Day One

The 2015 Petite Lune is in a beautiful place after 5 years. Notes of candied pineapple and a hint of wild honey on the nose, with a textured and silky, yet still lively palate. It's such a charming, giving wine to enjoy today. Lovely.

This is the flagship wine of the estate, and offers the best of Muscadet: pale lemon yellow, a little citrus and blossom on the nose, an elegant, defined length, with some savoury structure from lees ageing bringing it all together. This is an absolutely charming Muscadet. It bursts with lemons and limes, and has such a refreshing tension.

This is so atypical from Prosecco, the DOC wouldn't let Primo label it as such. But never mind: it's one of the best sparklings we know. Notes of orange blossom and iodine on the nose, and hints of wild strawberry and lots of salinity on the palate. So impressive.

Like her father, Bruna Giacosa is lauded for her mastery of red wines. But this, her Arneis, has long been underrated. In 2020, the wine is vibrant and penetrating with green pear and succulent peach notes complementing an expressive and creamy texture. This is a marvellous white wine from this venerable estate, sure to turn a few heads.

A small 7 hectare, family estate in the coolest part of the Colli Orientali region of Friuli and certified organic viticulture. There is a broadness to the 2021 Fruilano with fleshy orchard fruit notes and a juicy core, yet this is brought into focus with a zesty acidity and white flowers combined with minerals and dried pineapple on the finish.

RS refers to the natural sugar left from the grapes after fermentation, making this off-dry and most similar to a Kabinett from Germany. It's long and mouth-watering with juicy lemon and lime fruit. Soft and incredibly drinkable, it comes in at just 7.5% alcohol.

A juicy and finessed wine from Giovanni Almondo, that's the perfect way to discover their wines, and the Arneis grape. Crunchy pears and apples, and a citrus edge to this brilliantly drinkable white, from one of Piedmont's best producers.

Nicolas sees these vineyards, around Corgoloin just south of Nuits St Georges, as the future of his domaine. Land prices here aren’t impossibly high, yet the quality of terroir is terrific. It means he can make this enormously characterful and interesting wine for an outstanding price. This is a great success in 2019, with juicy, inky dark fruits, creamy tannins, and satisfyingly firm freshness. It shall no doubt continue to be one of the most popular wines on our list.

50% Refosco, 50% Schioppettino, this is a lively, silky red, with loads of whole berry, crunchy fruit, and a finish that lasts an age. Such a joy to behold, and a wine that will age brilliantly.

Donovan’s Cinsault was first released in 2015, and is a blend of fruit from Swartland, shared with David Sadie, and Darling, from the same vineyard as Duncan Savage’s Follow the Line. It’s a really lovely expression of this grape, with loads of rose petal and plenty of juicy berry fruit. Will also age well.

Orange peel and fresh beef tomatoes. And blueberry fruit and some violets. Lovely density: there's a weight and tannins to this, with such impressive length. Lovely acidity here, so much energy and a beautiful finish.

One can't help but be impressed by Château Ausone, set at the top of a tortuously twisted road, with its caves and chapelle dug into the limestone cliff. It is a fittingly romantic location for one of the world's greatest wines. A blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot, this is dark and brooding in the glass. The nose is exceedingly rich and dense, with attractive black cherry and bramble fruit characters. The tannins are firm and structured, yet ripe and well integrated with the rich core of dark cherry, cassis and damson fruit. A stony minerality and a dart of refreshing acidity reflect the terroir and lend backbone to the rich succulent fruit.

Smells beautiful. Very delicate on the nose, beautiful drive and a very silky nose. Some dark berry fruit, plenty of floral character, and just a hint of herbal lift. Very saline on the palate, very finely judged tannins – talcum powder– this was just bottled but already showing plenty of potential.

When asked whether the Château was having to change anything to compensate for climate change, Marie Descotis, who heads up the Château's research and development department, explained that their terroir is proving to be perfect for the somewhat warmer and drier conditions over the last few years, allowing their Cabernet Sauvignon to flourish. The blend this year is made up of 86% of this Cabernet, 10% Merlot and the rest split between Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The resultant wine is the most concentrated they have ever produced, yet it is also incredibly poised and balanced. Dark berry fruits, notes of woodsmoke and spice come through on the nose. The palate is immediately fresh and pure, with a layered sense of fine tannin, depth and power. There is a graphite-like grip to the structure, a definite minerality and a core of cool-natured, classic fruit. Despite the concentration and density in the wine, the balance is such as to give it an almost approachable sensation. Beautiful rather than pretty, this is an elegant and refined wine that shows what could be achieved in 2011 with great terroir and a deft hand.

Pol Roger is a Champagne house with a huge following, thanks to its much loved Brut non-vintage. This cuvée, Pure, is only made in tiny quantities, and is a relatively recent addition to the portfolio, being released for the first time in 2018. It is the house's only zero dosage wine. Chalky, lean and racy, it's the gin and tonic of the range: a great aperitif for livening up the palate.

The second wine from Spottswoode Estate in 2020 has a lot of the same richness and fragrance of their estate wine. There's plenty of savoury quality on the palate, with rose petals and aromatic, musky spice. Fresh with more red fruit and blueberry than the estate wine, it's a brilliant way to experience this celebrated estate at a more accessible price, with earlier drinking potential.

93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc. The 2019 from Rudd Oakville Estate is focused with pure, ripe blackcurrant and plum aromas, with more floral notes from the Franc and a stony, graphite finish. There's more blue fruit as time goes on with damson and blueberry, with a juicy, succulent feel on the palate and soft, rounded tannins.

The 2018 Garnacha from Contino is deep and pure, with notes of lavender and liquorice on the nose, and beautifully lifted notes of wild strawberries. The palate is finely judged, with silky tannins, and a beautifully saline finish. This is very nicely done - a bargain.

The 2019 Capisme is a stunning Langhe Nebbiolo, from a great vintage. Powdery tannins, lifted fruit, and a long, savoury finish all combine to craft a Nebbiolo that would not look out of place in a lineup of Barolos.

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.

A touch of coconut is present along with the cinnamon-spiced oak here. Again the fruit core is compact, dense and concentrated with the promise of power and weight to follow. The palate is incredibly taut with intense, tightly bound raspberry and dark cherry. The tannins are ripe, full, and assertive while the acidity brings the trademark long, juicy character. This is currently showing all the potential of a beautifully constructed Gran Reserva. An exciting prospect indeed.

With an average of 50 year old vines, this is so complex and profound, with a real intensity to the tannins, and notes of minerals, as well as lots of wild flowers on the finish. Such a complex wine.

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

Deep amber-red in colour with toasty, dark caramel aromas, alongside dried fruits and fresh tangy orange. Gently sweet and very intense with clean, high 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.

"Another spectacular effort from L’Evangile, the 2010 is a close rival to the 2009 and should be fascinating to compare with that vintage over the next 30 or so years. Stunningly rich and black/purple in color, the 2010 L’Evangile offers up the tell-tale floral note as well as black raspberry jam intermixed with cassis and kirsch. There are also ethereal floral notes and a hint of background oak. The pH is slightly above average (3.7 versus the pH of 4.0 that the 2009 and 2000 possessed). This is a massive, rich, very impressive L’Evangile, and readers should take note of the “+” in my rating, which could certainly push this wine way up there. Remarkably, I was shocked when I learned that this wine was aged in 100% new oak, as the oak is a background element in this blockbuster l’Evangile. Forget it for 3-5 years, and drink it over the following 30-40. " 98+ points, Robert Parker

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?

Philipponnat hold back a proportion of each vintage from their outstanding single vineyard Clos des Goisses, and age it sur lattes in their cellars. For those who love the complexity and vinous power of old Champagnes, there is nothing better.

Intensely perfumed with pure aromas of raspberry, black cherry and red cherry. Light mineral hints of reduction on the nose, and a firm structure at this young age. Incredible concentration and intensity for its modest 11% alcohol.

An impeccable second wine from a celebrated vintage. The 2016 Forts de Latour is rich and exuberant with bright cassis and kirsch fruit alongside more aromatic blueberry and exotic spices. There is a tension to the palate though with bright acidity, compact tannins, and a mineral finish.

It is anticipated that just 10,000 bottles will be produced, and this iconic Pomerol has created a memorable wine in 2013. Deep concentrated aromas of sweet red fruits and violets lead into a palate of rich, ripe cherry and strawberry fruits, with fine, ripe tannin and well-judged oak influences. Well structured, it will drink in four to five years and unfurl into a beauty. Very enjoyable, even as a barrel sample!

Pale lemon in colour, this Fino has an attractive lemon citrus profile that supports the yeasty, salty and savoury notes that are a result of the biological ageing. The palate has a refreshing acidity and saltiness on the palate.

The third vintage of this reborn wine, that's predominantly Cabernet Franc. It's grippy and intense, but more approachable than the 2019 at the same stage. However, this is sure to age brilliantly, with the freshness, tannic structure, and flavour complexity to make old bones.

Iron Heart is a north-facing block, and the result is a meaty, spicy, iron-rich Shiraz. There's lot of black olive flavour, and initially on the nose, lots of heady, rose petal perfume. Elegant and complex in style.

A hark back to the older style of Clerico, this has impressive density and coolness to the fruit. There’s a lovely grip to the palate, with just a hint of raisining on the finish. A lovely clean, savoury, saline finish completes the picture.

Bramble fruits,red cherry and violets are supported by licorice and pepper spice aromas on the nose. There is a silkiness on the palate and the tannins are fine grained in this accessible and delicious wine.

Clos des Goisses is Philipponnat's single vineyard Champagne from an impossibly steep site, with remarkable ageing potential. Taut, reserved, and refined in its youth, it will evolved and unfurl with manificent grace. The 2014 is a blend of 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay, striking the perfect balance.

The 2011 Comtes de Champagne is a thrilling, scintillating edition of this much-loved fizz. It's tense and rippling with energy on the nose, with wild flowers and just a hint of tarragon. The palate is vibrant and grippy, with so much finesse and focus. This is astonishingly pure and long, a wine that wows with its understated concentration and minerality. Bravo.

Another top cuvee, made from vines planted in 1901 in Pignam and La Crau, on sand, it’s named after their father Pierre, not a reference to stone. Volume and power, yet still elegance and finesse. Bravo.

Superb old vine Grenache and surely one of the wines of the vintage. Traditionally made, raised in large oak foudres, this wine has layer upon layer of fresh and dried fruit interlaced with savoury elements such as Ibérico ham and white pepper. Very long and complex.

The 2017 Palmer has nice intensity, with juicy blueberries and plums as well as crystalline acidity and mineral coolness. It's complex, impressive and there's great balance.

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.

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.

Just 5.9ha in size, Croix de Labrie is a real insider's tip. It's plush, opulent, and powerful. But in 2020 it also has impressive freshness - and a slew of high scores.

Château Quintus has been owned by Clarence Dillon since 2011: it takes its name from the Franco-Roman tradition of always calling a fifth son Quintus. The top wine, gets better every year, and is showing more and more of the breeding that makes the owners’ Pessac wines so highly prized.

A benchmark Swartland Chenin. The core of this wine is sourced from Langkloof, which is an old bush vine Chenin blanc vineyard planted on the granite slopes of the Paardeberg. This offers salted almonds, white grapefruit, pear and apricot fruit, with subtle notes of beeswax on the finish.

This comes from a vineyard that's from incredibly close to the sea: the old Bredell farm, that's the source of many of the Scions of Sinai wines, among others. This is just so joyful and fresh, with a real sense of purity and energy on the palate. Beautifully balanced, and very long indeed.

A blend of 73% Grenache that was whole bunch fermented and 27% of Syrah that was destemmed. This is a highly perfumed red with notes of violets, wild herbs, blood orange and black cherry. This is dangerously easy to enjoy.

The Estate Sauvignon Blanc is intensely perfumed with notes of white grapefruit, fresh pea shoots and green mango. There is racy acidity and crystalline purity here with delicate citrus notes on the finish.

A blend of Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc and Palomino, this is a delicate and pure white giving notes of white flowers, apricot blossom and white grapefruit. Very pure and finessed in style, this ends with fresh cut herbs and a breath of ocean air.

From the same vineyard on the far west coast of the cape as Eben Sadie’s Skerpioen. This Palomino is savoury, fresh, and beautifully balanced. It’s a curious, long-lived white that’s seriously impressive.

A Cabernet Franc led blend, this is one of the best bargains on our list. Loads of ripe, juicy fruit, fine-grained tannins, and a mouth-watering freshness, having a bottle to hand is a must.

Produced from the only Semillon Gris vineyard in South Africa, from the “Siebritskloof” valley on the Swartland's Paardeberg. Partial skin fermentation gives this a beautiful copper hue, and the nose is stunning, with aromatics of apricots, ginger, and orange peel. A unique wine, this is one to buy every year.

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.

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 warm and low-yielding 2020 vintage has delivered an intense and tightly woven iteration of Tom Cullity, named after Vasse Felix’s pioneering founder. Dried sage and blackberry supported by layers of cracked pepper and hot gravel.

This is the top wine from the historic Wirra Wirra winery, one of the pioneers in McLaren Vale. Chook Block is from a single biodynamically farmed vineyard plot and is only released in the top vintages. There's lots of complex, ripe fruit here with red and black cherry, raspberry, cassis and mulberry, covered in dark chocolate and spice. There's more leathery notes as the palate continues, and iron-filing-like mineral notes. There's plenty of oak character and bold structure around the core of dense fruit. Long and concentrated on the finish.

52% Shiraz, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 11% Merlot sourced from vineyards across the Eden and Barossa Valleys. The vines are anything from 50 years of age plus, and the result is a rich, concentrated wine that really punches above its weight. Ripe, silky, fine-grained, with explosive violet and cracked black pepper on the nose.

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.

The grapes are sourced from a mix of vineyards in several communes in Barolo that provide layers of complexity in the wine. Expect red cherries, blood orange and wild strawberry notes combined with liquorice and black tea aromas. The tannins are well-integrated and provide great structure to the wine's silky core.

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 2019 Rosso from La Gerla is a juicy, fragrant Sangiovese from a brilliant estate. Notes of orange peel and wild flowers, and there's a chalky, savoury texture, too. Delicious.

Eduardo Acosta, originally from Tenerife has found his adopted home in Sicily and is making groundbreaking wines on Etna. Dominated by Nerello Mascalese, the wine has 10% from a white and red field blend. Pirrera is a single vineyard parcel on the north side of Etna and is planted at altitude (850 metres) with old vines contributing to the concentration and purity. Displaying delicious red fruit perfume, cherries and liquorice spice combined with extremely fine tannins and refreshing, zesty acidity.

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

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.

The 2020 Macan includes some Graciano and Garnacha for the first time. This is a charming Rioja that opens with flavours of dried dill, red cherry, wilted rose, and a dusting of cocoa. The palate is fleshy and vibrant with a long and poised finish.

Bramble fruits,red cherry and violets are supported by licorice and pepper spice aromas on the nose. There is a silkiness on the palate and the tannins are fine grained in this accessible and delicious wine.

Notes of verbena, white flowers and wet rocks this is a wine with impeccable balance. A real tightrope of sweet, salty and sour this so lively on the palate, with pulses of salinity. Citrus and stone fruit with some fresh herbs too, the finish is graceful and fluid – a true Saar Riesling.

Chapoutier is an undisputed master of Syrah in the Northern Rhone, and this is their excellent blend from the deep south-west of the Côtes du Roussillon. It is juicy and structured, with the warmth of Grenache singing through. Grenache 65%, Syrah 35%.

40% Jacquère, 40% Chardonnay, 20% Mondeuse Blanche. Apple-scented, textured, and refreshing. The slight yeasty character adds depth and weight, and its soaring acidity gives it a tangy grip, with its briny length making it so moreish. Domaine des Ardoisières on top form.

Always an impressive wine in the Lafite stable, this has notes of bramble and plums, with hints of burnt earth and a touch of tapenade. The palate is long, with enjoyably grippy tannins. Another outstanding 2016.

All the fruit for this blend comes from two parcels found at the bottom part of the slope. Some vines here are as old as 80 years, so although the attack of this wine is juicy, upfront, and invitingly drinkable, the finish is sustained and persistent with that old vine concentration taking this above a simple easy-drinking wine. It’s got a wonderful sour cherry note, with lightly smoky notes. This always works well in its youth.

This is the flagship wine of the estate, and offers the best of Muscadet: pale lemon yellow, a little citrus and blossom on the nose, an elegant, defined length, with some savoury structure from lees ageing bringing it all together. This is an absolutely charming Muscadet. It bursts with lemons and limes, and has such a refreshing tension.