Wine Club: 13 brilliant Bordeaux bin-ends from FromVineyardsDirect

Klaxon alert! Would all claret lovers please form an orderly queue? Esme Johnstone and the FromVineyardsDirect gang are clearing their cobwebbed cellars to make room for newer vintages and are offering us a brilliant baker’s dozen of Bordeaux bin-ends at a special, Spectator-only knockdown price. Hurrah!

The wines from 2014 and 2015 (cracking vintages) are in that glorious mid-maturity stage, great to knock back now yet still worthy of salting away. There are limited stocks, though, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.

The 2014 Ch. Méaume ‘Réserve du Château’ (1) is from a much-loved Bordeaux Supérieur estate between St Emilion and Pomerol. Merlot-dominant, the approachable, well-priced wines are invariably soft and mellow. £12.56 down from £13.95.

The above’s younger sibling, the 2015 Ch. Méaume ‘Réserve du Château’ (2), is similarly quaffable with perhaps a touch more finesse and elegance. Again, it’s a fine, everyday claret. £13.46 down from £14.95.

The 2015 Ch. Puygueraud (3) from Francs-Côtes de Bordeaux is owned by the fabled Thienpont family. With plenty of Merlot, it’s rewardingly soft, spicy, juicy and concentrated. £14.36 down from £15.95.

The 2015 Ch. Sainte-Marie ‘Alios’ (4) is a Premières Côtes de Bordeaux with, again, Merlot to the fore plus a small amount of Cab Sauv and Petit Verdot for complexity. £16.16 down from £17.95.

The 2015 Ch. d’Escurac (5) is a hugely popular Cru Bourgeois that flew out the door when last we offered it. An equal blend of Cab Sauv and Merlot, it’s full of brooding cassis flavours and a whisper of spice. £17.96 down from £19.95.

The 2014 Ch. Breillan (6) is a resolutely Right Bank blend of 90 per cent Merlot/10 per cent Cabernet Franc despite coming from the Haut-Médoc. Available in magnums only, it’s perfect for shirt-popping Sunday lunches. £19.76 down from £21.95.

The 2014 Ch. Lanessan (7) from vineyards bang opposite Ch. Gruaud Larose, owned by the Bouteiller family since the 18th century, is always dependable and here shows plenty of rich, dark, blackcurrant fruit and spice. £21.56 down from £23.95.

The 2015 Ch. La Vieille Cure (8) might be a punchy 15% vol but, coming from Fronsac, it’s so elegant and smooth – with plums, damsons and a touch of earthy mushroom – you scarcely notice. £22.46 down from £24.95.

The 2015 Ch. de Francs (9) from Francs-Côtes de Bordeaux is owned by Hubert de Boüard (of Ch. Angélus fame) and Dominique Hébrard (ex-Ch. Cheval Blanc) and is rich, generous and rewarding. Magnums only. £25.16 down from £27.95.

The 2015 Ch. d’Aiguilhe (10) from Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux is part of the Ch. Canon-la-Gaffelière stable and lush, juicy and decadent with tannins to help it last. £26.06 down from £28.95.

The 2014 Ch. Cantemerle (11), the perennially great-value Fifth Growth from the Haut-Médoc, is in great shape and although it has the legs to last I reckon it’s good to go. £26.51 down from £29.45.

The 2015 Ch. Tour Bayard ‘L’Angelot’ (12), from Montagne Saint-Emilion is made largely from old vine Malbec and is dense, concentrated and muscular with lots of rich dark fruit. It definitely needs sloshing in a decanter or carafe. £26.96 down from £29.95.

Finally, the 2014 Ch. Gazin (13), the vantage wine of our baker’s dozen and a star in the Pomerol firmament that needs no introduction. Almost entirely Merlot (with a drop of savoury Cab Franc), it’s rich, deep and dark but supple and giving too. Tuck it away for a year or so. £51.75 down from £57.50.

The above wines are all sold in unmixed dozens except where stated and delivery, as ever, is free.