2018 Clos Dubreuil 'Anna', St. Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France

Rich deep and opulent, but with a wonderful feeling of lift and freshness to it. Silky tannins frame the warming finish.

Our thoughts

Clos Dubreuil is not your average Bordeaux grand cru château. It’s not a château, for one thing, and dates back only a couple of decades, rather than the standard two centuries. But in the intervening years, it has carved out something of an insiders’ status as a boutique producer following an innovative path. Under Texan Ralph Eads, it has expanded its plantings to 8.5 hectares (including some Chardonnay), with its second wine, Anna, created to be accessible younger than standard grand cru St-Emilion. The 2018 vintage was particularly ebullient, with the black cherry notes and structure here likely to find favour with fans of New World styles of Bordeaux blends.