August Bank Holiday Cellar Raids: Day Two

From the vineyard next to the cellar - Kelder in Afrikaans - this is as bright and energetic a Chenin Blanc as you’ll find. Volumes are miniscule, and the vines were planted in 1972. Floral and intense.

Planted in 1954, this old block of Cinsault gives an intense and refined expression of the grape. There’s real energy here, and there’s also notes of fynbos, negroni, and very fine but almost Nebbiolo-like tannins.

From a vineyard planted in 1968 at the entrance to Adi’s property, this has lots of yellow fruit and an almost tropical note, but remains taut and mineral on the finish.

From a vineyard planted in the 1940s, which also provides Eben’s Skerpioen, this is a saline, pithy, long, delicious white that’s one of Adi’s hidden gems.

Fewer than 1500 bottles are made of this, from a vineyard planted in 1966. This is intense and vibrant, and there’s so much concentration and depth of flavour. A brilliant Chenin Blanc.

Tinta Barocca has huge potential in the Swartland, this parcel, planted in 1972, shows it beautifully. There’s notes of iron oxide and black pudding, with a core of dark fruit. Structured and intense, this will age brilliantly.

Miniscule production here - just 800 kg of grapes or so come from this wall-surrounded vineyard, planted in 1963. It’s savoury and spicy, with notes of ginger and rooibos. This is intense and stunningly pure.

A serious Cinsault from a vineyard planted on the Paardeberg in 1954. This has notes of liquorice, rose petal, and lifted strawberry fruit. And it will age brilliantly, too. Powdery tannins complete the picture. You can almost taste the soil here. Brilliant.

A new project from Querciabella, all the fruit comes from high altitude vineyards on the Ruffoli hill, in the commune of Greve. Classically made, this is a profound, complex, ageworthy wine from Querciabella. There’s so much going on here, and the texture is astonishing. A new benchmark for Chianti?

Querciabella’s Super Tuscan, the 2017 Camartina is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese. The trick here is the estate’s high-altitude vineyards, bringing freshness and poise alongside astonishing depth of flavour and complexity. One of Italy’s greatest wines, this shouldn’t be missed.

South African winemaker Manfred Ing has been elevating this estate since his arrival and the Querciabella wines are considered to be some of the most exciting wines to be coming out of the Chianti region. A blend of 70 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese, the 2019 vintage displays the richness and concentration that you would expect from a warm vintage, combined with the complex layers from a long growing season and long, cool autumn. Bramble fruits, wild herbs and sour cherries combine with dark chocolate and clove spice. Tannins provide great structure and the backbone from a wine with a juicy, concentrated core.

The 2020 Solaia is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller percentages of Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese. It's a rich and dark expression this vintage, with layers of blackberry, black plum and cassis. There's lots of complexity, with freshly roasted coffee, dark chocolate and dry spice. The tannins are bold too, and densely packed, adding to the rich texture here.

Planted in 1972 and 1978. Quite dark and powerful, lovely energy, silky, very cherry, lovely tannic character, hint of rose and talc too, nice texture and very good energy and length. Racy but a sweetness of fruit. Cassis on the finish, and good length.

From a plot planted in 1948, this has strawberry on the nose, touch of spice, and is silky and almost Pinot. There’s notes of pomegranate, lovely acidity, mouth watering and very long, flowing tannins, and a very fine and silky finish. Luminous

The fruit comes from the San Sebastiano vineyard in Monforte, a site that has exceptional expositions for the Barbera grape. A significant amount of whole cluster and whole berry fruit goes into this Barbera that is aged exclusively in concrete to preserve the wine’s true expression. Sour cherry and damson fruit take hold of this red fruit focused wine. Subtle reduction adds some complexity, along with the wine’s mineral core.

Ultra, meanwhile, takes its name from the farmer’s love of trance music - and more specifically a gig named Ultra. It’s a Chenin Blanc from the Swartland, and is generous, textured, and astonishingly good value.

Aasvoel is Verdelho, from a single plot in Stellenbosch, that Pieter’s always desperate to get his hands on. So much so, that he feels like a vulture - Aasvoel in Afrikaans - waiting to pick over the vineyard. It's a textured, mouth filling white, but with loads of focussed energy.

A left field blend from Pieter: Grenache, Cinsault, Pinot, Syrah and then some Chenin Blanc & Viognier. This is a ripost to those who claim Pieter is a jack of all trades, master of none. It's so easy drinking, but with the structure and length to make it interesting.

The 2021 Syrah is a brilliant iteration of this legendary wine from Boekenhoutskloof. This outstanding vintage has resulted in a wine that has delicacy and focus, but also incredible structure. Notes of violet and dark fruit, and lots of energy on the finish. Spectacular.

While the Epilogue Syrah gets all the plaudits, the Sons of Sugarland is arguably just as good, if not even better. It sees no oak, and is a peppery, suave, floral expression of the grape. With bottlings like this, it's no wonder that Reenen is regarded as one of the Cape's Syrah masters.

Sourced from a 2.5 hectare parcel at the top of Falletto, the red label Le Rocche del Falletto Riserva is one of Barolo’s most iconic wines. Dark and layered, the 2017 iteration of the wine offers up an aromatic intensity that’s perfectly wrapped in suave, impeccably judged tannins. This year's top Barolo from Bruno Giacosa is outstanding, and yet again it’s well worth seeking out.

Mineral, fine, and remarkably complex, this 2018 is a really lovely wine. The palate has cherry fruit with some rose petals, and then lifted notes of seville oranges, and just a hint of spice. There’s a quinine-like minerality that comes through on the finish, making the finish of the wine very long, and making you reach for another glass.

Attractive perfume of red cherries, wild flowers and raspberries combine beautifully with a savoury gravelly note. The palate is very precise with a zesty acidity and well knit tannins. An approachable Barolo that showcases the best the region has to offer.

Sourced from across the Barbaresco region, from trusted suppliers, this is a wonderfully fragrant example of the region's everyday grape variety.

Yet another wine that shows just how good the 2014 vintage is. Soaring aromatics, incredible finesse, and remarkable length. A complete wine.

Silky, supple, and charming, the 2018 Barbaresco from Giacosa is a wonderful example of what makes Barbaresco so alluring. Rose petals and some citrus fruit, too, and there’s also a real energy on the palate. This is very fine-boned, and there’s an almost Pinot-Noir like clarity to the finish.

As with all of the wines at Giacosa, this is a lovely expression of the grape variety. Lots of cherry yoghurt here, with plenty of spice, too. Serve slightly chilled for a delicious red for summer.

A parcel within a single vineyard. Rocche sits at the top of the hill and has the oldest vines within the vineyard. Complex layers of red plums, cherries, rose and sweet clove and cinnamon spice. There is a herbal note on the palate as well as a leather that adds intrigue, with firm powdery tannins that are quite prominent now, but will almost certainly calm down in a couple of years. This is a classy wine that needs time.

Asili is a great vineyard in Barbaresco, and 2019 is a brilliant vintage. The result is a wine that dazzles with its intensity and finesse, and also with its nobility. The tannins are grippy but fine-boned, and the fruit is perfectly ripe. This lasts an age.

Wonderfully fresh and vibrant, particularly for a 2017, this has notes of cinnamon and freshly cut flowers swirling from the glass. A finessed and classy Barbaresco, that's surprisingly ready to go.

Yet another wine that shows just how good the 2014 vintage is. Soaring aromatics, incredible finesse, and remarkable length. A complete wine.

Really beautiful perfume. Quite savoury, with a nice hint of reduction. There’s plenty of purity here, with grippy tannins and fine thread of acidity. Lots of dark berries, and there’s a suaveness, or coolness across the palate. A touch austere, but with impressive depth, too.

Mario decided that the 2018 Monvigliero needed less time in barrel, and felt it won’t age quite as long as some vintages, so this isn’t a Riserva this year. This is so refined, pure, and energetic, with lovely finesse, and sumptuous tannins. This is pure Monvigliero, and such a delight already.

2019 is a great Barbaresco vintage, and this has cool fruit and plenty of acidity. There’s a tension here, and lots of rippling energy, with flavours that develop on the palate. Very impressive indeed.

There’s a lot of freshness to the 2017 Monvigliero Riserva, and also a very silky palate, despite the challenges of the vintage. This has grip and grows on the palate, and there’s notes of sea spray and red fruits, and then some balsamic. Very complex, with time this will blossom into a wonderful wine.

From a vineyard planted in 1978. Wow. What a nose. So detailed and floral, and there’s notes of clove and liquorice, and a balsamic character, too. The palate is silky and mineral, with lots of salinity, and powdery, fine-grained tannins that grow. Really nice texture here, with plenty of focus. Very long indeed. This is intense and powerful, yet such a baby. Outstanding. And there’s a hint of nice bitterness on the finish, which keeps the mouth watering.

Pelaverga is the indigenous grape variety to Verduno and is being revived by some high quality producers, such as Castello di Verduno. 2020 is a beautiful vintage that is approachable and instantly attractive. Expect an explosion of pepper and red berry and wild flower perfume.

The Riserva is only made in exceptional vintages where the estate thinks the wine can keep in the bottle for at least 20 years. The wine has a lot of structure with the tannins and acidity giving the core focus and tension. The aromas project cool red berry fruits and wild strawberry and herbs with hints of spice and black tea.

Vinified in oak rather than stainless steel (as the Rabajà-Bas is). This is aromatic and open, with wild flowers on the nose and plenty of intensity. There’s a purity and focus to the fruit, and notes of liquorice and tons of energy on the finish. This is very impressive, and very long indeed.

One of the finest vineyards in Barbaresco, from a spectacular vintage. This is perfumed, intense, and fine-boned, with amazing precision on the finish. Outstanding.

One of the greatest vineyards in Barolo has produced a stonking wine in 2011. Juicy, rich strawberry fruit and rendered tannins craft a wine with amazing mouthfeel, and a purity that’s rarely seen. Brilliant.

The 2017 Vin Santo from Castello di Volpaia is a magnificent effort that exhibits superb depth, density and complexity. Expect dried figs on the nose, with apricot and light caramel. There’s also a creamy texture here and an ever so slight nuttiness to the finish: almonds and toasted hazelnuts. Only the estate’s finest bunches of Trebbiano and Malvasia are selected for the this wine, and the qualityof this wine is soaring.

The 2017 Coltassala, the single vineyard wine from Volpaia, is brooding, intense, and very powerful. With time it's sure to be an impressive wine: at this price, a no brainer.

The forgotten grape of Piemonte, Cavallotto's Freisa is a real joy. So much fresh fruit and pure energy, and there's a slight crunchiness here too. Notes of fresh thyme and plenty of grip of the finish complete the picture. This is a delicious red from one of the region's greatest names.

In 2019 this is a one-off: just 5,000 half bottles of a straw wine: Lost & Found. It comes from a Hanepoot (Muscat of Alexandria) vineyard that was referred to as productive in 1900, but which was likely planted in the 1880s. 450+g/l of residual sugar, 7% alcohol, and spectacular acidity make an explosive wine that will last forever, if you can let it. Notes of marmalade and apricot jam, and still a real savoury, saline character. This really is a treat.

The 2018 Cupano Brunello di Montalcino is a stunning wine from this corner of Tuscany. Notes of blood orange, of morello cherries, and of spice all swirl from the glass. The nose entices you in, while the palate dazzles with its balance and purity. There’s that core of fresh fruit, while there’s also incredible complexity brought by a savoury minerality and sweet spice from the 5% new oak. This is a really beautiful iteration of the vintage, showing elegance and refinement, but with no loss of concentration.

Grenache led, with 38%, there’s also 36% Syrah, 10% Cinsaut, 9% Carignan, 7% Pinotage. It smells beautiful, with lots of pepper and fynbos and rooibos tea: a real South African red. So much tension on the finish. A real beauty.

Wild aeroplane' as Domenico was named by his father, this wine reflects his adventurous and wild streak by finding a vineyard outside of his beloved Monforte and into Serralunga. This wine is so floral and so charming in its profile with blood orange and pomegranite at the forefront.

Pajana is a single vineyard in the plot of Ginestra,in the heart of Monforte from 1971 plantings. The core is concentrated with sour cherry, redcurrants and cranberries that are supported by spice and balsamic notes.

The Pajana comes from the Ginestra cru in Monforte d'Alba, and is undoubtedly a Grand Cru of Barolo, particularly in 2016. Intense on the nose, with notes of tar and rose petal, the palate is structured and intense. This is a viscerally thrilling wine: one with astonishing poise and balance. So long, and so impressive.

Very mineral and cool, yet amazing intensity of tapenade and powerful berry fruit. There’s a coolness and purity here, and a sense of balance, too. Feel the generosity of the vintage only on the finish, where it’s balanced with soft yet saline tannins.

72 year old vines. Lovely freshness here, dark fruit, tension, power, salinity and nervous energy. This is intense and powerful, with loads of salinity: so mineral, but also lots of burnt orange peel, and some almond kernal. It’s so complex and very well balanced: an astonishing Barolo from a real magician.

3,600 bottles. So elegant on the nose, so silky, with notes of rose hip, and so much purity of tannins, with fine-boned tannins. This has lots of energy, with amazing salinity and raspberry fruit, mouth watering tannins on the finish: very fine and long.

From Monforte, this always takes a while to come round. Dark and balsamic, but with small berry fruit, and chunky yet savoury tannins, this is Monforte with the lightest touch. Brilliant.

Wonderfully pure on the nose, with plenty of rosehip character. This is incredibly floral and perfumed. The palate has notes of mint, with plenty of red berry fruit, and then also a hint of fresh pine needle. Blood orange, too, and other citrus. Very elegant, with such suave tannins, and a beautifully fine finish.

With a year in large Slavonian oak the wine has hints of smoke and and savoury spice. There is a delicious richness of bramble fruits and the tannins provide great structure.

Just 4,000 bottles are made from the 2ha at the historic heart of the Ravera cru. There’s lots of tension here: this will take time to unfurl, but when it does it will be a truly remarkable wine. There’s such minerality and talc-like tannins. Astonishingly beautiful.

The Bricco Pernice is powerful and structured and displays a juicy core with pomegranate and blood orange notes as well as bramble fruits and pepper spice.

A wine that always seems to over deliver in qualityand precision. So complex with floral and berry aromas as well as tar, leather and clove spice. Hints of black tea. The tannins are firm currently but are of very high quality and will ressolve in a couple of years and integrate with the wine's concentrated core.

A small single plot, entirely made from the Lampia clone of nebbiolo, Valter has managed the heat of 2015 beautifully: this is still a cool, savoury, impeccably balanced Barolo. Notes of wild strawberry and rose, and silky acidity. Bravo.

Intense and powerful on the nose, this 2017 Saffredi is masterful. Careful selection ensured that the fruit remained fresh, with crunchy dark berries, and notes of sea spray, tapenade, and spice. The palate is so refined and elegant, with a finish that lasts for minutes.

This single vineyard situated in the prestigious village of La Morra is planted to 60 year old vines at the top of the hill on dark sand over clay soils. The profile is juicy and concentrated with red plum, cherries and liquorice spice with very approachable tannins and a delight to drink now.

A blend of 30% from La Morra’s Rive vineyard, bringing flesh and body, 30% from Castiglione Falletto’s Scarrone, giving an earthiness and savouriness, and 40% from Serralunga d’Alba’s Baudana & Broglio, bringing tension and brilliance.This is pale and translucent, with pure fruit, silky tannins, and stunning energy. This is a brilliant wine, and is not to be missed

This wine showcases a generosity of cranberry, pomegranate and bright red plum fruit, underpinned by a juiciness and ripeness on the palate. The tannins are supple and the wine offers immediate drinking pleasure.

Fossacolle is a small 4 hectare property, which enables the owner and winemaker Stefano Bambagioni to be meticulous in his approach. The 2018 Brunello is a real stand out displaying great vibrancy and zesty acidity. Black cherry and wild berry perfume is supported by a spice and hints of leather, with a sweet and juicy core that is balanced beautifully with firm, chalky tannins.

Fossacolle is in the careful hands of Stefano Bambagioni who has brought a new lease of life into this 4 hectare property. The Riserva isn't produced every year and only small volumes are made with a selection of the best plots from some of their older plantings. Savoury in its profile with coffee, black olive and clove notes with hints of dried red berry fruits.

Sourced from 3 vineyards (La Volta, Fossati and Coste di Vergne) with different expositions of up to 480 metres altitude benefitting from fossil and limestone marl soils, this wine is the most approachable in its youth, yet due to the wine’s innate quality has plenty of life in it. Vivid sour cherry, pomegranate and redcurrants are supported by a lively, crisp acidity and compact tannins. Wild flowers persist on the finish of this rather enjoyable Barolo.

Riesling may not be the first grape variety you’d expect to find in the rolling hills of the Langhe. But Aldo Vajra was fascinated by the grape variety while at university, and decided to try his hand at making a few bottles of the grape, planting his first vineyard in 1985. Now made from a blend of clones from Alsace, Geisenheim, and the Pfalz, from two separate vineyards, one of which is the legendary Barolo vineyard of Fossati, this is a taut yet generous dry Riesling which, like the Nebbiolos of the region will require patience to show its very best.

"This very young Sorì Tildìn takes time to open, and it remains on the nervous side even after it has been given ample time in the glass. The best course of action is to wait until the 10-year mark before opening this bottle. It needs that extra time to soften and flesh out.” 95 points, Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate

The 2018 from Laura deviates from the power of 2017, showcasing the finesse and precision that she manages to achieve in her wines. Being a cooler vintage, the wine demonstrates a floral perfume of rose, wild red berries and blood orange, as well as hints of herbs and liquorice spice. The tannins are powdery and fine grained and the core is so tightly wound. A vintage that is so accessible and enjoyable now, but has the restrained concentration to last for a long time.

The 2019 Bricco delle Ciliegie from Giovanni Almondo is an astonishingly good expression of the Arneis grape. Incredibly complex, notes of orange blossom, rosemary, and pine needles swirl from the glass. The palate is textured and savoury, with a core of fresh conference pears, and a thread of acidity that makes this so thirst-quenching.

With a few years of bottle age, this is hitting its stride. Pithy and mineral, with just a hint of honey and freshly cut herbs, the price of this is astonishing. Complex, long, and stunningly delicious.

Undoubtedly the standout wine of the Roero zone, the 2017 Bricco delle Ciliegie doesn't disappoint. There's richness and roundness here, that comes from some clay in the soil, but also stunning tension and coolness to the fruit. The texture on the saline finish is wonderful - it has you reaching straight for another glass.

A cool, suave, delicious wine from Mauro and his family. There’s a coolness and freshness here, with incredible purity. Red berries and just a hint of minty complexity, there’s an energy and finesse here: delicious.

From a small parcel in the Gramolere vineyard, named after the small house (the Bricat house). This is a real charmer in 2018. There are talc-like tannins, and then loads of dark berry fruit. There’s a freshness and energy here, with incredible purity on the finish. This is beautifully balanced, and very long indeed.

Really pure fruit, feel the sweetness here, but it’s so well balanced, with amazing tannic purity. There’s amazing length here, with strawberry fruit and then also that salinity on the finish, and then lots of grip. With time this will be outtsanding.

Tasted as a barrel sample. This has a lot of concentration, with real intensity and purity to the fruit. It comes from the vineyard surrounding the winery. There are Serralunga-like chalky tannins, and crisp acidity, from a vineyard that’s around 450metres-420metres above sea level.

The Santo Stefano di Perno vineyard is situated in the commune of Monforte D'Alba and the 2019 vintage is a real delight. The wine displays real focus and concentration, with rose floral notes and wild strawberries balanced with savoury spice and crushed stone and mineral profiles.

Alberto Graci returned from a career in banking in Milan to his native Sicily in 2004, convinced of the quality of the region and its true potential. High altitude plots, older vines, indigenous grapes on the northern slopes of Etna have been the estate’s focus. This Nerello comes exclusively from the Arcurìa Contrada that has 15 hectares of Nerello planted in this amazing amphitheatre where there are cool and dry breezes constantly blowing through the vineyard. Expect wild flowers, herbs and crushed stone aromas that are supported with spice layers. Tannins are fine grained and the palate is deliciously silky.

This wine comes from a 1.5 hectare vineyard with 80-year-old vines planted on the cooler, northern side of Etna at 600 metres altitude. Planted with Nerello Mascalese and a small part with Nerello Cappuccio, this is a picturesque plot that is surrounded by olive and almond trees. The red berries are ripe and luxurious and display notes of sour cherries, red plum, liquorice and graphite. The core is juicy and there is real density and concentration that is supported rather elegantly with firm, chalky tannins.

Very pure. From the Lazzarito cru. This is so elegant and refined, with incredible purity and texture. Very fine tannins, there’s a citrus lift, red berries, it’s utterly beguiling, mineral, and long. Bravo. Planted in 1975 or 1980s.

Having bought the vineyard at the end of 2010 and replanted the following year, 2014 was the 1st vintage of this now much sought after wine. The layers of complexity well surpass the youth of the vines. This is quite an expressive, almost showy style of Barolo with bramble fruit, dried rose and hints of truffle. The tannins have a sweetness to them, but have a structure and firmness that 2019 brings. Exceptionally long.

Wild strawberries, redcurrant and bright red cherry notes exude from the glass whilst the chalky, tight knit tannins provide the perfect backbone. There is a concentration and accessibility on the palate creating a rather enticing Langhe Nebbiolo.

From Kaaimansgat, from the same vineyard as Peter-Allan Finlayson's Malabel, this is a cool climate Pinot Noir that dazzles with its freshness and purity. Jessica has to battle the baboons here for the grapes, but it's well worth it: this is floral, delicate, and very long. Not the most powerful, the finish lasts an age.

From the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, this is a wine that shows impressive freshness and intensity. A core of dark berry fruit, with lots of spice on the nose and the palate, and fine-grained tannins that linger, it's a very classy Pinot Noir. It's a shame there's so littler.

The most iconic Pinotage from the Cape is Kanonkop’s Black Label. From a vineyard planted in 1953, the finest site on Kanonkop’s estate in their eyes, just 6,500 bottles are produced of this wine. Laden with delicious oak spice, it’s powerful and intense, but yet so poised and effortless. Morello cherry, dark chocolate, coffee beans, wild herbs, with fresh violets the spectrum of flavours is immense. A unique wine: this needs to be tasted to be believed.

From a vineyard planted in 1953, the finest site on Kanonkop’s estate in their eyes, just 6,500 bottles are produced of the Black Label Pinotage. It’s powerful and intense, but it’s the quality of the tannins that’s simply remarkable. A unique wine: this needs to be tasted to be believed.

Just a few hundred bottles of this single block are produced: for Matt, it's a play thing, something that informs the rest of his winemaking. Notes of ginger and fresh grapefruits swirl from the glass of this wine, that's all about texture and purity. South Africa's best Sauvignon Blanc?

Block 382 is a single vineyard at the top of the Klein Constantia hillside, and the 2020 is intense and pure and remarkably textured. Just a few hundred bottles are produced this: we're thrilled to be able to offer it in the UK.

This 2018 is showing great purity of red cherry and berry fruit, supported by liquorice and clove spice. Hints of blood orange and a stony minerality add complexity, combined with the wine's chalky tannins and vibrant acidity.

The 2020 vintage is bright and alluring with great juiciness and suppleness. Red berry perfume dominates the aroma profile, with sweet spice and wild flowers evident on the palate. There is a silkiness to the core that makes this wine very quaffable.

The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is one of the best examples you’ll find from this vintage. The nose is orange blossom infused, with lots of morello cherry, and then a real core of slightly herbal fruit. The tannins are firm but mineral, and have you reaching for another glass, while the finish is long and perfumed. A stunning Brunello, with a long life ahead.

Birba, meaning little rascal in the local dialect, is the perfect way to get into the wines of La Gerla. Lovely fruit, juicy and fine, very silky tannins and finish. Love the mouth watering length, and the amazing depth to the fruit here. There’s an energy and vibrancy here that wouldn’t look out of place at double the price. This is one of the best Birbas I've tasted.

One of our favourite whites, this is a wine that really shows off its origins. Smoky and savoury, with a taut, linear palate, and so much saline energy. This is such a joyful wine: not to be missed.

The 2022 is a warm vintage, yet this wine feels fresh and energetic. Juicy red plum, pomegranate, liquorice and wild strawberries are supported by a juicy acidity and chalky tannins.

A blend of grapes from Greyton and Cape South Coast. Lovely energy here, with fynbos and tapenade notes, and then a core of dark fruit. Very nicely done.

From a single vineyard planted in 1977 on the decomposed sandstone of the Piekenierskloof, this is a brilliant Chenin Blanc. There's a luminosity here, and also a real freshness. But don't let the subtlety fool you: this is a serious wine, with a lot of potential in it.

Howard John is in honour of Franco’s dad, and is a red blend that comes, from 2019, entirely from the Swartland. Lovely fruit. So much delicate energy, lovely mouthfeel. Plenty of perfume, then grip and a long and pure finish. Very detailed and very long.

Named in honour of Franco's daughter, Lua, this is a delicate, perfumed, almost Pinot-like Grenache from the Piekenierskloof. Tiny quantities are made, and its rightly soughtafter. Notes of pomegranate and wild strawberries, and also lots of spice on the finish. Just so pretty, long, and refined.

Aged in cement, the purity of fruit shines through in this wine. Strawberries, red plum and aniseed come to the fore, with clove spice and herbal notes taking a supporting role. The wine’s tannins have a lightness of touch and combine extremely well with the juicy palate.

This cru vineyard site makes up just under a third of Manuel’s holdings and is situated on the western edge of the region. Attractive rose and crushed raspberry perfume combine with cranberry, damsons and cinnamon spice. The tannins are chalky and firm and woven into the wine’s concentrated core.

A beautifully balanced Nebbiolo from Manuel. There’s blood orange and strawberry fruit on the nose, with brilliant complexity and a lovely, fine thread of acidity. This is vibrant, with lovely salinity on the finish. Very long and fine-boned: a real charmer.

Lovingly named after Maria’s grandmother, Stella Flora is the only white wine made at the picturesque Maria Pia Castelli estate in the hills of east Italy. Dominated by Pecorino, this is a blend of local Marche grapes with time on the skins giving a beautiful golden colour to the wine.There’s a maritime influence from the nearby Adriatic sea and the wine is remarkably textured, with notes of orange peel and lots of herbal lift.

Pomegranate, wild flowers and red cherries bounce out of the glass and the palate is juicy and alluring. Hints of clove and thyme add layers of complexity and intrigue, whilst the tannins are fine grained and so well integrated.

This is a blend of: 34% Stellenbosch Chardonnay (skin fermented for 11 days); 9% Stellenbosch Chardonnay; 26% Bott Stellenbosch Old Vine Chenin; 17% Stellenbosch Old Vine Muscat (fermented for 7 days on skins and stems); 11% 2020 Reserve Chardonnay aged for 2.5 years in Barrel; and 3% Cool Climate Elgin Riesling. It’s complex and delicious, with lots of bright acidity, notes of lemon curd, and sea spray. Long and poised, it’s an impressive white.

From the Voor Paardeberg, this is a complex and well-balanced Grenache Blanc. It has notes of yellow fruit and plenty of spice and herbal notes. In no way overblown, this is a masterclass in balance from Marelise.

This Tinta Barocca, meanwhile, is a real labour of love. She loves the grape variety, and this comes from three different, old vine sources: one in Bot Rivier, one in Stellenbosch, and then a parcel on the same farm on the Paardeberg as the other two wines. This is a bottling that benefits from a couple of years in bottle: with that it develops wonderful smoky notes, and hints of blood orange.

The Kweekamp Chardonnay comes from a high altitude vineyard, planted on limestone. Limestone, the top pick for Chardonnay plantations throughout the world, is a rarity in the Cape, and this is a tense, mineral yet pleasingly open expression of the grape, with a lovely lick of oak spice. Just five barrels are made. In recent years, as well as being bottled by the Bruwers, this vineyard is also around one third of the blend of Capensis, South Africa’s most expensive Chardonnay, made by Jackson Family Wines.

Montevetrano is a blend of Aglianico, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It's an intense, powerful wine, but what marks it out is the freshness and textured layers here. A brilliant southern Italian red.

From the hills that surround Malmesbury, this single vineyard Syrah is always the most backward of the Mullineux's wines. It's intense and bloody in character, with loads of dark fruit, intense tannins, and also a saline minerality. Long, precise, and incredibly soulful, it's a simply wonderful wine.

The Dry Red is inspired by the South African reds of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. At this time, wines labelled as Cabernet Sauvignon would frequently have a considerable proportion of Cinsault, and this is an equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Cinsault, and is a wine built for long ageing.

The Granite Syrah comes from the Paardeberg, from 24 year old vines, and is incredibly elegant and floral in style, with real focus.

From a parcel planted in 1900, this is an incredible Cinsault of depth and power, and remarkable structure. Tiny quantities produced.

From the Mullineux’s own vineyard on the Paardeberg, this has a breadth and density. There’s extra phenolic intensity here, from the thicker skins, and that brings a grippiness and a more yellow fruited character. More intense.

Lower vigour than the Seadragon, here the family benefitted from being able to wait for harvest in 2022. They let it hang for an extra week, and the resulting wine has 40% stems included. It’s dark and opulent, but also very saline and savoury. Impressive.

The Romirasco vineyard is 50 – 55 years old and situated on the highest point of the hill of Bussia, with a lot of the fruit going into their iconic Barolo ‘Granbussia’. This is a full bodied wine with a mix of red and black berry fruits, spice and leather notes adding layers of complexity. The firm, chalky tannins of the 2019 vintage provide enough support to the wine's concentration and generosity on the palate. With only 6000 bottles produced, this wine has it all and is well worth ageing in the cellar for several years.

Generous red fruit nose, floral and raspberry, with lots going on. The palate is finely judged, with lovely, silky and saline tannins, and good energy. Vibrancy and finesse in spades here. This is surprisingly approachable today.

With only 3000 bottles produced, the fruit for this wine comes from the oldest vineyard plots of Vigna Romirasco, Vigna Cicala and Vigna Colonello and is only produced in the best vintages. The wine is aged for 33 months in large Slavonian casks and spent a further 9 years in bottle before release. Expect fresh and dried fruits combined with liquorice, mushrooms, blood orange and wild flowers. The tannins have resolved and balance perfectly with the silky core.

The Conca Tre Pile vineyard, on a steeply sloping part of the Bussia Soprana hill, is home to Barbera vines of up to 45 years old. Aldo Conterno is one of the most iconic winemaking names originating from the region and the wines never fail to disappoint. Some ageing in French barrique gives additional spice and complexity and support the dark red plum and bramble notes as well as the hints of herbs and black pepper. The palate is juicy and the tannins are supple and well integrated making this a very approachable wine.

This comes from a 3.8ha plot, with vines planted in 1937, with others in the 1950s and 1960s. Lovely floral energy, more grapefruit than the other wines here, and lovely juicy berries. Very serious palate, notes of cumin and tamarind. And lovely density on the finish, which persists.

One of the great wines of Piedmont, this doesn’t disappoint in 2012. From a single plot in the Bussia hillside, this has astonishing depth and intensity. Notes of tapenade and dark cherries swirl from the glass, with some notes of tar and lots of wild roses. This is so complex, so long, and so enticing.

The 40 – 45-year-old cru vineyard Colonnello is one of Conterno’s best sites, with its complex mix of sand, magnesium and manganese soils. The 2019 is a classic vintage and one for Nebbiolo lovers and is very similar in profile to 2016. The 28 months the wine spends in Slavonian oak has helped round out the present tannins. Wild flowers and red berries combine with pomegranate and crushed raspberries. There is a concentration that is perfectly balanced with the racy acidity, a true delight to drink.

The only Cinsault Blanc we know about, with just a few hundred bottles made. This is apple-fruited, textured, and saline, and is so much more than a curiosity. Long and pithy, and incredibly delicious, you'll be reaching for another glass.

A blend of 70% Syrah, 12% Grenache, 10% Carignan, and 8% Cinsault, this is a brilliant Mediterranean red from a master winemaker. Hints of wild herbs and plenty of red fruit, there are saline tannins here, and a really lifted, elegant quality to the fruit.

From one of the most famous sites in Neive, this shows the classic character of the commune. Very delicate and fragrant, this shows the classic tar and roses that we love in so much great Nebbiolo. Very pretty, and alpine tinged.

Darker and more brooding than the Gallina, this has more spice and sour cherry and lots of grip. Savoury, with impressive potential, and lots of dried herbs on the finish. A serious Barbaresco.

Darker and more brooding than the Gallina, this has more spice and sour cherry and lots of grip. Savoury, with impressive potential, and lots of dried herbs on the finish. A serious Barbaresco.

The vineyard in Barbaresco that arguably made Roagna’s name. Pajé is a small strip of land facing South West, with an average age of the vines for this wine of 40 years old. It’s a benchmark Barbaresco, with lots of purity and delicacy to the fruit. Don’t miss this.

From one of the most famous sites in Neive, this shows the classic character of the commune. Very delicate and fragrant, this shows the classic tar and roses that we love in so much great Nebbiolo. Very pretty, and alpine tinged.

A tiny production wine from Luca, that’s got lots of Tortonian soil character. Lots of silky tannins, citrus fruit, and a lovely sense of purity. Rare but beautiful.

A tiny production white, made from 30+ year old Chardonnay from the Pira Vineyard, alongside a little white Nebbiolo. This is exotic and generous, with lots of texture and almond kernel on the finish.

This rather unique blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Pugnitello works rather well indeed. This wine has a lot going on in the glass and certainly isn’t shy, but it also has balance and restraint at the same time. Expect Black cherry, blackberry, black olive and herbal notes with a zesty acidity and firm tannins.

With vineyards planted in the late 90s and early 2000s, the vines are starting to get some age and this is seemingly having a great impact on the wine with quality going up every vintage. Based on Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon the wine is more on the red plum and bramble profile, with a firm tannin structure. Savoury leather and sweet clove spice add complexity, with a vibrancy from the acidity creating balance

Made from a selection from the San Marcellino vineyard, this wine is only produced in high quality vintages. A small vineyard that is majority old vines, the wine has 5-10% of the indigenous Pugnitello grape added, a Tuscan grape that brings colour and perfume to the wine. Aged for 24 months in barrel, the wine has leather, coffee and spice at the forefront with wild flowers, brambles and blood orange notes that support it in the background. Tannins are evident, however there is a lot of concentration and matter on the palate to balance this.

Dark pink in colour, this rosato is a serious rosé that has a lot going on in the glass and a breadth on the palate that makes it a perfect pairing with food. Summer fruits combine with pomegranate and citrus peel. Juicy, refreshing acidity, and a long saline, mineral finish. Delicious!

Pre-phylloxera, 100 year old vines, and 100% Nerello Mascalese makes a wine that wows with its intensity, power, and fine boned tannins. So wild and energetic, this will age spectacularly.

Old vines from over 80 years of age help give this wine a concentration and complexity from this Nerello Mascalese red with a small percentage of Grenache. Bright red fruits are the cornerstone of this wine, supported by violet perfeume and pepper spice. The tannins are fine grained and of exceptional quality.

Dark pink in colour, this rosato is a serious rosé that has a lot going on in the glass and a breadth on the palate that makes it a perfect pairing with food. Red cherry and plum fruits combine with pomegranate and citrus peel. The acidity is juicy and refreshing and there is a pithiness on the palate that brings more structure.

A vineyard planted in 1996, this is the last bushvine Stellenbosch Syrah left. Dense and saline, this has a lot of tannin, but also the fruit inteensity to balance. This will age brilliantly.

Mainly a 1988 parcel, but with some 1968 vines, too. The wind is key for this wine, Bernhard explains. It's an energetic Cinsault, that's all about lift and brightness, and red berries and spice. The finish is saline and has you reaching for another glass right away.

Spectacular. Notes of bramble and cedar on the nose give way to a palate with so much refinement, balance, and elegance, yet a sense of power and energy that’s rarely seen. A wine to leave you speechless.

The flagship wine from one of our favourite Tuscan estates, Tenuta Sette Cieli, is fabulous in 2017. A blend of Malbec, Cabernet, and Merlot, the Indaco spends 18 months in oak before being bottled. There's lovely richness here, peppery and red fruit aromas, and a finish that lasts a long time. A very impressive, incredibly well balanced Indaco from winemaker Elena Pozzolini.

Quite ripe nose, dark cherries and power and also a ripe floral character. Savoury and saline and really fine, salty tannins. Lovely elegance to the fruit and a really juicy finish. Very clean and finely judged, floral and very long and silky. Impressive.

This Bordeaux blend (50% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 11% Petit Verdot) comes from the heart of the Bolgheri region where the grapes benefit from their proximity to the Mediterranean coast. 2021 experienced a warm summer and therefore the profile of this wine is rich and concentrated. The wine however displays incredible freshness and structure and the vintage is a real delight. Expect bramble flavours and garrigue herbs combined with clove spice.

50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. This wine has an attractive generosity of red and black fruits with sweet spice and cedar notes adding layers to this delightful 2020 vintage of Ornellaia. The tannins have a grip to them, yet there is a sweetness that rounds out these edges very gracefully.

A mini Ornellaia, this second wine is made up of a Bordeaux blend of Merlot (44%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Cabernet Franc (13%) and Petit Verdot (13%). 2020 saw rather changeable weather with very long periods followed by heavy rainfall and drops in temperature, resulting in a longer harvest than usual to enable the different varieties were picked at optimum ripeness and condition. A combination of hand picking, sorting tables at the winery as well as the addition of an optical sorter in 2016 has resulted in a wine that is of impressive quality. The wine is aged in French barriques (25% new) for 15 months before being bottled and remains in bottle for a futher 6 months prior to release. The winemaker believes the 2020 is reminiscent of 2018, 2013 and 2010, and having tasted all three recently, this wine is destined for great things. Expect red plums and red wild berry perfume, combined with liquorice spice and herbal undertones.

Tin Soldier is 100% Semillon Gris from a vineyard propagated from cuttings from the Paper Kite vineyard, and planted just eight years ago. It’s fermented on the skins, and is copper-coloured and stunningly complex. Notes of orange pith and fresh ginger swirl from the glass, while the palate is wonderfully saline and brilliantly long. A favourite, the 2020 is taking this wine to a whole new level.

A 44 year old vineyard on the Paardeberg makes this classic Swartland Chenin Blanc. Notes of nashi pear and straw, with bright citrus and a luminosity to the fruit. Very long and focussed, with a huge potential for ageing.

Orange blossom, peach and burnt sugar aromas give way to more exotic wax, rosemary, caraway and sea-shore notes. It is layered and complex, and evolves beautifully in the glass. The palate is fine, structured and rich with flavours of quince and tea-leaf that settle into a long finish.

This family estate has been leading the charge in making high quality Trebbiano whites with real character and soul. Mineral and salty on the palate and supported by red apple and citrus aromas with hints of thyme and verbena.

This estate from northern Italy in Friulano is sourced from three vineyards; Boghis, Ciampagnis and Vie di Romans. A blend of Malvasia, Riesling and Tocai Friulano, this white blend is aromatic and displays delicious grapey, blossom and jasmine notes combined with citrus and stone fruits. The palate carefully balances a glycerol texture and fresh acidity.

This 2017, sourced from 54 year old vines in La Morra’s Brunate vineyard, is rich and concentrated, with plenty of dark fruit, cedar and liquorice notes. Brunate is always among Barolo’s densest bottlings, but Vietti’s expression of the vineyard is as balanced a wine as we’ve tasted. It’s incredibly precise, and the extraction is masterfully handled.

For years, the village of Novello and the Ravera cru were too easy to overlook. But Vietti’s Ravera is simply too good to pass up. It’s sourced from a 2.7 hectare plot of old vines, and packed full of floral notes, cedar, tobacco, and remarkable freshness.

The structured and sculpted 2018 Barolo Lazzarito is a brilliant expression of its site. Crushed rocks, graphite, and gravel run through the core of this Barolo. But there’s also finesse here: rose petal and blood orange aromas peek through. An iron fist in a velvet glove.

Sourced from old vines in the celebrated Brunate Cru in La Morra, this has layers of dark fruit, a velvety mid-palate texture, and a mineral lift that will have you reaching for a second glass in no time. Over the past few years, Vietti have expanded their holdings in Brunate, allowing for more rigorous standards of selection and more precise wines. This is absolutely thrilling.

Sourced from the ampitheatre-shaped Lazzarito cru in Serralunga d’Alba, the 2017 Barolo Lazzarito from Vietti puts on a real performance. It’s floral and open-knit with ripe red fruit and a savoury mid palate. On the nose, it’s nuanced and complex – the kind of wine that’s hard to put down.

This is an ageing Cabernet Franc bushvine on the edge of the Paarl appellation, that’s grown on weathered sandstone and decomposed granite soil. It’s a very silky, elegant expression, with lots of top floral notes, and then very silky tannins, too.

Chris Keet's Weather Report is a brand new producer, and he focusses on Cabernet Franc from the Cape. This is a blend of sites and soils, and is a really lovely wine. Informed by the best examples of the Loire, but with a little more SA sun, it's silky and savoury, and very long indeed. A brilliant first vintage.