There 142 products in this category
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Lourens Family Wines
Franco Lourens spent some years working with the great Chris Alheit before settling to focus entirely on his own range of wines. This is a breathtakingly self-assured range and almost in the blink of an eye places Franco into the very top bracket of top-end New Wave SA producers. Franco is a leading light of South Africa’s New Wave and champion of old-vine Chenin, among others. He is inevitably set to join the likes of Chris Alheit, Eben Sadie, Adi Badenhorst, Duncan Savage et alia in the shimmering constellation of New Wave South African stars. BUT - and here's the rub - since Franco is still relatively unknown, the prices do not yet reflect how sensational the wines really are. Since mid-2020 Franco has shared cellar space with another great new vigneron Lukas van Loggerenberg in Paarl. "35% Verdelho, 21% Chenin Blanc, 19% Colombar, 18% Grenache Blanc (five days skin contact) and 7% Palomino – sourced variously from Stellenbosch, Swartland and Piekenierskloof. Expressive aromatics of pear, peach and citrus plus floral perfume and hay while the palate has good fruit definition, well integrated acidity and a gently savoury finish, some light phenolic grip adding interest. Subtle and intricate". 94/100 winemag.co.za
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Domaine des Escaravailles
Rasteau aged in Amphora by this great Southern Rhone estate. Silky smooth, with a touch more restraint. Classy stuff.
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Domaine Danjou-Banessy
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.
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Szepsy
The Szepsy family has been producing Tokaj wines since the 1500s and 18th generation family member, Istvàn Szepsy, is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most innovative winemakers in Hungary. Szamorodni is a late-harvested style of sweet wine pioneered by Szepsy and is lighter than the Puttonyos wines. The word Szamorodni means “as it comes” that means that we harvest those bunches that contain aszú berries and healthy ripe berries as a whole (when making Aszú wine, aszú berries are picked separately) before pressing soaking eases the botrytised taste to be released. The wine contains 170g residual sugar despite of that and thanks to the method, the result is a fresh sweet wine with the taste of yellow and dried fruits, minerals and a hint of botrytis. SWA Gold Medal.
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Domaine Danjou-Banessy
A blend of Genache Blanc, Gris and Noir, from ancient 90 year old vines in the ancient and quite amazing 'C|os des Escounils' that the brothers are developing and working on re-establishing it's other potential vineyard areas. This is beautiful, racy, elegant wine that is softly textured and very ‘modern’ in its freshness and balance.
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Tommasi
One of the top handful of Amarone. Dry, drinkable style, all spice and leather, very impressive
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Vega Sicilia
Vega Sicilia - Spain's most prestigious wine producer. Unico is their flagship wine, making this the crème de la crème of Spanish wines. Unico is aged for 10 years before release, and is predominantly made with Termpranillo, with some Cabernet Sauvignon. 96/100 from RobertParker.com
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MollyDooker
A wine that wraps your entire palate in a ‘Velvet Glove’ of exquisite, everlasting fruit flavours. This is the pinnacle of Mollydooker winemaking.
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Von Hovel
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Felton Road
Intense nose of real concentration. Vibrant and jewelly – like essence of Central Otago but with a drier finish than many. Still very youthful and savoury. Great stuff! 2020 Vintage Jancis Robinson MW
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Charles Melton
Charles Melton's Nine Popes is a nod to the great wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and is as rich, powerful and beautifully balanced as the best examples from the Rhône in France. Almost a permanent feature in Matthew Jukes' 100 Best Australian Wines. The wine is aged on lees for 24-28 months in French oak, of which 60% is new oak. The wine is then naturally settled and bottled without fining. Nine Popes is deep red in colour with a floral bouquet. The palate is structured and spicy with sweet red fruit and floral flavours which will develop further over time. It is rich and complex in the Popes tradition.
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Antinori
Since the 2011 vintage the historical label Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva is made only with fruit sourced from the Tignanello estate, making it the perfect introduction to the flagship wine. It’s made almost entirely with Sangiovese with a small percentage of other complementary varieties. A wine that fully expresses the quality and elegance of Sangiovese grapes grown in this area
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Disznókó
Honeyed, cedar, orange peel with notes of spiced fruit, lemon marmalade and a lingering sweet finish. Heavenly!
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Duckhorn Vineyards
From its tempting aromas of ripe cherry and black raspberry to its sweet, dusty tannins and supple texture, this a lush and expansive expression of Napa Valley Merlot. Luxurious flavours of black plum, rhubarb crumble and chocolate-covered raspberry mingle with hints of graphite and clove on the long, vibrant finish.
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Hoopes
Made by all female star team of owner Lindsay Hoopes, Anne Vauter (ex Screaming Eagle) and Jennifer Rue this has richness and elegance in equal measure. Extended barrel ageing has softened the wine, as has some bottle age, making it exquisite to drink now. It will keep but why wait?
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Greywacke
By Kevin Judd ex-Cloudy Bay head winemaker/co-founder. His top SB, rare and indeed, wild as in unique and funky - indigenous yeast ferment in old oak. Ground-breaking top-end NZSB.
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Fantini
The idea of this ??wine came out during a curious meeting between “wine experts”: Valentino Sciotti, today CEO of the “Farnese Group”, Filippo Baccalaro, chief winemaker of the same group and third generation of Piedmontese winemakers, Hugh Johnson, the most famous wine journalist in the world, and Jean Marc Sauboua of the third generation of Bordeaux winemakers. During that particular meeting, 18 years ago, Hugh Johnson launched a challenge to the two young winemakers: that of creating a “great wine” with the character of “Southern Italy”, forged with the best varietals of that territory; a wine with the modest name of “table wine”, but with the soul of “a great wine”, that stands out for its ability to be unique and extraordinarily superior to what the market offers. Montepulciano, Primitivo, Negroamaro, Sangiovese & Malvasia Nera. Astonishing 3-time winner of 99/100 Luca Maroni "Best Italian Red 2018". Previous IWC Abruzzo Trophy. Grower voted best in Italy 3 times. Massive, Epic wine. 100% new oak (60% American 40% French)
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Ch. Cadet Bon
A beautifully put-together claret, made from 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from vineyards located on cool limestone soils. The terrific Stephane Derenencourt consults here. Lovely extraction with lots of fruit, ripe tannina nd acidity. Long and complex and able to age although beautiful now.
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Gonzalez Byass
International Wine & Spirits Awards (IWSC) 2010 Sherry Trophy winner. Gonzalez Byass is also the 2010 IWSC Winemaker of the Year. “Mid amber bronze in colour. Arresting scents of damp woodlands, earl grey tea, bitter orange, dried cherry and caramel. Classic Palo Cortado dry style with a hint of sweetness which shows how this can be easily become a superb dessert wine.” IWSC 2017 Gold
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Domaine Comelade
Lionel Comelade produces this stunning wine from ancient vine Macabeu and Grenache Gris grown on amazing black and white schist soil vineyards between Estagel and Latour de France in the Roussillon. Both white grapes were harvested later in the season in 1990 with high sugar levels. The grapes were partially fermented in concrete vats and then neutral brandy was added to stop fermentation and keep natural sweetness in the wine. Then the wine was passed to second use oak barrels and left in the cellar for 32 years before bottling (to order). No ‘topping up’ of the barrels occurred in the 33 years. The wine is tremendous, possibly surpassing the 1988. It is ‘ambre’ in colour. A bright, wild nose with orange rind, orange oil and warm spices. The palate is thrilling with great complexity and depth with thrilling, wild acidity which really charms. Astonishing and quite unique. The wine is one of the best value fortified wines in the world. 33 years of age, so interesting and delicious. A steal at this price.
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Duckhorn Vineyards
A classic expression of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, this wine begins with enticing aromas of bright cranberry, strawberry, blueberry and blackberry, as well as savory hints of black tea, dried herbs, pennyroyal and saddle leather. The lush fruit notes are echoed on the flavorful palate, where they mingle with layers of moist earth and wild mushrooms, with firm tannins and bright acidity carrying the wine to a poised and polished finish. "Super-classy, elegance personified. Full and rich." Clive Pawsey
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Dom. des Lampyres
100% Grenache Noir bred in clay Amphora from this exciting young grower, Francois Xavier AKA 'FX'. FX worked with Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines which we are introducing the UK for the first time. 100% Grenache Noir grown in Espira-de-l'Agly, Roussillon. Organic viticulture. Hand-picked, macerated on skins for eight days with whole bunches. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in clay amphora for eight months. Super-low sulphite addition, once before bottling.
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Chateau Laroque
This Claret is fresh and balanced. The blend is Merlot-based and the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 12 months, giving a nice aroma of spice and wood smoke. The palate is fleshy with a hint of plum, the tannins fine and firm, leading to a generous finish. Drink now to 2036
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Felton Road
The complete epitome of this iconic wine. Dark fruits, crushed herbs, silky but palpable texture, weightless power, chocolate tannins with wafts of smoky mocha, followed by the length that defines its reputation. When a wine is this true to its hallmarks, one is left with very little to say. 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.
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Meerlust
Big heady scent of dark fruit, leather and tobacco. Much more medium bodied compared to some of the recent vintages with good acidity and balance. Length is good with dry tannins, many years of life over which this will be enjoyed Meerlust's gorgeous iconic Bordeaux blend - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot.
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Breitenbach
A rare Tokaji from the small Breitenbach estate. Rich, waxy, honied, buttery. Hugely compex, with layers of flavour that linger for minutes. Delicious on it's own, but also a beautiful match to balanced desserts or rich cheeses. Founded in 2006 the Breitenbach winery is nestled in the heart of Hungary's Tokaji wine region. With just 6 hectares of 40-80 year old vines their focus is on the native grapes Furmint and Hárslevel?. Viticulture is done by hand and the mission is quality not quantity which is evident in their wines.
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Au Bon Climat
From one of the great Pinot vineyards of the world. The wine has a nose of perfumed red and black cherries, star anise and earth. The palate is silky and expansive with nuanced, spice-laced berry flavor layers energized by lip-smacking acidity, with a long finish. Scored 95+ points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate; 94 points Wine & Spirits Magazine; 92 points Wine Enthusiast; 90 points Vinous.
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Bartenura
Best-selling Kosher wine. Light and frothy. Non-mevushal.
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Vega Sicilia
2013 is a subtle, elegant, fresh, vertical, complex, silky, and well-defined vintage. This wine is a true paradox, enjoyable to drink now, but timeless when allowed to age in bottle. The rainy end to the harvest left its imprint on the wine from this vintage. 2013 was a year to spend time in the vineyard, tend to it with care, and not rest on your laurels during harvest. A more elegant, subtle, and complex profile. The grapes are harvested from the 40 hectares used to produce Unico, a wine that ages at least ten years between barrel and bottle, representing one of the world's longest ageing processes. For the first phase, we used 225-litre French and American oak barrels to start to structure the wine; the second phase involved using 22,000-litre wooden vats. A long, complex, yet wonderful wine construction, during which they obtain endless nuances, definition, texture, and depth over time. This incredible terroir and the unique ageing process make our wines timeless when they aged.
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Roger Sabon
92 Points - Wine Spectator - A favourite Châteauneuf-du-Pape producer of Robert Parker, Domaine Roger Sabon, established in 1952 produces a modern style of wine, with the Cuvée Les Olivets a stunning fruit forward Cuvée from vines over 50 years of age. A bright ruby colour. Toasted, furry, brothy and undergrowth nose. Ripe tannins are assorted with ripe black cherry on the palate. With previous vintages rated as high as 99 points by Robert Parker - it shows the remarkable consistency of Roger Sabon's wines - Just exceptional and on par with the most expensive Châteauneuf du Pape - a must try !
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d'Arenberg
Low yielding, old vines are picked in small parcels and remain separate until final blending. Small batches of grapes are gently crushed and then transferred to five tonne headed down open fermenters. Foot treading is undertaken two thirds of the way through fermentation. The wine is then basket pressed and transferred to a mixture of new and used oak barriques to complete fermentation. The barrel ferments are on aged lees, there is no racking until final blending and no fining or filtration. Dead Arm is a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa Lata that randomly effects vineyards all over the world. One half, or an 'arm' of the vine slowly becomes reduced to dead wood. That side may be lifeless and brittle, but the grapes on the other side display amazing intensity.
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Vilafonté
Named in honour of the ancient vilafonté soils that make up the estate at 1.5m years old, one of the oldest documented soil types in the world where the vines for this wine have been growing for almost two decades. A Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Just 330 barrels produced of this stunning wine. Layers of fresh plum, black cherry, baking spice and vanilla pod. Lovely mineral notes with a lingering finish. A line of acidity giving real tension to the whole wine.
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Domaine Gayda
Winemaker Vincent Chansault is particularly happy with this release of Gayda's top, single vineyard Syrah from a beautiful site high up in La Liviniere. Extrememly limited. One for Cote-Rotie lovers. The 'Dream House' in question was built by the owner in the vineyards for his ailing wife to spend her last days. She miraculously recovered and her story inspired Vincent to make his dream wine from Syrah in La Liviniere.
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Billecart-Salmon
Famously delicate and sexy pink At the March 2022 Taste Champagne (300 wines) I have to say this stood out as one of the most delicious "drinking Champagnes" on show - and there were some very Showy wines on show that day. A huge success for us, easy to forget just how gorgeous it is - firstly it is so very savoury, forget the cherry fruits, it's more like Xmas cake, rhubarb, forest floor, nettle and nutmeg. When the glass is empty the aromas persist. This is Grand stuff, the stuff of deluxe cuvee, truly epic. And a dinner wine too. A cunning counsel for you - don't serve it too cold, err on the cellar-temperature side. March 2022. Of course the whole Billecart range is exceptional and impressive but the 'basic NV is a STEAL! Seriously, super-tight with Silex and citrus, grippy and bracing. On best-ever form.
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Domaine les Pallieres
Not only is the magnificent Gigondas estate 500 years old, it's owned by Daniel and Frédéric Brunier. Know the name? They are behind Châteauneuf's leading estate, Vieux Télégraphe. Meting out the same care, they produce this rich, old-vine Gigondas. And Daniel reckons that 2019 is his best vintage to date. A perfectly balanced wine, finely poised and with great length.
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Kanonkop
Kanonkop's Pinotage comes from 63-year-old unirrigated bush vines grown on the estate. Bright ruby-red hues. A textbook Stellenbosch Pinotage with aromatic and spicy aromas of mulberry, raspberry and cinnamon. Muscular, well-integrated tannins add great structure. Flavours of bramble, violets, plums and black berries are balanced by scented new oak. An elegant wine with savoury notes on the lengthy finish, and a lifting underlying freshness.
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Chateau Monlot
Second wine of Chateau Monlot, which sits on excellent Clay-Limestone terroir in the Saint-Emilion commune of Saint-Hippolyte. Beautiful youthful colour. A mix of red and black fruits and a pronounced oaked tone on the nose. On the palate, pleasurable harmony, honesty and fruit intensity.
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Charles Melton
A softer structure than its valley floor brethren, the cooler climate ‘Grains of Paradise’ Shiraz balances Melton's house style richness within a more nimble framework, retaining the sweet fruit but balancing the weight. Deep crimson in colour with aromas of dark chocolate, black fruits and pepper. The palate has round tannins and a smooth finish.
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Domaine du Landreau
This Loire Valley sweet wine has a lovely golden colour with rich aromas of peach and pear giving a "chewing the fruit" sensation. A very complex, persistent and well balanced wine.
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Greywacke
Right from the get-go, this sets itself apart from the rest of the pack with a level of polish, complexity and balance. The nose has ripe peach and mango fruits; gentle savoury, yeasty complexity adds biscuity aromas too. The palate has an immediate sense of concentration and the textural richness builds in smooth layers; there’s pear and nectarine, and a juicy, precise finish. Scents of a summer orchard: juicy nectarines, plump sun-dried apricots and tree-ripened lemons mingled with musky oriental spices. The palate is silky and sumptuous – warm honeyed stone fruit with almonds and shortcake. A lithe, textural wine of intense richness, laced with a citrusy, sherbet-like zest.