What's New on Cru - The Latest Fine Wines on Cru World Wine
Prices:
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Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Pure perfection in Cabernet, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Alejandro Bulgheroni is all varietal and comes two-thirds from Oakville with the balance from sites in St. Helena and Rutherford. Aged 20 months in 70% new French oak and put together by Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, it has an incredibly pure, full-bodied, massive yet weightless style that I suspect couldn’t be achieved anywhere outside of Napa Valley. Cassis, blackberries, leafy herbs, lead pencil shavings, and tobacco leaf are just some of the nuances here, and it’s full-bodied, deep, and concentrated on the palate while maintaining an ethereal, seamless, utterly perfect balance between its fruit, alcohol, tannins, and acidity. As good as it gets, it needs just 2-4 years in the cellar and will evolve gracefully for at least 20-25 years.Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (3x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £1,018.44 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
Darker cassis, violets, redcurrants, new leather, and flowery incense notes all emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Lithology Beckstoffer To Talon Vineyard, a quintessential expression of this Grand Cru terroir in Oakville. With full-bodied richness, a deep, opulent mouthfeel, and incredible purity, it has the rare sense of power without weight that’s the hallmark of this incredible terroir. The 2019 is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, aged 20 months in 71% new French oak. Drink it over the coming two decades.Alejandro Bulgheroni Lithology Beckstoffer To Kalon 2019 (3x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £849.24 -
James Suckling (98-99)
An extremely refined and sharpened Angelus with super fine tannins and sweet ripe fruit in the center palate. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and so very polished. Silky. Very subtle. Bright blue fruit, black fruit and stones. Supple and minerally. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc.Angelus 2019 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £2,052.47 -
Wine Advocate (94-96+)
A brilliant wine that signposts this estate's evolution under Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal, the 2021 Angélus is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, with fully half of the old-vine Cabernet Franc maturing in foudres rather than 225-liter barriques. The result is a wine of unprecedented purity and finesse, unwinding in the glass with compelling aromas of plums, raspberries, rose petals, vine smoke, blood orange and warm spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate with a rich and fleshy core that entirely conceals its structuring chassis of ultra-refined tannins. Bright and sapid, it's striking for its integration and elegance at this early stage, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it upstage a number of more touted vintages once it's in bottle.Angelus 2021 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £1,871.27 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)
The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Badia a Passignano is a terrific example of how responsive Sangiovese can be to site. Here, the flavors are darker and richer, while at the same time the wine possesses a level of textural resonance and breadth that distinguishes it from the more linear wines Antinori makes at the Tignanello vineyard. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice and menthol fill out the wine's frame effortlessly. This is another stellar wine from Antinori.Antinori Badia A Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva 2015 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £379.67 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (99)
The 2019 Ausone was picked September 20-27 for the Merlot and October 3, 5 and 7 for the Cabernet Franc, then matured for 20 months in new French oak with light toasting. This is very refined and focused on the nose, less opulent compared to recent vintages, and very sophisticated, with hints of Montecristo cigar interwoven through the red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine but quite firm tannins that frame the lightly spiced black fruit. Touches of pencil lead and white pepper appear toward the prolonged finish. This very composed Ausone might actually drink earlier than other vintages but unequivocally has the substance to age with grace in bottle. There is an abiding sense of completeness here.Ausone 2019 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £3,625.07 -
Decanter (99)
This is powerful and blows away much of the competition with its depth and layers. This needs you to pull up a chair, take a beat, and let the flavours unroll. There is so much density to the blueberry, bilberry and smoked raspberry fruits that they start out knitted down, then as the oxygen opens them up the body of the wine widens and becomes fleshier and creamier, adding chocolate and mocha notes. The limestone scrape is there in spades through the finish, and this is a cleverly constructed wine. As ever Ausone is just a masterclass in how to take apart and then put back together a terroir. Great stuff. First year of official conversion to organic farming. 100% new oak, some in 30hl oak casks. Could go up after tasting in bottle, a potential 100 points.Ausone 2020 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £4,568.27 -
James Suckling (97)
Lots of dried bark, cinnamon stick, forest floor and earth add to an impression of dried cherries and sandalwood. But there are also hints of caramelized oranges and preserved lemons. The attack on the palate takes immediate effect; the powerful tannins pucker the edges of the mouth with imposing depth, but equally fascinating detail. This is a robust, take-no-hostages style of Brunello with a modern twist of finesse and tension. Drink from 2025.Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Alle Mura 2015 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £316.07 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)
Coming from a gorgeous vineyard on the eastern, cooler side of Saint-Emilion, and 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Château Barde-Haut has a bright, juicy, yet powerful bouquet of ripe blue fruits, scorched earth, tobacco, and cedary herbs. It has a kiss of background oak (it’s aging in 60% new barrels), medium to full-bodied richness, a ripe, textured mouthfeel, and serious underlying structure that comes out with time in the glass. It should have some upfront appeal, yet smart money is on giving bottles at least 4-5 years of bottle age, and it will keep for 2-3 decades.Barde-Haut 2020 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £207.47 -
James Suckling (96)
Shows beautiful, ripe cabernet aromas with currants, plums, meat and smoke. Flowers, too. Full body, deep and ripe fruit and exquisite, ripe tannins. Flavorful finish. Tight right now, but shows excellent potential. Best ever. Try after 2024.Batailley 2016 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £329.87 -
James Suckling (99)
What intense aromas of cherries and raspberries! Then it turns to flowers and orange peel. Roses, too. This is really full and powerful with layers of ripe tannins. It’s super fine-tannined, but shows wonderful length and intensity. A great expression of Lamole in Chianti Classico with ancient vines. Some older than 100 years. Best ever? Superb. Try after 2024 and onwards.Bibi Graetz Colore 2018 (3x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £543.24 -
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.Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois 2007 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £810.18 -
Richard Juhlin (92-94)
The wine is almost completely dominated by the extremely exciting and rare Tauxières Premier Cru, which is one of two villages classified 99% on the Grand Cru scale. Despite an impressive vineyard area of 237 hectares, it is extremely rare to come across champagnes dominated by this fantastic Cru. A cooler microclimate and a thinner soil layer with even more compact chalk than sunny Bouzy make the wines from here lighter and more elegant than Bouzy but stronger than Verzenay which is also part of this exciting Blanc de Noirs with predominantly base from 2017. Here is also a small splash of Avenay to give a little buttery roundness to the cuvée with its low dosage of 4 grams. The reserve wines that always come from magnum bottles under low pressure make up 48% from three vintages in 2016, 2009 and 2006. In total, half of the wine is made in oak barrels and the other half in steel tanks. The result is very beautiful and personal. The scent has features of lead pencil, juniper and freshly lacquered boat together with more classic coffee notes, rose petals, apricot and peach. The taste is vivid and multifaceted with a lively precision, lighter fruit aromas than you normally find in Bollinger's wines. Even cassis is one of the more unexpected aromas in this finely tuned complex symphony. Very impressive and exciting champagne that really makes me want to taste more and that I will look out for to my private cellar.Bollinger PN TX17 NV (3x150cl)
£494.58
Inc. VAT: £494.58 -
Richard Juhlin (92-94)
The wine is almost completely dominated by the extremely exciting and rare Tauxières Premier Cru, which is one of two villages classified 99% on the Grand Cru scale. Despite an impressive vineyard area of 237 hectares, it is extremely rare to come across champagnes dominated by this fantastic Cru. A cooler microclimate and a thinner soil layer with even more compact chalk than sunny Bouzy make the wines from here lighter and more elegant than Bouzy but stronger than Verzenay which is also part of this exciting Blanc de Noirs with predominantly base from 2017. Here is also a small splash of Avenay to give a little buttery roundness to the cuvée with its low dosage of 4 grams. The reserve wines that always come from magnum bottles under low pressure make up 48% from three vintages in 2016, 2009 and 2006. In total, half of the wine is made in oak barrels and the other half in steel tanks. The result is very beautiful and personal. The scent has features of lead pencil, juniper and freshly lacquered boat together with more classic coffee notes, rose petals, apricot and peach. The taste is vivid and multifaceted with a lively precision, lighter fruit aromas than you normally find in Bollinger's wines. Even cassis is one of the more unexpected aromas in this finely tuned complex symphony. Very impressive and exciting champagne that really makes me want to taste more and that I will look out for to my private cellar.Bollinger PN TX17 NV (6x75cl)
£458.58
Inc. VAT: £458.58 -
Richard Juhlin (95)
The presentation is brilliant and is reminiscent of the house's legendary blanc de noirs Bollinger ’Vieilles Vignes Françaises’….. A Verzenay blanc de noirs with sprinkles of Aÿ, Bouzy and Tauxières, where 50% of the wine comes from 2015 with reserve wines on magnum dating from 2009. Verzenay and Aÿ are, as you know, the dominant villages in Bollinger's vintage wines. Verzenay is often the chalky and mineral-rich backbone of Bollinger's vintage build-up. The wine is vibrantly fresh, mineral-driven and extremely pure. There is a clarity and sharpness that is outstanding, where gunpowder notes and aroma of grilled meat develop as the glass warms up slightly. I love this wine as it is a perfect creation from one of the most important villages in the whole of Champagne dominated by the aforementioned minerality, but also with notes of violet and red grapefruit so typical of Verzenay of the highest class. On aeration the scent develops more and more notes of pears, figs and freshly baked baguette and the taste develops towards peach and apricot jam. Personally, though, I will wait as long as I can before opening my own bottles to get the increasing depth of caramel and grilled hazelnut flavour that only time in the cellar can provide.Bollinger PN VZ15 NV (3x150cl)
Inc. VAT: £668.58 -
Matthew Jukes (19+)
The latest release of R.D. – Bollinger’s iconic ‘Recently Disgorged or Récemment Dégorgé’ wine is something completely out of the ordinary. My one-word description for this sensational wine is ‘controlled’. I say this because what I adore about every single vintage of R.D. which I have tasted (and there have been many – see below) is the seeming lack of control in every sip. R.D. should be and usually is an absurdly decadent and unpredictable wine, firing off ostentatious flavour and extraordinary detail in every direction. This is why I love it so much and also why I only open it on very special occasions! What is remarkable about this particular vintage is its restraint and levity coupled with the extraordinary length of finish. After 14 years on lees, this wine is as power-packed and energised as it could possibly be and with the extra edge and vivacity coming from a fulsome percentage of Verzenay Pinot fruit (29%) added to the usual heartbeat coming from the Aÿ Pinot core (26%) this is a dynamic red fruit-dominant cocktail. The overall blend is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay coming from 14 Crus with 91% Grands Crus in this vintage. The dosage is a keen 3 grams per litre and all disgorgement is done by hand, as usual. But in 2007 the result is atypical, enchanting, surprisingly refreshing and amazingly delicious. I opened this bottle at 11.00 am and did not stopper it for a full 12 hours. I even sneaked half a glass with a chicken curry at supper time and it worked like a dream. This is not a massive firework of a wine that explodes gloriously and then is gone. Instead, it is a blazing torch of flavour with phenomenal persistence and balance and this makes it unmissable in every serious Champagne lover’s cellar.Bollinger RD 2007 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £998.58 -
Wine Spectator (93)
Complex aromas and flavors of rose, grilled nuts, citrus and a gently oxidative note course through this muscular, full-bodied bubbly. Despite its power, there's a gracefulness. The aftertase combines citrus and spice.Bollinger Special Cuvee NV (6x75cl)
£248.58
Inc. VAT: £248.58 -
Vinous (96)
The 2016 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione Brovia is explosive and exuberant from the very first taste. There is a rush of sweet red plum, red cherry, mint, blood orange, cinnamon and wild flowers in this rich, heady Barolo that captures the essence of this Castiglione Falletto site. Plush fruit and silky tannins suggest the 2016 will drink well with just a few years in bottle. The 2016 is so alluring, even in the early going; it is not austere at all. The 2016 is fabulous - that’s pretty much all there is to it.Brovia Barolo Rocche di Castiglione 2016 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £880.07 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)
The 2016 Barolo Villero is one of the most refined editions of this wine I can remember tasting. Lavender, spice, licorice, mint and blue/purplish fruit are beautifully delineated here. Transparent and nuanced, the Villero is so classy. There is plenty of depth and structure, but what impresses most about the Villero is how unusually sophisticated it is. Time in the glass brings out the wine's explosive personality, but the 2016 remains incredibly elegant, especially for this site. This is a tremendous showing from Brovia.Brovia Barolo Villero 2016 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £791.27 -
James Suckling (96)
The nose immediately shows a fabulous contrast between riper mulberries and blackberry crumble and freshly ground herbs, citrus and incense. The palate shows much the same polish, carrying bright blue-fruit flavors across a bedrock of muscular tannins and driven acidity. This finishes long and very grainy yet succulent. A blend of merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, sangiovese, petit verdot and alicante. Drink in 2022.Caiarossa 2015 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £250.67 -
Wine Spectator (96-99)
Features a gorgeous core of plum and black currant fruit, deeply inlaid with tobacco notes and chalky minerality. Everything melds wonderfully through the finish, which is refined in feel.Canon 2018 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £748.07 -
Vinous (94)
Casanova di Neri's 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a wine of pleasurable contrasts but also massive structure. Ripe dark fruits and autumnal spices offset savory herbs and hints of animal musk. It enters the mouth silky, cooling and lifted, with a noticeable inner sweetness to its polished cherry/berry flavors, but it then sways more toward inner earth, minerals and grippy tannins. The 2016 urges you to take another sip, as there’s so much upfront appeal; yet each time you do, it reminds you once again that it’s a painfully young Brunello in need of cellaring. That said, the potential here is incredibly high.Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino 2016 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £331.67 -
James Suckling (99)
The complexity and beauty to this is really something with cherry, walnut, tobacco and cigar-box character. Sweet cherries. It’s full-bodied and deep with super intensity and power. Layered and beautiful. Really refined tannins. Some whole-berry fermentation gives this added character. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2025.Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino 2016 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £328.07 -
Vinous (96)
From Paraje Altamira, the 2019 Malbec Nicasia Vineyard was made with grapes from a selected set of rows in Parcel #1 of the Nicasia Vineyard and aged for 24 months in new and second use French barrels. Dense, bright purple in the glass. The fruitiness of the complex, attractive nose is down to the region. The nose delivers a mixture of fresh plum and blackberry with lavender and violet aromas, hints of country herb and notes from the aging process. Broad but delicate in the mouth with good energy. The palate is gently sculpted by chalky tannins made juicy by the freshness. The fruity intensity is enhanced by the texture. A superb Malbec.Catena Zapata Nicasia Malbec 2019 (6x75cl)
£1,216.07
Inc. VAT: £1,216.07 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97+)
The Armada Vineyard Syrah always reminds me of the Horsepower releases, as it’s a more masculine, earthy style of Syrah. Deep plum/purple-colored with an incredible bouquet of smoked plum, blackcurrants, tobacco, peppered meat, and violets, the 2017 hits the palate with full-bodied richness and depth, building structure and tannins, moderate acidity, and a great finish. It’s another wine from Baron that packs incredible richness and depth yet still just glides across the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It shows the more rounded, approachable style of the vintage and will keep for 20 years or more.Cayuse Armada Syrah 2017 (3x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £404.04 -
Charles Heidsieck Champagne Charlie MV (3x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £1,210.30 -
Chateau d'Avrille Coteaux de l'Aubance 1989 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £116.87 -
James Suckling (100)
Blackcurrants, cassis, graphite and earth on the nose, then changing to roses, violets and berries. Full-bodied with incredible energy of fine tannins and lively acidity. It grows on the palate and escalates to the summit of perfect wine. Very powerful at the end. Holding back and a great finish. Quantity and quality. Menthol. Cool. One of the greatest young Cheval Blancs I have ever tasted. 58% merlot, 34% cabernet franc and 8% cabernet sauvignon. Great finish. Give it time. Try after 2028.Cheval Blanc 2019 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £3,745.67 -
James Suckling (97-98)
This is so finely textured with very precise, tight tannins. Medium to full body. Lots of layers here with black and blue fruit, stones, tar, dark cocoa and spices. Dried herbs. Long and persistent. Stays focused all the way. So precise. 52% cabernet franc, 43% merlot and 5% cabernet sauvignon.Cheval Blanc 2021 (3x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £1,601.04 -
James Suckling (100)
This is the greatest Cheval des Andes ever. Discrete aromas of blackberries, flowers, stone and licorice. So perfumed. The integration of fruit, tannins and acidity is fantastic. Full-bodied, tight and solid with beautiful depth and integrity. Extremely long and exciting. Complex and compelling with such refinement and length. A blend of 62% malbec and 38% cabernet sauvignon. Available in September 2020. Better after 2024.Cheval des Andes 2017 (6x75cl)
Inc. VAT: £539.27
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Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Pure perfection in Cabernet, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Alejandro Bulgheroni is all varietal and comes two-thirds from Oakville with the balance from sites in St. Helena and Rutherford. Aged 20 months in 70% new French oak and put together by Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, it has an incredibly pure, full-bodied, massive yet weightless style that I suspect couldn’t be achieved anywhere outside of Napa Valley. Cassis, blackberries, leafy herbs, lead pencil shavings, and tobacco leaf are just some of the nuances here, and it’s full-bodied, deep, and concentrated on the palate while maintaining an ethereal, seamless, utterly perfect balance between its fruit, alcohol, tannins, and acidity. As good as it gets, it needs just 2-4 years in the cellar and will evolve gracefully for at least 20-25 years.Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (3x75cl)
In Bond: £842.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
Darker cassis, violets, redcurrants, new leather, and flowery incense notes all emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Lithology Beckstoffer To Talon Vineyard, a quintessential expression of this Grand Cru terroir in Oakville. With full-bodied richness, a deep, opulent mouthfeel, and incredible purity, it has the rare sense of power without weight that’s the hallmark of this incredible terroir. The 2019 is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, aged 20 months in 71% new French oak. Drink it over the coming two decades.Alejandro Bulgheroni Lithology Beckstoffer To Kalon 2019 (3x75cl)
In Bond: £701.00 -
James Suckling (98-99)
An extremely refined and sharpened Angelus with super fine tannins and sweet ripe fruit in the center palate. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and so very polished. Silky. Very subtle. Bright blue fruit, black fruit and stones. Supple and minerally. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc.Angelus 2019 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £1,697.00 -
Wine Advocate (94-96+)
A brilliant wine that signposts this estate's evolution under Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal, the 2021 Angélus is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, with fully half of the old-vine Cabernet Franc maturing in foudres rather than 225-liter barriques. The result is a wine of unprecedented purity and finesse, unwinding in the glass with compelling aromas of plums, raspberries, rose petals, vine smoke, blood orange and warm spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate with a rich and fleshy core that entirely conceals its structuring chassis of ultra-refined tannins. Bright and sapid, it's striking for its integration and elegance at this early stage, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it upstage a number of more touted vintages once it's in bottle.Angelus 2021 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £1,546.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)
The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Badia a Passignano is a terrific example of how responsive Sangiovese can be to site. Here, the flavors are darker and richer, while at the same time the wine possesses a level of textural resonance and breadth that distinguishes it from the more linear wines Antinori makes at the Tignanello vineyard. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice and menthol fill out the wine's frame effortlessly. This is another stellar wine from Antinori.Antinori Badia A Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva 2015 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £303.00 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (99)
The 2019 Ausone was picked September 20-27 for the Merlot and October 3, 5 and 7 for the Cabernet Franc, then matured for 20 months in new French oak with light toasting. This is very refined and focused on the nose, less opulent compared to recent vintages, and very sophisticated, with hints of Montecristo cigar interwoven through the red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine but quite firm tannins that frame the lightly spiced black fruit. Touches of pencil lead and white pepper appear toward the prolonged finish. This very composed Ausone might actually drink earlier than other vintages but unequivocally has the substance to age with grace in bottle. There is an abiding sense of completeness here.Ausone 2019 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £3,007.50 -
Decanter (99)
This is powerful and blows away much of the competition with its depth and layers. This needs you to pull up a chair, take a beat, and let the flavours unroll. There is so much density to the blueberry, bilberry and smoked raspberry fruits that they start out knitted down, then as the oxygen opens them up the body of the wine widens and becomes fleshier and creamier, adding chocolate and mocha notes. The limestone scrape is there in spades through the finish, and this is a cleverly constructed wine. As ever Ausone is just a masterclass in how to take apart and then put back together a terroir. Great stuff. First year of official conversion to organic farming. 100% new oak, some in 30hl oak casks. Could go up after tasting in bottle, a potential 100 points.Ausone 2020 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £3,793.50 -
James Suckling (97)
Lots of dried bark, cinnamon stick, forest floor and earth add to an impression of dried cherries and sandalwood. But there are also hints of caramelized oranges and preserved lemons. The attack on the palate takes immediate effect; the powerful tannins pucker the edges of the mouth with imposing depth, but equally fascinating detail. This is a robust, take-no-hostages style of Brunello with a modern twist of finesse and tension. Drink from 2025.Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Alle Mura 2015 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £250.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)
Coming from a gorgeous vineyard on the eastern, cooler side of Saint-Emilion, and 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Château Barde-Haut has a bright, juicy, yet powerful bouquet of ripe blue fruits, scorched earth, tobacco, and cedary herbs. It has a kiss of background oak (it’s aging in 60% new barrels), medium to full-bodied richness, a ripe, textured mouthfeel, and serious underlying structure that comes out with time in the glass. It should have some upfront appeal, yet smart money is on giving bottles at least 4-5 years of bottle age, and it will keep for 2-3 decades.Barde-Haut 2020 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £159.50 -
James Suckling (96)
Shows beautiful, ripe cabernet aromas with currants, plums, meat and smoke. Flowers, too. Full body, deep and ripe fruit and exquisite, ripe tannins. Flavorful finish. Tight right now, but shows excellent potential. Best ever. Try after 2024.Batailley 2016 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £261.50 -
James Suckling (99)
What intense aromas of cherries and raspberries! Then it turns to flowers and orange peel. Roses, too. This is really full and powerful with layers of ripe tannins. It’s super fine-tannined, but shows wonderful length and intensity. A great expression of Lamole in Chianti Classico with ancient vines. Some older than 100 years. Best ever? Superb. Try after 2024 and onwards.Bibi Graetz Colore 2018 (3x75cl)
In Bond: £446.00 -
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.Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois 2007 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £658.00 -
Richard Juhlin (92-94)
The wine is almost completely dominated by the extremely exciting and rare Tauxières Premier Cru, which is one of two villages classified 99% on the Grand Cru scale. Despite an impressive vineyard area of 237 hectares, it is extremely rare to come across champagnes dominated by this fantastic Cru. A cooler microclimate and a thinner soil layer with even more compact chalk than sunny Bouzy make the wines from here lighter and more elegant than Bouzy but stronger than Verzenay which is also part of this exciting Blanc de Noirs with predominantly base from 2017. Here is also a small splash of Avenay to give a little buttery roundness to the cuvée with its low dosage of 4 grams. The reserve wines that always come from magnum bottles under low pressure make up 48% from three vintages in 2016, 2009 and 2006. In total, half of the wine is made in oak barrels and the other half in steel tanks. The result is very beautiful and personal. The scent has features of lead pencil, juniper and freshly lacquered boat together with more classic coffee notes, rose petals, apricot and peach. The taste is vivid and multifaceted with a lively precision, lighter fruit aromas than you normally find in Bollinger's wines. Even cassis is one of the more unexpected aromas in this finely tuned complex symphony. Very impressive and exciting champagne that really makes me want to taste more and that I will look out for to my private cellar.Bollinger PN TX17 NV (3x150cl)
In Bond: £395.00 -
Richard Juhlin (92-94)
The wine is almost completely dominated by the extremely exciting and rare Tauxières Premier Cru, which is one of two villages classified 99% on the Grand Cru scale. Despite an impressive vineyard area of 237 hectares, it is extremely rare to come across champagnes dominated by this fantastic Cru. A cooler microclimate and a thinner soil layer with even more compact chalk than sunny Bouzy make the wines from here lighter and more elegant than Bouzy but stronger than Verzenay which is also part of this exciting Blanc de Noirs with predominantly base from 2017. Here is also a small splash of Avenay to give a little buttery roundness to the cuvée with its low dosage of 4 grams. The reserve wines that always come from magnum bottles under low pressure make up 48% from three vintages in 2016, 2009 and 2006. In total, half of the wine is made in oak barrels and the other half in steel tanks. The result is very beautiful and personal. The scent has features of lead pencil, juniper and freshly lacquered boat together with more classic coffee notes, rose petals, apricot and peach. The taste is vivid and multifaceted with a lively precision, lighter fruit aromas than you normally find in Bollinger's wines. Even cassis is one of the more unexpected aromas in this finely tuned complex symphony. Very impressive and exciting champagne that really makes me want to taste more and that I will look out for to my private cellar.Bollinger PN TX17 NV (6x75cl)
In Bond: £365.00 -
Richard Juhlin (95)
The presentation is brilliant and is reminiscent of the house's legendary blanc de noirs Bollinger ’Vieilles Vignes Françaises’….. A Verzenay blanc de noirs with sprinkles of Aÿ, Bouzy and Tauxières, where 50% of the wine comes from 2015 with reserve wines on magnum dating from 2009. Verzenay and Aÿ are, as you know, the dominant villages in Bollinger's vintage wines. Verzenay is often the chalky and mineral-rich backbone of Bollinger's vintage build-up. The wine is vibrantly fresh, mineral-driven and extremely pure. There is a clarity and sharpness that is outstanding, where gunpowder notes and aroma of grilled meat develop as the glass warms up slightly. I love this wine as it is a perfect creation from one of the most important villages in the whole of Champagne dominated by the aforementioned minerality, but also with notes of violet and red grapefruit so typical of Verzenay of the highest class. On aeration the scent develops more and more notes of pears, figs and freshly baked baguette and the taste develops towards peach and apricot jam. Personally, though, I will wait as long as I can before opening my own bottles to get the increasing depth of caramel and grilled hazelnut flavour that only time in the cellar can provide.Bollinger PN VZ15 NV (3x150cl)
In Bond: £540.00 -
Matthew Jukes (19+)
The latest release of R.D. – Bollinger’s iconic ‘Recently Disgorged or Récemment Dégorgé’ wine is something completely out of the ordinary. My one-word description for this sensational wine is ‘controlled’. I say this because what I adore about every single vintage of R.D. which I have tasted (and there have been many – see below) is the seeming lack of control in every sip. R.D. should be and usually is an absurdly decadent and unpredictable wine, firing off ostentatious flavour and extraordinary detail in every direction. This is why I love it so much and also why I only open it on very special occasions! What is remarkable about this particular vintage is its restraint and levity coupled with the extraordinary length of finish. After 14 years on lees, this wine is as power-packed and energised as it could possibly be and with the extra edge and vivacity coming from a fulsome percentage of Verzenay Pinot fruit (29%) added to the usual heartbeat coming from the Aÿ Pinot core (26%) this is a dynamic red fruit-dominant cocktail. The overall blend is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay coming from 14 Crus with 91% Grands Crus in this vintage. The dosage is a keen 3 grams per litre and all disgorgement is done by hand, as usual. But in 2007 the result is atypical, enchanting, surprisingly refreshing and amazingly delicious. I opened this bottle at 11.00 am and did not stopper it for a full 12 hours. I even sneaked half a glass with a chicken curry at supper time and it worked like a dream. This is not a massive firework of a wine that explodes gloriously and then is gone. Instead, it is a blazing torch of flavour with phenomenal persistence and balance and this makes it unmissable in every serious Champagne lover’s cellar.Bollinger RD 2007 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £815.00 -
Wine Spectator (93)
Complex aromas and flavors of rose, grilled nuts, citrus and a gently oxidative note course through this muscular, full-bodied bubbly. Despite its power, there's a gracefulness. The aftertase combines citrus and spice.Bollinger Special Cuvee NV (6x75cl)
In Bond: £190.00 -
Vinous (96)
The 2016 Barolo Rocche di Castiglione Brovia is explosive and exuberant from the very first taste. There is a rush of sweet red plum, red cherry, mint, blood orange, cinnamon and wild flowers in this rich, heady Barolo that captures the essence of this Castiglione Falletto site. Plush fruit and silky tannins suggest the 2016 will drink well with just a few years in bottle. The 2016 is so alluring, even in the early going; it is not austere at all. The 2016 is fabulous - that’s pretty much all there is to it.Brovia Barolo Rocche di Castiglione 2016 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £720.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)
The 2016 Barolo Villero is one of the most refined editions of this wine I can remember tasting. Lavender, spice, licorice, mint and blue/purplish fruit are beautifully delineated here. Transparent and nuanced, the Villero is so classy. There is plenty of depth and structure, but what impresses most about the Villero is how unusually sophisticated it is. Time in the glass brings out the wine's explosive personality, but the 2016 remains incredibly elegant, especially for this site. This is a tremendous showing from Brovia.Brovia Barolo Villero 2016 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £646.00 -
James Suckling (96)
The nose immediately shows a fabulous contrast between riper mulberries and blackberry crumble and freshly ground herbs, citrus and incense. The palate shows much the same polish, carrying bright blue-fruit flavors across a bedrock of muscular tannins and driven acidity. This finishes long and very grainy yet succulent. A blend of merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, sangiovese, petit verdot and alicante. Drink in 2022.Caiarossa 2015 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £195.50 -
Wine Spectator (96-99)
Features a gorgeous core of plum and black currant fruit, deeply inlaid with tobacco notes and chalky minerality. Everything melds wonderfully through the finish, which is refined in feel.Canon 2018 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £610.00 -
Vinous (94)
Casanova di Neri's 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is a wine of pleasurable contrasts but also massive structure. Ripe dark fruits and autumnal spices offset savory herbs and hints of animal musk. It enters the mouth silky, cooling and lifted, with a noticeable inner sweetness to its polished cherry/berry flavors, but it then sways more toward inner earth, minerals and grippy tannins. The 2016 urges you to take another sip, as there’s so much upfront appeal; yet each time you do, it reminds you once again that it’s a painfully young Brunello in need of cellaring. That said, the potential here is incredibly high.Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino 2016 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £263.00 -
James Suckling (99)
The complexity and beauty to this is really something with cherry, walnut, tobacco and cigar-box character. Sweet cherries. It’s full-bodied and deep with super intensity and power. Layered and beautiful. Really refined tannins. Some whole-berry fermentation gives this added character. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2025.Castiglion del Bosco Brunello di Montalcino 2016 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £260.00 -
Vinous (96)
From Paraje Altamira, the 2019 Malbec Nicasia Vineyard was made with grapes from a selected set of rows in Parcel #1 of the Nicasia Vineyard and aged for 24 months in new and second use French barrels. Dense, bright purple in the glass. The fruitiness of the complex, attractive nose is down to the region. The nose delivers a mixture of fresh plum and blackberry with lavender and violet aromas, hints of country herb and notes from the aging process. Broad but delicate in the mouth with good energy. The palate is gently sculpted by chalky tannins made juicy by the freshness. The fruity intensity is enhanced by the texture. A superb Malbec.Catena Zapata Nicasia Malbec 2019 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £1,000.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97+)
The Armada Vineyard Syrah always reminds me of the Horsepower releases, as it’s a more masculine, earthy style of Syrah. Deep plum/purple-colored with an incredible bouquet of smoked plum, blackcurrants, tobacco, peppered meat, and violets, the 2017 hits the palate with full-bodied richness and depth, building structure and tannins, moderate acidity, and a great finish. It’s another wine from Baron that packs incredible richness and depth yet still just glides across the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It shows the more rounded, approachable style of the vintage and will keep for 20 years or more.Cayuse Armada Syrah 2017 (3x75cl)
In Bond: £330.00 -
Charles Heidsieck Champagne Charlie MV (3x75cl)
In Bond: £1,000.00 -
Chateau d'Avrille Coteaux de l'Aubance 1989 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £84.00 -
James Suckling (100)
Blackcurrants, cassis, graphite and earth on the nose, then changing to roses, violets and berries. Full-bodied with incredible energy of fine tannins and lively acidity. It grows on the palate and escalates to the summit of perfect wine. Very powerful at the end. Holding back and a great finish. Quantity and quality. Menthol. Cool. One of the greatest young Cheval Blancs I have ever tasted. 58% merlot, 34% cabernet franc and 8% cabernet sauvignon. Great finish. Give it time. Try after 2028.Cheval Blanc 2019 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £3,108.00 -
James Suckling (97-98)
This is so finely textured with very precise, tight tannins. Medium to full body. Lots of layers here with black and blue fruit, stones, tar, dark cocoa and spices. Dried herbs. Long and persistent. Stays focused all the way. So precise. 52% cabernet franc, 43% merlot and 5% cabernet sauvignon.Cheval Blanc 2021 (3x75cl)
In Bond: £1,327.50 -
James Suckling (100)
This is the greatest Cheval des Andes ever. Discrete aromas of blackberries, flowers, stone and licorice. So perfumed. The integration of fruit, tannins and acidity is fantastic. Full-bodied, tight and solid with beautiful depth and integrity. Extremely long and exciting. Complex and compelling with such refinement and length. A blend of 62% malbec and 38% cabernet sauvignon. Available in September 2020. Better after 2024.Cheval des Andes 2017 (6x75cl)
In Bond: £436.00
