FINE+RARE

The hamlet of Ama has been perched in this corner of Gaiole-in-Chianti for centuries. In the 1970s, however, four Roman families arrived to breathe new life into the ruins that remained – creating @castellodiama . ⁠ ⁠ After a visit earlier this year, we walk you through the patchwork of sites that make this property so very special. ⁠ ⁠ #castellodiama #tuscany #italy #finewine #tuscanwine #fineandrarewines⁠

Wooden barrels line most of the finest wine cellars around the world – and many are made by hand.⁠ ⁠ Continuing our series taking you behind the scenes in Bordeaux, we visited one of our latest wines released en primeur, Pessac-Leognan’s Smith Haut Lafitte, to talk to the estate’s master cooper, Yann Dez – and find out all about the art of barrel-making.⁠ ⁠ Link in bio ⁠ ⁠ #smithhautlafitte #bordeaux #bx2023 #finewine #bordeauxwine #fineandrarewines⁠

Following on from our Bordeaux 2023 vintage overview, we dive a little bit deeper – investigating how each appellation fared in 2023 and highlighting the wines that stole our hearts.⁠ ⁠ [link in bio]⁠ ⁠ #bordeaux #bordeauxep #enprimeur #finewine #fineandrarewines ⁠

The Bordeaux 2023 en primeur campaign started with a bang last week. Critics rushed to publish their reports as the first properties started to release – including Ch. Lafite Rothschild, one of the wines of the vintage.⁠ ⁠ It’s a complicated vintage, one with some astounding wines, and some less so. Here, we delve into the nuances of the season and the wines it produced. A year that deserves all the detail from this very comprehensive report.⁠ ⁠ Link in bio⁠ ⁠ #bordeaux2023 #bdx2023 #enprimeur #vintagereport #report #finewine #bordeaux #fineandrarewines

Ch. Belle-Brise is a remarkable estate. This tiny two-hectare domaine produces minute volumes of exquisitely elegant Pomerol – with a loyal following among collectors in the know.⁠ ⁠ The entire Pomerol appellation seemed to thrive in 2023 – and Belle-Brise, which has just been released, is a shining example.⁠ ⁠ Refined, silky and harmonious, this has all the elegance we have come to expect from the tiny property. It's a brilliant buy, once again.⁠ ⁠ Exclusively available via us, this is a star of the vintage on the Right Bank.⁠ ⁠ {Link in bio]

Tomorrow sees the release of the Domaines Barons de Rothschild’s 2023s – some of the most exciting wines of the campaign.⁠ ⁠ Our latest behind the scenes feature shines a spotlight on @chateaulafiterothschild ’s Luís Pinto – a man who has worked at the estate for over three decades, and now leads one of the vineyard teams.⁠ ⁠ On a cool and crisp winter’s day, Pinto walked amongst the precious First Growth’s vines with Sophie Thorpe, telling her about the calling that brought him to (and has kept him at) the Pauillac powerhouse.⁠ ⁠ Link in bio⁠ ⁠ #lafite #lafiterothschild #pauillac #bordeaux #firstgrowth #bdx #enprimeur #finewine #fineandrare @thedomaines

For Mathieu Bessonnet, 2023 was “an easy vintage” at Pontet-Canet @chateau_pontetcanet . After the trials of 2018, and 2021, the mildew pressure was something they handled with relative ease – knowing that dedication and reaction in the vineyard would pay off.⁠ ⁠ The key, however, was waiting for aromatic ripeness – something which they felt only arrived in their Cabernet Sauvignon after rain in late September. The resulting wine is a gorgeously pretty, pure wine, with a transparent vibrancy. ⁠ ⁠ With a roster of top ratings – including the same score as Lafite Rothschild from Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW – this Fifth Growth is one of the clear successes of the vintage.⁠ ⁠ Link in bio⁠ ⁠ #bordeaux #bordeaux2023 #bdx23 #enprimeur #bordeauxenprimeur #bordeauxep #pontetcanet #wine #finewine #fineandrare⁠

The Bordelais have started releasing their 2023 vintage today – and our team has been out in the region, tasting the wines and talking to the people that made them.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Fresh from the road – or as fresh as one can be from a week tasting barrel-samples – Senior Key Account Manager Simon Brewster offers his first thoughts on a vintage – and campaign – that are likely to offer both surprise and delight.⁠ ⁠ Link in bio.⁠ ⁠ #bordeaux #bordeaux2023 #bdx23 #enprimeur #bordeauxenprimeur #bordeauxep #wine #finewine #fineandrare

So far in our Editorial series taking you behind the scenes at some of Bordeaux’s leading estates, we have headed to the stables and fields at Ch. Pontet-Canet and talked to the team that meticulously puts the finishing touches to every bottle of Ch d’Yquem.⁠ ⁠ Read these wonderful stories to gain a rare insight into the details and people that really set these Bordeaux properties apart.⁠ ⁠ Find out more via the link in bio⁠ ⁠ #bordeaux #pontetcanet #yquem #finewine #fineandrarewines⁠

Next up, we share everything you need to know about the Saint-Emilion classification, how properties are ranked – and why it’s so controversial. ⁠ ⁠ Find out more via the link in bio⁠ ⁠ #bordeaux #saintemilion #finewine #fineandrarewines

While our team gets to grips with the 2023 vintage – head to our stories for their real-time insights – we take a deep dive into the fascinating and complex region, starting with the Left versus the Right Bank. ⁠ ⁠ Explore the differences between the terroirs, wines and estates on either side of the Gironde.⁠ ⁠ #bordeaux #rightbank #leftbank #finewine #fineandrarewines⁠

Bordeaux is widely regarded as the world’s greatest fine wine region – but how much do you really know about it? ⁠ ⁠ Ahead of the keenly anticipated 2023 en primeur campaign, we shine a spotlight on the region's complex classifications and go behind the scenes at some of Bordeaux's most esteemed châteaux to ensure you are as clued up as possible when the starting pistol fires in one week.⁠ ⁠ What's more, you can get a snapshot of the 2023 vintage by following our stories where our team will share their first thoughts as they taste their way through Primeurs.⁠ ⁠ #bordeaux #bordeaux2023 #enprimeur #bordeauxep #ep #bdx23 #wine #finewine #fineandrare