RED WINE

Depp, bright purple.  Drop-dead aromas of dark berry preserves, Asian spice, potpourri and incense, with an intense mineral overtone.  Stains the palate with sappy, chewy black raspberry and floral pastille flavors enlivened by notes of allspice, star anise and nutmeg.  Silky, sweet and penetrating on the finish, which clings with outstanding tenacity and clarity.  There's an elegance and focus here that's reminiscent of the best Burgundies, but with more power and texture.  If I were a third-world despot this is what I'd be drinking every day. STEPHEN TANZER, wineaccess.com

The 2015 Angélus has a calm, cool and collected bouquet of tightly wound black fruit that unfurls with aeration to reveal blackberry, gravel and pencil box notes; classic, almost Left Bank in style, and delivered with real panache. The palate is exquisitely balanced with fine but grippy tannin, layers of black and red fruit tinged with vanilla and perfect acidity. The harmonious, sensual finish is very alluring. What a stunning 2015 this is going to be! Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting. (97) NEAL MARTIN

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Angélus is a little closed to begin, soon blossoming into a wonderfully fragrant perfume of raspberry preserves, ripe black plums and chocolate-covered cherries with suggestions of Darjeeling tea, candied violets, spice cake and cinnamon stick with a touch of aniseed. Full-bodied, the palate is fabulously opulent, delivering mouth-coating black and red fruit layers with loads of floral sparkles and a seductively velvety texture, finishing with great length and tension. (97) WINE ADVOCATE - TASTED 2020

Everything is coming up roses here, in the nose. That is before finding all the truffle, espresso, dark chocolate, black cherry, smoke, spice and plums on the nose. Rich, dense and concentrated, the wine is voluptuous, ostentatious and sexy. The velvet tannins feel just great as the wine flows over your palate. The finish just keeps on going. Opened in the name of science, this will start really rocking in about 2027. (100) JEFF LEVE

Pomerol

Just as it was en primeur, the 2017 Vieux Château Certan is regal and soaring right out of the glass. Inky blue and purplish fruit, chocolate, licorice, lavender, spice and mint come together in a dense, dark and powerful Pomerol. The 2017 is an explosive, vivid wine of monastic beauty. In this vintage, VCC is especially dark and somber, which adds to a real feeling of mysterious beauty. It is a towering achievement from Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont.. (98) ANTONIO GALLONI

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!

2 BOTTLES AVAILABLE

Saint-Estèphe 2ème Cru Classé 
Extremely aromatic with currant, wild-herb and fresh-violet aromas. This is regal cabernet sauvignon at its finest. The palate has unwaveringly long and defined tannins that carry such fresh, piercingly pure, redcurrant and cassis flavors. A twin to the superb 2015? A blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.(97) JAMES SUCKLING

The 2017 Montrose is a very pretty, polished wine that speaks much more to finesse than power. Expressive floral and spices notes add an attractive inner sweetness to a Montrose that in 2017 leans more into the red fruit spectrum. Gracious yet deep, with terrific overall balance, the 2017 Montrose is a total winner. What impresses most about the 2017 is its freshness and sophistication. I won't be surprised if Montrose turns out to be even better than this note suggests further down the road. Graphite, licorice, menthol and sage lead to a finish with real grip and freshness. The 2017 is such a classy and promising wine. (95+) ANTONIO GALLONI

The 2017 Montrose was so impressive from barrel and now, bottled since July, it continues to put in a strong case for being one of the best Left Bank wines. It has a very pure and intoxicating bouquet with intense blackberry, light cassis, juniper and violet aromas, almost Margaux-like in terms of personality. Although there is a patina of new oak after bottling, it is in sync with the fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle grip on the entry. Tightly wound at the moment but supremely well focused, this is a classic Montrose, "cool" and reserved, demonstrating impressive tension and precision towards the finish. It will require less time in bottle than the 2016 for example, so broach this superb Saint-Estèphe after five or six years and then it will give 25 to 30 years of drinking pleasure, and knowing Montrose, probably longer. Tasted twice with consistent notes. (95) NEAL MARTIN

Small parcels from the villages of San Esteban, Fuentelcésped, Hontangas, Cuevas de Provanco and Trigueros de Valle. 88%Tinto Fino (20% whole bunch) with 10% Garnacha (100% whole bunch) and some Albillo white. Aged 21 months, partly in Darnajou 225 and 600 litres, plus 2 Taransaud 1200 litre foudre in their third year.

Powerful but classy with fine fresh acidity and delightful earthen aromas developing with time open to air. Predominantly in a blue fruit register, with a crush of twig and glycerol tempered by fine minerality. Sweet spices and a vegetal tannin thread in the mouth replicates the woodsiness on the nose. Delicate bitters on the tongue elongate the finish, holding the mouth poised to notice the fine cloud of earthen-blue florals beyond. SCOTT WASLEY

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.  

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.

EP Order minimum 3 bottles

One of the most talked about estates, due to tiny yields of just 11 hl/ ha, and considering no 2nd wine (Alter ego) was made this year. Despite the difficulties working biodynamically, the ultimate wine is hugely successful and the price is a record. It's a mantel piece wine for the unicorn hunters….so what does that make a Magnum?  -Tom Portet
 
Andrew Caillard, MW 100
Deep colour intense dark cherry, black currant fruits with mocha espresso notes. Amazingly powerful and expressive wine with deep set blackcurrant pastille fruits, richly concentrated graphite tannins. Incredible balance and mineral length. Superb density and complexity. The wine of the vintage?

Antonio Galloni 95-98
A freakish, super-concentrated Palmer that recalls some of the most legendary vintages made here. The 2018 Palmer is a freak of nature from yields of just 11 hectoliters per hectare harvested over an entire month by CEO Thomas Duroux and his team. Rich, unctuous and flamboyant in its ripeness, the 2018 possesses off the charts intensity from start to finish. Blackberry jam, espresso, crème de cassis, licorice, menthol, lavender and cloves develop in a palate-staining, hedonistic Palmer that oozes with personality. This extravagantly ripe Margaux won't be for everyone, but it is a stunning, head-spinning wine that may, in time, very well join the ranks of the truly epic Palmers. A wine of pure and total pleasure, the 2018 is nearly impossible to resist. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. In 2018, Palmer bottled just their Grand Vin and no Alter Ego.

James Suckling 94-95
It is the essence of cabernet fruit with density that is so thick that it has the texture of grape puree. Full body and melted tannins that give the wine a sense of velvet. Very soft and juicy. With air, it goes to bright, crushed black currants. Tar. Fresh tannins give it energy. I have never tasted anything like this in all my 38 years as a wine critic in Bordeaux. From tiny berries of cabernet sauvignon (53 per cent), 40 per cent merlot and seven per cent petit verdot.

The 2018 Troplong Mondot will take readers who haven't tasted these wines in a few years aback. Stunning in its aromatic presence, the 2018 is silky, medium-in body and super-refined. Once again, I am blown away by the wine's total sense of precision. The Cabernets are only 15% of the blend, and yet the 2018 is so strongly marked by floral and savory accents. Sweet red cherry, blood orange, mint, rose petal and lavender all build in the glass. The 2018 is regal, refined and absolutely exquisite. 97 ANTONIO GALLONI

1 Bottle at the time of the offer

This really is a creation of true refinement and class, that lends itself to the harmonious, graceful style that is so typical of great St. Emilion. Suckling, Perotti-Brown and Galloni all awarded it perfection, with Jeff Leve noting that there are few wines at this level of quality produced from any vineyard in the world. If you can afford just one of 20,000 bottles produced annually, it will be a trophy for any cellar designed to last 50-100 years. -Tom Portet

Antonio Galloni  99
The 2018 Ausone is mind-blowing. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. I don't know what more to say. Cabernet Franc is so expressive, so vibrant so nuanced. Rose petal, cinnamon, star anise and sage meld into a core of red fleshed fruit. The 2018 doesn't impress with opulence or richness, rather it is a Saint-Émilion that is all about persistence and energy. I won't be at all surprised if it merits a higher score in the future. Readers who can find it should not hesitate. The 2018 is a viscerally thrilling wine of the highest level.
 
James Suckling 99-100
This is really exotic with wild-fruit character that I have seldom encountered in Ausone. Full-bodied yet reserved and very tight. Amazing depth and purity of fruit. Incredible beauty. Sexy.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown 98-100
Full-bodied, rich, decadent and tightly knit, it offers layer upon layer of fruit, spice and mineral nuances with a firm frame of exquisitely fine tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length and heart-stopping beauty.

 

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

12 Bottles available at time of offer

A real star amongst the second wines this vintage, and always in very tight supply. It contains an unusually higher blend of Merlot this year (40%) with lower yields consistent with the vintage story. A little sheep in volume, but always rewards buyers for its Pauillac credentials of black fruit and graphite, and perfect for drinking in around 5 -10 years. -Tom Portet

Antonio Galloni     93
Just as it was from barrel, the 2018 Le Petit-Mouton is fleshy, radiant and very easy to enjoy. Soft contours and silky tannins add to its considerable allure. Because of low yields, the Petit-Mouton was aged entirely in new oak. Rich, sumptuous and bold to the core, the 2018 is a rock star wine.

James Suckling                 97-98
This is phenomenal with such dense and layered tannins that go on for minutes. It's full-bodied with blackberries, blueberries and chocolate. Sexy and so beautiful. Not sure what to say here. Maybe it should have gone into the first wine?

Lisa Perrotti-Brown                 92-94
Deep garnet-purple, it comes bounding out of the glass with sit-up-and-beg notes of crème de cassis, plum preserves and mulberries plus nuances of chocolate box, Chinese five spice, licorice and candied violets. Full-bodied, rich and oh-so-hedonic, the palate is packed with juicy black fruit layers wrapped in a firm, velvety structure, with loads of fragrant spice layers on the very long finish.

Andrew Caillard, MW                       93
Medium deep colour. Lovely blackcurrant herb aromas. Sweet blackcurrant black cherry fruits, fine slinky textures and toasty oak notes. Still elemental with firm tannins. Pretty wine.

 

2 bottles available at time of offer - more available pre arrival

The 2018 Vieux Château Certan is delicate, silky and understated, just as it was in barrel. Inky blue/purplish berry fruit, mint, lavender, spice and wild flowers all open in the glass. The 30% Cabernet Franc, which is high for present-day standards, adds tons of aromatic lift as well as freshness, while bright, saline-infused notes extend the finish. Fine tannins and mid-weight structure give the 2018 an air of finesse that is impossible to miss. If I had to bet on one 2018 that could very well surprise 10-20 years out, it might very well be VCC. (97+) Antonio Galloni

Andrew Caillard,

 MW                     100
Deep crimson. Beautiful dark plum, cassis, inky, violet aromas with vanilla notes. Supple and smooth with inky rich plum dark plum, cassis, herb flavours, fine loose-knit lacy smooth tannins, lovely viscosity and generosity. A plume of tannin at the finish. Superb effortless wine.

James Suckling               99-100
This is a significant VCC with masses of fruit and juicy tannins. It's fresh, but impresses you with the rich and powerful fruit. A tower of a wine. Incredible depth and density. Thick and muscular. It is 30 per cent cabernet franc, the rest merlot.

Lisa Perrotti-Brown               97-100
Medium to deep garnet-purple-it has a very vibrant color-it drifts effortlessly out of the glass with wonderfully intense, beautifully delineated scents of red roses, black raspberries, kirsch and Darjeeling tea before the powerful, profound black fruits kick in: baked plums, wild blueberries, molten licorice and mulberries with touches of cigar box, cinnamon stick, tapenade and truffles. Full-bodied, rich, densely packed and revealing layer upon layer of red and black fruits with an incredible array of floral and spicy sparks, it has a high level of super ripe, incredibly fine, velvety soft tannins and fantastic freshness (not just from acid but from bright, crunchy fruit). It finishes very long, marvellously layered and with such jaw-dropping brightness from the fruit, the end is almost electric. Incredible.

A fresh, pure and layered nose consists of liqueur-like dark berry fruit, plum, violet, earth and touches of spice. There is excellent richness to the slightly more refined medium weight flavors that coat the palate with dry extract where the supporting structure arrives all at once on the grippy and mildly drying finish. I suspect that this will round into form once the sulfur addition is more completely integrated. BURGHOUND

I haven't always been the biggest fan of Nicolas' version of Chaignots - although I love the vineyard with its the nod to the "silk" of Vosne a nice counterpoint to the rusticity of Nuits. This year this is a beautiful example and the best I've seen from him. MICHAEL McNAMARA

The 2016 Xerico that we are offering today is an ode to the wines that Roberto's ancestors drank - Rioja without oak maturation. In place of the oak is cement and chestnut foudre's. The other connection with the past is that the wine contains 15% of the white grape Viura whilst the balance is Tempranillo.

Xerico is the name of the soil 'Xeric Torriothent'! This is a carlcareous marl soil from the Tertiary era on eroded slopes.

This wine is from three plots - El Pedrón, La Entrada and La Fuente Colas. The age of the vines range from 15 to 50 years old.

Fermentation is completed with natural yeasts in stainless steel and cement vats to retain freshness and minerality. As I mentioned above this wine doesn't see any oak and is aged for five months in cement vats and chestnut foudres.

Don't think of this as Joven style - it is much more serious. 

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!

A blend of 60% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre, the 2019 Cotes du Rhone le Temps Est Venu is spruced from Plan de Dieu and Visan, both in the Southern Rhône. Aged in concrete, it offers attractive scents of garrigue, black cherries and dried spices on the nose, while in the mouth, it's full-bodied, round and generous. Gently framed by supple tannins and a touch of alcoholic warmth, it hints at cherries jubilee on the finish. JOE CZWERSKI, 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!

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!

Brothers Cyril and Fabien tend to 15 hectares, with new plantings of Menu Pineau, Chenin Blanc, Grolleau, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon joining their original Cabernet Franc parcels.

Sand and gravel is typical of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, but some parcels are also rooted in limestone-rich clay. Everything is done by hand in the vineyard, including grassing and ploughing between rows, and the occasional addition of biodynamic compost.

Herbaceous and lively nose that overlay crunchy, brambly red fruits with cracked peppercorn and a smokey undertone. A lithe palate that has a wild edge to small sweet fruits and a lick of grainy tannin that draws it all together. PWS

This is 100% merlot from a 1.5 hectare vineyard located in Montravel, a sub-region of Bergerac.
The grapes are hand harvested in small lug boxes, in the cellar the bunches are destemmed and the fruits selected one by one by hand. The must is then macerated in micro oxygenated tanks, pump over every six hours, alcoholic and malolactic fermentations done in temperature controlled tanks. Aged for fourteen months on fine lees in 1/3 new and 2/3 one year old oak barrels.

This is terrific Merlot - there is even greater vibrancy and verve to the 2017 then the 2016. the fruit is pure and ripe with fresh picked plum and red cherry fruit. Some classy oak wraps gently around some pretty and lifted violet notes. and red fruits. This has plenty of fleshy fruit but in a compact and vibrant frame. There aint much merlo like this in Aus. PWS

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!

It spent 18 months in oak, rather than it’s usual 12. Oak’s presence in the wine is no more than usual; if anything it simply feels more harmonious. To be released in March, I think.

In any case this is a wonderful release. It leaps from the glass with wonder on its lips. Plums and florals and spices and meats take a walk through a garden, woodsmoke suggested, summer alive. It’s elegant and refined and yet it’s all there, it’s all open. It gets you in the feels; it has a kind of satiny confidence, like it knows that it’s good and it knows that you’ve noticed. Fine fingers of tannin, curry leaf notes, berries. Florals here as mentioned but maybe not as pronounced as usual, as if viognier and shiraz have become one. Still there’s nothing reserved about this wine. Nothing. It’s just all there, ready, perfect. (96) CAMPBELL MATTINSON, The Wine Front

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.

 

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!

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.

Arangoits and his team nailed it in 2016. It is also important to highlight that the transformation at Cos d’Estournel since Michel Reybier purchased the château in 2000 is simply incredible. Reybier’s considerable efforts since then in the vineyards and the winery are remarkable. What he has achieved has not only helped to bring the estate up to its true potential but also instilled a pretty impressive batting record when it comes to consistency of quality. LISA PERROTTI-BROWN

The 2016 Goulée by Cos d’Estournel has a vivid, fresh, lively bouquet of black fruit infused with bell pepper. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin and plenty of tarry black fruit laced with tobacco. I appreciate the freshness and classicism of this Goulée, which is more cohesive and shows a little more substance than previous vintages. Very fine. NEAL MARTIN

Mauro Veglio's property in Paiagallo is at mid-altitude in what is called Vigna San Sebastiano, bordering Terlo, to which it is closer in style than the opposite side of the MGA. Garnet in colour, it has notes of watermelon, earthy strawberry and lemon leaf. Elegance and freshness prevail over the powerful palate. Nevertheless, it is full bodied, well extracted and with sweet tannins. Citrus notes and liquorice emerge on the finish. ALDO FIORDELLI, www.decanter.com

The 2017 Barolo Paiagallo is the most open and racy of Veglio's 2017. Ripe red cherry, kirsch, dried flowers, orange peel and cinnamon all develop as the 2017 opens in the glass. This is an especially ripe, forward Barolo, but it also has a bit better balance in its tannins. ANTONIO GALLONI

In this wine you glimpse the future of the estate. The lack of smaller oak here reveals a more open profile of red fruits, florals and fruit tannins (not oak tannins) which give life and an entirely different shape to the structural profile. The tannins are saturated and enlivening. I simply love this wine and it occurs to me it's the kind of wine which is the reason you drink Barolo. MICHAEL MCNAMARA, PWS

Rive Droite Rive Gauche simply means right bank, left bank and the name derives from fruit for the wine being sourced from both sides of the river - the grenache coming mainly from the left (gauche) and the Syrah from the village of Daumazan (on the rive droite), near Tavel. It is also a French film starring the rotund wine-nut actor Gerard Depardieu - fun fact!

This is a lovely fresh and crunchy styled Rhone from our friends at Rive Droite. There is touch of thyme and bay over red spiced fruits, layered with a little bit of red liquorice. This is a medium bodied rendition with a pure core of raspberry, wild strawberry and splash of black berry fruit in the mix. Its lithe with a lovely fresh cut to the sweet fruits that makes this look wonderfully elegant and damn easy to like.

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

100% Dolcetto

Ex-Melbourne sommeliers David and Jeannette Clarke relocated to Cape Town, South Africa, in January 2013. A small number of South African wineries surprised them with interesting, delicious and unique wines. Recognising the fact that South Africa is still grossly under-exposed in Australia, they became increasingly excited about being able to introduce and offer these to you. Thus the Ex Animo Wine Company was born. Ex Animo means "from the heart", and this encapsulates the philosophy and passion the Clarkes share with their producers: for the vineyards they tend and the wines they make from them.

Cinsault, Grenache and Shiraz. Aged in foudre and concrete tanks. Perfumed, peppery, spicy and exhibiting ripe red fruit notes. The texture of this style of wine is supple with enough grip and acidity to finish dry and refreshing. Has a little meaty and smokey edge to the fruit giving it a ton of interest and levelling it up past the usual juicy Rhome style blend.

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!

Winemaker Dale Wheeler has been deeply immersed in the Victorian wine industry since 2012, relocating to Melbourne from Brisbane to study Viticulture and Winemaking. For a number of years he worked growing fruit and making wine within the Yarra Valley for Strenua, while also completing a number of vintages for other producers within the region and his experience shows. These are confident wines with lots of immediate appeal.

Gamut 2021 is a thirst-quenching medium-weight juicy red, perfect with a light chill. Made using 100% Upper Yarra Valley fruit, predominantly consisting of Merlot from Yarra Junction - lightly macerated and 40% whole bunch Pinot Noir from Gladysdale. Naturally fermented, with no other additions beyond sulphur prior to bottling. Unfined/unfiltered/vegan.

Plenty of red liquorice, mixed berries, and river rocks on the nose. A touch of soft spice and a savoury bay like note. The palate is crunchy and fresh with a lovely balance of sumptuous fruits and soft but present tannins shaping a delicious moreish finish. Perfect summer red and something you could throw a slight chill on if you were so inclined.

Complex and refined aromas of blackberries, flowers, sandalwood and a hint of vanilla follow through to a full body with dusty, polished tannins that are extremely long and flavorful. Muscular, yet agile at the same time. Try after 2025. (98) JAMES SUCKLING, jamessuckling.com

This lithe red delivers concentrated flavors of cherry, raspberry, strawberry, floral and eucalyptus allied to a firm underlying structure. Long, with refined tannins and a chalky feel in the end. Best from 2026 through 2045. 350 cases made. (97) BRUCE SANDERSON, winespectator.com

The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne presents an intense bouquet of crushed raspberries and cloves giving way to dusty florals and hints of incense. The textures are wonderfully silky and refined, ushering in a rush of mineral-tinged primary fruits that are brighter and more red-toned in this vintage than usual, as well as incredibly concentrated. The tannins come forward through the close, grippy and youthfully dry, along with a salty flourish, while leaving hints of licorice to slowly taper off. Siro Pacenti cut their production down by 50% to create this successful expression of the 2017 vintage. ANTONIO GALLONI

The Félicette wines originate from the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the south of France, along its southern-most coastline of the Mediterranean. Coming from vineyards between Narbonne and Béziers, the grapes are de-stemmed, undergo cold maceration and gentle ferments. The Félicette Blanc is mostly Grenache Blanc, with a little Viogner. The Rouge is almost all Grenache, with a splash of Syrah. Both wines are exceptionally elegant, drinkable and fresh, balanced and refined.

Yes! They have done it again. These are so easy to love with their bright and juicy fruit. A bouquet of pretty, small red fruits and a touch of wild herb. Soft and plush in a mid-weight style that is absolutely smashable. Packed with red pastille fruits and soft spice. It won't changae your life but you will be better for enjoying it.

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Vibrant red and dark berry aromas show fine definition and complementary suggestions of peony, white pepper and olive. Juicy and appealingly sweet, offering Chambord, black raspberry and spicecake flavors that slowly deepen through the midpalate. Smooth tannins frame a long, lively, floral-tinged finish that echoes the spice and red fruit notes. There are qualities here that remind me a lot of a ripe New World Pinot Noir. JOSH RAYNOLDS, Vinous

The 2019 Collines Rhodaniennes La Rosine is another pretty, seamless wine from Ogier, offering classic Northern Rhone black raspberry like fruit as well as some chalky minerality and spice. Medium-bodied, it has fine tannins, and nicely integrated acidity. JEB DUNNUCK

PESSAC-LÉOGNAN CRU CLASSÉ - LIMITED
The 2016 La Mission Haut Brion is a blend of 57.5% Merlot and 42.5% Cabernet Sauvignon picked between 19 September and 14 October, one of the longest ever. "We had to be patient and wait for each plot," Jean-Philippe Delmas told me. "It took longer than usual." As is customary, I allowed my sample, and likewise all the wines poured at this tasting, around 40-45 minutes to open since they always transform in the glass. It has a clean and precise, quite understated bouquet with fine mineralité, cold stone aromas infusing the black fruit. This has incredible precision, perhaps even more pixelated than the "gaff over the road" Haut-Brion. The palate is medium-bodied with supple and lithe tannin. I appreciate the line of acidity here, the smoothness and harmony that takes your breath away. Every atom is infused with life-affirming freshness. It is a wine bridled with incredible focus and delineation. I thought that the 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion flirted with perfection. The 2016 has that extra edge, a "je ne sais quoi" that leaves you reaching for the thesaurus looking for superlatives. (98-100) NEAL MARTIN

The 2016 La Mission Haut-Brion is a total knockout. Vertical and powerful, but not at all austere, it exudes class. Fine-grained tannins support the fruit, but they are barely felt, as the wine's balance is so extraordinary. Lifted floral notes and a host of red fruits give the 2016 energy and verve. I can't wait to see how it ages. (94-97) ANTONIO GALLONI

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

The grand vin 2019 Château Angelus, a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, is certainly up with the top wines in the vintage. (It actually reminds me a little of a more elegant version of the 2005.) Deep purple-hued, with a blockbuster bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, spice box, violets, spring flowers, and chocolate, it has a terrific sense of minerality, full-bodied richness, building tannins, and an incredible sense of elegance pair with power. A quintessential example of the style now emerging from this estate, it's going to need 5-7 years of bottle age to hit maturity (it won't disappoint in its youth either) and will evolve gracefully for 20-30 years. (99) JEB DUNNUCK

The 2019 Angélus has a sophisticated bouquet with extraordinarily pure blackberry, raspberry, inkwell and crushed iris petals scents, like the Carillon but HD in terms of its clarity. The palate is beautifully defined on the entry, the Cabernet component steering it towards say, Figeac or Cheval Blanc stylistically. It already feels very harmonious, the satin-like texture is supported by real substance and grip on the finish, perhaps more density than some of its peers. This is an outstanding Angélus, one likely to surpass the 2016, a wine that will give 30-40 years of pleasure, maybe more. (98) NEAL MARTIN

Composed of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Angélus was harvested from the 13th of September until the 4th of October. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sashays out of the glass with gregarious scents of Morello cherries, lilacs, chocolate box and potpourri with a core of Black Forest cake, blueberry crumble, fragrant soil and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the intensity on the palate builds from delicate, beguiling nuances with ethereal weight to a full-on fireworks display of flavor sparks, framed by fantastic freshness and very finely pixilated tannins, finishing long, layered and invigorating. (99) WINE ADVOCATE

Deep, almost opaque ruby in color, the wine loads you up with flowers, licorice, smoke, wet earth, spice, vanilla along with red with black fruits on the nose. Classically styled, (in a good way,) the wine is precise, focused, energetic and pure. Silk with structure are what you notice on the palate along with multiple layers of perfectly ripe, concentrated plums, cherries and blackberries that linger and expand. The wine was made from blending 60% Merlot with 40% Cabernet Franc reaching 14.5 ABV with a pH of 3.65. The wine is aging in 100% new, French oak, however, 40% of the Cabernet Franc is aged in barrels, allowing the oak to have almost finished integrating into the wine. (99) JEFF LEVE

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

Pomerol

The 2019 Vieux-Château-Certan has a fabulous bouquet with stunning delineation, a complex array of red and black fruit, sous-bois, truffle and Seville orange marmalade. The palate is medium-bodied and very precise, with fine-grain tannins, a superb bead of acidity and a peacock's tail on the finish lingering long in the mouth. I knew this was an awesome Pomerol...but maybe not this awesome! Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting. 99 NEAL MARTIN

The 2019 Vieux Château Certan is even better from bottle than it was from barrel. It is very clearly one of the highlights on the Right Bank. Soaring aromatics are immediately captivating. There is an exoticism in the 2019 that I saw from barrel that is evident in the bottled wine, but today, I see more balance and harmony. Crème de cassis, licorice, lavender, spice and rose petal blend into a core of red/purplish berry fruit. All the elements are so well balanced. The Grand Vin is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, but the blend also includes one lot of young vine Cabernet Sauvignon that was added for its aromatic presence. That decision paid off in spades, as the 2019 is truly magical. Antonio Galloni 98+

Subtle and complex with blackberries, violets, lilacs, roses and hints of ink. So floral, yet subtle on the nose. Full-bodied with incredible polish and beauty, the silky tannins running the length of the wine and going on and on. It builds with sheer elegance and structure. A blend of 78% merlot, 15% cabernet franc and 7% cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2028, but already a joy to taste. 99 JAMES SUCKLING

Everything contributed to the success of the vintage. A sufficiently cool and rainy winter. A fresh and sunny spring. Throughout the summer, a gradual water deficit before veraison and dry, sunny weather with cool nights enhanced the aromatic potential. Welcome light rain showers from September 22nd allowed the vines to rehydrate and complete the full grape ripeness. Harvest began September 23rd. Blend: 78 % Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon.

A ripe, tannic wine with fruit character and well-preserved acidity with superb balance. The Merlot contributed density, body, smoothness, volume and breed. The Cabernet Franc showed a lacy elegance and was complex, full and long on the palate. The Cabernet Sauvignon was lively and delicious, it brought an indispensable touch of freshness to the blend. 2019 can be compared with the 2009 with its  glossy colour, sweet and fresh with lots of floral notes of hawthorn and almond blossom. There is beautiful balance here. Lovely intensity, black fruit flavours, a touch of truffles, some oak and typical Pomerol generosity. A baby still but there is so much concentration and layers of flavour and great energy from the very old vines. Seems effortless but this balance is remarkable. Classic VCC. Don’t touch for at least another 10 years: 2035-2065 Splendid! FIONA MORRISON

The 2020 Cifra is a fabulous introduction to this range from Luca D'Attoma and Elena Celli. Freshly cut flowers, sweet red berry fruit, spice and mocha all grace this exquisite, mid-weight Cabernet Franc. ANTONIO GALLONI

Lots of gorgeous blackberry and blueberry character with round, caressing tannins, vivid acidity and freshness. Lots of bright fruit and very pure character. JAMES SUCKLING

Wonderfully mid weight, fragrant, perfumed, spiced, fruitful wine where the slightly gritty tannins tell a story that is both varietal and regional. As does the more savoury elements and those just slightly herbaceous notes that will make any Cab Franc fan smile and anyone who loves Crifra positively beam, that is the sales pitch here. This is a wine of pure pleasure, serious, yeah, but that isn't really important here. For me it is all about enjoyment with Crifra and if you love to eat and drink then this needs to be in your life. Drinking this with the right food will decrease your stress and stress is a killer, so, drinking Cifra will help you live longer. A veritable ambrosia. ROSCOE