Calvados, Glassware, Cabernet ...

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Golden in colour, with pronounced tropical fruits, mango, pineapple, pollen and acacia honey on the nose. Great depth and concentration on a classy palate of apricot, marmalade, pineapple and orange zest, spiced up by white pepper on the tip of the tongue. The passionate, tropical flavours are backed by great acidity with dried fruit notes lingering on forever… SYLIVA WU, decanter.com

Attractive aromas of dried apricots and dried mangoes with hints of caramel, fresh honey, exotic spice and dried orange. It's dense and creamy with vivid acidity coming through. Rich but not overly sweet, with hints of oolong tea and orange blossom at the end. Delicious. JAMES SUCKLING

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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!

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!

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!

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!

The 2021 Coleraine exhibits a commanding presence and majestic poise. The bouquet reveals classic aromas of cassis, dark plum and violet with whispering nuances of cedar and cigar. There are hints of warm spices, compounding the pleasure upon inhalation. The palate is bold and graceful at once, enhanced by plush texture and multi-layered mouthfeel, beautifully framed by refreshing acidity and fine chalky tannins. Robust and substantial with a great line and length, which seem to go on to infinity. This youthful wine is already impossible to resist, but time will reward those who can wait. In sports, they often talk about ‘The Greatest of All Time’, or 'The GOAT'. This 2021 Coleraine is undeniably THE GOAT of New Zealand wine. (100) SAM KIM, Wine Orbit

56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc. Because I care, I just nipped down to the cellar to open a bottle of the 2020 Coleraine to compare and contrast with the 2021. The 2020 is packed with tannin, texture, earthiness, and power, while the 2021 is brighter, a bit more frisky in acidity, with more leafy perfume. A little more flamboyant, but equal. It’s not a competition, more of a love in. The 2021 may well be the ‘better’ wine in time, though it’s kind of hard to tell, and may just come down to personal preference.

Dark and intense, lots of perfume, red and black fruits, tobacco, a leafy pop that’s pure varietal class, creamy oak, lead pencils, aniseed and spice. Medium to full-bodied, a flood of flavour, super ‘mineral’ feel to the acidity, tannin is superb, and the finish is so long. Light but so dense. There’s a fresh raspberry juiciness here too, and an extra dimension of tension and energy. All the graphite and presence. Incredible wine. (97+) GARY WALSH, The Wine Front

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Golden in colour, with pronounced tropical fruits, mango, pineapple, pollen and acacia honey on the nose. Great depth and concentration on a classy palate of apricot, marmalade, pineapple and orange zest, spiced up by white pepper on the tip of the tongue. The passionate, tropical flavours are backed by great acidity with dried fruit notes lingering on forever… SYLIVA WU, decanter.com

Attractive aromas of dried apricots and dried mangoes with hints of caramel, fresh honey, exotic spice and dried orange. It’s dense and creamy with vivid acidity coming through. Rich but not overly sweet, with hints of oolong tea and orange blossom at the end. Delicious. JAMES SUCKLING

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Stunning cassis, floral and incense scents. The palate is youthful, structured and long; its vanilla and spicy oak is beautifully integrated, tucked in behind the veneer of polish. Fantastic potential here, along with a very long finish. (97) DECANTER MAGAZINE

Tasted as a barrel sample that is due to come out of oak in two to three weeks' time from tasting, the 2014 Matthew Cabernet Sauvignon shows deep garnet-purple in color. On the palate, it is rich, ripe and very intense, with firm ripe tannins and great length. This wine has great potential! (97) WINE ADVOCATE

Matthew. A blend of 79% cabernet, 14% merlot and 8% malbec, this supremely refined wine is Margaret cabernet at its best. Deep, bright ruby red in colour, pure blackcurrant fruit aromas intermingle with some gently olive tapenade notes and cedar notes while the medium-bodied and very persistent palate is supported by very persistent and very fine-grained tannins JAMES HALLIDAY'S WINE COMPANION

This golden-colored Tokaji has aromas of raw honey, apricot blossom, pear and baked apple tart. Silky smooth upon entry, it offers flavors of baked apples, wildflower honey, canned pears and apricot. The acidity is nicely balanced so as not to be too cloyingly sweet. (97) JEFF JENSEN, wineenthusiast.com

The purity of this wine is remarkable. Like a clarinet, holding a note through the sunrise. Long, creamy but crystal-cut with the most remarkable intensity of apricot craquelure. Quite stunning. TAMLYN CURRIN, jancisrobinson.com

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This outstanding effort is atypically forward, sexy, and opulent. Only 45% of the crop made it into this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Yields were 47 hectoliters per hectare, which is slightly higher than some estates, but the harvest was very late, between October 2-21. Sweet cassis, black cherry, licorice, tobacco leaf, and spice box are all present in the complex aromatics. In the mouth, the wine offers generosity, roundness, sweetness, and velvety, ripe tannins. I was surprised by how forward, precocious, and delicious this wine has already become. It appears set for a relatively long life of 25+ years. WINE ADVOCATE

The 2008 Rauzan-Ségla is a solid vintage and is still relatively youthful, yet it's certainly drinking nicely. A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot, it has a cooler, black-fruited, menthol, and tobacco-driven bouquet as well as medium to full body, still present tannins, considerable elegance, and outstanding length. Overall it's a pretty, well-balanced 2008 that's going to continue evolving for another 15-20 years. JEB DUNNUCK, tasted 2019

Good dark, bright red. Deep, brooding aromas of blueberry, mulberry, tobacco, mint and pepper. Deep and sweet, with ripe mulberry and raspberry fruit nicely supported by a firm mineral underpinning. At once smooth and sappy, offering a captivating balance of sweetness and ripe acidity. Finishes strong and vibrant, with firm tannins supported by the wine's mid-palate frui STEPHEN TANZER

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The 2019 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a seriously impressive wine. Seamless and yet potent, the 2019 is so alluring. Even so, readers should not plan on opening a bottle anytime soon. A wine of tremendous gravitas and power, the 2019 possesses explosive energy to play off its seamless personality. I can't wait to watch the 2019 develop over the coming years and decades, as it possesses notable energy and a compelling interplay of opulence and elegance. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI

A killer wine in the making, the 2019 Château Beychevelle checks in as 49% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc that will spend 18 months in barrels. Deep purple-colored, with classic Saint-Julien purity and elegance, it offers full-bodied aromas and flavors of red, blue, and black fruits, cedary herbs, spring flowers, graphite, and earth. With flawless balance, ultra-fine tannins, and again, and stunning purity of fruit, this quintessential Beychevelle is going to benefit from 7-8 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-30 years in cold cellars. (97) JEB DUNNUCK

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Beychevelle explodes from the glass with bombastic scents of crème de cassis, blueberry preserves and baked plums with touches of menthol, cinnamon toast and smoked meats plus a waft of dark chocolate. The medium-bodied palate injects fantastic energy into the decadent black and blue fruit flavors, framed by exquisitely ripe, finely-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing with great length and freshness. (96) WINE ADVOCATE

The Grand Vin 2020 Domaine De Chevalier ratchets everything up another notch and will be one of the legendary wines from this address. Notes of pure cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth define its incredible aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is pure, classic, regal Pessac-Léognan is as good as anything in the vintage. Give bottles 4-6 years and it will evolve for 50, 60, 70+ years. I absolutely love this wine. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. (98+) JEB DUNNUCK

he purity of fruit is really something here, with blackcurrants and blackberries, together with orange, stone and granite character. Mind-boggling in many ways. Full-bodied with very fine tannins that are polished and pure. Such a fine texture. Lots of primary fruit. Like picking wonderfully ripe grapes. Great length. One for the cellar. (99) JAMES SUCKLING

The 2020 Domaine de Chevalier is going to need a number of years to unwind. Rich, heady and super-concentrated, the 2020 is so impressive, right out of the gate. Crushed rocks, rose petal, cedar, pomegranate and mint all build as the 2020 shows off its vibrant, layered personality. Domaine de Chevalier remains one of the most under the radar wines in all of Bordeaux. The 2020 is an absolutely brilliant effort from Olivier Bernard and his team. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI

Pessac Léognan

Grand Cru Classé

The 2019 Domaine de Chevalier has the potential to be one of the wines of the vintage. Regal and soaring in the glass, with tremendous intensity, the 2019 is pure magic. An exotic mélange of ripe red plum, gravel, spice, cured meats and incense develops with time in the glass. Effortless and wonderfully nuanced, the 2019 is a fabulous wine in the making. Don't miss it. ANTONIO GALLONI 95/97

Beautiful, ripe redcurrants, bay leaf, violets and raspberries on the nose. Full-bodied with firm and very tight tannins that are polished and layered. Crushed stones highlight the beautiful blue fruit. Poised and refined. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 4% cabernet franc. Try after 2026. JAMES SUCKLING 97

Saint Émilion

1er Grand Cru Classé B  

The 2019 Pavie was picked from 30 September to 11 October at 29hl/ha. It is initially exubertant, feisty on the nose, a bit like the Pavie-Decesse. Allowing my sample an hour in the glass, it evolves more grace and composure with scents of blackberry, briary, incense and iris flowers. The oak beautifully integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, quite an edgy line of acidity, touches of graphite infusing the very pure black fruit on the satin-textured finish. This is undoubtedly a very impressive, sauve Pavie destined for long-term drinking. Neal Martin 96-98

Lots of roses and dark fruit, such as blackberries and brambleberries on the nose. Full-bodied, yet tight and poised, with real focus and firmness and seamless tannins that run the length of the wine. Minerality and persistence in a cool way. This is very serious for the vintage and for the cellar. Try after 2025. JAMES SUCKLING 97

Beautiful clarity of fruit with raspberries and currants on the nose. Roses and other flowers too. It's almost hard to describe, but there's a real purity. Full body, with fabulous balance and depth. It has everything in the right place. Best ever? (98) JAMES SUCKLING

A wine that could easily be mistaken for a First Growth, the 2010 Rauzan-Ségla is an incredibly powerful, full-bodied wine by this estate's standards, yet it nevertheless holds onto a terrific sense of elegance as well as perfect balance. A huge nose of blackcurrants, smoked earth, tobacco, lead pencil, and spice give way to a concentrated, blockbuster styled Margaux that has thrilling depth of fruit, masses of ripe tannins, and great length and finesse on the finish. This brilliant wine is just now seemingly on the edge of its drink window and offers immense pleasure, yet it has another 30-40 years of life ahead of it. Along with the 2015 and 2016, it's the greatest wine made at this estate in the past two decades. (98) JEB DUNNUCK

Pessac Léognan

Grand Cru Classé

The 2019 Pape-Clément was a real show-stopper from barrel. Now in bottle since summer 2021, it has a more refined nose that I feel is perhaps just a little closed in as it approaches its first winter. Aeration reveals some lovely rose petal and incense aromas (there’s something almost Burgundian, Morey-Saint-Denis–like about its purity). The palate is extremely well balanced with velvety tannins and perfectly judged acidity. The oak (65% new, in the form of 400-liter barrels that have been employed since 2018) are beautifully integrated. This fans out wonderfully on the finish. One of the finest releases from Pape-Clément in recent years. NEAL MARTIN

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12 bottles available at time of offer

A special parcel of old Merlot that is conveniently stuck between Petrus, Lafleur and Vieux Chateaux Certan. First produced in 1982 and with just 7,000 bottles produced it has unicorn status. -Tom Portet

James Suckling                             94-95
The gorgeous balance on the center palate makes this one of the best wines from here in years. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a flavorful yet subtle finish. Fine.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown            89-91
Deep purple-black colored, the 2018 La Fleur de Gay delivers bold notions of baked plums, mulberries and blackberry preserves with touches of tar, bay leaves and truffles. Full-bodied and rich, with a plush texture, it has soft acid and a spicy finish.

Antonio Galloni            86-88
The 2018 La Fleur de Gay is a fruity, supple Pomerol that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Dark cherry, mocha, cedar, tobacco, licorice and menthol add lovely aromatic nuance as this pretty, silky Pomerol develops in the glass.

Lots of red and black fruits, tobacco, saddle leather, and a kiss of iron all emerge from the 2005 Château Lagrange, a beautiful Saint-Julien that has polished tannins, a great mid-palate, and outstanding length. I love its overall purity, as well as its complexity, and it's in the early stages of its prime drinking window with another 15-20 years of prime drinking ahead of it. JEB DUNNUCK, TASTED 2024

Stunning now. A fabulous nose of currants, crushed raspberry and blackberry. Full- bodied, with perfectly integrated tannins and a long, caressing finish. Drink or hold. JAMES SUCKLING

Tasted single blind at Southwold. A very fresh, well-defined nose with blackberry, damson, graphite and cedar - natural and elegant. The palate displays superb concentration even compared to the strong line-up of Saint Julien 2005s. Cedar and blackberry on the entry, a little earthiness that I have not notice previously but still that superb balance and focus with a harmonious finish. Succinct. Wonderful. Drink 2012-2030. NEAL MARTIN

Once again the provocative words "the best ever made" appear in my tasting notes. In twenty-eight years, I have never tasted a Lagrange as amazing as this 2005. Its dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by pure notes of creme de cassis, cedar, spice box, and a hint of cherries. Full-bodied, powerful, and opulent, with high tannin as well as extract in addition to great freshness, definition, and length, this long-lived beauty should be at its finest between 2012-2030. WINE ADVOCATE

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With south easterly neighbours of Lafleur and Petrus, Le Gay remains at an exceptional price considering the quality of its terroir. Galloni particularly taken by its quality this year (read below). The blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, with just 1,500 cases produced.  -Tom Portet

James Suckling                             97-98
A tight and dense red with depth of fruit and polished tannins that really impress at this stage. It's naturally refined and complex with so much dark-berry, chocolate, cedar and hazelnut character. Great wine.

Antonio Galloni                 94-97
One of the highlights of the vintage, the 2018 Le Gay is fabulous. Crème de cassis, new leather, tobacco, minty and dried flowers all race out of the glass, but what impresses most is the wine's combination of fruit richness and vertical explosiveness. Black cherry, coffee, dried flowers, mint and lavender all soar. Le Gay is rich and concentrated in feel, and yet all the elements are wonderfully fused together. Tasted two times.

Jeff Leve                 96-98
Chris Kissack                 97-99

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

1er Grand Cru Classé B

The 2019 Troplong Mondot is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Vertical and explosive in feel, the 2019 dazzles with its magnificent balance. Inky red/purplish fruit, cinnamon, chocolate, dried flowers and lavender open with a bit of time, but Troplong is not a wine for the here and now, but rather a wine for readers who can be patient. The 2019 is all class and refinement. Those qualities become increasingly apparent over time, once some of the initial power and density subsides with air. This is the first time the Grand Vin was blended before the malolactic fermentation. ANTONIO GALLONI 97

The purity of fruit is pretty phenomenal here with blackcurrants, cherries and crushed-stone undertones. Floral notes of roses and violets, too. Full-bodied, yet this is a linear style with super fine tannins and great length and beauty. You really want to drink it. It grows on the palate and shows real power, with breadth and depth. Remains fresh throughout. Really something. Try after 2026. 98 JAMES SUCKLING

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 

Nicolas Audebert and his team have done it again. The 2017 Canon is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. Rich and vertical in construction, the 2017 possesses off-the-charts richness and intensity in all of its dimensions. In the glass, the 2017 is sumptuous and layered, with superb detail and tons of sheer pedigree. In 20 years, readers will have a fabulous time tasting the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 together and debating their respective merits. Dark plum fruit, striking Franc aromatics and the clean, focused energy of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau make for a ravishing, exquisite wine of the highest level. In a word: breathtaking. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI

The 2017 Canon was bottled on 15 May, 2019. This needs time to settle in the glass, the oak rather vocal at this early stage and overshadowing the blackberry and briary aromas. It only takes a couple of minutes for this Saint-Émilion to settle and reveal more limestone-infused fruit that really shows its terroir. The palate is very well defined with crunchy black fruit. I appreciate the chalky texture and freshness of this Canon, almost brittle, with blackberry and brine-like notes on the finish. Whilst not up there with the superlative 2016, the follow-up is still very fine. Note that over multiple tasting this Canon improved between September and December. (95) NEAL MARTIN

Twelve bottles available at time of offer

Just two minutes' walk from the place d'eglise of Saint Emilion, Clos Fourtet sits atop the cotes overlooking Canon and Beau-Séjour Bécot. The focus here is on richness and sweet dark black fruits, an inspiring level from owner Philippe Cuvelier and oenologist Stéphane Derenoncourt. -Tom Portet


Antonio Galloni                                98
The 2018 Clos Fourtet is one of the most elegant, refined wines of the vintage. Silky and aromatically expressive, Clos Fourtet is all grace. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol and sage all lift from the glass. Even with all of the natural richness of the year, Clos Fourtet sizzles with tension and delineation. Then again, that is the magic of the Saint-Émilion plateau. Clos Fourtet is easy to look past in 2018. It is neither exuberant nor exotically ripe. Instead, everything is in reserve. The 2018 is a magical wine, that's all there is to it. Don't miss it.

Andrew Caillard, MW                       98
Deep crimson. Impressively focussed wine with fresh blackberry cassis plum aromas lovely graphite herb nuances and vanilla notes. Dense compact palate with deep sweet blackcurrant pastille fruits, blackberry notes and fine brambly textures, underlying vanilla roasted chestnut oak. Finishes firm and long. A very high calibre wine.

James Suckling                             96-97
This is one of the best wines I have had from here. Full-bodied yet focused and super dynamic. Tight and linear with fantastic length and energy at the end. Exciting.

Antonio Galloni            94-97
A wine of energy, persistence and total harmony. Sublime. One of the wines of the vintage, the 2018 Clos Fourtet is positively stunning. In the glass, the 2018 sizzles with tension and energy. A whole range of floral, mineral and red berry notes develop, but it is the wine's exceptional sense of harmony that leaves the deepest impression. Consulting winemakers Stéphane Derenoncourt and Jean-Claude Berrouet turned out a glorious Clos Fourtet in 2018. Don't miss it.

Jeff Leve            96-98
Decanter                  97
Lisa Perrotti-Brown            95-97

10 bottles available at time of offer

An absolute highlight that is the current rising star thanks to both a fine position and the vast investment from the Mouiex family. Nestled high next to Canon and above Angelus, the predominance of Merlot (90%) underpins are rich plum and chocolate layered structure that has delivers a points per dollar value that's hard to beat. -Tom Portet

Antonio Galloni                               96
The 2018 Bélair-Monange races across the palate, showing its exuberant, flamboyant personality. Ripe plum, mocha, blood orange, star anise and cinnamon fill out the layers effortlessly. Sumptuous and generous, with striking balance, Bélair-Monange hits all the right notes. It can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring, but also has the pedigree to age effortlessly for decades.

James Suckling                                98-99
This is very linear and structured in a classical way for Bordeaux with a very focused and tight core of beautiful fruit that gives an agile and vivid palate of pretty fruit and bright acidity, not to mention the ultra fine tannins, which deliver a seamless and limitless finish.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown                  97-99
2018 Belair Monange comes bounding out of the glass with all the energy and vigor of a pedigree puppy. Full-bodied, rich and decadently layered in the mouth, the densely packed layers are charged with energy, supported by firm, velvety tannins and a racy line of freshness, finishing very long and very spicy.

Jeff Leve                98-100
Decanter                        97

Saint-Estèphe

 3ème Cru Classé

At Canon, it’s all about site, site and site, such a critical factor in 2019 on the Right Bank.

The 2019 Canon is creamy and layered. A wine of immense charm and sensuality, the 2019 is immediately appealing today, but also clearly has the potential to age for many decades. The 2019 is not as exuberant as most recent vintages, and yet its balance is simply magnificent. Readers can expect an aristocratic Saint-Émilion that is holding so much in reserve. Patience is key. Tasted three times. Antonio Galloni 98

Sweet cherries and berries with some walnuts and dried flowers, as well as notes of crushed stone, pine, currants and violets. Full-bodied and building gradually on the palate, with intense, polished tannins that are layered throughout the wine, providing well-toned muscle. The finish lasts for minutes. Quintessential Calon. Needs time to soften. Try after 2027. 97 JAMES SUCKLING

Pauillac

 5ème Cru Classé

The 2019 Lynch Bages is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel, if not moreso. What a wine! Towering and vertical in its bearing, the 2019 is a total stunner. There is plenty of Lynch Bages charm, but what distinguishes the 2019 most is its spine of tannin and energy. Time in the glass brings out sweet red cherry, plum, blood orange and pomegranate and mint. The 2019 is a great, great, great Lynch Bages. It reminds me of the epic 1989, but with the youthful grip of this vintage. A towering Pauillac, the 2019 Lynch Bages will make a great addition to any cellar. Antonio Galloni 99

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Pauillac

5ème Cru Classé

The 2019 Pontet-Canet is plush, dense and explosive, with tremendous richness and pure, soaring intensity that strengthens in all directions with time in the glass. A wine of gravitas, the 2019 is statuesque in build. As always, Pontet-Canet offers a very personal, idiosyncratic expression of Pauillac. A range of lifted floral and savory notes ring out on the finish.

The 2019 is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, harvested between September 23 and October 10, which is a typical time frame for the estate. Yields came in a 33 hectoliters per hectare, more or less the historical average these days. For the first time, all sorting and destemming were done by hand and the wine was vinified only with manual punchdowns (i.e. no pumpovers), without any motorized equipment. Cuvaison was around 21 days, after which the wine was taken off the skins for the malolactic fermentation (which was done in the fermentation vats), and then racked into barrels and concrete for aging - 50% new oak, 35% amphora and 15% once-used barrels. Sadly, 2019 is the last vintage at Pontet-Canet for long-time Technical Director Jean-Michel Comme, who left after 31 years to focus on his own projects. He is succeeded by Mathieu Bessonnet, formerly at Chapoutier. Antonio Galloni 95-97

The aromas to this are really amazing, with a potpourri of spices and dried flowers, as well as redcurrants, sweet plums and even some peaches. Full-bodied with layers of ripe fruit and ultra-fine tannins that spread across the palate in an encompassing yet always elegant and pure way. It’s succulent and unadulterated. Like crushed, perfectly ripened grapes. The length is rather endless. The tannins build. Fabulous young red. 35% in amphora and the rest in 50% new oak and 15% one-year oak. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot, the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2028, but an absolute joy to taste now. 99 JAMES SUCKLING

The highlight of the Bernard Magrez stable is also the most prestigious, and tellingly it has achieved consistent high scores. It's up 7% on the 2017 release, which is no surprise as it is perhaps the best releases to since 2010.  -Tom Portet
 
Lisa Perotti Brown 96-98
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Pape Clement is a little closed, slowly unfurling to reveal fragrant earth, crushed rocks, iron ore and tobacco notions over a core of crushed red and black currants plus kirsch, red roses and Ceylon tea. Full-bodied and wonderfully vivacious, it offers a solid line of firm and fine-grained tannins and amazing freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced.

James Suckling 97-98
This is a very driven Pape Clément with fantastic density and finesse at the same time. Linear and driven, the finish goes on for minutes with incredible tension and focus. More cabernet. Refinement with power.

12 bottles available at time of offer

Jean-Luc Thunevin was one of the original Garagiste winemakers of the right bank, and his home estate presents the success of Merlot in the vintage, at 90% of the blend (vineyard plantings at 75%). Produced in miniscule quantities, it's one of the most sought-after wines in Saint Emilion (and you don't need to sell your house). - Tom Portet

James Suckling               97-98
This is a fantastic young Bordeaux with superb depth of fruit and complex tannin structure. Hints of smoke, spice and toasted oak. Full body and firm, dusty tannins. Very long finish.
 
Antonio Galloni                     97+
The 2018 Valandraud is every bit as compelling as it was from barrel, maybe more. Power and vertical, with tons of explosive energy, the 2018 dazzles right out of the gate. Inky dark cherry, plum, chocolate, spice, new leather, licorice and chocolate all race across the palate. The 2018 is a wine of tremendous stature that distinguishes itself in a vintage peppered with stunning wines. I would allow for a few years in bottle to help the tannins soften. I loved it.

Andrew Caillard, MW 95
Deep crimson. Intense dark plum cedar spicy aromas with wood varnish notes. Immensely concentrated and oaky with attractive inky complexity and plentiful graphite textures. Elemental but impressive despite the oak right now. Should settle down into completeness.  

A minuscule production and allocation but a delightful second wine from the great Ausone stable of Vauther family. Its volume is just a third of the volume to Ausone itself, and almost always close to a 50:50 blend of Merlot and Cabernets. It has great poise, purity and no excess of weight that will reward to whoever asks for it first. -Tom Portet

Andrew Caillard, MW                       95
Deep colour. Intense dark plum mocha praline aromas with violet notes. Generous and deep set with ripe dark cherry, blackcurrant fruits, fine chocolaty tannins. Long fresh sweet fruit finish. Classic proportioned wine with energy and density.

James Suckling                 94-95
This is a very tight and structured second wine with blueberry, spice and light hazelnut character. It's full of volume, but shows underlying firmness and brightness. Lovely length.

Antonio Galloni                 91-94
The 2018 Chapelle d'Ausone is a drop-dead gorgeous second wine. Wonderfully finessed in every way, the 2018 conveys intensity allied to a sense of weightless elegance.

This monumental 1998 version of Bin 707 was tasted as part of the Penfolds Rewards of Patience tastings in 2007. I don’t have information of where each vintage is sourced from but I will fill that in later.

This is a ‘wow’ wine. Mint and blackcurrant, strong and straight. Oak here has been majorly consumed – though what wouldn’t succumb to such a boom of gorgeous, dark fruit flavour? Big tannin, big minty fruit, quite phenomenal. Length and purity. A star. 2030. (96) CAMPBELL MATTINSON

The outstanding 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 is a thick, rich, full-bodied Cabernet emphasizing copious quantities of cassis fruit. Pure, with nicely integrated oak, acidity, and tannin, it cuts a broad swath across the palate. While still young and grapy, this 1998 is loaded with potential. ROBERT PARKER

The 2021 Ornellaia captures all the magic of this sensational vintage on the Tuscan Coast. Rich, ample and expansive, with tremendous polish, the 2021 is pure class. Dark-toned fruit, mocha, espresso, licorice, plum and dried herbs abound. The tannins are present but also beautifully integrated, as is the French oak. There was a time not too long ago when young wines here needed years in bottle to drink well. That's not at all the case with the 2021. The blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot works so well (99) ANTONIO GALLONI

Aromas of blackcurrants, iodine, crushed stone, hints of mint and sage. Blue fruits. Full-bodied with chewy tannins that open with air. It’s racy and very long. Very tannin driven and energetic with power and focus. Muscular and very toned. This is the best Ornellaia for the cellar in years. (99) JAMES SUCKLING