Rauzan Ségla 2016
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Cult favourite Château Rauzan Ségla 2016 has been in phenomenal form and their 2016 is very special too. Released at the back end of last week @ £367.50 per case of 6, we are pleased to have taken our full allocation.

96-97 James Suckling “A solid red with currant and blackberry character. Full body, soft tannins and a flavorful finish. Shows richness and excitement. Juicy and sexy undertone to this.”

95-97 Neal Martin “The 2016 Rauzan-Segla (Rausan-Segla) is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot picked between 20 September and 15 October at 45 hectoliters per hectare. The wine is being aged in 60% new oak for 18 months. It has 13.2% alcohol. It has a very powerful and intense bouquet with layers of blackberry, kirsch, cedar and a touch of mint. The palate is medium-bodied with plenty of fruit concentration: layers of ripe blackberry and boysenberry, segueing into what feels like a very spicy and peppery second half that seems to calm down and attain more nuance with aeration in the glass. It is a wonderful follow-up to the 2015 last year, although not quite with the same audacity and bravado. Tasted twice with consistent notes”

94-97 Galloni “The 2016 Rauzan-Ségla is a more-than-worthy follow-up to the stellar 2015. The flavors are dark and boldly sketched, with stunning intensity to fill out the wine’s vertical, soaring frame. A deep, complex wine, the 2016 Rauzan-Ségla is built to deliver pleasure for many decades to come. This is stunning, multi-dimensional wine of the highest level. Wow”

17.0 Jancis MW “Really lifted, savoury nose. Well mannered. Nothing out of step. Could do with a bit more acidity and drive? A bit too diplomatic on the palate?”

95 Jane Anson / Decanter “This is a Rauzan-Ségla with a powerful, streamlined throb. The two Rauzan neighbours (Ségla and Gassies) give very different takes on the vintage and each has its own charm. This is sleek, poised and well controlled, demonstrating deep extraction with clear cassis notes. Nicolas Audbert takes more risks with the wine than his predecessor John Kolasa did, and the opulence, finesse and forward motion is clear. Big-framed for the vintage, this resembles the 2015, even the 2010, and is a wine for long ageing”

For all Bordeaux En Primeur enquiries, please contact charles@waudinvestmentwines.com or call +44 20 7940 5516

Château Mouton Rothschild 2016

Château Mouton Rothschild 2016
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A big announcement today as Château Mouton Rothschild release with one of the most highly anticipated wines of 2016 @ £2,592.00 IB per case of 6. We have taken as much as we can get our hands on and will push for another allocation later in the campaign.

All the critics agree, this is a sensational wine, with Neal Martin giving it his joint highest score for a First Growth of 98-100. James Suckling scores it a straight 100, hailing it as, “The new 1986 but better”.

100 James Suckling “This is a phenomenal, muscular red that shows incredible power and depth. Full-bodied and with great concentration of tannins but this remains agile and polished. The form to this is stupendous. Such precision and clarity. The new 1986 but better”

98-100 Neal Martin “The 2016 Mouton-Rothschild is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the latter two co-fermented, picked from 26 September and finished on 14 October. As usual, it is being matured in 100% new oak. It has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, cold limestone and crushed violet aromas that if anything, appear to gain vigor with aeration in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, juicy tannin. There is a lot of fruit packed into this Mouton-Rothschild and therefore one can feel the weight in the mouth, yet the acidity keeps everything on tip-toes. The finish has superb precision and opulence, completing a Mouton-Rothschild that will rivet you to the spot. Tasted on two occasions, the second confirming that this is simply a magnificent wine. Whichever artist eventually designs the label is going to be drinking well”

18.5+ Jancis MW “Exceptional crimson. Real lift and transparency. Quite a soaring dry style with great texture and refreshment. Very strong style statement. Infusion of Cabernet. A sort of amalgam of cassis and tar in that very Mouton way but with 21st-century lift and transparency. Quite brave in a way. Bone dry and utterly embryonic compared with most of the 2016s (with the notable exception of Las Cases).”

98 Jane Anson / Decanter “For the 2016 vintage, Philippe Dhalluin and his team have wrought a big, rich Mouton full of seductive grilled coffee bean, slate, graphite, tight cassis and bilberry. This has depth and impact and closely approaches the 2010. Astonishing! Clearly powerful but with the beauty and flourish of Mouton. It is a long lasting wine, just stretching out endlessly in front of you. The tannins are ever present and precise with a sweetness to them and a satin edge. This is 100% new oak, but has that 2016 trick of seeming perfectly integrated already. A wine to age then sink into on some happy future date. 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot (the last two were co-vinified, unusually).”

95-98+ Galloni “On first impression, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild is incredibly reminiscent of the 1986, especially in its aromatics. On the palate, the 2016 naturally reflects the more finessed personality of the year as well as 30 years of continual refinements in vineyard and cellar work. Graphite, grilled herbs, smoke, crème de cassis, bittersweet chocolate and ripe plums are some of the many flavors that flesh out in the glass in an utterly captivating, exquisite Mouton that I had to taste twice and then directly from barrel because of its pure allure. Although it is early, the 2016 Mouton is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage”​

For all Bordeaux En Primeur enquiries, please contact charles@waudinvestmentwines.com or call +44 20 7940 5516

Château La Mission Haut Brion 2016

Château La Mission Haut Brion 2016
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We are now off and running and have taken a position with Château La Mission Haut Brion that was highly recommended @ £1,995.00 IB per case of 6.

98-100 Neal Martin “The 2016 La Mission Haut Brion is a blend of 57.5% Merlot and 42.5% Cabernet Sauvignon picked between 19 September and 14 October, one of the longest ever. “We had to be patient and wait for each plot,” Jean-Philippe Delmas told me. “It took longer than usual.” As is customary, I allowed my sample, and likewise all the wines poured at this tasting, around 40-45 minutes to open since they always transform in the glass. It has a clean and precise, quite understated bouquet with fine mineralité, cold stone aromas infusing the black fruit. This has incredible precision, perhaps even more pixelated than the “gaff over the road” Haut-Brion. The palate is medium-bodied with supple and lithe tannin. I appreciate the line of acidity here, the smoothness and harmony that takes your breath away. Every atom is infused with life-affirming freshness. It is a wine bridled with incredible focus and delineation. I thought that the 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion flirted with perfection. The 2016 has that extra edge, a “je ne sais quoi” that leaves you reaching for the thesaurus looking for superlatives”

96-97 James Suckling “The texture to this is very beautiful with chewy yet very polished tannins. Full-bodied, tight and mouth-filling. Starts very slowly and then takes off. Love the energy in this”

18.5+ Jancis MW “Glowing deep crimson. Very intense and ripe. Snazzy and spicy. Polished and racy. Very firm and lots of ripe tannins – very much à La Mission. Super-sophisticated. Inky and fresh and so ripe and confident. A dry style but great. Racy but tannic.”

98 Jane Anson / Decanter “Wonderful La Mission this year, graceful but with an unmistakable sense of controlled power. The wine just expands outwards and upwards in your mouth – insistent but terribly polite about it. It is deep and silky, shot through with coffee grounds, damson and soft cassis on a creamy mid-palate, utterly beautiful. There is a real energy and vitality here, with a caressing texture to the tannins and huge persistency on the finish. Dense, and yet so finessed that you could almost drink it today. Wow!

For all Bordeaux En Primeur enquiries, please contact charles@waudinvestmentwines.com or call +44 20 7940 5516

Bordeaux En Primeur Campaign 2016

Bordeaux En Primeur Campaign 2016
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We are delighted to invite you to attend the launch of our Waud Investment Wine 2016 Bordeaux En Primeur campaign on Wednesday 22nd March from 5.30pm at Nicholas Mee & Company Aston Martin showrooms in West London.

Last year our various Waud Wine syndicates made up of friends, colleagues and wine club members, again invested over £250,000 in wines that are currently trading very favourably in the market thanks to astute buying from our expert, Stuart McCloskey. The wines we purchased in 2015 from the 2014 En Primeur campaign are now trading (just 18 months later) on average at a 22% premium.

The presentation will explain the basis and attraction of investing, as well as the generous treatment of Vat and Duty, in addition to the fact that Capital Gains tax is not applicable to the profit generated from this investment.

Here are some video highlights from last year’s events:

 

We can accommodate around 50 people at the event where we will be serving sparkling wine and canapes, enjoying a good browse of the Heritage Aston Martins in stock and finishing up after the presentation with a treat of a tutored tasting of several investment grade Bordeaux wines.

The venue again this year is;

Nicholas Mee & Company, Brackenbury House, 158-160 Goldhawk Road, London, W12 8HJ

http://www.nicholasmee.co.uk/contact-us/showrooms/

Please let me know if you would like a ticket to the event and if you would like to bring anyone with you? – we will be running another event on the same lines the following night for Nicholas Mee’s own clients as well.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Very best,

Charles
charles@waudinvestmentwines.com
020 7940 5516

Bordeaux 2016 – the largest harvest since 2006

Bordeaux 2016 – the largest harvest since 2006
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As we rev up towards our 2016 Bordeaux En Primeur Campaign, we look at a fascinating article about the 2016 wines. The below article is written by Bordeaux grower, winemaker and writer Gavin Quinney and was published on the Liv-Ex blog.

Bordeaux 2016 – the largest harvest since 2006

2016 was the biggest Bordeaux harvest in over a decade, according to official figures. The production of 577.2 million litres – the equivalent of a staggering 770 million bottles – was the largest since 2006, when there was 10% more vineyard area. Strong harvest figures for Bordeaux are, of course, in stark contrast to many less fortunate regions across France in 2016.

At an average of 52 hectolitres per hectare (hl/ha), 2016 saw the highest yield per hectare since the largest crop of the century to date in 2004, which came in at 54 hl/ha. “The yield on the Merlot,” I wrote in Bordeaux 2016 – quality and quantity last October, “is the biggest I’ve seen since 2004 and the quality is far superior to that attractive but uneven vintage. As Bordeaux is 89% red and Merlot accounts for two thirds of that 89%, it’ll be a big crop out in the sticks.”

It’s the third good Bordeaux vintage in a row, following on from the minor disaster that was 2013 (34hl/ha), and with the en primeur or ’futures’ tastings due to take place in late March and early April, the trade and the press will soon be able to judge if 2016 lives up to its billing of quality as well as quantity. Red wine accounted for 85% of production in 2016, plus 4% rosé, 10% dry white and 1% sweet white.

As ever, and not unreasonably, the focus for the primeurs will be on the top 300-400 wines from the leading Appellations. I’ve put together the yields for seven of these Appellations since 2006, and 2016 saw the highest yields in several years for five of them. It should be noted that the majority of the top estates ‘green harvested’ their crop from early summer onwards, reducing the potential yield in order to improve quality. Or, in some cases, to stay within the permitted maximum quota which, for reds in 2016, was 50hl/ha (eg St-Émilion Grand Cru) up to 58hl/ha (eg Graves), depending on the Appellation.

 

Bordeaux Grapes

The Cabernet Sauvignon was less plentiful than Merlot – often the result of less even flowering in June and smaller bunches – and this is reflected in more modest yields at some leading chateaux. Younger vines on more porous soils suffered during the Summer drought, when a tenth of the normal rainfall from 23 June to 13 September fell in some areas, and this also reduced the crop size.

Generic red Bordeaux makes up 35% of production, with over 200 million litres and yields of 56.6hl/ha across 35,700 hectares. It may not sound much, but this was a significant increase on the 51.1hl/ha and 51.7 hl/ha in 2015 and 2014 respectively. Bordeaux Supérieur notched up almost 60 million litres, with yields of 50.4 hl/ha across 11,850 hectares.

Most, but not all, Bordeaux rouge and Bordeaux Supérieur comes from the Entre Deux Mers and the loosely defined ‘right bank’. If you know a little of the geography of the region, you’ll see that the red and red-toned segments are those of the right bank and the Entre Deux Mers, and they’re responsible for two thirds of the whole output. Merlot, which is widely planted here, saw some spectacular yields in 2016. The Cabernets rather less so.

Meanwhile, the bluer sections of the left bank account for markedly less wine. The entire Médoc and Haut-Médoc – including Margaux, St-Julien, Pauillac and St-Estèphe – and the Graves and Pessac Léognan combined produced 100 million litres of red. That’s a lot of wine but it represented little more than a fifth of the output of Bordeaux red in 2016. Again, by volume, most of the generic dry white comes from the Entre Deux Mers.

In every case for red wines and dry whites, the combined averages for each Appellation group show higher yields in 2016 than for any other vintage. It was also a good year for sweet white wines in terms of yield.

Vins de France, Vins de Pays

Non Appellation Contrôlée wines are very much in the minority in the Gironde but it’s interesting to note that production of Vins de France and Vins de Pays (de l’Atlantique) combined, doubled from 16 and 15.5 million litres in 2014 and 2015 respectively to 31.5 million litres in 2016. 90% of this was Vins de France.

Published: Liv-ex Blog
Date: 17th February 2017
Link to Article: http://www.blog.liv-ex.com/2017/02/bordeaux-2016-largest-harvest-since-2006.html?mc_cid=20fb6130fe&mc_eid=bdabaddbb0

Bordeaux 2014: scores in bottle. (Article from Liv-ex Blog)

Bordeaux 2014: scores in bottle. (Article from Liv-ex Blog)
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As interest surrounding Bordeaux 2014 continues to build, critics have started to announce their in-bottle scores for the vintage. James Suckling released his this week; James Molesworth and Antonio Galloni published theirs last week.

Mouton Rothschild 2014 is the only wine to appear in all four critics’ top ten. Cheval Blanc, Latour, Vieux Chateau Certan each appear in the top ten for three of the four reviewers.

James Suckling’s top scores were higher than other critics. He awarded Lafleur and Ausone a ‘perfect’ 100 points, noting that he is “in awe” of Ausone, and exclaiming that Lafleur “is fantastic on the nose. OMG!” As can be seen, eight of his top ten wines have been scored above their original barrel range.

James Molesworth and Antonio Galloni have been a little more reserved. All of Molesworth’s scores fall within their original barrel ranges. Galloni awarded 97 points to seven Bordeaux reds with Vieux Chateau Certan acheiving the top score of 97+, above its original barrel range of 93-96+.

Neal Martin’s in-bottle scores for Bordeaux 2014 are expected in the next few months.

Published: Liv-ex Blog
Date: February 17th 2017
Link to article: http://www.blog.liv-ex.com/2017/02/bordeaux-2014-scores-bottle.html?mc_cid=20fb6130fe&mc_eid=bdabaddbb0

Bordeaux 2015 En Primeur Releases – 20th June

Bordeaux 2015 En Primeur Releases – 20th June
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As the campaign draws to a close, Château Lafite releases their 2015 @ £4,350.00 IB per case, which represents circa 20% decrease against the ‘06, ‘07 and 2008 vintages and £2,000.00 per case cheaper than the ‘05, ‘09 and 2010 vintages.

97-98 James Suckling “Here is a Lafite with lots of muscle and tone. Very tannic and velvety textured. Full body, fresh acidity and a bright finish. Shows a tenderness at the end. Gorgeous”.

94-97 Antonio Galloni “A dramatic, ample Lafite, the 2015 is also arrestingly beautiful and vivid. Expressive floral notes give the dark red and black flavors gorgeous aromatic lift. Today, the new oak is a bit pronounced, but otherwise, this is an exceptional wine. Rose petal, lavender, mint and purplish stone fruits add the last shades of detail”.

94-96 Neal Martin “The 2015 Lafite-Rothschild is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot picked between 17 September and 6 October. Matured in 100% new oak, it has a tightly-wound bouquet with black cherries, cassis, cedar and graphite, though it does not quite possess the depth one would have expected the vintage would have bestowed. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, harmonious on the entry and with the oak neatly integrated. There is a very fine grip towards the finish, which has a tangible spicy edge – white pepper with a touch of bay leaf and enough pencil lead to fill a stationery set. The aftertaste is extremely long here, more than a minute when I timed it on my watch. It is an excellent Lafite-Rothschild in the making and it often “finds its voice” only after bottling, so it could ultimately end with a higher score”.

96 Decanter “The Lafite violets come to the fore, providing finely polished elegance to the palate. It seems discreet but the cellar master says 2015 is the most ‘concentrated’ Lafite they have made. This will show as it matures.”

98 Tim Atkin “A wine that has divided opinions in 2015. What some people see as greenness, I regard as freshness and balance. This is elegant and harmonious, but doesn’t lack stuffing, carrying its 100% new oak with ease. Graphite, blackcurrant and cedar wood are underpinned by chalky minerality”.

18.0 Jancis Robinson “Lustrous mid crimson. Lightly spicy nose and very smooth tannins in the Lafite style. Only just enough acidity. Blurry impression. Mild and charming – very restrained and Lafite. It builds on the end in an impressive manner”.

Bordeaux 2015 En Primeur Releases – 17th June

Bordeaux 2015 En Primeur Releases – 17th June
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Denis Durantou’s long awaited release, Château L’Eglise Clinet was highly recommended and we snapped up our allocation @ £1,900.00 IB per case.

98-99 James Suckling “Lively and energized. Full body, intense and dense tannins. Great wine. Goes on for minutes. Such focus and clarity”.

96-98 Neal Martin “The 2015 L’Eglise-Clinet is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, picked between 21-25 September at 41 hl/ha and matured in 70% new oak. Denis Durantou poured two samples for me. First from Darnajou barrel. Here, a very composed, effortless bouquet with extremely pure raspberry coulis, strawberry, almost confit-like scents that display ethereal delineation. This is not a powerful or intense bouquet, rather one that is sophisticated and refined, bunches of violet emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit, crisp acidity, mineral-rich and tensile. There is tangible energy and refinement on the finish that lingers long and tenderly in the mouth, a wine constantly having something more to say. The second came from Demptos barrel. This was deeper on the nose, showing a touch more fruit, slightly higher toned. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, structured in the mouth, perhaps the barrel impressing its character more on the wine than the Darnajou. Together, they should combine to create a quite magical 2015 L’Eglise-Clinet”.

95-97 Antonio Galloni “Denis Durantou’s 2015 L’Eglise-Clinet is magnificent. A wine that has it all, the 2015 is vertical, dense and also remarkably translucent, all at the same time. The purity, freshness and energy of the 2015 is remarkable and yet the wine has immense depth. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2015 carries considerable tannic heft. In 2015 L’Eglise-Clinet is a wine of stature and true pedigree. The 2015 is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought in between September 21 and 25. Don’t miss it”.

Bordeaux 2015 En Primeur Releases – 16th June

Bordeaux 2015 En Primeur Releases – 16th June
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Dubbed one of the best wines of the 2015 vintage, we are again pleased to have taken our allocation of Mouton Rothschild at £4250 per case.

97-99 Neal Martin “The 2015 Mouton-Rothschild is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc matured entirely in new oak, as usual. This represents a relatively high percentage of Merlot simply because, as winemaker Philippe Dhalluin told me, that quality was so good. I afforded my sample four to five minutes to open as it was a little reduced at first, but eventually it reveals a gorgeous, extraordinarily intense bouquet of blackberry, cassis, incense and cold slate aromas. In some ways it reminds me of Latour as much as Mouton Rothschild. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannin, perfectly pitched acidity, wonderful tension and impressive length. There is a strong graphite theme running through from start to finish that is little grainy and so it will require preferably a decade in cellar. But what freshness and panache here, a classic Mouton-Rothschild that will live for 50 or 60 years, not a million miles away from say, the 1986 or 2010. Expect this to settle at the top of my banded score once in bottle. Drink 2027-2060.”

96-97 James Suckling “Very racy and refined with super polished tannins and focused dark fruits. Blackberry, orange peel, and black currants. Full. Very long and thought-provoking. A wine that delivers power and finesse. Juicy and fresh”.

19.0 Jancis Robinson “Very majestic nose. Obviously first-growth quality. Savoury and plush in terms of texture. Restrained without being a wimp. Lovely scent. Dry finish but with some of Mouton’s opulence before then. Very fine. Very exciting. Some saline sap as well as all the ripe fruit.”

98 Decanter “My joint top wine (with Ch Margaux) of the vintage. A real firework display but still controlled. Very rich on the palate: broad yet silky, earthy yet so refined. This is Mouton at a new peak and it’s hard to imagine a better balance of elegance and power”

Bordeaux 2015 En Primeur Releases – 15th June

Bordeaux 2015 En Primeur Releases – 15th June
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The 100 Point Château La Mission Haut Brion needs no introduction and we have picked up 10 cases @ £3,150.00 IB per case.

Suckling 100 “The purity in this wine is really mindblowing. So perfect. Licorice. Stone. Blackberry, blueberry. Full body. The power is amazing. But then it finishes etheral and so agile and beautiful. I am lost for words. This will rank with the best ever from here including 1975 and 1929”

97-99 Neal Martin “Complete and profound, the 2015 will rank as one of the great modern-day classics from this grand estate, another to add to that long list of magical La Missions”.

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