What's New on Cru
At Cru World Wine, we're committed to bringing our customers the best possible selection of fine wines, and that's why we're constantly updating our "What's New on Cru" page with the latest releases and exciting new finds. Whether you're a seasoned wine collector or just starting out on your wine journey, we're sure you'll find something to love on our page.
One of the things that sets us apart from other wine retailers is our commitment to offering our customers unbeatable value. That's why we often offer special limited-time discounts on some of our most popular wines, and you can find these amazing deals on our "What's New on Cru" page. Don't miss out on the opportunity to get your hands on some stunning wines at incredible prices.
Our "What's New on Cru" page is also the perfect place to discover new and exciting wines from around the world. From classic Bordeaux and Burgundy to up-and-coming regions like South Africa and Australia, our selection is sure to delight even the most discerning wine lover. And if you're looking for something a little different, be sure to check out our collection of natural wines - these are wines made with minimal intervention, allowing the true expression of the grapes to shine through.
So whether you're looking for the latest vintage from your favorite winery or want to explore new and exciting wine regions, be sure to visit our "What's New on Cru" page. With our constantly evolving selection and unbeatable value, it's the perfect place to discover the world of fine wine.
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What's New on Cru
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James Suckling (99)
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.Inc. VAT£493.24 -
James Suckling (98-99)
This is integrated, with superb density and beauty, offering blackcurrant, mineral and some bark. Full-bodied, yet so polished and refined. Crushed stone. Lots of expression and texture to this wine. Creamy. Pure and precise. Elegant, yet layered. Slightly plusher than the 2019. Dense, yet agile. Fresh as always. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 50% new oak 15% old oak and 35% concrete amphorae.Inc. VAT£487.24 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98-100)
A wine to convince you of the quality and ripeness of Cabernet Sauvignon in Pauillac in this 2023 vintage, showcasing superbly supple tannins, great balance, depth and savoury blue and black fruit character, bitter cocoa bean, freshly cut herbs, black tea, fennel, all vivid and with purity of character. There is density here but it is not overt, with heightened raspberry leaf, peony and violet aromatics. Vinified in the newly-completed section of the cellars, in egg-shaped wooden vats and sunken qveri-style clay vats. 50% new oak for ageing, with 35% amphora and 15% one year old barrels. One of the wines of the vintage. New lighter bottle as of the 2022 around 490g, down from 815g in the past, 30 tonnes of CO2 saved just in terms of production. Harvest September 7, one day earlier than 2022, then slow picking through to October 10, later than many in Pauillac - and normal yields of around 40hl/h.Inc. VAT£497.09 -
James Suckling (93-94)
Beautiful dark fruit with purity and freshness. Medium- to full-bodied, seamless and compact. Outstanding quality of tannins, so fine and dense. It’s muscular and taut on the mid-palate. Lingering, too. Plenty of energy. Close to 2022.Inc. VAT£262.18 -
James Suckling (93-94)
Beautiful dark fruit with purity and freshness. Medium- to full-bodied, seamless and compact. Outstanding quality of tannins, so fine and dense. It’s muscular and taut on the mid-palate. Lingering, too. Plenty of energy. Close to 2022.Inc. VAT£131.09 -
Vinous (94)
The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is a potent, searingly tannic wine that will need a few years to come together. Brooding and backward, even for young Rabajà, the 2017 is painfully young today. It will be interesting to see what time brings. Today, the 2017 is a real powerhouse. Black fruit, menthol, licorice, melted road tar, game and menthol develop in the glass, but only with great reluctance.Inc. VAT£372.04 -
Vinous (97)
The 2017 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port was picked from August 21 to September 28 under perfect conditions. It has a tightly wound bouquet that requires a lot of aeration. Eventually it reveals fabulous, detailed aromas of cassis, bilberry jam, crushed stone and pressed violets, later hints of orange blossom and quince. The palate is pure class. Saturated tannins, wonderful structure but the headline is the intensity of fruit. I cannot remember a Noval with this penetration, almost overwhelming the senses as layers of effervescent black plum and cassis fruit segue into a spicy finish that fans out like there is no tomorrow. Is this the best Quinta do Noval ever?Inc. VAT£444.01 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2020 Rauzan-S�gla is showing brilliantly in bottle. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis and minty blackberries mingled with violets and licorice, it's medium to full-bodied, suave and seamless, with a deep core of vibrant fruit, beautifully refined tannins and a harmonious, integrated profile that exudes elegance. A wine of immense character and refinement, it's the best vintage from this estate in recent times.Inc. VAT£646.24 -
The Drinks Business (95-97)
Rauzan-Ségla (Margaux; 75% Cabernet Sauvignon; 25% Merlot; 13% alcohol; a final yield of 38 hl/ha; aging in oak barrels, 60% of which are new; tasted at the property and at the UGCB press tasting; Eric Boissenot is the consultant). A tiny bit of Cabernet Franc was in fact co-vinified with the Cabernet Sauvignon. Mildew damage reduced the amount of Merlot here. This is intensely perfumed and extremely expressive aromatically with the parfumier’s essence of violets and wild hedgerow flowers, rose petals, graphite by the nuclear reactor core-load and a rich deep, dark, cool autumnal fruit. There are also tiny wild strawberries , blood orange, and that gorgeously tender cedar note one so associates with Rauzan-Ségla, dark roast coffee beans and grated dark chocolate. This feels very composed and natural, an object lesson in purity and precision. There is a lovely fleshy softness on the attack, with super-svelte tannins. The mid-palate seems both sinuous and yet linear, precise and focussed but with great concentration and perfect harmony. There’s also a superb natural sweetness. Gentle aeration brings more cassis notes into the mouth and a refreshing sapidity. Overall, there is great plenitude, considerable tension and class without opulence. And in 2021 the wine is more floral than ever. It continues its rich vein of form, with the chewy tannins and lift on the finish hinting at the potential longevity. All the Chanel estates are in their first full year of conversion to organic viticulture, making the final yield all the more impressive. Really superb.Inc. VAT£473.09 -
James Suckling (98)
This is such a beautifully nuanced red with tobacco, dried herbs, wet earth and currants. Some leather and rose petals, too. Full-bodied and chewy, yet refined with great polish. It’s rich and intense at the same time. Very focused center palate. Broad layers of tannin and fruit. A blend of 72% cabernet sauvignon, 19% carmenere, 6% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. Better after 2024, but already a joy to taste.Inc. VAT£843.29 -
Vinous (92)
San Guido’s 2018 Guidalberto is soft, open-knit and inviting. Sweet dark cherry, cinnamon, licorice and new leather fill out the layers in an undeniably attractive Guidalberto that will drink beautifully upon release. Finesse and elegance are the signatures. The 2018 is a terrific choice for drinking now, while some of the more powerful vintages of Guidalberto come together, or while waiting for its sibling, Sassicaia.Inc. VAT£453.67 -
Wine Enthusiast (95)
This enticing red offers alluring aromas of fragrant purple flowers, dark-skinned berries and crushed mint. The elegantly structured palate doles out succulent blackberry, orange zest, licorice and saline notes set against taut, refined tannins. It's nicely balanced by fresh acidity. Drink 2022–2029Inc. VAT£265.24 -
Greg Sherwood MW (95)
There doesn’t seem to be complete agreement amongst growers as to whether 2021 in Bolgheri was an easy or difficult vintage. What certainly is in agreement is that this cooler Tuscan vintage yielded some incredibly taut, intense, vibrant wines. Aged in 85% French and 15% American oak 225 litre barrels, 40% new, for 15 months, this beautiful Guidalberto 2021 boasts fabulously piercing aromatics of violets, black cherries, blackberry compote and seductive dark plum over sweet exotic Christmas spices and stony graphite notes. The oak and vanilla wood spice is still busy integrating with the super taut, tight palate fruit intensity, perhaps at a slightly slower pace than in a riper, warmer vintage. But it’s the palate’s chiselled focus and linearity that marks this vintage as a true stand out expression amongst more recent dryer, warmer years. The texture is laser focused but also wonderfully transparent showing the true mineral terroir characteristics of Bolgheri together with a wonderfully fresh, tart, glassy acidity supported by sleek, polished marble tannins on a pithy cherry cola packed finish. A vintage to be truly celebrated but also one best to bury in the cellar for an another 8 to 10+ years.Inc. VAT£247.24 -
The Wine Independent (97)
The 2017 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia is such an impressive wine in a hot and very dry vintage like 2017. It has a wonderful fragrance of sweet spice, pressed flowers and Mediterranean herbs with youthful, bright blackberries and forest floor notes. A problem with the 2017 vintage was that the nights were hot as well as the days so it was challenging to accumulate aromatics and achieve full phenolic ripeness. Paoli and his team had to harvest early and shorten maceration times. In any case they have done an excellent job. It has lovely concentration and power on the palate yet it still retains the classic Sassicaia signature of vibrant acidity and harmony and flow across the palate.Inc. VAT£1,267.24 -
James Suckling (97)
A very perfumed Sassicaia on the nose with forest floor, citrus and deep dark fruits. Blackcurrants. Cedar and black tea. Some balsamic. Pine needles. Full and very succulent. Really long, structured and complete. Tangy and energetic with a linear line of fresh tannins and acidity. Very Sassicaia throughout. 85% cabernet sauvignon and the rest is cabernet franc. Very attractive now in a youthful and vibrant way, but this will be better in three to four years. Try after 2027.Inc. VAT£1,399.24 -
Make your evenings memorable with Saute-Loup 2015, an exquisite blend of finesse and lushness specially crafted by the renowned Domaine Saute-Loup. Nestled in the heart of France’s illustrious wine-producing region of Languedoc, this esteemed vineyard crafts wines of exceptional quality. Saute-Loup 2015, a fine testament to their artistry, delivers a rich symphony of wild berries, plum notes and a hint of spice for those nurtured, mature palates. The wine is matured in French oak barrels, endowing it with a majestic depth that lingers on the palate. This unfiltered wine beautifully embodies the warm climate and stony soil of Languedoc, resulting in striking minerality. Honoured by globally recognised wine critics for its remarkable balance and complexity, Saute-Loup 2015 is truly a testament to the elegance of French wines. Experience this exquisite wine, a perfect companion for any cuisine, and let Saute-Loup 2015 redefine your fine wine experience.
Inc. VAT£14,183.09 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
Another heavenly wine in the lineup is the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, which comes from Clone 337 and a handful of different blocks in the vineyard. This deep purple-hued beauty has an incredibly seamless, elegant, yet full-bodied style as well as killer notes of crème de cassis, blueberries, wildflowers, violets, white chocolate, and new saddle leather. Flirting with perfection, the tannin quality, purity of fruit, balance, and overall harmony here is just about off the charts. It makes you want to drink the whole bottle, but it should age effortlessly for 25+ years.Inc. VAT£1,946.06 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Tasted blind. Rich and rather opulent nose. Simple and easy with good refreshing raciness. Could be Rauzan-Ségla? Good and complete. Really zesty. Likely to be VGV.Inc. VAT£211.24 -
Wine Advocate (98)
Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Smith Haut Lafitte delivers notes of baked plums, boysenberries and dried mulberries with an undercurrent of cigar box, new leather and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, the palate has firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the maturing fruit, finishing on a stewed tea note.Inc. VAT£856.84 -
Wine Advocate (100)
I fussed over scoring this wine more than I'd like to admit—tasting through three samples under different conditions at various intervals and testing my impressions blind against wines in its peer group. Most importantly, I tasted this 2016 vintage against the 2015 vintage over and over again. I confess to a few nights of restless sleep as a result. Ultimately, my decision to award 100 points to the 2016 Solaia came on impulse and with the most natural sense of purpose. I had also given the 2015 vintage a perfect score, and intellectually, it seemed impossible not to pick a favorite among these two stunning expressions. I will also state, outright, that the wines are very different, principally because the 2015 vintage shows more overall opulence and sweetness that extends to the pronounced textural richness of the mouthfeel. The 2016 vintage, on the other hand, is more chiseled and sharp with mineral shadings of campfire ash and graphite at the rim of its dark fruit. The mouthfeel is more streamlined and tight at its core, suggesting that the wine will unfold and soften beautifully with time. I feel like 2015 is the Dolce & Gabbana of the situation and the 2016 is the Armani Privé. The personalities of the two wines are distinct, yet my admiration for each is identical.Inc. VAT£2,848.24 -
Vinous (91-93)
(these 18-year-old vines are planted to three clones): The most reduced of these 2014s on the nose, but still with captivating scents of black raspberry, licorice and pungent crushed-rock minerality. Delivers a wonderfully silky texture enlivened by harmonious acidity. One senses a strong rocky element and yet the wine shows no edges. This seamless wine boasts a long, rising finish featuring a hint of dark chocolate and noble tannins. A beauty, and clearly a bottling to follow as the vines continue to mature.Inc. VAT£7,243.24 -
James Suckling (100)
The perfect blanc de blancs. Full-bodied with a lovely framework of acidity and dry fruit, such as apples, pears and peaches. Opulent. Dense and muscular. Yet, it’s balanced and harmonious. Line of acidity at the end. Totally in tune. Superb. Deep and complete. Has everything. One for the cellar. It is the greatest Comte ever. It has everything. A perfect upgrade from two years ago. Drink or hold.Inc. VAT£1,099.24 -
Matthew Jukes (19.5++)
By contrast to the Bollinger, Comte is not a one-off, nor anything out of the ordinary. It is a label that all committed Champagne lovers adore. Predictable perhaps. But, of course, one thing does vary, and that is the vintage. The ‘worst’ Comte I ever tasted was rather lovely. The ‘best’, and there have been many (1959, 1966, 1996, 2002, 2006) are all sublime and you can now add 2011 to this list. Taittinger always seems to shun the spotlight, unlike Dom Perignon and other more attention-seeking brands and this modesty rather suits this House. I did something that I never do after first tasting my sample bottle. I was so shocked with the sheer class that I sealed the bottle with a simple Champagne stopper and then tasted it again and again over two days. The stress-testing sorts the wheat from the chaff. It is unlikely that anyone who bought a bottle would do this. Still, I like to see how a potentially great wine evolves, opens up, sometimes falls over, and sometimes blossoms over a few days because it gives me an indication of its potential and its true baseline of quality. The fruit is so tense, grand and layered it is remarkable. The flavour, the fizz, the length, the momentum and the overall halo of greatness did not change one iota over nearly 60 hours of being open with no preservation whatsoever. This is a genius, B de B and while it tastes scintillating now, I am confident that it will amaze Comte fans for decades to come.Inc. VAT£702.04 -
James Suckling (94-95)
A medium- to full-bodied red with very fine tannins. It’s firm and structured, showing a bright, dark-fruited character. Focused, with a good center-palate and a lingering finish. Really polished.Inc. VAT£300.29 -
Vinous (94+)
(50% vendange entier): Bright medium red. Very complex, subtle aromas of raspberry, flowers, licorice, minerals and menthol opened nicely with air. Boasts terrific inner-mouth menthol-and-spice tension, with its juicy dark berry fruit still wound up but already showing a captivating restrained sweetness. Finishes with terrific saline grip and length, the suave tannins perfectly buffered by fruits and minerals. Delivers the energy of the vintage in spades without being particularly austere.Inc. VAT£2,455.24 -
Decanter (99)
Such a seductive soft perfume to the nose, delicate yet generous aromatics of cherry and rose. The palate is juicy and fresh, charming yet energetic with such crystalline purity and balance. Tannins are smooth but softly textured giving nuance to the flavours where refreshing high toned ripe red and black cherry fruit play alongside mint, dark chocolate and graphite. Clearly powerfully but carefully controlled from start to finish giving such a satisfying overall mouthful and lasting impression. Incredible.Inc. VAT£538.49 -
James Suckling (98-99)
Wow, this is really something. It is full and powerful with truly impressive depth of fruit. Yet, it remains agile and structural, with flexed muscles, balanced by a sense of floating. Well defined and poised. 53% cabernet franc, 44% merlot, and 3% cabernet. Will it be better than 2022?Inc. VAT£428.69 -
James Suckling (97-98)
Wow, this is really something. Very fruity, with dark blackberries and blueberries, as well as blood oranges. It’s full and layered with great depth of fruit and chewy, polished tannins. Turns lightly salty at the end. Power with precision. 84% merlot, 8% cabernet franc and 8% cabernet sauvignon.Inc. VAT£665.09 -
Wine Advocate (93)
Showing much better is the 2006 “V” that demonstrates a little more opulence and fruit intensity on the nose with ripe blackberry, raspberry, sloe and cedar with good definition. The palate has firm chalky tannins and a good sense of tension, a citrus-like acidity towards the long poised finish. This has great potential, but again it deserves time in the cellar. Drink 2014-2022.Inc. VAT£733.24 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 2012 La Joie, which is a blend of 76% Cabernet, 12% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, blew me away. A profound effort, with 55% of it coming from Hillsides in Alexander Valley, 31% from Knights Valley and the balance from Chalk Hill, the wine shows great minerality, oodles of crme de cassis fruit, incense, licorice, crushed rock, and a provocative full-throttle mouthfeel. A wine of great intensity, purity and equilibrium, this definitely begs for 4-7 years of bottle aging and should drink well for at least 30+ years.Inc. VAT£1,498.84
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James Suckling (99)
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.In Bond£395.00 -
James Suckling (98-99)
This is integrated, with superb density and beauty, offering blackcurrant, mineral and some bark. Full-bodied, yet so polished and refined. Crushed stone. Lots of expression and texture to this wine. Creamy. Pure and precise. Elegant, yet layered. Slightly plusher than the 2019. Dense, yet agile. Fresh as always. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 50% new oak 15% old oak and 35% concrete amphorae.In Bond£390.00 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98-100)
A wine to convince you of the quality and ripeness of Cabernet Sauvignon in Pauillac in this 2023 vintage, showcasing superbly supple tannins, great balance, depth and savoury blue and black fruit character, bitter cocoa bean, freshly cut herbs, black tea, fennel, all vivid and with purity of character. There is density here but it is not overt, with heightened raspberry leaf, peony and violet aromatics. Vinified in the newly-completed section of the cellars, in egg-shaped wooden vats and sunken qveri-style clay vats. 50% new oak for ageing, with 35% amphora and 15% one year old barrels. One of the wines of the vintage. New lighter bottle as of the 2022 around 490g, down from 815g in the past, 30 tonnes of CO2 saved just in terms of production. Harvest September 7, one day earlier than 2022, then slow picking through to October 10, later than many in Pauillac - and normal yields of around 40hl/h.In Bond£395.00 -
James Suckling (93-94)
Beautiful dark fruit with purity and freshness. Medium- to full-bodied, seamless and compact. Outstanding quality of tannins, so fine and dense. It’s muscular and taut on the mid-palate. Lingering, too. Plenty of energy. Close to 2022.In Bond£180.00 -
James Suckling (93-94)
Beautiful dark fruit with purity and freshness. Medium- to full-bodied, seamless and compact. Outstanding quality of tannins, so fine and dense. It’s muscular and taut on the mid-palate. Lingering, too. Plenty of energy. Close to 2022.In Bond£90.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2017 Barbaresco Riserva Rabajà is a potent, searingly tannic wine that will need a few years to come together. Brooding and backward, even for young Rabajà, the 2017 is painfully young today. It will be interesting to see what time brings. Today, the 2017 is a real powerhouse. Black fruit, menthol, licorice, melted road tar, game and menthol develop in the glass, but only with great reluctance.In Bond£294.00 -
Vinous (97)
The 2017 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port was picked from August 21 to September 28 under perfect conditions. It has a tightly wound bouquet that requires a lot of aeration. Eventually it reveals fabulous, detailed aromas of cassis, bilberry jam, crushed stone and pressed violets, later hints of orange blossom and quince. The palate is pure class. Saturated tannins, wonderful structure but the headline is the intensity of fruit. I cannot remember a Noval with this penetration, almost overwhelming the senses as layers of effervescent black plum and cassis fruit segue into a spicy finish that fans out like there is no tomorrow. Is this the best Quinta do Noval ever?In Bond£345.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2020 Rauzan-S�gla is showing brilliantly in bottle. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis and minty blackberries mingled with violets and licorice, it's medium to full-bodied, suave and seamless, with a deep core of vibrant fruit, beautifully refined tannins and a harmonious, integrated profile that exudes elegance. A wine of immense character and refinement, it's the best vintage from this estate in recent times.In Bond£522.50 -
The Drinks Business (95-97)
Rauzan-Ségla (Margaux; 75% Cabernet Sauvignon; 25% Merlot; 13% alcohol; a final yield of 38 hl/ha; aging in oak barrels, 60% of which are new; tasted at the property and at the UGCB press tasting; Eric Boissenot is the consultant). A tiny bit of Cabernet Franc was in fact co-vinified with the Cabernet Sauvignon. Mildew damage reduced the amount of Merlot here. This is intensely perfumed and extremely expressive aromatically with the parfumier’s essence of violets and wild hedgerow flowers, rose petals, graphite by the nuclear reactor core-load and a rich deep, dark, cool autumnal fruit. There are also tiny wild strawberries , blood orange, and that gorgeously tender cedar note one so associates with Rauzan-Ségla, dark roast coffee beans and grated dark chocolate. This feels very composed and natural, an object lesson in purity and precision. There is a lovely fleshy softness on the attack, with super-svelte tannins. The mid-palate seems both sinuous and yet linear, precise and focussed but with great concentration and perfect harmony. There’s also a superb natural sweetness. Gentle aeration brings more cassis notes into the mouth and a refreshing sapidity. Overall, there is great plenitude, considerable tension and class without opulence. And in 2021 the wine is more floral than ever. It continues its rich vein of form, with the chewy tannins and lift on the finish hinting at the potential longevity. All the Chanel estates are in their first full year of conversion to organic viticulture, making the final yield all the more impressive. Really superb.In Bond£375.00 -
James Suckling (98)
This is such a beautifully nuanced red with tobacco, dried herbs, wet earth and currants. Some leather and rose petals, too. Full-bodied and chewy, yet refined with great polish. It’s rich and intense at the same time. Very focused center palate. Broad layers of tannin and fruit. A blend of 72% cabernet sauvignon, 19% carmenere, 6% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. Better after 2024, but already a joy to taste.In Bond£683.50 -
Vinous (92)
San Guido’s 2018 Guidalberto is soft, open-knit and inviting. Sweet dark cherry, cinnamon, licorice and new leather fill out the layers in an undeniably attractive Guidalberto that will drink beautifully upon release. Finesse and elegance are the signatures. The 2018 is a terrific choice for drinking now, while some of the more powerful vintages of Guidalberto come together, or while waiting for its sibling, Sassicaia.In Bond£346.00 -
Wine Enthusiast (95)
This enticing red offers alluring aromas of fragrant purple flowers, dark-skinned berries and crushed mint. The elegantly structured palate doles out succulent blackberry, orange zest, licorice and saline notes set against taut, refined tannins. It's nicely balanced by fresh acidity. Drink 2022–2029In Bond£205.00 -
Greg Sherwood MW (95)
There doesn’t seem to be complete agreement amongst growers as to whether 2021 in Bolgheri was an easy or difficult vintage. What certainly is in agreement is that this cooler Tuscan vintage yielded some incredibly taut, intense, vibrant wines. Aged in 85% French and 15% American oak 225 litre barrels, 40% new, for 15 months, this beautiful Guidalberto 2021 boasts fabulously piercing aromatics of violets, black cherries, blackberry compote and seductive dark plum over sweet exotic Christmas spices and stony graphite notes. The oak and vanilla wood spice is still busy integrating with the super taut, tight palate fruit intensity, perhaps at a slightly slower pace than in a riper, warmer vintage. But it’s the palate’s chiselled focus and linearity that marks this vintage as a true stand out expression amongst more recent dryer, warmer years. The texture is laser focused but also wonderfully transparent showing the true mineral terroir characteristics of Bolgheri together with a wonderfully fresh, tart, glassy acidity supported by sleek, polished marble tannins on a pithy cherry cola packed finish. A vintage to be truly celebrated but also one best to bury in the cellar for an another 8 to 10+ years.In Bond£190.00 -
The Wine Independent (97)
The 2017 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia is such an impressive wine in a hot and very dry vintage like 2017. It has a wonderful fragrance of sweet spice, pressed flowers and Mediterranean herbs with youthful, bright blackberries and forest floor notes. A problem with the 2017 vintage was that the nights were hot as well as the days so it was challenging to accumulate aromatics and achieve full phenolic ripeness. Paoli and his team had to harvest early and shorten maceration times. In any case they have done an excellent job. It has lovely concentration and power on the palate yet it still retains the classic Sassicaia signature of vibrant acidity and harmony and flow across the palate.In Bond£1,040.00 -
James Suckling (97)
A very perfumed Sassicaia on the nose with forest floor, citrus and deep dark fruits. Blackcurrants. Cedar and black tea. Some balsamic. Pine needles. Full and very succulent. Really long, structured and complete. Tangy and energetic with a linear line of fresh tannins and acidity. Very Sassicaia throughout. 85% cabernet sauvignon and the rest is cabernet franc. Very attractive now in a youthful and vibrant way, but this will be better in three to four years. Try after 2027.In Bond£1,150.00 -
Make your evenings memorable with Saute-Loup 2015, an exquisite blend of finesse and lushness specially crafted by the renowned Domaine Saute-Loup. Nestled in the heart of France’s illustrious wine-producing region of Languedoc, this esteemed vineyard crafts wines of exceptional quality. Saute-Loup 2015, a fine testament to their artistry, delivers a rich symphony of wild berries, plum notes and a hint of spice for those nurtured, mature palates. The wine is matured in French oak barrels, endowing it with a majestic depth that lingers on the palate. This unfiltered wine beautifully embodies the warm climate and stony soil of Languedoc, resulting in striking minerality. Honoured by globally recognised wine critics for its remarkable balance and complexity, Saute-Loup 2015 is truly a testament to the elegance of French wines. Experience this exquisite wine, a perfect companion for any cuisine, and let Saute-Loup 2015 redefine your fine wine experience.
In Bond£11,800.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
Another heavenly wine in the lineup is the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard RBS, which comes from Clone 337 and a handful of different blocks in the vineyard. This deep purple-hued beauty has an incredibly seamless, elegant, yet full-bodied style as well as killer notes of crème de cassis, blueberries, wildflowers, violets, white chocolate, and new saddle leather. Flirting with perfection, the tannin quality, purity of fruit, balance, and overall harmony here is just about off the charts. It makes you want to drink the whole bottle, but it should age effortlessly for 25+ years.In Bond£1,603.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Tasted blind. Rich and rather opulent nose. Simple and easy with good refreshing raciness. Could be Rauzan-Ségla? Good and complete. Really zesty. Likely to be VGV.In Bond£160.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Smith Haut Lafitte delivers notes of baked plums, boysenberries and dried mulberries with an undercurrent of cigar box, new leather and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, the palate has firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the maturing fruit, finishing on a stewed tea note.In Bond£698.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
I fussed over scoring this wine more than I'd like to admit—tasting through three samples under different conditions at various intervals and testing my impressions blind against wines in its peer group. Most importantly, I tasted this 2016 vintage against the 2015 vintage over and over again. I confess to a few nights of restless sleep as a result. Ultimately, my decision to award 100 points to the 2016 Solaia came on impulse and with the most natural sense of purpose. I had also given the 2015 vintage a perfect score, and intellectually, it seemed impossible not to pick a favorite among these two stunning expressions. I will also state, outright, that the wines are very different, principally because the 2015 vintage shows more overall opulence and sweetness that extends to the pronounced textural richness of the mouthfeel. The 2016 vintage, on the other hand, is more chiseled and sharp with mineral shadings of campfire ash and graphite at the rim of its dark fruit. The mouthfeel is more streamlined and tight at its core, suggesting that the wine will unfold and soften beautifully with time. I feel like 2015 is the Dolce & Gabbana of the situation and the 2016 is the Armani Privé. The personalities of the two wines are distinct, yet my admiration for each is identical.In Bond£2,357.50 -
Vinous (91-93)
(these 18-year-old vines are planted to three clones): The most reduced of these 2014s on the nose, but still with captivating scents of black raspberry, licorice and pungent crushed-rock minerality. Delivers a wonderfully silky texture enlivened by harmonious acidity. One senses a strong rocky element and yet the wine shows no edges. This seamless wine boasts a long, rising finish featuring a hint of dark chocolate and noble tannins. A beauty, and clearly a bottling to follow as the vines continue to mature.In Bond£6,020.00 -
James Suckling (100)
The perfect blanc de blancs. Full-bodied with a lovely framework of acidity and dry fruit, such as apples, pears and peaches. Opulent. Dense and muscular. Yet, it’s balanced and harmonious. Line of acidity at the end. Totally in tune. Superb. Deep and complete. Has everything. One for the cellar. It is the greatest Comte ever. It has everything. A perfect upgrade from two years ago. Drink or hold.In Bond£900.00 -
Matthew Jukes (19.5++)
By contrast to the Bollinger, Comte is not a one-off, nor anything out of the ordinary. It is a label that all committed Champagne lovers adore. Predictable perhaps. But, of course, one thing does vary, and that is the vintage. The ‘worst’ Comte I ever tasted was rather lovely. The ‘best’, and there have been many (1959, 1966, 1996, 2002, 2006) are all sublime and you can now add 2011 to this list. Taittinger always seems to shun the spotlight, unlike Dom Perignon and other more attention-seeking brands and this modesty rather suits this House. I did something that I never do after first tasting my sample bottle. I was so shocked with the sheer class that I sealed the bottle with a simple Champagne stopper and then tasted it again and again over two days. The stress-testing sorts the wheat from the chaff. It is unlikely that anyone who bought a bottle would do this. Still, I like to see how a potentially great wine evolves, opens up, sometimes falls over, and sometimes blossoms over a few days because it gives me an indication of its potential and its true baseline of quality. The fruit is so tense, grand and layered it is remarkable. The flavour, the fizz, the length, the momentum and the overall halo of greatness did not change one iota over nearly 60 hours of being open with no preservation whatsoever. This is a genius, B de B and while it tastes scintillating now, I am confident that it will amaze Comte fans for decades to come.In Bond£569.00 -
James Suckling (94-95)
A medium- to full-bodied red with very fine tannins. It’s firm and structured, showing a bright, dark-fruited character. Focused, with a good center-palate and a lingering finish. Really polished.In Bond£231.00 -
Vinous (94+)
(50% vendange entier): Bright medium red. Very complex, subtle aromas of raspberry, flowers, licorice, minerals and menthol opened nicely with air. Boasts terrific inner-mouth menthol-and-spice tension, with its juicy dark berry fruit still wound up but already showing a captivating restrained sweetness. Finishes with terrific saline grip and length, the suave tannins perfectly buffered by fruits and minerals. Delivers the energy of the vintage in spades without being particularly austere.In Bond£2,030.00 -
Decanter (99)
Such a seductive soft perfume to the nose, delicate yet generous aromatics of cherry and rose. The palate is juicy and fresh, charming yet energetic with such crystalline purity and balance. Tannins are smooth but softly textured giving nuance to the flavours where refreshing high toned ripe red and black cherry fruit play alongside mint, dark chocolate and graphite. Clearly powerfully but carefully controlled from start to finish giving such a satisfying overall mouthful and lasting impression. Incredible.In Bond£429.50 -
James Suckling (98-99)
Wow, this is really something. It is full and powerful with truly impressive depth of fruit. Yet, it remains agile and structural, with flexed muscles, balanced by a sense of floating. Well defined and poised. 53% cabernet franc, 44% merlot, and 3% cabernet. Will it be better than 2022?In Bond£338.00 -
James Suckling (97-98)
Wow, this is really something. Very fruity, with dark blackberries and blueberries, as well as blood oranges. It’s full and layered with great depth of fruit and chewy, polished tannins. Turns lightly salty at the end. Power with precision. 84% merlot, 8% cabernet franc and 8% cabernet sauvignon.In Bond£535.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
Showing much better is the 2006 “V” that demonstrates a little more opulence and fruit intensity on the nose with ripe blackberry, raspberry, sloe and cedar with good definition. The palate has firm chalky tannins and a good sense of tension, a citrus-like acidity towards the long poised finish. This has great potential, but again it deserves time in the cellar. Drink 2014-2022.In Bond£595.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 2012 La Joie, which is a blend of 76% Cabernet, 12% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, blew me away. A profound effort, with 55% of it coming from Hillsides in Alexander Valley, 31% from Knights Valley and the balance from Chalk Hill, the wine shows great minerality, oodles of crme de cassis fruit, incense, licorice, crushed rock, and a provocative full-throttle mouthfeel. A wine of great intensity, purity and equilibrium, this definitely begs for 4-7 years of bottle aging and should drink well for at least 30+ years.In Bond£1,233.00
