Calvados, Champagne, Rhone Ble...
-
Charvin Cotes du Rhone Le Poutet 2020The nose carries a light essence of cooked plum fruit, strawberry jam, pepper, peony. It’s wide, will emerge and evolve well. The palate is close-knit, herbal-peppery, lined with red cherry, brisk fruits, cut in the tannins that still stand a little on the outside. Its frame is a bit skeletal, can amplify. There is rocky powder emphasis on the close, the length good. I like its gradual upping of the tempo, depth. It has interest, hidden corners, is not an open book. “It’s very fresh, always had foundation. 2019 is powerful, but 2020 bears jolis fruits, has true class, an identity,” Laurent Charvin. JOHN LIVINGSTON-LEARMONTH, drinkrhone.com,
A bold and expressive Cotes-du-Rhone with excellent wild blackberry fruit plus notes of meat and licorice. A big and well-structured wine that gets a real kick at the finish from the crunchy freshness. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. STUART PIGGOT, James Suckling2020Rhone BlendFrance467$58.00 As low as $52.20 -
Domaine de la Lorentine Marcoux Lirac 2020Dark, full red; the nose has a restrained aroma led by blackberry, carries a sure, rather neat sweetness, shows some oily southern tones, as it should. The palate serves attractive, suave content with spark in its red fruits, has a good tone, the tannins well on the inside, a snug fit. 2023, decant. **** JOHN LIVINGSTONE-LEARMONTH, drinkrhone.com2020Rhone BlendFrance467$59.00 As low as $53.10 -
Mont Redon Lirac 2021(vat/casks) dark red; the nose has a salted tone, with a hint of violets and gently aromatic black fruit on the inside, a touch of charry oak. The palate serves comfortable content with a tasty centre, bonny juice in the fruit with a ripe level of tannin accompanying it. It’s a well organised, gourmand Lirac rouge, has southern virtues of round, textured appeal, the fruit lasting well. The oak on the finish needs to drop back, so leave until mid-2024. It would have been more highly rated with less oak. 14.5°. 80,000 b. 70% Gren, 20% Syr, 10% Mourv. JOHN LIVINGSTONE-LEARNMONTH drinkrhone.com,
A deeply hued and surprisingly concentrated 2021, the 2021 Lirac has lots of ripe cherry and Provençal herb and spice notes to go with a medium-bodied, layered, elegant style on the palate. It's a terrific 2021 that readers will love. JEB DUNNUCK
70 % Grenache, 20 % Syrah and 10 % Mourvèdre totally de-stemmed with ferment up to 3 weeks and aged 2/3 in tank and 1/3 in barrel for 18 months before assembling and bottling and ageing another 4 months under cork before sale. These vineyards were purchased in 1997.2021Rhone BlendFrance467$59.00 As low as $53.10 -
Hobo Wine Camp Alexander Valley Cabernet 2021The grapes for this wine come about 82% from our own block in Mitch Patin’s Lloyd Vineyard on West Soda Rock Road planted in 1998 towards the southern end of Alexander Valley on the banks of the Russian River. 11% comes from the Larrick Vineyard that we farm, and the remaining 7% is Malbec from J. Rickard in Cloverdale.
As always, this wine was produced more like a Pinot more than a Cab. Fermented in open-tops with native yeasts, punched down by hand, and racked to barrels before being aged in 2nd fill French oak barrels for 15 months.
2021Cabernet SauvignonUSA362$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Hobo Wine Camp The Hobo Wine Zinfandel 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021Cabernet SauvignonUSA362$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Domaine la Roubine Vacqueyras 2020More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2020Rhone BlendFrance467$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Roger Sabon Lirac 2021Under the helm of Didier Negron, Domaine Roger Sabon plays in the top handful of producers in the Southern Rhône. The estate covers roughly 17 hectares and 15+ parcels, spread throughout the appellation, from which they produce four Châteauneuf du Pape cuvées. The 2021s show the fresher, more approachable and elegant style of the vintage, and the upper tier releases rank with the top handful of wines. JEB DUNNUCK
An impressive Lirac boasts 70% Grenache, the balance is equal parts Syrah, Mourvèdre and Old
Carignan. All fruit is hand-picked and destemmed.2021Rhone BlendFrance467$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Voyager Estate The Modern Cabernet 2021First poured, a ghastly apparition appeared – as if this had been placed in a corset and cinched tight. In a vinous sense, that means decanting or letting this beauty breathe in the glass. It has all the varietal appeal of Margs: its shapely tannins, supple and ever-so-slightly grainy and its savouriness. Very little oak impact (15% new French barriques), other than offering a complementary light seasoning of cedary spices. 95 JANE FAULKNER, wine companion
2021Cabernet SauvignonAustralia432$61.00 As low as $54.90 -
Domaine la Roubine Vacqueyras 202170% Grenache - 15% Mourvèdre - 15% Syrah
Red and blue fruits, violet and lavender lift, some tapenade elements. Beautiful lilting aromatics. The palate is supple, plush and slippery couching raspberry and black cherry alongside some licorice and mineral. Open and charming across the palate but also cinched in by a thread of acidity and balancing quite fine (for the region) tannins. Pure and built for joy. MICHAEL MCNAMARA
A touch of fresh crushed raspberry, some black cherry, and a wild earthen note pocked with meadow herbs. It's all turned up a notch with an extra level of concentration and broad, sweeping fruit and flavour that envelopes the palate then slowly melts away leaving earthy, charred herbs and a little wild note on the close. A bit of rustic charm dare we use the phrase here but in all the right ways and a lovely layering of savoury and sweet throughout. JAMES SUCKLING2021Rhone BlendFrance467$61.00 As low as $54.90 -
Barone Montalto Ammasso Rosso 2019More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2019Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Nerello Mascalese, Nero d'AvolaItaly482$62.00 As low as $55.80 -
Hay Shed Hill Block 2BLOCK 2 on the Hay Shed Hill vineyard was planted in 1975 to the Houghton clone of Cabernet Sauvignon. These old dry grown vines have sunk deep roots into the gravelly loam soil profile providing the nutrient basis they need. Block 2 has a steep northern facing aspect maximizing the sunlight interception by the vines providing ideal ripening conditions.
COLOUR: Dense dark red to black colour of great intensity.TASTING NOTES: Ripe berry aromas of great intensity with underlying dusty and earthy characters. There is depth to the nose indicating there are reserves of complex aromas yet to develop. The palate is substantial with intense and fully ripe, fleshy sweet fruit filling the mid palate with great palate extension driven by the ripe and mature tannin. The mouthfeel is robust but the tannins are smooth.CELLARING: This is a strong wine with ripe tannin and strong fruit depth indicating it will benefit from careful cellaring. The expectation is that the wine would benefit from 10 years of maturation. HAY SHED HILL2020Cabernet SauvignonAustralia432Special Price $63.00 Regular Price $74.00 -
Pierre Usseglio Lirac 2022The 2022 Lirac is 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, and 10% each of Syrah and Cinsault that saw a splash of stems and is still resting all in foudre. Ripe black cherries, black licorice, and peppery, savory herb notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full- bodied richness, a layered, mouth-filling texture, and outstanding length. JEB DUNNUCK2022Rhone BlendFrance467$65.00 As low as $58.50 -
Domaine la Roubine Vacqueyras 2022Soft and silky in style, enjoyably full-bodied, this is ripe, with ample fruit, balanced alcohol and good acidity. Altogether harmonious and very drinkable, this is an elegant style of Vacqueyras that comes highly recommended. DECANTER2022Rhone BlendFrance467$65.00 As low as $58.50 -
Thousand Candles Single Vineyard Cabernet 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021Cabernet SauvignonAustralia506$65.00 As low as $58.50 -
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve NV 375mlANDRE CLOUET (9/10)
Bouzy and Ambonnay are the epicentre of pinot noir in Champagne, and the Clouet family is the priviledged custodian of eight hectares of estate vines in the best middle slopes of both villages. These are rich and concentrated expressions of pinot noir, wines of deep complexity, multi faceted interest and engaging character, yet with remarkable restraint and sense of control. Recent tastings confirm my impression that this small and relatively unknown grower ranks high among Champagne's finest practitioners of pinot noir - and expresses one of the best value of all.
100% Bouzy and Ambonnay pinot noir. 6g/L dosage
Release after release, year after year, I have always marvelled at the lemon blossom freshness that Clouet manages to capture in pinot noir from two of Champagne's most powerful terroirs. Here it is again, in a captivating interplay of fleshy mirabelle plums, white peaches, crunchy golden delicious apples, and even a hint of pepper. Wild honey and mixed spice join the maelstrom along the way, gliding obediently into a well defined finish of soft minerality and integrated dosage. TYSON STELZER, The Champagne Guide 2014-2015
(100% Pinot Noir)The NV Brut Grande Reserve offers up layers of mineral-infused red fruits on a silky, mid-weight frame, with gorgeous length and a refined, subtle mousse. This impeccable, elegant wine shows terrific overall balance as well as complexity. I loved it. Andre Clouet is based in Bouzy, a village where Pinot Noir speaks with great eloquence, as is evident in these superb, pedigreed Champagnes. ANTONIO GALLONI, Robert ParkerNVChampagneFrance376$66.00 As low as $59.40 -
Domaine La Soumade Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel 'Grenat' 2022Raisined fruit, fruitcake and prune on the nose with a hint of leaf tea. It’s exceptionally sweet and concentrated, with strong acidity and quite robust, ripe tannins. The balance and freshness is likely to see this age for a very long time. A leviathan of a wine that will probably last forever. 95g/L residual sugar. MATT WALLS, Decanter2021Rhone BlendFrance467$66.00 As low as $59.40 -
Marcoux Lirac La Lorentine 2021There was no frost in Lirac, so yields were healthy as well. Ripe darker, almost blue fruits, garrigue, and pepper, as well as a touch of flowers, all define the nose, and it's medium-bodied, has good concentration, and a great finish. This cuvée also offers pleasure, and the 2021 will be no exception.
JEB DUNNUCK, jebdunnuk.com
“The nose has a careful air of mixed fruits, dark berries. The attack is crystalline, with free run, still cautious fruits, neat juice late on. It’s upright and cool, outside the main group of wines, carries interest.”
JOHN LIVINGSTONE-LERANMONTH, Drink Rhône2021Rhone BlendFrance467$67.00 As low as $60.30 -
Domaine la Roubine Vacqueyras 2023More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023Rhone BlendFrance467$67.00 As low as $60.30 -
Chateau Massereau 'Cuvee K' Graves 2012More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2012Cabernet Sauvignon, MerlotFrance356$67.00 -
Achaval Ferrer Cabernet Sauvignon 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021Cabernet SauvignonArgentina437$68.00 As low as $61.20 -
Corymbia Cabernet Sauvignon 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021Cabernet SauvignonAustralia432$68.00 As low as $61.20 -
Domaine La Barroche Liberty 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2020Rhone BlendFrance467$68.00 As low as $61.20 -
Corymbia Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023Cabernet Sauvignon$68.00 As low as $61.20 -
Langmeil Jackaman's Cabernet Sauvignon 2020Certified Barossa Old Vine Charter – in the 'older than 35 years' category. Vines planted in the 1960s. Destemming, open fermentation, basket-pressed and two years in French oak. Screwcap.
Heavy bottle. Rich, ripe but slightly wild mulberry and blackcurrant fruit. Strong, herbal leafiness pressed through the luscious fruit but the wine comes with a core of bitter dark chocolate and vanilla-pod sweetness. Balsamic extraction and density with interesting szechuan lift through the end. Powerful and velvety and very big. JR
2020Cabernet SauvignonAustralia349Special Price $69.00 Regular Price $81.00 -
Mont Redon Gigondas 2019Shimmering ruby-red. Spice-accented raspberry and cherry aromas are complemented by musky garrigue and floral nuances. Sweet and seamless on the palate, offering juicy, well-concentrated red berry, cherry-cola and lavender flavors and suggestions of allspice and licorice. Firms up steadily on the persistent, red fruit- and -floral-driven finish, which is framed by slow-building tannins. Made with 25% whole clusters. JOSH RAYNOLDS, Vinous
80 % Grenache, 20 % Syrah and Mourvèdre, from 70+ year-old vines in two lieu-dits in the north of the appellation, in roughly equal proportions. Notre-Dame-des-Pallières is a south facing site at about 200m, whilst Pallière et Pied-Gu is north-facing and at 300m. The fruit from Notre-Dame-des-Pallières is fully de-stemmed, that from Pallière et Pied-Gu fermented as whole bunches and each parcel is on skins for about 25 days. Malo is completed in tank and then 60% of each parcel is transferred to 228L barriques for 16 months, before blending and bottling.
Top notes of garrigue and spice overlay a deliciously voluminous palate of red forest berries. The tannins are deep and rich yet also remarkably fine and silky and the wine finishes long and clean with good acidity. Remarkably good now and will cellar for a decade or more.2017Rhone BlendFrance467$71.00 As low as $63.90 -
Henschke Keyneton Euphonium Shiraz Blend 2021
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, shirazAustralia387$72.00 As low as $64.80 -
-
Bollinger Special Cuvee NV 375ml
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
NVChampagneFrance376$73.00 As low as $65.70 -
De Bortoli Melba Cabernet Sauvignon 2021Deep red with purple in the rim; a complex bouquet of cedar, cigarbox, cassis and flake tobacco, the palate full bodied and elegant, stately and savoury, with abundant fine-grained and insistent tannins and driving length. A very elegant, suave kind of cabernet, and true to its Yarra origins. It's delicious now but has an assured future if cellared. HUON HOOKE, The Real Review
Bold colour. Blackcurrant, blackberry, hazelnut, that terracotta-like earthiness you get in many anfora wines, dried flowers and sweet herbs. It’s medium-bodied, intense and deep in black and red fruit, a little tobacco, loads of chewy earthy tannin, and a lively perfumed (and tannic) finish of excellent length. So much energy. Love this. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front2021Cabernet SauvignonAustralia506$75.00 As low as $67.50 -
Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2020 1500mlA rocking little gem in the making, the 2020 Côtes Du Rhône has a round, elegant, incredibly satisfying profile as well as textbook blackberry and black raspberry fruits supported by pepper and floral notes. It should be outstanding and well worth a few bottles. JEB DUNNUCK
Wines of the Year 2023: Value category and top scorers
Modern, lifted and a bit heady, but attractive and evocative. Black cherry inkiness segues into a dense palate where all the fruit is crammed into a structured body with drying tannins. Herbs and stones hemmed in by a firm grip. A good all rounder DECANTERAn impressive Cotes-du-Rhone with stacks of blackberry and black raspberry fruit wrapped around a core of moderately dry tannins on the bold palate. Long self-confidently dry finish. A cuvee of 50% syrah, 45% grenache and 5% mourvedre. Drink now. JAMES SUCKLING
The medium to full-bodied 2020 Cotes du Rhone will see plenty of more time in tank, yet it's already drinking well, with hints of garrigue and black olives adding nuance to the blackberry and cherry fruit. Silky and clean, it's delightfully easy to drink. WINE ADVOCATE2019Rhone BlendFrance467$75.00 As low as $67.50 -
Domaine la Roubine Gigondas 202270% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault. Certified organic. Tank sample.
Tasted blind. Earthy and meaty, with a savoury note. Both red and blue fruits, with a cooling herbal streak alongside ripe and succulent tannins. Lovely balance of sweet fruit and savoury undertones.JANCIS ROBINSON2022Rhone BlendFrance467$75.00 As low as $67.50 -
Victoria Ordonez Camarolos tinto 2018Wine has been part of Victoria Ordóñez’s life for as long as she can remember. Her father, José María Ordóñez, was a pioneer of the Spanish wine industry, distributing fine wines across the Province of Malaga since the ’50s. Although Victoria’s own professional career took off in a different direction – she studied to be a doctor and has a PhD in Medicine – in 2004 she decided to enter the wine business, initially combining it with her work as a health service administrator.
Victoria admits that she owes everything to the Austrian oenologist Alois Kracher, with whom she worked side by side making Málaga wines until his death in 2007. It was at this point that her career took a fresh turn as she decided to focus exclusively on what had become her passion – the world of wine.
Tasting: Bright red fruits, fennel, and other Mediterranean herbs, chocolate, and violet aromas. Maroon color and fine tannins lend a pleasing structure. Vibrant with red berries and spicy flavors, the wine is at once concentrated and fresh. Beautiful silkiness and great finesse with a very fresh finish.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Syrah.20 months in barrels and 12 months in bottle. BARRICA WINES2018Cabernet Sauvignon, shiraz, tempranilloSpainSpecial Price $76.00 Regular Price $89.00 -
Domaine du Joncier Lirac 2022A voluptuous, well-balanced and charming Lirac red with aromas of dark cherries, plums, warm spices and wet stones on the nose. It’s medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins. Juicy center palate with pulpy dark cherries and a refreshing core of purple berries. Well-driven and focused with a flavorful finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. JAMES SUCKLING
48 % Grenache, 35 % Mourvèdre and 17 % Syrah from very low yields of 15 hl/ha, at Domaine du Joncier on the pebble terroir of the Vallongues plateau. Certified Biodynamic, Joncier was acquired by Mont-Redon in 2022 and the wine remains Joncier-labelled. 100 % destemmed with gentle extraction via pumpover. Matured for 15 months in 228 litre Burgundy barrels (Syrah) and stainless steel (Grenache, Mourvèdre). Unfined, unfiltered.This wine is incredibly impressive with great energy and intensity while remaining very supple, elegant and fresh. A remarkable success and a great addition to the already outstanding Château Mont-Redon Lirac (one-third of which is from these vineyards at Joncier).
2022Rhone BlendFrance467$77.00 As low as $69.30 -
Truchard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018This wine remains one of the finest values in the Napa Valley and a cool-climate example of the variety, to boot. With great opening aromas of blackberry, clove and dried herb, the lifted, balanced flavors follow suit, showing plenty of freshness and length around a well-integrated and elegant core. 93 Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast
2019Cabernet SauvignonUnited States of America$77.00 -
l'Oratoire Saint Martin Cairanne Haut Coustias 2020More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2020Rhone BlendFrance467$78.00 As low as $70.20 -
Domaine la Roubine Gigondas 2023
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023Rhone BlendFrance467$78.00 As low as $70.20 -
l'Oratoire Saint Martin Cairanne Les Douyes 2020A seductive and well-made Cairanne with crunchy berry character. On the nose cherries, forest berries and herbs dominate. The medium-bodied palate reveals a harmonious structure and poised character. Delicious and vivid. JAMES SUCKLING2020Rhone BlendFrance467$82.00 As low as $73.80 -
Domaine Gour de Chaulé Gigondas Tradition 2022STAFF PICKS 2024 - ROSCOE HALLIGAN-ROSE
Too long a story to tell here, but the brief version is, I spent a good bit of time before our recent trip to the Rhone trying to find a producer that fit our wants and needs perfectly, we found three in the end. The Rhone is so exciting at the moment with so many great wines coming out, and many remain at reasonable prices. Still, in the face of this wave of excellent wine it is still rare to find someone crafting wines that are this extraordinary. Paul Formosa is one of the most talented and focused young winemakers I have come across in a long while. His wines are nothing short of spectacular.
Wonderful purity of expression, vivid, bright and clearly defined. Lighter in colour than you may expect, but that belies the deep wells of character that lurk amongst those soaring aromatics, dramatic fruit and the flashes of minerality that add to the overall feel of crispness that accompanies the luxurious and beautifully cushioned fruit. The wine goes on and on and with each moment another nuance or detail escapes from the depths and flicks or flutters along your mouth, tantalising you with the feeling of things to come.
Composed and self-assured, this is not a Gigondas that seeks to stun you with bold and forward fruit, rather it lures you in with its seductive flavours, its shapely profile and its enticing array of perfume. Sneaky structure pays second fiddle here, but it is all perfectly measured and ensures a very long and expressive life ahead. This was an easy choice for my wine of the year. ROSCOE
The promising 2022 Gigondas Cuvée Tradition 1871 mixes 80% Grenache with the remainder equally split between Syrah and Mourvèdre. Glossy red fruits mingle with dashes of dried herbs and a splash of rosewater. Refreshing acidity neatly balances the moderate fruit concentration, persisting all the way through to the sapid finish. This is a lovely Gigondas. NICHOLAS GREINACHER, Vinous2022Rhone BlendFrance467$85.00 As low as $76.50 -
Frerejean Freres Brut Premier Cru NVMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
NVChampagneFrance$85.00 As low as $76.50 -
Apollonis Authentic Meunier Blanc de Noir Brut NVBased in the Marne Valley, this producer has a predominance of Pinot Meunier in many of its Champagnes. Winemaker Marie Petit Loriot plays the tanks music as the wine ferments. This fruity wine is vibrant, densely textured and at the dry end of Brut. WINE ENTHUSIASTNVChampagneFrance376$85.00 As low as $76.50 -
Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut NVMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
ChampagneFrance376$86.00 As low as $77.40 -
Brimoncourt Regence NVA lightly toasty and flavorful Champagne with notes of praline, candied walnut, lemon peel and grilled orange. Fine bubbles. Pretty balance of toasty nut and zesty citrus. Dry feel. JAMES SUCKLINGNVChampagneFrance376$87.00 As low as $78.30 -
Brocard Pierre Champagne 'Tradition' NVBrocard Pierre's entry-level and only blended-grape expression of Champagne, Cuvée Tradition Brut, spends three years on the lees in bottle before release, which in our opinion, makes it one of the best quality-for-value wine of Champagne.
The Tradition is made of Pinot Noir (80%), Chardonnay (10%) and Pinot Blanc (10%) grapes from vineyards planted on clay-calcareous soil near Celles-sur-Ource. 2018 vintage reserve wine makes up the dominant base, while 30% comes from different réserve vintages. The juice was fermented in oak (15%) and stainless steel (85%) at controlled temperature. The wine then spent 4 months in stainless steel, and it was aged on lees for 2.5 years. It has 6g/l of dosage.
A flattering nose dominated by the Pinot Noir. Good harmony in the mouth, strength associated with freshness but not heavy accompanied by a slightly mentholated finish. Ripe citrus. Unctuous mousse. Chalky, mineral and saline and mouth coating. Generous autolitic notes.
NVChampagneFrance376$89.00 As low as $80.10 -
Thierry Fournier Blanc de Blanc NVJulien explains that the Marne Valley vines sit in clay limestone soils, often giving richer Chardonnay notes than fruit from the Cote de Blancs. That said this is still very, very precise and fine with a rich mid palate for sure but then a precise, linear finish. To describe the flavour profile as ‘Chablis with bubbles’ would be perhaps to over-simplify things but this certainly makes for a sleek yet flavourful NV. Importer CellarHandNVChampagneFrance376$90.00 As low as $81.00 -
Querciabella Turpino 2017The 2017 Turpino is quite reticent, which is surprising given the style and personality of the year. Black cherry, pine, menthol, licorice and chocolate develop nicely over time. Readers should give the 2017 at least a few years in bottle, as it is not at all ready to drink now. The 2017 embodies the house style at Querciabella these days nicely. The wine is rich and deep, but not at all overdone. (95) ANTONIO GALLONI
40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Syrah, 20% Merlot grown in a north-facing vineyard in Grossetto in the Maremma. Biodynamically certified. Aged for 16 months in fine- and extra-fine-grained French oak barriques, of which up to 20% were new.
Lustrous deep crimson. Deep red- and dark-fruit nose with hints of dark spice. Savoury rather than sweet or ripe on the nose... Hint of earth and dried moss. Lush red and dark fruit with a muscular structure that is completely integrated with the fruit. Hedonistic, long, and with loads of appeal. Great fun to drink. (17+) WALTER SPELLER MW2017Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, sangioveseItaly495$90.00 As low as $81.00 -
Willie Smiths Pommeau de Tasmanie 18.2%Aged in small apple brandy casks for over 12 months, this rich and generous liqueur is a result of blending pressed French and British heirloom apple varieties with our apple spirit.
Complex and well-structured with baked apple and spice, balanced with firm tannins and cask influence.
Our take on the traditional aperitif from North-West France – enjoy as such or serve with blue cheese or dessert. WILLIE SMITH
NVCalvadosFrance$90.00 As low as $81.00 -
Domaine Naturaliste Morus Cabernet Sauvignon 2019Very ripe, Old Jamaica chocolate, mint, nori, toasty cedar spice oak. It’s full-bodied, rich in flavour and tannin, black fruit, thick-set chewy tannin, and a spicy dark fruited, somewhat drying, finish good length. Pretty bold style, as is the way with Morus, and good in that style. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front2019Cabernet SauvignonAustralia432$91.00 As low as $81.90 -
Veuve Fourny Grand Terroirs 1er Cru Brut NVA blend of 80% chardonnay (grand cru) and 20% pinot noir (premier cru) mostly from Vertus. Small oak and 40% reserve wines included. 3 consecutive vintages make up the blend. Brut style with 6 grams dosage.NVChampagneFrance376$91.00 As low as $81.90