August Bank Holiday Cellar Raids: Bonus Day

From the original Rhone Ranger John Alban comes this benchmark Viognier. John fell in love with Viognier after a glass of Condrieu and he was likely the first person to bring the grape to California vineyards, at a time when there was only 50 acres planted globally. The wine is full of musky, heady, stone fruit aromas with an oily rich texture.

A village Vosne from one of the commune's historic names, who benefit from brilliantly placed vines. They have vines in Les Damaudes and Maizières, at either side of the village, bringing very different characters to the wines.

65% Syrah, 22% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, and the remainder Viognier. They use some whole bunches here and age the wine in 50% new French oak. Complex and rich on the nose with black berry furit, raspberry and wild strawberry, as well as white pepper, baking spice and some blueberry fragrant elements. Incredibly complex on the palate too with rich, deep, black fruit flavours and lots of spicy notes. Concentrated and velvet-like on the palate, with enough firm structure to age for decades.

78% Grenache, 12% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah, aged in 50% new oak, this brilliant 2020 has a complex nose with red cherry, ripe strawberry, rose petals, white pepper and incense. It's hedonistic and bold on the palate, layered and as complex as the nose, with a velvet quality to the tannins already. Only 400 cases made.

Anselmo Mendes is one of Vinho Verde’s most iconic winemakers and the 2022 Muros Antigos Loureiro is a benchmark for the region. Made from 100% Loureiro, it comes from northwest Portugal’s Lima River Valley where you can find the grape’s most compelling examples. There is a little citrus and yellow pear on the nose, beautiful length, and some savoury structure from lees ageing that brings the wine together.

Fellom Ranch sits on the Santa Clara Valley side of the Santa Cruz Mountains on the famed Monte Bello Ridge at an elevation of 2,200 feet. This Cabernet has an intense nose of blackberries and cassis rounded out with with smoke, graphite, tobacco, and dried herbs. Whole cluster fermentation adds a savoury freshness that makes this wine so distinctive.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford, crafted by Steve Matthiasson. This cuvée from Ashes and Diamonds is a tribute to what they consider to be the 'golden era' of the 1960s and 1970s in Napa: great wines made by farming in a traditional way, picking at lower sugar levels for lower final alcohol, and using gentler extraction. It's from the famous George III vineyard in Rutherford. A portion of it was planted in 1896 by Mrs Thomas Rutherford herself, and later used by André Tchelistcheff to make wine for legendary Beaulieu Vineyards. The wine has that classic 'Rutherford dust' in its texture, with elegant, gourmand, savoury notes. There's pretty red fruit with red currant and red plum, as well as some darker bramble alongside layers of tobacco, dried rose petals and exotic spice.

Kashy Khaledi was once Creative Director for Capitol Records, before he founded Ashes & Diamonds, where he collaborates with superstar winemakers like Diana Snowden-Seysses (of Domaine Dujac and Snowden Vineyards) and Steve Matthiasson, using fruit from fantastic California vineyards. It's Diana who makes this, the Mountain Cuvée from Bates Ranch vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is an historic, four-generation-old ranch in the same area of the famous Ridge Monte Bello. The Cabernet grows at 2,100 ft above sea level, and the steep slopes here, along with cool breezes, keep the vines in check, and the result is a vibrant, elegant, restrained style of wine, with plenty of herbal, savoury character alongside the plump black fruit. They use a combination of American and French oak to add layers of sweet spice and cedar notes.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon made by Diana Snowden Seysses of Domaine Dujac. This is made from fruit sourced from the biodynamically farmed Red Hen Vineyard, owned by Bart and Daphne Araujo in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. It's elegant in style, with silky tannins and a notable forest floor, earthy complexity around the bright red fruit. There are tobacco and cedar flavours in the background and a breadth across the palate towards the finish.

High on the slope and bordering Vosne, offering elements of the two communes. It’s incredibly mineral, as you’d expect from this poor soil. Limestone and gunflint, with crunchy red fruit and flowers, and loads of energy on the finish.

The 2021 Monts Luisants, from one of Morey's most celebrated vineyards, is lovely in 2021. Lots of whole bunch spice, and there's a fragrance and purity here, too. Very nicely balanced.

This is an exceptionally pretty Chambolle-Musigny, offering up wild strawberry and blueberry notes. If you like the sweet aromatic fruit of 100% whole-bunch winemaking, this is the wine you’re looking for. Fine, silky tannins are extremely well-expressed on the poised finish.

Lots of mineral depth here, and there's also plenty of energy on the palate. There's a lovely density here - with notes of wild flowers and also darker frtui.

This prized Nuits vineyard borders the sought-after Vosne Malconsorts. Intense and charming, with volume and nervy depth that fills the palate. Very mineral with lots of ripe fruit, too. This shows Vosne spice and Nuits minerality.

This prized Nuits vineyard borders the sought-after Vosne Malconsorts, and in 2017 it’s stunning. Nice freshness but serious power of fruit here too: this is so well balanced, with a touch of opulence. A wine for those in the know.

The 2019 vintage from the legendary collaboration between Robert Mondavi and Mouton-Rothschild is an absolute delight, showing to full effect the restrained power and vibrancy that comes from both influences. This vintage is a more textural, structured wine, with potential to develop beautifully in bottle. Alongside dense dark berry fruit is a lifted floral tone and subtle earthy notes.

The 2018 Opus One is an elegant expression of this iconic wine, with silky tannins and lifted floral perfume on the nose. There's tons of finesse and aromatics throughout and it has a refreshing medium-bodied quality, with some earthy, truffle hints beginning to emerge with some time in bottle.

Now owned by the same team as Penfolds, Beaulieu Vineyards is famous for being one of the first Napa Cabernets back in the 1930s, located on the main highway nearby Opus One and the Robert Mondavi Winery. This 2019 vintage is beautifully rich and spicy, with graphite notes and very ultra-fine tannins. An absolutely classic Napa Cabernet.

2021 marks the 15th bottling of The Bedrock Heritage, a wine that has become Bedrock Wine Co’s Morgan Twain-Peterson MW and Chris Cottrell’s most emblematic cuvée. Though it’s based on Zinfandel, The Bedrock Heritage is a field blend of over 20 different grape varieties, and includes ancient vine parcels from the Bedrock vineyard that were originally planted in 1888. Coffee and black fruit aromas jump out of the glass, while its varied and utterly hypnotic spice notes could put Delhi’s Khari Baoli spice market to shame. Beguiling and delicious.

This is the defining wine of this famous grand cru, the one to which everyone looks as the quintessential Corton-Charlemagne. The west-facing aspect of the hill means the vines enjoy the long rays of the afternoon sun, making for rich textures and a sumptuous depth of fruit.

Porusot is one of the finest vineyards in Meursault, with an enviable south-east exposure. Its stony soils make taut, age-worthy Chardonnay.

Quinta da Leda comes from one of the top Douro estates, a main source for the legendary Barca Velha. With velvet texture, precise, pure black fruit and a very long mineral finish, it is incredibly impressive. There’s a lifted freshness creating perfect balance with the concentration and depth in the wine.

The 2020 vintage was a hot vintage and was one of the Douro's earliest harvests on record. There is a lot of concentration, but due to lower yields there is real balance and refreshing purity to the wine. Blackberries, red cherries and plums are supported by blood orange and dried flower aromas. The tannins have real grip and a glossiness to them. Expect power and elegance.

Quinta da Leda comes from one of the top Douro estates, a main source for the legendary Barca Velha. With velvet texture, precise, pure black fruit and a very long mineral finish, it is incredibly impressive. There’s a lifted freshness creating perfect balance with the concentration and depth in the wine.

This, from the impressive 2016 vintage, is gorgeous. It is a blend of Furmint and Hárslevelű , the two greatest grape varieties of Tokaji. There’s tropical fruit, apricots, honeysuckle, and so much spice. And the sweetness is wonderfully balanced with bright acidity, and a minerality that comes from the volcanic soils of the Tokaji region.

Les Epenotes was the first site to be awarded premier cru status in Beaune. This parcel of between 65 and 80 years old, was planted by Claudie’s grandfather. Claudie comments that this parcel is the first to be harvested, which they always do themselves before their team arrives! The 2021 is packed full of spicy, red and even black fruit aromas. This wine has fantastic energy, the purity and depth of the fruit leaving a lasting impression on the palate. Very fine.

These vines are, almost unbelievably, 104 years old. Claudie has just 0.37 hectares in this premier cru, and admits that keeping it with the original vines is more sentimental than business-savvy, since the yields they produce are so low. But it’s wrapped up in her family history, and she just loves it too much to uproot it. Instead she works the tiny parcel by horse and hand, and makes from its fruit a floral and intense wine with surprisingly silky tannins that has the substance and poise to age with grace.

Cathy Corison stuck to her guns throughout the Parker era, keeping her wines elegant, charming and more medium-bodied than her neighbours, with capacity to age for decades. The price, relative to estates nearby, also remains restrained. It has sunny, ripe black fruit with a crunchy edge, and plenty of appetising, savoury cedar and sweet tobacco. There are plenty of fine, savoury tannins, but the 2020 has an effusive generosity and softness making it very approachable at this very early stage in its development.

The 2019 is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Cabernet Franc, with 5% of it aged in amphoras. Layers of ripe cassis, black plum, blueberries and sweet spices. There's a rich, chocolatey texture on the palate, with velvety tannins and lifted violet notes.

This is a blend of two parcels. Just over half (55%) comes from a village parcel, but the other 45% comes from the 1er Cru Clos Rousseau vineyard, which is an extension of the vineyard of the same name in Santenay. It is so bright and energetic, with a crunchy texture and well-handled tannins, giving it bite, but no hard edges. This is vibrant, red-fruited, light-bodied, crisp Pinot Noir. 15% whole bunch fruit gives it a sweet and lifted air.

From deep red iron-rich soils, this is a rich, expressive wine with ripe plum, blueberry, cassis fruit. The tannins are typical of Cabernet, linear and tightly-packed with a slight drying quality at this early stage. There's a seam of fresh acid running through the wine, cutting through the richness on the palate, and subtle spicy notes are developing on the long finish.

Frankly, this is utterly gorgeous, a wine of such charm and weight, a nice little touch of acidity. This has major staying power, what’s not to like! Wonderful length and class here.

This is the wine Alex is most proud of in his cellar, which is telling praise. This is because it offers the complexity and depth on par with some other producers’ premiers crus. Its production accounts for 40% of the domaine’s output, being drawn from many sites across the village, half of which are tucked up in the pocket of village vines that hug the premiers crus. The other half comes from the village’s border with Puligny-Montrachet.

Fragile old vines planted in 1964 produce a wine of surprising structure. The concentration of fruit, the frame of tannins, and the long drive on the back-palate are perhaps more in line with the traditional image of Nuits-St-Georges than Axelle’s Vallerots cuvées. It has bursting red currants and a firm blended spice note. This quintessential Nuits cuvée has superb length, and would be elevated further still if served with food.

In Aux Allots we find the domaine’s oldest vines, though how old precisely is unknown. The family bought the vineyard in 1969. It had been planted long before then, but the exact date has been lost to history. The wine has a wild, aromatic, peppery nose, fantastically textured tannins - not too imposing, but offering impressive structure - and a finish of great, great persistence. Wonderful.

Whilst most of the vineyard is terrassed (and goes into the blend bearing that name), a small half hectare section is not, having been planted in 1984. It might be difficult to farm, and very hard work to harvest, but it’s well worth it for the wine it produces. This 2019 hits the Pinot sweet spot. There’s no new oak getting in the way here; it’s just Pinot’s crystalline red fruit and subtle spice (cranberries and a hint of nutmeg) that sing here. It has a long, mineral finish.

This is a flagship wine of the domaine, and at two hectares represents around a third of production. It’s an incredibly steep site just above Les Vaucrains which had been abandoned since the phylloxera crisis until Bertrand terraced and planted it in 2001. There is slightly darker, fuller fruit than that found in the 2019, but with the brightness of acidity it feels balanced and very complete, unforced and charming.

This is a flagship wine of the domaine, and at two hectares represents around a third of production. It’s an incredibly steep site just above Les Vaucrains which had been abandoned since the phylloxera crisis until Bertrand terraced and planted it in 2001. The wine is so precise and deliciously long. It feels almost excessively refined for a Nuits-St-Georges, and has little of the village’s typical robust structure. This is a seductive and tender Pinot, and will drink well from early on.

This remarkable village lieu-dit sits directly above Bonnes Mares, Clos de Tart, and Clos des Lambrays. The Clair parcel is situated just above their Bonnes Mares parcel. It’s hard to believe this isn’t a premier cru. Up here there is virtually no top soil at all, and the vines plunge straight into the limestone bedrock. Arthur uses up to 30% whole bunch on the young vine parcel, which he vinifies separately from the older vines, blending later to build layers of complexity. It has a fresh red fruit aroma - cherries and wild strawberries - with tightly-coiled tannins giving the palate a nervous yet bright energy. Superb.

This clos is a monopole of the domaine found right at the centre point of Gevrey, between the grand cru slope and the Combe de Lavaux. The wine has an incredible concentration expressed with exquisite finesse. This is absolutely delicious, with red-fruit power, fine tannins and mineral length. Clos du Fonteny is always one of Bruno’s personal favourites.

An energetic and vibrant Bourgogne Blanc: it comes from parcels across Santenay and St-Aubin, wonderful fleshy fruit on the mid-palate paves the way for an impressively long finish. It is deliciously zesty and refreshing.

This is a fantastic example of village Chassagne, with bright, vivid nectarine fruit character and a sumptuous, silky palate. It gets its intensity from the old vines (some are approaching 70 years) from nine parcels scattered across the village. A smattering of new oak gives it structure and support. Long and satisfyingly saline finish.

This has all the constituent parts to soar after sevearl years of slumber in the bottle. It's deep, powerful and intense, showing its breeding just below the Clos du Roi in Corton. It has nice, silky tannins with good depth and energy, and reasonable freshness. It just needs some time to come together.

Always one of our favourite wines here, the Bressandes is a masterpiece in 2018. Incredibly dark with cherries and flowers, and a mineral tang here. This is so complex and pure.

This is a steep site with very high limestone soils. It always produces a nervous, tight wine that can do with a year or two in bottle before the floral notes can blossom.

This is a blend of grapes from Corton-Bressandes and Corton-Chaumes. It always displays an abundance of white fruit aromas, complemented by the little hint of vanilla and spice from the oak.

Their Corton Blanc is a blend of grapes from Bressandes and Chaumes. One third in Stockinger barrels. This is long with notes of toast and vanilla, but also wonderful white fruit and soaring floral aromatics. The volume builds. This is outstanding - an affordable Grand Cru.

The soil in Les Lavières is high in limestone, and produces a wine with lots of mineral bite, and a floral nose. This is a cuvée where the gentler pressing of the vertical press has given greater elegance and silkiness to the structure.

Incredibly charming in 2018, this has juicy fruits, with cherries and also a hint of wild herbs. Very finely balanced, with a juiciness, and a very long finish.

This gourmand, full-bodied and elegant wine is one of the sweet spots of the Comte Armand stable. As ever, it is a blend of two vineyards in Auxey: Les Bréterins and Les Duresses. Bréterins is steep, well-drained, with very limestone soils contributing savoury elegance; Duresses is clay-based and builds power and body in the wine. It has the savoury structure for good ageing potential, though it is still fragrant, silky and inviting in its youth.

The Clos des Epeneaux is an impressive vineyard in both size and history, with vines dating back to 1919. It is one of the largest monopole vineyards in Burgundy at 5.23ha, and certainly one of the most celebrated in the region. 2017 has produced a remarkable Epeneaux. The constraints of the small cellar in the centre of the village meant that a large crop had to be carefully juggled between tanks. Some racking off of the juice during the height of fermentation meant winemaker, Paul Zinetti, managed to draw out a delicious core to this 2017, while preserving the aromatic freshness of the vintage. With a few years in bottle, it’s clear something special happened here. You can dispel the old trope that Pommard is muscular and rustic only: this is svelte, fragrant, profound, and intense. It marries density with silky freshness.

This Volnay is so vibrant and aromatically spiced through with wild strawberry and cherry fruit. It is a blend of two parcels, Les Famines and Les Grands Champs, in the centre of the commune. There is a softer texture to the fruit. This is a finessed and balanced Burgundy with just enough of that sweet, scented fruit extracted to make it both tender and mineral.

From a blend of two parcels in the centre of the appellation, Les Grands Champs and Les Famines. This is bright and juicy, with crushed raspberries on the nose and the village’s supple elegance on the palate. It has smooth, silky tannins and a long, pure finish. Always one of the most charming wines in the Comte Armand cellar, the 2018 has all elements in perfect balance.

This special cuvée comes from the oldest vines in Faiveley’s Clos de Bèze holding, and was first produced in 2011. The name is an homage to the family’s connection with the artist, Rodin, and the cuvée is only ever produced in tiny quantities. Powerful, deep, and dramatic. This will reward the patient.

Faiveley are the largest landowner in this fêted corner of Chambertin, with three parcels to their name. It is one of the consistently most complex wines in their range, and offers staggering ageing potential. In 2022, aromas of rose petal and cranberries combine, leading to gorgeously silky tannins, a fresh line of acidity driving through to a spicy finish.

This vineyard has been a family monopole since 1874. It is the domaine's flagship wine and one of just two Burgundian grands crus to bear the name of its owner (Romanée-Conti being the other). This is complex and fascinating in 2022, with sweet, smoky spice wrapping around concentrated red fruit, with a long,mineral length.

This is another recent addition to the Felettig stable. It comes from the northern sector of the Côte de Nuits, from the commune just north of Gevrey-Chambertin. Its 300m elevation and 20% incline give it freshness and grippy precision.

This monopole grand cru in the heart of Vosne-Romanée between two Domaine de la Romanée-Conti monopoles - La Tâche and La Romanée-Conti - is the flagship wine of the estate. It is like a basket full of freshly picked strawberries and raspberries. The palate, although it displays this gorgeous summer fruit element, is almost so much more complex than that, with silky, refined tannins, subtle smoky notes and savoury acidity. Extraordinary length, extraordinary wine.

For many, this is the greatest site in Volnay. Marc-Olivier is lucky to have two parcels here. The ‘young vines’ are a mere 50 years old, and the old vines around 80. Their concentration and natural complexity are honed through the use of some whole bunch in this cuvée. It is a precise and exquisite expression, whose delicate power should not be underestimated. Ethereal.

This has the seductive nose of sweet red berry and cherry fruit and floral lift we love in Volnay. The site’s generous top soil makes for a wine of appealing charm, marking it out as one of the earliest drinking of the Buffet Volnay premiers crus. The fruit is completely destemmed, and the wine has a gorgeous, luscious, sappy texture on the palate. Cellar for a few years, then don’t hold back.

A negociant wine, this has a lovely tannic structure, alongside the generosity of the vintage.

This is a fairly recent addition to Maxime’s portfolio. As with all his wines it shows depth of fruit and suave tannins, with a long finish, tempered by the freshness of the vintage.

The Hautes-Côtes de Nuits is proving a popular spot for growers in Vosne who are looking for wines that are a little more forward, accessible, and with vibrant freshness, as is the case in this excellent example.

One of the lesser known Nuits premiers crus, this vineyard is shared with Domaine Robert Chevillon, just below Aux Thorey, on the Vosne side of the appellation. Its clay-rich soils have yielded a big-shouldered, powerful Nuits, with a complex and surprisingly silky palate with an ample, pleasing finish.

Aloxe-Corton, which hugs the hill of Corton, may not be the most famous village in the Côte d’Or, overshadowed both metaphorically and literally by the grands crus, but in the hands of winemakers like Etienne the results can be impressive - and good value. This is spicy and dark-fruited on the nose, with a juicy palate that abounds with summer fruits and a voluminous, structured finish.

“Bousselots” means “little bumps”, but this premier cru’s clay-rich soils make for a rounded and approachable Nuits-Saint-Georges. Complex and generous, with plenty of cool fruit coming from that clay in the soil.

This single vineyard is located on the north side of Nuits, near Vosne-Romanée. It has a hint of that silkiness, but in its youth, the Nuits structure and stature dominate. This is a great example of the bold and muscular Nuits: fully bodied and full flavoured, with 2019’s brilliant freshness.

“Bousselots” means “little bumps”, but this premier cru’s clay-rich soils make for a rounded and approachable Nuits-Saint-Georges. The 2017 is juicy and saline, with silky tannins, and really fine acidity on the finish.

From the Vosne side of Nuits, bordering the town.This is silky but with plenty of grip and structure. Long: a very good village wine.

It is well worth following Olivier’s reds, particularly in recent vintages. 2020 is another superb example of Clos des Hâtes following the outstanding 2019. The vineyard had previously been owned by M. Duvault-Blochet, former owner of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Today, high density planting and organic farming mean low yields, which does a great service to the fruit - red berries with a smoky graphite scent lingering over them. Mineral and defined.

As the slope of grand cru Chapelle-Chambertin levels off, it becomes this well placed premier cru. It’s elegant and fresh, stony and driven. There’s impressive freshness, minerality and purity, and the energy in the wine drives it along.

This is a brilliant 2021: pure, concentrated, and energetic. It has a beautiful nose of fresh rose petal, cherry and plum combining. An ample body, and smooth, supple tannins with just a little grip at the back. The depth of fruit and length of finish are equally impressive. Bravo.

Aux Lavières is tucked just beneath 1er Cru Aux Murgers, on the Vosne side of the appellation, and it’s quite a step up on your regular village cuvée. This 2021 shows elegance, energy and density. Excellent grip and saline length. This is delicious now, yet is sure to age wonderfully.

Unlike some Côteaux Bourguignons which are a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir, this is 100% Gamay, from a parcel of very old vines the Grivots inherited via the Jayers, one of whom was married to Etienne’s father. When tasting, Etienne mentioned that Henri Jayer made him promise to never, ever rip out these vines. He has since kept his word, and it is now one of the wines that Etienne is most animated about in their whole cellar. It’s a more slender wine than the 2019, and is focused and vibrant with lively red fruits.

From the Vosne side of Nuits, always an impressive cuvée. You really feel the rock in this outstanding village cuvée. Savoury and mineral, there’s a juicy, fruity finish.

Unlike some Côteaux Bourguignons which are a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir, this is 100% Gamay, from a parcel of very old vines (60-70 years old) the Grivots inherited via the Jayers, one of whom was married to Etienne’s father. Wild red cherry with a slight gamey note on the nose. The palate is nicely balanced and focussed with lively acidity and plenty of juicy red berry fruit.

The wine for which the domaine is perhaps best known (this, or their Richebourg!). Deep and dark and herbal, with almost a linseed oil character. Such purity here, but certainly feel the tannins and intensity. Lovely berry fruit, very long, energetic and dense. Amplitude but comes back together on the finish.

Jean-Marc makes some of the best Chassagne Rouge around. With old vines (as old as 70 years old) planted on the clay soil pockets from 5 different parcels around the village, he has produced a great example again in 2021. This old vine cuvée is perfumed with rich, red-fruit and spice, and has a pleasing sour cherry freshness on the palate.

Historically known as a village for reds, Chassagne can still be home to some of the Côte de Beaune’s Pinot Noir gems. Here the vines are 100+ years old, Dark fruit and lavender on the nose, it’s very expressive. Really cool fruit, and smoky and earthy, this is one you simply have to try.

This is a brilliant example of what Pinot Noir can do in Chassagne when you combine old vines and serious winemaking. The poor soils of Clos St Jean have long been one of the hotspots for Pinot in the village, and Jean-Marc counts himself lucky to have inherited this parcel of 100+ year old vines. He likes to make a gourmand style you can approach from youth, but don’t let that make you think this is lacking in concentration or sophistication. This 2022 is sitting emphatically in the elegant red fruit spectrum, and the wine shows a level of freshness, detail and precision that lifts it up to great heights.

Champs Claude comes from 4 different parcels of vines in Santenay, with an average age of 60 years. This is classic Pinot Noir - full of subtle, red fruit on the nose and fresh, balanced with a great energy on the palate. Brilliant value.

The 2021 Bourgogne Chardonnay Le Haut des Champs has a well-defined bouquet with nectarine and peach aromas. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, quite saline in the mouth with a bitter lemon finish. Fine.

This vineyard borders Pommard, and has produced a wine with a fruity, vibrant pallet of cranberry and redcurrant flavours in 2019. In cooler years it can be a little austere, but in 2019, it is a winner, with such plush and charming fruit.

This vineyard bordering Pommard did once produce wines with some robust, muscular tannins. But now that they have reached 70 years old, the father and son team note how much the tannins have begun to soften, and become distinctly finer in recent years. It still has a vibrant grippiness in 2020, but the floral aromatics, and the fine-grained nature of the tannins give it elegance.

This Prulier's deep core of black cherries is very much a testament to the great age of the vines there - at 80 years old, the fruit they produce certainly does not lack density or richness. Behind this full body, tannins take a back seat, but are still very much doing their job in the background, bringing a lot of precision to the wine. The finish is powerful and spicy: an excellent Pruliers.

Just a little whole bunch is used here, and it works prefectly. The Gamay shows all the structure and sophistication of the Boillots’ Côte d’Or Pinots, but with the juicy, pretty, peppery texture of Beaujolais. It’s got gorgeous, juicy black cherry fruit with hints of wild rose, and fine-grained tannins, thanks to the excellent granitic terroir.

Marcel believes this is his best vineyard. It has limestone marl soils and makes a wine with silky ripeness and plenty of freshness. Blind, it could easily come from its grander and more expensive neighbour, Pouilly-Fuissé. In 2022, it is packed full of mouthwatering juicy nectarine flavour. Don’t be afraid to age this cuvée.

Vignes Franches lies right in the middle of the Beaune Premiers Crus, bordering Clos des Mouches among several others. The third vintage for this cuvée, it has attractive cherry fruit aromas with an interesting herbal note. There is an elegance and depth to the crunchy, cherry fruit on the palate and a very fine and long saline finish.

Blagny sits high up, 400m above the heart of the Meursault commune. This altitude brings a focused freshness to the wines. It has notes of ripe citrus and yellow apricot, with a richly mineral seashell note - not unlike Chablis - on the nose. The soil is white limestone up here, and this makes for a scintillating palate. It feels straighter than the Grands Charrons, in many ways, more like a Puligny in profile than a Meursault. Saline, mineral, and powerful.

You can feel the character of the poor stony soil found in Puligny here in this wine’s floral, racy delicacy. It has a piercing, slightly spicy intensity accompanied by a tenderness of fruit on the finish. Enticing, with intricate structure and superb definition.

The origin of the word "Cras" comes from "rocky hillsides", a term often used to describe a vineyard whose soil is made of rubble and pebbly stones. This parcel's soil is gravelly with a high quality red clay that is very typical of Pommard. Pretty cherry and wild raspberry fruit combine with rose petal on the nose. The fruit continues to sing on the palate and is juicy, sappy and generous with a long, mineral finish. This is lovely.

Blagny sits high up, above the heart of the Meursault commune. This altitude brings a focused freshness to the wines. This 2019 has a wonderfully nutty intensity, with a chalky, white blossom character, and long, citrus finish.

This large 7 hectare vineyard in the hills above Nuits-St-Georges has wonderful limestone soils, quite similar to those found on the hill of Corton, though with a much fresher climate, of course. It is wild and fresh, with a hedgerow fruit aroma and a long, and ripe finish. This has done particularly well in 2019.

This parcel sits just under one of Nuits-St-Georges’ most celebrated premiers crus, Les Vaucrains. It has an agile, elegant, and pretty structure, more refined than the straight village cuvée.

The Nuits Vieilles Vignes has temporarily lost its Aux Barrières component, replaced this year by the very well-situated Les Longecourts, which is just below Les St-Georges. A heady nose of griotte cherry, with excellent concentration and a deft balance.The wine feels so beautifully smooth, with a lovely deep core of sweet fruit. Classic Burgundy through and through.

This comes from three parcels, which are spread across the top, middle, and bottom sections of the premier cru. It is straight and incisive, with a concentrated, saline flicker on the finish. There’s a nice balance between fruit and minerality in this premier cru.

Samuel jokes that this is ‘Petit Chablis deluxe’. It comes from a parcel just above Grand Cru Les Clos, and is a rare example of Petit Chablis grown on a high proportion of Kimmeridgian, rather than purely Portlandian, limestone. Although Samuel does not distinguish within his range, all the fruit here comes from his own vines, ie ‘domaine’. Indeed, it’s one of the parcels he was most determined to hang onto after splitting from his family estate in 2009. It was so badly frosted in 2021 that none was produced, so we are thrilled to have it back in 2022. It is focused and precise, with lemon zest and salty minerality running through it, and a peachy, smooth as silk length.

This plot of just over half a hectare is planted with 60+ year old vines. There is a floral character, and so much energy and silky tannins behind it. Good balance and drive, and nice density to the flavour.

From a plot close to the celebrated Clos de Cortons Faiveley. Corton is a huge success in 2018, with notes of wild berries, a herbal edge, and loads of finesse and length on the finish. Brilliant.

Les Poireaux, Les Crais, and En Sevrey are the three plots in this. This is savoury and pure, with wild berries and loads of texture. Very savoury and restrained, a nice vintage for Morey.

A cuvée that comes from two vineyards, Les Duresses and Grands Champs. From vines planted just after the war. This is juicy and fresh, but with a bit more intensity and concentration than usual: a really charming premier cru.

This plot of just over half a hectare is planted with 60+ year old vines. Complex with notes of baked earth and violets, and tons of lifted dark fruit. This is beautifully balanced, and very long indeed.

From a plot close to the celebrated Clos de Cortons Faiveley. Love the dark fruit, energy and purity. So much tension here, really silky and fine on the palate. A benchmark Corton.

Most of the fruit comes from the Côte de Nuits, with the majority from around Nuits itself, with the balance from the Côte de Beaune. It is a fresh and crunchy style of bourgogne, with enough bite to give it a vibrant length. It should drink well from a young age, and buyers will note, it comes in at a pretty tidy price.

Tuvilains is a lovely vineyard on the Pommard side of the town. Scented with rhubarb and raspberries, with a lot of structure on the palate. There is 30% whole bunch here, and some support from 20% new oak. More peppery and full bodied than the previous vintage. You can feel the heat of the summer a little in the fruit profile, although the fresh acidity keeps the structure cool.

Tuvilains is a lovely vineyard on the Pommard side of the town. Scented with rhubarb and raspberries, with a lot of structure on the palate. There is 20% whole bunch here, and some support from new oak. In 2021, it is spicy, red fruited and light bodied, with a refreshing crunchiness to the tannins.

This is a grippy and dramatic Savigny, with a long finish. It has 40% whole bunch, helping draw out the tannins in a more gentle expression, which works well here. Perfumed with dark berries and toasted spice, with cherry stone freshness.

Tuvilains is a lovely vineyard on the Pommard side of the town. In 2022 the wine is tightly wound, with grippy, compact tannins, and a fresh cherry bite. It will need some time to come around in bottle.

This is a very special village lieu-dit. It is sandwiched between two grands crus: Charmes-Chambertin and Griotte-Chambertin. Most people who own vines here bottle it separately, as its character is of such high quality, it approaches premier cru complexity. This has Gevrey’s classical sour cherry density, and a sweet hint of dark cherry fruit on the palate. The fruit was entirely destemmed for this cuvée, and the body of the wine is juicy and fresh. Excellent.

This comes from seven parcels around the village, including La Justice, Forneaux, and Clos Prieur Bas. It is so precise and lengthy, with a lively, spicy, cherry red fruit that seems to go far beyond what a village usually delivers. It’s one of Mark’s favourites in the cellar, and we can see why. A small (25%), well-judged amount of whole bunch adds just a hint of lift. This is fantastic in 2021.

This parcel actually used to be classified as a village parcel, and winemaker Mark seems particularly fond of it. It is really elegant and refined in 2021, with a hint of Gevrey’s density and spice. There’s a delicious hint of blood orange on the palate giving this a lift, there’s fine grained tannins and a long and pure, fruity finish. It’s one of the best Bourgogne Rouges you’ll find.

Most of the fruit comes from the Côte de Nuits, with the majority from around Nuits itself, with the balance from the Côte de Beaune. 20% whole bunch and no new oak is the perfect combination here to let the fruit sing. It is a fresh and crunchy style of bourgogne, with enough bite to give it a vibrant length. It should drink well from a young age. And it’s an absolute bargain.

Vinified without sulphur, using as little on bottling as possible. This is a remarkably pure wine, which shows the very best of Pinot Noir. Juicy, long and textured.

This is a wonderful site in Beaune, high up on the hill to the south of the town. The 100% whole bunch works extremely well here, making for a salty, charming wine with depth and length, and a hint of sucrosity at the end - not from any residual sugar in the wine, but from the beautiful sweetness of fruit.

Beauroy is located within Troesmes, and the Fevre parcel is home to old vines, all around 55 to 60 years old. It shows mineral structure and fruit density, but its overall frame is lighter on its feet than some others in the lineup, and it will be one of the more forward drinking of the premiers crus.

Vaulorent is technically part of Fourchaume, the largest premier cru in Chablis, and is the only premier cru to share the same slope as the grand cru. It has very chalky soil and produces a wine of power and silky tension. The 2021 is so velvety and enticing, you almost don’t feel the power of the wine underneath the texture. Concentrated peach, apricot and a wonderful fresh grapefruit pithiness transcends, with a finish that is complex, long, saline and very fine - super!

Vaillons is a warm, sunny premier cru, much admired in the region. Fèvre has a substantial 3.5 hectares right in the middle of the slope. Their 55-year-old vines produce concentration and ripeness in the wine. This 2022 is bursting with floral aromatics: white blossom and jasmine spice. It is delicious already, but will age brilliantly too.

This 60% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot comes from Latakia in Syria with the vineyards planted at 900 metres altitude. The wine spends 12 months in French new oak (20% new) which gives the wine an additional spice and tannin grip. The wine has a ripeness and suppleness as well as some development with dried spice notes. Expect bramble fruits and liquorice notes combined with hints of black pepper and dried cranberries.

Les Suchots is one of Vosne’s greatest vineyards, situated on the line of Grands Crus. Vines planted in 1937. Silky, fine and juicy: love the volume here, very Vosne. Such beautiful tannins, long and silky: very sensual. Stunning.

Nicolas has the oldest vines in this highly-rated premier cru. They were planted in 1904, and we learned this year that their days are numbered. Nicolas plans to uproot them within two years because the old vines have become so low-yielding (just 16 hl/ha in 2020). The wine has highly concentrated tannins and a particularly perfumed aromatic fruit.

De Montille bought this lovely parcel of grand cru in 2005 from a fastidious vigneron who had looked after the vines with impeccable attention. They have continued his good work with these 80 year old vines. The wine is brimming with sweet ripe fruit and the palate is defined by its silky freshness. Clos du Roi has a reputation as the most elegant of the Corton grands crus, and this is abundantly clear in 2019.

This is one of few prestigious whites of the Côte de Nuits, and comes from one of the estate’s two monopole vineyards. In 2022 all the younger vines that had previously gone into La Gerbotte, have been incorporated into the senior cuvée. It is easily one of the best white wines you’ll find in the Côte de Nuits, showing bright, elegant fruit, and an appetising bitterness. It’s all really coming together for this cuvée.

This comes from 0.7 hectares of premiers crus across the village: La Riotte, Les Sorbès, and Le Village. The new style of vinification has drawn out the finest qualities of the fruit here: tight red berries, but with a fine silky texture to the tannins, and an elegant thread of acidity.

The Petite Arvine is intense and savoury. There’s peaches here, and plenty of savoury spice, with notes of fresh ginger and a long and textured finish. Very saline on the finish: makes you reach for another glass.

Grown close to the Pacific Ocean, this a mineral driven Chardonnay with lots of salinity and chalky texture. Fresh citrus and delicate white peach fruit.

Grown close to the Pacific ocean, there's plenty of mineral, saline influence here, with some crunchy red fruit notes. Spicy with herbal notes, with precise red cherry and black cherry fruit. There's a chalky feel to the tannins, and a wonderful fresh finish.

Dyer Vineyards remains incredibly under the radar, but Dawnine Dyer has been producing brilliant Cabernet from this tiny 2.3 acre vineyard for over 20 years, following a successful career starting in 1974 with Robert Mondavi, before pioneering the Chandon project in Calfornia. Production from this Diamond Mountain site, nestled in the forest, is less than 300 cases each year. The wine this vintage is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot which Dawnine and husband Bill unusually co-ferment. This is a wine for those with a more classical palate, with medium-body and tons of savoury character alongside dried rose petal, mineral notes and bright black fruit.

Freshness, elegance and silky texture are the hallmarks of the Favia estate's wines. Indeed, the Cabernet Franc-led 2018 Cerro Sur wouldn’t be out of place in a line-up of the Right Bank’s top estates. Made in minisule quantities, it's an exercise in elegance with laser-like focus, freshness, and layer upon layer of mineral-laced black fruits. It's a welcome addition to our range, and is sure to provide drinking pleasure for years to come.

A late release from one of our favourite Napa estates. Now nearly 10 years old, it's a joy to drink, with tons of truffle, tobacco and cocoa aromas developing. There's still plenty of blueberry, bramble and cassis with Favia's trademark elegance and energy. Andy Erickson and Annie Favia are champions of this exciting and cooler part of Napa, and have created a delicious example in this 2014. The vintage was dry and long, allowing the slow ripening of their brilliant old vine Cabernet Franc.

Female winemaker Filipa Pato is a pioneer in Portugal and committed to sustainable, organic and biodynamic practices. This single vineyard Baga is planted largely to limestone rich soils which gives the wine a mineral core. The nose expresses itself with a delicious cranberry, red cherry and plum aroma and the tannins are fine grained and well knit into the silky core. There is a restrained concentration to this high quality red that will no doubt age for some time to come.

An indigenous white blend that is dominated by Arinto, this Alentejo white is a favourite at Lay & Wheeler. It offers orange peel and grapefruit notes as well as ginger spice and flinty notes. The palate is energetic and crisp, with a pithiness that persists on the finish.

Flint Vineyard’s 2022 Pinot Noir Précoce, is made from an early-ripening clone of Pinot Noir that was hand harvested in September and October from their own small parcel and from Martin’s Lane vineyard in Essex. A dry and hot summer provided small bunches with more tannin and flavour concentration than usual. Fifty percent whole-bunch is used here, leading to a light, crunchy and aromatic style – a baby Burgundy if you will, full of rich, cherry aromas. The palate is wonderfully textured, with smooth, fine-grained tannins, packed with gorgeous blackcurrant and cherry fruit and a hint of sweet spice.

Made by brothers Jim and Bob Varner, we love this Central Coast Pinot Noir for its bright and exuberant red fruit and mid-weight, refreshing style. It's uncomplicated and approachable, focused on the quality of the fruit and careful winemaking.

Guy buys these grapes from a friend in the La Garonne climat. There’s an attractive floral note on the nose and a wonderful fresh, finesse to the fruit. The finish is long and saline leaving you reaching for another sip.

Unlike the rest of the Breton range which is grown on granitic soils, this comes from the famous pierre bleue soils of Mont Brouilly. The parcel is actually owned by good friend, and Lay & Wheeler favourite, Jean-Claude Lapalu. J-C looks after the vines during the year, and he and Breton pick the parcel on the same day, with Breton buying half the grapes. The wines the two men make couldn’t be more different in style. This version is lightly scented with ripe strawberries and cinnamon. There’s a little light grip from some fine tannins that are woven through the symphony of sweet red fruits. It is a delicious expression of Beaujolais, one with some gentle body and sweet ripeness, but no heaviness at all.

This is the flagship wine of the domaine. It comes from 90-year-old vines, and shows a charming combination of energy and unforced concentration, with persistence and a light lift of reduction. This is perfectly balanced with silky tannins and delicious salinity in the finish. This is a wine with so much life, and a great example of the Guy Breton style that has earned him such a following.

Mascot uses the younger vines from the Harlan Estate vineyard, the BOND vineyards and Promontory. The same meticulous care and attention goes into the growing of these vines and the result is a taste of the magic these vineyards can produce by this celebrated winemaking family. They think the 2019 could be the best yet, and we're inclined to agree. It has the power of the vintage but with everything in proportion, and a refreshing stony, mineral quality around the plump blackberry, blueberry and cassis fruit.

Mascot is a relatively new wine for the Harlan family, and is made from younger vines at the Harlan Estate, the BOND vineyards and Promontory. The same meticulous care and attention goes into the growing of these vines and the result is a taste of the magic these vineyards can produce. There’s a great balance between power and elegance here, with dark, brooding blackberry and black plum, and an earthy mineral component that brings more restraint.

A blend of the best of the East Ridge vineyard blocks. This has tons of dark plum and black cherry fruit, along with licorice and some subtle tobacco notes. It still has the textbook Hirsch lift and sappiness, with some clove and fresh mint providing brighter aromatics. Pliant and textural, with supple tannins.

West Ridge is a blend of different blocks in the hilltops of the Hirsch vineyard and showcases just how varied the soils are here, with dark clays, sand and more rocky soils all included. The 2021 is approachable now, with fresh, ripe red orchard fruit and melting tannins.

San Andreas Fault is the flagship bottling at Hirsch and they think the 2021 might be the best they've made here. Expect fresh red cherry and plum aromas and flavours, along with exotic spice and wet stone. There's fresh mint on the nose and towards the finish, after a juicy, concentrated fruit-driven mid-palate.

West Ridge is a series of hilltop vineyard blocks, and this is a blend of them all, including a variety of soil types. It's known as the most gentle and delicate of the Hirsch bottlings, with ripe, supple and persistent fruit flavours, with soft tannins.

Made from a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, with 12% Merlot making up the blend. This vintage of IX Estate is rich and intense, with brooding black fruit, graphite and wild sage. There's a lot of mineral, saline quality on the palate, and intense, grippy tannins typical of this mountain vineyard. Now with some time in bottle, the complex flavours are starting to knit together beautifully, showing masses of breadth and concentration through to a long, mineral-tinged finish.

The 2019 IX Estate is one of the finest wines from Napa Valley, situated in Pritchard Hill on volcanic soils. Rich, christmas cake aromas, blackberry jam, baked plum and cassis, with lots of savoury, wild sage character so typical of Pritchard Hill. Some graphite and incense developing. Dense, ripe, chocolatey tannins and a lovely lifted acid line.