Cellar Raids: Day Three

The 2018 Riserva is yet another stunning iteration of this wine from Querciabella. Notes of damson and wild cherry on the nose, while the palate is silky, juicy, and impressively long. This is drinking beautifully already, but will surely age well, too.

A famous vineyard in Barolo, in Serralunga, made by the Vajra family. This is brilliant, with talcy tannins, loads of fresh and fragrant fruit, and a long and pure finish. Really beautifully done.

From Jean Stodden's most famous vineyard, this is incredible in 2019. There's so much going on here, with spice and dark fruit, and a hint of liquorice, too. The finish is mineral and so well defined, and goes on for an age. With elegance yet power, this wouldn't look our of place in a line up of Burgundy Grands Crus.

The 2018 Rathfinny Classic Cuvée is a stunning fizz from a remarkably beautiful estate. There’s a richness on the nose that comes from the perfect growing season: ripe citrus and a hint of redcurrants, while the palate is tense, chalky, and impeccably balanced. This is beautifully delicious today, but will also age wonderfully.

This cuvée is an homage to Stéphane's father, André (dédé/DD) who began making this wine. It is a blend of Pinot Noir, Trousseau and Poulsard which is made in a "glouglou" style without sulphur for easy drinking. Its long, gentle fermentation and ageing in hundred-year-old foudres preserve the natural freshness of the varieties. It is bottled with a little more CO2 than most wines to compensate for the lack of added sulphur dioxide. This provides a prickle of freshness, and a quick carafing might be advised. This quintessentially Jurassic red is wonderful for early, easy drinking.

A traditional Côte-Rôtie that sees Yves coferment 10% Viognier with his Syrah, there’s nice balance here between floral lift and meaty richness. With its energy and texture, it’s complex but easy to drink. This is very fine indeed.

The first single vineyard they made was the Skaliekop, from a vineyard planted in 1985 on the Paardebosch farm. This vineyard is an anomaly: an island of schist on the normally granite Paardeberg. Indeed, the name means hill of Shale, and this gives a mineral, reserved character to the wine. This has notes of fennel and lime blossom, and the potential here is outstanding.

Pure, juicy apple fruit and a creamy texture, with light mealy notes. There are plenty of flinty, reductive notes with bright acidity keeping it fresh and zippy.

65 year old vines here give incredible depth of flavour, as well as a beautifully balanced thread of acidity. Long and textured.

The 2019 Syrah from Boekenhoutskloof comes from the Goldmine property, planted on brown schist, and Porseleinberg, on blue schist. The resulting wine is wonderfully perfumed - like great Côte-Rôtie - but with a touch of added ripeness. There’s dark berry fruit and a hint of tapenade, and then silky tannins that last an age. This is an astonishingly good Syrah from the team at Boekenhoutskloof.

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?

This comes from old vines planted in the historic vineyard. It is undeniably powerful, and would benefit from a few years in the cellar.

A classic example from this cooler region in the hills above the Ladoix-Serrigny in the Côte de Beaune. It is peachy and smooth, quite grapey in style, with lovely roundness and a silky texture.

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.

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.

One of Eva's Grand cru sites, this site is always more floral and instantly inviting on the nose. Expect white blossom, grapefruit and white peach supported by hints of honey and ginger. The acidity is nervy and the saltiness continues on the finish, proving to be a rather delicious wine.

Quite steely and reductive now, thanks to a long fermentation until November 2022 on the fine lees. This gives it masses of volume on the palate with rich juicy fruit. There’s zingy acidity here and a dry, chalky finish. Lots of savoury lees character makes it appetising and lip-smacking on the finish.

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.

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.

From the vineyard behind the house, the 2016 Barbaresco from Manuel Marinacci is a joy. Vibrant yet concentrated, with notes of spearmint, straweberry, and a hint of quinine, it's a long, pretty, delicious nebbiolo.

This is elegant and fine from Mastrojanni in 2014. Floral and citrus on the nose, with blood orange and a sprinkle of pepper. A Brunello defined by freshness and purity, this is charming, and remarkably delicious.

The 2016 is an absolute delight, it displays bright damson, red and blackcurrant fruits as well as layers of clove and cinnamon spice with a touch of smoke and leather. The tannins are present but are so well integrated with the wine’s concentrated core.

It’s the acidity that makes this a very special wine, with amazing freshness alongside a silky, precise finish. There’s loads of tension, and notes of oyster shell and ripe pears. Brilliantly complex and balanced.

Les Hâtes sits in the middle of the village, surrounded by premiers crus on well-draining soil. It is so red-fruited and floral - bursting with grenadine and red currant aromas - that you’d be forgiven for thinking it probably has a high proportion of whole bunch fruit. But, in fact, David says only 3-5% whole bunches went into the tank. The floral character is a natural expression of the site, and makes it a delicious introduction to the village for first-timers.

The nose is reticent at first, but with time and aeration, aromas of pure blackcurrant, violets, cocoa bean and smoke emerge. On the palate this is a wine of grand stature. There is a ripe sweetness and multilayered depth to the fruit which offsets the fine and insistent grip of the tannin. This wine is classically Haut-Brion in its broad and powerful nature, alongside a lightness of touch, elegance and precision. There is a hidden depth to this wine, with just a touch of nuance and detail evident at this young stage. The incredibly long finish is an early testament to the potential that this will evolve into great wine with time.

Fresh red and black berry fruit with black cherry and tons of development already in the form of roasted hazlenut, truddle, espresso, earth and tobacco. Fine, ripe tannins are densely packed and create a rich feel on the palate. Lisa Perotti-Brown, writing in the Wine Advocate, awards (96-98) points for this "beautiful" wine.

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.

Located in Monforte d'Alba, the grapes are sourced from the vineyard of Bussia, one of Barolo's most sought after Cru. The 2016 is a spectacular vintage, wonderfully approachable, yet a wine that will age beautifully. Expect sweet and savoury spice combined with rose perfume and red cherry notes. Tannins are firm but fine grained and balanced with concentration and bright, lively acidity.

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

Sebastien’s Chardonnays get better and better every year. This is from the limestone soils of the village of Astheim, far from the estate's cellar in Burgstadt. It’s pure and focussed, but with just a little fat on the bones. Lovely.

Instantanée is a single vintage Champagne that is made every year in order to take a “photo” of that year, the domaine explains. This 2017 is citrus-edged, with a firm and bracing backbone of acidity. It's a blend of roughly equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from across Ludes, Villedommange, Rilly-La-Montagne and Brouillet. It spent 6 years ageing on lees before disgorgement, and the wine has taken on weight and structure in that time.

Bright and aromatic on the nose and palate with a softness to the texture despite plenty of bright acidity. Golden apple and pear fruit flavours with fresh lemon. Juicy on the mid-palate with some richness before a more savoury finish. Grown on granite soils, there’s a crystalline purity and elegance.

This is a blend of two parcels and is the hidden gem of Sorrel’s range. 20% comes from Bessards, and 80% from Les Plantiers, just below Le Méal. These vines produce fruit with real power, and this wine has a great presence. But the floral tones and salty fruit make it more accessible than the Gréal, and mean it should start to open up a little earlier.

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.

One of the best terroirs among Morey’s premiers crus, this comes from 40-50 year old vines. Wild and stony, there are notes of almond kernels and fresh berries. There is such focus here, and a long and savoury finish. Brilliant, and so well priced.

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.

The second wine of L’If, from the Jacques Thienpont stable, shines in the fantastic 2019 vintage. It’s a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and comes from three hectares of young vines in the L’If estate. It’s aged in 50% new oak for one year, and the result is a lovely balance of bright red berry fruit and creamy texture. Vibrant and complex on the palate, it has sweeter spice notes like licquorice and a fresh minty character on the finish.

“The Lafleur is a blend of 45% Merlot picked on 1 and 2 October, and 55% Cabernet Franc picked on 9 October. Leaving the wine to open up over 5 minutes you can discern a distant marine influence that suffuses the black fruit: small dark cherries and boysenberry. The palate is medium-bodied with very good structure. The tensile tannins are immediately recognizable and as Baptiste mentioned, reminiscent of classic vintages such as 1988, 2001 and 2004. It is a masculine Lafleur, upstanding and perhaps even slightly aloof, but there is great penetration and focus towards the saline finish. If you want a more flamboyant Lafleur then head for the 2009, but if you appreciate a more reserved Lafleur then head here.” 93-95 points Neal Martin’s Wine Journal, eRobertParker.com

Each wine (Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez) is matured, separately in its own solera for 12 years. Once blended together, the resulting sherry is returned to a 45-cask solera for a further 3 years ageing. Expect candied orange peel, black tea, figs, toffee and hints of smoke. Super concentrated and long on the finish.

A trailblazing cuvee from Catena that focuses on the execptional terroir here. There's limestone soils and 1500m of elevation, leaving the wine with beautiful freshness and mineral tones. There are tons of aromatics, with vibrant red berry fruit and some floral blue fruits. There's chalkiness to the tannins and complex, dried herb notes. One of the most exciting wines coming out of Argentina.

Just 80mm of rain falls annually up in the Klein Karoo, where this Grenache Blanc is found. It's a fascinating wine, with notes of fennel, orange pith, and lots of texture. Very long and tense, it's totally delicious.

Aromatic, smoky, and very intense, the 2022 Pinot Noir from Hamilton Russell is a real beauty. Notes of pink peppercorn and fynbos support the intense core of cherry fruit, while the tannins are present but refined. There's no hint of rusticity here; just a brilliant Pinot Noir.

Prausis biodynamically farmed Voor Paardeberg Shiraz, with a little Pinotage from Darling in the blend. It’s juicy and just so drinkable.

A blend of 71% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and just a dash of Viognier, the 2019 Chocolate Block is a wonderfully pure, elegant expression from the heart of the Swartland. Red berry fruit and wild flowers drift from the glass, while the palate shows crystalline purity and a beautifully mineral finish. It punches way above its weight: that they manage to produce this in such quantities is one of the wonders of the wine world.

A blend of 71% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and just a dash of Viognier, the 2019 Chocolate Block is a wonderfully pure, elegant expression from the heart of the Swartland. Red berry fruit and wild flowers drift from the glass, while the palate shows crystalline purity and a beautifully mineral finish. It punches way above its weight: that they manage to produce this in such quantities is one of the wonders of the wine world.

A blend of 71% Syrah, 11% Grenache, 9% Cinsault, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and just a dash of Viognier, the 2019 Chocolate Block is a wonderfully pure, elegant expression from the heart of the Swartland. Red berry fruit and wild flowers drift from the glass, while the palate shows crystalline purity and a beautifully mineral finish. It punches way above its weight: that they manage to produce this in such quantities is one of the wonders of the wine world.

Linda Vista is the name of the vineyard that sits right out the front of Jill & Steve Matthiasson's home in one of the coolest parts of the Napa Valley. Their style leans into this, making for a refreshing, citrus-driven Chardonnay with subtle creamy notes and nutty elements. There's some more mineral, flinty notes on the finish and lots of refreshing acidity. It's certainly not your typical Napa Chardonnay.

Piedrassasi is a project from Sashi Moorman, focused on Syrah with cool-climate expression. There’s lots of savoury quality here, tapenade and lavender, with juicy rich purple and blue fruit. There’s a bit less whole bunch than in previous years where it was a distinct hallmark of Moorman’s style here. Now there’s a vibrant, plush nature to the fruit, which balances the well with those herbal, savoury notes.

2018 is one of the best Napa Valley vintages in recent decades. The Cabernets are packed full of concentrated bright fruit and densely packed, fine tannins. At Rudd, the 2018 Oakville Estate has a distinctly classic Cabernet structure that echoes that of modern Bordeaux, with earthy iron notes from their red soils complementing the power of the fruit, bringing balance and harmony. In their own words, the wine has ‘power and levity’.

The benchmark Pinot in their range, this is a brilliant Russian River Pinot. It’s juicy and textured, with a wonderful deep colour, opening with plush red fruit, rosehips and a hint of winter spice. There’s a superb brightness brought about by the fruit and well balanced acidity. The mineral, smoky finish leaves you longing for another sip.

One of the most celebrated wines in the whole of New Zealand, this is a fantastic vintage of Le Sol with fine-grained tannins, broad, rich fruit and savoury notes. The stony soils here give a beautiful elegant, but structured wine that will age for decades.

A fragrant and floral Riesling from the famous high altitude Springvale vineyard. The aromas are intense with white flowers, lavender and bright citrus. The sherbert-like acidity is perfectly balanced with a refreshing long finish.

Arguably one of Australia's finest Cabernet blends, this vintage was especially dry, leading to tiny yields of concentrated berries. This has left the 2020 with a bold tannin structure that will lead this to age beautifully for decades. Within that tannin frame sit layers of dense, velvet dark berry fruit and perfumed violets and plum. Spicy and brooding, remaining elegant and lifted on the finish.

A benchmark for Adelaide Hills Chardonnay from legend Brian Croser, the Tapanappa Chardonnay is full of aromas of ripe white peach, pithy grapefruit, lemon and melon. French oak adds complex cinnamon and vanilla. There’s beautiful texture here and the pristine acidity typical of the Tiers Vineyard shines through the ripe fruit character.

This is the second incarnation of a collaboration between the Barrys and Ernie Loosen. It's made from vines planted in 1979 in one block of the Lodge Hill vineyard. Fermented in a 3,000 litre German oak foudre, left on the lees for 12 months, and aged for a further year in stainless steel, the Wolta Wolta is pure, textural and energetic. There's a savoury character to the wine, and phenolics that suggest this will be very long lived indeed. The wine finishes rich and long, with lemon blossom, wet stones, and a flinty, ethereal character.

Flint Vineyard's 2022 Bacchus has explosive aromatics of sherbet lemon, elderflower and rose petal. The hot and dry summer resulted in smaller yields, but one with incredible concentration. Picked from multiple parcels of Bacchus from their own vineyards and Martin’s Lane in Essex. Each plot was vinified separately in stainless steel at different temperatures and using different yeast strains, with no malolactic fermentation, to preserve the freshness and energy of the wine and keep the harmony of the blend. Wondrous and bright on the palate, with notes of zingy pineapple and a pleasing salinity lingering on the finish.

This comes from a number of different sites, and it’s a textured, vibrant white, with lots of grip, mouth watering salinity, and a long and delicious finish. This is an utter bargain for a wine that’s sure to impress.

Expect bright sour cherry, redcurrants and plum aromas with layers of complexity woven into the core of leather, coffee and clove spice. The tannins have an attractive supple quality, but provide great structure to this delicious wine.

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.

The last wetter vintage seen in Roero, this is such a charming wine. There’s a wash of wild strawberries, with some spice, and just a hint of reduction. For a delicious Nebbiolo, that’s a total crowd pleaser, look no further.

This spellbinding wine was tasted at the estate with Paolo De Marchi, having just sold the estate after over 45 vintages at the property. Expect ripe cherries, cranberries and pomegranates combined with liquorice and hints of black olive and clove spice. The tannins have a presence and grip to them, yet are so fine grained and so beautifully integrated into the wine's juicy core.

This spends one year in cask, and is born like the Barbaresco here. Juicy, pure, with lovely acidity, and a wonderfully fresh wash of fruit, what’s not to love.

Rocche dell Annunziata is one of the great vineyards of La Morra, and this is a beautiful expression (at an outstanding price). There’s balsamic but also so much freshness and a suaveness to the fruit. Sophisticated tannins, and a long finish complete the picture. The silkiness here screams La Morra, and everything is in perfect balance.

From a higher vineyard than Pajana, this has more clay in the soil. As such, it’s a purer, more typical expression of Ginestra, and of Monforte. There’s a lot of intensity and grip here, and also lovely salinity on the finish.

Just 5,000 bottles were made of this, from 350 metres above sea level, from the Ginestra cru. This is rich, with softer and more gentle tannins than Ciabot Mentin. You feel the saline, Monforte tannins here, but without them being overpowering. This is a brilliantly balanced Barolo.

Perhaps the ultimate expression of Barbera, this is a remarkable wine. It comes from a quarter of a hectare of 120 year-old vines, still on their own rootstocks. It is incredibly complex, with notes of cumin and other exotic spices, alongside a dark core of mulberry and dark chocolate. Intense, long, and spectacularly mineral, it will age brilliantly.

The wine for which Vajra are best known, and one of the highest spots in the Barolo zone, this balances intensity and power of fruit with incredible fine tannins, and a mineral lift. There’s incredible complexity here, but it remains fresh, cool, and incredibly well-balanced. Utterly beguiling.

The wine for which Vajra are best known, and one of the highest spots in the Barolo zone, this balances intensity and power of fruit with incredible fine tannins, and a mineral lift. There’s incredible complexity here, but it remains fresh, cool, and incredibly well-balanced. Utterly beguiling.

Almost alpine in its flavour profile, this has wild strawberries and then hints of fresh mint, and wonderfully fine-boned tannins. There’s a complexity and purity here: this is very long, elegant, and mineral: it shows why Ravera is such a revered vineyard.

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.

Elena Pozzolini has brought this Tuscan estate, which borders the heralded Bolgheri region, to new heights. This wine is named after the famous Roman military general who defeated Hannibal in the second Punic War. 100% Cabernet Franc, made in the best vintages. Beautifully complex and layers of perfume and sweet spice with fine grained tannins.

A beautiful Pinot Noir, with wild roses and loads of iron oxide character on the palate. This is long, savoury, and so complex. Brilliant.

More mineral than the Bussia (although also from the greater Bussia hillside) this balances intensity of fruit with remarkable freshness and acidity. There’s notes of dried oregano alongside a hint of tapenade, and then a ferrous character, with a mouth-watering, savoury finish. This will be long-lived.

Very intense, mineral nose. So much explosive energy on the palate. There is so much tannin here, but the tannins are so refined and fine-boned. There’s a lot of saline minerality on the finish, and tension that lasts an age. Rippling with energy, this is a baby - give it lots of time.

Cannubi is the sweet spot of Barolo, in the heart of the commune. Here, sandy soils and a warm microclimate produce a sensuous, silky wine. There’s wonderful purity, and delicacy on the long, saline fnish.

This Brunello has an elegant, finessed nose, with notes of fresh tea and orange peel. It’s delicious, so saline and so fine, with alluring purity and freshness. The finish is so energetic yet elegant, with crunchy berries and a remarkable sense of complexity, and a lightness of touch. Just gorgeous.

More power, spice and balsamic, impressive length, power of tannins and excellent mineral length. Like the density here - silky and mouthfilling, without being overblown.

A spectacular wine from Luca de Marchi. Notes of blackcurrant and raspberries, with wonderful saline tannins, and a floral finish that lasts for minutes. This is a unique wine, and one that’s not to be missed.

From the very top of the hill, the finest site in the Paje vineyard, and vines that are at least 60 years old, Crichet Paje is one of the great wines of Piedmont. The 2012 is surprisingly approachable, but don’t let that fool you. This is one for the long haul. If you let it age, it’s sure to blow you away. Astonishingly beautiful. If you can get hold of this, do so.

This Albariño from a family owned Galician property offers lemon citrus and white peach and floral notes that combine harmoniously with a salty and mineral core. The crisp, lively acidity is balanced with the wine’s alcohol and concentrated palate.

BodegasTamerán was set up in 2019 by footballer and Canary Islands native, David Silva after a much sought after 6 hectare vineyard became available on the island. He asked friend Jonathan García (owner and winemaker at Suertes del Marqués) to run the project and the wines have since gained much praise.This wine comes from the volcanic archipelago of Gran Canaria. Baboso Blanco, also known as Bastardo Blanco, is thought to be a white mutation of the red variety Trousseau Noir. The own rooted Baboso Blanco vines are grown in simple cordon royat trellising, on rocky volcanic soils with cover crops. Expect yellow fruits and honey and ginger spice combined with zesty acidity and freahness. A truly exciting and lively wine that has so much concentration and length.

BodegasTamerán was set up in 2019 by footballer and Canary Islands native, David Silva after a much sought after 6 hectare vineyard became available on the island. He asked friend Jonathan García (owner and winemaker at Suertes del Marqués) to run the project and the wines have since gained much praise.This white wine comes from the volcanic archipelago of Gran Canaria. Vines are planted on their own roots at altitudes of 600-700 metres on mountainous plots benefitting from a cooling Atlantic influence and sandy, volcanic soils on exclusively south facing slopes.Malvasía Volcánica is a cross of Malvasía Aromática and Marmajuelo. Expect beautiful aromatic and exotic aromas to combine pink grapefruit and citrus notes. The palate is very saline and mineral, a nod to the vineyard soils and proximity to the sea.

Grapes come from two plots in the village of Valtuille, mainly from El Llano, with the rest from El Foco. The wine spends a year in old french barrels. Beautifully mineral with graphite and crushed stone aromas combined with wild herbs and flowers.

Winemaker and owner of this impressive family estate, Pedro Rodríguez, has brought this estate to the forefront of high quality Spanish wines and is considered a pioneer of the Ribeira Sacra region. The grapes come from a single 1.2 hectare plot that is facing south-east and made up of 70 year old Mencía vines. Planted on steep schist slopes at 400-450 meters above sea level, this wine sees foot treading, long macerations and partial whole bunch ferments in large open vats. Bright red berry fruits with violet and wild strawberry aromas lift from the glass. Pomegranate and cranberry notes combine with hints of black pepper, supported by chalky, fine grained tannins.