Fine Wine

The small estate in the heart of Pauillac has produced this rich wine, half-and-half Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It is full of promising tannins, blackcurrant flavours and spice from wood aging. Drink the wine from 2025.

From a breathtaking 0.5 hectare site on Chaban at 400+ metres altitude that was passed on to the Roudier family by the retiring Jean-Marie Teysseire, a legendary figure in Cornas and Saint-Peray. The Syrah vines are 80++ yrs of age on granitic soils including a portion of the mineral baryte, a clear crystal/quartz looking mark that gives the wine its mysterious sounding name. The vines are deeply established on this steep hillside, cut into terraces and oriented East/South-East. An utterly beautiful, natural granite amphitheatre that protects the vines from the cold winds. Beautiful Syrah expresses all its power and finesse on this wonderful Cornas terroir. The debut vintage of this full-bodied terroir wine - which doesn't initially appear to be representative of the "Northern Rhone 2021" vintage - spring frost, harvest rain affected. But from what we have tasted, Cornas in general appears little affected, likely due to the elevation of the vineyards and the gradients of the slopes. So watch out for sleeping Cornas bargains like this from 2021. The wine has a fairly classic Cornas nose, on the palate it is voluminous, lush and suave but fresh and balanced with real tension and energy. The wine is pure and very long. All the fruit destemmed, no oak breeding (all in stainless steel) with a four week maceration. A true terroir wine from a great Cornas site. This 2021 is very impressive now and shall reveal its elegance and finesse over the coming years. What a wine!

Big, rich and velvety like a decent Margaux should be with a modern glossy feel on the palate. Designed for earlier drinking as a second wine, with extended barrel ageing. Delicious fruit, ample weight and body, ripe tannins.

A dry, powerful, harmonious Riesling from the Moselle. Harvested from the best plots and vines over 70 years old, growing on blue slate. Laser-edged acidity against a silky, supple palate of juicy white peach and mango flavours.

Miles Davis, eccentric, mad, funky and definitely not a light wine. Quite incredible that it’s the same grape, vinification and area as the ‘Hub’, just different soil. Bolder and more tannic, grippy with a very long finish and so limited! 2 hectares of vines, that’s it!

Pietrabianca is an elegant Chardonnay produced on the Bocca di Lupo estate in the Murgia area of Puglia. The distinctive characteristic of this area is its pietra, stone.Pietrabianca refers to the stones that rural farmers hit while ploughing the fields and once they were crushed and ground into the soil, helped enhance the aromas of the wines grown there. Rich, complex and at the same time fresh and pleasant, Pietrabianca shows that Apulia is a region of great white wines, too.

The desire to nurture the Estate’s exceptional qualities has shaped Ornellaia’s philosophy since the beginning. Ornellaia is a cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot and the faithful expression of unique terroir developed in harmony with nature. ““With its usual deep ruby red colour, Ornellaia 2020 stands out on the nose with ripe red fruits and delicate vanilla and gentle tobacco notes. Upon tasting, the wine reveals itself to be rounded and velvety, making an enjoyable and engaging first impression that entices for a second sip. The tannins are dense yet elegant and the finish proves to be savoury and enduring.” Olga Fusari – Winemaker Press “This is a beauty, so generous and opulent with fully seamless transitions. The wine’s traditional blend is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with tiny percentages of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, although this warm vintage makes due with a pinch less of the Cabernet Sauvignon. […] This broad and generous expression has a beautiful quality of fruit and oak that speaks to the very best of Italian winemaking.” 95-97 Points – Wine Advocate, Monica Larner

Natural, biodynamic and vegan. Grenache, Carignan and Mourvedre from 80 year old vines, Made without filtering or fining. Pale but gorgeous mid red colour. At first on the nose, you are like "What even is that?". Whatever it is, you know that you like it. Elegant, subtle fruit is intermixed with gentle herb, earth and savoury charachters. Deep and wonderful. On the palate the wine is elegant and deep again, but not heavy in the slightest. Ruffled fruit and savoury notes with minerality and real finesse. These wines are like no other from the Roussillon. Outstanding. Magnum sized.

A wine from an amazing single site with vines older than 90 years. Carignan on black schistous marl. Aged for 20 months in barrels. Possibly Roussillon's most elegant expression of the grape? Outstanding wine.

100% Carignan from 80 year old vines. Complex floral aromas. On the palate the fruits, such as raspberry and morello cherry, are crunchy and fresh. There is also a very strong stony/mineral feeling. The finish is long and pure. A vibrant wine.

Sometimes it can be hard to find a word to match what seems so clear to the senses. The nose is dark, as is the colour, beguiling, but restrained. There is a stature to the palate here; a sort of authority to the way it stands back and allows you to explore its detail. A definite sprig of herbs, chocolate notes, but still so transparent that every nuance is revealed. It seems extraordinary that this is just the second time we’ve made MacMuir as a single vineyard release: it’s Felton Road, to be sure, but in a different dimension. Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate "Felton Road...consistently reviewed by this publication since the 1997 vintage... pacesetting biodynamic producer." "I almost feel like Felton Road should need no introduction by now. If two decades of excellence isn't enough to convince you to try these wines, what more can I say?" The Wine Society "...legendary status for making some of New Zealand's, and the world's finest pinot noir" Berry Brothers and Rudd "Superb Pinot Noir wine, one of the best examples from outside Burgundy..." Jamessuckling.com Felton Road: The Handsome Prince of New Zealand Pinot. “If Central Otago was the Cote de Nuits, then Bannockburn would be likely be the Vosne Romanee, and I’m ging to hang it right out and say that Felton Road would be the top gun, the DRC.” Decanter Top Scoring Wines of 2021 Felton Road the only NZ 100/100. Wine Spectator Felton Rd no. 12 in the Top 100 Wines of the Word 2018. Drinks International 2023 19/100 World’s most-admired wine brands. Felton Road was the second New Zealand company to join International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) and is a Gold Member.

91/100!!!! 100% Pinot Nero, Red Angel has an aroma that is heady, well-orchestrated, and slightly herbaceous. The Pinot Nero stands out with elegant finesse, having been aged in oak for five months, it is fresh and light in style. Jermann own a combined 170 hectares of prime vineyards at their two estates in Collio and Isonzo. From Austria’s Burgenland to Biljana in Slovenia, the Jermann family’s journey would see Anton Jermann lead them over the border to Farra d’Isonzo, in Italy’s pretty, hilly, nearby Friuli in 1881. Today, this is where the winery still resides. Leaning on Anton’s legacy, Silvio Jermann, Anton Jermann’s great grandson, has since turned the Jermann name into a reference point, not only for the region, but for Italy as a whole.

The wines of Château Tronquoy-Lalande know how to seduce from their youth and gain in elegance after several years in cellar. In their blends we find the particularity of the estate's grape varieties, atypical for a Saint-Estèphe wine, dominated by Merlot, which fruit combines with the power of the Cabernet Sauvignon. The hint of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc adds freshness, finesse and aromatic complexity.

The Gianetto vineyard is next to Cerretta. It was never bottled before using the vineyard name as it was added to famous brands, like Prunotto, as fruit and wine from here in Serralunga was always an important part of Barolo. Garesio have the best part of the vineyard, east facing, bathed by the morning 'sori', between 270 and 310 metres above sea level. It shows a bit more power that the Cerretta bottling. It's a beautiful wine and also a stunning value. Walter Speller on jancisrobinson.com "Perfect amalgam of red fruit and oak. Tightly knit red-fruit palate with great depth and real energy. Cool, long red-fruit finish with finely coating tannins". 17+/20

Since the addition of the excellent Brochon vineyards in 2020, what was already a very good wine is now an excellent one, perhaps with a little more grip and structure than in the past, without losing that classic Leroux purity and accessibility. The nose is pure Gevrey; chalky red berry fruits, a floral touch and a twist of spice. The palate is juicy with waves of succulent red berry fruit and a refreshing limestone finish. Drink 2024-2032.

Berene Sauls has a very unique story. Growing up in a small village in the Overberg, Berene admits that she came from a beer-drinking community, and wine was never really on her radar. Her first exposure was at the age of 19, when she began working for the trailblazing Hamilton Russell family as an au pair. Lasting only a month, her talents at childcare aside, Anthony Hamilton Russell recognised her drive and thought a job working in the winery office would better suit her. Thrown in at the deep end knowing really nothing about wine, she was soon exposed to every side of the business - assisting with exports, bottling and labelling, driving forklifts and picking during harvest too, as well as on the side, "growing and developing a palate that wasn't there!" Her curiosity kept her rising through the ranks, and fifteen years after starting her career, Anthony offered her the opportunity to make her first wine, aided by proficient head winemaker Emul Ross. She leapt at the opportunity, and the rest is history. She named her business Tesselaarsdal for the small village that she grew up in, and if you look closely at the label, you can make out two people walking across the mountain. This is Berene and her grandmother. From unirrigated vineyards on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, and this is just her third release! Crisp acidity and lean minerality underpin notes of melon and tangerine fruit and accents of lime blossom. A triumphant expression of terroir, this medium-bodied, cool climate wine is both silky and fresh and boasts a long, elegant finish.

One of the most legendary Stellenbosch wines. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels, rather like a fine classed growth Claret. Complex, layered and intense aromas of cassis, plums, spiced oak and cigar boxon the nose. The palate is rich and supple, with seamless fruit / oak integration, delicate tannins and a fine seam of acidity. Layers and layers of plush fruit explodes in the mouth with concentrated flavours of tomato cocktail, black and red fruits, and stewed meat. A wine of immense purity, depth and freshness. A subtle note of mint on the finish completes a wine filled with detail.

70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc. Attractive, complex fruit nose. Black fruits and some toasty oak, cocoa. Ripe and juicy flashy, plump, well built but not OTT. Chocolate oak nose. Dark deep purple in colour. Underlying earthy cocoa initial taste that builds to plum. Well balanced, not too dry considering its strength. Good longevity with the slightest touch of pepper

A full-bodied, textural style reminiscent of Southern Rhône whites. Aromatic and intense, with crystalline white fruits and spice with a long finish. Intruiging and very impressive.

First planted in 1860, the ‘Hill of Grace’ vineyard has been in the Henschke family since 1891, with Cyril Henschke producing its first single-vineyard Shiraz in 1958. Planted at 400 metres above sea level, this 4-hectare vineyard is named after the Gnandenberg Lutheran Church opposite (‘Gnadenberg’ translates to ‘Hill of Grace’ in German). The site’s original ‘Ancestors’ vines are now approximately 160 years old and remain at the heart of the ‘Hill of Grace’ vineyard, alongside a small selection of ungrafted ‘Centenarians’ (vines over 100 years old), ‘Survivors’ (vines over 70 years old) and ‘Old Vines’ (over 35 years old). The 2019 vintage was aged for 18 months in oak hogsheads, of which 20% was new and 80% seasoned (90% French and 10% American). 19.5+ points – Matthew Jukes, March 2024,MatthewJukes.com 97 points – Sarah Ahmed, March 2024,Decanter.com 19.5 points – Jancis Robinson MW, March 2024,JancisRobinson.com 97 points – Erin Larkin, April 2024,WineAdvocate.com 99 points – Dave Brookes, April 2024,WineCompanion.com.au 97 points – Huon Hooke, February 2024,The Real Review

This domaine's showpiece wine is made using the best Chardonnay grapes, fermented and matured in French oak. Burgundian and silky in style, "Lemon zest and lemon juice to the fore here, a bright, zesty expression, with pear and apple too, lightly on its feet....it has lovely freshness". Natalie Earl, Decanter Magazine From jancisrobinson.com Certified organic. From four plots of 26 to 46-year old vines grown amongst oak trees at 350m and on rolled pebbles and limestone. Hand-picked and hand-sorted, low-pressure pressing, free-run juice only. Malolactic fermentation is in 225-litre oak barrels, which is where the wines are aged. Gentle lees stirring for the first four months. Unfined. Château Rive-Blanques now belongs to Pierre Bories’ Artisans & Partisans group of estates. "Rich, nutty (even a little caramelised) and streaked with fresh garrigue. As with their Dédicace Chenin, the acidity feels softer and more muted than I’ve come to expect with R-B wines, but there is a firm hazelnut and walnut framework around the fruit, so the texture and structure is there. Touch of liquorice on the finish gives it a nice twist". 16.5/20

Croft is one of the most distinguished and highly regarded of all the Port houses. Founded in 1588, it is also the oldest. The rich and powerful 2003 is a fine example of this excellent vintage. Sweet, aromatic and impactful, with a ripe, sumptuous palate and supple, rounded tannins.