Day Two

The altitude here means it is picked late: one part at the end of October, and the other parts on November 10th and 11th. The resulting wine is so complex and intense, with an explosive palate of apricots, sea spray, and so much freshness. This is incredibly ripe, but is impeccably balanced with intense acidity. It’s a spectacularly pure, long, wine: one of the best we’ve tried this year.

Always one of our favourite from the Penfolds stable, Bin 128 is known for its silky, elegant and restrained style, being from the cooler climate of Coonawarra. Bramble-like fruit mixes with savoury, gamey, leathery complexity, and some herbal notes add to this wine’s fresh style. There's more structure here than you might expect and it rewards cellaring.

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.

The 2020 Château Figeac is one of the wines of the vintage. Incredibly refined and almost haunting in its aromatics, this is so mineral, focussed, and utterly beguiling. The finish lasts an age: this is one of the longest, purest, most complex wines we've tried this year. You have to have it.

The Durantou stable of wines are, once again, not to be missed, and this is the perfect example. So much going on here, with lots of bright fruit, crunchy tannins, and a long, stony finish. For the medium term this will surprise and delight. Stock up.

Thibaud Chevré is a seriously exciting young talent in the Loire. His father spent a magnificent career working with Thierry Germain, and this wonderful vineyard - Clos de l'Ecotard - was the first parcel the father-and-son team bought. It's found right on the edge of the Saumur’s border with Anjou, and its highly active limestone and clay soil produces taut and nervous wines that reverberate with tension and energy, even in warmer years. They only use horses to plough it, but the extra hard work is worth it. The 2021 sees them realising the toil of the past decade, bringing to fruition a truly magnificent Chenin Blanc. It is so expressive, bursting with chalky, saline drive, and a flash of green pineapple freshness. A brilliant Chenin Blanc from a formidably good year for Loire whites. Exclusive to Lay & Wheeler in the UK.

This is one of the finest sites of the Côte Blonde, and it produces a wine of huge elegance and subtlety, although you’ll want to tuck it away for a few years before pulling the cork.

Tasted April 2023. Incredible and ethereal in style, with subtle floral, bramble notes on the nose, cedar and spice on the palate. Light graphite around pure black fruit. There's a velvety texture and very fine, ripe tannins. Richer chocolate texture towards the long, refined finish. 13.65% alcohol.

Tasted April 2022. The best wine we've tasted from Berliquet, the 2021 is full of dark, brooding fruit. There's a powerful earthiness to the complexity in this wine, and plenty of chalky, cool freshness on the finish. Really well balanced, pure and concentrated.

Lovely intensity and power. There's so much depth and concentration here, spanning floral notes to deep dark fruits, bound up with lovely tension and elegance. This is beautiful. The finish is nicely balanced with a cool, saline finish and more spice and flowers. Quite brilliant.

The nose is already inviting, showing power and deep cherry fruit. There’s amazing drive and energy on the palate, with black fruits, spice and fine tannins. The power is undeniable, but it’s so elegant and finessed.

Tasted from a barrel sample sent to the UK, the 2019 Tertre de la Mouleyre has a beautifully floral, elegant nose. There's a purity here, and depth to the dark fruit. Notes of violets, silky tannins and plenty of crushed rocks on the finish. Beautifully structured and poised, this is classic claret at its zenith. Wonderful.

Known for its vibrant, exuberant style, the 2008 from Château Coutet is a triumph. It is full of white peach, grapefruit and now, with age, a lot of developed marmalade, dried apricot and gingery spice notes. There is still so much energy in this, and the zingy acidity helps keep it incredibly fresh considering its high levels of sweetness.

Le Gréal is a unique wine, and one that has built up a loyal following for its decadent, statuesque style. 2021 is a departure from the norm. Unlike all previous vintages back to 2009 that have been made from 100% whole bunch fruit, this is 90% destemmed. It feels less massive than previous years, more juicy, bright, and balanced, though it has an echo of the wine’s signature spicy notes thanks to the 10% whole bunch Guillaume has kept in the blend. It harks back to a style Guillaume says was last found in the 1990s. It may be unlike the wines we’ve come to love from this domaine, but actually, is a delicious iteration in its own right. In spite of its slighter style, it should age fantastically. One thing that remains constant is the fruit’s origin: 90% is drawn from the lauded Le Méal parcel, at 10% from Les Gréffieux, on the Hermitage hillside, from vines dating back to the 1920s. A small amount of co-planted Marsanne amongst the Syrah adds freshness and mollifies the tannins.

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.

A brilliant 2019 from Chateau de Ferrand, located on the end of the limestone plateau in St-Emilion. Offering bright bramble fruit with cedar and baking spices on the nose, this has the supple tannins and concentration to age gracefully. Cabernet Franc brings a floral freshness to the wine adding to its refined and elegant style.

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.

Tasted April 2023. 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. 14.6% ABV. 50% new oak. Picked from 1st September. Aromatic and floral on the nose with bright black berry fruit and some fresh cherries. Opulent style of fruit compared to Le Chenade this year, with plenty of ripe tannin and a seam of stony freshness. Layered with stony and dried petals.

Deep and brooding, very mineral and fine, striking tannic structure and there's a depth to the fruit. Power, balance and intensity. Really impressively put together with energy and length.

A 0.24 Hectare site bought by the Roagna family in 1929, the average age of the vines is over 50 years. It’s a much more brooding example of Barbaresco, with iron oxide and burnt earth, and also a smokiness. So complex, and will last a lifetime.

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.

Tasted April 2023. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 15% abv. 100% new barrels. Tightly-wound at this early stage with bright red fruit as well as concentrated blackcurrant. St-Estephe's characteristically austere tannins are there, creating a rich, serious feel on the palate.

Spottswoode is an historic Napa property, that is steadfast in its approach stylistically. Here the team craft consistently fine, elegant, savoury Cabernet from its unique spot in St Helena year after year. At the same time, they are bang up to date with their practices in the vineyard, looking holistically at their sustainability measures, planting cover crops, encouraging native flora and fauna, and farming biodynamically. In 2020 they've created a full-bodied, ripe and rich wine with their trademark finesse and supple velvet tannins. One of the true winners of the 2020 vintage in Napa.

Agricola is the brainchild of Callum Powell, the son of Torbreck founder Dave Powell, who worked in the Northern Rhône with Jean-Louis Chave before striking out on his own. There's a clear nod to the Northern Rhône here. Its 'low hi', hands off winemaking, and all that, combined with some excellent vineyard sources, makes Callum's wines some of the most exciting we've found in South Australia. The Flaxman Shiraz is from the Eden Valley and is sourced from two vineyards; the 100+ year old Powell family vineyard, and a neighbouring steep slope. This is a medium-weight, elegant Shiraz. It's fresh and saline, with black olive and black pepper in amongst fresh red and black fruit. Callum uses very little new oak, and coming in at below 12% alcohol it's a truly unique, and incredibly impressive, example of Eden Valley Shiraz.

2019 has brought a more 'classic' expression of Grange, with dense black cherry and blackberry, and notes of tar, coffee, coconut and licorice. It's unsurprisingly tightly wound now, with lots of tannin, toasty oak, and a ripe, juicy core. This vintage is 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon.

From extremely rocky terraces, this is mineral style of Pinot Noir that opens with a lift of wild herbs, violets, and warm earth. Linear on the palate the cherry fruit is accented with notes of pepper and cocoa. Very focused on the finish, this is a very detailed and precise wine.

Sourced from very old vines on slate soils that take on an additional layer of salty minerality in vintages like 2020. Expect the jasmine, lemon citrus and fleshy peach notes to be underpinned with steely and stone notes as well as a saline core. Restrained concentration defines this wine.

This fantastic site on the Côte Brune is shared between just three growers. The Garons’ vines were replanted in 1980 and 2001, and their youthful vigour produces a juicy wine, with a rounded balance. 30% whole bunch and 30% new oak add silkiness and depth.

This excellent lieu-dit, south of La Viallière near Ampuis, produces a well-balanced wine, with fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins in 2021. It shows hints of violet on the nose and there is a long, pleasing, mineral finish. This should open up with a little time.

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

The prestige cuvée from one of the Southern Rhône's greatest estates.

Tasted April 2023. Very ripe, with a viscous texture and opulent, exotic fruit flavours with pithy notes as the palate continues.

Tasted April 2022. Soft, ripe fruit with raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry. Slightly crunchier blueberry and raspberry on the finish. The tannins are silky and ripe, and the acidity is crisp but well balanced with the other elements of the wine.

The 2020 Léoville Las Cases is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot, ageing in 80% new French oak barriques. We haven't yet had the chance to taste it, but given the considerable critical acclaim, we can't wait to do so.

There are big expectations with new ownership for this Grand Cru sandwiched between Angelus and Le Dôme. The 2017 has impressive texture and energy with finely judged tannins.

The 2019 from the much-loved Spottswoode estate is gorgeous, with fragrant bramble and black cherry with sweet spice, earthy notes and cedar. It's marries the generosity and warmth that comes naturally to Napa Cabernet with Spottswoode's textbook grace and charm. It's a medium-weight, elegant Napa Cabernet, harking back decades. These age beautifully, but the supple tannins, balance and refreshing style you'd be forgiven for failing to resist now.

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 is a blend from the varied solis of Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Padthaway and is matured for 16 months in new American oak hogsheads. Coonawarra is becoming more and more of the signature here, giving lots of fresh cassis and refreshing herbal character. It's built to age, with a firm, muscular structure but a lot of complex flavour to match, and it should soften into a brilliant 707 with time in bottle.

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.

An estate with less than 10 hectares, this Alto Piemonte estate is truly unique and groundbreaking. L'Franc comes from the 0.4 hectare Castagnola vineyard, in the village of Lessona at over 300 metres altitude, with the vines planted on volcanic soils with a high mineral content. 2018 vintage started with a wet and cold spring with some hail that led to lower yields, but summer and early Autumn was warm and sunny and the grapes achieved perfect ripeness. The wine spent 18 months in French barrique (50% new) prior to bottling, giving the wine an attractive texture and sweet spice. 100% cabernet franc, the wine offers blackberry, black cherry and blueberry aromas combined with tobacco and dark chocolate notes with a juicy core and firm but fine grained tannins.

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.

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.

"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

Floral notes of honeysuckle and white flowers mingle with ripe yellow fruits. A rounded feel across the palate there is still a fine bead of acidity running through the wine which it is complimented but hints of tropical fruit on the finish.

A tightly coiled wine at this stage, is shimmers in the glass with notes of peach, fresh apricot and white grapefruit pith. Very saline and linear through the palate this is wine with a long life ahead.

A textbook Kabinett, this opens with bright citrus fruit, fresh cut herbs and white flowers. So deft and finely balanced, it focuses in on the finish

A really joyful wine, brimming with crushed herbs, citrus and ripe red apple fruit, and wet rocks. A lift of lemon blossom and white flowers, with a line of acidity that dances across the palate.

Scharzhofberger is one of the most highly sought after sites in Germany and the world. A steep, high altitude site that overlooks the estate, the spätlese displays a generosity of rip stone fruits and spice as well as steely and crushed stone notes. The acidity is lively and provides great structure.

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.

Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is only ever made in the great vintages, and always with the great man’s personal preference in mind: a robust and full-bodied Champagne that develops incredible depth with age. The exact blend, as ever, is a closely guarded secret, but Pinot plays a starring role, with just "a zest of Chardonnay" Hubert de Billy, great-great-grandson of Pol Roger, says. The Pinot dominance gives structure, depth, and breadth to the wine, whilst Chardonnay gives a chalky, vibrant, savoury top note and fresh thread of acidity. All the fruit comes from grand cru vineyards which were already under vine in Churchill’s lifetime. 2015 was a warm year, yet the wine displays deceptively high acidity, making it both toothsome and refreshing. It is another great release from the exciting 2015 vintage.

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.

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

50-year-old Syrah vines grow in the high terraces of shingle and clay on the Hermitage hillside. This is rounded, with a voluminous texture and superb notes of dark fruits, black cherry, smoked meat, leather and a hint of dried rose petal. There is impressive complexity, with layers that build and build.

This vineyard was planted in 1945, and the old vines are treated with huge respect in the Courbis cellar. It has been aged in 60% new oak, and will demand more time in bottle than the other Courbis wines. There is a natural density to the fruit, and the wine shows its calibre in a long, powerful finish.

Pure on the nose, with fresh, fragrant notes of citrus zest and acacia honey. On the palate, bold in style, yet expressive, with lime flower characters coming through alongside richer notes of crême-caramel and butterscotch. There is a fine minerality here that comes through on the finish, lending this a subtle elegance.

Tasted April 2023. 2022 feels like the culmination of what the new team at Troplong, led by Aymeric de Gironde, have been working towards. The inate power of the vintage has been tamed by their methods throughout the growing season, and the result is a spectacular representation of Troplong Mondot. Juicy fruit, but not extreme or overly ripe. Rich, but impeccably balanced. There are fresh herbal flavours, lifted violet notes and salinity on the finish. There is plenty of tannin but the texture is silky, and slightly powdery. Brilliant.

A brilliant vintage for Haut Bailly, made in their beautiful state of the art cellar. There’s so much aromatic complexity with tons of floral notes and fragrant berry fruit. The blackberry, currant and raspberry carries onto the palate with incense, violet, pepper, woody herbs and mineral tones. Smooth as silk on the palate with just a little minerally grip on the finish. Powerful and concentrated but in a lithe, vibrant, refreshing frame.

Tasted April 2022. Bold and structured, with the 25% Cabernet Sauvignon shining through in precise black berry fruits, graphite and grippy tannins. Deep, concentrated fruit flavours and layered with spicy, savoury notes.

Château Palmer created this blend as a homage to the days when Bordeaux proprietors would often blend in Syrah to add heft to their Cabernet. Syrah lends the wine a smooth, broad texture, precise tannins, velvety mouthfeel and notes of black truffle. This 10th vintage is characterized by an unprecedented high proportion of Petit Verdot (44%) in the blend and no Merlot.

The 2020 Giscours is classic Margaux. There's refinement of tannins, and a lovely tension to the palate. The finish has breadth and complexity, and a hint of stony minerality. This is a lovely effort from the team at Giscours.

The 2019 Troplong-Mondot is a simply brilliant wine. On the nose there's pure, focused fruit, as well as plenty of fragrant floral notes, and lots of spice. The palate is silky and suave, with so much latent energy. This will need time, but will be astonishing.

This is a very pure Belair-Monange, and the best we can remember tasting. The palate has a lovely savoury edge to it, with amazing purity of fruit and excellent persistence. The texture coats the mouth, and the building flavours seem to last an age. Chapeau Christian, Edouard and all the team.

One of the most exciting estates we've found from South America, Otronia are based right in the south of Argentina in Patagonia, an incredibly pure, cool and natural place. Here there's limited rainfall and incredible windy conditions, leaving the wines breathtaking and brilliant. Their Chardonnay has electric, mouthwatering acidity, and fresh, delicate peach and apple fruit, along with delicate white floral elements and crushed sea shell minerality.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 is a blend from Coonawarra, Barossa Valley and Wrattonbully and is matured for 16 months in new American oak hogsheads. Coonawarra is becoming more and more of the signature here, giving lots of fresh cassis and refreshing herbal character. It's built to age, with a firm structure but a lot of complex flavour to match, and it should soften into a brilliant 707 given the long, cool, even growing season in 2021.

RunRig is made from six parcels, with some from Lyndoch and some from Ebeneezer sub-regions. This is full of powerful and impressive lifted black fruits of blackberry, plum and cherry with underlying dark chocolate complex undertones and spice. There's a creaminess on the palate, with vanilla, cola and mocha, an d great depth of flavour and balance to the fruit. The tannins are powerful, layered and integrating well. An impressive RunRig.

St Henri's signature is its maturation in large format old French oak. As a result, there's a freshness and purity of fruit that sings through. It's elegant and supple, showing some of the warm character of the 2020 vintage with ripe blackberry and damson. There's aniseed, clove and spicy cured meat complexity on the nose and palate, and lots of concentration from the low-yielding vintage conditions.

From the Ornato vineyard in the commune of Serralunga d'Alba the 2020 vintage is beautifully open and expressive with wild flowers and herbs at the forefront. Expect the structure that this vineyard gives, along with the vibrant acidity and freshness that the 2020 vintage provides.

From the heart of Serralunga d'Alba, this is a brilliant example of why the commune is so highly prized. This is fine boned and mineral, with lots of berry fruit, and also a rose petal character. This will require a little patience. Very good indeed.

This iconic wine of Alvaro Palacios fails to disappoint in 2022, a vintage he is extremely proud of, for very good reason. Expect to see sweet and savoury spice notes combine with crushed raspberries and sour cherry, with blood orange on the finish. The tannins are so fine grained and show the pure classiness of this wine.

Braune Kupp is a warmer site compared to Egon’s Scharzhofberger and the wine is riper and richer in profile. The wine is so concentrated and complex with a mix of fresh and dried fruits with spice and beeswax notes.

One of Loosen and the Mosel’s greatest vineyard sites on rich blue slate soil. (The Sundial of Wehlen) is a precipitously steep and rocky vineyard that yields wines with a lively mineral character and a delicate, zingy acidity that perfectly complements the expression of white peach and lemon fruits on the palate. The 24 months ageing gives the wine amazing complexity and length.

The Ürziger Würzgarten vineyard forms a massive amphitheatre of red, volcanic sandstone and red slate that is unlike any other site in the Mosel region. It’s compact, energetic and concentrated with a core of tantalising exotic fruits and spicy aromas.

A blend of 65% pinot noir, 15% chardonnay, and 20% meunier, this is a really lovely Champagne that shows complex notes of mandarin oranges, croissant, and fresh peach, as well as plenty of grip and a very fine bead. Nicely judged, and very mouth watering.

Coming from a 65 year old parcel, on the all-granite soils of lieu-dit Les Bessards, Le Pavillon displays cassis, blackberry and cracked black pepper notes. On the palate, the tannins are fine and swept along with fresh acidity, underpinned with a lovely, smokiness. This is a captivating Hermitage.

This cuvée was first bottled separately in 2019, but is actually the first vineyard that Sylvain rented when he struck out on his own in 2007, so it holds a special place in his heart. The vines are 50-60 years old on south-facing terraces. It has a salty grip, and a deep, rich dark fruit weight on the palate from the old vines.

This is a hugely powerful and impressive Châteauneuf. Old vines (100 years+), low yields, slightly cooler north-facing terraces, and Jaun-Paul's magic touch make for an exquisite wine.

Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) property Château d'Ausone is a tiny estate: just seven hectares, planted almost equally to Merlot and Cabernet Franc. There's something almost mythical about this property, which produces long-lived wines that can thrill with their intensity, density, and length.

An incredibly rare bottling from this prominent estate, the Auslese from Achleiten displays plenty of honey and spice with orange peel, fleshy peach and dried apricot notes. So luscious on the palate and incredibly concentrated.

The 2018 Taylor's is spectacular. Floral and creamy, lovely vibrancy and pure tannins. So saline and intense, with silky fruit. Very impressive complexity, showing baked fruits, cloves, exotic spices, and plenty of energy, too. Remarkable.

The superb 2022 vintage was another relatively cool year for Seña, like 2021, and the influence from proximity to the ocean can certainly be felt in the pure line of acidity and elegant fruit. Winemaker Francisco Baettig talks about 'fine tuning the style' of Seña in recent years, using old oak foudres and reducing the time spent ageing in barrel to avoid having the wine in wood over a second summer. The result is gorgeous and justifies Seña's position as one of the great red wines of the world, with a rich spiced fruit character and beautifully silky tannins. This has all the structure to age for a very long time, and will reward patience.

Cheval des Andes is an exceptional blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon from Las Compuertas and Paraje Altamira in Mendoza. There's lots of violet, blackberry and plum here, with lifted minty, floral limestone character. There's a boldness to the fruit in this warmer year and a round feel to the tannins, before leaving a fresh, energetic finish.

Nicolas Catena is the celebrated pioneer of winemaking in Argentina, and this celebrated flagship wine has all the hallmarks of a great Argentinian red. This year it is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc and 21% Malbec. It's the first time ever that Franc is greater than Malbec, to compensate the warm and dry conditions. With pure blue and black fruit, layers of spice, lifted floral notes and subtle earthy notes, it's bright and aromatic, showing a deft balance of cool, chalky influence and vibrant fruit.

Mainly Grenache with 9% of Pinotage, this is a spicy, supple red with notes of violets, black cherry and black team. Poised and finessed, this is a medium-bodied red which focuses on charming aromatics and red berry fruit.

The 2019 Madrona Ranch is big and bold, typical of this cuvee, but has an extra level of refinement in the great 2019 vintage. Red, fresh fruit, blood orange and floral notes join bramble and cassis.

2020 has brought a stunning Grange release, with intense blackberry, black plum and black cherry fruits and notes of licorice, spice, dark chocolate and blackforest cake. It's densely packed, with lots of fine tannin, toasty oak, and plenty of muscular swagger. This vintage is 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon.

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.

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.

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 wine is sourced from six small plots planted in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These are some of the oldest vineyards owned by Rafael Palacios, located in Santa Cruz do Bolo on the north side of the Bibei Valley. It is a wine that speaks so clearly of the rocky landscape on which it was grown. The nose has deftly integrated oak spice, wild herbs, ocean spray, with a muscularity and texture on the palate that demonstrates the potential longevity. So fluid and crystalline, the finish is vibrant and beckons you in for another sip.

Originating from the Rioja Oriental in the Sierra de Yerga, this single vineyard is rather special as it benefits from altitude and therefore has a real freshness and vibrancy to its core. There is a ripeness to the red and black berry fruit that hints to the vintage, but the freshness of acidity and the chalky, firm tannins bring focus to the wine.

Grapes come from a slate dominated plot in the village of Toral de los Vados. It's northeast-facing exposition at 700 metres altitude, combined with 100 year old vines as well as Mencia co-planted with around 12 other varieties makes this a very exciting site and wine. Expect wild strawberries, cranberries and sweet spice combined with graphite and garrigue. Tannins are chalky and the core has so much finesse.

Apricot, pink grapefruit and flinty notes are incredibly concentrated with an awesome vibrancy and nervy core. There are layers of complexity in this wine with both savoury and fruit forward aromas that will continue to develop and express themselves further with bottle age.

This parcel sits at the bottom of the Hermitage hill on alluvial soils. In 2022 it is fleshy and full, with notes of fragrant red and black fruit, game and cracked black pepper. It is detailed, pure, elegant and complex. Utterly charming.

The prestige cuvée from one of the Southern Rhône's greatest estates.

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.

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.

Tasted April 2023. Complex and energetic with lots of aromatic and floral character. Dark berry fruit and blueberry, with lavendar, dried herbs and some more lifted fresh mint towards the finish with salty notes. Dark chocolate richness but vibrant and fresh on the finish.

Tasted April 2023. Le Prieuré seems to get better and better each vintage. Aromatic, floral nose, lots of mature bramble fruit but also some crunchier red fruit. Chalky texture, with ripe tannin, and a long mineral finish.

Tasted April 2023. 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14% abv. Restrained red and black fruit, with lots of fresh stony acidity. Succulent raspberry fruit adds to the fresh, appetising style. This is expressive but still tightly wound with densely packed, grainy tannins that melt away after a while on the palate. Peppermint and savoury herbal flavours linger on the long finish. A very fine Figeac.

Tasted April 2022. Peymouton in 2021 shows a good level of ripeness with fresh, sappy red berries and some darker, more brooding fruit underneath. The structure is firm at this early stage, with lots of fine tannins and fresh acidity. The whole palate is tightly wound, ready to age gracefully in bottle.

Tasted April 2022. Concentrated and powerful, but still showing the characteristic freshness of the vintage. There's a mixture of ripe black fruit and crunchier red fruits, with a juiciness on the palate which broadens out into a long finish. The structural elements of the wine are tightly wound, but this has the potential to be fantastic with time in bottle. Tannins are ripe and bold at present. There's some lighter, herbal character and aromatics from 30% Cabernet Franc in the blend. 14%.

Tasted April 2022. Smoky and rich on the nose with tobacco, leather, licquorice and baking spices framing a core of ripe cherry, black plum fruit. The tannins are very fine and there's bright acidity in good balance. There's a lovely mineral, crunchy note on the finish making it very appetising.

Tasted April 2022. Very precise Cabernet nose with blackcurrant and bramble, with graphite and cedar. There's a lovely brightness to this wine, and rhubarb-like acidity. The core of the wine is ripe and deep, with a silkiness to the texture. There's a long mineral-laden finish. This is a class act, with concentration and freshness in harmony.

The 2020 Clerc Milon is a really beautiful iteration of this well-placed Pauillac. More elegant than usual, there's lovely purity here, and silky acidity, and a very long, savoury finish.

Du Pez is from the same stable as Pichon Lalande, and this is a lovely expression of St-Estèphe in 2019. Dark berries and sea spray, and a hint of iodine on the finish. The tannins are refined and very pure, and there's an impressively long finish. Very nice indeed.

This Cheval Blanc is deep and brooding, with notes of pencil lead and spice around the dark fruit. It's finessed and classical, with lots of refined, elegant tannins. Really balanced, and long too, with a nice savouriness to the finish.

Planted 1978 by Bernhard’s grandfather this plot is very close to the ocean. It opens with suggestions of ocean spray and hints of stone fruit, but this also has a delicious savory edge too. White grapefruit, ginger, hints of golden fruit ending very focused and intense.

Bullnose is often overshadowed by the more famous Coleraine bottling from Te Mata, but this Syrah is completely delicious, with more than a passing resemblance to the Northern Rhone. There's black cherry, rose, pepper, and smoky truffle development. This ages gracefully and is well worth discovering.

Winner of the Best Australian Red at the International Wine Challenge 2024. 70% whole bunch is used to make the Balhannah which gives a lifted, herbal quality, alongside lots of savoury-tinged, blue fruit. There's mouthwatering saline acidity lathered with tapenade. This is a brilliant Syrah and has a long life ahead of it. A lofty example of cool-climate Adelaide Hills Shiraz.

The newest single vineyard in the range, this is fine-boned and very impressive. Notes of dark cherry and wild herbs swirl from the glass, while the finish is pure, mineral, and very long. It's open knit, with so much to love.

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.

So mineral and deep, this balances a charming bitterness with lots of citrus fruit and also a core of very fresh fruit. This always reminds us of Negronis (in a very good way) and the 2017 is no different. Don’t be afraid to age this.

Coming from 11 vineyards around the village of Gratallops, this wine is a great introduction into the spirit of Priorat. Bright redcurrant, red cherry and wild strawberry aromas combine with anise and sweet spice. The tannins have a sweetness to them, with an attractive grip on the finish and the wine has a juicy, energetic core.

Achleiten is one of Prager’s most recognised vineyard sites, with this cuvée coming from a parcel that is largely gneiss, with the vines planted in the 50s on the lower terraces at around 220 metres. This wine is often the most open and floral of all of the Prager wines with classic white pepper notes supported by crushed stone and lime.

Situated just to the east of Heiligenstein, the soil here is complex, rocky and steep and have been formed into terraces. Indeed, some parts of the Riesling terraces belong to the oldest vineyards of the winery. They form very classic, precise Rieslings, refined yet intense, with great purity and ageing potential.

From the remarkable Herrenberg with a soil of weathered-slate, greywacke this is a powerful and muscular iteration this vintage. Ripe cherry and hedgerow fruit, this maintains real precision on the palate with finely etched tannins, and aromas of sandalwood, cocoa, and nutmeg. The finish is so long and detailed, this is a wine that will age effortlessly.

Released in 2022 directly from the Bollinger cellars in Champagne

Les Fripons is, like Les Filles, a wine made from 100% Bergeron - the local Savoie name for Roussanne. It is more linear and lean than Les Filles, but no less delicious. Gilles Berlioz is a passionate practicioner of organic farming and a benchmark producer in the Savoie.

Ermitage De l'Orée comes from 60-70 year-old Marsanne vines from lieu-dit “Les Murets” at the top of the hill. Perfumed with white flowers, stone fruit and quince, the palate is wonderfully textured, with zippy acidity and a chalky, mineral finish. Expertly-judged.

This is the Barrot family’s flagship wine. It is rich and woven-through with ripe tannin and forest fruit flavours. It has a muscular body and a bright, red-fruit-driven finish.

50-year-old Syrah vines grow in the high terraces of shingle and clay on the Hermitage hillside. The 2021 Méal has a rounded, voluminous texture and superb notes of dark fruits, black cherry, smoked meat, leather and a hint of dried rose petal. This already has plenty of complexit

Made from 18 grape varieties, white and red, all picked when ready and fermented in the same tank, meaning a long continuous ferment. This results in a very complex wine with layers of spice, truffle and earth. One year in barrique before resting in concrete and bottle.

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

Tasted April 2023. 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Complex and energetic with lots of layered aromatic blue fruit and raspberry. Red cherry, black cherry and plum make a juicy, concentrated mid-palate and there are cooler, saline notes towards the finish.

Tasted April 2023. 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% ABV. Long and robust, there's more peppery Cabernet Sauvignon character in the 2022 Clinet than one might expect from Pomerol. This is a powerhouse shaping up to be a long lived wine, but there's also an elegance to go with the structure here. With hints of mint leaf, liquorice, and fennel, the herbal lift makes this an intriguing prospect.

Tasted April 2022. An unusual blend this year with 75% Cabernet Franc and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is medium-bodied, full of fresh red berry fruit and crushed stone, mineral notes, petals and mint. There's some spicy, richer notes developing, and plenty of fresh acidity.

Tasted April 2022. Intense and aromatic, with pure, soft black fruits, and exotic spice, wild herbs and mineral notes adding complexity. The tannins are firm and structured ready for long ageing in bottle, and the finish is fresh and mineral.

Tasted April 2022. Seriously concentrated with tightly-packed black cherry and blueberry fruit. As the palate develops more mineral, saline notes emerge and rise to a long fresh finish. Broad and slightly creamy texture with grippy tannins. Really impressive.

The best value second wine of a First Growth, the 2020 is a blend of 60.1% Merlot, 31.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.7% Cabernet Franc and 1.5% Petit Verdot.

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.

From the younger vines at the legendary Pichon Baron estate, Les Tourelles de Longueville is a truly fine Pauillac. Full of red and black fruit with smoky notes, menthol and graphite in the background. Silky in texture, it will drink beautifully when young but has the depth and concentration to cellar for decades.