Calvados, Red, Glassware, Cabe...

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

The 2016 Valpolicella Superiore is intense, with a captivating bouquet that blends cedar shavings, savory herbs and balsamic spices with rum-soaked cherries, sweet lavender and dark chocolate. This sweeps across the palate with silken textures, delivering masses of tart red and black fruits along with hints of espresso bean. Crunchy mineral tones and zesty acidity add dramatic lift. The 2016 tapers off long and staining, sporting a pleasantly bitter tinge of cocoa as grippy tannins resonate. The 2016 is a well-muscled dancer yet still youthfully coiled. (95) ERIC GUIDO

Dense garnet color, full of polished aromas of balsamic, cedar wood, earthy minerality, licorice, leather, restrained bramble fruit and coffee grounds. Dry, full-bodied and velvety on the palate, with lifted acidity and an austere finish. Long, slightly chocolatey aftertaste. (96) JAMES SUCKLING

The new release for 2024, 2016 is a much anticipated vintage from Dal Forno given that the 2017 was released first. But it has needed the extra time in bottle: export manager Marco Pinna explained that production volumes in 2016 were compromised by hailstorms in 2015. This had the result of naturally reducing yields and lending even more concentration than usual to the wine. Darker and richer in aroma compared to the 2017 Valpolicella, it clings on to a nutty, reductive character, with wisps of mint and fenugreek. In the mouth it's fleshy and powerful; less vertical than the 2017. There's a slightly meaty touch to the ripe, concentrated red and black berries, lifted by floral notes of iris and violets as well as crushed rock and exotic spices. Voluptuous black cherry emerges towards the end, but this still feels quite tight and closed; the best is yet to come. (97) DECANTER

Pre- Arrival 10 bottles available

The 2022 Beychevelle is so impressive. A wine of precision and stature, the 2022 has so much to offer. Inky dark fruit, licorice, mocha and lavender build in a sumptuous, creamy Saint-Julien. All of that intensity mounts through the mid-palate, reaching a stunning crescendo on the explosive, resonant finish. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2022 retains a gorgeous sense of freshness and vibrancy. (96) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com

I was able to taste the 2022 Château Beychevelle on multiple occasions, and it never failed to impress me. Based on 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that will see 18 months in 70% new oak, it's one of those wines that makes you stop and say "wow" due to its purity, depth, and texture. Sporting a dense purple hue as well as lots of blueberry and black cherry fruits, it's full-bodied and has a layered, seamless mouthfeel, building yet gorgeous tannins, and subtle background notes of crushed violets, flowers, and graphite. This is a sensational effort from director Philippe Blanc. (95-97+) JEB DUNNUCK

Pre- Arrival 3 bottles available

The 2022 Léoville-Poyferré showed a lot of potential from barrel and it does so now in bottle. Interestingly, it bursts out of the blocks aromatically for a minute then settles down, gaining delineation and refinement. It is less full-throttle than other vintages and neatly hides the 14.24% alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with a velvety-smooth entry. There is such purity here, with fine-boned tannins and nicely judged acidity, all harmonious with a peacock's tail on the finish. Controlled from start to finish, if you are a fan of "LP," you're gonna love the 2022.  (96+) NEAL MARTIN, Vinous.com

A mind-blowing Leoville Poyferre, probably one of the best for a long time. Huge depth and structure, showing a deep matrix of fruit full of fresh blackberries and a dash of ink and lead pencil. Such verticality on the full-bodied palate with beautiful balance and a clear finish that goes on and on for more than a minute. Great potential ahead. This was tasted at the UCGB tasting and was one of the best wines of the day. Drink after 2028. It should improve in the next 10 to 15 years. (99) ZEKUN SHUAI, jamessuckling.com

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!

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

Pre- Arrival 4 bottles available

The 2022 Durfort-Vivens is a heady, explosive wine. Ample and creamy, the 2022 is seriously impressive. The blend is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot, a bit more Merlot than normal. That seems to have filled out the mid-palate, adding a level of juiciness that is quite complementary to the wine's underlying structure. Inky dark fruit, new leather, menthol, licorice and lavender build into a finish that is both opulent and virile. Ageing was 16 months, 70% in new oak and 30% in amphora. (96) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com 

ovely freshness and aromatic complexity on the nose; herbs, spices, flowers, bitterness, freshness. Juicy and alive, a brightness and liveliness straight away. The energy here is wonderful, so lean and clean, pure and precise, very pretty, fun and joyful with a salty tang underneath. Delicate almost with such well integrated tannins giving a soft push from start to finish. Really very compelling and drinkable, easy to approach with layers of freshness and the most gorgeous acidity. Not as dense or fleshy as others, but makes up for it in bite, energy and enjoyable minerality. Effortless winemaking. (96) GEORGINA HINDLE, Decanter

Pre- Arrival 3 bottles available

The 2022 Pontet-Canet is a super-refined wine from the Tesseron family. It is perhaps a touch less opulent than in years past, but in exchange, it boasts more energy, focus and cut, all qualities that are so welcome here. Bright red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, mint and mocha all build effortlessly in the glass. In 2022, Pontet Canet is shaping up to be an absolute gem.  (97) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com

The 2022 Château Pontet-Canet is brilliant and should easily be up with the crème de la crème from the Médoc. Based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it was vinified mostly in concrete (there's a small part in wood), and the aging is in 50% new French oak, 35% in amphora, and the rest in once-used barrels. It has an incredibly pure bouquet of cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth. This carries to a full-bodied Pauillac with a deep, layered mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It has the purity, richness, and structure that makes this vintage so compelling and is going to be drinkable with just 4-6 years of bottle age but have an incredibly long life. (97-99+) JEB DUNNUCK

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!

Pre- Arrival 1 bottles available

The 2022 Troplong Mondot has turned out brilliantly in bottle. Wafting from the glass with aromas of mulberries and blackberries mingled with notions of licorice, rose petals, incense and pencil shavings, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with huge mid-palate volume, superb integration and an ineffable sense of completeness. This site always delivers power, but I've never tasted a Troplong that's simultaneously quite so powerful or quite so harmonious and suave. Concluding with a broad, violet-inflected finish, the 2022 represents the essence of this remarkable site. Drink 2028-2055. (100) WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

A wine of elegance and precision, the 2022 Troplong Mondot is exquisite. Crushed flowers, red berry fruit, blood orange, spice and menthol race across the palate. Troplong Mondot is without question one of the silkiest, most refined wines of the vintage. Absolutely nothing is out of place. Tasted two times. Drink 2030-2052. (98+) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com

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

Pre- Arrival 1 bottle available

The 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte, bottled in June 2024, includes 15% of the stems, though winemaker Fabien Teitgen emphasizes that he does not want their effect to be palpable in the blend. Its fragrant bouquet blends red and black fruit with hints of anise and Italian herbs, coming across quite complex and a little more flamboyant than some of its Pessac peers. The medium-bodied palate features plush tannins and very pure black fruit interlaced with hints of graphite and black pepper. Boasting gentle grip and a great sense of harmony, this is a wonderful Smith Haut Lafitte that will evolve in bottle over many years. (96) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com

Moving to the Grand Vin, the 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte checks in as 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. This ripe, powerful, concentrated wine reminds me of the 2010 with its structure, concentrated mid-palate, and just sheer density and regal, full-bodied style on the palate. Despite its size, it stays balanced, has a beautiful perfume of sweet black fruits, graphite, scorched earth, and spring flowers, building tannins, and a great, great finish. (96-98) JEB DUNNUCK

Pre- Arrival 3 bottles available

The 2022 Haut-Bailly is one of the most elegant wines I have tasted here in a very long time. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, rose petal and blood orange are all finely laced together in the glass. There's a new sense of polish at Haut Bailly these days. The 2022 is a great example of that. Readers will find a supremely finessed wine with striking fruit purity, gorgeous length and a slightly linear build that is not at all typical (in a good sense) for a warm, dry vintage. Clean mineral notes support the finish. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

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

Pre- Arrival 3 bottles available

The 2022 Pichon Baron is one of the most elegant, polished wines I have ever tasted here. Silky and refined, the 2022 is super-impressive right out of the gate. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. Blood orange, herbs and floral notes lend notable delineation to a core of Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. As I did en primeur, I find the wine's balance nothing short of exquisite. There's more freshness and vibrancy here than in the past, along with a noticeably lower oak imprint and more sensual tannins that lend notable sophistication throughout. The Grand Vin spent 16 months in French oak barrels, 70% new, and then two months in wood vats prior to bottling. (98) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

Beautiful fragrance, lots of fresh and ripe black and red bramble fruit - so alive and expressive on the nose with liquorice, wet stones and cedar spicing. Smooth, ample and full in the mouth, but not overly textured or plush. There's a real refinement to the tannic structure, clearly giving the frame to the wine but detailed and precise with edges of liquorice, slate, dark chocolate, cedar and tobacco. It balances richness, intensity and concentration with sleekness, bright acidity and a real charm to the juicy fruit. Rich and tense, just giving a hint of its potential, clearly powerful but totally seductive too. A sublime wine in the making. Ageing 18 months in French oak, 70% new, 600% one wine. Drink 2030 - 2047. (97) GEORGINA HINDLE, Decanter

Pre- Arrival 1 bottle available

The 2022 Canon is a regal wine of total sophistication and class—aromatic, light on its feet and super-expressive. Crushed flowers, chalk, mint, dried herbs, incense and blood orange all race across the palate. Clean saline-inflected notes extend the mid-palate and finish effortlessly. Even with all of the heat and drought of the year, Canon retains its essential, highly refined personality. (99) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

From an estate that is delivering its greatest run of vintages since the superb Post War series that preceded the frosts of 1956, the 2022 Canon is a magical wine that will be worth every effort to track down. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, wild plums and cherries mingled with hints of bay leaf, spices and violets, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with huge levels of concentration, vibrant acids and beautifully refined tannins. Concluding with a long, saline finish, this pure, perfumed and ineffably complete Canon is built for the ages, even if its structural polish is such that it will be approachable at a surprisingly early age. (99-100) WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

Pre- Arrival 1 bottle available

The 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a towering masterpiece from Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier. Dark and seamless in the glass, the 2022 presents an exotic mélange of black cherry, lavender, sage, blood orange, menthol, espresso and dried flowers, showing tremendous depth and substance in all of its dimensions. Time in the glass hints as to what is to come in the years and decades that follow. The 2022 is a co-ferment of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot done with 70% stems that saw six full weeks on the skins. Élevage is 70% new oak, 20% 18HL cask and 10% amphora. Most importantly, all the elements are so well balanced that nothing sticks out. Instead, it is the wine's total sense of harmony that is mind-blowing. Magnificent. (100) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

The remarkable 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a strong candidate for the title of wine of the vintage. It's also one of the most singular, characterful wines being produced in the region today. Unfurling in the glass with complex aromas of blackberries and cherries mingled with notions of exotic spices, orange zest, pencil lead, rose petals and vine smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a velvety attack that segues into a layered, seamless and multidimensional mid-palate framed by rich, powdery tannins. Pure, perfumed and penetrating, this blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot is a brilliant success that caps a decade of relentless work by Guillaume Pouthier and his team that have seen Les Carmes Haut-Brion emerge as one of Bordeaux's leading estates. It checks in at a mere 13.5% alcohol, with a very healthy pH of 3.64. (99-100) YOHAN CASTAING, Wine advocate

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

Pre- Arrival 4 bottles available

The 2022 La Mondotte is another heady wine in this range from the Neipperg family. Inky dark fruit, gravel, pencil shavings, iron, sage and scorched earth infuse the 2022 with notable intensity and tons of brooding, somber character. Readers will have to be patient, as this is a potent, structured Saint-Émilion. I would not plan on opening a bottle anytime soon. The 2022 is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, so a bit more Franc than in some recent years. This spent 35 days on the skins followed by 16 months in French oak, 40% new. It's a superb edition of this wine made from one of the most distinctive sites in the appellation. (97+) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com

Blackberries and blueberries with chalkboard and dark earth aromas. Flowers, too. Lead pencil. Full-bodied and very deep in the palate, which is reserved and texturally sophisticated. Chalky, too. Silky and very polished. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. From organically grown grapes. (97-98) JAMES SUCKLING

Pre- Arrival 3 bottles available

The 2022 Tertre Rôteboeuf is silky, elegant and polished. Scents of raspberry jam, mocha, cinnamon, new leather and blood orange are immediately inviting. On the palate, the 2022 is soft and caressing, but there's plenty of tannin and overall structure lurking beneath. Floral, savory and mineral overtones extend the sustained, vibrant finish. Tertre Rôteboeuf remains one of the most singular wines in all of Bordeaux. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous.com

Coming from an incredible hillside terroir on the eastern side of Saint-Emilion, the 2022 Château Tertre Roteboeuf reveals a dense purple hue to go with a kaleidoscopic array of cassis, blueberries, cherries, acacia flowers, violets, and orange blossom. Always exotic, singular, and overflowing with character, the 2022 looks to be no exception and is full-bodied, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. (96-98) JEB DUNNUCK

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

Very dark with black core. Extremely pure cassis nose. Tight and dark and savoury on the palate with graphite dark freshness. Very fine texture, dry but not drying. Paper layers of subtle tannins building density but shot through with pure cassis scent. Extremely moreish and fresh. Long and scented on the finish. JULIA HARDING, jancisrobinson.com

A blend of 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 0.8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Les Forts de Latour has a medium to deep garnet color with a lingering hint of purple. It prances out of the glass with fragrant scents of black raspberries, mulberries, and black currant pastilles, leading to suggestions of lilacs, iron ore, fragrant earth, and black truffles, plus a waft of fallen leaves. The palate delivers an elegantly styled, medium body with fantastically ripe, ever so fine-grained tannins and beautiful tension supporting the intense black and red berry layers, finishing with impressive length and loads of mineral and floral sparks. LISA PEROTTI-BROWN

Pre- Arrival 7 bottles available

The 2022 Montrose is insanely beautiful. That much is obvious. When it might be ready to drink is another question. In recent years, Montrose has acquired notable finesse in its tannins, so that is not an issue. But the 2022 is packed with tremendous density and concentration that will need time to soften. Blackberry, graphite, licorice, lavender and chocolate stain the palate in a stunning, riveting wine of the very highest level. I can only hope to be around when the 2022 starts to drink well! Montrose is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Unforgettable. (100) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

The 2022 Montrose is such a compelling wine that assigning it a bracketed score seems a mere formality. A brilliant terroir, impeccable viticulture, perfectly timed harvest dates and judicious extraction have aligned to deliver a monument in the making, reminiscent of a far purer, more precise, modern-day version of the 1990 vintage at this address. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, violets, iris, pencil lead and cigar wrapper, it's full-bodied, deep and authoritative, its velvety attack segueing into a layered, elegantly muscular core that's framed by supple, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, resonant finish. A blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, this only confirms Montrose's status as a de facto first growth and unquestionably one of the contemporary Médoc's very greatest estates. (99-100) WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

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!

Pre- Arrival 4 bottles available

The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has a very sensual, perfumed, floral bouquet with crushed violets and licorice infusing the black fruit. It needs time to really open in the glass, manifesting more underlying graphite scents with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins and quicksilver thread of acidity. It offers the sensuality of this Pauillac Classed Growth with structure and poise, just firming up a little with time, which is not a bad thing. This estate has enjoyed a scintillating run of form in recent years, and this latest bottled vintage shows that there is no end in sight. (98) NEAL MARTIN,Vinous.com

The 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is one wine where a comparison with this estate's magical 1982 doesn't appear to be far-fetched. Wafting from the glass with deep aromas of cassis, plums, violets, rose petals, tobacco leaf and pencil shavings, it's full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with a layered, seamless core of fruit that largely conceals its chassis of powdery structuring tannin. Concluding with a long, expansive and beautifully perfumed finish, it's a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that has the potential to equal or even surpass the 2019 and 2016 vintages at this address. It checks in at a very classical 13.6% alcohol and a rather high pH of 3.80. (97-99) WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

The 2020 Cos d'Estournel is a wine of extreme elegance. Silky and light on its feet, the 2020 is incredibly nuanced. In fact it is without question the most finessed of all the top wines in Saint-Estèphe, showing more in common with some of its neighbors in the north of Pauillac than the more potent wines of Saint-Estèphe. Impossibly soft, silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red fruit, spice and orange zest. The 2020 is not a huge Cos, but rather a wine for readers who appreciate elegance over power. I can't wait to see how it ages. Magnificent. 97 ANTONIO GALLONI, vinous

3 BOTTLES AVAIALABLE

Antonio Galloni                                  97
The 2018 Haut-Bailly soars out of the glass, showing magnificent poise that only grows with time. Sweet, perfumed aromatics, silky tannins and mid-weight structure add to its considerable allure. Ripe red berry fruit, spice, blood orange, licorice, cedar, tobacco and menthol are all woven together in an effortless, classy Haut-Bailly that delivers the goods. I suppose the 2018 doesn't quite have the explosive energy of the very best years, but it more than makes up for that with its sensual, seductive personality.

James Suckling                                   97-98
Incredible depth of fruit to this with a center palate that shows superb character and texture. I love the hazelnut and coffee-bean undertones to the beautiful fruit, which shows great finesse. Full-bodied yet compact and tight, giving a sense of agility and flight to the wine. Extremely tight and polished tannins.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown            96-98
Deep purple-black in color, it opens slowly with profound notions of Black Forest cake, crème de cassis, roasted nuts and black olives, unfurling to reveal notions of menthol, crushed rocks, molten licorice and chargrilled meat plus a hint of lilacs. Full-bodied, rich and densely laden with layer upon layer of vibrant black fruits and mineral nuances, it has a solid backbone of firm, velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long with compelling restraint and exciting energy.

Andrew Caillard, MW                                     97
Deep colour. Perfect claret style with intense blackcurrant plum graphite aromas with some savoury notes, fine graphite grainy tannins and underlying vanilla oak. Tannins are plentiful but perfectly ripe with some al dente notes and plenty of thrust. Elemental but voluminous needing time to meld. Sine inky mineral notes at the finish.

Pre- Arrival 8 bottles available

The 2022 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a wine of total sensual allure. All the elements are wonderfully woven together. Black cherry, plum, licorice, chocolate, spice and lavender infuse the palate with striking depth. The sustained, persistent finish is a thing of real beauty. Lifted floral accents extend the finish nicely.  (97) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

Pre- Arrival 5 bottles available

One of the finest wines to ever pass my lips, the 2022 Château Cos D'Estournel is a monument in the making. Based on 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this saturated ruby/purple-hued Saint-Estèphe offers a full-bodied, massive, opulent style as well as perfumed red, blue, and black fruits, ample spice, chocolate, graphite, and lead pencil-like aromatics, a stacked mid-palate, flawless balance, and a monster of a finish. An improved version of the 2009 (if that's possible), this is a legendary wine in the making. Hats off to Michel Reybier and technical director Dominique Arangoïts. (98-100) JEB DUNNUCK

The 2022 Cos d'Estournel is a huge wine that is going to need a number of years to be at its finest. Dense, rich and explosive, the 2022 represents the essence of opulence. Sumptuous curves wrap around a core of blackberry, cloves, new leather, licorice and espresso that screams out of the glass. The 2022 is a wild, exotic beauty. All it needs is time. Tasted twice. (97) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

Saint Julien

2ème Cru Classé

Purchase En Primeur. Arrival due September 2022.

The 2009 Léoville Poyferré has an outstanding bouquet with blackberry, mint and cedar aromas, almost Pauillac in style, very dense and with plenty of horsepower. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins that frame layers of blackberry infused with graphite and white pepper. I love the symmetry and control of this Poyferré, in particular its persistent finish. This is a magnificent wine from Didier Cuvelier. Tasted at BI Wines & Spirits' Ten Year On tasting. Neal Martin 96

Pre- Arrival 3 bottles available

The 2022 La Conseillante is a gorgeous, racy wine. Pliant and super-expressive, La Conseillante is positively stellar. The 2022 is a vertical, statuesque Conseillante. As alluring as the 2022 is at this stage, it also clearly needs cellaring to be at its finest. Time in the glass releases the aromatics, along with brisk acids that keep things in check. Blood orange, lavender, spice, menthol and espresso linger on the sustained finish. Technical Director Marielle Cazaux turned out what is quite possibly the most elegant wine in Pomerol. The 2022 is one of my favorite recent vintages here. The 2022 was harvested from September 5th for Merlots through to the 20th, when the last Cabernet Franc was brought in. It was aged in 70% new wood, 27% once-filled barrels and 3% amphora. (98) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

The 2022 La Conseillante is a remarkable wine that has the potential to emerge as one of the wines of the vintage. A blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc, it unfurls in the glass with deep aromas of black raspberries and mulberries mingled with notions of rose petals, violets, orange zest and mint. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's velvety and enveloping, with a textural attack that segues into a multidimensional mid-palate that's framed by sweet, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. Checking in at a very healthy pH of 3.65 and 14% alcohol, it is a beautifully supple, suave wine that retains all this estate's signature elegance but in a slightly deeper-pitched and broader-shouldered format than the profound 2020. Congratulations to winemaker Marielle Cazaux, consulting enologist Thomas Duclos, the Nicolas family led by Jean-Valmy, and all the team at La Conseillante who have firmly established this estate at the very top of Pomerol's qualitative hierarchy in recent vintages. (97-100) WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

Pomerol

Purchase En Primeur. Arrival due September 2022.

The 2009 La Conseillante has a very classy and sophisticated bouquet with beautifully defined black and red fruit mixed with black truffle and pressed rose petals. The oak is just completely subsumed here. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe and saturated tannin, a fine line of acidity, fresh and tensile with a sense of mineralité on the finish. This bottle shows even better than the one poured at the property 12 months earlier. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin 97

The 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella is a sleeping giant, darkly alluring with dried violets, dusty black currants, shaved cedar and lifting hints of mint. This is sleek and cool-toned in feel-lifted yet intense and savory to the core, with masses of mineral-tinged dark red fruits and balsamic tones carried across a core of zesty acidity. The 2016 finishes tannic and long, clamping down hard on the palate and leaving a bitter primary concentration that lingers on and on. This is just a baby today and in need of serious cellaring, yet the potential is off the charts. Marco Dal Forno explains that he considered selling the 2018 before the 2016 to allow it to come fully into focus, which he already did with the 2017. (98) ERIC GUIDO

Inky in the glass with almost no rim. Aromas of cloves, coconut, graphite, dark lush bramble fruit, plums and cherries. Full-bodied with great concentration of fruit and a super-dense and velvety palate. Extremely rich, but balanced by crisp acidity and thick yet dynamic and chewy tannins. Amazing finish of salted chocolate. A superpower Amarone with grace. Try from 2026. Will age for decades. (98) JAMES SUCKLING

Released after the 2017 vintage, because it was decided that this dense, concentrated vintage would benefit from more time in the bottle, the 2016 is fuller and broader in the shoulders compared to the 2017 Amarone. There's more of everything - body, concentration, tannic presence, richness, spiciness...And while there's a reductive note of petrichor, its aromatics still soar, carrying wafts of wild black fruits and balsam out of the glass. Enticing already, its future looks very bright indeed. (98) DECANTER

Pre- Arrival 1 bottle available

The 2022 La Mission Haut-Brion is a total stunner, just as it was en primeur. An archetype of finesse. Dark and explosive, with no hard edges, the 2022 is captivating right out of the gate. Vibrant red fruit, blood orange, new leather and exotic spice notes are all beautifully alive in the glass. The 2022 is seamless and resonant, with magnificent balance and tons of pure class. I would be thrilled to own it. In a word: dazzling. (100) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

Pre- Arrival 7 bottles available

The 2022 Léoville Las-Cases was picked 8-30 September with more infusion than extraction, matured in 84% new oak. Precocious, almost decadent blackberry and blueberry fruit on the nose, there is something lavish and audacious about this Saint-Julien. There is an underlying estuarine element, a whiff off the banks of the Gironde. The palate is medium-bodied with polished tannins, very detailed, extremely pure, what you might call a "vertical" Las-Cases with fabulous precision on the finish. This surpasses the 2018-2020 trio and to use that clichéd expression, is a "tour de force".  (98-100) NEAL MARTIN, Vinous.com

One of the wines of the vintage this year is the 2022 Léoville Las Cases, a monument in the making that combines unerring classicism with unusual sensuality and charm by the standards of this estate's sometimes youthfully forbidding wines. Exhibiting deep aromas of dark berries, violets, pencil lead, rose petals and tobacco leaf, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with terrific concentration, beautiful purity of fruit, abundant but refined tannins and a long, vibrant finish. On the several occasions that I tasted it, the 2022 was surprisingly open for a young Las Cases, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were to shut down after a few years in bottle. It's a blend of 83.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10.5% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot. (98-100) WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate

The 2020 Angélus is shaping up to be tremendous. Bright and punchy, with terrific energy, the 2020 is more linear and focused than any recent vintages I can remember tasting. Crushed red berry fruit, iron, smoke, mint, chalk and dried herbs all build in the glass. In 2020, Angélus is less flashy than it can be. That is a very good thing, for those who can wait. Harvest took place between September 18 to 30. One of the major evolutions here in recent years has been the use of foudres to age the Cabernet Franc. Half of the Franc is now raised in large format oak, and that seems to bringing added freshness to the Grand Vin. 96-98 Antonio Galloni, VINOUS

Pre- Arrival 4 bottles available

The 2022 Palmer is all class. Blackberry, mocha, spice, leather and espresso all meld together in a seamless, elegant Palmer that impresses with its sublime balance. All the elements are impeccably put together throughout. The only thing this is missing is perhaps a touch more energy. Even so, the 2022 is an exceptional Palmer. Yields were a minuscule 22 hectoliters per hectare. Small berries yielded a deep wine that needs time to fully emerge. As has been the case for a few years now, both Palmer and Alter Ego spend a year in small barrel and a second year in wood, a majority of that (65%) in cask. (98) ANTONIO GALLONI,Vinous.com

The 2022 Château Palmer is utterly brilliant, so much so that I questioned in my notes if this would challenge the 2018. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, from tiny yields of 22 hectoliters per hectare, its mammoth-sized personality offers layers of blue and black fruits, notes of melted chocolate, crushed stone, and spring flowers, building, velvety tannins, and a great, great finish. While many estates commented that they extracted less in the vintage, Palmer went in a different direction and extracted more during the vinifications to provide a solid backbone to match the concentration and power of the vintage. It appears to have worked brilliantly, and hats off to Thomas Duroux for having the confidence to go his own path. He has produced a truly Grand Vin in 2022. (97-99) JEB DUNNUCK

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!