The Candlestick

Direct From scorrier in Cornwall; Served any time

When it comes to spotting great buys from Bordeaux, we like to think we're ahead of the game. Our man on the ground, Jean-Marc Sauboua (JMS), was born and bred there and his little black book of names and addresses reads like a Who's Who. While cruising vineyards of the Blaye region, directly across the Gironde estuary from the Haut-Medoc, JMS paid a visit to three lovely ladies at Haut Prieur. Mesdames Baudin, Bonnisset and Jean-Baptiste showed him their 8 hectares of old vines, explained their environmentally friendly approach to farming, and after a delicious lunch and extensive tasting a deal was struck. JMS says this is one of his favourite wines of the vintage. Enjoy with grilled red meats, a vegetable flan or a selection of cheeses

L'Epiphanie is a luxury cuvèe from a Grand Cru Classè château and one of Saint Emilion's oldest names. Alexandre de Malet Roquefort of Château Tertre Daugay has a tiny plot of ancient Merlot vines within his Grand Cru Classè estate - just seven rows - from which L'Epiphanie is made. Flanking them are the vineyards of L'Angèlus, Magdelaine and Canon La Gaffeliêre, three Saint Emilion icons. L'Epiphanie costs just a fraction of the price of any of these wines and represents incredible value for money.Aged in oak barrels, it's immaculately smooth, dense and complex and built to last years, but offers immense enjoyment serving with fine cuisine

Moulin de Sales is a 10 hectare property on the south side of the village of Lalande de Pomerol. Its vineyards boast superb limestone and clay soils and, with an average age of 35 years old, are at their best for producing intensely flavoured, small yields of grapes. The wine is mostly plump, generous Merlot, with Cabernet Sauvignon lending firm tannins and a touch of Cabernet Franc for leafy raspberry tones, and it was aged in seasoned oak barrels for 12 months. The quality here in the colour, structure and aromatic persistence on the palate. Much the same rounded generosity as a good Pomerol but at a far more accessible price

Given that this family owned estate lies just a short stroll from Chateaux Lafite and Mouton Rothschild, you might expect its wines to command hefty prices. Fortunately for us - and you - Chateau Ramage La Batisse lies just outside the Pauillac boundaries, making its bottle price far more attractive to the average wine lover. Georges Pauli - a winemaker of world renown - is consultant here and in 2009 was gifted a near-perfect vintage. Perhaps then it should be no surprise to learn this remarkable red added another five Golds to the family's impressive trophy cabinet. With all the classic hallmarks of Haut-Medoc claret - cedar wood, cassis and liquorice complexity - it's ripe, rounded and harmonious. Superb with game casserole or rare beef

Built during the Hundred Years' War (1337 to 1453) by the English, Chateau de Panisseau, with 65 hectares of vines, lies not far from Bergerac, in the heart of the Perigord Pourpre, east of Bordeaux. Baccarrat is the estate's feature red from the superior Cotes de Bergerac appellation. It is a blend of hand harvested Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from selected plots of vines grown on rocky limestone soil. Unusually, whole grapes are placed in new French oak barrels for fermentation, with 30 day skin contact to extract colour, fruit and tannins. The wine is aged on its lees for 18 months and finally bottled without fining or filtration. Now 16 years of age, this is a dense, rich red. Decant carefully

Faugeres is one of the most exciting enclaves in the Languedoc and it's attracting lots of outside investment. Not only is it high (770 metres above sea level), the soils are special, too, comprising mainly of schist which lends minerality to wines. Aussie Paul Gordon and his wife Isla fell in love with the area and rented their first five hectares in 2009. It didn't take long for critics including Hugh Johnson and Robert Parker to take notice of their wonderful wines. Everything is hand harvested, fermented with native yeasts and bottled unfined and unfiltered, which means bags of body and flavour. Bottles even have screw caps in the great Aussie tradition. Decant, as there may be light natural sediment, and serve with grilled red meats

The names 'Moueix' and 'Pomerol' should quicken the pulse of any claret lover. Why? Christian Mouiex has, since 1970, owned Chateau Petrus, the estate that established Pomerol as one of Bordeaux's elite appellations and home to many of the world's most expensive wines. Pomerol has a host of chateaux making exemplary Merlot in the polished, sophisticated, effortlessly complex Bordeaux style. The 2011 is absolutely gorgeous with a characteristic freshness that makes it ideal for fine dining. It was personally selected by Christian and made from grapes grown on top sites close to Chateau Petrus. It has richness, freshness and elegance, a magic combination that would normally cost a fortune in Pomerol

The Haut-Medoc is home to dozens of fine Crus Classes but anyone looking for serious quality at a fraction of the price should consider the Crus Bourgeois. The Cabernet rich, oak aged Malescasse 2006 provides sophisticated style, complexity and maturity. The chateau dates from 1824 and thrived until the 1930s, but by the end of World War II the vineyards had dwindled to 4 hectares. Replanting began in the 1970s, and the estate was taken over and run by the Tesseron family of Chateau Pontet Canet between 1979 and 1992. The year 2003 saw promotion to 'Cru Bourgeois Superior'. Matured in one third new barrels for 16 months, this 2006 shows elegance and restraint with ripe cassis fruit and a cedary undertone. It makes a classic match with beef

Our Bordeaux buyer and chief winemaker Jean-Marc Sauboua was born and raised in the region. His father was Bordelais and he learnt his trade in First Growth Chateau Haut-Brion, so you could say he knows the region and its people as well as anyone. And it's thanks to his extensive list of contacts - and our presence in Castillon since 1969 - that we can bring you hidden gems like this. Chateau du Lau is from the tiny appellation of Graves de Vayres, not far from Saint Emilion. Like the wines of Saint Emilion, its wines are rich in Merlot, making them supple, smooth and luxuriously easy to drink. Their 2002 vintage has developed wonderful notes of mature autumn fruits and cigar

Raymond and Nicole Tapon have been proud owners of this superb, 16th century Montagne Saint Emilion property since 1952. Intent on preserving the land for future generations and making great wines, they like to employ not only organic but also biodynamic methods as much as possible - all to bring you this appealing, 5-Star claret. And in the stellar 2010 vintage - "dangerously good" said Jancis Robinson MW, "really exciting" wrote James Suckling - the quality is phenomenal. The Tapons champion tiny yields from their treasured vineyards to ensure richness and intensity in the wine, and very carefully and slowly vinify the wine. Mostly Merlot, supported by leafy Cabernet Franc and firmer Cabernet Sauvignon, it's drinking beautifully now

Winegrowing at Chateau German is a family affair. The property is owned, along with a handful of other estates, by Bernadette and Alain Aubert. Daughter Amelie oversees vineyard management and makes the wine. Sister Heloise looks after marketing. Chateau German was already producing wine in the 18th century from vines in the Castillonais next to Saint Emilion. The chateau was the scene of major events during the French Revolution, giving refuge in the 1790s to politicians fleeing the regime in Paris. Blended from Merlot with Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, the wine is aged for two years in bottle, and sees no oak, prior to release. With rich black fruit and smooth tannins, it makes a lovely partner to grilled meats, duck and charcuterie

Situated in the Entre Deux Mers, a step away from the Benedictine Abbey of La Sauve Majeure, Virecourt-Conte is a lovely property under the same ownership as Saint Emilion Grand Cru Chateau La Grangere. Its 23 hectares of vineyards are planted to Merlot and Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, and certified organic. The mature, 30 year old vines produce grapes with impressive concentration and wine of balance and complexity. Bordeaux's 2010 vintage surpassed even 'the greatest ever' 2009 with wines of exceptional depth and structure - all the credentials for ageing magnificently. Enjoy all the velvety rich fruit and long flavours of this elegant claret. It is soft enough to enjoy solo

Pouilly Fume earns its reputation for wonderfully aromatic, super intense Sauvignon Blanc from the unique flint, chalk and limestone soils found in this part of the Loire. At the heart of the appellation is Caves de Pouilly sur Loire, where in an attempt to improve what were already great wines Christophe Deno'l has sought to modernise the vinification process. And his efforts have paid off handsomely with Les Rochettes. Brisk, concentrated, floral and flinty, this exquisite Pouilly Fume is testament to his skill - and particularly impressive in the low yield 2015 vintage. Cool fermentation and maturation on its fine lees have resulted in extra depth and rich citrus complexity. A perfect partner for your finest fish dish or goat's cheese

Cabali's popularity is down to a rare combination of imposing richness and easy drinking smoothness. Recreating that in white was no easy task. But Cabali maestro Herve Sabardeil has done it - years of searching, blending and hard work come to fruition in this, his ultimate expression of a southern French white. The magical grape mix is Viognier for honeysuckle aroma and soft texture, Muscat for dazzlingly aromatic grapey notes, and Colombard to keep it all crisp and zesty. And of course the other key ingredients are bright southern French sunshine, which ripens the grapes to perfection, and the Mediterranean breezes, which keep them fresh and healthy. Bursting with tropical fruit, Cabali is perfect with grilled seafood or chicken