Tim Atkin MW (97)

It's always hard to pick a favourite among David and Nadia Sadie's superb array of whites, but this is mine in 2021. Sourced from a north-facing site on granite that's always picked early to retain acidity, Plat'bos is effortlessly balanced and complete, with salty minerality, lots of concentration, wax and lanolin undertones, spice and citrus flavours and a thrilling, energetic finish.

Christian Eedes (96)

Grapes from a 1984 vineyard on iron-rich gravel situated in one of the more arid parts of the Swartland. 40% matured in concrete egg. A hint of reduction precedes dried herbs, white peach, citrus and melon while the palate has great purity, bright acidity and a pithy finish. Not without weight and texture despite an alcohol of just 12.5%.

Christian Eedes (98)

Grapes from a 1985 vineyard on shallow shale. Pretty aromatics of hay, potpourri and dried herbs before lime and white peach. The palate is crystalline in structure – great clarity of fruit and zippy acidity before an extremely long and dry finish. Poised and super-intricate, this is just about pitch perfect.

Vinous (93-95)

A highly fragrant bouquet evokes ripe, mineral-accented black/blue fruits, Moroccan spices, olive and candied flowers, along with a smoky mineral element that builds as the wine opens up. Juicy, energetic and focused on the palate, offering appealingly sweet boysenberry, cherry preserve and violet pastille flavors that deepen steadily through the midpalate. The floral note resonates on the impressively long finish, which features well-knit tannins and a smoky mineral quality.

James Suckling (98)

This is a very thick, dense DP with layers of ripe fruit. Dried apple, pineapple and pie crust with some nougat undertones. Dense and layered with chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Umami undertone. This has the highest percentage of pinot noir ever. 15 years on the lees in bottle. 62% pinot noir and 38% chardonnay. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (100)

The youth, freshness, balance and harmony of the 2016 Peñas Aladas Gran Reserva is gobsmacking. The wine is a little shy, insinuating, reticent and a little closed, and it feels younger than it is. It comes from a collection of small plots of some of the oldest vines in the village of La Aguilera in the lieu-dit, or "paraje," that names the wine, in a small valley surrounded by pine, holm and juniper trees, where there is a cold draft of air and the temperature is lower than in the rest of the village. The soils are sandy and intermixed with clay on a marl mother rock. The plants are mostly Tempranillo, but as they are very old vines, there's always a field blend of other varieties—Albillo Mayor, Monastrell, Garnacha, Bobal and Cariñena—all fermented together with full clusters that were foot trodden in concrete vats and indigenous yeasts. Malolactic was in barrel and lasted for 11 months, while the élevage was extended to a total of 55 months (almost five years!). After all this time in barrels, the wine is not oaky at all; it's floral and perfumed, elegant, nuanced and layered. The texture is silky, and it's medium-bodied, with moderate ripeness, 14% alcohol and very good freshness denoted by a pH of 3.41. It has fine tannins that make it nicely textured and fine-boned, with subtle minerality. This should be veeeeeery long lived, as it has the stuffing, all the ingredients and the balance between them to make old bones. Amazing juice. 3,591 bottles and 51 magnums were filled in April 2021.

James Suckling (99-100)

A very powerful Ducru with intense tannins and backbone, showing blue fruit, black tea and tobacco. Full-bodied with impressive structure and so much tannin. It goes on for minutes. Very traditional. Owner Bruno Borie said it is a wine to last forever and I have to agree. 80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% merlot.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2020 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is performing every bit as well in bottle as it promised to in barrel. Exhibiting a deep bouquet of dark berries, orange zest, rose petal, coniferous forest floor and spices, it's full-bodied, pure and perfumed, its velvety attack segueing into a deep, layered mid-palate of striking energy and intensity of flavor. This is often my favorite wine in the Dujac cellar, though it invariably takes the better part of two decades to attain a semblance of maturity, and the 2020 is a benchmark rendition.

James Suckling (100)

A complex, restrained and deliciously austere cabernet franc with damp earth, oyster shells, blueberries, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Super serious and chalky on the palate with lots of dissolved, minerally-textured tannins. Very long and uncompromising! An incredible cabernet franc from Gualtallary by Alejandro Vigil. Extremely pure, mineral and seductive. A fabulous cabernet franc that grows on the palate with remarkable tension and texture. I’d want to drink a bottle now even it can hold extremely well.

Vinous (96)

Grasso's 2017 Barolo Gavarini Chiniera is fabulous. In fact, the Gavarini is easily one of the wines of the vintage because it retains all of its classic signatures, which is also the sign of a first-class vineyard. Bright and vibrant in the glass, the Gavarini pulses with energy. Crushed red flowers, mint, chalk, white pepper, cinnamon and orange peel give the 2017 a super-classic Nebbiolo profile, as expressed in a relatively high-altitude site. The precision and finesse of the tannins - so hard to find in 2017- elevates the Gavarini into the realm of the sublime.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2020 Migan is a red from La Orotava and was produced with Listán Negro grapes from the village of La Perdoma, whose ancient name was Migan. It comes from four plots—Montijo (40% of the grapes), Tío Luis (30%), La Habanera (20%) and Las Suertes (10%)—on red volcanic soils and at different altitudes, between 350 and 600 meters above sea level, where altitude defines the character of the plot. In 2020, they didn't use the San Antonio vineyard that was used in previous vintages; it has been replaced by Montijo. 2020 was an early harvest, and the grapes fermented by plot, always with indigenous yeasts, and 70% of the wine matured in neutral 500- and 600-liter oak barrels, while the wine from Tío Luis matured in concrete. The change in vineyards (they abandoned the one with more clay at lower altitude and increased in higher altitude and with less clay) has given the wine an extra kick. These wines reward time in bottle, and they need at least one year. Right now, this feels a little closed and tight, but it has great freshness and finer tannins and, in the long run, should make a better wine than the 2019. 11,500 bottles and 300 magnums were produced. It was bottled in December 2021.

Wine Advocate (97)

Wow, there is a very impressive freshness here that defies the heat of this vintage. The 2017 Saffredi does not seem like a 2017 at all. Now celebrating its 30th birthday, Saffredi is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. Thanks to the vineyard's proximity to the sea, leaving leaves on the vines and the sharp diurnal shifts of the area, the fruit was able to ripen in a balanced manner despite the hot and dry summer. The team at Fattoria le Pupille knew they would have to be ready to harvest early and lose some their yields, and they did. In the end, production was down 25%, but the result is a fresh, thick and beautiful red made with ripe fruit and dark concentration. This is a great effort from Fattoria le Pupille. This wine will be released in November.

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.

Decanter (97)

At an elevation of 400 metres, Vigna del Sorbo boasts Chianti Classico’s classic Galestro soil. The warm southwest-facing vineyard typically yields a powerful, intense wine in need of ageing. The 2019 demonstrates all the wild, penetrating characteristics of this site but it comes into harmony quickly, revealing its balance and precision. Wood-driven top notes of smoke and vanilla meld into pressed violets, rosemary and liquorice. Luscious red cherry and dark plum flesh are wrapped in long, layered chalky tannins. Across the palate there's an energetic beam of unwavering acidity, giving the wine a linear feel. The finish reverberates with fennel and crushed stone.

Emerging from the esteemed vineyards of Saarburger Rausch, the Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese 2009 offers an indulgent taste of superior German craftsmanship. Hand-harvested with meticulous precision, this outstanding wine reverberates with the expertise of the Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken estate, revered for its dedication to viticulture since 1742. This magnificent Riesling Auslese exudes the distinct terroir of Saar Valley, a unique composition of weathered grey slate and iron-rich soil, delivering an indelible minerality in every sip.

Characterised by an aromatic bouquet of ripe apricots, candied lemon peel, and subtle hints of honey, it possesses a remarkable ageing potential. Its vibrant acidity and persistent sweetness yield perfect harmony, making the Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Auslese 2009 a cherished addition to any discerning wine collector's selection.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)

A great year for Brunello and this is like a breath of fresh air, transporting you to Tuscany. Emphasis on dried herbs, leather, campfire smoke with traces of sweet cherry, butterscotch and coffee bean. Love the soft and gentle waves of flavour that gather power through the palate; tannins are grippy and mouthwatering, and this is pretty irresistible. One of the original producers of Brunello in the 1800s, with vineyards planted between 250-400 metres above sea level, still setting the pace.

Relish in a bottle of Geantet Pansiot Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs 2019, a sophisticated French red wine emanating from the celebrated Geantet Pansiot estate. Painstakingly nurtured in Burgundy's famous Gevrey-Chambertin region, it's notable for its profound depth of flavour and distinguished elegance.

This exceptional wine was vinified using hand-picked grapes from 45-year-old vines, endowed with an intricate balance of terroir characteristics. Ageing in French oak barrels for over a year, Geantet Pansiot Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs 2019 develops a magnificent bouquet rich in black fruits, bolstered by alluring notes of spices. The palate sings with the harmony of ripe fruit and firm tannins seamlessly integrated with a sumptuous finish.

A product of Vincent and Fabien Geantet's exhaustive expertise, this 2019 vintage honours the family winemaking lineage dating back to 1954. Enjoy this picturesque narrative of a timeless winemaking tradition that creates bottles of unrivalled finesse, like the Geantet Pansiot Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs 2019.

Wine Advocate (100)

The Giacomo Conterno 2014 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is made with 100% fruit from the Francia cru, which is not the case for the 2015 vintage (that sees 22% Arione in the blend) or likely future vintages. In a sense, this 100-point wine represents a milestone or a chapter finale in the long and exciting trajectory of Italy's collected and revered Monfortino. I've had the great fortune of tasting this wine from barrel over the course of four years and twice again this summer during my visits to the Conterno estates (in Gattinara and in Monforte d'Alba).

Greg Sherwood MW (97)

If the 2015 Lady May resembled a powerful, dense, Pauillac-styled Cabernet Sauvignon led red blend, and the 2016 a broader, softer expression from a warm dry vintage, then the 2017 is pretty much the antithesis, boasting the most elegant, silky, seamlessly harmonious texture combined with an attractively fragrant, Margaux-esque delicacy, an understated density and graceful precision. While super youthful, the wine inevitably displays some of the lush, alluring and reassuringly expensive new oak creaminess, boasting layers of warm buttered brown toast smothered in black currant preserve, fresh espresso, hints of mocha dust and delicate vanilla pod spice notes. But probably the most pleasing element about this wine is the way ex-winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain captured the truest essence of the 2017 vintage with its extreme purity, weightless fruit concentration that dances across the palate together with a focused, piercing intensity on the long, silky, luxurious finish. This is class personified and I for one am completely smitten. Drink on release and over 25+ years.

Tim Atkin MW (97)

Even better than the 2017 release - and there aren't many top Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends that you can say that about - this is a superb Lady May that makes light of the hot, dry conditions. Something of a sleeper, it's a brooding assemblage of Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, aged in 92% new wood. Intense, smooth and textured, with graphite and cigar box aromas, fine-grained tannins and layered flavours of damson, fennel and blackcurrant leaf.

Wine Advocate (98-100)

Subtle hints of fresh pea shoots accent characteristic dark notes of roasted meat, espresso and black olives in the full-bodied 2018 Cote Rotie La Landonne. Rich, concentrated and velvety-textured, with ample length and plenty of ripe tannins on the finish, it should benefit from a decade or more of bottle age—once it gets there. It's a brooding beast of a Cote Rotie that serious collectors will want to have in their cellars.

Wine Advocate (98-100)

Like the 2017, Guigal's 2018 Cote Rotie La Mouline boasts incredible aromatics, with highs ranging from violets and peppery spice to ripe blueberries and raspberries. The oak is in the background, supporting the supple fruit. Full-bodied, lush and silky, La Mouline seems to have it all in 2018.

The Wine Independent (100)

The 2019 Harlan Estate is deep garnet-purple in color. It swans out of the glass with graceful notions of fresh blackberries and boysenberries, leading to a core of blackcurrant pastilles and licorice, followed by suggestions of spice cake, dusty soil, cinnamon stick, and Sichuan pepper. The rich, black-fruited, full-bodied palate is sparked with electric black berry and earthy accents, framed by exquisitely ripe tannins and compelling tension, finishing long and earthy. Stunning!

James Suckling (99)

Extremely aromatic, with incredible wet-earth, bark, stone and graphite notes on the nose, then changing to violets, blackberries and blackcurrants. Full-bodied, yet so linear and fine, with titanium tannins that go on so long. Builds and builds then just rolls around the palate through the endless finish. Real Bordeaux here. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 36% merlot, 4% cabernet franc, and 4% petit verdot. Exceptional. Better after 2029.

James Suckling (94-95)

I can’t remember a Haut-Batailley this tannic, yet the tannins are savory and very ripe with beauty and purity. Full-bodied, chewy tannins and a long and intense finish.

Halliday Wine Companion (99)

Australia's finest single-vineyard site? I think so. With its core of gnarled shiraz vines planted circa 1860 and its picture-perfect location alongside the Gnadenberg church, it is a much adored and discussed vineyard which has been producing stellar wines since the first single-vineyard Hill of Grace was released in 1958. Today, those original vines are bolstered with its 'young' 100+ and 35+yo kinfolk and aged in 83/17% French/American oak hogsheads (29% new) for 18 months. Grace by name, grace by nature; it's a perfectly framed, elegant snapshot of pristine fruit, site and season. Precisely ripened berry fruits are underscored with notes of Chinese five-spice, sage, jasmine, licorice, mocha, blackberry pastille, charcuterie, wild flowers and cherry clafoutis. Pitch-perfect and elegant on the palate, the tannin-acid architecture tuned and sympatico with the pristine ancestor-vine fruit and a very long, silken finish that resonates with style and place. My goodness it's lovely.

Kerin O'Keefe (97)

This fragrant, gorgeous red opens with enticing scents of rose hips, new leather and forest berries. Showing the house style of extreme elegance and vibrancy, the focused, racy palate features juicy red cherries, white pepper and dark spices encased in taut, refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and energized. Absolutely fantastic. Drink 2026–2043.

Jeb Dunnuck (94)

The base cuvée is the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec sourced all from Rutherford. It has a classic, Saint Julien-like bouquet of crème de cassis, tobacco lead, damp earth, and spice that gives way to a full-bodied, concentrated, textured Cabernet that hits all the right marks. The top Rubicon release has a touch more elegant and precision, but this isn't far off. Drink this stunner any time over the coming 20 years or more.

Vinous (94)

The 2015 Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru is bright, precise and crystalline - in other words, a classic expression of this great grand cru. White flowers, crushed rocks, mint and slate all run through this super-expressive, nuanced Chablis from Dauvissat. Even in this warm, radiant vintage, the personality of Preuses comes through loud and clear - and that is perhaps the greatest compliment I can pay to this wine.