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The Society's Claret 2020

Red Wine from France - Bordeaux
3.500000000 star rating 20 Reviews
This friendly and fresh-tasting claret is one of The Wine Society's most consistently popular wines. Supplied for over a quarter of a century by the family-owned Maison Sichel, the bespoke blend varies from vintage to vintage, but merlot takes the lead role, and the wine is made without any oak to avoid masking its bright red and black-fruit flavours. This is made to be drunk on its own or with a wide variety of dishes. The stylish new label features three Greek muses, inspired by those that adorn one of the city`s great landmarks, the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux opera house. Please note: We've taken the step to remove the capsule (the covering on the top of the bottle) from this wine, as part of our sustainability strategy. This will have no adverse effect on the quality of the wine but reduces waste. The wine is also bottled in a light-weight glass bottle (420g or less) that reduces our carbon emissions, as it requires less materials to produce and less energy to transport.
is no longer available
Code: CL261

Wine characteristics

  • Red Wine
  • Medium-bodied
  • Merlot
  • 75cl
  • 13.5% Alcohol
  • no oak influence
  • Twin top
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan

  • 100ml of this wine contains 77 kcal
  • The bottle contains 10.1 units of alcohol
  • A 125ml glass of this wine contains 96 kcal and 1.7 units of alcohol


The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend adults do not regularly drink more than 14 units per week. For information and support on responsible drinking please see www.drinkaware.co.uk. For more information about how calories in wine are measured, click here.

Bordeaux/Bordeaux Superieur

If the word Bordeaux is mentioned most people take it to refer to red wine. Though a good deal of white wine is made in Bordeaux, and some of the finest white Bordeaux are only entitled to that generic appellation contrôlée nomenclature, it is reds that are most associated with the region.

The Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur regional appellation contrôlées are spread throughout the Bordeaux region. A bright colour, a clean, deep, appealing red-fruit nose (with hints of vanilla and spice if the wines have been aged in oak) and the classic balance of alcohol, tannin and acidity are the hallmarks. These modest designations verify that the wine comes from a particular region and conforms to certain criteria, such as alcohol content, but cannot be relied upon as a guarantee of quality. Many good wines are made in little-known appellations, just as mediocre bottles can have grand origins, so the key is to follow a property or grower you like and trust.

The...

If the word Bordeaux is mentioned most people take it to refer to red wine. Though a good deal of white wine is made in Bordeaux, and some of the finest white Bordeaux are only entitled to that generic appellation contrôlée nomenclature, it is reds that are most associated with the region.

The Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur regional appellation contrôlées are spread throughout the Bordeaux region. A bright colour, a clean, deep, appealing red-fruit nose (with hints of vanilla and spice if the wines have been aged in oak) and the classic balance of alcohol, tannin and acidity are the hallmarks. These modest designations verify that the wine comes from a particular region and conforms to certain criteria, such as alcohol content, but cannot be relied upon as a guarantee of quality. Many good wines are made in little-known appellations, just as mediocre bottles can have grand origins, so the key is to follow a property or grower you like and trust.

The climate of Bordeaux is deeply influenced by its proximity to water, whether it is the sea, the estuary or the rivers, all have a major impact on the grapes grown and the wine made with them. The maritime climate is mild and gently warmed by the Gulf Stream which has a ready conduit deep inland via the Gironde estuary. The estuary acts as a moderator of the extremes of winter and summer. Summers are generally hot and autumns fairly long and mild. Winter and spring too are relatively mild but also often wet, and overall, give or take the odd and very rare major weather event, the climate is generally stable and consistent. Dampness is indeed on of the major difficulties of wine production and it is no coincidence that the anti-fungal spray "Bordeaux Mixture" was developed here in the 19th century. In terms of weather events the two that are often encountered, sometimes with devastating effects, are hail and frost. Bear in mind that Bordeaux lies on a latitude of 45 degrees and should you travel across the Atlantic on that latitude you would make landfall in Nova Scotia. Without the Gulf Stream and proximity to bodies of water Bordeaux would be a much more marginal climate for making wine.

Red wines are the biggest part of the wine production of Bordeaux. Some 55,000 hectares of vines are employed in the making of Bordeaux AC and Bordeaux Supérieur AC. The most planted red grape is merlot, followed by cabernet sauvignon. Most of these generic Bordeaux are made outside of more specific communes, and indeed may be made from grapes grown anywhere in the Bordeaux region, and it would be strange indeed, in commercial terms, if a grower could label his wine as something more prestigious but chose the Bordeaux AC for his bottles. The Entre-Deux-Mers region, between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers, is home to much of the production of generic Bordeaux on its clay, or sand and clay soils with occasional outcrops of limestone and gravels.

However, there are regulations and strictures that must be adhered to. To qualify for Bordeaux AC status the wine must naturally achieve 10% abv, and for Supérieur status the requirement is 10.5%. In actual fact the majority of wines are between 11% and 12.5 % abv, and as the climate warms up and vine canopy management and vineyard techniques continue to improve this may rise. Most reds from these appellations are designed to be drunk young.

At this level some of the fruit is machine harvested, though much is still picked by hand because of the narrow row width of most Bordeaux vineyards, and the winemaking is fairly standard, with temperature control now the norm and chaptalisation less common than it used to be. Barrels are not often used for these wines due to their expense, though large wooden vats or hand me down barrels previously used by a wealthier producer might be utilised. Such second-hand barrels require great care to be taken to maintain them.

Co-operatives still make most of these generic bottlings, but there are many smaller estates, many of them conscientious and making excellent wines that represent terrific value, that are finding the going tough in the prevailing economic climate and in the face of stiff competition at their price point from wines made in places where conditions and costs are more propitious for making fruity affordable wines. Négociants operate within Bordeaux and a good deal of the wine or grapes that make generic Bordeaux pass through the hands of companies like Maison Sichel and Dourthe.

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Maison Sichel

Maison Sichel first set up an acquisitions office in Bordeaux in 1883, and since then six generations of the Sichel family have built upon their empire. Not only do they sell wine today, but they are also growers and winemakers, and represent some very well-respected names. They currently own wine estates covering 350 hectares of vineyards, including Châteaux Angludet and Palmer in Bordeaux, and Château Trillol in Corbières.

Their technical director is Yvan Meyer, and he is the winemaker behind The Society’s Claret, which is currently our bestselling red wine. It is made at Cave Bel Air in the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux region, and the grapes are sourced from local producers. Every year our Bordeaux buyer, Tim Sykes, travels to Maison Sichel to select the final blend.

The blend varies greatly each year, but in each vintage our aim remains the same: to create a fresh, easy-drinking and accessible wine with true Bordeaux character, but without the firmer tannins of other clarets that may need more time in the cellar. It is perhaps for this reason that The Society’s Claret is always a huge hit with our members.

Portsmouth News

... the perfect all-rounder, great value wine. The Society’s Claret 2020 has been made for over a quarter of a century by one of the great old names of Bordeaux, Maison Sichel. This is an unwooded,...
... the perfect all-rounder, great value wine. The Society’s Claret 2020 has been made for over a quarter of a century by one of the great old names of Bordeaux, Maison Sichel. This is an unwooded, merlot-based Bordeaux that must be one of the best value, everyday red wines available anywhere. There are dark red fruit and some earthy notes on the nose, followed by more dark red fruits, fresh acidity and just a little grip from ripe tannins. To me this is all about simple pleasures in a very undemanding style, a good wine to pull out on Boxing Day with cold meats and pickles.
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Alistair Gibson

Western Mail

Finding value can be a bit of an issue as we all know, but [this wine] gives an awful lot of bang for your buck. Made for the Society by Maison Sichel there is a touch of smoky aromas to the front-facing...
Finding value can be a bit of an issue as we all know, but [this wine] gives an awful lot of bang for your buck. Made for the Society by Maison Sichel there is a touch of smoky aromas to the front-facing fruit on the nose. From the first sip this has fresh and floral fruit from the merlot-dominated blend untouched by oak influence. Bright acidity through the mid-palate keeps things lively and the crunchy fruit continues to wash across the tastebuds through to a refreshing finish in this ace value red that will remind you of happier times when we were allowed to scoot around France looking for a nice spot for a picnic.
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Neil Cammies

Press Association

A historical name and protected under EU law, the term claret can be used to indicate from Bordeaux. Mainly merlot, this medium bodied, unoaked example is perfumed with raspberry, bramble and plum. It's...
A historical name and protected under EU law, the term claret can be used to indicate from Bordeaux. Mainly merlot, this medium bodied, unoaked example is perfumed with raspberry, bramble and plum. It's soft, well balanced with red cherry and Victoria plum notes and is designed for drinking young.
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Sam Wylie Harris

Lancashire Evening Post

This is a smashing 'house claret' that has been created for The Society for the past 25 years by Maison Sichel. The Bordeaux blend is dominated by merlot which makes its red-fruit plummy; but still with...
This is a smashing 'house claret' that has been created for The Society for the past 25 years by Maison Sichel. The Bordeaux blend is dominated by merlot which makes its red-fruit plummy; but still with that characteristic Bordeaux nudge of 'je ne sais quoi.' When to sip: it's a shoo-in all-rounder for Christmas.
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Jane Clare

Sheffield Telegraph

This well-priced claret is one to stock up on for gatherings and cold winter nights. It's as ripe as can be and bursting with high quality berry flavour.

Ellen Beardmore

Belfast Newsletter

... rustic, complex and deftly spiced ... This aromatic, ruby-coloured drop has a rich, smoky palate, full of forest berry and black cherry flavours alongside backnotes of vanilla and dry tannins. Should...
... rustic, complex and deftly spiced ... This aromatic, ruby-coloured drop has a rich, smoky palate, full of forest berry and black cherry flavours alongside backnotes of vanilla and dry tannins. Should be an ideal match to any venison, game, roast beef or steak dishes you might fancy.
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Raymond Gleug

Local Women

... a merlot-based fruity and unoaked claret supplied for over a quarter of a century by family-owned Maison Sichel. Deliciously ripe and appealing in the 2020 vintage.

Paula Gracey

2019 vintage reviews
2018 vintage reviews

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