Deep ruby colour. There is a touch of sweaty reduction at this stage that mutes the nose, but there are notes of deep cassis, blackberry and violet underneath. The palate finds an elegant ripeness – it shows admirable restraint despite the sweet black fruit at the core. There is a sour-cherry note and some remaining reduction that gives a slightly underripe note at the finish. There is also just a hint of warmth at this stage. Though awkward right now, there is promise here. I expect my score may be a little conservative as a result. 

Deep ruby colour. There is a touch of sweaty reduction at this stage that mutes the nose, but there are notes of deep cassis, blackberry and violet underneath. The palate finds an elegant ripeness – it shows admirable restraint despite the sweet black fruit at the core. There is a sour-cherry note and some remaining reduction that gives a slightly underripe note at the finish. There is also just a hint of warmth at this stage. Though awkward right now, there is promise here. I expect my score may be a little conservative as a result. 

The 2018 Nicolas Catena Zapata was produced with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon from Gualtallary (Adrianna vineyard, with the Cabernet Sauvignon interplanted with some Cabernet Franc) and 35% Malbec from Altamira (Nicasia vineyard). They no longer use grapes from Agrelo, and this is also a lot higher in Malbec than in other recent vintages. So, it has a very different profile, a change that started in 2017, with more contained ripeness and more freshness, and the wine is intense, keeping some of the Cabernet character (tobacco, blackberries) and the floral notes from Malbec. It comes through as balanced and harmonious, with very fine tannins and a long finish and perfect ripeness. This aims to revive the style of Bordeaux before phylloxera, from massal selection of ungrafted vines... 62,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2019.

Strikingly different from the 2016 of the same wine tasted alongside. Darker, cloves, more spice, more power. Bay leaf. Wood bark and meat. A trace of cooked mulberry, dried woodland fruit, biltong. The structure of the wine feels marble-stone rectangular, Pantheonic in its power and geometric, foursquare, foundational magnificence and impressiveness. The kind of wine that has me looking up, and up, in awe. Their notes say the ideal drinking window is 2040 to 2048, but without that kind of aging reference point, I'm going to be much more conservative in my estimate.

The 2018 Nicolás Catena Zapata was produced with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon from Gualtallary (Adrianna vineyard, with the Cabernet Sauvignon interplanted with some Cabernet Franc) and 35% Malbec from Altamira (Nicasia vineyard). They no longer use grapes from Agrelo, and this is also a lot higher in Malbec than in other recent vintages. So, it has a very different profile, a change that started in 2017, with more contained ripeness and more freshness, and the wine is intense, keeping some of the Cabernet character (tobacco, blackberries) and the floral notes from Malbec. It comes through as balanced and harmonious, with very fine tannins and a long finish and perfect ripeness. This aims to revive the style of Bordeaux before phylloxera, from massal selection of ungrafted vines... 62,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2019.

Strikingly different from the 2016 of the same wine tasted alongside. Darker, cloves, more spice, more power. Bay leaf. Wood bark and meat. A trace of cooked mulberry, dried woodland fruit, biltong. The structure of the wine feels marble-stone rectangular, Pantheonic in its power and geometric, foursquare, foundational magnificence and impressiveness. The kind of wine that has me looking up, and up, in awe. Their notes say the ideal drinking window is 2040 to 2048, but without that kind of aging reference point, I'm going to be much more conservative in my estimate. 

The 2019 Nicolás Catena Zapata was produced with 42% Cabernet Sauvignon from Gualtallary (Adrianna Vineyard), 30% Malbec from Altamira (Nicasia Vineyard) and a high percentage of Cabernet Franc (28%), also from Adrianna, which took the place of Cabernet Sauvignon. It fermented in small oak barrels, concrete and stainless steel tanks with a short post-fermentative maceration. Élevage was in first and second-use French oak barrels and lasted for 18 months, including malolactic.his is always quite classical in style, with some spiciness from the barrels and hints of smoke and toast, still very young and undeveloped. It has the traditional Bordeaux-blend character and is herbal, floral and spicy, with a beautiful texture, very nice balance and very fine, chalky tannins. 2019 was a very dry year, and the berries were small, very healthy and delivered powerful wines.

This has a complex nose of baked blackberries, grilled plums, dried earth, moss, pine cones, sandalwood, charcoal and cloves. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tightly knit tannins. Wow. So much going on. Layered, seamless and silky. Incredible length. Keeps going.

The sleek and elegant 2019 Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae is now certified organic (since 2018) and comes from vines planted in 1992 at 1,390 meters above sea level in Gualtallary on alluvial limestone soils. Seventy-five percent of the volume fermented in concrete vats with 50% full clusters, and the remaining 25% fermented in oak foudres. But instead of fermenting the grapes, they only fermented the juice (as it's usually done for white wines), to give the wine more elegance and lightness. I was listening to a record from a new band, Generation Radio, with musicians from Journey and Chicago, and the music had a similar profile to the wine: sleek, elegant, polished, nicely crafted, clean and harmonious, easy to listen to (and drink to) with a soft side to it. The wine has ripeness (14% alcohol) but also high acidity from the high-altitude vineyards, which makes it very lively, beautifully textured, balanced and elegant. Beautiful. 5,400 bottles were filled in November 2020.

Machined-Picked, crushed, destemmed, cultured yeast, maturation in French oak (50% new) for 20 months. It's hard to argue against the beauty, the vibrancy of fruit, the buoyant mood this wine puts you in the concentrated carbet blackberry and spice, the whiff of Coonowarra bay leaf, white pepper and the defining tannins that draw in tight. So I won't.

  Machine-picked, crushed, destemmed, cultured yeast, maturation in French (60%) and American (40%) oak with 40% new. It’s a joy to see a 4yo shiraz being released from one of the country’s unsung shiraz regions, Coonawarra. It’s a wake-up call, if one was needed, to the excitement that the region and the grape can deliver. A youthful four year old built to last a long time with tight, close-knitted black fruits, high spice and toasted vanilla oak. Coonawarra earth, a mineral clarity of the soil, resides throughout. A beauty in the making.

Deep garnet/purple the 2012 Shiraz Piggott Range Vineyard is youthfully closed with notes of cassis, black plums and mulberries accented by hints of licorice, cedar, black pepper and meaty notes. Full bodied, it has lovely, fine, rounded tannins along with tons of tightly wound, youthful fruit and a long, mineral and earthy finish. Drink 2017 - 2028.

The Polish Hill Riesling is muscular and defined in its structure and is routinely possessed of an authority and grace straight off the bat. This 2022 Polish Hill Riesling is mineral and fine, but phenolic and taut, too. The acidity creates tension and life in the mouth, and despite the wine being pristine, it is chalky and pithy, too. The Polish Hill Riesling has a decorated legacy and is prized for its longevity in the cellar. There have been mutterings of similarities between 2022 and the great and fabled 2002 vintage, boding very well indeed for the future of this wine. Riesling mainlines the dirt and takes us to place. This is why we gravitate toward great wine, to be taken to dirt, vineyard and region. Drink 2022-2042.

Awarded top rank, 5 stars. Jeffrey Grosset reckons 2022 is an even better vintage for him thank 2021, which is some statement as 2021 was a cracker. This wine is always reserved when very young, and so it is with 2022. Pale colour, creamy yeasty, waxy, lemon-pith and blossom aromas, discreet and refined, tense and delicate in mouth. Built beautiful perfumes with time in the glass. Racy and lean. Tension is high, the wine is dry but supple and balanced. Harmonious. Long finish, needs time.

The Mayor's vineyard was planted by a former Mayor of Adelaide in 1969, at 500 meters in elevation on the eastern ridge of Clare Valley. Red loam and slate define the soils here, and that ferrous grunt and minerality go hand in hand in the glass. This 2020 The Mayor's Vineyard Shiraz is an exceptionally savory, layered Shiraz with red dirt, hung deli meat, some oolong tea and salted mulberries at the fore. This is a wonderful wine, at the beginning of its life.''Reviewed Sep 16, 2022

It's full of flavourful with layers of fruit and polished tannins. Serious Shiraz!

The Rare series has achieved perfection frequently in these pages. Happily nothing has changed. The Non-Vintage Rare Muscadelle is amber/brown approaching black. It offers an ethereal perfume of fig, graham cracker, coconut, caramel, and spice box. Thick, rich, and concentrated, it goes on and on in the finish. Chambers Rosewood Vineyards makes my short list of greatest fortified wine producers. The winery was started in 1858 and continues to be owned by the Chambers family. Some of the material for these blends is over 100 years old. As Robert Parker noted in Issue 168, these wines are the product of solera systems so there is very little, if any, difference from release to release.

Such beautiful aromas of crushed berries, currants, walnuts, allspice and nutmeg follow through to a full body with tight, ultra fine tannins that provide length and intensity. A finish of slightly dried cherries with wet earth, slate and stone. Chewy and fine-grained. A wine with soul and length. Give it time. Drink after 2025.

Such beautiful aromas of crushed berries, currants, walnuts, allspice and nutmeg follow through to a full body with tight, ultra fine tannins that provide length and intensity. A finish of slightly dried cherries with wet earth, slate and stone. Chewy and fine-grained. A wine with soul and length. Give it time. Drink after 2025.

The 2019 Almaviva is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carmenère (from Peumo), 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Merlot, higher in Carmenere and reflecting a warmer and drier vintage when then bottled wine reached 15% alcohol. It's full-bodied and round, with saturated tannins, tasty, spicy and long, with a dry, serious finish. It's balsamic, with notes of camphor and a silky and velvety texture.

The 2019 Almaviva is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Carmenère (from Peumo), 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Merlot, higher in Carmenere and reflecting a warmer and drier vintage when then bottled wine reached 15% alcohol. It's full-bodied and round, with saturated tannins, tasty, spicy and long, with a dry, serious finish. It's balsamic, with notes of camphor and a silky and velvety texture.

This red offers ripe plum and cherry cordial flavors up front, revealing layers of nuance as it unfolds, including intriguing orange zest, Calabrian chili and olive notes. Presents a fresh, minerally acidity midpalate that pushes all the flavors to the finish, with zesty but firm tannins and echoes back to the opening flavors. Shows tremendous length. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. 

Aromas of blueberries, blackberries and fresh flowers. Very cool and pure. Medium-bodied with fine, linear and very integrated tannins that are compressed and silky-textured. New second wine of Almaviva. Needs time to open. 

2020 was exceptionally dry, with 75% less rain than usual in the period between May and September, which resulted in an earlier harvest to produce a 2020 Almaviva. Ageing of 20 months in French oak barrels, 73% of them new and the rest second use. It still shows the effect of the élevage a bit, with abundant notes of sweet spices, a creamy touch and some smoke. I tasted it next to the 2019, and the wines have a very similar aromatic palette with a clear note of baked peppers. What was amazing in 2020 was that they harvested the Carmenere almost five weeks earlier than they normally would, and the result is not a green wine at all. As in all dry years, the wines show a little more tannic, a little in the style of the 2017—but the 2020 has more tension than the 2017, and the 2017 was more powerful and with a bigger tannic structure. The 2019 had more volume than the 2018, and the 2020 is closer to the 2019 than the 2018. 96/100 Luis Gutiérrez.

Fresh and deep nose, full of blueberries, minty cassis, mussels, cigars, dark spice and roasted sesame oak, which will need a year or two to fully integrate. A medium-to full-bodied Almaviva with supple, silky tannins and a wealth of black and blue fruit that provides a lot of charm now. Voluptuous and flattering on the palate, hallmarked by its tension and taut texture. Very long. This is the 25th anniversary bottling. 68% cabernet sauvignon, 24% carmenere, 6% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Drinkable now, but better from 2024.

The current release of their second wine is the 2020 Epu. It's selected from the same terroir and vineyard in Puente Alto, one of the most reputed places for Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile, but from the younger vines (five- to 20-year-old vines) and harvested a little earlier to preserve acidity and fruit. In the warm and dry 2020 vintage, the wine was produced with a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Carmenere, 5% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, usually higher in Cabernet and lower in Carmenere than Almaviva. It has red ripe berries, the textbook blackberries and cassis and some creamy oak. It's ripe at 14.8% alcohol and has mellow acidity, good freshness and balance, with a pH of 3.71 and 4.8 grams of acidity (tartaric). It matured for 12 months in French barriques, 10% new and 90% second use. The wine has a bright nose with a clean note of baked "morrón" peppers intermixed with red berry compote. It has a velvety plate with the luxurious texture of the modern Bordeaux, with abundant, slightly dusty tannins. It's approachable and round but should reward some time in bottle. This is a pretty serious Epu. 75,000 bottles produced. It was bottled at the end of 2021 and the first days of 2022. Drink: 2023 - 2030.

Lots of finely roasted sweet spice and roasted sesame to the blackberries, cassis and iron, together with hints of blue fruit and cured meat. A medium-to full-bodied palate, filled with rather generous sweet berries. Fleshy, supple and savory with quite fine-grained tannins and a long finish. First year with 10% new wood. 81% cabernet sauvignon, 12% carmenere, 5% merlot and 2% cabernet franc. Already delicious, but can hold, too.

Anthony Rose for The Real Review: Pale gold in colour, the aromas on this fizz are very nicely evolved and show an understated, if inviting buttered Brazil nuttiness; and the aromas are followed by an expansive, surprisingly youthful mousse containing notes of stone fruit and grilled nuts, with a firm spine of youthful acidity, before dissipating on the tongue with an elegantly tangy dry finish. Tasted July 2023. Drink 2023–2026

This sleek, light- to medium-bodied white is richly aromatic, with slate and saline notes that expand on the creamy palate, underscoring flavors of Gala apple, anise, slivered almond and honeysuckle. Lithe and lovely. Drink now through 2029.

Aromas of lilacs, slate and dried apple follow through to a medium body with vivid flavors and intense fruit and citrus at the finish. Tight and exciting. Better in a couple years to come together but rejoice in its youthful vigor. Drink now. Made from organically grown grapes. Demeter approved.

A creamy light- to medium-bodied white, with a concentrated core of spicy minerality tightly knit to flavors of ripe green melon, peach skin, slivered almond and candied Meyer lemon peel that expand on the palate. Its depth and focus belie its overall graceful form. Drink now through 2028.

Where is the lobster? The very complex mirabelle-tart and spice nose pulls you into this stunning dry riesling that beautifully balances vibrant acidity and ripeness that borders on the exotic. Very straight and long finish that’s got a lot of mineral subtlety. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.

Aromas of dark cherries, blackberries, mulberries and warm spices preface the 2017 Morgon Côte du Py, a deep, full-bodied wine with superb concentration, succulent acids and a richly extracted chassis of powdery tannin that asserts itself on the youthfully chewy finish. This is a Morgon built for the cellar and emphatically not designed for immediate gratification, but the wine's purity and integration confirm the promise it showed from barrel.

Very pretty aromas of crushed berries and spices with some shitake-mushroom undertones. Medium body, light tannins and a creamy texture. Orange-peel and berry aftertaste. Wet-earth nuances.

A wine built for the cellar, the 2017 Moulin-à-Vent Clos de Rochegrès unfurls in the glass with a rich bouquet of ripe berry fruit, spices, candied peel and dark chocolate. On the plate, it's full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with an ample core of fruit, ripe acids and a chewy chassis of tannin that will require some patience. Impressively, this Moulin-à-Vent has already largely integrated its new wood, and though it's a high wire act in terms of alcohol and extraction, I suspect it will evolve positively in the cellar. Drink 2022-2040 (Tasted 2019)

This wood-aged wine comes from 45-year-old vines in one of the top vineyards in the appellation. Rich and beautifully structured, it has tannins and a firm structure that point to aging. Wait to drink this wine until 2022. Roger Voss

Soft, fruity, gamay with mellow, flavours that suggest ripe plum, cherry, and a seasoning of spices. Accessible now but no hurry. Seductive texture, not particularly powerful but delicious to drink. 10 JAN 2024.

An hour of air and the wine truly blossomed. Texturally, the wine was supple and fresh. The fruit was perfectly ripe, the flavors were bold and finish offered the right mix of purity, pleasure, length and style. This is drinking really well today. If you've been sitting on your bottles, now is a good time to pop a cork. Jeff Leve The Wine Cellar tasted November 2017.

A deep and rich nose, but so pure, clear and clean, it smells beautiful. The aromas really shine in the glass, too, with a texture that is smooth and supple, giving and generous. A powerful wine with excellent persistence from start to finish. Extremely youthful, tense and focused into one sleek line and, although you get ripe fruit - black berries, cassis, with some gorgeous bitter orange peel nuances - there's so much minty freshness too. Concentration but no overt heaviness, discreet power. I love the chalky, milk chocolate nuances - well built and complex with a clear backbone and long ageing potential. Brilliant winemaking on show.

Graphite, dark-plum and blackberry aromas with leafy nuances. The palate has a strong core of firm linear tannins, while the fruits are in the blue-plum and blackberry spectrum. Long regal finish. (2/2018)

Bright and pure, with white peach, Key lime, verbena and tarragon accents that marry well, finishing with a suave and lingering feel. Distinctive and alluring in the end. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2025.

Perfumed, floral nose with an innate sweetness that stays through to the palate. Perhaps not quite as fragrant as 2018. Round and flattering on the palate, the attack direct, texture smooth and tannins finely honed. Point of acidity for freshness. Decent length.

Pale golden orange. Very sweet and lacking complexity but one of the smoothest, sweetest vintages here like molten honey with a hint of orange-flower water. Still going strong. Just drying a little on the finish.

The Gounouilhou family bottled to order and the wines from 1970 back belong very much to their era. Orange barley-sugar colour very bright. Light and refreshing and sweet and a bit sticky. Bit of decay and lots of chew and alcohol. No length. Chewy end.

The 1975 Climens has a glorious bouquet with beautifully defined citrus fruit, wild honey, orange blossom and just a touch of old antique furniture. It blossoms in the glass. The palate is fresh and vibrant with a killer line of acidity. This is still fresh and tense with marmalade, grapefruit, mandarin, bitter orange and brown spices. It feels long and tender in the mouth: quite a powerful Climens at its peak.

This particular bottle was very slightly stinky on the nose, certainly when first opened. It was admirably balanced on the palate in terms of sweetness (not that sweet in fact) and acidity and was pretty impressively lively for a 40-year-old wine but I suspect it was not the best bottle. See Julia's very enthusiastic note on what I suspect was a much better bottle.

Tasted single blind against its peers. Château Climens always tends to go into its shell after bottling, which is probably why I was not dishing out an even higher score to this still, spellbinding Barsac. The 2007 is endowed with a lovely bouquet: very pure with honey, a touch of orange-blossom and a touch of quince. The palate is very well-balanced with great purity and a dash of spice as well as a lovely viscous, botrytis-laden finish that possesses awesome weight and persistency. This is a slice of heaven in a glass, but it definitely needs time to reveal its true potential. Tasted January 2011.

Tasted single blind against its peers. Château Climens always tends to go into its shell after bottling, which is probably why I was not dishing out an even higher score to this still, spellbinding Barsac. The 2007 is endowed with a lovely bouquet: very pure with honey, a touch of orange-blossom and a touch of quince. The palate is very well-balanced with great purity and a dash of spice as well as a lovely viscous, botrytis-laden finish that possesses awesome weight and persistency. This is a slice of heaven in a glass, but it definitely needs time to reveal its true potential. Tasted January 2011.

Fleshy, with plum sauce, linzer torte and blackberry paste notes melded to a fruit cake frame. Shows a good red licorice spine on the finish, with a racy feel and enough grip for mid-term cellaring. Drink now through 2020.

From vines that are in excess of 100 years old, this bottling is one of the best values to be found in the Côte de Beaune. The 2016 is more reserved than Gras’ other wines, opening in the glass with notes of plum, baking spice, rich forest floor and an appealing top note of orange rind. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, cool and concentrated, with a racy core of acidity. While not on the same level as the superb 2015, this is very fine and will amply reward ten years in the cellar.

Tasted blind. Charry blackberries on the nose with structure and real follow-through. Some St-Estéphe stoniness discernible through the fruit. Long.

Deep purple-black in colour, it pops with explosive scents of ripe red and black currants, black cherry preserves and black raspberries, followed by sparks of violets, wild sage, pencil lead and clove oil, with emerging hints of iron ore and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate has amazing elegance and grace contrasted by jaw-dropping energy, featuring a firm frame of finely grained tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with a whole firework display of mineral nuances. I love the way this Cos d'Estournel shimmies and shines—a unique vintage signature expressed so beautifully at this estate!

Deep purple-black in colour, it pops with explosive scents of ripe red and black currants, black cherry preserves and black raspberries, followed by sparks of violets, wild sage, pencil lead and clove oil, with emerging hints of iron ore and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate has amazing elegance and grace contrasted by jaw-dropping energy, featuring a firm frame of finely grained tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with a whole firework display of mineral nuances. I love the way this Cos d'Estournel shimmies and shines—a unique vintage signature expressed so beautifully at this estate!

Deep garnet-purple coloured, the 2016 Ducru-Beaucaillou features a wonderfully savory, earthy/meaty nose, delivering well-defined notes of tapenade, truffles, charcuterie and sautéed herbs over créme de cassis, wild blueberries and kirsch.

The 2016 Ducru-Beaucaillou was picked 24 September to 10 October, matured in 100% new oak for 18 months. It has an etheral boquet, the purest on any Ducru-Beaucaillou, with copious dark cherries, violet and mineral scents, a touch of forest floor emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity, a little more red fruit towards the finish than the 2018 tasted alongside and maybe just beginning to closeup to mature over the long-term. What a fantastic wine, one that will vie with the 2009 and maybe the 2018 as one of the peaks. Tasted at the Ducru Beaucaillou vertical at the Château.

The 2018 Figeac is composed of 37% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc, with a 3.7 pH and 14% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple in colour, it soars out of the glass with opening notes of freshly crushed red and black cherries.

The 2018 Figeac is a regal, aristocrat Saint-Emilion. Vertical in feel, Figeac possesses a stunning energy and vibrancy right out of the gate. Fark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, rse petal and spice all open with a bit of coaxing. Figeac is a bit restrained today, but it won't be an issue is another few years/ time. Figeac is not obvious wine, but it is superb.

Dark ruby garnet, ochre reflections, broader lightening on the rim. Tobacco on the nose with fine noble wood, dark berry fruit, black cherry and notes of cedar. Medium body, hints of ripe plum, integrated tannins, mineral and fresh on the finish. Good aging potential.

The 2019 Figeac has turned out brilliantly. Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries, cassis, warm spices, violets and pencil shavings, framed by a deft touch of nicely integrated new oak, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with terrific depth at the core, powdery structuring tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, precise finish. Rich but vibrant, this 2019 reflects the new precision that Frédéric Faye has brought to Figeac; but while it's richer and more polished than the wines of yesteryear, the estate's identity hasn't been lost.

The 2020 Figeac is the finest wine that has been bottled to date at this estate since its renaissance began a decade ago. Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries and raspberries mingled with cigar wrapper, pencil shavings, licorice and black truffles, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a suave, harmonious profile, vibrant acids, and beautifully refined structuring tannins. This sapid, complex wine represents the essence of this great terroir. Two years after extensive soil studies of the estate were carried out, and the first growing season to see cover crops used in the vineyards year-round, the 2020 benefited from more coherently demarcated parcels and more precise élevage, which taken together help to account for its edge over the excellent 2019.  The 2020 Figeac is a blend of 37% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, weighing in with an alcohol of 13.9% and a pH of 3.7. Opaque purple-black coloured, it bursts from the glass with a beautifully vibrant initial wave of pure, pristine black fruits: fresh black cherries, juicy black plums and ripe blackcurrants. With swirling, a whole array of floral and spice notes is unleashed: lavender, ground cloves, cumin seed, cardamom and rose oil. The medium-bodied palate is surprisingly graceful for the intensity of aromas, featuring ethereal, perfumed black berry notes, framed by a seamless line of freshness and ripe, grainy tannins, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. Far more cerebral and quietly introspective than it is hedonic, this could only be Figeac.

Gentle, juicy and pure with nothing overdone. Merlot provides the broad-brush sweetness on attack, the Cabernet the fresh, minerally notes on the finish. Fine grain of tannin and aromatic complexity on the nose and palate; the finesse is there.

The 2020 Figeac is the finest wine that has been bottled to date at this estate since its renaissance began a decade ago. Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries and raspberries mingled with cigar wrapper, pencil shavings, licorice and black truffles, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a suave, harmonious profile, vibrant acids, and beautifully refined structuring tannins. This sapid, complex wine represents the essence of this great terroir. Two years after extensive soil studies of the estate were carried out, and the first growing season to see cover crops used in the vineyards year-round, the 2020 benefited from more coherently demarcated parcels and more precise élevage, which taken together help to account for its edge over the excellent 2019. 

Ripe and racy, with a graphite streak that drives the core of cassis and plum fruit along, picking up an anise edge on the finish. Not big, but fresh and well-defined. Shows some sneaky grip. Best from 2018 through 2026. 8,335 cases made.

Tasted blind. Roundness from the Merlot. Very flattering and evolved. Some drama and attractive inkiness after a good charge of ripe fruit. Fine tannins on the end.

A blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Haut-Bailly was harvested from the 9th to 25th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.3%. Deep purple-black in color, it prances out of the glass with naturally beautiful notions of fresh black cherries, violets, mulberries and boysenberries, giving way to hints of redcurrant jelly, star anise, tilled soil and menthol. The medium to full-bodied palate is delicately crafted with velvety/grainy tannins and fantastic freshness framing the perfumed red and black berry layers, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note.

99-100 Points. This has incredible power and drive with blackberry, black olive and graphite. It’s full-bodied, yet dynamic and agile, with so much polished and muscular tannin. Yet, it remains in harmony and balance. So much character. The head of the chateau calls it diabolical beauty.

The 2016 L'Eglise Clinet has a medium to deep garnet-purple colour with aromas of warm black cherries, mulberries and Black Forest cake slipping seductively from the glass plus nuances of rose hip tea, baking spices, fragrant soil and fallen leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it's wonderfully elegant in the mouth with fantastically plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and very perfumed. Beautiful!

The 2016 La Conseillante is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc aged in 70% new and 30% one-year-old French oak for 17 months. Deep garnet-purple coloured, it slips provocatively out of the glass with a lifted perfume of roses, candied violets and lavender over a core of warm red and black plums, chocolate box, unsmoked cigars and baked cherries with wafts of wild thyme and tilled soil. Medium-bodied, the palate exudes polish and sophistication with bags of fragrance, freshness and energy, sporting exquisitely fine-grained tannins and finishing very long and minerally. Around 3,808 cases produced.

The 2019 La Conseillante is performing brilliantly and rivals the 2016 as Marielle Cazaux's finest vintage at this leading Pomerol estate to date. Wafting from the glass with striking aromas of raspberries, plums, violets, raw cocoa, sweet soil tones and licorice, framed by a deftly integrated touch of classy new oak, it's full-bodied, ample and enveloping, its broad attack segueing into a seamless, layered mid-palate that's vibrant and concentrated, framed by powdery tannins and lively acids, before concluding with a long, saline finish.

Deeply coloured, high aromatics with iris and violets, extremely focused with savoury fruits - a character that I have found in the Cabernet Francs in this vintage. It has an excellent grip that takes hold from the first moment and carries you through building tannins. A lovely tactile wine and an austere finish, signs that this will age for decades. The chocolate of Pomerol comes in on the end, but you have to wait for it, the beginning is savoury blueberry and raspberry fruit. Harvest September 17 to 21, taking in all the Merlot in four days, quite unusual but they knew rain was coming and wanted it to be in; they pick only in the morning to keep freshness, then Cabernet Franc September 30 and again one day October 7 (the drought slowed ripening more of the Cab Franc). A yield of 34hl/ha.

One of the wines of the vintage is the 2020 La Conseillante, a blend of 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc that wafts from the glass with inviting aromas of raspberries, red cherries and mulberries mingled with exotic spices, violets and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and vibrant, it's a beautifully elegant, sensual wine with a deep core of fruit framed by powdery tannins, concluding with a long, extravagantly floral finish. This is a Pomerol of striking purity and sophistication. Congratulations to Marielle Cazaux and her team for surpassing even what they achieved in 2016 and 2019 with this brilliant 2020! 2027 - 2060

Deep ruby colour with opaque core, purple reflections. Delicate notes of tobacco and herbal spice back black cherry fruit, some nougat, candied orange zest. On the palate this is juicy and elegant with a fine chocolatey texture, ripe tannins, good freshness, silky and long lasting, mineral, very well balanced, certain aging potential.

Medium garnet-purple in colour, the 2015 La Fleur de Bouard has a perfumed nose of violets and roses with a core of baked cherries, warm black raspberries, plums and spice box. The medium to full-bodied palate is soft and packed with fruit, finishing with an herbal lift.

Aromas of sweet tobacco, berry and chocolate follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a medium finish. Slightly hollow midpalate but very nicely done. Best after 2007. 

Glowing crimson. Sweet biscuit/toasty oaky nose. Rather specious appeal. Sweet but drying tannins. (Average group score: 15.3)

A major sleeper of the vintage, the 2008 La Fleur Petrus (90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc) is a remarkably sexy, opulent wine that transcends the vintage character. Its dense plum/ruby/purple colour is accompanied by notes of sweet black cherries, licorice, truffles and a hint of graphite. Full-bodied with silky tannin as well as undeniable appeal, richness, purity and a 40+ second finish, this is a sure-fire big buy in 2008. Drink it over the next 20+ years.

A major sleeper of the vintage, the 2008 La Fleur Petrus (90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc) is a remarkably sexy, opulent wine that transcends the vintage character. Its dense plum/ruby/purple colour is accompanied by notes of sweet black cherries, licorice, truffles and a hint of graphite. Full-bodied with silky tannin as well as undeniable appeal, richness, purity and a 40+ second finish, this is a sure-fire big buy in 2008. Drink it over the next 20+ years.

Very deep purple-black coloured, the 2020 la Fleur-Petrus leaps from the glass with bold expressions of baked black plums, molten licorice, Indian spices and blackberry preserves, plus hints of charcuterie, black olives and crushed rocks with a touch of unsmoked cigars. The full-bodied palate delivers compelling tension to the rich, hedonic black fruits, framed by firm, grainy tannins, finishing very long and tantalizingly savory.

Second sample: fresher, the fruit very much to the fore, the nose fruity and expressive. Plentiful but fine, filigree tannins ensure a refined but present structure. Freshness and overall harmony. Good potential.

Very deep purple-black coloured, the 2020 la Fleur-Petrus leaps from the glass with bold expressions of baked black plums, molten licorice, Indian spices and blackberry preserves, plus hints of charcuterie, black olives and crushed rocks with a touch of unsmoked cigars. The full-bodied palate delivers compelling tension to the rich, hedonic black fruits, framed by firm, grainy tannins, finishing very long and tantalizingly savory.

Second sample: fresher, the fruit very much to the fore, the nose fruity and expressive. Plentiful but fine, filigree tannins ensure a refined but present structure. Freshness and overall harmony. Good potential.

One of the perfect wines of the vintage, Frederic Engerer challenged me when I tasted the 2010 Latour at the estate, asking, 'If you rate the 2009 one hundred, then how can this not be higher?' Well, the scoring system stops at 100, (and has for 34 years,) and will continue for as long as I continue to write about wine. Nevertheless, this blend of 90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.5% Merlot, and .5% Petit Verdot hit 14.4% natural alcohol and represents a tiny 36% of their entire production. The pH is about 3.6, which is normal compared to the 3.8 pH of the 2009, that wine being slightly lower in alcohol, hence the combination that makes it more flamboyant and accessible. The 2010 is a liquid skyscraper in the mouth, building layers upon layers of extravagant, if not over-the-top richness with its hints of subtle charcoal, truffle, blackberry, cassis, espresso and notes of toast and graphite. Full-bodied, with wonderfully sweet tannin, it is a mind-boggling, prodigious achievement that should hit its prime in about 15 years, and last for 50 to 100

The 2014 Latour is one of the very finest wines of a vintage that favored the northern Médoc. Mingling aromas of wild berries and cassis with hints of cigar wrapper, loamy soil, black truffles and classy new oak, it’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated, its broad attack segueing into a deep, tightly wound mid-palate that’s framed by powdery, chalky tannins and bright acids, concluding with a long, mouth watering finish. This classically balanced, youthfully structured young wine looks set to enjoy prodigious longevity. It’s reminiscent of a modern-day version of a cooler vintage such as 1996, though of course these days maturity is more complete and selection even more rigorous than was the case two decades ago.

Blended of 97.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.6% Merlot and 0.3% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Latour is exquisitely perfumed, displaying fragrant notes of crushed black cherries, raspberry preserves, cassis and black plums with nuances of roses, dark chocolate, garrigue, menthol and a waft of sandalwood. The medium-bodied palate beautifully struts its taut, toned, muscular fruit with a frame of very firm, smooth, rounded tannins and compelling freshness, finishing with alluring earth and mineral layers. At once intellectual and sexy, this truly evocative vintage brings to mind the Melanie Griffith line from “Working Girl," possessing a sultry “head for business and a bod for sin." (LPB)

The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is superb, unwinding in the glass with notions of blackcurrants, wild berries, sweet loamy soil, cigar wrapper and English walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s concentrated and tightly wound, with superb depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins. This is an impeccably balanced, utterly classical Forts de Latour worth a special effort to seek out.

"While it's drinking very well right now, it easily has a good 20 years of cellaring ahead, maybe more. Impressive." Robert Parker.

The 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries, red fruits, exotic spices, rose petals, raw cocoa and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered, it's intensely flavored but weightless, with a compelling sense of harmony and a long, orange-inflected finish. A blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot, it was vinified with some 65% whole bunch and attained 13.5% alcohol. This is the first vintage where Pouthier's methods (whole bunch with weighted cap and long élevage incorporating larger vessels) were applied writ large, and the results are striking. 2025 - 2055

Deep crimson colour. Slightly reserved aromatically but floral notes (lily, iris) as it opens. Dense with a beautifully suave texture, the tannins powerful but refined. Luscious but fresh and long on the finish, the oak (70% new barrels) completely absorbed. Both seductive and restrained. Marked freshness for the year. Will need to check the evolution.

The 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries, red fruits, exotic spices, rose petals, raw cocoa and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered, it's intensely flavored but weightless, with a compelling sense of harmony and a long, orange-inflected finish. A blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot, it was vinified with some 65% whole bunch and attained 13.5% alcohol. This is the first vintage where Pouthier's methods (whole bunch with weighted cap and long élevage incorporating larger vessels) were applied writ large, and the results are striking. 2025 - 2055

Deep crimson colour. Slightly reserved aromatically but floral notes (lily, iris) as it opens. Dense with a beautifully suave texture, the tannins powerful but refined. Luscious but fresh and long on the finish, the oak (70% new barrels) completely absorbed. Both seductive and restrained. Marked freshness for the year. Will need to check the evolution.

The 2020 Haut-Brion is more aromatically demonstrative than La Mission Haut-Brion, bursting with aromas of blackberries and raspberries mingled with licorice, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and nicely integrated new oak. Full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's rich and layered, with an enveloping core of fruit that's girdled by plenty of sweet, powdery tannin. Despite checking in at a similarly lofty alcoholic degree to the 2019, its more granular tannic profile tempers the vintage's sweetness of fruit and lends the wine a more classically proportioned, and more classically structured, profile. 

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, deep core, delicate rim brightening. Dark wild berries, a touch of noble wood, ripe cherries, delicate floral nuances of candied purple fruit, sweet tobacco, very inviting bouquet. Complex, juicy, red berry texture, well-integrated, ripe tannins, fine sweetness on the finish, already seems very at peace with itself, great length, a great food companion, secure future. (2025-2065).

Medium to deep garnet-purple in colour, the 2015 Echo de Lynch Bages has plenty of black fruits on the nose with an earthy undercurrent. The medium-bodied palate is firm and a bit hard with an herbal lift on the finish.

The 2016 Le Petit Lion is composed of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple coloured, it leaps from the glass with notions of warm blackcurrants, blackberry pie, redcurrant jelly and tilled soil with touches of hoisin, Sichuan pepper, unsmoked cigars, red roses and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied, the palate explodes with vibrant red and black fruit preserves, with a wonderfully fine-grained frame and very long, lifted finish.

Is the 2019 Château Margaux the wine of the vintage? A strong case in its favor could certainly be made. Soaring from the glass with aromas of blackberries, raspberries, rose petals, violets, pencil shavings and vine smoke, it's full-bodied, layered and sensual, with a strikingly vibrant core of fruit that's framed by ripe, powdery tannins and bright acids, concluding with a penetrating, mouthwateringly saline finish of almost interminable duration. Complex, elegant and utterly compelling, this is a brilliant Bordeaux that anyone with the requisite disposable income is going to want to own.

Is the 2019 Château Margaux the wine of the vintage? A strong case in its favor could certainly be made. Soaring from the glass with aromas of blackberries, raspberries, rose petals, violets, pencil shavings and vine smoke, it's full-bodied, layered and sensual, with a strikingly vibrant core of fruit that's framed by ripe, powdery tannins and bright acids, concluding with a penetrating, mouthwateringly saline finish of almost interminable duration. Complex, elegant and utterly compelling, this is a brilliant Bordeaux that anyone with the requisite disposable income is going to want to own.

The 2020 Château Margaux is composed of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, accounting for 36% of the harvest. The alcohol weighs in at 13.5%, the IPT is 80 and the pH is 3.67. Displaying an opaque purple-black colour, it needs a lot of air, time and patience to coax out the youthfully reticent nose of blueberry preserves, blackcurrant pastilles and Black Forest cake, followed by suggestions of lavender, clove oil, iron ore and menthol with wafts of star anise and candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully opulent, featuring tightly wound yet beautifully pure layers of black fruits and earthy nuances within a solid structure of firm yet velvety tannins and exhilarating freshness, finishing with very long-lingering earth and mineral notes. Another stunning expression of the vintage by Philippe Bascaules and his team—bravo!

Gorgeous wine that is both classic and expressive. Aromatically complex with floral, mineral and dark-fruit notes. Quality of tannins superb from entry to finish, the texture smooth and velvety. Lovely freshness, poise and length. Perfect pitch. Definitely has the edge on 2019 and 2018. 

A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the opaque purple-colored, chunky 2001 Mouton-Rothschild does not possess the finesse and stature often achieved by this first-growth. It offers a tell-tale cassis-scented nose, and a monolithic, medium to full-bodied style with relatively high, austere tannin in the finish (a characteristics I also noticed in cask). A dry, angular, backward effort for the vintage, it should be forgotten for at least a decade. Let's hope the fruit continues to expand and sweeten, but that's no sure thing. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2025+.

The 2019 Palmer is a rich, dramatic wine that soars from the glass with aromas of cherries, blackberries and berry fruit liqueur mingled with notions of violets, rose petals and sweet spices. Full-bodied, layered and seamless, it's powerful and immensely concentrated, with an enveloping core of lively fruit that largely conceals the wine's ripe, powdery structuring tannins. Concluding with a long, penetrating finish, it's a brilliant rendition of the contemporary Palmer style from Thomas Duroux and his team.

Deep garnet-purple coloured, the 2016 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron gives aromas of tar, sautéed herbs and earth over a cassis and baked cherries core. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and chewy, finishing with an herbal lift.

Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, this is one of a pair of second wines from this estate. With its classic Pauillac black-currant flavors and dense tannins, the wine is a slow developer. By 2025, it should show great fruits and a balanced texture.

Strong ruby garnet, faint ochre reflections, broader brightening on the rim. Attractive bouquet with delicate toasty aromas, fine notes of cassis and blackberry confit and a hint of nougat. Juicy palate with ripe red cherry, velvety, plump tannins, pleasant ripeness and freshness on the finish, mineral and long. Good aging potential.

Strong ruby garnet, faint ochre reflections, broader brightening on the rim. Attractive bouquet with delicate toasty aromas, fine notes of cassis and blackberry confit and a hint of nougat. Juicy palate with ripe red cherry, velvety, plump tannins, pleasant ripeness and freshness on the finish, mineral and long. Good aging potential.

Tasted blind. Looks a little thin at the rim. Smells herbal. Good front palate attack and not overdone. Some may reproach this for being too simple but the balance is good. Very clean and healthy.

A strong effort, the 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc wafts from the glass with aromas of nectarine, pear, lemongrass, Sauvignon botanicals, toasted bread and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it's rich and concentrated, with ripe acids and chalky structuring extract. It's not quite as vibrant and precise as the 2019, but it's a success nonetheless.  / The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Sémillon. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak, 50% new, within which it will age for 12 months on lees with bâtonnage before spending a further two to three months in tank. It prances out of the glass with vivacious notes of lime blossoms, Golden Delicious apples and green mango, plus hints of coriander seed, shaved ginger and wet pebbles. The medium-bodied palate possesses lovely harmony even at this nascent stage, featuring bright apple and citrus flavors with soft acidity and a chalky finish.

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black colored 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin. Barrel Sample, 98-100

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black coloured 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin.

Cask sample. Creamy, generous style where the Sauvignon is ripe rather than herbal, which works well. Succulent acidity still gives refreshment on the finish. Drinkable now, but has a decade of potential too. 

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black coloured 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin.

Cask sample. Creamy, generous style where the Sauvignon is ripe rather than herbal, which works well. Succulent acidity still gives refreshment on the finish. Drinkable now, but has a decade of potential too. 

Bright, ripe and defined, with bay, violet, cassis and dark plum fruit all racing along in unison. Excellent energy and tension through the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2028. 18,335 cases made.

Round and already aromatically expressive with dark-fruit and liquorice notes. All the signs of a solar vintage, the fruit generous and mouth-coating, an inherent sweetness and slight glow of alcohol on the finish. Fine, light tannins with a little graininess on the end.

The 2019 Talbot is performing well, opening in the glass with aromas of earthy cassis, plums, burning embers and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, with powdery tannins, lively acids and a savory finish, it's Jean-Michel Laporte's second vintage at this sleeping giant of Saint-Julien. This will be an estate to watch closely going forward.

Exuberant, with generous plum sauce, licorice root, blackberry compote and apple wood notes vying for attention, as graphite and cast iron accents drive along underneath. Reveals a little flash of exotic toast that snazzes up the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. *Highly Recommended

The 2020 Talbot has a fragrant nose with black cherries, bilberry, wild mint and chalk, quite harmonious and gaining intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet, almost candied opening, predominantly red berry fruit laced with mint and orange zest, and a liberal sprinkling of black pepper. I admire the way this Talbot builds so that it finishes with a flourish. This may well land at the top of my banded score.

The 2020 Talbot has a fragrant nose with black cherries, bilberry, wild mint and chalk, quite harmonious and gaining intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet, almost candied opening, predominantly red berry fruit laced with mint and orange zest, and a liberal sprinkling of black pepper. I admire the way this Talbot builds so that it finishes with a flourish. This may well land at the top of my banded score.

The 2020 Talbot has a fragrant nose with black cherries, bilberry, wild mint and chalk, quite harmonious and gaining intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet, almost candied opening, predominantly red berry fruit laced with mint and orange zest, and a liberal sprinkling of black pepper. I admire the way this Talbot builds so that it finishes with a flourish. This may well land at the top of my banded score.

This has a typically rounded, dense, opulent nose with a conspicuous slathering of new oak, quite Burgundian with an animally note developing...lush bilberry, kirsch and raspberry. The palate is smooth, precocious, ripe red-berried fruit, a citrus edge, real tingle on the tongue towards the finish.

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider: Forest floor, old wood, cherry, earth, strawberry and smoke filled aromas open to a soft, red cherry filled wine that is drinking beautifully today. From 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, this is quite nice for this cooler vintage. Tasted 2012.

It boasts an inky/purple color along with a gorgeous bouquet of mocha, chocolate, blackberry and cassis fruit, an unctuous texture, a full-bodied, viscous mouthfeel and a skyscraper-like, multilayered finish. This spectacular wine is nearly overwhelming in its richness, thickness and intensity. Once all its baby fat falls away, the terroir characteristics and additional nuances will emerge. This blockbuster, fabulous Troplong Mondot will benefit from 10-15 years of cellaring and keep for three decades or more. It is not shy either, bouncing over the palate with 15.5% natural alcohol. The 2009 Troplong Mondot will provide plenty of competition for the 2010, 2005 and 2000. It comes closest in style to the prodigious 1990 that proprietress Christine Valette produced 22 years ago. A phenomenal effort, it unquestionably justifies its relatively new Premier Grand Cru St.-Emilion status. Readers should keep in mind that the 1990, which probably has lower acidity and not the level of concentration found in the 2009, is drinking incredibly well at age 22 and reveals no signs of falling apart.

Pure perfection in a glass, the incredible 2009 Troplong Mondot offers off the chart notes of blackcurrants, licorice, truffles and saddle leather that just soar from the glass. This is a big, ripe, incredibly sexy wine that hits the palate with a huge texture, building, ripe tannin, no weight, and a finish that just won't quit. Utterly brilliant stuff, it's slightly more approachable than the 2005, but both of these vintages play in the same style. Bravo! 

The 2014 Troplong-Mondot performed to my expectation now that the wine is in bottle. It has a refined bouquet with black cherries, raspberry preserve and mineral scents that gain intensity in the glass, but never get carried away. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, tensile in the mouth but surprisingly linear and conservative, at least in the first half. It is fresh and precise, then delivers the weight and concentration as it fans out on the finish, a residue of white pepper tingling on the aftertaste. This is a delicious Troplong Mondot that should age with style and grace. 

Dark in profile, with some bacon and toast notes, this is nonetheless accessible in feel, with fleshy plum sauce and warm fig fruit flavors backed by cocoa and tobacco accents on the finish. Drink now through 2030. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

The second wine of Troplong Mondot and 100% Merlot, the 2016 Mondot reveals a deep, saturated purple color as well as a rocking nose of black cherries, graphite, chocolate, and scorched earth. Ripe, deep, and sexy, with sweet tannins, it’s a rocking entry-level wine to drink over the coming 10-15 years. There are under 2,000 cases.

The 2019 Mondot derives from Merlot growing on newly acquired vineyards on Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau that can't be included in the grand vin until the region's new classification is finalized. Offering up aromas of wild berries, rose petals and coniferous forest floor, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and succulent, with a supple, charming profile and a penetrating finish.

Medium to deep garnet-purple in colour, the 2016 Virginie de Valandraud offers gorgeous black cherries, mulberries and black raspberry scents with hints of star anise, violets and cumin seed. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is firmly structured with firm, velvety tannins and tons of freshness, lifting the perfumed black fruits to a long finish.

Deep purple-black in colour, the 2018 Virginie de Valandraud opens a little broody with notes of damp soil, truffles and chargrill, opening up to display stewed plums, blackberry tart and plum preserves plus nuances of espresso, Marmite toast, tapenade and wild sage. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness lifting the rich, decadent fruit to a long finish.

The 2018 d'Yquem is all lime cordial, grapefruit oil and mandarin peel to begin. With a little coaxing, the fireworks really begin, letting off a whole array of honeysuckle, candied ginger, dried pineapple, lemon pastilles, chalk dust and sea spray scents, followed by a savory undercurrent of shaved almonds, allspice and baking bread. The palate is an exercise in polish and poise, featuring the most gorgeously creamy texture and bright, sparkling freshness, framing all the densely laden tropical and citrus fruit layers, finishing with a powerful BANG of profound floral and spice perfume. It is wonderfully sweet, yes, but thatparadoxically for a sweet wineis almost beside the point.

Average temperatures 2.7C over average, combined with 20% of the normal rainfall from mid August to the end of July made makes this a naturally rich, low-yielding vintage (40% less than average, not helped by a hail storm in July), with a gloriously gourmet 145g/ha residual sugar, and a pH level of 3.95. As ever with Yquem, patience was the key, taking in the grapes slowly but surely over 17 days harvest that extended well into October. The results in the glass are intense and glossy, full of satin-textured apricot and white peach flavours. There are exotic fruits of pineapple and mango but winemaker Sandrine Garbay has kept a focus on fresher flavours of lime zest and citrus that balance out the natural richness and concentration. Pretty closed right now, but there is power and balance here, an excellent Yquem.

The 2018 d'Yquem is all lime cordial, grapefruit oil and mandarin peel to begin. With a little coaxing, the fireworks really begin, letting off a whole array of honeysuckle, candied ginger, dried pineapple, lemon pastilles, chalk dust and sea spray scents, followed by a savory undercurrent of shaved almonds, allspice and baking bread. The palate is an exercise in polish and poise, featuring the most gorgeously creamy texture and bright, sparkling freshness, framing all the densely laden tropical and citrus fruit layers, finishing with a powerful BANG of profound floral and spice perfume. It is wonderfully sweet, yes, but thatparadoxically for a sweet wineis almost beside the point.

Average temperatures 2.7C over average, combined with 20% of the normal rainfall from mid August to the end of July made makes this a naturally rich, low-yielding vintage (40% less than average, not helped by a hail storm in July), with a gloriously gourmet 145g/ha residual sugar, and a pH level of 3.95. As ever with Yquem, patience was the key, taking in the grapes slowly but surely over 17 days harvest that extended well into October. The results in the glass are intense and glossy, full of satin-textured apricot and white peach flavours. There are exotic fruits of pineapple and mango but winemaker Sandrine Garbay has kept a focus on fresher flavours of lime zest and citrus that balance out the natural richness and concentration. Pretty closed right now, but there is power and balance here, an excellent Yquem.

This has a broad and unctuous feel, with nectarine, apricot and mango notes creating an opulent feel, while racy bitter almond, orange blossom and elderberry accents add contrast and range. The lush finish is carried by notes of mango and piecrust. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2028 through 2040.

Bright medium greenish yellow, silver reflections. Attractive ripe yellow tropical fruit, honey and lanolin, some coconut, candied tangerine zest, floral touch, fine caramel in the background. Full-bodied, elegant, ripe pineapple, yellow peach, new wood vivid in the core, fine honey nuances, seems opulent on the finish, marked by some baby fat, powerful finish, certain ageing potential.

This has a broad and unctuous feel, with nectarine, apricot and mango notes creating an opulent feel, while racy bitter almond, orange blossom and elderberry accents add contrast and range. The lush finish is carried by notes of mango and piecrust. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2028 through 2040.

Bright medium greenish yellow, silver reflections. Attractive ripe yellow tropical fruit, honey and lanolin, some coconut, candied tangerine zest, floral touch, fine caramel in the background. Full-bodied, elegant, ripe pineapple, yellow peach, new wood vivid in the core, fine honey nuances, seems opulent on the finish, marked by some baby fat, powerful finish, certain ageing potential.

This has a broad and unctuous feel, with nectarine, apricot and mango notes creating an opulent feel, while racy bitter almond, orange blossom and elderberry accents add contrast and range. The lush finish is carried by notes of mango and piecrust. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2028 through 2040.

Bright medium greenish yellow, silver reflections. Attractive ripe yellow tropical fruit, honey and lanolin, some coconut, candied tangerine zest, floral touch, fine caramel in the background. Full-bodied, elegant, ripe pineapple, yellow peach, new wood vivid in the core, fine honey nuances, seems opulent on the finish, marked by some baby fat, powerful finish, certain ageing potential.

A blend of 65% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, the medium garnet-purple coloured 2016 Certan de May offers up notes of wild blueberries, black cherries and raspberry leaves with hints of black tea, roses and tar. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers a wonderful quiet intensity of blue, red and black fruits plus a fine-grained backbone and superb freshness, delivery and very long, mineral-tinged finish.

A deeply intense and plush Pomerol with immaculately ripe fruit and tannins. So well executed with aromas of truffle, dark stones, coal smoke and intense dark plums and cocoa powder. The palate has an immaculate texture with very bright, velvety tannins, carrying rich dark plums. Plum pudding and Christmas cake to close.

Composed of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Grenache, and 7% Counoise, the 2018 Odyssée has a deep garnet colour, bursting from the glass with a whole array of exotic spices notes—cumin seed, star anise, cardamom and cassia—over a core of stewed black plums, warm cassis and blackberry preserves, with hints of dark chocolate, lavender and tapenade. The full-bodied palate is jam-packed with concentrated black and blue fruits, framed by firm, rounded tannins and beautiful freshness, finishing very long with a peppery kick. A little more structured than previous vintages and with such impressive concentration, this should easily cellar 25 years or more.

Sleek, with a vein of mineral underlying lemon, apple and light spice flavors. Focused and harmonious, with the vibrant structure driving its lingering finish. Drink now through 2025. 

Seductive, intense liquorice notes on the nose. Rich and broad start but nicely appetising with lime-juice notes. Nothing remotely scrawny about this.

Sleek, with a vein of mineral underlying lemon, apple and light spice flavors. Focused and harmonious, with the vibrant structure driving its lingering finish. Drink now through 2025. 

Seductive, intense liquorice notes on the nose. Rich and broad start but nicely appetising with lime-juice notes. Nothing remotely scrawny about this.

Sleek, with a vein of mineral underlying lemon, apple and light spice flavors. Focused and harmonious, with the vibrant structure driving its lingering finish. Drink now through 2025. 

Seductive, intense liquorice notes on the nose. Rich and broad start but nicely appetising with lime-juice notes. Nothing remotely scrawny about this.

Average age of the vines 100 years old. Red and purple colours, clear. Spicy nose, with red fruits and light floral elements, not as deep and brooding as the Chambolle, more savoury showing the extra couple of years bottle aging perhaps. Light cherry flavours on the palate, clear stony limestone textural influence, both in tension and saline flavour elements, less fruit intense on the finish. - Brandon Nash, May 2023

The 2013 Nuits St Georges les Didiers Cuvée Hospice de Nuits, which is aged entirely in new oak, has an engaging vanilla and coca-tinged bouquet that is well defined. The palate is medium-bodied and clearly showing a lot of oak vanillin at the moment with a long candied finish. It would be nice if there was less new oak here, but that’s the way the Hospice de Nuits rolls. Compared with the 2012, I would probably have bid on last year's barrel.

(this auction item was in 100% new oak until the Ligniers took possession of the barrels in June of 2014): Good deep red with ruby highlights. Totally different on the nose than the wines vinified by the Ligniers, with licorice and violet aromas.

Deep ruby colour. Reduction flattens the underlying fruit at present though there is both good freshness and verve to the delicious, powerful and admirably concentrated big-bodied flavors that possess a subtle minerality that really comes to the fore on the rustic, serious and built-to-age finish. A classic Chenevery.

The 2016 Nuits St Georges les Didiers Cuvée Hospice de Nuits had been racked from its new barrel the previous June and put into a used barrel by Laurent Lignier to reduce the impact of the wood. It has a generous bouquet with ample black cherry, blueberry and violet scents, the remainder of its élevage hopefully putting a rein on the oak influence. The palate is medium-bodied and here I must say that the oak exerts too much of an influence, slightly figgy toward the extravagant (for the vintage) finish. Enjoyable but it is certainly cut from a different cloth compared to Laurent Lignier's other cuvées.

A ripe and more deeply pitched nose consists of dark berry fruit, humus, earth, tea and a hint of the sauvage is also trimmed in a gentle application of wood. There is good minerally to the lively middle weight flavors that are underpinned by moderately firm tannins before concluding in a suave and velvety finish that displays just a hint of Nuits rusticity.

The 2017 Chambolle-Musigny Vielles Vignes, which is completely de-stemmed, has a very open bouquet of raspberry and crushed strawberry aromas, quite sensual in style. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit and fruit grip. Slightly chalky toward the finish, which lingers nicely in the mouth. Very fine.

There are three barrels of the 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Chenevery, a deep, saturated wine that wafts from the glass with notes of cherries, rose petal and sweet spices. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, with rich structuring tannins, good concentration and tangy balancing acids. There's sufficient substance to suggest it will age with style.

The 2017 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Chenevery 1er Cru is completely de-stemmed and matured in mainly used oak. It has a tightly wound bouquet that feels bashful compared to the other crus. The medium-bodied palate offers grainy tannin, a mixture of black and red fruit and a tangible sense of energy on the focussed, very Morey finish. Excellent.

The latest iteration of a cuvée that Lignier regularly purchases, the 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Didiers (Hospice de Nuits) displays notes of cherries, cassis, grilled game, dark chocolate and toasty new oak. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with fine tannins and good length on the finish. Lignier racks the wine out of the Hospices' barrels and into used cooperage of his own as soon as it's delivered to his winery.

Very generous wood is enough to push the underlying dark berry fruit, earth and toast nuances to the background. The wood is on the palate as well and it's enough to round off the mid-palate of the medium weight flavors while imparting a slightly bitterness to the finish. This is not a bad wine per se but it's carrying far more wood influence than I can countenance.

Produced from purchased fruit and vinified with one-third whole clusters, the 2018 Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes (négoce) bursts with aromas of raspberries, berries, woodsmoke and sweet soil tones. It's medium to full-bodied, succulent and fine-boned, with a delicate core of fruit framed by powdery tannins.

Wafting from the glass with scents of raspberries, plums, wild berries and sweet soil tones, the 2019 Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes (négoce) is medium to full-bodied, with lively acids and powdery structuring tannins underpinning its succulent core of fruit. It's a promising cuvée. The 2019s, according to Laurent Lignier, possess all the characteristics of great Pinot Noir, and that's an analysis with which I would concur. He has once again produced a fine vintage for both his domaine holdings and négociant sources the latter, amounting to some 3.5 hectares of vines, now clearly distinguished in our reviews. As readers will know, winemaking is pretty classical at this address, with a short cold maceration, two to three weeks' maceration with one pigéage and one rémontage per day and maturation in barrels, some third of which are new if possible, without racking for fully 22 months in the domaine's cold cellars. Lignier began picking on September 16, and alcohol levels range between 13.5% and 14.7%, the latter extreme representing the exception rather than the rule. Tasting through the wines, the vast majority of which were in barrel and had not been racked, the most obvious analogy was with the domaine's 2015s at the same stage but I look forward to revisiting them from bottle to confirm that impression.

Discreet wood sets off more elegant and layered aromas of both red and blue pinot fruit that are laced with hints of violet and spice. There is very good energy and delineation to the nicely mineral-driven and solidly powerful medium weight flavors that display hints of rusticity and youthful austerity on the balanced, complex and lingering finale. This is a fine Chambolle villages and worth a look. *Burghound Outstanding!*

The 2020 Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes comes from two terrors and is an acquisition of fruit. The nose is quite backward at first and does not quite slip into fifth gear. The palate is medium-bodied with sweet red cherry and strawberry entry, fine acidity, quite fleshy as you would hope from a Chambolle with the 30% whole bunch imparting a welcome spiciness on the finish. Very fine.

The 2020 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has turned out especially well, wafting from the glass with aromas of peonies, sweet wild berries, orange rind, loamy soil and rose petals. Full-bodied, layered and seamless, with velvety tannins and an ample core of vibrant, perfumed fruit, it concludes with a long, seamless finish. This may well emerge as Lignier's finest Charmes of the 2018, 2019 and 2020 trio. Laurent Lignier began his harvest on August 27, reporting below-average yields and finished alcohols between 13% and 14%. Once again, the result is a fine vintage for both his domaine holdings and négociant sources—the latter, amounting to some 3.5 hectares of vines, now clearly distinguished in our reviews. As readers will know, winemaking is pretty classical at this address, with a short cold maceration, two to three weeks' maceration with one pigéage and one rémontage per day and maturation in barrels, some one-third of which are new—if possible, without racking—for fully 22 months in the domaine's cold cellars. The 2020s are more primary and tightly wound than Lignier's 2019s, but they're similar in terms of ultimate quality and are well worth seeking out. (WK)

The 2020 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, from Mazoyères, contains one-third whole bunch this year. That comes through on the nose: this will need some time to fully integrated those stems. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very silky in texture with a slightly powdery, candied finish. Charming, if just missing a little grip that would have warranted a higher score. (NM)

Purchased as wine, Lignier's 2020 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru (négoce) reveals aromas of cassis, plums and wild berries, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and vibrant, it's a nicely balanced effort that shows promise.

The 2020 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru comes from a purchase of wine. It has a lifted nose with black cherries, boysenberry and liquorice scents, maybe just a little too ripe? The palate is medium-bodied with more composition than the nose. Fleshy ripe tannins, plenty of red fruit infused with blood orange that segues into quite a spicy and persistent finish. It's just the aromatics that need to up their game.

Aromas of dark berries, baking chocolate, forest floor, spices and plums introduce the 2020 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, a full-bodied, layered and multidimensional wine that's deep and concentrated, with lively acids, ripe tannins and a long, saline finish. Still primary after a year's élevage, it's built to age. (WK)

A concentrated wine, with a powerful black plum and blueberry fruit, replete with notes of mineral, rose petal, smoke and spice. The texture is very dense and powerful, yet the wine never loses sight of its essential elegance and finesse. This 'regular' cuvée of Clos de la Roche is a blend of two-thirds Monts Luisants and one-third Fremières, all 60-70 years of age. 30% of the fruit is fermented as whole clusters and the wine is aged in 30% new casks. (CC) 

Aromas of dark berries, baking chocolate, forest floor, spices and plums introduce the 2020 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, a full-bodied, layered and multidimensional wine that's deep and concentrated, with lively acids, ripe tannins and a long, saline finish. Still primary after a year's élevage, it's built to age. (WK)

A concentrated wine, with a powerful black plum and blueberry fruit, replete with notes of mineral, rose petal, smoke and spice. The texture is very dense and powerful, yet the wine never loses sight of its essential elegance and finesse. This 'regular' cuvée of Clos de la Roche is a blend of two-thirds Monts Luisants and one-third Fremières, all 60-70 years of age. 30% of the fruit is fermented as whole clusters and the wine is aged in 30% new casks. (CC) 

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Regnard (négoce) bursts with aromas of plums, peonies, warm spices and soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated, it's charming and vibrant, with powdery tannins and a long, sapid finish. Laurent Lignier began his harvest on August 27, reporting below-average yields and finished alcohols between 13% and 14%. Once again, the result is a fine vintage for both his domaine holdings and négociant sources—the latter, amounting to some 3.5 hectares of vines, now clearly distinguished in our reviews. As readers will know, winemaking is pretty classical at this address, with a short cold maceration, two to three weeks' maceration with one pigéage and one rémontage per day and maturation in barrels, some one-third of which are new—if possible, without racking—for fully 22 months in the domaine's cold cellars. The 2020s are more primary and tightly wound than Lignier's 2019s, but they're similar in terms of ultimate quality and are well worth seeking out. (WK)

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Reniards, which comes from purchased grapes, has a very well defined and quite elegant bouquet that unfolds nicely with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a creamy-texture opening, quite plush and ravishing with maybe just a slight lack of tension and bite on the finish. (NM)

The 2015 Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets is a blend of 40- and 80-year-old vineyards and was completely de-stemmed this year; it has an opulent and extravagant bouquet with marmalade and orange sorbet notes suffusing the kirsch, cassis and black cherry.

The Caillerets is one of the highlights in Rossignol's formidable range this year, its rigorous, soil-driven personality in total contrast to the decadent Clos des Angles. Notes of ripe red cherry, redcurrant, chalky minerality and cocoa powder lead into a powerful, pure palate, with a firm core of vibrant fruit and minerality framed by bright acids and refined tannins. Terrific stuff.

Airy and elegant aromas freely offer up their nuances of exotic tea, spice and essence of white peach. The elegance continues onto the refined, pure and energetic middle weight flavors that exude evident minerality on the balanced and harmonious finish that displays excellent length. This beautiful effort is quite Zen-like. Drink from 2027. (Jun 2022)

The 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin La Petite Chapelle Premier Cru has a far superior boquet compared to the village crus - much more control over the aromatics, more detail, scents of raspberry coulis, wild strawberry and brown spices, none of the prune-like aromas here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, quite solid and grippy in the mouth with more black fruit coming through towards the finely tuned finish. This is a serious level up in class over the Comaine's Village Cru's in 2015.

Deep, clear ruby-red, lighter on edge, youthful. The nose is soft and pure, greeted with red cherry, red berry melded with sweet spice and a hint of earth. Medium-light bodied, aromas of cherry, red berry interweaved vanilla, cinnamon and a hint of earthy, nutty element. The fruit is youthful, supported by gentle, lively acidity. A moderate grip of silky tannin shows a youthful structure. This Côte de Beaune-Villages shows youthful varietal development, with a fine structure and silky grip. Match with duck and pigeon over the next 5 years. Handpicked, hand-sorted, destemmed, cold-soaked for 3-4 weeks in oak cuve and stainless steel vats, aged around 18 months, approx one-third new oak. 13% alc. 18/20 pts

 Like the Volnay, this is sufficiently reduced to render the nose is difficult to assess. The suave, rich yet solidly delineated medium-bodied flavors deliver fine length and better complexity on the moderately tightly wound, firm and youthfully austere finale.

This is also sufficiently ripe to partially display fruit from the yellow side of the spectrum along with spice, citrus confit and floral scents. The rich and solidly concentrated medium-bodied flavors are at once succulent yet nicely detailed while delivering impressive persistence on the balanced and youthfully austere finale. Once again, more depth would be beneficial but again, that should reasonably occur. In a word, lovely.

Pale lemon colour, the bouquet takes some searching out, but then it arrives, clearly richer than the premiers crus and with a little more oak. At the moment the wood is a little prominent, one of the two barrels being new. The fruit will work out in the end but this may take some time to marry. Drink from 2028-2036. - Jasper Morris, October 2022.

A fine pale colour. A light stoniness but there is plenty of fruit too. Richer and deeper fruit on the attack, but Cailleret cannot escape its destiny and the stonier side of the fruit returns behind. Just enough flesh on the bones. Drink from 2026-2030. - Jasper Morris October 2022

Note: from a miniscule .064 ha parcel of 25+ year old vines; Blanchot-Dessus abuts Montrachet on its southern end. A different aromatic profile is present here with its smoky and spicy array of floral, resin and various white orchard fruit scents. On the palate it's immediately clear that this is a big wine with impressive mid-palate concentration and overt power that continues onto the mouthcoating, gorgeously long and beautifully balanced finish that is very solidly structured. This serious and tautly muscular effort is clearly built-to-age over the longer-term yet it's not so backward that it couldn't be approached after 5 to 7 years of cellaring. *Burghound Sweet Spot Outstanding! June 2023.

Pale colour, fine energy, really chiselled, electric backbone, a burst of flavour and indeed some riper floral notes to finish, before some lemon scented oak at the very back. Possibly the faintest touch of something rather exotic to finish. Drink from 2026-2030. - Jasper Morris - October 2022.

An exuberantly fresh and bright nose speaks mostly of the essence of various red berries and soft spice wisps. The racy lighter weight flavors dance across the palate while offering nice depth and persistence on the balanced finale that is sufficiently firm to suggest that 2 to 4 years should see this at its best.

Here there is enough reduction to push the underlying fruit to the background. On the palate there is a bit more volume to the energetic and detailed medium weight flavors that conclude in a bitter pit fruit, rustic and sneaky long finale. This is very Chassagne in character and a wine that should drink well young while maturing over the next 5-ish years. (4/2023)

Aged for six years on the second lees, the yellow-golden NV Brut The V6 Experience is a Bouzy Pinot Noir that displays great purity and intensity but also reduction on the mineral-scented nose. This is deep and complex, but it needs all our patience and perhaps even a decanter or at least a big glass and lots of aeration. The palate is rich and powerful, firmly structured, very tight and still astringent on the finish, but there is so much finesse paired with power, concentration and fruit, which give the V6 a promising future. The wine just starts a bit slowly (like a rocket, which is pictured on the label), but it will most probably go very steep in a couple of years. I have[n't] ever had this cuvée before, so I can only guess, though.

Jeasn-Francois describes pinot noir as entering a phase he dubs 'The Whirlwind' in it's sixth year of maturation. The rest of his inspiration is impossible to put into words, but clicking on 'Cuvée Design Specification' on his website will put you on the right trajectry. For the exhuberance of Bouzy Pinot Noir and not inconsiderable age, the freshness packed into this cuvée is something to behold. Grapefruit tang meetds crunchy red apple fruit, contrasting the generosity and spice of the village and the tension of zero dosage. Get on board. 100% Pinot; 80% 2012, 20% solera of 2008, 2005, 2004 and 2002; agd 72 months on lees; zero dosage here but released with 5g/L dosage based on a liqueur of barrel-aged chardonnay and refined sugar.

Tasted from magnum (the 750-milliliter bottle costs $285), the NV Brut (Gold) opens with lovely matured brioche, toast and ripe fruit flavors. Fresh, pure and elegant on the palate, with beautifully matured flavors and an elegant creaminess I don't find in the other cuvées, the Gold is a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier as well as the vintages of 2009, 2010 and 2012. The wine reveals good grip and mineral tension and drinks well as an aperitif or with seafood and fish. Tasted from L09B8, April 2018.

Disgorged at the end of 2019 with a dosage of one gram per liter, Billecart-Salmon’s 2005 Brut Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is the eighth edition (the release sequence is 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2005; Mathieu Roland-Billecart released this vintage after the 2006, to give it more time to mature in bottle.) This 100% Pinot Noir from the single vineyard in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ has a bright, vibrant, fresh nose of orchard fruits, dried fruits, nuts, pastry and spices. The palate is tense, delicate and medium-bodied and evokes notes of white pepper and chalk with a saline finish and a gently bitter aftertaste due to the vintage. It's a little more austere than the 2006 vintage but precise and crystalline.

Named after the patron Saint of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, the village where Billecart-Salmon has its HQ, this one-hectare plot of Pinot Noir vines was planted in 1964 and it sits behind the winery. These vines give rise to some of the most fascinating and flamboyant wines in the Billecart portfolio. This wine was entirely vinified in oak barrels and it sat on its lees for 170 months. In addition, the other statistic of note is that it has a dosage of only 1g/L. As luck would have it, I tasted this wine on my son’s birthday. As it happens, I was flying to Australia early the following day and, not wanting to wait a week to publish my thoughts, I put the bottle in an ice bucket and then tasted it in my office while Rollo and his 6-year-old pals were running around outside. I elaborate on this setting because after I wrote this note, I poured some glasses for the various parents who came to pick their children up from Rollo’s birthday tea. Now it is very unusual to be offered a glass of elite Champagne when you are marshalling your sugar-high-child out of the door, but I thought it might be interesting to hear the impressions from a group of wine lovers, none of whom had tasted Le Clos Saint-Hilaire before. First, my thoughts. Billecart held this wine back and released it after the gorgeous 2006 vintage. There must have been a reason for shuffling the pack, and it seems to me, both on the nose and palate, that this is a more robust wine than the ’06. The colour gives a very real guide to the volume of fruit in the engine. It is a stunning old gold with pale green hints and softer amber hues. A decadent perfume captures the senses with layers of mandarin, honey, wax and patisserie shot with faint red cherry highlights, and this means that I spent as much time sniffing my glass as I did sipping this wine. Over the course of an hour, the nose broadened further with more exotic tones and even hints of spice. The palate follows a similar theme, with ultra-fine bubbles teasing the taste buds but not distracting from the overall persistence of the depth of fruit notes. This is a rich, mouth-coating wine, and the acidity does all it can to hold it in perfect equilibrium. Of course, it is drinking now, but there is enough of a battery pack to last at least a decade, and I wonder if it won’t make two decades with ease. It is hard to tell because the luxurious ballgown of flavour hides the mineral and acid tones so cleverly. This is another sensational LCSH, and they all have such distinct characters it is truly a wine of the soil and the vintage, and this makes it one of the most honest and thought-provoking of the super-premium Champagnes. As a matter of fact, and with full disclosure, the five parents who tasted (at first blind) this glorious wine all went weak at the knees. Weaker still when I showed them the label and told them its story. Even Rollo gave it a thumbs up when he insisted on sticking his finger in my glass and tasting the flavour – after all, it was his birthday. Over the years, the average production of this wine sits well below 5000 bottles, so if you are a fan or would like to taste a sublime Champagne that is genuinely worth its price tag, look no further.

The 2006 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François is showing superbly, bursting with aromas of warm bread, citrus oil, wild berries, smoke and gingerbread. On the palate, it's full-bodied, broad and voluminous, with a concentrated and fleshy core, chalky dry extract a

Disgorged in November 2020 with two grams per liter dosage, Billecart-Salmon's newly released 2006 Brut Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is showing well, unwinding in the glass with aromas of pear, mirabelle plum, dried fruits, walnuts, bee pollen and spices. Full-bodied, layered and vinous, it's a concentrated, muscular young wine, allying maturing flavors with broad structural shoulders and racy acids and concluding with a long, resonant and slightly mordant finish. From a parcel planted in 1964 and vinified entirely in oak, this is a powerful Champagne of considerable presence that needs some more time on cork to unwind and round out. 95+ 

The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas Francois was disgorged during the third quarter of 2022 with less than three grams per liter. It has a delicate, pure, clean bouquet with aromas of orchard fruits, spring flowers, honey and licorice, with hints of brioche and pastry with aeration. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and crystalline, with racy acids and a chalky texture, the palate is tense and the finish is long, penetrating and salty. It exhibits perfect Billecart style, yet tension is present, a sign of the vintage. It is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir (sourced from Aÿ, Mareuil and Verzenay) and 40% Chardonnay from Mesnil, Chouilly and Cramant, and it matured 83% in tanks and 17% in old oak barrels.

20+/20. I have never before taken an overseas trip to taste one wine, but something told me that this was a flight worth boarding... This super-deep wine dwells low in the glass with weight and depth of delivery that is completely unhurried.  Vinous, powerful and with a full spectrum of fruit and patisserie, it is remarkable just how little citrus and herb there is on the front end of this staggeringly impressive wine.  It is more layered and exotic than any current release Champagne I can think of, and then when it seems as though the scene is set, everything changes instantly.  The palate drops about three gears revealing arresting zestiness and tanginess that completely engulfs the senses.  I learned that this cuvée’s release was delayed by nearly two years because the back end was so twitchy, nervy and excitable.  As it turns out, the Billecart gurus made the right call here – this is an electrifying wine, and the finish shows that the potential here is incredible.  I am lucky enough to have tasted the 1959 and the 1961 Billecart-Salmon vintage wines, among others, and the DNA and detail in this 2008 are near-identical.  While the top half of this wine is showy, flamboyant and seductive, the lower half is firm, chiselled, rigid and breath-taking.  But that was not all.  I mentioned above that this launch took place at Mirazur, previously voted the finest restaurant in the world, and so over lunch, orchestrated by Mauro Colagreco and his brigade, Billy CEO Mathieu Roland-Billecart opened magnums of 08NF, which were cork-capped during their ageing as opposed to crown-capped, like the bottles.  They were even more exotic on the nose and even more nipped in on the palate (a canny buy for patient folk). 

The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas Francois was disgorged during the third quarter of 2022 with less than three grams per liter. It has a delicate, pure, clean bouquet with aromas of orchard fruits, spring flowers, honey and licorice, with hints of brioche and pastry with aeration. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and crystalline, with racy acids and a chalky texture, the palate is tense and the finish is long, penetrating and salty. It exhibits perfect Billecart style, yet tension is present, a sign of the vintage. It is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir (sourced from Aÿ, Mareuil and Verzenay) and 40% Chardonnay from Mesnil, Chouilly and Cramant, and it matured 83% in tanks and 17% in old oak barrels.

20+/20. I have never before taken an overseas trip to taste one wine, but something told me that this was a flight worth boarding... This super-deep wine dwells low in the glass with weight and depth of delivery that is completely unhurried.  Vinous, powerful and with a full spectrum of fruit and patisserie, it is remarkable just how little citrus and herb there is on the front end of this staggeringly impressive wine.  It is more layered and exotic than any current release Champagne I can think of, and then when it seems as though the scene is set, everything changes instantly.  The palate drops about three gears revealing arresting zestiness and tanginess that completely engulfs the senses.  I learned that this cuvée’s release was delayed by nearly two years because the back end was so twitchy, nervy and excitable.  As it turns out, the Billecart gurus made the right call here – this is an electrifying wine, and the finish shows that the potential here is incredible.  I am lucky enough to have tasted the 1959 and the 1961 Billecart-Salmon vintage wines, among others, and the DNA and detail in this 2008 are near-identical.  While the top half of this wine is showy, flamboyant and seductive, the lower half is firm, chiselled, rigid and breath-taking.  But that was not all.  I mentioned above that this launch took place at Mirazur, previously voted the finest restaurant in the world, and so over lunch, orchestrated by Mauro Colagreco and his brigade, Billy CEO Mathieu Roland-Billecart opened magnums of 08NF, which were cork-capped during their ageing as opposed to crown-capped, like the bottles.  They were even more exotic on the nose and even more nipped in on the palate (a canny buy for patient folk). 

The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas Francois was disgorged during the third quarter of 2022 with less than three grams per liter. It has a delicate, pure, clean bouquet with aromas of orchard fruits, spring flowers, honey and licorice, with hints of brioch

Lovely precision and drive to this with aromas of lemon curd, brioche, praline, apricots, pomelos, mandarin zest and salted caramel. It’s held together by a sharp, citrusy backbone of acidity, balanced with a fine, silky mousse. Both structure and softness here. Citrus fruit brightness on a beautifully elegant and seamless finish. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. 150 months on lees. 2.9g/L dosage.

Disgorged during the second quarter of 2022 with a dosage of 3.75 grams per liter, the 2009 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis Salmon reveals aromas of pear, lemon oil, mandarin oil, white pepper, pastry and almonds. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and long, it has a crystalline yet vinous texture with a fresh, salty finish. It is a quintessential representation of Billecart's style, characterized by racy acids and a lively palate. It derives from Chardonnay grapes sourced from the villages of Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly and Cramant and was aged exclusively in steel tanks.

This is showing an array of almonds, frangipani, dried lemons, apricots, pastries and white chocolate, evolving to salted caramel. Fantastic complexity and all in balance, with firm focus yet open and delicious. Creamy, very fine bubbles. Salty, turning chalky and mineral at the end. Drink or hold.

Disgorged during the second quarter of 2022 with a dosage of 3.75 grams per liter, the 2009 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis Salmon reveals aromas of pear, lemon oil, mandarin oil, white pepper, pastry and almonds. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and long, it has a crystalline yet vinous texture with a fresh, salty finish. It is a quintessential representation of Billecart's style, characterized by racy acids and a lively palate. It derives from Chardonnay grapes sourced from the villages of Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly and Cramant and was aged exclusively in steel tanks.

This is showing an array of almonds, frangipani, dried lemons, apricots, pastries and white chocolate, evolving to salted caramel. Fantastic complexity and all in balance, with firm focus yet open and delicious. Creamy, very fine bubbles. Salty, turning chalky and mineral at the end. Drink or hold.

A finely textured Champagne, this is definitely dry, still young, and with great potential. The wine's minerality combines with the texture to give both tension and richness.

A finely textured Champagne, this is definitely dry, still young, and with great potential. The wine's minerality combines with the texture to give both tension and richness.

This new wine was made to ‘capture the essence of Billecart-Salmon', according to seventh generation owner Mathieu Roland-Billecart. From 92% Pinot Noir, 4% Chardonnay and 4% Pinot Meunier, this is a blend of eight grands crus from the Cote des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, including the 1ha Pinot Noir vineyard of Le Clos St-Hilaire in Mareuil-sur-Ay. Exceptional reserve wines from 2000, 2003, 2008 and 2012 were vinified half in steel and half in old oak casks, with a dosage of 4.5g/l, making it an extra brut style. It has a hugely expressive nose of red apple, nougat and citrus, with the hallmark 'old rose' fragrance from Clos St-Hilaire. There's an elegant mousse with very fine, fast-streaming bubbles and powerful, juicy flavours of baking spices, praline, and tart apples. A smoky mineral note and bright acidity offer real refreshment through the long finish, and while drinking beautifully now, it has the structure to last and will improve with age. To mark the year of the house's founding, just 1,818 magnums were made, along with 18 jeroboams. Drinking Window 2018 - 2035

This new wine was made to ‘capture the essence of Billecart-Salmon', according to seventh generation owner Mathieu Roland-Billecart. From 92% Pinot Noir, 4% Chardonnay and 4% Pinot Meunier, this is a blend of eight grands crus from the Cote des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, including the 1ha Pinot Noir vineyard of Le Clos St-Hilaire in Mareuil-sur-Ay. Exceptional reserve wines from 2000, 2003, 2008 and 2012 were vinified half in steel and half in old oak casks, with a dosage of 4.5g/l, making it an extra brut style. It has a hugely expressive nose of red apple, nougat and citrus, with the hallmark 'old rose' fragrance from Clos St-Hilaire. There's an elegant mousse with very fine, fast-streaming bubbles and powerful, juicy flavours of baking spices, praline, and tart apples. A smoky mineral note and bright acidity offer real refreshment through the long finish, and while drinking beautifully now, it has the structure to last and will improve with age. To mark the year of the house's founding, just 1,818 magnums were made, along with 18 jeroboams. Drinking Window 2018 - 2035

Billecart's newly released NV Brut Nature exhibits aromas of fresh bread, crisp orchard fruit, almond paste and ripe citrus fruit. Medium-bodied, pillowy and precise, it's crisp and bone-dry, without being in the least austere. (Sep 21)

The wine opens with a slightly floral aspect and a hint of pear tart with lemon overtones. There is a sense of levity, but more air introduces a more brooding, darker notion of candle wax. That lovely but full-flavoured lightness also characterises the palate with wonderfully bright tension. Again that darker, somehow earthy Meunier note adds a hint of waxiness that almost verges onto smokiness – especially on the finish – while the surface remains bright, light and lemony. The mousse is fine and the wine has a pleasant suppleness and this sense of lightness just begs for another sip.

Incorporating fully 10% still red wine, Billecart's 2009 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is showing beautifully, delivering fragrant aromas of plums, stone fruits, petals, sweet spices and marzipan. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and elegant, it's seamless and pillowy, with bright acids and a pure, precise profile, concluding with a bright, saline finish. In 2009, it was vinified entirely in stainless steel. Drink 2022 - 2035.

Incorporating fully 10% still red wine, Billecart's 2009 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is showing beautifully, delivering fragrant aromas of plums, stone fruits, petals, sweet spices and marzipan. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and elegant, it's seamless and pillowy, with bright acids and a pure, precise profile, concluding with a bright, saline finish. In 2009, it was vinified entirely in stainless steel. Drink 2022 - 2035.

Incorporating fully 10% still red wine, Billecart's 2009 Brut Rose Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon is showing beautifully, delivering fragrant aromas of plums, stone fruits, petals, sweet spices, and marzipan. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and elegant, it's seamle

A slightly flinty and vibrant bouquet alongside complex aromas of red berries, herbs and lemon, with fresh menthol notes coming through with some air. The palate is wonderful and elegant, with a vinous texture and a superb, calcareous finish. A blend of 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noir (including 9% vinified as red wine), this Champagne, which has a dosage of 7g/L, is made for ageing. Tasted 7 November, 2022.

Based on the 2018 vintage, Billecart's new NV Brut Roe incorporates 40% reserve wines and some 6% still red wine. Bursting with scents of sweet red berries, peonies, stone fruits, white cherries, freshly baked bread and spices, it's medium to full-bodied,

Based on the 2018 vintage, Billecart's new NV Brut Roe incorporates 40% reserve wines and some 6% still red wine. Bursting with scents of sweet red berries, peonies, stone fruits, white cherries, freshly baked bread and spices, it's medium to full-bodied,

Based on the 2018 vintage, Billecart's new NV Brut Roe incorporates 40% reserve wines and some 6% still red wine. Bursting with scents of sweet red berries, peonies, stone fruits, white cherries, freshly baked bread and spices, it's medium to full-bodied,

The latest rendition of NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Latitude is excellent, offering up aromas of lemon oil, wet stones and white flowers. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and precise, with good concentration, racy acids, an ultra-fine mousse and a long, chalky finish. As usual, this is a classy introduction to the Larmandier-Bernier range.

The latest rendition of NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Latitude is excellent, offering up aromas of lemon oil, wet stones and white flowers. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and precise, with good concentration, racy acids, an ultra-fine mousse and a long, chalky finish. As usual, this is a classy introduction to the Larmandier-Bernier range.

The latest rendition of NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Latitude is excellent, offering up aromas of lemon oil, wet stones and white flowers. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and precise, with good concentration, racy acids, an ultra-fine mousse and a long, chalky finish. As usual, this is a classy introduction to the Larmandier-Bernier range.

From Grande Champagne and aged an average of 20 years. Light copper in colour, with a subtle nose redolent of fresh flowers at first, but as it opens there are more expressive notes of fruit pastry, which carry on to the full-bodied palate. Pear tart, hazelnuts and a bit of spice and tobacco on the finish.

An average of five and a half years old, and a blend of Grande and Petite Champagne, H by Hine is light amber, with a pretty nose of iris and buttered brioche. On the palate, it’s light and fresh, offering notes of nougat and candied orange, and some wood on the finish.

Deep, ruby-black with a slight garnet rim. The nose is full, enveloping aromas of ripe plums & berries, sweet liquorice, floral and earth. Medium-full bodied, aromas of plum compote, dried blackberry and rose interweaved liquorice, black pepper and earth. A fine grip of tannin overlying fruit, lingering black tea, herb and spice to a sweet-fruited finish. This Gamay possesses ripe fruit, rose and earthy elements on a firm tannin framework. Match with venison and hare over the next 4 years. Handpicked, hand-sorted, mainly destemmed, macerated over 3-4 weeks, indigenous yeast fermentation, 13% alc, aged a short period in new and old French oak barrels, a total of 10 months spent in the historic cellar. November 2022

Strong ruby garnet, purple reflections, brightening to the rim. Delicate nougat, red berry confit, hints of black cherries and candied purples in the background. Juicy, pronounced in fruit, fresh cherries, silky tannins, finesse-rich acid structure, a touch of blueberries, salty touch in the finish, still seems very youthful, DELICATE leafy savouriness in the aftertaste, certain ageing potential.

'The 2016 Saumur Champigny Clos de l'Échelier is from a thin layer of white clay over Turonian limestone. This has perfect ripeness and lovely cassis and earthy aromas on the intense and elegant nose. Silky, round and elegant in the mouth, very long and juicy, with fine, ripe and crunchy, spicy tannins and lingering salinity. Great freshness and complexity. Highly elegant and refined, beautifully balanced. Long finish with cherry flavors. "This wine has the balance I am aiming for," says Thierry Germain." - Wine Advocate

Pale red with a touch of brick at the rim. Sous bois and red-fruit notes. Fresh and smooth on the palate, the acidity marked on the finish. Linear and long rather than fleshy. A little lean but bright expression from a cooler year. Best drunk now. (JL)

The nose reveals notes of flowers, pear and slight notes of pineapple and exotic fruits. The palate is round, mineral and fruity. It expresses notes of granny apple, citrus (tangerine, grapefruit) and slight oaky notes. VerteDin Tasted November 2014.

Bright, pale yellow, even colour throughout. This has a gentle, calming bouquet, with aromas of stonefruit, apple and citrus, underlying floral, minerals and lanolin. Medium-bodied, stonefruit, apple and lemon aromas are well-proportioned, melded with ginger, cardamom, honeysuckle, lanolin and minerals. The mouthfeel is voluptuous and unctuous, made of chalky minerals and ripe phenolics. Beautifully gentle acidity and a creamy texture carry the flavours and minerals to a lengthy finish. This is a textural Chenin Blanc shows excellent fruit, spice and minerals on a voluptuous palate. Match with smoked oysters and pork head terrine over the next 5-8 years. Estate vineyard, 100% Chenin Blanc, 30-50 y.o. vine age, handpicked, indigenous yeast fermented in amphorae and aged on fine lees for 6 months. 

This has a pretty floral lift, with orange blossom and honeysuckle notes leading the way for yellow apple, creamed peach and dried pineapple details. The juicy edge is well-buried on the unctuous finish. 

The acidity is almost shocking, cutting through the richness of the wine. Its sweet apple and lemon flavors balance the honey and maple syrup notes. The wine is still young, demanding aging over a decade at least. beautifully ripe. Screwcap. — Roger Voss

This wine is a rich, smooth blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah. The ripe, smooth texture gives intensity and complexity to this wine that should be ready to drink from late 2019.

As this was bottled only a week before I tasted it, I suspect this rating will prove to be conservative once a few months have passed. The 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is another prodigious version of this wine. How many wines in this world can be so huge yet so lacking the feeling of weight? There's plenty of layered spice but also a core of raspberries; rich tannins, yet no real astringency; and a long finish without any apparent heat. Wow!

Immediately more red-fruited than other recent vintages, it's warm, with lush stewed fruit scents, stewed plums in particular, and raspberry. Full-bodied, but without the mass of tannin of the 2016. It's warmer on the palate in terms of fruit ripeness and alcohol, and the tannins are a little fibrous. Some coffee bean on the finish. It's feeling a bit closed at the time of tasting - I would leave this until at least 2025 before opening.

 Really gorgeous, in an extroverted style with a lot of range, this white oozes mango, yellow peach and honey-coated apple flavors. A vein of invigorating minerality drives tension, with a quinine bitterness that punctuates the lush profile, while notes of acacia, brioche and sea salt echo on the long finish. Rich and full, with a lot of complexity and definition.

Wine Advocate  Produced from roughly equal proportions of six varieties, co-fermented in stages, as each one is deemed ripe and picked, the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is atypically plush and ripe (it's close to 15% alcohol), marked by pineapple, white peach and tangerine notes. It's full-bodied and round, deceptively easy to drink yet concentrated and long on the finish.

The 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsaut. It displays moderately intense aromas of predominantly red fruits, slightly cooked, as well as some leafiness. Medium to full-bodied, the well-structured palate delivers juicy fruit. Balanced by fresh acidity, it concludes with a bright finish. (Nicolas Greinacher)

As Guigal says, the 2004 Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis is "very Burgundian." Forest floor, herb, underbrush, red currant, and sweet cherry notes dominate the aromatics and flavors of this medium-weight, peppery, slightly herbaceous wine. It has turned out to be outstanding, no easy task in a year with record-setting yields and many overly vegetal northern Rhones. This is a sexy, seductive 2004 to enjoy over the next 7-8 years.

A 50-50 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne from Chassis, in the heart of the appellation, the 2016 Crozes Hermitage Domaine Mule Blanche is forward and fresh, marked by toasted-grain notes and pineapple fruit. There’s ample weight and concentration in this medium-bodied white, which should live a reasonable length of time for a white Crozes. - Joe Czerwinski

Almond, apricot, lemon juice with a surprising zinginess. Delicious fruit, in a lighter style than most Hermitage. There's excellent mealy texture, finished with that tangy acid again. 

Almond, apricot, lemon juice with a surprising zinginess. Delicious fruit, in a lighter style than most Hermitage. There's excellent mealy texture, finished with that tangy acid again. 

A 60-40 blend of Marsanne and Roussanne that aged exclusively in concrete, the 2020 Hermitage Blanc Le Chevalier de Sterimberg features some slightly leesy aromas, plus hints of underripe pear, anise and citrus. Picked early and weighing in at only 13% alcohol, it's a crisp, medium-bodied, tight, yet elegant effort that bears little resemblance to most modern-day white Hermitages.

Jasmine, white peaches, apricots, bananas, crushed stones, almonds and lemon pith on the nose. Shells too. It's medium- to full-bodied with a fresh, vibrant palate. Firm and mineral. From organically grown grapes. Try from 2023.

A pleasant, expressive Hermitage, showing a ripe character, with lovely plum, blackberry, lead pencil and leather notes. The tannins are well integrated but still firm. Long finish.--La Chapelle vertical.

Healthy brick colour – quite pale. This smells like an old wine rather than a Rhône. Could be a 1971 burgundy almost! Flattering, delicate, gentle drink. Mellow, tannins much in abeyance.

Pretty, with a supple opulence enveloped in fat tannins and ripe fruit. Delivers plum, blackberry and black cherry character. Tight and firm for now, even closed. Needs time. Best from 2003 through 2010. 7,500 cases made.

Quite dark but not very evolved. Quite meaty nose. Very dry and slightly dusty without a real core of fruit. As though it has been kept in oak a bit too long. Very traditional, even a bit rustic. Serviceable but no ingredient X.

The first vintage where the new team was firmly in place, the 2006 Hermitage la Chapelle offers that classic, smoky, meaty La Chapelle bouquet to go with loads of fruits, medium to full-bodied richness, impressive mid-palate density and sweet tannin. This was easily the best showing I’ve had from this bottle, which often shows a much more rustic, evolved character.

Sourced from the granitic western portion of the appellation, the 2016 Hermitage La Chapelle features mouthwatering aromas of black olives and charred beef. It's full-bodied and creamy-velvety in texture, incredibly lush without being overtly fruity. In fact, it's largely savory, with elegant shadings of leather and spice on the long, silky finish. Yet despite being delicious now, this still has the granite backbone to age through 2040.

Very spicy and peppery with blue-granite aromas plus hints of grilled and smoked meat. Cloves and nutmeg. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a super spicy finish that almost burns with so much character yet turns fine and focused at the end. A beauty.

The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle comes from the firm's vineyards on the western half of the Hermitage slope, primarily Le Méal, but with substantial contributions from Les Rocoules and Les Bessards. Classic notes of cassis, black olives, mocha and roasted meat are joined by hints of baking spices in a wine that's full-bodied, deep, dense and rich, with a velvety texture and a lingering finish. It's lower in alcohol than the 2018, less voluptuous and maybe just a step behind that monumental wine, but it's still a serious collectible with three decades of evolution ahead of it.

The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle showed incredibly well and is a brilliant wine that's reminiscent of a richer, denser 2011. Loads of sun-kissed dark fruits, leather, graphite, and flowers, with ample spice and sandalwood nuances, give way to a full-bodied, pure, deep, multi-dimensional Hermitage that’s just about as good as it gets. The balance, length, and depth of this is something to behold, and while it unquestionably offers pleasure today, it has another 20-30 years of prime drinking ahead of it. Best After 2022

The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle comes from the firm's vineyards on the western half of the Hermitage slope, primarily Le Méal, but with substantial contributions from Les Rocoules and Les Bessards. Classic notes of cassis, black olives, mocha and roasted meat are joined by hints of baking spices in a wine that's full-bodied, deep, dense and rich, with a velvety texture and a lingering finish. It's lower in alcohol than the 2018, less voluptuous and maybe just a step behind that monumental wine, but it's still a serious collectible with three decades of evolution ahead of it.

The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle showed incredibly well and is a brilliant wine that's reminiscent of a richer, denser 2011. Loads of sun-kissed dark fruits, leather, graphite, and flowers, with ample spice and sandalwood nuances, give way to a full-bodied, pure, deep, multi-dimensional Hermitage that’s just about as good as it gets. The balance, length, and depth of this is something to behold, and while it unquestionably offers pleasure today, it has another 20-30 years of prime drinking ahead of it. Best After 2022

Dried fig and cassis are layered with earth, iron and charred mesquite notes in this densely packed red. Delivers dusty tannins with a slightly bitter edge on the nicely structured finish. Drink now through 2025.

Seems a little shy at the moment, but you can tell that this has serious poise and pedigree with subtle clove, crushed-brick, iron, black-cherry and plum-skin character. It’s full-bodied, yet very tight and reserved with super refined tannins that are so fine-textured, yet intense. Give this three or four years to show its true self. From organically grown grapes. Better after 2023.

Last year, I giddily speculated whether the 2019 Hermitage La Chapelle would warrant a 100-point score. While close—and I wouldn't completely discount it reaching that pinnacle in another decade or two—I'm not sure this wine is as good as I thought. It boasts exciting aromas of roasted meat, mocha, crushed stone, plum and cassis on the nose. It's full-bodied, concentrated, richly tannic and velvety in texture. It's long and complex on the finish, adding hints of cracked pepper and salted licorice. And yet, as much as I enjoyed tasting it and as undeniably great it is, angels didn't sing from the heavens. Maybe next bottle.

Distinctly closed at the time of tasting, with some underlying smoky hints. Not terribly full-bodied, but certainly intense and focused on the palate. Some hard tannins on the finish that will take a long time to adequately soften, and there's a hint of bitterness - I'm keen to taste this again in bottle to see the finished blend. Has good balance and vibrancy overall, though the alcohol is a little raised.

An excellent wine, with classic aromas of crushed stone, cassis, espresso and black olives. It's full-bodied, fine and silky, giving an impression of great elegance on the lingering finish.

Almond, apricot, lemon juice with a surprising zinginess. Delicious fruit, in a lighter style than most Hermitage. There's excellent mealy texture, finished with that tangy acid again.

An excellent wine, with classic aromas of crushed stone, cassis, espresso and black olives. It's full-bodied, fine and silky, giving an impression of great elegance on the lingering finish.

Almond, apricot, lemon juice with a surprising zinginess. Delicious fruit, in a lighter style than most Hermitage. There's excellent mealy texture, finished with that tangy acid again.

Creamy, lightly oaked aroma. Some peaches and cream but zesty with citrus too. More oaky on the palate, the freshness and chalky texture counterbalancing the sweetness of the peachy fruit (sweet flavour not sweet in terms of sugar). Slightly bitter peach-kernel finish. Lots of flavour and lovely freshness. Distinctive but well-made oaky style. (JH)

Green-fruit sensation on the nose. Then really pretty rich on the palate! Climate change is alive and well in this bottle; it's so ripe it almost tastes a little sweet. But it's also super-charming, so long as you dismiss from your mind the archetypal mineral, bone-dry, classic Sancerre. Very charming wine that was definitely well made.

Green-fruit sensation on the nose. Then really pretty rich on the palate! Climate change is alive and well in this bottle; it's so ripe it almost tastes a little sweet. But it's also super-charming, so long as you dismiss from your mind the archetypal mineral, bone-dry, classic Sancerre. Very charming wine that was definitely well made.

Grown on the famed Kimmeridgian chalk of Sancerre, this wine is intense, tightly wound with young fruits and acidity. With its power, dense green-fruit flavors and steely edge, the wine is set for aging. Drink from 2022. Organic and biodynamic.

Containing 135 grams per liter of residual sugar, the pale lemon-gold coloured 2016 d'Yquem leaps from the glass with honeyed apricots, pineapple, green mango, crushed rocks, candied ginger, coriander seed and citrus peel with hints of orange blossom. The palate is very tightly wound, vibrant and refreshing with layer upon layer of minerals and spices, finishing with epic poise and persistence.

A special wine right from the start, this glistens with pure papaya, mango, white peach and mirabelle plum, joined by elder flower honey, toasted macadamia nut and orange blossom notes. Ends with a remarkably long finish. Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now.

Dried fruit, pure and direct. Succulent and juicy, super-concentrated length. Lighter than usual, but no compromise on the complexity. It has the magic of Yquem in a slim-fit package. Not the most hedonistic, but certainly in the top class of Sauternes.

A special wine right from the start, this glistens with pure papaya, mango, white peach and mirabelle plum, joined by elder flower honey, toasted macadamia nut and orange blossom notes. Ends with a remarkably long finish. Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now.

Dried fruit, pure and direct. Succulent and juicy, super-concentrated length. Lighter than usual, but no compromise on the complexity. It has the magic of Yquem in a slim-fit package. Not the most hedonistic, but certainly in the top class of Sauternes.

A special wine right from the start, this glistens with pure papaya, mango, white peach and mirabelle plum, joined by elder flower honey, toasted macadamia nut and orange blossom notes. Ends with a remarkably long finish. Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now.

Dried fruit, pure and direct. Succulent and juicy, super-concentrated length. Lighter than usual, but no compromise on the complexity. It has the magic of Yquem in a slim-fit package. Not the most hedonistic, but certainly in the top class of Sauternes.

The Lieser 2019 Niederberg Helden Riesling GG is clear and intense on the remarkably fine, flinty and herbal nose. Full-bodied, lush and intense, with fine crystalline acidity and slate astringency, this is an elegant, round, finessed and mouth-filling Helden. It is as fine and elegant as rarely seen before and is carried by lingering salinity and even hidden tannins. It's almost as part was vinified in oak, which would be a more than tolerable stylistic change since it would be for the better. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.

Greenish tinge to the pale straw. Heavier, nuttier nose than some of its stablemates. Though overall it's still sprightly, it's just a little bitter on the finish. Drink 2021 - 2027.

The 2019 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Lange Goldkapsel is clear, bright and subtle on the delicate and highly refined nose. Piquant and slaty on the pure and playful palate, this is a beautifully detailed and frisky Auslese with a long, stimulatingly salty and refreshing finish. Drink 2030 - 2070.

Tense and intense on the nose – though by no means expressive yet. Very lively and juicy still with some light astringency but with massively beguiling honey and green-apple flavours piling on the layers. Super-fresh and clean. Drink 2027 - 2047.

A fine herbal aroma flatters the nose with subtle notions of mint and chervil. On second inhalation the fragrance is extended by hints of minerality and yellow fruit. The taste opens with a generous sweet and juicy expression of nectarine and grapefruit, embellished by a fine sprinkling of exotic spice and just a dash of brown sugar. Obviously sweeter than the Helden Kabinett, which, maybe just for now, masks the complexity a little bit.

The 2020 Niederberg Helden Riesling GG shows a coolish, even minty nose of broken slate and ripe, rich and intense fruit. Full-bodied, dense and structured on the palate, this is a dense and more muscular Helden that needs some years to refine and open up.

Slightly funky, but brimming with blossom and berry aromas, this is concentrated, finely etched and super-mineral, with a breathtaking finish that makes you think you are drinking slate. Drinkable now, but best from 2023.

The 2020 Wehlener Sonnenuhr GG opens with a clear, deep, refined and herbal/floral bouquet of very fine slate aromas and lovey purity and freshness. Crystalline and salty on the palate, this is a lean and salty, finely grippy, quite powerful Riesling with very ripe fruit aromas on the finish. Intense but not really long this year. Tasted in Wiesbaden in August 2021. Drink 2026-2037.

Intriguing nose draws you in with a promise of things to come. More complex than the Juffer Sonnenuhr. The acid level is quite searing at the moment and the minerality is clearly buried deep inside this dry, still slightly chewy wine. I'd wait for it to unfurl but it's clearly very well made.

The 2022 Riesling Lieserer Niederberg Helden Spätlese opens with an initial yeasty funk, slowly revealing creaminess and a sense of tender, ripe yellow plum. The palate adds flesh to these aromatic bones, with juicy texture and sweetness bedded into the fruit, serene, textured. A grapefruit tinge balances this pure, airy vision of ripe stone fruit flesh alongside slate, anchoring this in a salty base. The 80-85g/L of sugar just seems to disappear in this salty, citric marvel. (Sweet)

Concentrated aromas of black cherry, red plum, star anise, licorice and cola spill out of the glass as the wine opens. Juicy and ripe fruits leap across the palate with concentrated cherries in fresh and preserved forms mixed with sweet and savory spices with a hint of dried rosebud, finishing with crisp acidity. Drink now–2035.

The 2020 Barbaresco Nubiola is lifted, aromatically expressive and a real delight. Cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, mint, dried flowers and crushed red berry fruit give the 2020 its high-toned personality. There's plenty of fruit and structure behind it. Give this a few years in bottle. The tannins are a bit present today, but that is always the style of this wine. A few years in bottle should do the trick. Giorgio Pelissero presented a superb set of new releases this year. As always, Pelissero has a very clear idea of what he is going for, and that has proven to be a winning strategy over time. The wines are texturally rich and intense, with fine balance and tons of up-front appeal, but also a touch more verve than in the past. In 2020, the Barbarescos aren't quite as differentiated as they can be. Those nuances may very well emerge with more time in bottle.

The 2020 Barbaresco Vanotu is another terrific wine from Giorgio Pelissero. More than anything else, I admire the wine's balance. Dark-toned fruit, mocha, spice, leather and chocolate are nicely dialed up. The French oak is better integrated here than in most years. Quite simply, the 2020 is a stand out. Drink: 2026 - 2038. Giorgio Pelissero presented a superb set of new releases this year. As always, Pelissero has a very clear idea of what he is going for, and that has proven to be a winning strategy over time. The wines are texturally rich and intense, with fine balance and tons of up-front appeal, but also a touch more verve than in the past. In 2020, the Barbarescos aren't quite as differentiated as they can be. Those nuances may very well emerge with more time in bottle.

Dark salmon almost blood orange hues lead to a bouquet and palate filled with flavours of pink grapefruit and orange peel, there’s flavours of fermented plum then raspberry. Dry, satin-textured with a core of fruit and old roses, some mineral qualities and balanced, even finish. A distinctively different expression - worth exploring. Best form 2023 through end of summer 2025.

70-year-old Nerello Mascalese vines, part ungrafted, in deep soils at 730 m in Randazzo. First made in 2015. Deep crimson. Intense with a hint of molasses. Really rich and deep-flavoured. Long and satisfying but desperately in need of food to go with it. 14.5% Drink 2022 – 2032

A blend of ungrafted Nerello Mascalese from Cornelissen's three highest vineyards (hence vigne alte): Tartaraci at 1,000 m at Bronte, Barbabecchi at 910 m and Rampante Soprana at 870 m at Solicchiata. First made in 2010. Bright crimson with a restrained nose. Backward and very tannic. Not to my taste – too introverted and tough at the moment – but it may get there in the end. Certainly ambitious! 14.5% Drink 2025 – 2035

Nerello Mascalese planted in 1946 on a steep, south-facing site on compacted sandy clay at 760 m. First made in 2011. This used to be a particularly big wine but from 2018 onwards the grapes were picked deliberately a bit earlier. Bright, deep crimson. Sweet nose reminiscent of rose petals then a certain jujube quality to the fruit before a really grainy grip on the palate. Long with a very dry finish. It really built towards the finish. 14.5% Drink 2023 – 2033

  "I like the aromas of vine bark, rose stem, light parsley, and red fruits that follow through to a medium body, with white pepper and cloves with a fresh and vivid finish. Tight and tannic. Shows tightness and focus. Best after 2025 but already fascinating to taste. (8/4/23)"

"The Frank Cornelissen 2020 Sicilia Nerello Mascalese Vigna Barbabecchi Magma is a creative and original wine that is a lot of fun to drink and dissect. Fruit comes from a vineyard site at about 1,000 meters in elevation above the Contrada Rampante. This 2.5-hectare site was planted in 1910, and more than half of the fruit goes toward this production. The wine offers ample richness and volume with dark berry, campfire ash, grilled herb and cola."

So much blue fruit to this with raspberry and blue berry aromas as well as cranberries and pomegranate. Citrus, too. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a fresh and tensioned finish. It’s very long and very cool in its nature. Shows lovely ripeness and balance at the end. Wonderful intensity. Drink or hold. Tasted 2023.

 "Lovely cool berry, orange blossom, pumice, smoke and lava aromas, but subtle and complex. Bark and mushroom, too. Full-bodied and very structured with powerful tannins that are polished and thought-provoking. This needs time to soften. Clearly one for the cellar. Best after 2026. (8/4/23)

A blend of ungrafted Nerello Mascalese from Cornelissen's three highest vineyards (hence vigne alte): Tartaraci at 1,000 m at Bronte, Barbabecchi at 910 m and Rampante Soprana at 870 m at Solicchiata. First made in 2010. Bright crimson with a restrained nose. Backward and very tannic. Not to my taste – too introverted and tough at the moment – but it may get there in the end. Certainly ambitious! 14.5% Drink 2025 – 2035

Expressive and decidedly gentle and harmonious in the main profile, it shows notes of black plums, marjoram, lavender, hibiscus, black olives, strawberries, geraniums and white pepper. Medium body, creamy tannins of splendid elegant shape, perfectly polymerized and a finish of commendable beauty. Drink now.

The 2018 Testamatta shows elegant Sangiovese purity and transparency, starting with delicate wild berry and blueberry tones and finishing long with pretty accents of crushed limestone and a touch of campfire ash. In the glass, the wine is radiant and vivid with a luminous ruby or garnet colour. Oak use is reduced to a bare minimum, with barrels that are up to their 16th year of use. The older they are, the better, Bibi explains. As the wine opens in the glass, it presents pretty lilac and violet. This wine represents a blend of fruit from various sites (all with old vines that are farmed organically) across the region of Tuscany. The northern-most sites close to Florence tend to add the floral notes that are so characteristic of this cool vintage (which saw a bit more rain than average and extra work in the vineyards to kept these vines healthy). I visited the vineyards with Bibi in 2018 and remember how beautiful the grapes appeared on the vines. Much of the fruit used here comes from the Vigna del Cancello in Casciano del Murlo, which is midway between Siena and Montalcino. These southern sites give the wine its backbone and tannins. Bibi Graetz tells me that he struggled to create the blend for this 60,000-bottle release. He decided on a final blend, only to change his mind and re-blend two and a half months later. His second stab was specifically aimed at capturing finesse and softening the wine's tannic imprint. Indeed, the wine ultimately offers more in length (with fresh fruit flavors and bright acidity) than it does in power or mid-palate. The finish is silky, long and very fine.

Finely textured, with a nuanced perfume that fills the glass and takes you to the intense underbrush of Tuscany. Succulent and yet savoury, this has a lilting freshness that is overlaid with ripe berry fruits, sage and white pepper spice, and clear minerality in terms of its scraping texture that makes your mouth water on the finish. Feels light and sculpted and yet has an intensity that skewers you to the spot. This is a great wine, with scope and imagination that doesn't want to let you go. Genuinely stands out among the wines of this tasting, and these are a fine array of wines. As with coloure, Bibi Graetz selects only old vines, the youngest 50 years old from five different vineyard sites across Tuscany, all farmed organically. Fermentations in open 225l barrels with natural yeasts and manual punch downs. Drinking Window 2024 - 2045. (Aug 2020)

Dressed for a party, the Bibi Graetz 2019 coloure celebrates the estate's 20th anniversary with a special commemorative (2000-2019) bottle. This vintage of coloure is 100% Sangiovese (the small part of colourino in the blend we saw last year has been removed) because Bibi thought the Sangiovese elegant enough to stand alone. Fruit comes from three vineyard sites with 70-, 80- and 90-year-old vines, respectively. The wine offers big intensity and beautifully lifted aromas and more textural support than we saw in the slightly thinner 2018 vintage. The bouquet reveals balsam herb, cassis, pressed rose, garden mint and crushed stone. Fruit from the southern-most site, Poggio Matto in Casciano del Murlo (in the province of Siena), was blended in at a greater percentage to help build the structure and momentum of this cellar-worthy wine.

Pale garnet with less overt fruit than their Testamatta. Fibrous tannins with a touch of sour cherry and dark chocolate. Fine and transparent with firm structure - very traditional, very Tuscan in its bitter grippiness.

Dressed for a party, the Bibi Graetz 2019 coloure celebrates the estate's 20th anniversary with a special commemorative (2000-2019) bottle. This vintage of coloure is 100% Sangiovese (the small part of colourino in the blend we saw last year has been removed) because Bibi thought the Sangiovese elegant enough to stand alone. Fruit comes from three vineyard sites with 70-, 80- and 90-year-old vines, respectively. The wine offers big intensity and beautifully lifted aromas and more textural support than we saw in the slightly thinner 2018 vintage. The bouquet reveals balsam herb, cassis, pressed rose, garden mint and crushed stone. Fruit from the southern-most site, Poggio Matto in Casciano del Murlo (in the province of Siena), was blended in at a greater percentage to help build the structure and momentum of this cellar-worthy wine.

Pale garnet with less overt fruit than their Testamatta. Fibrous tannins with a touch of sour cherry and dark chocolate. Fine and transparent with firm structure - very traditional, very Tuscan in its bitter grippiness.

Remarkable pale-garnet colour. Delicate black-cherry aroma following on to a more leathery and slaty palate with ample complexity and persistence. That mineral element is really charming - it reminds me of the granitic touch of northern Rhone, and there is similarly bright acidity too.

Remarkable pale-garnet colour. Delicate black-cherry aroma following on to a more leathery and slaty palate with ample complexity and persistence. That mineral element is really charming - it reminds me of the granitic touch of northern Rhone, and there is similarly bright acidity too.

The Bibi Graetz 2020 coloure is a pure expression of Sangiovese all sourced from old vines that are carefully selected in various parts of Tuscany. Much of the fruit comes from a high elevation and cool site in Lamole, or from 70-year-old vines in Bagno a Ripoli or Vincigliata near Fiesole. A small percentage of old vines in Olmo is also used. Bibi has a preference for old vines, and you can taste the lovely depth and complexity that comes through in the coloure. Compared to his other wine Testamatta, this wine has seen fewer stylistic changes over the years, and the goal has always been elegance and finesse. coloure boasts a pretty luminous quality with dark fruit aromas and wild berry. There are hints of licorice and mint as well. Mineral flavors and bright acidity are what set coloure apart.

Bright and lively on the palate, such beautifully expressed raspberry and red cherry fruit flavours alongside high-shining acidity that is so clean and precise. A supremely joyful expression with hints of caramelised strawberries and fresh mint. So sharp but so well defined with a clarity to the palate that is gorgeous. Really delivers a sophisticated, charming, characterful wine that is balanced, easy to enjoy with plenty of life. A more structured and perhaps harder to understand wine than Testamatta this year, but both have their own lovely personalities. This is so complete and abundant, muscular but controlled and full of complexity and detail - there's weight and density without heaviness. A sensational wine. aging 12 months in 500l French oak barrels.

Bibi Graetz has long been tinkering with his formula for this wine, and this vintage represents a new chapter. The 2020 Testamatta is a blend of Sangiovese from old and new vines, with a priority on cooler growing conditions (and even a few northern exposures). In the wake of climate change, and in the pursuit of elegance, Bibi is changing his approach. He also has a new vineyard property near Fiesole, and the introduction of these grapes (from a breezy, high-elevation site) are what gives Testamatta its beautiful clarity, sharpness and lifted bouquet. The new Fiesole fruit makes up about 30% to 35% of this wine. The results are vibrant, transparent and fresh both in terms of acidity and aromatic intensity. This is a wine in transformation and a wine to watch.

A solid white with dried pear, apple, cream and stone aromas and flavors. Its full-bodied with a beautiful core of fruit and a steely, minerally aftertaste. Bright acidity with phenolic texture that holds the wine together nicely, giving it length and tension. Turns lightly chewy and round at the end. Drink or hold.

Sincere and enveloping it opens slowly in the glass with scents of ash, cinchona, rhubarb, wood slats, star of anise and orange rind. It is spicy and intact 40 years after the harvest, still exciting and with a naturally beautiful profile. The tannins have been polymerized with the action of time but the freshness of the acidity remains vibrant and crunchy. Drink now or hold. Raffaele Vecchione – tasted 2021

Shows aromas of stewed fruit, with dried flowers and hints of fresh leather. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a delicate finish. A bit rustic, but delicious. Best after 2008. 15,000 cases made.

Blueberry, forest berry and a delicate floral touch round off richly toasted notes that glide smoothly over a harmonious whole. It lacked some of the building blocks to see it through the years, but we saw this as a gentle, easy wine to enjoy now with roasted or grilled meats.

“…bright berry aromas and a touch of sour cherry on the finish.  Col d'Orcia is a winery in a unique position.  Because a good part of the vineyards are located on the lower, southern side of the Montalcino appellation, fruit ripens faster and shows bolder characteristics.  At the same time, the house style is classic and unembellished.  These two factors don't normally jive together, but this estate does a great job of making sure they do, thanks to rigorous green harvesting and fruit selection.  The bouquet is redolent of wild berries, white cherry, dried raspberry and spice.  At the back, you'll find delicate tones of cola and rosemary.”

This sinewy Brunello features blood and iron notes, with earth, plum, cherry and leather flavors. Leans toward the balsamic side, with a long, savory, tannic finish. Displays character and typicity. Drink now through 2033. Drink 2020 - 2033. (15/10/2020).

Tasted blind. Mid ruby with orange tinges. Minerally nose and soft, zesty, lively fruit. Great depth and length and with delicious, chewy tannins. Drink 2020 - 2028. (12/02/2020)

Very Sangiovese, this red combines both fruit and savory elements -- cherry, strawberry, hibiscus, wet hay, iron and tobacco -- with a firm structure. Expressive, balanced, vibrant and long, with stiff tannins on the finish. Best from 2025 through 2042

Masses of crushed cherries and cloves give way to nuances of spiced citrus peels and cedar as the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino comes to life in the glass. This is round and pliant on the palate, with a balanced inner sweetness contrasting its mineral-tinged acids and tart wild berry fruits. Grippy tannins mount toward the close, yet fail to slow the 2018's momentum, as notes of salted licorice are left to resonate under an air of dried roses. This is a deep and characterful rendition of Col d'Orcia's Brunello, but patience will be required to unlock all of its charms.

The 2013 Scrio is an opulent, generous and engaging wine. It reveals an all-Syrah personality with ample layers of dark fruit, blackberry, spice, cured meat, leather and bacon fat. Its integration is absolutely seamless. Scrio is dark and impenetrable in terms of appearance and presentation. The bouquet and the mouthfeel are long and luscious. You can count the length of the finish in many, many long seconds. Only 5,000 bottles are made. In terms of its aging potential, this Tuscan Syrah has the inner energy to last two decades or more.

The 2014 Messorio (100% Merlot) was slightly shy and slow to open when I tasted it as a barrel sample some eight months previous to this tasting. I can't say that the wine has opened much since then. It continues to show a tight and slightly austere bouquet with dark fruit, spice and leather. You don't get that quintessentially soft side of the grape. Instead, this Merlot feels a bit thorny and prickly in places due to the much cooler growing conditions. The mouthfeel is less opulent and layered compared to the warmer vintages we have seen in the past. This wine definitely will not be ready to drink for a few more years.

Messorio is a wine that beautifully reflects the characteristics of the vintage and is a very accurate measuring stick of how any single vintage will eventually perform both in terms of near-term accessibility and long-term cellar aging. That said, the Le Macchiole 2017 Messorio plays its strongest cards in terms of mouthfeel and texture, revealing a robust structure and firmly integrated tannins that come from both the richly concentrated fruit and the careful use of oak. The wine shows a heavy center of gravity and a solid base of dark fruit that is enhanced by caramel, brown sugar, spice and creamy blackberry preserves. It does offer immediate appeal, but I'd wait a few more years to give this 2017 Messorio more time to flesh out and evolve. drink 2022 - 2040. (31/10/20).

The Three Graces of Le Macchiole are Messorio, Scrio and Paleo (Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Franc, respectively). Of these three top-tier releases, my favorite is the 2017 Paleo. This is an upright and direct expression of the grape that carefully sheds some dusty or mineral aromas before opening the way for determined black fruit, charred meat, spice and cured tobacco or cigar. There is quite a bit of oak, but it works beautifully against the natural intensity and rich concentration of the hot vintage. More unexpected are those pretty tones of lilac, blue flower and aniseed that add to the detailed rendering and complexity of the bouquet. This wine won my heart. Drink 2022 - 2045. (31/10/2020).

The 2017 Paleo Rosso is superb. It is also the wine in this range that seems to have handled the rigors of 2017 best. Then again, that is the magic of Cabernet Franc on the Tuscan Coast. The aromatics alone are so alluring. Sweet pipe tobacco, mocha, dried flowers, mint, sage and cedar give Paleo its aromatic lift. Some varietal character has been baked out because of the heat of the year. In exchange, readers will find a Paleo Rosso that will drink well with just a year or two in bottle.

The 2017 Paleo Rosso is superb. It is also the wine in this range that seems to have handled the rigors of 2017 best. Then again, that is the magic of Cabernet Franc on the Tuscan Coast. The aromatics alone are so alluring. Sweet pipe tobacco, mocha, dried flowers, mint, sage and cedar give Paleo its aromatic lift. Some varietal character has been baked out because of the heat of the year. In exchange, readers will find a Paleo Rosso that will drink well with just a year or two in bottle.

The Le Macchiole 2017 Scrio is a pure expression of Syrah that shows more similarities to the variety when grown in France than it does California, Australia or even the rest of Tuscany for that matter. Instead of the peppery charred meat or barbecued aromas you often get in New World Syrah, this wine points to blackberry, some black olive, rum cake, crème de cassis or chocolate-covered cherries. Although the wine is varietally pure, it doesn't really scream Syrah in any sort of obvious or banal manner. The tannins are more gripping in this hot vintage, and the wine spreads over the palate with a creamy, almost waxy texture that is enduring and deep. Drink 2022 - 2040. (31/10/2020)

Le Macchiole's 2018 Messorio is soft and rich with impressive depth and intensity, all delivered with the softness that only the Merlot grape can manage. This important wine unfolds first to rich cherry and blackberry and then yields softly to secondary notes of spice, baker's chocolate and toasted almond. There is some youthful tightness in the mouth, with Merlot tannins that are hitched to firmness and softness, while showing impressive length all the while. The mouthfeel is most impressive, thanks to its seamless and supple nature that glides smoothly over the palate.

According to Cinzia Merli, producer of Le Macchiole, 2018 vintage is not her favourite. 'We can't compare it with the more red fruited 2017 and the concentration of 2019 is another matter,' she said. Having said that, this is one of her best Messorios of the last few years. On the nose it comes across as slightly herbal, with the leafy character of Merlot, loaded with restrained cassis, lead pencil and earthy clay minerality. Open-knit aromas of menthol are also present. The attack is smooth and velvety, with huge presence on the mid-palate where oaky tannins are still present. Full and refreshing with extremely youthful character. Drinking Window 2021 - 2048

You could argue that this wine changed Italian wine, because it was the first to fully embrace the potential of Cabernet Franc in the bel paese. The Le Macchiole 2018 Paleo has a spicy and tangy personality with dark fruit, bitter chocolate and tarry smoke. Coming back to my open bottle 24 hours later, I got some green olive and rosemary essence. The mouthfeel fleshes out considerably, and there is beautiful structure to hold it firmly together. Other vintners in Bolgheri have told me of their difficulties with Cabernet Franc in the 2018 vintage, which saw rain toward the end of the season. This wine feels magically immune to those issues and probably means that the expert vineyard team harvested at the right moment.

Powerful, flint ruby with light purple shimmer. Opens on the nose with notes of tobacco and blackberry, plus some sandalwood. Really emerges on the palate with lots of juicy fruit, dark cherry and mulberry, opens with dense, fine-meshed tannin and has fine drinking flow.

The 2018 Scrio is a pure expression of Syrah and one of the wines that broke the mold on this grape grown in coastal Tuscany (I would put the Syrahs from Tua Rita and Duemani in the same category). This is such a delicious wine and you want to bite into it, sip after sip, as if it were food. There is sweetness here, ample spice, tons of dark fruit and a long, luscious finish. I came back to the open bottle a day later and discovered Christmas spice and savory leather. This Tuscan Syrah shies away from the more prominent white pepper or smoked bacon aromas that you sometimes get from this grape, especially in New World expressions. I'm all about Le Macchiole's Syrah.

The 2018 Scrio is different from recent vintages as Le Macchiole no longer manages some of the old vines of Syrah dedicated to this wine. However it's still a delicious, aromatic red to drink now. Its ester-y nose, with bright cassis and green pepper is supported by crisp almost zesty acidity, graceful tannins - despite the extraction - with cassis and black olive flavour...

The stunning Le Macchiole 2019 Messorio is all Merlot from a special 2.5-hectare plot with a classic mix of Bolgheri soils featuring clay, silt, sandstone and limestone. The wine ferments in concrete and finishes in new barrique for 18 months. I spoke with proprietor Cinzia Merli about Merlot, and she concedes that this early-ripening grape suffers the most because of climate change. However, the winemaking team works extra hard for balance and elegance notwithstanding. This beautiful wine releases perfumes of cherry, blue flower, iris root, crushed stone and slate. Well-balanced oak tones add power and texture to the full-bodied close. 11,000 bottles were released.

The Le Macchiole 2019 Scrio benefits from reductive winemaking that is intended to lock in the natural fragrances and elegance of this versatile grape. It is fermented in stainless steel and cement and is partially aged in more oxygen-prone tonneaux. The rest goes into truncated cement vat and ceramic vessels. With Le Macchiole, you don't get a flabby over-extracted Syrah; instead, you get a polished and extremely elegant wine with a tight (trim but not lean) mouthfeel and beautifully integrated tannins. Only 3,800 bottles were made, and in case you were wondering, the suggested tasting order of Cinzia Merli's three IGT wines is Paleo, Scrio and then Messorio.

Bright, intense ruby with a pronounced purple hue. Opens on the nose with notes of undergrowth, some pepper and galangal, then plum and some graphite. Stretches out really well on the palate with grippy, finely meshed tannins in the multi-layered core, has drive and juice, lots of plum on the finish.

This is a fine-tuned expression that shows a focused sense of detail and careful attention. The quota of Cabernet Franc has been upped by a hair and this makes a big difference, especially in terms of the wine's bouquet. Otherwise, this celebrated Tuscan blend is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Sangiovese. It opens to dark fruit aromas with crushed mineral, pipe tobacco, pressed flower and toasted spice. Its appearance is midnight black and profound. The wine delivers a sense of sheer excitement and nervousness that will subside with another few years of bottle age. Nonetheless, I think a certain amount of that bright edginess or rigidness will always be part of this cool vintage Solaia. In the mouth, the wine is firm, compact and dense. The tannins are chiseled to the point of sublime integration. Marchesi Antinori made 40% less Solaia in this vintage in order to maintain the quality you taste here.

A dense and fruity red with chocolate, dark berry and cedar character. Full and chewy with a flavorful finish. This is extremely well done for the vintage. Needs two or three years to soften.

The Marchesi Antinori 2018 Solaia reveals a silky and elegant personality, and the wine steps away from some of the more robust fruit weight and dark concentration that we've seen in the past. This elegant vintage prizes fruit purity and focus with black plum, cassis, blue flower, pencil shaving and lots of sweet spice from the oak that recalls clove and toasted almond. The blend is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller parts Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese. The fruit is harvested at the Antinori family's Tenuta Tignanello at the heart of the Chianti Classico appellation. The percentage of Cabernet Franc used in the blend is the ultimate Solaia wild card. In this vintage, the Franc has been increased to 7%, and that number is expected to be even higher in 2019 as the vines get older and the fruit more complex. Production of Solaia is 65,000 bottles in this vintage. This is a beautiful wine, but if pressed I must admit a preference for the 2018 Tignanello (the other celebrated wine crafted at this property). The 2018 Solaia is delicious on all fronts as expected, but the 2018 Tignanello struck at my heart strings. Either way, these are stunning results.

The Marchesi Antinori 2019 Solaia is another blockbuster success from Tuscany's leading wine estate. The blend sees a slightly higher percentage of Cabernet Franc and a slightly lower percentage of Sangiovese. The current mix is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Franc (which has been creeping up in recent years, especially as the climate changes). The soils at the Solaia vineyard are rich in Galestro rock, which is an especially happy pairing with Cabernet Franc in particular. Managing Director Renzo Cotarella tells me that that a vintage like 2019 is proof that the final character of a wine comes from its surrounding territory, not from the blend. This is a generous and extremely expressive edition with lots of dark fruit, spice and sweet tobacco. The tannins are beautifully velvety and soft. This is a beautiful wine that collectors will love.

The 2018 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia is complete and seamlessly stitched together with extreme care and precision. This is an almost technical blend of Merlot (at 50% of the blend for the first time), 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot that offers a true sense of wholeness and consistency that speaks to the blending expertise and experience of the winemaking team. Finding harmony among the various vinous components of the wine was especially important in this vintage that prized early-ripening grapes like Merlot over the others. Blackberry and dried cherry segue to spice, tar, campfire ash and more sweet fruit. We're off to a great start, and this vintage of Ornellaia is surely destined to flesh out and grow more complex with age.

Rich and packed with black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors shaded by wild Mediterranean herbs and baking spices. It's polished, yet dense, the tannins lining the lingering finish like cocoa powder. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now.

Bright, rich garnet. On the nose it's fine and restrained, a breath mint, ripe forest berries. On the palate, extremely polished, excellent use of wood, driven, tightly woven, spreads elegantly, powerful, long and compact.

Tasted from barrel, the 2020 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia will be presented in the fall but won’t hit the market until spring of the following year. This is a beauty, so generous and opulent with fully seamless transitions. The wine’s traditional blend is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with tiny percentages of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, although this warm vintage makes do with a pinch less of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruit is selected across 107 hectares of Ornellaia vines, although the estate recently purchased an additional eight hectares next to Guado al Tasso in Castagneto Carducci, with terraces and vines aged between 15 and 28 years old. This broad and generous expression has a beautiful quality of fruit and oak that speaks to the very best of Italian winemaking. Barrel Sample: 95-97

This bright red features cherry, raspberry, floral and spice aromas and flavors allied to a silky texture. Iron, sanguine and toasty accents add complexity. Firm and built to age, with a terrific finish. Best from 2022 through 2040.

The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Poggio Rosso is a powerful, bold wine that captures all the natural intensity of Castelnuovo Berardenga. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, espresso, lavender and French oak are all amped up. Exuberant and generous in the glass, with superb richness, the 2016 has so much to offer. The style is extroverted - there is no doubting that - but all the elements are impeccably balanced.

A broad, muscular red, this reveals black cherry, blackberry, earth, tobacco and wild herb flavors, turning leaner and slightly sinewy on the finish. Pugnitello, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

Inviting aromas of black-skinned berry, warm spice and tobacco emerge from the glass. The savory, balanced palate delivers blackberry jam, ripe raspberry and star anise alongside fine-grained tannins. Enjoy through 2028.

The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva Corte Brà is coy in the glass, with a nuanced bouquet of lavender and violet pastille giving way to dried blueberries. This sweeps across the palate with silky textures and a wave of mineral-tinged red and black fruit that slowly saturates toward the close. It finishes with admirable length and a chewy concentration as a pleasantly bitter tinge of dark chocolate gradually fades.

Honestly, this is one of the best reds, local or imported, that I have sampled in a long time. Reminds me very much of Montepulciano Brunellos that I was lucky enough to sample in Tuscany many years ago. Soft and gorgeous. Supple and ripe with spiced cherry, dark plum, baba rhum, almond toffee and a hint of tawny port. Buy now. Before I do. Food match - Italian tomato-based pasta. Or by itself.

An intense, sweet Veronese red traditionally made from grapes left to dry in the sun on racks before pressing and fermentation. A blend of obscure native Italian grape varieties is used to make this 13.5% alcohol in a ruby port style. Flavours of black cherry, spice muscatel and toasted almond. Food match: Almond cake, desserts and biscotti.

Powerful, bright ruby with fine garnet shimmer. Very open, also slightly oxidative nose of dried figs, raspberry cordial and cut apple. At the palate only marked by sweetness, without any play from the tannin.

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot from the Saade family’s beautiful vineyards in the western Bekaa. Fine nose of dark fruits with hints of menthol and liquorice. Structured and elegant in the mouth, with grippy tannins and fresh, ripe cedary fruit. Well balanced and wears its 15% alcohol lightly. Still youthful, with scope to develop further. The domaine’s ‘reluctant second wine’, B-Qā de Marsyas, with its herby za’atar notes, is good value. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2030

Some vintages of this red have been strikingly concentrated and tight-knit, but others are less convincing. The 2009 (3.5*), matured in French oak casks (25 per cent new), is boldly coloured, fleshy and supple, with deep plum, herb and nut flavours, woven with fresh acidity. A leafy note detracts, suggesting a lack of full ripeness, but the wine is highly concentrated and finely textured. Best drinking 2013+.

Pale Gold colour, this wine has a lively nose of pink grapefruit aromas mixed with a mineral-chalky scent that lends intrigue to its juicy start. In the mouth it is a rush of lemon zest citrus flavour buoyed on a wave of fantastic bright acidity that makes the mouth sit up and take notice as more mineral notes emerge across the palate through to a nice finish. Vinography, Alder Yarrow, January 2007, USA

A wonderfully pure, taut expression of Riesling with an exquisite balance of sweetness against fine acidity giving subtle tension and a lingering, “juicy” finish. Fine slate/mineral and citrus/floral flavours. Superb wine that’s remarkably accessible now but has assured potential for bottle age. 12 JAN 2010

Felton Road's Riesling perfectly balances sugars and acids in a sweet, delicate style centered on limes, green apples and crushed stones. The finish is crisp and racy, leaving behind a lingering sensation of sweetness. — Joe Czerwinski

I recently tasted every vintage of Block1 Riesling and as a result regard it as one of, if not ""the"" greatest New Zealand Riesling. Although technically quite sweet it tastes (to me at least) only moderately sweet and has a reasonably drying (and extremely lengthy) finish. The wine has a glorious thread of tension which lifts it above the crowd. Taut, concentrated wine with impressive mineral, floral and lime/citrus flavours. It will age extremely well 24 FEB 2011

Based on low-yielding vines in schisty soils at Bannockburn, in Central Otago, this wine is hand-picked and fermented with indigenous yeasts. The 2010 vintage (4*), grown in The Elms and Calvert vineyards, is full-bodied (12.5 per cent alcohol) and dry, with good weight and crisp, citrusy, appley, spicy flavours, poised and minerally. It needs time to unfold; open mid-2012+.

This remarkable wine appears to be medium/dry but in fact is technically moderately sweet. In my view this is New Zealand's consistently best Riesling label. It has power and achieves an exquisite tension between sweetness and acidity. Classic mineral, citrus/lime and subtle floral characters. A national treasure. 02 FEB 2012

The 2012 Block 1 Riesling presents a nose that is a little youthfully mute yet still offers delicate wafts of peach blossoms, fresh grapefruit and lemongrass, plus hints of jasmine and lime zest. Medium-sweet and light-bodied in style with a lower level of alcohol (8.5%), it is beautifully concentrated on the palate with a long, honeyed-lemon finish. Drink it now to 2020+. 91. Tasted October 2013 points

Estate-grown in The Elms Vineyard, on a ‘steeper slope’ which yields ‘riper fruit’ without noble rot, this Bannockburn wine is made in a style ‘similar to a late-harvest, Mosel spätlese’. The 2012 (*****) is very rich, with intense, citrusy, peachy flavours and a racy, lasting finish. Tasted 2014

A pretty riesling with sliced pears and crane-apple aromas and flavors. Medium body. Spicy pear. Some flint. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink now. Screw cap.

Velvety, with outstanding depth to ripe black cherry, black plum and cinnamon flavors. Stone, tobacco and cedar nuances highlight the fruit, with bright acidity and graceful tannins that sashay through the finish. Drink now through 2011.Daniel Sogg, Wine Spectator - April 07. USA

A big, voluptuous wine with tannins just holding it back from the ""fruit bomb"" label. Intense and lengthy wine with a great mouth feel. 16 SEP 2010

Good colour and a slightly subdued nose, with good aromas and just a little restrained, the palate is tight and delicate. A more restrained vintage with modest length and doesn't quite satisfy like the best do. Still a very good pinot.

(2020) More density to the colour compared to the 2015, more flesh and more density aromatically too, lots of ripeness and opulence, coffee, chocolate and spice. Blair thinks a sight Portiness to the overripe character, but it is so pleasurable. Weighty and creamy on the palate too, and pure. - Tom Cannavan

Plush and rich, exhibiting dried lavender, black cherry and plum flavors that show details of white pepper and notes of forest floor, even a touch of pine. Supple, smooth details of Earl Grey tea chime in on the long finish. Drink now through 2020. 35 cases imported.

Already complex, this luscious blend of fruity and savory nuances features black cherries and smoked meat notes that are wrapped in a silky glove of dusty tannins. It's approachable now, but it should age easily for another 5–7 years.

Medium ruby-purple-colored, the 2012 Block 3 Pinot Noir is a little closed at this youthful moment yet reveals subtle notes of mulberries and black cherries with underlying suggestions of damp earth, aniseed, cloves and cedar. Medium-bodied and very taut at this stage, it delivers a great intensity of fruit while remaining elegantly styled by a lively acid backbone and low to medium level of fine tannins. It finishes with great length. Drink it 2015 to 2022+. 93+ (LPB) (10/2013)

Aromatic and very spicy, with clove, cinnamon and nutmeg details that lend plenty of intrigue to the core of fleshy plum and blackberry flavors. Fresh and vibrant, but with some brooding earth and forest floor notes that gain momentum on the velvety finish. Drink now through 2030.

Pale ruby-purple colored, the 2014 Pinot Noir Calvert has pronounced, youthful aromas of Bing cherries, black raspberries and mulberries with hints of earth, menthol and sage. Medium-bodied, elegant, fresh and lively on the palate, it offers layers of bramble berry and earthy flavors, finishing with good length and chewy texture. December 2015

Pale to medium ruby colored with a hint of purple, the 2015 Block 3 Pinot Noir opens with some earthy/stem notes, which soon give way to a core of red and black cherries, mulberries and violets, plus hints of black tea and tree bark. Medium-bodied, the black berry and earth flavors fill the mouth supported by a frame of ripe, fine grained tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long.

After trailing Block 5 in price since its first release, Block 3 now carries the same price tag as Block 5. Block 3 has always appeared to me to be a little more precocious than Block 5. I haven't yet tasted the 2015 Block 5 (which is released later than Block 3) but this year's Block 3 does appear to have a little more structure than usual. Dark cherry, layers of spice, a suggestion of fresh herbs and subtle oak. It's an elegant wine showing restrained power.

(2020) Pale, translusecent, much more developed truffle and briar character than the 2017, lovely wild herb notes - quite garrique-like. The palate has a beautifully cool, pure fruit quality. The elegance is striking here, pure and delicate in comparison, a touch of toffee apple, a lovely edge to this, finesse and fine tannins and cool acidity add to that impression of elegance. Tom Cannavan January 2020

Felton Road's entry level pinot noir is an elegant blend of several vineyards with a mix of savoury, earthy, herbal and coffee flavours with cherry, floral and spice characters. It's a supple and complex wine that reveals power through a lengthy finish.

Felton Road's most expensive pinot noir is a supremely elegant wine layers of coffee, violet, fresh herb, dark cherry and mixed spice flavours. It's long and linear, with a fine and slightly peppery texture. Can be enjoyed now but will deliver much more in time.

Slightly lighter in colour but with the usual Block 5 elegance and power delivered with great subtlety. Floral, spice and cherry flavours, with a savoury influence and a background of smoky oak. Good now, better later.

Supple, fruity pinot noir with distinct violet, red rose, dark cherry, spice, anise and thyme characters. A silken-textured wine with a long and seamless finish. Very approachable now but promises to develop well with bottle age.

Elegant, fresh and vibrant, this red starts off wonderfully perfumed, with lavender, white pepper and green tea notes that accentuate the purity of the cherry and raspberry flavors. Polished tannins still provide some grip on the finish, where white truffle and forest floor details linger

Aromatic pinot noir with spice, plum and violet aromas that are joined by liquorice, prune and subtle nutty oak on the palate. Dense, intense wine with strong sweet fruit restrained by subtle tannins. A rich, almost chewy wine, with impressive underlying power. Best served slightly chilled to temper fruit sweetness.

Plenty of fresh green details and peppery sage and thyme hints lead the way up front, with gunpowder tea, nutmeg and toasted rye notes mingling with strawberry and cranberry flavors. The tannins are muscular, but never get in the way. The fresh green accents linger. Drink now through 2028. 

This a terrific example of one of the country's consistently best wines. I find the silken, seamless texture totally seductive. It's challenging to identify individual flavours because there are so many of them, this wine defines complexity. Floral, herb, berry fruit and an array of hard-to-describe savoury elements suggesting baked earth, wood smoke and the sort of scents you might encounter in sniffing distance of a Turkish spice stall.

Lush and vibrant, with blackberry and blueberry flavors that are intense and powerful, yet still showing restraint and delicacy, with details of Earl Grey tea, white pepper, loam and cinnamon, lingering effortlessly on the long, expressive finish. 

The biodynamic Felton Road is one of Central Otago's most highly respected estates. The Calvert Vineyard is one of their warmest and earliest ripening sites, therefore this is one of the brand's more structured Pinots. It starts with a heady perfume of brambly red and black berries, flowers on their stalks, warm stony mineral notes and a good helping of spicy, slightly mealy oak influence. The fruit in the mouth is tangy, smudged with charcoal tannins and wearing a girdle of oak. Still a baby, this should age with grace and beauty until 2030 or longer. Christina Pickard

Medium crimson garnet, ochre reflections, broad brightening on the rim. Delicately floral nose with blackberry, black cherry, a hint of liquorice and candied orange zest in the background. Juicy and elegant with fine fruit sweetness, fine, well-integrated tannins, a touch of nougat on the finish, mineral and long. A versatile food wine.

Juicy flavors of maraschino cherry, strawberry preserves and black cherry compote are fleshy and forward, but more complex nuances of spice, herb, forest floor and white pepper emerge slowly, creating a tremendous sense of harmony on the finish, which goes on and on. The tannins are velvety, imparting an appealing sense of traction. Drink now through 2031. 589 cases made

A little bit smoky on the nose. Dark-red fruit and pretty closed at the moment. Closed like a rocky cave. Gorgeously dry texture, such fine tannins but bone dry. A very long-term wine but beautifully in balance even now. (JH)

 The 2018 Calvert Pinot Noir displays intertwined briary notes of red raspberries and resinous herbs. It's medium-bodied, with supple, slightly dusty tannins, but there's also a wiry backbone of acidity that further brightens the wine and imparts terrific length on the mocha-tinged finish. (JC) (2/2020)

The blended wine—Felton Road's 2019 Pinot Noir—includes components from four vineyards. It ended up comprising 20% whole clusters, with 27% of the blend matured in new oak. Scents of cedar and wintergreen accent black cherries and blackberries on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate adds some cola-like notes. For all the "dark" flavors, it's lively and vibrant, supported by silky-textured tannins and mouthwatering acidity on the long finish. (6/2021)

Grown at Bannockburn, on a north-facing slope 270 metres above sea level, this is a majestic Central Otago wine, among the finest Pinot Noirs in the country. The mature vines are cultivated in front of the winery, in a section of the vineyard where the clay content is relatively high, giving ‘dried-herbs and ripe fruit characters’. The wine is matured for about a year in Burgundy oak barrels (30 per cent new in 2019), and bottled without fining or filtration. The 2019 vintage (5*) is a bright ruby, powerful wine, still very youthful, with obvious long-term potential. Sweet-fruited, it has highly concentrated, vibrant cherry and spice flavours, complex and savoury, and a very harmonious finish. A lovely young red, it should be at its best 2024+.

This impressive version is intense and velvety, with dried thyme, black cherry and blackberry flavors, with notes of dragonwell green tea, sweet paprika and cardamom adding an aromatic edge on the long, memorable finish. Drink now through 2035. 

 Fruit from Cornish Point vineyard whose vines are 18 years old. 23% whole cluster. 13 months' élevage in 30% new oak.Healthy garnet with quite a pale rim. Notably richer nose than the Bannockburn blend. Very sweet palate entry and then it freshens up delightfully. Almost impossible to spit this. It's drinking beautifully already. This may be the bargain of the Felton Road 2019 Pinots. Quite long and layered. Fruit – raspberry? – dominates this wine which may not last forever but is almost irresistible already. Lovely fresh finish with a suggestion of ferns. GV

Refined, dense pinot noir with floral, violet, dark cherry and berry, spice and cedar wood flavours that are restrained by plum, ripe tannins. A very classy Felton Road pinot noir that clearly shows plenty of cellaring potential. It has a seductively lengthy finish. August 2020

Intensely aromatic with a mix of plum, violet, cherry, dried herb, wet slate and mixed spice flavours. A complex, harmonious wine that gives equal prominence to all of its flavours without allowing one to dominate. Needs time to fully express its potential. September 2021

Attractive, neat, well integrated package on the nose. Then slightly syrupy on the palate with the acidity sticking out unintegrated with the worked tannins or the vestige of fruit clinging on in the middle. Good effort but not quite together – and not just because it’s young, I feel. This was the first producer to earn a reputation for their Bordeaux style reds in NZ.

Coleraine has maintained a deserved reputation as one of this country’s top red wines since it was first made in 1982. This remarkably Bordeaux-like wine is a restrained and complex blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with good density and an impressively rich and silken texture 12 APR 2005

Fleshier than Awatea and more complex with very fine tannins, red fruits, spice and oak. 30 MAR 2006

Tangy, with very good intensity to the black pepper, black cherry, green tea and generous toasty oak flavors that are framed by the tart structure.  imported.

(2020) Softening colour, bloody, ripe, dried blood and oxide, but all the sweet and ripe character of fruit is beneath. Big creamy mouthful of Syrah, all the sweetness and plushness you cold want, but creamy and softly spicy, a generous acidity in the finish to give it terrific length. Possibly not for long ageing now, but In a lovely place. Price and stockist is for the most recent vintage at time of review. Tom Cannavan January 2020.

Deep garnet colored with a touch of brick, the 2005 Coleraine Cabernet / Merlot has notes of ripe cassis / black currant cordial, fruit cake, leather, sandalwood, fenugreek and Provence herbs with touches of menthol and mulberries. Ripe and rich with firm tannins and a good amount of fruit, it has crisp acidity and a long finish with some savory chocolate coming through. Delicious now, it should continue to drink to 2017+.

Dark, deep ruby-red colour with slight garnet hues, a little lighter on the edge. The nose is beautifully integrated and harmoniously expressed with intense aromas of dark-red and black berry fruit and plums, interwoven with layers of fresh and dried herbs, cedary and pencilly oak. Some earthy detail unfolds, and this is showing the beginnings of lovely secondary development and complexity. Very rich, powerful and well-concentrated on palate, this has densely packed flavour of vibrant blackcurrant and plum fruit melded with savoury, secondary dried herb and earthy notes. The mouthfeel is fresh, alive and bright with plenty of acidity, along with fine-grained tannin structure. The freshness, vitality and youthful firmness on the palate will see this keep well, and grow in complexity over the next 10+ years. 45% Me, 37% CS, 18% CF. 13.5% alc. 19.5-/20 Aug 2017 Release Price $75.00 Full ruby-red with garnet hues, this is elegant but intense with an iron core to the bouquet, showing lively secondary complexities of game, dried herbs, cooked meat and earth. On palate, a medium-weighted wine at 13.5% alc., with rich and fleshy savoury fruit flavours, still definably blackcurranty, the tannin grip taking control and suppressing the fruit a little. This has another 6-9+ years ahead of it. A blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc.  Mar 2011

The magnificent 2006 Coleraine (43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 43% Merlot) is blessed with a complex nose of macerated cherries, wild strawberry with touches of hung game and leather developing with aeration, the palate full-bodied with an irresistible cashmere texture, a wine that will age effortlessly over 10-15 years. Tasted January 2008.

Very dark, deep, black-red, near-impenetrable, some garnet on edge. The nose is very deep and intense with aromas of fresh, lively black fruits, iron-earth and dark florals, along with complexing secondary elements just appearing. Medium-full bodied, dark plum and berry fruit flavours show with excellent freshness and brightness, enlivened by the acidity. Subtle savoury secondary development flavours also show, and the fruit is underscored by very fine-grained, reasonably firm tannins forming depth and length. A very well-balanced with with plenty of rich fruit, extract and structure to handle 7-9+ years of aging. 49% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% alc. 18.5/20 Mar 2012

Lovely soft fleshy fruit, supple youthful appealing velvety tannins on finish.

The 2007 Coleraine (52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc and 34% Merlot) had been recently bottled, it is no wonder the nose is rather sulky, but there is patently a lot of intense cedar-infused Cabernet fruit in this Coleraine. The palate is full-bodied with fully ripe tannins, good grip, cedar, blackberry, pain grille, sous-bois coming through. Great persistency towards the viscous finish. Superb. Tasted 2009.

Dark, deep, ruby-red colour with garnet hues, a little lighter on the edge. The nose is very full with youthfully fresh aromas of black and red currants, along with fresh and dried herb note. The fruit is ripe and sweetly aromatic, and grows in depth and density in the glass. Complexing earth and cedary oak notes emerge with aeration. The palate is fresh and lively, with tightly concentrated blackcurrant, cassis and fresh herb flavours at the core. The fruit aromatics are enlivened by bright acidity. The mouthfeel has energy and vitality, and is underlined by very fine-grained tannin grip and extraction. Though showing some aromatic development, the palate is decidedly youthful, with the potential to develop over the next 15+ years. 52% CS, 34% Me, 14% CF. 14.0% alc. 19.0-/20 Aug 2017 Release Price $72.00 A majestic, massive wine. Saturated purple hued ruby red, this has a youthful bouquet of densely concentrated black fruits with hints of minerals, liquorice and spicy oak. The palate combines great richness and concentration of fruit with immense extraction in extraordinary balance and style. At 14.0% alc., this is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc. Brooding and primary, it will cellar 10-15+ years.  Mar 2011

A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc, the 2008 Coleraine took some coaxing on the nose and remained quite broody and introspective, with blackberry, melted tar, autumn leaves, black pepper with the green bell pepper more noticeable than the 2007. The palate is medium-bodied with a spicy entry, very Bordeaux-like, surfeit with energy but perhaps just lacking the final knock-out punch on the finish. Yet there is still breeding here: austere but graceful. Drink 2011-2020. Tasted 2010.

Dense and lively red with layers of berryfruit/blackcurrant together with a more subtle influence of floral, dried spice and cedar flavours. Supple, elegant wine from a vintage that obviously achieved good physiological ripeness. The best Coleraine I’ve tasted for a while and better, in my view, than the highly rated 2007 17 MAR 2010

Right in its drinking window, the 2009 Coleraine is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, matured in mostly new French oak. Damp earth, cigar box, vanilla and cassis all appear on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate remains richly textured and velvety, finishing long, with a hint of dark chocolate. Where well-stored and sound of cork, it should drink well for another decade. Tasted 2021

Breed, rather than brute power, is the hallmark of Coleraine, which since its first vintage in 1982 has carved out an illustrious reputation among New Zealand’s claret-style reds. Since the 2005 vintage, it is no longer labelled as a Cabernet/Merlot, but simply as Coleraine (and in some recent vintages has contained more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon). At its best, it is a magical Hawke’s Bay wine, with a depth, complexity and subtlety on the level of a top-class Bordeaux. The grapes are grown in the Havelock North hills, in the company’s warm, north-facing Buck and 1892 vineyards, and the wine is matured for 18 to 20 months in French oak barriques, predominantly new. Cabernet Sauvignon in 2009 accounted for 52 per cent of the blend, Merlot 43 per cent and Cabernet Franc 5 per cent (Malbec is definitely not in the recipe). Sturdy (14 per cent alcohol) and dense, it has highly concentrated, ripe blackcurrant, spice, plum and nut flavours, very elegant, lithe and finely poised, in a style that reminds me of a fine Margaux. Yet to really unfold, it should be at its best for drinking around 2020.

An excellent vintage of Coleraine, now into maturity (but still having plenty of life ahead of it), the 2010 Coleraine is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. There's an earthy, grilled-meat edge to the nose, but the medium to full-bodied palate is richly fruited and velvety in texture, with hints of brown sugar and dried spices framing dense cassis fruit. Long and still dusty on the finish, this is delicious now and should last through 2030. One of New Zealand's top wineries, Te Mata, under the leadership of chief executive Nick Buck and veteran winemaker Phil Brodie, continues to set the pace in Hawke's Bay. While Coleraine—the winery's flagship red blend—deservedly gets most of the headlines, the Bullnose Syrah and the deftly wooded white wines are also near the top of the heap.

Dense, savoury red with a fantastic texture. Long and layered with fascinating berry, floral, savoury and herb characters. Vibrant wine with great potential. Accessible but will age. Highest proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon in ten years. Elegant yet powerful red 12 MAR 2012

Fine, elegant and quite tight red with layers of flavour. 72% Cabernet gives the wine a cedarwood, blackberry and olive character and fine backbone of ripe tannins. More vinous than fruity. A distinctive and restrained wine from what was a challenging vintage. Great length. 13 MAR 2013

A terrific vintage, the 2013 Coleraine still shows a bit of cedar and vanilla on the nose alongside fresh, leafy aromas and bright, bold cassis. Only medium-bodied but concentrated, lithe and elegant, this shows amazing persistence on the finish, folding in notes of cocoa powder and black olives. Complex, savory and a complete delight to drink, this blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc should drink well beyond 2030. This historic estate in Hawke's Bay produces one of New Zealand's most collectible wines, Coleraine. A Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend, it has the ability to cellar and mature over two decades, as illustrated by the tasting note for the 2009. From the winery's library of back vintages, it's a terrific wine, with plenty of life ahead of it. The current-release 2018 looks even better, although I have a slight preference for the still-maturing 2013. Te Mata recently added a Pinot Noir to its lineup, and the 2019 Alma (the second vintage to be released) shows considerable potential. One of New Zealand's classic wineries, the quality remains top notch.

Beetroot, black cherry, lots of density on the finish with lovely green flashes. Quite a lot of tannin upfront, still – is this perhaps in an awkward phase? The structure dominates.

Another in a succession of terrific vintages, the 2016 Coleraine is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, aged in 70% new French oak barrels. It's classic Bordeaux in style, outlining notes of tobacco, earth and cassis with cedar and baking spices. Of course, the fruit is more intense than in most Bordeaux wines, showing ample freshness to go along with richness and depth, while the medium to full-bodied palate is silky, framed by fine-grained tannins that give shape and length to the finish.

Full, dark, deep, black-hued ruby-red colour. The nose is softly full and elegantly presented with well-packed and dense aromas of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit along with dark herb and mineral notes. Some ethereal black florals, and complexing savoury black olive and nutty oak notes unfold with aeration lending detail. Medium-full bodied, the flavours are bold, up-front and show intensity, with a tightly bound heart, showing ripe dark-red and blackberry fruit, along with blackcurrant notes, dark-red plums and a layering of dark herbs. The fruit is elegantly rich and sweet, and is enlivened by a fine acid edge. The fruit is supported by considerable fine-grained, powdery tannin extraction lending serious structure. The wine carries to an elegant, refreshing, lingering finish. This is a more elegant ‘Coleraine’ with black fruits and plenty of structure and finesse. 10 years easily. Hand-picked fruit, a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 18 months in 70% new French oak barrels. 18.5+/20. Mar 2018

Closed and serious on the nose and palate – a tightly wrapped package. Firm, grainy, long soy and iodine persistence. Touch of leafy character and bitter olive note. Still in its first flush.

It's fresh and floral on the nose, with hints of green herbs and dark chocolate both complementing vibrant cassis fruit. Medium to full-bodied, it's richly textured and actually a bit chunky in its youth, possessing a slight excess of flesh that will require age to ameliorate. Of course, that also makes it relatively approachable young, for folks who don't mind a bit of tannin. Long and concentrated on the finish, this looks to be another very successful vintage of Coleraine.

Te Mata's top wine comes mostly from the Havelock Hills, the first legally protected vineyards in New Zealand. This vintage is a strong one, showcasing the power and ageability of a world-class red with the precision of this traditional estate. Notes of black currant, plum, black olive, baking spice, dried green herbs, vanilla and chocolate are present throughout. The chalky tannins are taut and powerful but well-integrated, hinting at a long life ahead. 

The 2019 Coleraine was the first year in a string of great vintages, a trio, or a hat trick, if you will. The wine is brooding and textured, with a black heart of berry fruit wrapped by savory spice. It pulses with blackberry, mulberry, black cherry, cassis, brunette tobacco, coal dust, graphite, licorice, star anise and cracked fennel. It's sensational. I love the personality of this vintage. It's black, almost midnight, and extraterrestrial in its expanse, but the thing is, it just tastes so much like Hawke's Bay. It is capacious and spooling and unfurling too, long, excellent and totally on form. It's tempting to drink these in youth, but given how gracefully they unfold over time, I can confirm that your patience (if you have any) will be rewarded. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under cork.

Made from 59% cabernet sauvignon with merlot and cabernet franc. Ripe, cassis and berry flavours with a seasoning of spice. This wine represents elegance on a grand scale and is on one of the best vintage I've tasted. It has plushness and power with great potential 03 FEB 2021. 2021–2039

Dry River's 2009 Gewürztraminer is a lush, off-dry rendering of the variety, with notes of superripe melon and pear accented by hints of peppery-gingery spice. Approachable now. — Joe Czerwinski

A big, brooding wine with intense flavours suggesting exotic fruits/lychee and spice/anise plus an array of toasty, savoury characters that add complexity but also restrain primary fruit flavours. The wine really opened up in the glass - decanting might be a good option. 22 APR 2013

Rich, mouth-filling Gewurztraminer made in a medium style with concentrated dried fruit and spice flavours including pineapple, mango, Turkish delight, lychee, star anise, ginger and clove. Impressively weighty wine that’s silken-smooth. I can say with absolute certainty that, given good storage conditions and a sound cork, the wine will develop magnificently 12 APR 2014 

Medium to light yellow colour. The nose is rich and spicy with honey and tropical flower aromas. The palate is off-dry, rich and slightly heavy, with a slightly oily texture augmenting the sweetness and some alcohol heat to finish. This doesn't seem very varietal: I wonder if some gewurztraminer has found its way in? Increasingly lychee-like in the glass. Whatever, it's a clean and fragrant, if slightly clumsy wine. 22 NOV 2013

Light straw with a glimmer of lime, this delicious tasting Riesling has tantalising aromas of citrus zest and wet potter's clay and juicy, sherbetty, mouthwatering flavours of limes and tangelo with a touch of orange water, a suggestion of ginger and a piercingly pure and seemingly dry finish. But this beautifully balanced wine is actually off dry and imparts a honeyed, nectar-like nuance on the lingering, moreish aftertaste.Sue Courtney, Wine of the Week, Aug 07, NZ

Deep, dense, rich wine with atractive ripe berry and cedar flavours plus the beginning of some forest floor development. Long, beautifully structured - if anything a tad too soft. Complex, rich and warming. 23 February 2005.

Soft, broad, a tad blousy. Oak very evident. Quite grippy on the finish. Slightly green, herbal characters with berryish flavours. Drying out? 23 February 2005

Soft, rich and broad. Quite oaky and slightly disjointed. Grippy tannins. Blackberry. slightly musty on the finish - could be slightly corked. 23 February 2005.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, the opaque, dark-colored 2000 Cabernets Larose is a tannic, concentrated, extracted wine for those with patience. Its mouth-watering nose of sweet blueberries, jammy blackberries, and licorice leads to a medium-bodied core of peppery black fruits intermingled with asphalt. (PR) (10/2003)

Attractive cedary Cabernet based wine. Solidly structured - needs food. Quite elegant and has power. Subtle complexity, nice acidity, long and balanced. Fine blackberry, spice and cedar. (BC) (2/2005)

Reasonably light, raw and slightly green. A tad bitter. Lightweight red.

Deep, lush, accessible, fleshy. Quite soft -verging on jammy. Shorter than 03. Velvet textured wine that doesn’t suggest great long term potential. Very appealing right now. Quite oaky with some Cabernet cedar character.

Stonyridge Larose is one of the country' more expensive and iconic red wines. It' a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend with four of the other Bordeaux grape varieties; Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Syrah. This is a typical Larose - an attractive mix of berry flavours with cedar, spice and classy oak. It' a pleasant, supple, ripe and sustained red from a relatively light vintage. 23 February 2005.

A Bordeaux blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2005 Larose gives a deep garnet color and has quite a lot of red and black fruit remaining on the complex nose, with spice box and meaty notes plus some dried herbs. The palate is glorious with tons of elegant, youthful fruit in the mouth supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and refreshing acid, finishing long and multi-layered. January 2015

A Bordeaux blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 Larose offers a deep garnet color going a lt brick at the edge. Earthy, meaty gamey notes waft from the nose with hints of beef drippings, dried black berries and Chinese plums plus a whiff of leather. Drying out slightly in the mouth, it nonetheless has a good amount of interesting fruit remaining, finishing with slightly puckering tannins. January 2015

A Bordeaux blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2007 Larose has a medium garnet colored and is profoundly minty on the nose with a core of warm cassis and hints of dark chocolate and cinnamon stick. The palate is medium-bodied with a highly structured backbone of firm chewy tannins and crisp acid, finishing long.

A Bordeaux blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2008 Larose displays a medium to deep garnet color and lovely mature notes of prunes, kirsch and red currant jelly with nuances of sandalwood, leather and aged meat. Tons of fruit flavor remains on the palate lifted by lively acid and framed by firm tannins, finishing with great length.

A Bordeaux blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 Larose offers a medium garnet color and slight sweaty saddles, iodine and bandaid characters over a core of preserved black berries and black forest cake plus a cedary undercurrent. Medium-bodied with plenty of mature fruit remaining on the palate and firm, chewy tannins, it has good persistence.

A Bordeaux blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2010 Larose is medium garnet colored with a hint of purple. The nose is maturing beautifully into classic Bordeaux Blend notes of blackberry preserves, crème de cassis, cigar boxes and incense plus a touch of potpourri. Medium to full-bodied with loads of mid-palate fruit and firm, chewy tannins, it finishes long.

A Bordeaux blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2011 Larose displays a medium garnet color. The nose is evolving into a meaty / gamey character with a sweaty leather quality and notes of kirsch and plum preserves. Medium-bodied with stewed tea notes in the mouth and a medium to firm level of astringent tannins, it nonetheless finishes long and multi-layered.

A Bordeaux blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2012 Larose offers a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It's still a little closed at the moment showing notes of red plums and blackberries with hints of dried Mediterranean herbs, tree bark and earth. Medium-bodied and more elegantly styled than usual, it' just a little light on mid-palate fruit and the tannins a little astringent, though finishes long and complex.

A Bordeaux blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2013 Larose has a deep garnet-purple color and a youthfully mute nose revealing delicate notes of red and blackcurrants, mulberries and plums with hints of cedar, pencil lead, earth and violets plus a hint of cloves. Quite solid and muscular in the mouth with tons of densely packed fruit supported by a solid foundation of firm grainy tannins and lively acid, it has a very long finish. January 2015.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernets Larose opens with crushed black currants, fragrant blackberries and mulberries on the nose with hints of bay leaves, forest floor, loam and pencil shavings. Medium-bodied and packed with taut, muscular black fruits, it has a solid frame of chewy tannins and lively acid, finishing with lingering earth and herbal layers. March 2017

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernets Larose exudes ripe red and black currants on the nose with a lovely floral undercurrent of violets and lavender plus earth and cedar hints. Medium-bodied and firmly structured with ripe, grainy tannins and lively acid, it gives a great intensity of red and black fruits flavors, leading to a very long, earthy finish. March 2017

Produced in much smaller volume than usual, the 2016 Larose is a somewhat light, delicate wine, with notes of black currants and cherries. It's medium-bodied, framed by some dusty, ashy tannins, but shows decent persistence and fruit on the finish. I'd still opt for drinking it over the near term, while waiting for the superb Larose trio of 2013–2015 to mature. March 2019

Awarded by Corkscrew.

Off-dry, clean, quite youthful. Restrained floral and tree fruit/apricot/quince flavours. Some phenolics but nicely woven into the fruit giving a good texture and helping promote a reasonably dry finish. Good purity and complexity. Botrytis influence? A tad herbal and slightly tough. 21 OCT 2009

Luscious medium-med/dry Gewurz with classic lychee, rose, and talcum powder characters. Fleshy, opulent, generous, long. 23 FEB 2005

Sweeter than the 2004. Moderately tannic. Concentrated and more luscious. Fine-grained tannins. A hint of spice and wild herbs with tropical and tree fruit 21 OCT 2009

Wonderful wine. Is this the best Pinot Gris ever made in NZ? Intense, seamless wine with a drop-dead creamy texture. Subtle spice, floral and luscious fruits intricately interwoven. Very long. Has potential but deliciously drinkable now. 21 OCT 2009

This vintage of Dry River's Gewürz is almost tropical in style, with mango and pineapple elements accented by gingery spice and a dash of white pepper. It's off dry in style, with plenty of body without being at all blowsy. Drink it over the next few years.

Mineral and taut but with lovely rich, grapey texture. Very smooth and textured with some complexity. Nice, spicy finish. Real interest here. Deliciously ripe with good complexity. 92/100

Re-packed into plastic test tube. Intense and tangy pinot gris with ripe pear, tree fruits and spice characters. Difficult to define individual flavours because the wine has integrated with bottle age. A rich, textural wine with an appealing sweet-and-sour tension and drying finish. 10 JUL 2020

Bricky garnet. Delicate and inviting undergrowth complexity. Some sweetness of fruit as well as a bit of polished wood. Herbs, too, and coffee. Then still such lovely sweet gentle red fruit on the palate. Silky and long and wonderfully fresh and still balanced. Youthful on the palate. (JH)

Martinborough Terrace,  Wairarapa,  New Zealand:  13%;  [ Cork,  44mm,  ullage 23 mm;  weight bottle and cork,  552 g;  release price c.$55;  Amaranth signifies particularly suited to extended cellaring;  Robinson,  2012:  Light, sweet, relatively delicate mature Pinot aromas. Not that burgundian but very slightly dusty and much gentler and more evolved than most other Dry River Pinots I have tasted. Fresh, zesty finish, 17;  Cooper,  2000:  … hugely concentrated, with super-ripe fruit characters of cherries, raspberries, even liquorice. Fleshy and supple, its already approachable, but should be cellared until at least 2003, *****; Garnet and ruby,  younger than the 2000 Pinot Noir,  just below midway in depth (for the 12).  There is quite a volume of bouquet,  but it is over-ripe,  malty and biscuitty,  almost going on leathery,  the fruit well-browning now.  In mouth the wine is texturally rich pinot noir,  but the flavours again are raisiny,  baked and severely over-ripe,  no florals,  no varietal charm.  Oak comes in on the tanniny finish,  so the nett impression is like rich brown raisin (not sultana) fruitcake.  No votes for favourites.  In the vintage comparison,  second to the 1999 Syrah.  Fully mature,  but will hold in its style for some time.  Unless by some not-apparent chance this wine has suffered oxidation from a defective cork (to close inspection,  it appeared perfect),  this 1999 has not fulfilled the  promise of its Amaranth classification,  as varietal pinot noir.  Many people will find it very pleasant as rich red wine with a roast dinner,  however.  GK 05/19

Terribly tricky vintage without leaves but it worked! Some evolution at the rim. Actually even a little too old for my taste. Mushrooms and violets, with some sweetness. Dusty finish.

After several variously challenging seasons,  2006 gave a settled spring,  good flowering and set,  followed by a near-ideal summer and autumn.  Reds showed classical varietal expression,  coupled with better than average volume.  Presented as wines 9 (PN) and 10 (Sy),  the syrah ahead,  a huge wine for the cellar,  high tannins in both.

Very dense ripe fruits with a sweet, soft texture. Long, accessible. Mod complex. Delicious wine - miles away from Burgundy. 16 JUL 2004

This still looks a very youthful crimson. Very definitely Martinborough not Musigny. Sweet start and smooth texture. Relatively low acidity (2003 was a particularly hot vintage, as in Europe oddly enough.) Seems a bit frozen in terms of development, without much subtlety and with a pretty drying finish. No charmer.

This, one of New Zealand's cult wines, should retail for about $85 when it hits a select few retailers' shelves this fall. Although not perhaps the strongest vintage in Martinborough, the 2004 Dry River Pinot Noir features incredibly kaleidoscopic forward fruit that ranges from cherry to plum to mixed berries and back again. It's lush and round, yet still structured to age, with a long, silky finish.

After several variously challenging seasons,  2006 gave a settled spring,  good flowering and set,  followed by a near-ideal summer and autumn.  Reds showed classical varietal expression,  coupled with better than average volume.  Presented as wines 9 (PN) and 10 (Sy),  the syrah ahead,  a huge wine for the cellar,  high tannins in both.

Dry River's 2007 Pinot Noir reveals a slight herbal tinge to its dark fruit aromas and flavors, but it's a nuance that adds complexity and should develop into hints of tea and spice with additional bottle age. As always, it's not overly big or richly textured, but it is concentrated and intense. Drink 2012–2020. — Joe Czerwinski

12.5% alcohol. Beautifully focused nose is very fine and expressive showing dark fruits, spicy and minerals. The palate is super-elegant with lovely dark, pure cherry fruit, some spice and a hint of meatiness. Very expressive with good acidity and freshness. 95/100

Serine (Alan Limmer) clone fruit from the ‘Lovat' vineyard from vines c. 20 y.o., fully destemmed and fermented to 12.3% alc., the wine aged 12 months in French oak of sizes ranging from 225 L – 350 L, 20% new. Very dark, deep, saturated, purple-hued ruby-red colour. Ethereal perfumes of black roses and violets intermingle with aromas of dark berry fruits, spices, pepper and reduction to form a deep core on the nose. Medium-bodied, this is well-concentrated with deep flavours of dark plums with spices and florals interwoven with reductive elements. The fruit is enlivened by bright and slippery acidity, and is framed by soft, supple tannins, resulting in a rounded, but racy mouthfeel that has approachability. The flavours flow with energy and a fine textural grip to a long crisp finish with a nuance of sulphide bitterness. This is a medium-bodied, softly supple and approachable Syrah with racy acidity. Match with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fare over the next 5-6 years. 17.5+/20 Sep 2012

Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2011 Pinot Noir presents red currant and red cherry notes with some nutmeg, cinnamon and hints of pepper. Light to medium-bodied, it is a very elegant style with a low level of fine-grained tannins, balanced acid and a long finish. Drink it now to 2019+.

Quite a tight and tannic Pinot Noir that appears a little closed at this youthful stage. Ripe and reasonably dense plum and dark cherry flavours with hints of spice. I can say with confidence that the wine will age well although it is hard to judge right now 24 APR 2013

The 2011 vintage (5*) is a very classy red, matured in French oak casks (20 per cent new). From a warm growing season, it is densely coloured, rich and supple, with deep plum and black-pepper flavours, fine-grained tannins, and lovely texture and harmony. Youthful, with excellent concentration and complexity, it’s an elegant, rather blockbuster, style, likely to be at its best 2015+.

A classic cool climate syrah here, drinking very well now. I love the white pepper, the firm acids, the savoriness but also the dark, fresh fruit and long finish. This bridges the gap between general appeal and the estates restrained, uncompromising philosophy. 96 Points. Tasted July 2019

A harmonious, powerful young thing. Super aromas of flowers and berries, with hints of wet earth and tobacco. Full-bodied and racy, with loads of silky tannins and a long, long finish. Medium sweet. It builds on your palate and then, wham. Serious stuff. Best after 2011.

Smudgy deep ruby. Intensely red fruited on the nose. So much bright fruit even now. Plus an attractive earthy duskiness. A thick layer of fine-grained, dry-textured tannins. Dark and rocky on the palate, full of Douro savoury terroir and the sweetness almost inconsequential.

A lively, energetic Port, with lots of brambly grip and warm fruitcake notes carrying the core of steeped plum, raspberry and blackberry flavors. Licorice snap, apple wood, violet and mint accents add range through the finish. There's lots to like in this bright, slightly high-pitched style. Best from 2030 through 2050. (JM)

Dark ruby ​​garnet, violet reflections, delicate brightening of the edges. Black berry jam underlaid with spicy slate, notes of blueberries, tobacco nuances, still somewhat restrained bouquet. Complex, close-knit, firm, fine sweetness, ripe tannins, a touch of chocolate, pickled cherries, delicate figs in the finish, mineral-salty finish, sure maturity potential for many years. (Peter Moser)

 Straightforward yet intense, ripe black raspberry liqueur and cassis scents are followed by a medium to full-bodied, elegant, restrained, balanced port with moderately high tannin as well as outstanding purity. It is a vintage port with impeccable finesse. (RP) (10/2002)

Lightly pungent, with salted caramel, hazelnut husk and toasted almond notes that are fuller than most finos, backed by a briny edge on the bone-dry finish.

Orangey straw colour. Broad and smoky. Seriously tangy. Obviously quite concentrated in cask. Really refreshing – like a poke with a stick! Bready sensation on the end.

The NV Antique Oloroso is open and expressive in the nose, with a predominant note of hazelnuts and varnished wood, a sweet touch of spices, brandy filled chocolates and orange rind. The perfectly balanced palate shows intense, clean, pure flavours and great length.

The first wine in the range is the 2016 Monastrell, which in reality contains some 8% combination of Garnacha and Syrah, cropped from a more continental, cooler and dry vintage. Like all the wines from the property, it fermented with indigenous yeasts, in this case with grapes from different plots, and matured in used oak barrels for eight to nine months. Juicy, primary, incredibly fresh and with a vertical palate, longer than wider, like a hypothetical blend of 2013 and 2015, cool but dry. This is always a great value, even more so in 2016. 160,000 bottles produced from a single blend that is bottled throughout the year.

Colour: bright cherry. Nose: fresh fruit, creamy oak, violet drops. Palate: good acidity, spicy, fine tannins. Guia Penn tasted June 2017.

Still a fairly deep crimson. Heady, richly spicy nose that recalls some reds grown in nearby Lebanon. Powerful but balanced and with a streak of sweet balsamic running through it (but it's not remotely vinegary!). Tannins nicely receded and sufficient acidity. Tasted 9 Jul 2024. Drink 2022–2030.

Juicy and well-defined, delivering ample range and length, this offers up cassis, crushed plum and red licorice flavors backed by roasted apple wood and red tea notes, all harnessed by a tug of iron through the well-structured finish. Should unwind nicely in the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc

Elegantly structured and featuring concentrated cherry tart and raspberry pastry flavors that are loaded with toasty richness. Creamy and spice-filled finish is backed by firm acidity and tannins.

Opened for 45 minutes before tasting. From the iconic Three Palms Vineyard, which delivers structured, elegant and long-lived Merlot. This vintage has 89%, plus 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% each of Petit Verdot and Malbec, aged 18 months in 75% new French oak. Resonant and explosive aromas belie any preconceived notions of the Merlot grape: heavenly black berries, plums and Chinese five spice. The palate boasts robes of silken black fruit, satiny blueberry and lavish oak spice infused with vanilla. With more time in the glass, elegant floral notes emerge, with long, fine-grained tannins buttressed by tangy acidity. The Cathedral of Merlots, with imposing structure and a towering presence – a sheer joy to drink. Drinking Window 2021 - 2035

Elegantly structured and featuring concentrated cherry tart and raspberry pastry flavors that are loaded with toasty richness. Creamy and spice-filled finish is backed by firm acidity and tannins.

Opened for 45 minutes before tasting. From the iconic Three Palms Vineyard, which delivers structured, elegant and long-lived Merlot. This vintage has 89%, plus 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% each of Petit Verdot and Malbec, aged 18 months in 75% new French oak. Resonant and explosive aromas belie any preconceived notions of the Merlot grape: heavenly black berries, plums and Chinese five spice. The palate boasts robes of silken black fruit, satiny blueberry and lavish oak spice infused with vanilla. With more time in the glass, elegant floral notes emerge, with long, fine-grained tannins buttressed by tangy acidity. The Cathedral of Merlots, with imposing structure and a towering presence – a sheer joy to drink. Drinking Window 2021 - 2035

 

This has racy, mouthwatering acidity coursing underneath the core notes of mulberry, bitter cherry and blackberry. Shows the streamlined tang of a coulis, while offering a range of additional bramble, anise and savory tea details through the finish. Delicious. Drink now through 2029. 27,000 cases made.

This has nice tension and tannic framing. Full-bodied, firm and lightly chewy with freshness, and spicy character to the ripe strawberry and cherry on the finish.

Aromas of raspberry and Christmas spices lead to zesty cherry and herb flavors.

Coppola has swung for the fences and cleared them with this charming Zinfandel, blended withPetite Sirah. Brown sugar, clove and nutmeg give warmth and depth to the juicy red and black berry flavors. Succulent and supple, the finish completes the picture, adding a sprinkling of black pepper to the mix. Tasted January 2015

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Archimedes is deep ruby with cassis and roasted blackberries on the nose accented by menthol, cedar, loamy earth and dried herbs. The palate is full-bodied with rich, dark fruits supported by a firm, lightly chalky frame, and it finishes long with just enough freshness. 1,000 cases produced. Drink Date: 2020-2030.

The 2018 Chardonnay is powerful and hedonistic, with a touch less aromatic purity than its excellent 2019 counterpart. It opens with flinty aromas that segue to white peaches, baked apples, beeswax, roasted almonds and baking spices. The medium-bodied palate is textural and concentrated with flinty accents and rounded acidity, finishing with lots of savory layers and a compelling hint of dried sage.

Aromas of blackcurrants and sweet tobacco with some dried earth. Hints of dried herbs, too. Medium-to full-bodied with black olive and blueberry and hints of firm, chewy tannins. Fresh and juicy finish. 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot. Very drinkable now, but will age.

The 2017 Syrah Californio Hyde Vineyard is a powerful, expansive wine endowed with tremendous breath. Silky tannins add to its sheer appeal. Dark blue/purplish fruit, spice, licorice and menthol are some of the many notes that open in the glass. This distinctly Pinot-leaning Syrah delivers the goods. - March, 2021, Antonio Galloni

The 2019 Pinot Noir Ygnacia comes from five massal selections in the Hyde Vineyard, planted in 2020. It was made with destemmed grapes and matured for 18 months in 20% new French oak. It has a medium ruby-purple colour and expressive cranberry sauce, red cherries, orange peel, forest floor and mushroom aromas. The light-bodied palate is fresh and chalky, with pure, flinty fruits and a long finish.

Alluring aromatically, with restrained yet complex notes of mulberry, loganberry and anise giving way to an equally understated core of the same, picking up light sassafras, black tea and incense hints. The refined structure lets this drape nicely on the finish, with a mineral hint chiming in. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2035. 8,600 cases made.

Deep purple colour. Brambly and intense on the nose, layered with sweet spice that is in harmony with the fruit. The palate is glossy and ripe but not overdone. Damsons and cassis burst through with real intensity. This fleshy, succulent wine is full bodied and concentrated but well-proportioned. It should improve with time in bottle.

Alluring aromatically, with restrained yet complex notes of mulberry, loganberry and anise giving way to an equally understated core of the same, picking up light sassafras, black tea and incense hints. The refined structure lets this drape nicely on the finish, with a mineral hint chiming in. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2035. 8,600 cases made.

Deep purple colour. Brambly and intense on the nose, layered with sweet spice that is in harmony with the fruit. The palate is glossy and ripe but not overdone. Damsons and cassis burst through with real intensity. This fleshy, succulent wine is full bodied and concentrated but well-proportioned. It should improve with time in bottle.

Opaque purple, like its siblings, the wine is showing incredible floral, blueberry and espresso notes, exotic Asian spices, velvety texture, a supple, multilayered mouthfeel and incredible finish, with incense and licorice. This is a magnificent young wine, with a good 40-50 years of upside potential. Pierre Seillan is justifiably proud of what he has achieved, and his first vintage of Vérité was only 1998, but they go from strength to strength.

100 Points La Muse: "Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the nose delivers a powerful perfume of cherry pie, blackberry preserves and baked plums, followed by suggestions of red roses, cast-iron pan, underbrush, and unsmoked cigars, plus wafts of licorice and oolong tea. Medium to full-bodied, the black fruit and exotic spice layers flow so gracefully over the palate, textured by plush tannins and lifted with seamless freshness, finishing epically long and achingly fragrant. The intensity and complexity of aromas and flavors—all waltzing in captivating harmony—cannot fail to make your head spin in the best possible way. Electrifying." 100 Points La Joie: "The 2019 La Joie is deep garnet-purple in color. It has a wonderfully flashy and flamboyant nose of blackcurrant cordial, redcurrant jelly, plum preserves, and potpourri with hints of chocolate mint, tilled soil, chalk dust, and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate is very taut and muscular with tons of bright, crunchy black fruits and wonderful tension, finishing with tons of earthy nuances." 100 Points Le Desir: "Deep garnet-purple in color, it skyrockets from the glass with notes of Morello cherries, black raspberries, and wild blueberries, plus hints of lavender, wild sage, crushed rocks, and pencil shavings, with a touch of red roses. Medium-bodied, the palate is ethereal, so amazingly elegant yet remarkably intense, delivering super fine-grained tannins and beautiful freshness, leading to a long and fragrant finish for this gorgeous wine."

99 Points La Muse:  "2018 La Muse reveals a dense purple hue to go with plenty of black cherry and currant fruits as well as cedar pencil, graphite, dark chocolate, and smoked tobacco. Ripe, full-bodied, and brilliantly balanced on the palate, with both elegance and incredible opulence, it's a hypothetical mix of Châteaux Canon and Lafite. This masterpiece of a Merlot can be drunk any time over the coming 20-30 years. Give bottles an hour in a decanter if drinking any time soon."

Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot, the 2018 Cardinale was aged in French oak barrels for 22 months, 81% new. Deep garnet-purple coloured, it prances out of the glass with gregarious notions of warm cassis, black cherries and wild blueberries, followed by emerging earth scents with a tobacco and garrigue undercurrent. Medium to full-bodied, gracefully styled and refreshing, the vibrant black and blue-fruited palate offers a wonderfully fine-grained texture and bags of energy, finishing long with a skip in its step.

Deep garnet-purple in colour, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon sashays out of the glass with open-knit, alluring baked plums, stewed cherries, mulberries and warm cassis with hints of spice cake, cracked pepper and tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers a great intensity of black berry and exotic spice layers, framed by soft tannins and lively freshness, finishing with impressive length. 12,270 cases were made - about half the normal production. Drink date 2019 - 2032.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, coming from vineyard locations in south Napa Valley, St. Helena, Oak Knoll District and Stags Leap District. It was aged for 18 months in 40% new (51% American, 49% French) and 60% one- to two-year-old French and American oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple coloured, it does pirouettes out of the glass with notes of crushed blackberries, wild blueberries and ripe blackcurrants plus hints of lilacs, menthol, forest floor and pencil shavings with a touch of wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate is as intense as it is elegant, featuring layers of fresh black and blue fruits and gentle herbal accents, framed by firm, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and minerally.

The 2018 Insignia is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. The vineyard sources this year include: 30% Las Rocas (Stags Leap District),18% Yountville (Oak Knoll District), 13% Banca Dorada (Rutherford), 18% Suscol (South Napa Valley), 14% Home Ranch (St. Helena), 12% Las Rocas (Stags Leap District), 7% Barboza (Stags Leap District). It was aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple coloured, it comes storming out of the glass with powerful notes of blackcurrant cordial, stewed black plums and boysenberries, plus hints of cedar chest, graphite, menthol and wet slate with a fragrant waft of clove oil. The medium to full-bodied palate already demonstrates remarkable balance at this youthful stage, featuring a firm backbone of fine-grained tannins and bold freshness to support the tightly wound, crunchy black fruits, finishing long and spicy. 17,000 cases were made.

The 2019 Estate Cuvée, a blend of 50% Syrah, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot, has a deep ruby-purple colour and fragrant aromas of cassis, licorice, dried roses, leather and youthful new oak spice. The full-bodied palate is silky and uplifted, with fine, savory accents and a very long, mineral-driven finish. It deserves another 3-5 years in bottle and will be long lived in the cellar.

The 2019 Estate Cuvée, a blend of 50% Syrah, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot, has a deep ruby-purple colour and fragrant aromas of cassis, licorice, dried roses, leather and youthful new oak spice. The full-bodied palate is silky and uplifted, with fine, savory accents and a very long, mineral-driven finish. It deserves another 3-5 years in bottle and will be long lived in the cellar.

The 2019 Côte a Côte is stunning this year, made up of 34% Grenache, 34% Syrah and 32% Mourvèdre. It has alluring, savory-tinged scents of blood orange, tar, aniseed and dried flowers with an undercurrent of spicy accents. The palate is ultra classy and pure, with fine, pixelated tannins, uplifting acidity and slowly opening layers of perfumed fruit that drive the very long finish.

This bold, rich and assertive red is firm and concentrated, displaying a mix of dried currant, blackberry, wild berry and spice flavors, ending with loamy earth and melted black licorice notes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec. Best from 2014 through 2025. 22,500 cases made.

Dense ruby colour. Sweet oak, sweet fruit – very juicy and opulent. Not too heavy, but certainly generous. Very nubile tannins. Primary and juicy – but not very complex. 

A glorious perfume of sweet charcoal, truffle, black currants and spice box soars from the glass of the saturated purple-colored 2010 Opus One. The gorgeous aromatics are followed by a beautifully knit, full-bodied red blend (84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec) displaying lots of spicy black currant fruit, medium to full body, velvety tannins, and not a hard edge to be found. The texture, length and richness are all impressive. This estate has been making great Cabernet-based wines for nearly a decade ... and this is another one. Drink it over the next 20+ years.

The iconic 2012 Proprietary Red Opus One is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot and 2% Malbec aged 18 months in French oak. A classy, complex, suave and savory 2012 Opus One, with notes of toasty oak and crème de cassis. This Pauillac lookalike, made by the staff at Mouton Rothschild, is a beauty. They have continued to strengthen the quality of wine and seem to have produced a brilliant, world-class wine. I imagine the 2013 may even eclipse this, but this 2012 is one of their great ones, with a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood all present in this beautiful, full-bodied wine that should drink well for 25-30 years.

Opus One had picked 91% of their fruit before the fires started in 2017, and only two lots were eliminated from consideration. The 2017 Opus One, bottled in July 2019, is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.5% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4.5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly grows on the nose, revealing compelling notes of baked black cherries, mulberries, black raspberries, warm cassis and blackberry pie with nuances of spice cake, yeast extract, tapenade, licorice and dusty soil with a waft of wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate has a lively skip in its step, featuring bags of juicy raspberry and cassis-laced fruit and a refreshing line, supported by ripe, plush tannins, finishing long and graceful.

Winemaker Michael Silacci commented that usually the blends are finished in January or February after the vintage. This year, with the 2019s, he was still tweaking the blend, but he did mention that this is "pretty close to the final blend." Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Opus One leaps from the glass with notes of Black Forest cake, Morello cherries, mulberries and fresh blackcurrants plus hints of licorice, wilted roses, Sichuan pepper and iron ore. Full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with juicy black, blue and red fruits, framed by velvety tannins and background freshness, finishing on a compelling earthy/mineral note. Tasted as a barrel sample, this is a truly magnificent Opus One in the making!

Transparent crimson - much paler than the average Napa Cab blend. Heady, complex nose with very many more layers than the Overture launched at the same time, September 2022 on the Bordeaux Place. Hints of tobacco leaf as well as very ripe fruit. Really high toned; this could double as a nasal decongestant, I think. Much more pronouned cassis flavours than the Overture even though the proportion of Cabernet is much lower. Sweet palate entry but a real lift and kick on the finish. No heaviness at all. A little less bordelais than the 2018: richer but not concentrated or overripe in the stereotypical Napa Cab idiom. I'd love to see this blind in a line-up with other Napa Cabs. Tannins very well managed with a tiny chewiness on the very end. You could drink it already, but on past performance one has to believe it has ageing potential.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Promontory has a wonderfully fragrant nose of baked blackberries, plum preserves and black currant pastilles with an undercurrent of star anise, violets, espresso and tilled earth. Medium to full-bodied, it is soft-spoken and elegantly styled in the mouth, featuring skillfully managed, grainy tannins and bags of juicy black fruits, finishing long, earthy and remarkably energetic. This is certainly among the most profound of the 2017 Napa Cabernets and for followers of this vineyard, not one to be missed.

Many years ago, Bill Harlan told me he wanted to show me something. He took out a set of maps and rolled them out on a table in the original Promontory winery. He talked of a place that sounded mystical, right out of a fairy tale. He called it 'the territory.' The place was Promontory. Whereas Harlan Estate and Bond remain very linked to the specific eras when they were founded, Promontory is all new. It is where vineyard and winery experiments happen first. Promontory has ascended into the stratosphere in a very brief period of time.

Made of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in colour and prances out of the glass with vivacious blackberries, crushed black cherries, warm black currants and red currant jelly scents plus exotic hints of cassia, cardamom, fenugreek and star anise with a waft of underbrush. Medium-bodied, the palate has fantastic energy and beautiful poise, with bags of bright, crunchy black and red fruit plus a firm, fine-grained texture, finishing long and spicy. (31/10/2019)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 89.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Cabernet Franc and 4.0% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in colour, it needs of lot of swirling to unlock the most gorgeous perfume of bright black and red cherries, fresh blueberries and blackcurrant pastilles with hints of roses, cinnamon stick and orange peel. Medium-bodied, elegant and tightly wound, the palate shimmers with SO MUCH energy, featuring layer upon layer of floral, savory and crunchy black fruit notes, finishing long and minerally. This is a remarkably poised, seemingly effortless beauty that cannot fail to make your jaw drop. Forget it in the cellar for a good 3-5 years, at least, to allow all those nuances to fully emerge and then savor it over the next 30 years+.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is another incredible wine from this reference point estate in the Valley. Based on 89.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot that was raised in 65% new French oak, it has that classic Spottswoode refinement and elegance as well as medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of cassis, tobacco, sandalwood, and flowers. I don’t think this hits the heights of the 2013 or 2016, but it shines for its flawless balance, remarkable purity, and great finish. It's going to have 30 years of prime drinking.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 89.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Cabernet Franc and 4.0% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in colour, it needs of lot of swirling to unlock the most gorgeous perfume of bright black and red cherries, fresh blueberries and blackcurrant pastilles with hints of roses, cinnamon stick and orange peel. Medium-bodied, elegant and tightly wound, the palate shimmers with SO MUCH energy, featuring layer upon layer of floral, savory and crunchy black fruit notes, finishing long and minerally. This is a remarkably poised, seemingly effortless beauty that cannot fail to make your jaw drop. Forget it in the cellar for a good 3-5 years, at least, to allow all those nuances to fully emerge and then savor it over the next 30 years+.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is another incredible wine from this reference point estate in the Valley. Based on 89.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Petit Verdot that was raised in 65% new French oak, it has that classic Spottswoode refinement and elegance as well as medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of cassis, tobacco, sandalwood, and flowers. I don’t think this hits the heights of the 2013 or 2016, but it shines for its flawless balance, remarkable purity, and great finish. It's going to have 30 years of prime drinking.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndenhurst is composed of 77.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.4% Cabernet Franc, 4.1% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot and 3.8% Malbec. Deep garnet-purple in colour, it skips out of the glass with lively blueberries, red currants and kirsch scents, plus hints of cedar chest, fragrant earth and rose hip tea. Medium-bodied, elegant and lively in the mouth, the palate is chock-full of bright and crunchy red and black fruits, finishing long and earthyThe 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Lyndenhurst is composed of 77.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.4% Cabernet Franc, 4.1% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot and 3.8% Malbec. Deep garnet-purple in colour, it skips out of the glass with lively blueberries, red currants and kirsch scents, plus hints of cedar chest, fragrant earth and rose hip tea. Medium-bodied, elegant and lively in the mouth, the palate is chock-full of bright and crunchy red and black fruits, finishing long and earthy.

This is an opulent, structured and mineral-driven white wine, richly layered and robustly built with weight and ample body. Brioche, honeycomb and baked apple meet a complement of fresh acidity and a lasting note of stone.

A barrel sample, the 2017 Cask 23 Cabernet Sauvignon is very deep purple-black coloured with pronounced notes of crème de cassis, mocha, plum preserves and unsmoked cigars with touches of dried herbs, fragrant soil and iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a great intensity of ripe black fruit and grainy tannins with just enough freshness and a long, slightly chewy finish. (LPB) 93-95+ Tasted October 2019.

Prior to the 1990 vintage, Cask 23 was a selection of the finest blocks of the SLV Vineyard. Then, with the acquisition of the neighbouring Fay Vineyard, this bottling transitioned into a blend of the finest parcels of both. This 2017 vintage (with 21 months in oak, as with both the single-vineyard bottlings) combines close to equal parts of the two sites, showing the brightness and energy of Fay with the brooding power of SLV. Aromas of coffee, clay and cedar precede a ripe but balanced palate and a long, driving finish. Drinking Window 2020 - 2045.

Aromas of cassis, cigar box and cocoa. Concentrated palate, with chocolate-covered cherry fruit flavours and fine-grained tannins. Lovely acidity.

A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Pym-Rae displays a deep garnet-purple colour and reveals wonderfully fragrant notes of candied violets, wilted roses, damp soil and black tea over a core of red and black currants, black cherries and warm blackberries plus touches of cigar box and camphor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is evocatively singular, offering that rock-solid structure of mountain fruit, yet these are wonderfully ripe, silt-like tannins that beautifully support the elegant red and black fruit layers, finishing very long and very perfumed. Drink Date 2020 - 2048.

No. 24 Top Wines of the United States of 2020: This is the debut vintage of this wine from the esteemed Bordeaux owner, Alfred Tesseron, who bought the property in the Napa mountains in 2016. Aromas of plums, wet earth, fresh herbs and tobacco. Some green olives. Turns to blueberries and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet reserved and layered with chocolate, walnuts and plums. Firm yet polished tannins give a framed sense to the wine. Savory. Racy and beautifully structured, it’s extremely drinkable already. Real wine

Deep garnet-purple in colour, the 2017 Pym-Rae leaps from the glass with bold notions of black cherries, mulberries, plum preserves and dark chocolate with an opulent undercurrent of Indian spices, potpourri, sandalwood and cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with rich, seductive black fruit preserves and an explosion of exotic spice sparks, framed by firm yet beautifully plush tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long and achingly fragrant. Possessing loads more weight and mid-palate density than a lot of 2017s, this second showing is an absolute knock-out. Due to strict selection, only around 1500 cases were made this year.

Rather rich, flamboyant and decadent with bright raspberries, mushrooms and bark. Full-bodied, yet very tight and refined, with firmness and length. Racy and fine for a 2017. No cabernet franc in the blend, just cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Drink after 2023.

The deeply concentrated and densely coloured 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon needs additional cellaring. While its tannins are ripe and reasonably supple, the flavors need time to unfold—right now, there's a lot of dark chocolate, mocha and rich loamy notes, with black cherries and cassis yet to really blossom. Full-bodied but restrained, elegant and reserved, it's the most Bordeaux-like of these three prior vintages, still in need of additional aging.

This is packed with the ripe, vivid fruit of the vintage, sporting intense cassis, raspberry and blackberry flavors allied to prodigious structure in the form of licorice root and roasted apple wood notes. Rippling with muscle through the finish, but without being domineering, showing focus and detail. Like a Richard Serra, this is seemingly immense at first glance, but steadily pulls you in with its details.

This is packed with the ripe, vivid fruit of the vintage, sporting intense cassis, raspberry and blackberry flavors allied to prodigious structure in the form of licorice root and roasted apple wood notes. Rippling with muscle through the finish, but without being domineering, showing focus and detail. Like a Richard Serra, this is seemingly immense at first glance, but steadily pulls you in with its details.

Pale ruby-purple coloured, the 2014 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard displays a beautiful perfume of violets, lavender and kirsch with suggestions of black raspberries, tilled earth, wild thyme and black pepper. Light to medium-bodied, it fills the mouth with delicate red fruit and earthy layers, framed by firm, grainy tannins, finishing with an herbal lift.

Medium ruby coloured, the 2016 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard is a touch reticent on the nose, opening to broody scents of black cherries and licorice with notes of herbs, bergamot and grated baking spice with earthy touches of soil and wet leaves. Medium to full-bodied and wonderfully silky in the mouth, it's packed with layers of ripe fruit, spice and earth. It gives fine, firm tannins and mouthwatering acidity, finishing very long and very layered. This is wonderfully complex with loads of layers—give it some time in bottle to show its best. Drink date 2019 - 2028.

Graceful and expressive, featuring multilayered cherry and blueberry flavors, laced with green tea accents and building structure toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2024.

Bright red. An intensely perfumed bouquet displays ripe red/blue fruit, baking spice, incense qualities and a strong, mineral overtone. Offers sweet, penetrating raspberry, blueberry, cherry pit, lavender pastille and spicecake flavors that show serious depth as well as vivacity. Displays impressive clarity and spicy thrust on the finish, which features smoothly interwoven tannins and suave, clinging floral and mineral notes.

Deep scarlet. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes spice-tinged raspberry liqueur, cherry and potpourri, along with a deeper cola nuance and a hint of smoky minerality. Velvety and seamless on the palate, offering expansive red and blue fruit, lavender pastille and spicecake flavors underscored by a vein of juicy acidity. Shows impressive delineation and finishes extremely long and spicy, with polished tannins and resonating floral and cherry notes. Drink 2023 - 2032.

This dramatically steep site delivers a wine of real personality and distinctiveness. The nose has a very layered mix of red cherries and berries with some plums, leaves, dry stones, forest wood and a wealth of sweetly fragrant spices. The palate holds such intensity and concentrated flavor with striking focus and drive. Mouthwateringly fresh red-cherry flavors are delivered in essence-like mode and hold long, on a super vibrant, explosive finish. The star of 2018 at Cristom and indeed for Willamette Valley pinot per se. Drink or hold. (05/07/2021)

Medium ruby, the 2019 Pinot Noir Eileen Vineyard is pure, delicate and so pretty! It has layered aromas of raspberries and blueberries with tangerine peel, aniseed and an array of earthy accents. Bursting with juicy acidity and super silky in texture, the palate has a weightless feel despite its intense, layered flavors, and it finishes with tremendous length.

Dark garnet. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh red and blue fruits, Asian spices, botanical herbs and potpourri, and a smoky mineral top note builds in the glass. Sweet, broad and supple on entry and then tighter in the midpalate, offering bitter cherry, Chambord, spice cake and floral pastille flavors that show sharp delineation and vibrant lift. The cherry note carries strongly through the impressively long, subtly tannic finish, which leaves lavender and baking spice notes behind. 45% whole clusters and 42% new French oak.

Dark garnet. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh red and blue fruits, Asian spices, botanical herbs and potpourri, and a smoky mineral top note builds in the glass. Sweet, broad and supple on entry and then tighter in the midpalate, offering bitter cherry, Chambord, spice cake and floral pastille flavors that show sharp delineation and vibrant lift. The cherry note carries strongly through the impressively long, subtly tannic finish, which leaves lavender and baking spice notes behind. 45% whole clusters and 42% new French oak.

The International Wine Report: The 2022 Paul Gerrie Pinot Noir showcases a gorgeous medium ruby hue with a delicate pink rim and spent 17 months on lees in 17% new French oak barrels, which adds a nuanced structure without overpowering the wine’s elegance. On the nose, you’ll find a vibrant bouquet of crushed Bing cherries, lemon thyme, crushed blueberries, tart cranberries, and just a smooch of dried purple flower petals. This Pinot Noir stands out for its refined balance and slightly more sophisticated structure compared to its siblings. The palate reveals crunchy tannins that suggest this wine will benefit from another year or two in the bottle to reach its full potential. The winemaking team at Cristom has once again delivered a Pinot Noir that promises to evolve beautifully with time, offering layers of complexity and a harmonious finish. 593 cases were produced. Highly recommended and editor’s choice. 2024-2034

Unmistakable on the nose, the 2019 Syrah The Deal Sundance Vineyard offers aromas of black fruit, roasted plums, hints of black pepper and smoked meat while roasted herbs and wilted red flowers sway out of the glass. Medium to full-bodied, the wine displays balance and a delightful texture before revealing fine-grained tannins over the mid-palate. The 100% whole-cluster Syrah lingers with a long finish and is not overcomplicated by excessive oak usage, allowing this Syrah to conclude with a burst of floral and succulent fruit essences.

Black tea, blackberry, redcurrant and sage on the nose. Full-bodied with fine, tight tannins. Bright acidity lifts up the dark-fruit profile and brings energy and drive to the lengthy palate. Ground spice and dark chocolate turn the experience savory by the end. Well structured. Excellent depth of flavor.