Connoiseur Week 2025: Behind the Scenes

“These days have been spectacular. The wine and the people we have met have all been extraordinary.”

Sharing a 1961 Château Ausone with Edouard Vauthier after a tour of St Emilion’s underground limestone cellars, walking the vineyards with Christian Moueix for a masterclass in the art of green harvesting, taking a private tour of the Musée des Beaux Arts with director Sophie Barthélémy before sitting down to dinner with Loïc Pasquet to discover the rare and controversial Liber Pater. These are just a few of the magical experiences enjoyed during the 4th edition of the Connoisseur Week.

Held from June 3 to 8, 2025, it was another stunning few days in Bordeaux with our guests staying at the completely privatised Château Lafaurie Peyraguey in Sauternes, and the gorgeous private accommodations of Château Troplong Mondot in St Emilion. There is already a waiting list for the our 5th edition, due to take place from June 2 to 7, 2026, but there’s still time to add your name…

“Standing next to Christian Moueix in the vineyard felt like getting a soccer lesson from Messi. A magical week of unreal world-class experiences… Jane and Sarah never cease to amaze!”

The week began with welcome glass of 2014 Château Lafaurie Peyraguey Blanc Sec 2014 on the lawns outside this beautiful château where we were staying for the first two evenings, followed by a wonderful dinner with Véronique Sanders at Château Haut-Bailly, taking our guests through five decades of this Pessac Léognan Cru Classé from the 2016 vintage back to the 1970. The following day we headed to Château d’Yquem, where Lorenzo Pasquini shared a stunning food and wine matching dinner prepared by chef Olivier Brulard who joined Yquem in 2014 from Michel Guérard at Les Prés d’Eugénie. Supper that evening was hosted by Jean-Philippe Delmas at Château Haut-Brion, third generation Estate Director, with wines back to the legendary 1989 vintage. We headed over to St Emilion the next day for lunch and a visit with Aymeric de Gironde at Troplong Mondot, before  Château Belair-Monange for a visit with Christian and Cherise Moueix. First Christian took the group out into the vineyards, holding everyone spellbound with his explanations of green harvesting just as the first bunches of the 2025 vintage are forming, then Cherise gave us an incredible architectural tour of the Herzog and de Meuron winery that opened in 2024, the sixth project that the family have completed with the renowned Swiss architects. Wines over dinner headed back to the 1970 Bélair, accompanied by conversations of art, architecture, the early days of the Napa Valley, and the legendary harvest entertainments with the Moueix vineyards.

“What a week! What fun! What education!”

The following day saw two highly contrasting visits – first up Château Ausone, one of the oldest and most storied of all St Emilion properties, where vines have stood since the Roman Era. We were welcomed by Edouard and Camille Vauthier, given a tour of the estate’s limestone cellars, enjoyed an apéritif under the plane trees overlooking the valley beneath, followed by an incredible lunch with ex-cellar vintages back to 1961. The evening, which we had kept back as a surprise until a few days before, was completely different, as we headed into Bordeaux for a private supper in the stunning Rosa Bonheur wing of the Musée des Beaux Arts. We were welcomed by museum director Sophie Barthélémy, who gave us a tour of the collection followed by a dinner with Loïc Pasquet, the legendary figure who began his Liber Pater project just over 20 years ago. Contrasting Liber Pater with 19th century French art seemed perfect, as Loïc’s stated aim is to recreate the flavours and grape varieties of 19th century Bordeaux with his ungrafted wine, which has been described as ‘the most expensive wine in the world’.  We finished the châteaux visits on the final day with lunch at Clos du Clocher in Pomerol hosted by Jean-Baptiste Bourotte. As the estate is celebrating 100 years under his family ownership, we headed back to 1947, 1964 and 1989 vintages, all enjoyed around a flower-laden table with beautiful fresh picnic-style food. The week with rounded off outside Troplong Mondot, with a relaxed dinner under the stars around a long table, sharing magnums of fabulous mature wines including a 1989 Cheval Blanc and 1983 Troplong Mondot, and food prepared by by Michelin-starred chef David Charrier and his team.

“This is a trip of a lifetime. Thank you for all you did to make it possible”

The wines highlights this year included 1947 Clos du Clocher, 1961 Château Ausone, 1970 Château Belair, 1996 Château Haut-Bailly, 1998 Château Haut-Brion, 1989 Château Cheval Blanc, 1989 Château d’Yquem, 1967 Château la Gaffelière, 2017 Château la Mission Haut-Brion Blanc, 1983 Château Troplong Mondot, the extremely rare Liber Pater, across three vintages and many more. All tasted ex château (or at the 19th century Beaux Arts musuem), all with the owners or winemakers themselves – and a couple of incredible value 2nd wines, including the superb Clarté de Haut-Brion 2020 – and as ever a few entirely surprising and impossible to source wines, such as the 1978 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that the following year would go on to form the base of Opus One, and the 2021 Tetradrachm, inaugural vintage of this ungrafted white from Naxos made from 200 year old vines. A stunning collection from what was an unforgettable week – see full tasting notes for these wines and more here (subscriber content).

“The food, wine and company have been simply outstanding. Thank you so much for what has been a lifetime experience.”

Next year’s Connoisseur Week will take place from June 2 to 7, 2026, and once again will offer incredible access and experiences in Bordeaux’s top estates, with hosts Sarah Kemp and Jane Anson, working together with the fabulous Tim and Martin of Bordeaux Concierge.

Waiting list now open (just email hello@janeanson.com) if you would like to be among the ten guests, with the ten seats to be released by the end of June.