Calvados, Grenache, cider, Sem...

A triumph for the vintage with spices, dried mushroom, dried pineapple, peaches, and honey. Full and sweet with bright acidity and a long, intense finish. Powerful wine. This could be the best Coutet ever. JAMES SUCKLING

The Coutet 2009 is a sensational effort from Philippe Baly and his team. It has a fragrant nose of honey, vervain tea, pineapple, frangipane and apple-blossom, well defined if needing a little more vigour at the moment. The palate is vibrant on the entry, informed by touches of apricot and orange peel, very focused and tensile towards the long, sensuous, viscous finish. It has the same minerality exuded by Doisy-Daene and reminds me of a stellar '62 tasted just a few weeks previously. A magnificent Coutet. (98) NEAL MARTIN

Intense exotic fruits abound, powerful apricot, nectarine, white flowers and white truffles with excellent bitter almonds on the finish that works so well as a counterpoint to the luxurious texture. I love this, silky and seductive yet strict. (97) DECANTER, tasted 2020

One of the top sweet wines in this report is the 2016 Château Coutet, which has the vintage's plush, opulent style as well as thrilling purity and good acids. Pineapple, white flowers, sugared peach, and honeyed notes all emerge from this full-bodied, layered, balanced Barsac that's already impossible to resist yet will evolve gracefully 2+ decades. (97) JEB DUNNUCK

The vibrant, tropical fruit-coulis character draws you into this concentrated and elegant Barsac. Then the crisp acidity and a wave of lemon and mineral character comes through, driving the finish out in the direction of the horizon. (95) JAMES SUCKLING

Oh that's lovely. Ginger and sumac spice, and a gorgeous richness with the perfect balance of minerality. Rich but pure botrytis character and gently curling smoky notes leap out of the glass. Amazing persistency, easily one of the best wines in the tasting. This is excellent; succulent and mouthwatering. (96) DECANTER

With coaxing, the pale lemon colored 2016 Coutet slowly unfurls to give a myriad of preserved lemons, pineapple pastry, almond croissant, fresh ginger and lime blossoms scents with nuances of chalk dust, white pepper, star anise and cedar. Rich, seductive and yet exquisitely balanced, the satiny-textured palate has layer upon layer of citrus and savory notions, finishing very long and spicy. (97) WINE ADVOCATE

Fabulous nose of red fruits, summer flowers and licorice. The very complex interplay of huge fine tannins and richness reminds me of Grand Cru Burgundy, but this has a southerly personality. Great velvety finish that goes on and on. Doesn't want to stop. 80% grenache, 10% mourvedre and 10% cinsault (97) JAMES SUCKLING

The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Le Pied De Baud comes all from more pebbly soils and is a blend of 80% Grenache and the rest equal parts Mourvèdre and Cinsault. Its medium ruby/purple hue gives way to a medium-bodied, beautifully balanced effort that also has a Pinot Noir-like vibe in its bright red and blue fruits as well as peppery herbs, sappy flowers, and new leather aromas and flavors. The texture is spot on, it's as seamless as they come, and it delivers ripe tannins as well as a great finish. JEB DUNNUCK

Dark and meaty nose, but with terrific freshness. With aeration, wild blackberry and elderberry notes unfold. Very concentrated and structured with a dense and dry core that some may find a bit daunting, but really impresses us. Incredibly focused and fresh finish that's laser beam straight. Iron firmness at the powerful long finish. From a co-planting of 80% grenache, 10% mourvedre and 10% counoise growing on sandy soil. 75% whole bunch. Matured in a combination of Stockinger oak foudre and clay amphora (96) JAMES SUCKLING

The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Saintes Vierges comes all from the Les Saintes Vierges lieu-dit and is based on 80% Grenache and 10% each of Mourvedre and Counoise. It was partially destemmed and brought up mostly in foudre with 10% in clay jars. Wild strawberries, darker berries, violets, and an incredible floral, almost tropical nuance on the nose gives way to a medium-bodied, elegant, vibrant effort with a sappy green edge in its tannins that avoids being astringent or off-putting. This fresh, elegant, perfumed beauty will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and drink nicely for a decade. JEB DUNNUCK

Black fruit coulis, intense spice aromas and some smoke on the nose. Powerful and robust in the best possible way, the tannins are remarkably polished for a Rhone red with stacks of mourvedre in it. Very compact core, but also excellent energy on the full-bodied palate. Bold and very structured, but there's a wonderfully delicate sweetness, too. A cuvee of 50% mourvedre and 50% grenache from old vines on the high plain of Gigondas. 75% whole bunch. Matured in a combination of Stockinger oak foudre and clay amphora. (95) JAMES SUCKLING

Dark violet color. The nose presents powerfully scented cherry-cola, blackberry, fruitcake and exotic spice aromas, along with suggestions of licorice and incense. Offers penetrating, finely etched red and dark berry preserve, allspice, candied floral and smoked meat flavors that deepen and become sweeter as the wine opens up. Closes with superb tenacity and building tannins that frame reverberating floral and dark berry notes. (96) JOSH RAYNOLDS

Lastly, and a big step up, the 2020 Gigondas Les Hautes Garrigues is equal parts Grenache and Mourvèdre that was raised in foudres and amphorae. It doesn't have the sheer power or concentration of previous great vintages, but I love its balance, purity, and finesse. Red and black fruits, spicy garrigue, and floral notes make for a classic Gigondas that's medium to full-bodied, has ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It's a gorgeous Gigondas any way you look at it. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 15+. JEB DUNNUCK

The 1996 Climens is attractive on the nose with vibrant scents of barley sugar, saffron, mandarin and melted wax. Fine delineation, it meliorates in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, poised and a little more citrus than expected, tangerine and honey mixed with ginger towards the finish that fans out with confidence. Excellent. NEAL MARTIN, vinous

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!

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!

There are only a select few, perfect locations, to grow great wine on this big blue orb of ours and those are between 30 and 50 degrees north and south latitudes. Those regions need to provide just the right temperature, humidity, heat and climate to grow high quality grapes. We are absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to the northern reaches with the whole of Europe at our disposal, but travel further south and things are a little different.

While New Zealand and Tasmania provide us with plenty of choices (and we would be remiss not to include them) the southern reaches sitting on and just below the 40 degrees latitude offer a up a wholy unique drinking experience.

While grapes like riesling, cabernet and pinot noir are familiar to us, a number of the wines in this months pack aren't seen so regularly on your local wines list or on the shelves of your corner wine store. From Malbec's in Argentina to the infamous Pinotage and the more classic varietals like Chenin in South Africa this is an exploration of all that is good in these great southern lands of ours.

Where do we start with such an awesome selection of interesting wine? It's hard to decide we might just do a quick run down by country.

South America is relatively new to the wine scene but has come along in leap and bounds. WE start with a couple of classics with the Finca Los Moras Malbec and the Santa Ana Cabernet. These are text book varietal wines with plenty to love in their up-front fruit and modern styling. For something a little different we through in the Bouchon pais. For those who do not know, Pais is an old variety that is Chile's answer to pinot noir. With a little more bite and a wild flourish this a great introduction to this fascinating wine.

Closer to home in New Zealand we have few classic drops with the Palliser Estate Pencarrow pinot. A wine you would be hard pressed to find with the structure, concentration and complexity at the same price. Off to Hawkes Bay for some stonking Chardonnay from Bilancia fame and some of the world most underrated syrah from stars Te Mata. What a treat!

Just in our backyard, Tassie continues to pump out some of the best wine in the country and while we would never miss out on showcasing another great pinot there is some real winners with pinot gris and riesling on the rise. The Moores Hill gris is a freat example of textural and vibrant gris from the Apple Isle with the Riversdale riesling hot on its tale.

And for something a little different we have got the latest release Willie Smiths Cider. This is an absolute belter, and we couldn't help but included it once we were told it had been released. Perfect timing! We will take that one!

Last, and something we don't see much in Aus is a cracking selection of wines from South Africa. Long-term customers may recognise some of these wines and as far as we are concerned, they are some of the best modern day Cape wines to make it over. The Bare Bones cinsault is a zippy red full of energy while the Winery of Good Hope pinotage is a juicy and fun take on this classic red variety,

And what would a selection of wine from South Africa be without a chenin blanc. The Secateurs is clean and crunchy with a plush fruit profile that is cleaned up by chenin's zippy acidity.
All in al a pretty awesome and exciting collection of stellar wines from the great south!

Black raspberry fruits and a potpourri of dried country herbs lavender, mint, thyme and sinsimella. Marked by the leather and spice of SamsÌ_, but entirely without heaviness, it has a lovely fresh and easy release. Spicey, chewy, nice sweet pippy-purple fruits of a fine, open developed balsamic herbal expression and a deep sense of the earth.

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!

This year, Pete Fraser will launch the High Sands, Ovitelli and Hickinbotham together, giving a better chance to view the connectivity. Well, there is certainly a theme in the '23s. A degree of alcohol less, lower colour and a commanding, yet incredibly fine, structural framework. This is a very different High Sands, a reflection of the cool year, but also an evolving direction, leaning into elegance, soaring fragrance and savoury tension. Red cherry, tart raspberry, intensely floral, swirling with North African spices, musk and orange peel. The palate is coiled at this stage, but the fruit has flex and will bloom with time in bottle, radiating out from the core of mineral-feeling tannin and skein of vigorous acidity. This is truly magnificent now, but the future is one of dazzling possibility. (98) MARCUS ELLIS, winecompanion.com

Polygon No. 5 consists of two very similar nearby parcels making up 0.37 hectares in size. Working with terroir  specialist, Pedro Parra, we identified this polygon to be  uniquely significant because of its heavily fractured schist  composition. There are deeper soils sitting above a thick  band of micaceous schist that contains veins of iron-rich clay  within the fractures. NASAA certified organic and biodynamic.

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 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape le Plateau—the only one of these four vintages to be bottled—is velvety and forward, with notes of ripe cherries, cedar, vanilla and mocha. It's full-bodied, but not overbearingly tannic, making it approachable already. Only the second vintage to be produced, it's a 60-40 blend of Grenache and Syrah that matured in a mix of tanks and new barrels. JOE CZERWINSKI, The Wine Advocate

In the same ballpark, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Le Plateau comes only from the Mont Redon plateau and is a limited release based on 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah brought up in a mix of used and new barrels. Its saturated purple color is followed by a rocking bouquet of black raspberries, cassis, graphite, violets, and crushed rocks. With plenty of background oak, terrific depth of fruit, full body, and ripe, present tannins, it’s another balanced, age-worthy effort from this estate that should be snatched up by readers. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades. (93-95) JEB DUNNUCK

Made in small volumes only in the best years, this comes from plots chosen on the famed Le Plateau de Mont-Redon, the high plateau of galets roules, (large round stones) that makes this one of the most prized terroirs in the appellation. These large stones up to 2 metres deep combine with fine safre (sandy soil) over thin layers of clay which provide important water holding capacity providing an ideally moderate supply of water. The plateau sits high and is exposed to the sun and the Mistral wind giving an optimal ripeness and sanitary state for the vineyard.

Made from parcels of Grenache (63 % planted 1940s) and Syrah (31 % planted 1950s-1960s) and 6 % Mourvèdre. Hand harvested and 100% destemmed with 2-3 days of cold maceration and skin contact of 15-20 days during which extraction is performed mostly by punching down the cap of the ferments. Elevage of 40 % in stainless steel and 60 % in barrels (50 % new) for 18 months, the selected parcels are blended and aged on fine lees for a further 10 months in tank before bottling. Immense ageing capacity giving a wine which shows the quintessence of the older vines of Le Plateau de Mont-Redon.

This 6 pack includes some of Australia's best Grenache:

2 x Old Macdonald Grenache 2022
2 x Smart Clarendon Grenache 2022
2 x Little Branch Grenache 2022

2 BOTTLES AVAILABLE

Keeping the classical profile, the 2016 Clos Mogador has been fine tuned, reducing the French grapes, and it matured approximately 18 months in oak foudre and barriques. There is a lively sensation on the palate, vivacious and with very fine tannins. It has a meaty touch and feels really young , despite the long élevage. There is a strong mineral sensation on the palate, something that is a texture and mouthfeel rather than a flavor. This is an unusual, fresh vintage. LUIS GUTIERREZ, Robert Parker

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!

Dreamy, subtle aromas of dried fruit such as apricots and mangoes, but also fresh lemons and pears. Then there are caramel and tart tatin undertones with some bananas, pineapple, tangerines and other tropical fruit. Full-bodied, yet it remains vivid and compact, giving it a lightness even though it is really structured. The tannins are throughout the palate but blend in perfectly, giving it a solid presence, like a a diamond. It's tight at the end, but you know that it will linger for ages, with a lightly chewy and intellectual finish. Touches of sweetness, cloves and bitterness to make it interesting. Dynamic. (100) JAMES SUCKLING

I find this more direct and intense than the 2020. Yet this is also a wine that exudes balance and harmony, even at this nascent stage. Beautifully limpid and with a disguised natural power. Supremely aerial. Green apple skin. Saffron. Fresh ginger. A hint of confit ginger too. Lime. White grapefruit. A touch of fleur de sel. Marzipan. White almonds. Mango. Guava. Passionfruit. Pineapple - entirely pure and crisply fresh. All in great purity. This is floral, too. Mimosa. Buttercup (almost the leitmotif here). On the palate I find this tight and tense, yet so incredibly softly textured. And, above all, intense and captivating. Sparklingly striking and dynamic - and held together by the salinity as much as by the acidity, the two in fact working together, giving this an incredible aging potential. Delicate in its intensity. Sapid and with lovely waves of saline-inflected juicy fluidity. Even now this is a wine of very considerable complexity - built from assembling the finest botrytised grapes from the best of the couronne (the crown) of Bommes (with the Château of Yquem at the epicentre). This finishes with the most glorious bitter sugar note - burnt caramel just perfectly on the edge of bitterness. So accessible but so totally ageless and, for now, almost cool in its freshness. (99) COLIN HAY, Drinks Business

Beautiful primary fruit boasting tropical complexity: mango, pineapple. Saltiness, according to the winemaker - and there is definitely savoury contrast in there. The marvel of this wine is its completeness - the stitching is so fine between the sugar, acidity, rich fruit and length. Opens up in the glass, with white chocolate, caramel, clotted cream, mixed peel, five-spice. As prestigious as ever, and so gratifying to drink right now. (19) JANCIS ROBINSON MW

The complex aromatic profile explodes from the glass with pineapple, papaya, apricot, Meyer lemon, tangerine peels, caramel, honey, vanilla, saffron, cashews, and candied grapefruit in the aromatic profile. The palate resides perfectly in the middle of hedonism, and vibrancy. Clearly, there is ample sweetness, but the racy acidity provides incredible lift, energy, and length. The fruit expresses purity in its tangerines, oranges, mango, papaya, banana, and pineapples all slathered in honey. This is one of those Yquem's that can be enjoyed either as a sweet wine, or due to its vibrancy, with a diverse array of savory, and spicy dishes. Produced from a blend of 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 148 Grams per liter, 14% ABV, 3.79 pH. Yields were only 8 hectoliters per hectare. The harvest took place over an extended time, September 12 - October 27, with 4 passes in total. As you can see, the harvest was quite long, but picking the heart of vintage took place mid-to late October. (98) WINE CELLAR INSIDER

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!

2 bottles available at time of offer

Dreamy, subtle aromas of dried fruit such as apricots and mangoes, but also fresh lemons and pears. Then there are caramel and tart tatin undertones with some bananas, pineapple, tangerines and other tropical fruit. Full-bodied, yet it remains vivid and compact, giving it a lightness even though it is really structured. The tannins are throughout the palate but blend in perfectly, giving it a solid presence, like a a diamond. It's tight at the end, but you know that it will linger for ages, with a lightly chewy and intellectual finish. Touches of sweetness, cloves and bitterness to make it interesting. Dynamic. (100) JAMES SUCKLING

I find this more direct and intense than the 2020. Yet this is also a wine that exudes balance and harmony, even at this nascent stage. Beautifully limpid and with a disguised natural power. Supremely aerial. Green apple skin. Saffron. Fresh ginger. A hint of confit ginger too. Lime. White grapefruit. A touch of fleur de sel. Marzipan. White almonds. Mango. Guava. Passionfruit. Pineapple - entirely pure and crisply fresh. All in great purity. This is floral, too. Mimosa. Buttercup (almost the leitmotif here). On the palate I find this tight and tense, yet so incredibly softly textured. And, above all, intense and captivating. Sparklingly striking and dynamic - and held together by the salinity as much as by the acidity, the two in fact working together, giving this an incredible aging potential. Delicate in its intensity. Sapid and with lovely waves of saline-inflected juicy fluidity. Even now this is a wine of very considerable complexity - built from assembling the finest botrytised grapes from the best of the couronne (the crown) of Bommes (with the Château of Yquem at the epicentre). This finishes with the most glorious bitter sugar note - burnt caramel just perfectly on the edge of bitterness. So accessible but so totally ageless and, for now, almost cool in its freshness. (99) COLIN HAY, Drinks Business

Beautiful primary fruit boasting tropical complexity: mango, pineapple. Saltiness, according to the winemaker - and there is definitely savoury contrast in there. The marvel of this wine is its completeness - the stitching is so fine between the sugar, acidity, rich fruit and length. Opens up in the glass, with white chocolate, caramel, clotted cream, mixed peel, five-spice. As prestigious as ever, and so gratifying to drink right now. (19) JANCIS ROBINSON MW

The complex aromatic profile explodes from the glass with pineapple, papaya, apricot, Meyer lemon, tangerine peels, caramel, honey, vanilla, saffron, cashews, and candied grapefruit in the aromatic profile. The palate resides perfectly in the middle of hedonism, and vibrancy. Clearly, there is ample sweetness, but the racy acidity provides incredible lift, energy, and length. The fruit expresses purity in its tangerines, oranges, mango, papaya, banana, and pineapples all slathered in honey. This is one of those Yquem's that can be enjoyed either as a sweet wine, or due to its vibrancy, with a diverse array of savory, and spicy dishes. Produced from a blend of 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 148 Grams per liter, 14% ABV, 3.79 pH. Yields were only 8 hectoliters per hectare. The harvest took place over an extended time, September 12 - October 27, with 4 passes in total. As you can see, the harvest was quite long, but picking the heart of vintage took place mid-to late October. (98) WINE CELLAR INSIDER

Sauternes (First Growth)

Picked predominantly over 10 days from October 14, the 2010 d’Yquem has 141gms/L residual sugar and pH 3.80. It is a slow-burner, the nose understated at first but unfurling with each passing moment with subtle scents of freshly sliced apricots, Clementine, clear honey and white flowers. There is an underlying minerality that really defines this bouquet. The palate is similar to the nose, revealing hidden facets with almost each swirl of the glass – orange blossom, limestone, white peach and honeysuckle. This is such a precise d’Yquem; it is after you have swallowed the wine that one comprehends just how brilliant it is. NEAL MARTIN

At the first tastings this vintage was often compared, on account of its liveliness, to the wonderful ’88. The same kind of vibrancy and “nerve” was mingling into the botrytis complexity in a similar way.  Now, whilst it has retained all these vibrant qualities, the wine has clearly softened and the comparison should maybe now include a touch of ’89?  Whatever, this is a great vintage of Yquem, in a prettier style to the monumental keeper vintages such as 09 or 05. BILL BLATCH

Drink 2025-2055. ‘2010 was a cool year for us.’  Winter and autumn cold, good dry, warm summer.  Very healthy grapes, though quite a bit of rain on the flowering.  A bit of coulure on Sauvignon so less than usual in the blend, just 13% compared to the usual 20%.  Pale gold with slight greenness.  Gorgeous, classic nose.  Pear juice a go-go.  Absolutely stunning freshness as well as all the botrytis.  Classic.  Real punchy perfect savoury Sauternes.  Zesty and lovely with some chew on the end.  No shortage of botrytis.  Very distinctive and much less sweet than 2009.  (155 g/l in 2009, 141 g/l in 2010).  Refined finish.  Finished 5 Nov.  Five passes.  Real punch and zest.  Grapefruit peel.  But not a massive sweet bomb.  Alcohol 13.55%. JANCIS ROBINSON

PLEASE NOTE THIS WINE IS OFFERED EN PRIMEUR AND YOU WILL BE CHARGED THE FINAL (NOW) PRICE LESS 20% WITH THE BALANCE DUE WHEN THE WINE ARRIVES IN 2013.