"In Bordeaux, lesser right-bank clarets from the Côtes de Castillon frequently knock the spots off swanky left-bank names" says 'The Times'.

Château de Bourg sister to 'La Clariére' lies in a particularly sheltered part of the village. The additional clay in the soil gives the fruit an extra dimension of silkiness and the old vines (some of them planted in 1890) makes glorious, concentrated wine.

From the critically acclaimed 2001 vintage the wine gets the same high level of attention as every wine from 'La Clariére'. 80/20 Merlot Cabernet it spends 12 months in new oak developing complexity and great depth of flavour.

Blackberry and mocha aromas followed by a dense mouthful of rich, ripe forest fruits. A sustained finish, with swathes of vanilla from the oak.

International Wine Challenge London 2004, United Kingdom

Challenge International du Vin 2004, France

Concours des Grands Vins de France Macon 2004, France