En Primeur News : Tuesday, 8th May 2012

After some releases at only small price reductions from 2009/2010, the campaign has been kick-started again today by the release of Chateau Batailley at a fair and modest £250 per case. This is cheaper than any other vintage of Batailley on the market (the 2009 is £380), it’s great value for a Pauillac classed growth and it’s a very good wine with positive reviews from the critics. We preferred it to many wines that will be sold at much higher prices. For us it’s better than Beychevelle which is twice the price.

Derek Smedley MW rates it a better wine than Lafite in 2011 - : “The nose is very black fruited and quite tight but the fruit on the palate has sweetness. Blackcurrant and black cherry are backed by dark chocolate and liquorice, the richness of flavour giving flesh towards the back. There is complexity the layers of flavour giving interest and although the finish is firm there is a good weight of fruit coming through. 90-93 points”

“Robust, rather earthy fruit, then a touch of violets to lift it and a hint of leather, good wine, good future. Drink 2015-2025. 16.5 points.” Steven Spurrier, Decanter.com

If you are going to buy one wine in 2011 at around £20 per bottle then this is likely to be the best deal going.

We also have the release of three of the top wines from Jean-Pierre Moueix. This producer, along with Denis Durantou and Francois Mitjavile, made some of the best wines on the right bank in 2011. The renaissance of Belair-Monange is gradually being noticed as this neighbour of Ausone continues with its return to former glories. The price is £740 per dozen. Moueix's most concentrated wine, Hosanna, is at £900 and the flagship wine (in more than one sense of the word) La Fleur Petrus is at £990. This is the only vintage of LFP in the market today that is available at under £1000 per case and our stocks may have to be allocated