David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

This is a lively and distinctive wine, with a deep, solid color that still shows its youthful energy, which is to be expected given the vintage. Ripe, well-developed grapes produced rich and creamy aromas combining black fruit jelly with spicy and toasted fragrances developed during aging.

First impressions in the mouth are powerful, developing around a tight, firm structure which opens up to display opulent tannins that are fine and delicate with great depth in the mid-palate. The finish is both fresh and rich. This complex wine with its expressive character compares favorably with those from Saint-Emilion, providing an example of what the Côtes de Castillon is able to achieve. A fine wine for aging, give it another 3 to 5 years before pulling the corks on this.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

There's great youthfulness and intense color in this 2017, with the deep purple that fine mature fruit brings. Brilliant.The aromas remain discreet, showing fresh black currant and some grilled, smoky notes, with an aromatic range underscored by a fine oak presence highlighting the wine's youthfulness.

First impressions in the mouth pair elegant and concentrated expressions of smoothness and strength in a medium body that is both structured and fresh. The sensation on the palate remains delicate, with great suppleness leading to mature flavors of licorice, vanilla, toasted wood, and blackberry jam developed during aging. This is a wine that is easy to appreciate, very characteristic of its style and proof of the appellation's talent to produce enjoyable vintages.

The wine is ready to be savored with a fine meal. You'll want to carafe the wine and serve with rich fish and a suitable red wine sauce, or roasted smoked poultry and pan sauce flavored with black currants.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

Côtes de Castillon is possessed of an incredible terroir, one that too often lies in the shadow of Saint-Emilion. This Clos les Lunelles has a beautiful, deep color with shades of purple and violet that are concentrated and intense. The aromas are fully-developed and ripe, with a rich aromatic palette which expresses itself with black fruit notes and fine spices like licorice, cocoa and dried tobacco leaf. Very stimulating!

Fresh, juicy black currant, as crisp and generous as sweet cassis, and blueberry juice complete this profile, with a touch of fine, even silky oak. The tannins are graceful, providing a delicate framework for the wine's structure. The finish is long and attractive, elegant and mouth-filling, giving a very fine expression of its limestone terroir though a balance of maturity and intensity. Here is a true favorite, a wine made for immediate pleasure, bringing together the generosity and complexity of the best Côtes de Castillons. Age for 4 to 6 years in the cellar for even greater enjoyment. Make a fine match with a choice of meats, like pigeon with fresh baby peas, duck fillets or risotto with duck livers.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

An inky purple-black color proclaims this wine's concentration. Aromas of fresh fruit with good maturity are evident—black berries and powerfully spicy notes. In the mouth the wine is round and charming, with persistent Castillon-style tannins in the mid-palate that remain angular but are well-incorporated. This vintage is rather tighter than usual; it should be revisited after barrel aging has refined its structure. Not a hint of vegetal character, and showing good length.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

Visually, the wine is densely, intensely, very opaquely purple. The aromas explode with black fruit—black currant, cherries; rich, creamy, toasty notes of new wood are also present. In the mouth the texture is powerful and imposing, with still-tight tannins that remain slightly dry but will improve with age. The wine is still firm, with a generous length which rounds out the finish. With aging, the wine should develop a full, rich style which may retain a somewhat edgy character.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

A dense, deep violet color characterizes this vintage which is still young and spirited. Aromatically clean with good intensity, the nose shows black fruit and a delicate oak presence which will become more subtle with age. In the mouth, the wine is firm and the tannins are rather angular, with a good structure that will develop further character over time. The finish is generous, with an emphasis on succulent, jammy black fruit. Wait on this Clos Lunelles another two to five years for its true breeding to show.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

A beautiful deep purple color and violet highlights proclaim this vintage's ripeness. A rush of fruit—black currant, blackberry and black cherry—gives this wine an honest, aromatically precise presence that is beautiful and brilliant.

The texture is round, tender and powerful on the palate, with tannins enveloped in a soft structure with good mouthfeel that is rich and dense. The finish is mouthwatering, tight and still young. A wonderful wine, not too concentrated, with a generously long finish. The 2009 vintage was a beautiful one, with a potential of eight to ten years more aging, but fine to drink at any time.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

A beautiful, deep purple color. The wine exudes a range of fine and complex aromas: excellent, juicy, fresh black currant with oaky notes from an optimum period of barrel aging. In the mouth the attack is firm and direct, while the mid-palate shows good density with fine, tight, powerful tannins. Overall, the wine possesses a well-developed structure. This vintage is a surprising and generous one, with good length focused on fresh fruit. Serve with grilled meats (beef, duck, pigeon) or fish in red wine sauce. Aging potential: between five and eight years.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

Deep purple color. Intensely spicy on the nose with notes of wood and fresh tobacco in a complex aromatic palette of well-developed maturity. In the mouth, a supple and tender attack presents tannins that are evident but not hard, while the mid-palate shows a pronounced acidity which adds dimension to the wine. The mouthwatering finish expresses the vintage's full complexity. Drink in the next four to six years.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

This fruit-forward wine displays a fine ruby color, with aromas highlighting small black fruit (black currants and blackberries), and a touch of spice that is both fine and discreet. Elegant, supple tannins on the palate give the wine a tender character. These qualities make this an easy drinking wine which can be appreciated early, although it can easily age for another two to four years.

Food matches such as grilled red meats, lightly-spiced charcuterie and poultry make it a true Côtes de Castillon, an appellation on the rise.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

This wine comes from one of the greatest vintages to date, as is evident from the wine's deep violet color and its potential for long aging. The nose is complex and elegant, showing jammy black fruit and a touch of black currant liqueur, aromas which are the signs of a mature harvest. In the mouth the wine comes across as direct and firm thanks to tannins which are still expressive and youthful. Its texture on the palate is dense and attractive; cooked black fruit comes across in its body and finish, with an element of spice and black pepper. This is wine made for pleasure and can age for around five years more without losing its charm. It can accompany red meats cooked rare, pigeon, beef, and feathered game.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

The wine retains an intense ruby color, showing deep-brown notes of maturity on the rim. The nose is evolved, dominated by complex tertiary aromas of smoke, humus, and animal notes which transform to leather and blonde tobacco. In the mouth the wine is tight with somewhat closed tannins; the mid-palate shows a level of acidity which accentuates a slight firmness. Dry on the finish, with average length. Drink now, accompanied by richly sauced dishes to soften the tannic structure and slight bitterness of this delicate vintage.

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

The summer heat wave undoubtedly left its mark on this vintage. Very deep purplish-red colour. The oak component comes through first and foremost on the nose at this stage, with mocha and roasted aromas. However, there is bright, attractive jammy fruit (reminiscent of blackberry preserves) in the background, just waiting to open up. 2003 Clos les Lunelles is fairly massive on the palate, with considerable richness typical of the vintage as well as a tight tannic texture. There is a velvety quality on the middle palate and a very long aftertaste. The tannin is quite round and ripe. 

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

Typical of what is generally considered an early-maturing vintage in Bordeaux. Beautiful ruby-red colour and an intense bouquet with hints of toasty oak and chocolate. Quite firm on the palate with more tannin than the 2003 vintage and more traditional in style. The middle palate is well-structured and there is plenty of body, but not to excess.

The spicy, attractive aftertaste is not dry. It is perfect with roast rib of veal, beef fillet, or cheese (especially aged Brie, Saint Nectaire, and Pont l'Evêque).

David Biraud

Meilleur ouvrier de France 2004
Meilleur sommelier de France 2002

Somewhat overshadowed by the reputation of the 2000 vintage, the fine overall quality of the 2001 vintage is becoming increasingly apparent as time goes on. This wine has a deep garnet-red colour and a concentrated bouquet of blackcurrant liqueur, blackberry jam, and well-integrated oak. There is a slight hotness that is best offset by serving at the appropriate temperature, no more than 16-18° C. 2001 Clos les Lunelles is very pleasant on the palate with youthful, firm tannin. This provides a wonderful backbone and enhances the wine's ageing potential. The aftertaste is delicious, with a tiny touch of bitterness, but this can be compensated for by dishes in a sauce - which also tend to round out the tannin. It makes a wonderful accompaniment to stews (especially beef), but also game in a sweet and sour sauce - which is ideal to counterbalance the slight bitterness on the end mentioned above.