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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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Tuscany | 2 | 93 (WS) |
Inc. VAT
£225.64 |
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Wine Spectator (93)Cherry, black currant and raspberry flavors are at the heart of this red, flanked by vanilla, toasty oak, mineral and tobacco elements. There is a beam of ripe fruit and dusty tannins right through the long finish. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2028. 5,000 cases imported. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 97 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£631.24 |
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James Suckling (97)Extremely complex aromas of cedar, mushroom and walnut highlighting the cherry and flowers. The palate is full and complete with ultra-fine and caressing tannins that are truly silky. It’s still very young, but shows beauty and seduction. Try after 2020. |
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Rhone | 1 | 97 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£583.24 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (97)Now at 15 years after the vintage, the 2007 Châteauneuf Du Pape is firmly in its prime drink window and is just about overflowing with character. Sweet black raspberries, red plums, incense, herbes de Provence, leather, and lavender all carry incredible intensity and richness, and this gives way to a full-bodied Beaucastel with the classic 2007 opulence and sexiness. Sweet tannins, full-bodied richness, and a singular character all define this magical Châteauneuf du Pape that will continue evolving for another two decades. Don't let that discourage you, though, it's drinking at point today. |
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Rhone | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£451.24 |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£429.62 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (100)Also bottled two weeks ago, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is utterly killer and is as good as it gets. Huge notes of orange blossom, peach, tangerine, honeysuckle, and caramelized citrus flow from this insanely good, unctuous, heavenly textured white that possesses full-bodied richness and power, yet stays light, graceful and perfectly balanced on the palate. Drink bottles anytime over the coming 4-6 years, or cellar for a decade or more. Robert Parker once famously called this the Montrachet of the Rhône, and I wholeheartedly agree with him. Don’t miss this wine! |
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Rhone | 1 | 91 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£254.47 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (91)Bottled a month ago, the 2020 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet sports a vivid ruby hue and is a blend of 30% each of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, with the balance Cinsault. It’s a ripe, rounded, medium to full-bodied effort that has lots of ripe red and blue fruits as well as notes of peppery garrigue and leather. Drink this juicy, elegant Côtes Du Rhône over the coming decade. |
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Rhone | 1 | - |
Inc. VAT
£304.18 |
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Rhone | 1 | 95 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£259.49 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (95)Rivaling the 2015, if not even better (time will tell), the 2018 Crozes-Hermitage Cuvée Louis Belle is a rock star of a Crozes-Hermitage, revealing a dense purple color as well as fabulous crème de cassis and blackberry fruits interwoven with peppered beef, violets, new leather, and flowers. The real deal, it's concentrated and full-bodied, with wonderful tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. It has a pure, polished, almost modern edge, yet it brings plenty of background meaty, bloody, black olive notes with time in the glass and is pure Crozes-Hermitage gold. Drink bottles over the coming 10-15 years. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 100 (JA) |
Inc. VAT
£487.22 |
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Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)Just love this wine, the lyricism and the generosity of it, and its always vivid depiction of fruits and stones. So juicy, so drawn out, works with the vintage, leans into its low yields, with greengages, raspberry, plum, gentle spices, lemongrass, minerality studded with mandarin peel and sage. Translucent and yet full of flavour, once again it begs you to draw up a chair, gather friends, and enjoy. What a brilliant wine and a brilliant winemaker in Bibi Graetz. From a 58ha estate, Colore comes from the oldest vineyards of Sangiovese that range up to 135 years old. |
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Champagne | 1 | 19.5+ (MJ) |
Inc. VAT
£667.24 |
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Matthew Jukes (19.5+)This wine is an absolute joy. It is made from 79% Grands Crus and 21% Premiers Crus, with 60% Pinot Noir coming from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay coming from the Côte des Blancs. The dosage is 6 g/l and a perfectly-judged 15% was vinified in oak barrels. As always with Billecart NF it spends over ten years relaxing in the cellars in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ before release. In terms of sophistication, elegance and unrivalled precision, this is a wine to buy and treasure. I raved about the 2007 Cuvée Louis earlier this year and this wine is made in a similar vein. This is a sensational vintage for Billecart and NF will outlive Louis given that it has more horsepower under the bonnet. Still a little youthful and closed, there is massive complexity here delivered in the most mesmerising sotto voce voice imaginable. I would love to see this wine in a few years but I think it will be a decade before ’07 NF fully blossoms. I am in complete awe as to how these wines are so fine and so laser-sighted in their youth. NF is a class apart. |
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Champagne | 1 | 98 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£607.24 |
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Vinous (98)The 2014 La Grande Année is stunning. In fact, it is one of the best recent editions I can remember tasting. What comes through most is the wine’s sizzling energy and tension, qualities that aren’t often associated with Bollinger, where the Champagnes tend to show more breadth and volume. In 2014, readers will find a Grande Année built on linear intensity and drive. The 2014 is a blend taken from 19 villages, 61% Pinot Noir and 39% Chardonnay instead of the more typical 70/30 mix. For the second time in two decades (the first was 2007), Verzenay takes the lead in the Pinots over Aÿ, more or less an inverse from the norm. Verzenay, a north-facing village in the Montagne de Reims that saw less rain than Aÿ and most of the Vallée de la Marne, yields Pinots of energy more than volume. That, married with Chardonnays mostly from the Côtes des Blancs (predominantly Chouilly, Vertus, Oiry and Cramant), results in a truly magical Grande Année that will delight Champagne fans for several decades. I can’t recommend the 2014 highly enough. It’s a total knock-out. Disgorged: April, 2021. Dosage: 8 grams per liter. |
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Champagne | 35 | 18.5 (JR) |
Inc. VAT
£923.09 |
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Jancis Robinson (18.5)Base wine, the same as the white Grande Année 2015 tinted by 5% still red wine from the famous Côte aux Enfants vineyard, was all aged in oak. Blend of 11 crus, predominantly 62% Pinot Noir from Verzenay, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and 38% Chardonnay from Chouilly and Avize. Disgorged July 2023. Pale, slightly gris salmon pink (a little paler than the Billecart 2012 Elisabeth Salmon rosé tasted alongside). Heady, mushroomy, off-dry, sumptuous Bollinger gloriousness on the palate. I wonder what the dosage is, and whether the richness comes mainly from the fruit and oak? Finishes dry, but with wonderfully soothing impact on the palate. Relatively gentle mousse. Really gets to the deepest part of the throat. Sensational! |
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Tuscany | 1 | 94 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£456.04 |
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Wine Advocate (94)The Casanova di Neri 2016 Brunello di Montalcino (or the so-called "white label" Brunello) takes a minute or two to open, and like all these new releases from the Neri family, you're best off opening your bottle five hours before serving them. This classic expression displays raspberry, tar, hazelnut, dried fig, asphalt and some crushed chalk. The wine is streamlined and compact in terms of mouthfeel, giving us an accessible Brunello from a benchmark Montalcino estate. |
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Rhone | 1 | 97 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£383.86 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (97)The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Barbe Rac is brilliant and up there with some of the finest vintages to date of this cuvée. Based all on Grenache from a single lieu-dit in the southwest of the appellation called the Barbe d'Asne and brought up in concrete tanks, it offers up a gorgeous nose of kirsch liqueur, ground pepper, garrigue, and graphite. Deep, rich, and powerful on the palate, with tons of sweet fruit, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades or more. |
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Rhone | 18 | 95 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£125.21 |
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Wine Advocate (95)Another blockbuster that savvy readers need to buy up, the 2012 Saint Joseph les Granits Blanc is a drop-dead gorgeous wine that offers up tons of crushed rock-like minerality, stone fruits, white peach and buttered citrus to go with a full-bodied, decadent, yet also elegant and focused style on the palate. Count me a fan, and while it's a great drink now, it will have an easy 15+ years of evolution. |
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Rhone | 60 | 95 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£125.21 |
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Wine Advocate (95)The white of the vintage in Saint Joseph is the 2014 Saint Joseph les Granits Blanc. Coming all from one of the top terroirs in the region, the granite soils of the lieu-dit Saint Joseph, this 100% Marsanne release boasts terrific aromas and flavors of buttered citrus, poached pears, honeysuckle, spice and caramelized pineapple. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and textured, yet also elegant and silky, it should be a must buy by anyone who loves northern Rhône whites. It will have 10-15 years of prime drinking. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£403.24 |
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James Suckling (100)Lots of ripe and rich fruit with a decadent undertone of meat and spice that turns to pure fruit and licorice. Medium to full body, refined tannins and a fresh and bright finish. All about harmony. Better after 2021. |
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Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£671.09 |
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Wine Advocate (98-100)A co-fermented blend of 55% Grenache and 45% Mourvèdre, matured in demi-muids (about 10% of the volume is in amphorae this year), the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve is a strong candidate for perfection. Sourced from the lieux-dits of Guigasse and Pignan, the nose delivers the essence of sandy-soil Grenache, with notes of rose petals, lavender, thyme, cherries and raspberries. Full-bodied and lush, silky and long, it adds hints of toasty oak and salted licorice on the finish. |
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Rhone | 1 | 91-93 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£149.09 |
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Wine Advocate (91-93)A blend of 80% Grenache (maturing in demi-muids and foudre) and 20% Syrah (in used barriques), the 2020 Cotes du Rhone Les Quartz was entirely destemmed, yet it offers up seductive floral-herbal notes of rose garden alongside raspberries and cherries. Medium to full-bodied, silky and voluminous on the palate, it finishes long and elegant. It's another terrific wine that should prove relatively affordable upon release. |
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Rhone | 1 | 96-98 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£286.22 |
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Wine Advocate (96-98)A prodigious effort, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Hautes Brusquieres Cuvee Speciale was yet to be bottled during my June visit. It offers up sweet floral aromas, hints of thyme and rosemary and bold cherry fruit. Full-bodied and creamy-velvety in texture, it's a hugely seductive mouthful of wine that I found difficult to spit. If it emerges from the bottling process looking like this, buyers will have huge smiles on their faces. |
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Rhone | 1 | 97 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£360.62 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (97)The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Les Hautes Brusquières (60/40 Grenache and Syrah) comes from a cooler terroir near the Mount Redon plateau and was brought up in oak tronconique tanks and demi-muids. Its dense purple, almost opaque hue is followed by a brilliant perfume of mulled red and black fruits, peppery herbs, crushed stone, violets, and licorice. With full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, and just about perfect tannins, it's another superstar wine from this estate that's up with the finest vintages to date. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 97 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£371.09 |
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James Suckling (97)A fantastic nose to this with currant, sage, rosemary and rose-petal character. Sweet tobacco and spicy chocolate, too. Very complex. The palate shows lovely depth of fruit with blackberries, blackcurrants and fine tannins. It’s racy and refined with a direct, focused palate. Just a baby. A blend of cabernet sauvignon 60%, merlot 32% and petite verdot 8%. This needs at least two or three years to soften. Try in 2023. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 98+ (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£313.24 |
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Wine Advocate (98+)The 2016 Fontalloro is the best vintage of this landmark wine that I have tasted thus far. This is a very elegant vintage, with more volume in the mouth and precise notes of tar, licorice, camphor ash, resin and Indian spice. In a race between the highly competitive 2015 and 2016 vintages, I give a slight advantage to this wine. The warmer 2015 vintage shows more richness and exuberant fruit. However, this wine from 2016 offers a more focused and chiseled delivery. I am hopeful that this wine will continue to evolve and sharpen as it ages in the bottle. This is a beautiful wine to put aside in your cellar for ten years or more. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 98 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£489.89 |
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Vinous (98)The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is quite possibly the most elegant, refined version of this wine I have ever tasted. It does not offer the immediacy or impact of either the 2015 or 2016, but, instead, impresses with its elegance, persistence and total class. Bright floral and spice notes add perfume to a core of red-toned fruit. The 2018 represents another move towards greater finesse at Fontodi. It spent a year in French oak barrel and a second year in cask. |
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Tuscany | 2 | 97 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£693.89 |
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Vinous (97)The 2017 Flaccianello della Pieve is fabulous. Dark, sensual and enveloping, the 2017 captures the essence of the house style in its textural richness and baritone inflections. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather, licorice and chocolate infuse the 2017 with tremendous richness. The 2017 spent 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask, the same aging regime as the Vigna del Sorbo, but with a bit more new oak. That approach worked very well, as the Flaccianello stands out for its exceptional textural elegance and finesse. It is a positively stellar wine. |
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Tuscany | 4 | 100 (VN) |
Inc. VAT
£767.09 |
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Vinous (100)The 2018 Flaccianello della Pieve is another stellar wine from Fontodi. It is the richest Flaccianello ever made (in terms of dry extract), with elevated acidity that trails the 2016 by just a touch, but it does not taste like that at all. Dark cherry, violet, lavender, spice, mocha and graphite build with a bit of time in the glass. Like the Sorbo, the 2018 Flaccianello is not a wine of size, as in most previous years, but rather a wine that exudes vibrancy, energy and class from start to finish. I absolutely loved it. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 97 (WS) |
Inc. VAT
£403.24 |
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Wine Spectator (97)Alluring aromas of cherry, rose and graphite settle into a core of cherry and strawberry fruit, with nuances of iron, tobacco and tar. Sleek, yet intense and complex, unfolding effortlessly through the long finish. Best from 2023 through 2047. 500 cases made. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£2,078.47 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (100)The 2015 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is certainly in the same league as the 2009 and 2010, and it’s going to be interesting to compare these vintages over the coming 2-3+ decades. The 2015 has all the hallmarks of a great vintage with its huge bouquet of quince, toasted almonds, brioche, liquid rocks, and honeysuckle as well as touch of licorice. Sensationally concentrated, opulent, and multi-dimensional on the palate, it has bright acidity and an awesome sense of minerality that keep the wine chiseled and focused on the palate. It has the structure of a red wine and will keep for 4-5 decades. Bravo! |
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Tuscany | 2 | 100 (JD) |
Inc. VAT
£1,089.62 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (100)For lovers of this estate, you’re going to want to stop everything and go find the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Madonna Delle Grazie if you have the means. There’s simply nothing else like it, and it needs to be experienced. It pours a saturated, youthful ruby color and has an unmistakable and distinctive nose that is highly expressive, with layered aromas jumping from the glass and unfolding notes of cassis, wildflowers, orange marmalade, clove, and blackberries. (Words do this no justice.) Equally potent and layered on the palate, it continues seamlessly, with noble structure and profound concentration through a stunning and long finish that lasts for several minutes (or as long as I could give it until moving on). Remarkable and singular, it truly stands apart from the crowd, even in this phenomenal vintage, where it’s hard to do much wrong. Profound. It’s a showstopper now and will be one of the great wines of the region for decades. Drink 2028-2050. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 92 (DC) |
Inc. VAT
£183.64 |
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Decanter (92)In 1991 Luca and Valeria Orsini left their jobs in Milan to make wine in Tuscany. Their estate includes 10 hectares of southeast facing vineyards in Panzano and the wines have been certified organic from 2000. A standout 2016 annata, this is discreet with understated scents of cherry blossom, heather and rose. The palate is decidedly red fruited with currants and raspberry embraced by finely textured, powdery persistent tannins. It has beautiful energy and above all allows Sangiovese's true charms to shine through. |
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Tuscany | 2 | 93 (WS) |
In Bond
£172.00 |
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Wine Spectator (93)Cherry, black currant and raspberry flavors are at the heart of this red, flanked by vanilla, toasty oak, mineral and tobacco elements. There is a beam of ripe fruit and dusty tannins right through the long finish. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2028. 5,000 cases imported. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 97 (JS) |
In Bond
£510.00 |
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James Suckling (97)Extremely complex aromas of cedar, mushroom and walnut highlighting the cherry and flowers. The palate is full and complete with ultra-fine and caressing tannins that are truly silky. It’s still very young, but shows beauty and seduction. Try after 2020. |
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Rhone | 1 | 97 (JD) |
In Bond
£470.00 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (97)Now at 15 years after the vintage, the 2007 Châteauneuf Du Pape is firmly in its prime drink window and is just about overflowing with character. Sweet black raspberries, red plums, incense, herbes de Provence, leather, and lavender all carry incredible intensity and richness, and this gives way to a full-bodied Beaucastel with the classic 2007 opulence and sexiness. Sweet tannins, full-bodied richness, and a singular character all define this magical Châteauneuf du Pape that will continue evolving for another two decades. Don't let that discourage you, though, it's drinking at point today. |
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Rhone | 1 | - |
In Bond
£360.00 |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
In Bond
£350.00 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (100)Also bottled two weeks ago, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is utterly killer and is as good as it gets. Huge notes of orange blossom, peach, tangerine, honeysuckle, and caramelized citrus flow from this insanely good, unctuous, heavenly textured white that possesses full-bodied richness and power, yet stays light, graceful and perfectly balanced on the palate. Drink bottles anytime over the coming 4-6 years, or cellar for a decade or more. Robert Parker once famously called this the Montrachet of the Rhône, and I wholeheartedly agree with him. Don’t miss this wine! |
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Rhone | 1 | 91 (JD) |
In Bond
£180.00 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (91)Bottled a month ago, the 2020 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet sports a vivid ruby hue and is a blend of 30% each of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, with the balance Cinsault. It’s a ripe, rounded, medium to full-bodied effort that has lots of ripe red and blue fruits as well as notes of peppery garrigue and leather. Drink this juicy, elegant Côtes Du Rhône over the coming decade. |
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Rhone | 1 | - |
In Bond
£215.00 |
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Rhone | 1 | 95 (JD) |
In Bond
£197.00 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (95)Rivaling the 2015, if not even better (time will tell), the 2018 Crozes-Hermitage Cuvée Louis Belle is a rock star of a Crozes-Hermitage, revealing a dense purple color as well as fabulous crème de cassis and blackberry fruits interwoven with peppered beef, violets, new leather, and flowers. The real deal, it's concentrated and full-bodied, with wonderful tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. It has a pure, polished, almost modern edge, yet it brings plenty of background meaty, bloody, black olive notes with time in the glass and is pure Crozes-Hermitage gold. Drink bottles over the coming 10-15 years. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 100 (JA) |
In Bond
£398.00 |
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Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)Just love this wine, the lyricism and the generosity of it, and its always vivid depiction of fruits and stones. So juicy, so drawn out, works with the vintage, leans into its low yields, with greengages, raspberry, plum, gentle spices, lemongrass, minerality studded with mandarin peel and sage. Translucent and yet full of flavour, once again it begs you to draw up a chair, gather friends, and enjoy. What a brilliant wine and a brilliant winemaker in Bibi Graetz. From a 58ha estate, Colore comes from the oldest vineyards of Sangiovese that range up to 135 years old. |
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Champagne | 1 | 19.5+ (MJ) |
In Bond
£540.00 |
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Matthew Jukes (19.5+)This wine is an absolute joy. It is made from 79% Grands Crus and 21% Premiers Crus, with 60% Pinot Noir coming from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay coming from the Côte des Blancs. The dosage is 6 g/l and a perfectly-judged 15% was vinified in oak barrels. As always with Billecart NF it spends over ten years relaxing in the cellars in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ before release. In terms of sophistication, elegance and unrivalled precision, this is a wine to buy and treasure. I raved about the 2007 Cuvée Louis earlier this year and this wine is made in a similar vein. This is a sensational vintage for Billecart and NF will outlive Louis given that it has more horsepower under the bonnet. Still a little youthful and closed, there is massive complexity here delivered in the most mesmerising sotto voce voice imaginable. I would love to see this wine in a few years but I think it will be a decade before ’07 NF fully blossoms. I am in complete awe as to how these wines are so fine and so laser-sighted in their youth. NF is a class apart. |
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Champagne | 1 | 98 (VN) |
In Bond
£490.00 |
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Vinous (98)The 2014 La Grande Année is stunning. In fact, it is one of the best recent editions I can remember tasting. What comes through most is the wine’s sizzling energy and tension, qualities that aren’t often associated with Bollinger, where the Champagnes tend to show more breadth and volume. In 2014, readers will find a Grande Année built on linear intensity and drive. The 2014 is a blend taken from 19 villages, 61% Pinot Noir and 39% Chardonnay instead of the more typical 70/30 mix. For the second time in two decades (the first was 2007), Verzenay takes the lead in the Pinots over Aÿ, more or less an inverse from the norm. Verzenay, a north-facing village in the Montagne de Reims that saw less rain than Aÿ and most of the Vallée de la Marne, yields Pinots of energy more than volume. That, married with Chardonnays mostly from the Côtes des Blancs (predominantly Chouilly, Vertus, Oiry and Cramant), results in a truly magical Grande Année that will delight Champagne fans for several decades. I can’t recommend the 2014 highly enough. It’s a total knock-out. Disgorged: April, 2021. Dosage: 8 grams per liter. |
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Champagne | 35 | 18.5 (JR) |
In Bond
£750.00 |
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Jancis Robinson (18.5)Base wine, the same as the white Grande Année 2015 tinted by 5% still red wine from the famous Côte aux Enfants vineyard, was all aged in oak. Blend of 11 crus, predominantly 62% Pinot Noir from Verzenay, Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and 38% Chardonnay from Chouilly and Avize. Disgorged July 2023. Pale, slightly gris salmon pink (a little paler than the Billecart 2012 Elisabeth Salmon rosé tasted alongside). Heady, mushroomy, off-dry, sumptuous Bollinger gloriousness on the palate. I wonder what the dosage is, and whether the richness comes mainly from the fruit and oak? Finishes dry, but with wonderfully soothing impact on the palate. Relatively gentle mousse. Really gets to the deepest part of the throat. Sensational! |
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Tuscany | 1 | 94 (WA) |
In Bond
£364.00 |
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Wine Advocate (94)The Casanova di Neri 2016 Brunello di Montalcino (or the so-called "white label" Brunello) takes a minute or two to open, and like all these new releases from the Neri family, you're best off opening your bottle five hours before serving them. This classic expression displays raspberry, tar, hazelnut, dried fig, asphalt and some crushed chalk. The wine is streamlined and compact in terms of mouthfeel, giving us an accessible Brunello from a benchmark Montalcino estate. |
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Rhone | 1 | 97 (JD) |
In Bond
£300.00 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (97)The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Barbe Rac is brilliant and up there with some of the finest vintages to date of this cuvée. Based all on Grenache from a single lieu-dit in the southwest of the appellation called the Barbe d'Asne and brought up in concrete tanks, it offers up a gorgeous nose of kirsch liqueur, ground pepper, garrigue, and graphite. Deep, rich, and powerful on the palate, with tons of sweet fruit, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades or more. |
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Rhone | 18 | 95 (WA) |
In Bond
£99.00 |
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Wine Advocate (95)Another blockbuster that savvy readers need to buy up, the 2012 Saint Joseph les Granits Blanc is a drop-dead gorgeous wine that offers up tons of crushed rock-like minerality, stone fruits, white peach and buttered citrus to go with a full-bodied, decadent, yet also elegant and focused style on the palate. Count me a fan, and while it's a great drink now, it will have an easy 15+ years of evolution. |
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Rhone | 60 | 95 (WA) |
In Bond
£99.00 |
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Wine Advocate (95)The white of the vintage in Saint Joseph is the 2014 Saint Joseph les Granits Blanc. Coming all from one of the top terroirs in the region, the granite soils of the lieu-dit Saint Joseph, this 100% Marsanne release boasts terrific aromas and flavors of buttered citrus, poached pears, honeysuckle, spice and caramelized pineapple. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and textured, yet also elegant and silky, it should be a must buy by anyone who loves northern Rhône whites. It will have 10-15 years of prime drinking. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
£320.00 |
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James Suckling (100)Lots of ripe and rich fruit with a decadent undertone of meat and spice that turns to pure fruit and licorice. Medium to full body, refined tannins and a fresh and bright finish. All about harmony. Better after 2021. |
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Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (WA) |
In Bond
£540.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98-100)A co-fermented blend of 55% Grenache and 45% Mourvèdre, matured in demi-muids (about 10% of the volume is in amphorae this year), the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve is a strong candidate for perfection. Sourced from the lieux-dits of Guigasse and Pignan, the nose delivers the essence of sandy-soil Grenache, with notes of rose petals, lavender, thyme, cherries and raspberries. Full-bodied and lush, silky and long, it adds hints of toasty oak and salted licorice on the finish. |
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Rhone | 1 | 91-93 (WA) |
In Bond
£105.00 |
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Wine Advocate (91-93)A blend of 80% Grenache (maturing in demi-muids and foudre) and 20% Syrah (in used barriques), the 2020 Cotes du Rhone Les Quartz was entirely destemmed, yet it offers up seductive floral-herbal notes of rose garden alongside raspberries and cherries. Medium to full-bodied, silky and voluminous on the palate, it finishes long and elegant. It's another terrific wine that should prove relatively affordable upon release. |
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Rhone | 1 | 96-98 (WA) |
In Bond
£218.00 |
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Wine Advocate (96-98)A prodigious effort, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Hautes Brusquieres Cuvee Speciale was yet to be bottled during my June visit. It offers up sweet floral aromas, hints of thyme and rosemary and bold cherry fruit. Full-bodied and creamy-velvety in texture, it's a hugely seductive mouthful of wine that I found difficult to spit. If it emerges from the bottling process looking like this, buyers will have huge smiles on their faces. |
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Rhone | 1 | 97 (JD) |
In Bond
£280.00 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (97)The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Les Hautes Brusquières (60/40 Grenache and Syrah) comes from a cooler terroir near the Mount Redon plateau and was brought up in oak tronconique tanks and demi-muids. Its dense purple, almost opaque hue is followed by a brilliant perfume of mulled red and black fruits, peppery herbs, crushed stone, violets, and licorice. With full-bodied richness, a layered, multi-dimensional texture, and just about perfect tannins, it's another superstar wine from this estate that's up with the finest vintages to date. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 97 (JS) |
In Bond
£290.00 |
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James Suckling (97)A fantastic nose to this with currant, sage, rosemary and rose-petal character. Sweet tobacco and spicy chocolate, too. Very complex. The palate shows lovely depth of fruit with blackberries, blackcurrants and fine tannins. It’s racy and refined with a direct, focused palate. Just a baby. A blend of cabernet sauvignon 60%, merlot 32% and petite verdot 8%. This needs at least two or three years to soften. Try in 2023. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 98+ (WA) |
In Bond
£245.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98+)The 2016 Fontalloro is the best vintage of this landmark wine that I have tasted thus far. This is a very elegant vintage, with more volume in the mouth and precise notes of tar, licorice, camphor ash, resin and Indian spice. In a race between the highly competitive 2015 and 2016 vintages, I give a slight advantage to this wine. The warmer 2015 vintage shows more richness and exuberant fruit. However, this wine from 2016 offers a more focused and chiseled delivery. I am hopeful that this wine will continue to evolve and sharpen as it ages in the bottle. This is a beautiful wine to put aside in your cellar for ten years or more. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 98 (VN) |
In Bond
£389.00 |
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Vinous (98)The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is quite possibly the most elegant, refined version of this wine I have ever tasted. It does not offer the immediacy or impact of either the 2015 or 2016, but, instead, impresses with its elegance, persistence and total class. Bright floral and spice notes add perfume to a core of red-toned fruit. The 2018 represents another move towards greater finesse at Fontodi. It spent a year in French oak barrel and a second year in cask. |
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Tuscany | 2 | 97 (VN) |
In Bond
£559.00 |
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Vinous (97)The 2017 Flaccianello della Pieve is fabulous. Dark, sensual and enveloping, the 2017 captures the essence of the house style in its textural richness and baritone inflections. Black cherry, plum, spice, new leather, licorice and chocolate infuse the 2017 with tremendous richness. The 2017 spent 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask, the same aging regime as the Vigna del Sorbo, but with a bit more new oak. That approach worked very well, as the Flaccianello stands out for its exceptional textural elegance and finesse. It is a positively stellar wine. |
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Tuscany | 4 | 100 (VN) |
In Bond
£620.00 |
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Vinous (100)The 2018 Flaccianello della Pieve is another stellar wine from Fontodi. It is the richest Flaccianello ever made (in terms of dry extract), with elevated acidity that trails the 2016 by just a touch, but it does not taste like that at all. Dark cherry, violet, lavender, spice, mocha and graphite build with a bit of time in the glass. Like the Sorbo, the 2018 Flaccianello is not a wine of size, as in most previous years, but rather a wine that exudes vibrancy, energy and class from start to finish. I absolutely loved it. |
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Piedmont | 1 | 97 (WS) |
In Bond
£320.00 |
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Wine Spectator (97)Alluring aromas of cherry, rose and graphite settle into a core of cherry and strawberry fruit, with nuances of iron, tobacco and tar. Sleek, yet intense and complex, unfolding effortlessly through the long finish. Best from 2023 through 2047. 500 cases made. |
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Rhone | 1 | 100 (JD) |
In Bond
£1,700.00 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (100)The 2015 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc is certainly in the same league as the 2009 and 2010, and it’s going to be interesting to compare these vintages over the coming 2-3+ decades. The 2015 has all the hallmarks of a great vintage with its huge bouquet of quince, toasted almonds, brioche, liquid rocks, and honeysuckle as well as touch of licorice. Sensationally concentrated, opulent, and multi-dimensional on the palate, it has bright acidity and an awesome sense of minerality that keep the wine chiseled and focused on the palate. It has the structure of a red wine and will keep for 4-5 decades. Bravo! |
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Tuscany | 2 | 100 (JD) |
In Bond
£900.00 |
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Jeb Dunnuck (100)For lovers of this estate, you’re going to want to stop everything and go find the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Madonna Delle Grazie if you have the means. There’s simply nothing else like it, and it needs to be experienced. It pours a saturated, youthful ruby color and has an unmistakable and distinctive nose that is highly expressive, with layered aromas jumping from the glass and unfolding notes of cassis, wildflowers, orange marmalade, clove, and blackberries. (Words do this no justice.) Equally potent and layered on the palate, it continues seamlessly, with noble structure and profound concentration through a stunning and long finish that lasts for several minutes (or as long as I could give it until moving on). Remarkable and singular, it truly stands apart from the crowd, even in this phenomenal vintage, where it’s hard to do much wrong. Profound. It’s a showstopper now and will be one of the great wines of the region for decades. Drink 2028-2050. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 92 (DC) |
In Bond
£137.00 |
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Decanter (92)In 1991 Luca and Valeria Orsini left their jobs in Milan to make wine in Tuscany. Their estate includes 10 hectares of southeast facing vineyards in Panzano and the wines have been certified organic from 2000. A standout 2016 annata, this is discreet with understated scents of cherry blossom, heather and rose. The palate is decidedly red fruited with currants and raspberry embraced by finely textured, powdery persistent tannins. It has beautiful energy and above all allows Sangiovese's true charms to shine through. |
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