Offers
Offers
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James Suckling (95)
This is so perfumed and beautiful, with brightness and aromatic complexity. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and a long, persistent finish. Tangy and vivid. Orange-peel undertones. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.Inc. VAT£341.75 -
Inc. VAT£2,121.60 -
(1x75cl) 1978Wine Advocate (89)
Bottles of 1978 Petrus can be variable. I guess it depends on how you like your Pomerol. Here, served blind against the 1978 Hermitage La Chapelle, well, let's be honest, the Rhône is leaps and bounds superior. The Petrus is modest in terms of intensity, autumnal and a little leafy, a light marine influence developing with time and a hint of wild mint. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannin, balanced if lacking depth. There is harmony here, and a sense of honesty. There is nothing out of place, although it does come across as a wine content to be a second-tier Petrus. While not as good as the previous bottle I encountered over a decade ago, it is a decent Petrus that should be consumed over the next ten years. Tasted March 2014.Inc. VAT£2,009.05 -
(1x75cl) 1983Wine Spectator (93)
What you'd expect from such a legendary estate. Wonderful palate impression with silky, rich fruit. Plenty of blackberry and chocolate character, has a full body and medium finish.Inc. VAT£2,340.40 -
Wine Spectator (92)
Dark red, with an amber edge. Aromas of chocolate, stewed berries, Merlot and raisins. Full-bodied, velvety and rich. Lovely palate. Delicious now, but will hold on. An autumnal wine.--Bordeaux retrospective.Inc. VAT£2,290.64 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 1990 Petrus remains incredibly young, one of the least evolved wines of the vintage (along with Montrose and Beausejour-Duffau). This dense ruby/purple-colored effort is beginning to hint at the massive richness and full-bodied intensity lurking beneath its wall of tannin. The vintage’s sweetness, low acidity, and velvety tannins are present in abundance, and the wine is massive in the mouth as well as incredibly pure and well-delineated. I thought it would be drinkable by now, but it appears another 5-10 years will pass before it begins to reach its plateau of maturity. This wine is capable of lasting at least four more decades. An incredible achievement! Release price: ($5000.00/case)Inc. VAT£5,413.32 -
(1x75cl) 2001Vinous - Neal Martin (97)
The 2001 Petrus has always been winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet’s favourite vintages. It has developed a truly exquisite bouquet that is both svelte and sensual without any sense of being overbearing. It is almost unaware of its beauty. It gradually opens with tinctures of dried blood merging with ebullient and disarmingly pure red fruit with brilliant delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannin, quite forceful red fruit gripping the senses and then letting go, allowing a subtle savory/cooked meat note to flourish towards the finish. Maybe this bottle was a touch more foursquare than previous ones that I have encountered although that will melt away with time. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at the Épure restaurant in Hong Kong.Inc. VAT£2,793.72 -
(3x75cl) 2005Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)
The 2005 Petrus is dazzling. Rich, ample and explosive, the 2005 possesses magnificent density from start to finish. An exotic mélange of cedar, blood orange, spicebox, mint and dried flowers leads into a core of deep, concentrated fruit. All the elements meld together seamlessly in a Petrus that simply has it all. Readers fortunate enough to taste it will find a statuesque, monumental Petrus that is both powerful and refined. The 2005 continued to improve as I tasted it into the second day. It is without question one of the standout wines of 2005.Inc. VAT£15,818.76 -
James Suckling (98)
A wine evincing true enlightenment. It’s floral on the nose and also shows blackberries, stones, minerals and cedar. Full-bodied, yet its so fine-grained and tight. So, so long. It builds like a waterfall on the finish. The tannins are powerful yet superbly integrated and harmonious. Needs four to five years in bottle. Drink in 2023.Inc. VAT£3,364.00 -
The Wine Cellar Insider (100)
Deep ruby in color, here you find truffle, dark chocolate, coffee bean, cigar box, black cherry and dark plums. Full bodied, elegant, velvety, opulent, sweet and fresh, the presence on the palate is silk and velvet in the texture with purity and sweetness to the fruits. The wine is hedonistic as well as intellectual, and a little bit firm. There is serious aging potential. The wine really sticks with you, for over 60 seconds in the finish. Give this at least 15 or more years in the cellar to develop before popping a cork.Inc. VAT£10,121.21 -
The Wine Independent (100)
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Petrus unfurls very slowly to offer glimpses at licorice, fragrant earth, crushed rocks, and cinnamon toast hints over a core of juicy blackberries, black raspberries, and crushed violets with a subtle waft of dusty earth. Full-bodied, rich, decant and unashamedly flamboyant, the palate has super firm, super velvety tannins and amazing tension, delivering slow releasing exotic spice and black fruit layers, finishing very long, opulent and incredibly impactful. Tuck it away for another 6-8 years, at least, and then count on it transforming magnificently over the following 50-years+.Inc. VAT£10,544.64 -
James Suckling (96)
A very fresh, piercing nose of sliced lemon with plenty of sweet perfume, too. The palate is similarly intense and vibrant with white stone-fruit and lemon flavors, delivered in an impressively intense and balanced mode. Drink or hold. Screw cap.Inc. VAT£139.84 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
Taking lots of air to show at its best, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a brilliant, classic, age-worthy wine from this great estate. It certainly shows the more structured, vibrant style of the 2018 vintage with lively acids, yet it has utterly classic Cabernet crème de cassis and almost blue fruits as well as Bordeaux-like notes of lead pencil, cedarwood, tobacco, and assorted floral nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it brings rock-solid intensity, perfectly ripe yet building, firm tannins, and again, the vintage's freshness, purity, and elegance. It reminds me of a top Saint-Julien and is a classic, old school, structured Cabernet that will reward bottle age. It needs 7-8 years to hit maturity (it's approachable today with a healthy decant), and I have no doubt this will be a 30- to 40-year wine.Inc. VAT£809.15 -
Wine Advocate (93)
Disgorged in September 2018 with 4.5 grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Extra Brut Grand Blanc is composed of vins clairs matured in barrel with blocked malolactic and vins clairs matured in tank that were allowed to complete malolactic. Exhibiting aromas of lemon oil, warm bread, hazelnut cream, wet stones and smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and nicely concentrated, with a racy spine of acidity, a fine mousse and delicately chalky structure, concluding with a long and pure finish.Inc. VAT£534.64 -
(6x75cl) 2004Vinous (97)
The 2004 Clos des Goisses is dense and powerful in the glass, with all of the pure, unbridled energy that has always been such a signature here. Hints of lemon peel, mint, spice and crushed rocks emerge with time in the glass, but, despite its considerable beauty and unquestioned pedigree, the 2004 is frankly years away from delivering the full Clos des Goisses experience. Disgorged February 2013.Inc. VAT£1,391.89 -
Wine Enthusiast (96)
This grand cru wine is named in celebration of the date of the Philipponnat family's arrival in the village of Aÿ. It is a mature blend of 70% Pinot Noir with Chardonnay, proportions that are typical of this producer on the Montagne de Reims. Rich, lightly toasty with green-apple and pear flavors, the wine is ready to drink.Inc. VAT£473.44 -
Vinous (97)
Luminous deep red. Aromas of herbs (thyme, rosemary, bay leaf), sweet spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) and ripe red cherry. Very saline, juicy acidity lifts and extends the blue and red berry flavors on the long delicately herbal and spicy finish. Very ready to drink, but will age well. This will go on sale at the end of this year.Inc. VAT£712.78 -
Vinous (98)
Crushed stone, wild herbs and tart black cherries lift up from the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneti del Versante, but that’s only the beginning. With time, this blossoms further, gaining a sweeter fruit profile and autumnal spices with hints of shaved cedar. Its textures are remarkably refined and silky in feel, with an intense concentration of tart red fruits, yet energy is maintained through brilliant acidity, as grippy tannins build steadily toward the close. The Vigneti del Versante tapers off with amazing length, youthful poise and a balanced structure, promising many, many years of positive evolution. This is really something to behold. I tasted the 2016 from a freshly opened bottle and from one that had been opened for two days prior that showed no signs of decline; in fact, it blossomed further. Simply stunning.Inc. VAT£802.78 -
Wine Advocate (94+)
The youngest of the reds I tasted, the 2019 Pícaro del Águila Tinto is their most approachable red and is still serious, vibrant and aromatic with great length and still has good aging potential. They use the grapes from the warmest vineyards they have in the village of La Aguilera, form the northern part closer to La Horra, mostly Tempranillo but with some 5% of other varieties (red and white) interplanted in the old vineyards, fermented together with full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barrels for 15 months. Like the 2019 Clarete, this is young and tender and has more tension than I expected for a warmer year. It has less oak than previous years (only 10% or 15% new barrels), and the wine feels better balanced and is floral and aromatic. It's medium-bodied with a very fine texture, a pretty wine that drinks very well and doesn't reflect a warm year at all, as it has incredible freshness. A great Pícaro. They produced 69,852 bottles and 850 magnums, a notable increase in volume... while they increase the quality! It was bottled in February 2021.Inc. VAT£334.30 -
Wine Advocate (95)
The juicy, velvety and aromatic red 2020 Pícaro del Águila Tinto is fine-boned and quite faithfully represents what they want to express with this cuvée; it's very tasty and has some chalkiness (perhaps through less ripeness than in years like 2018) with 14% alcohol and mellow acidity. The nose reveals some Côte-Rôtie-like notes of smoked meat and violets. 2020 delivered a good crop of healthy grapes that produced the finest wine to date for this bottling. This is superb, elegant and powerful, with everything in place (seems to be the signature of 2020) and perfectly integrated oak. 71,382 bottles and 1,979 magnums produced. It was bottled in September 2021.Inc. VAT£336.70 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (99)
The 2020 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has one of the more opulent aromatic profiles amongst the flight of Pauillac wines, displaying black cherries, cassis, graphite and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins and a silver bead of acidity. Silky smooth in texture, this retains impressive composure toward the finish, handling the weight of fruit with class. It improves with each swirl, though the bottle I tasted just after bottling had a touch more precision. Nevertheless, this a fabulous Pauillac that flirts with perfection. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Inc. VAT£846.35 -
Wine Advocate (94)
Celebrating its 50th anniversary (1971-2021), the organic Pieropan 2021 Soave Classico Calvarino has a soft and richly textured side that is contrasted against the bright citrusy and mineral flavors that the Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave grapes are known for. This blend sees 70% of the first grape and 30% of the second, and the wine is aged in cement for up to 15 months. That's the special quality offered by Calvarino, a wine that is modern yet also rooted in local tradition. You get a lot of food-pairing potential out of this bottle, whether it be sushi or roasted chicken. Production is 70,000 bottles.Inc. VAT£175.46 -
(6x75cl) 2019James Suckling (94)
Very ripe Soave here with aromas of dried pineapple, honeycomb, pecan pie, light toffee and a wealth of fresh and dried flowers flitting around the edges. Medium-to full-bodied with a lovely, long palate of fruit syrup and caramel. Seamless, tasty and long. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.Inc. VAT£207.49 -
Jancis Robinson (18+)
100% Syrah, 100% destemmed. Aged for 18 months in barrel (100% new oak). Barrel sample. Tasted blind. Lots of smokiness here, firm and showing some graphite flinty notes on the nose. A firm and tightly coiled palate with excellent freshness and florality – lots going on and a wine that has so much to offer over the coming years.Inc. VAT£580.69 -
Wine Advocate (96)
"Why has the non-vintage concept largely been reserved to entry-level wines?" pondered Péters, and he decided to produce a new cuvée to change that. Based on the 2012 Les Chétillons and supplemented by wine from the family's long-established perpetual reserve, the NV L’Étonnant Monsieur Victor Edition MK 12 is the latest rendition, and it's showing very well, opening in the glass with aromas of lemon oil, warm bread, white flowers, crushed chalk, oyster shells and wheat toast. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with superb concentration, racy acids and a precise, intensely saline finish.Inc. VAT£2,349.92 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94)
Mostly Grenache yet with 15% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, with 10% Cinsault, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape boasts a vivid purple hue as well as a complex bouquet of red, blue, and black fruits as well as notes of flowers, spice, and peppery garrigue. It actually reminds me of the Cuvée Mon Aïeul with its ripe yet elegant profile. Full-bodied, balanced, and lengthy, it’s going to offer loads of pleasure over the coming 10-15 years.Inc. VAT£234.80 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)
One of the top handful of wines in the vintage, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is all Grenache, from the different terroirs (one sand, one clay, and one limestone) that was 50% destemmed and aged all in older demi-muids. Reminding me of the 2007 with its incredible perfume of ripe black raspberries, strawberries, flowery incense, peppery and Provençal garrigue, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round, expansive texture, gorgeous tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. A wine of incredibly purity, precision, and elegance, yet also with power and opulence, this sensational effort is in need of 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades.Inc. VAT£357.66 -
James Suckling (98)
Extremely perfumed with dark berries, cherries, strawberries and crushed stones. Full-bodied with chewy, polished tannins that are muscular. Fantastic structure to this young Barolo, as well as great length. It grows on the palate with ease. Truly impressive. Incredible. Try after 2025.Inc. VAT£596.38 -
Wine Spectator (98)
A beautifully bright and expressive Champagne, with precision and vivid acidity throughout; roasted coffee bean and graphite notes lead to a rich palate of toasted brioche, crystallized honey, bergamot and crème de cassis. Exotic ground spice details of cardamom, ginger and anise show on the finish. Tasted from magnum. Drink now through 2030.Inc. VAT£799.84 -
Decanter (98)
Best in Show Award Pale gold in colour; very fine mousse. Fresh, pure and invigorating aromas in which green apple and citrus slowly give way to subtle, soft brioche, ivy leaf and plant sap; just a brush stroke of cream behind. This is a lean, pure Champagne of perfectly poised ripeness and restraint, very long in flavour, with the creamy richness of autolysis perfectly judged -- supportive but in no way obtrusive. The minority Chardonnay still takes a leading role at this stage; the majority Pinot Noir provides a pure frame and canvas. Exciting now, but don't hurry to drink, even though it already has a decade and a half behind it: there are further rewards ahead.Inc. VAT£660.32
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James Suckling (95)
This is so perfumed and beautiful, with brightness and aromatic complexity. Medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and a long, persistent finish. Tangy and vivid. Orange-peel undertones. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.In Bond£265.50 -
Inc. VAT£2,121.60 -
(1x75cl) 1978Wine Advocate (89)
Bottles of 1978 Petrus can be variable. I guess it depends on how you like your Pomerol. Here, served blind against the 1978 Hermitage La Chapelle, well, let's be honest, the Rhône is leaps and bounds superior. The Petrus is modest in terms of intensity, autumnal and a little leafy, a light marine influence developing with time and a hint of wild mint. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannin, balanced if lacking depth. There is harmony here, and a sense of honesty. There is nothing out of place, although it does come across as a wine content to be a second-tier Petrus. While not as good as the previous bottle I encountered over a decade ago, it is a decent Petrus that should be consumed over the next ten years. Tasted March 2014.In Bond£1,671.00 -
(1x75cl) 1983Wine Spectator (93)
What you'd expect from such a legendary estate. Wonderful palate impression with silky, rich fruit. Plenty of blackberry and chocolate character, has a full body and medium finish.In Bond£1,947.00 -
Wine Spectator (92)
Dark red, with an amber edge. Aromas of chocolate, stewed berries, Merlot and raisins. Full-bodied, velvety and rich. Lovely palate. Delicious now, but will hold on. An autumnal wine.--Bordeaux retrospective.In Bond£1,906.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The 1990 Petrus remains incredibly young, one of the least evolved wines of the vintage (along with Montrose and Beausejour-Duffau). This dense ruby/purple-colored effort is beginning to hint at the massive richness and full-bodied intensity lurking beneath its wall of tannin. The vintage’s sweetness, low acidity, and velvety tannins are present in abundance, and the wine is massive in the mouth as well as incredibly pure and well-delineated. I thought it would be drinkable by now, but it appears another 5-10 years will pass before it begins to reach its plateau of maturity. This wine is capable of lasting at least four more decades. An incredible achievement! Release price: ($5000.00/case)In Bond£4,508.00 -
(1x75cl) 2001Vinous - Neal Martin (97)
The 2001 Petrus has always been winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet’s favourite vintages. It has developed a truly exquisite bouquet that is both svelte and sensual without any sense of being overbearing. It is almost unaware of its beauty. It gradually opens with tinctures of dried blood merging with ebullient and disarmingly pure red fruit with brilliant delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannin, quite forceful red fruit gripping the senses and then letting go, allowing a subtle savory/cooked meat note to flourish towards the finish. Maybe this bottle was a touch more foursquare than previous ones that I have encountered although that will melt away with time. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at the Épure restaurant in Hong Kong.In Bond£2,325.00 -
(3x75cl) 2005Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)
The 2005 Petrus is dazzling. Rich, ample and explosive, the 2005 possesses magnificent density from start to finish. An exotic mélange of cedar, blood orange, spicebox, mint and dried flowers leads into a core of deep, concentrated fruit. All the elements meld together seamlessly in a Petrus that simply has it all. Readers fortunate enough to taste it will find a statuesque, monumental Petrus that is both powerful and refined. The 2005 continued to improve as I tasted it into the second day. It is without question one of the standout wines of 2005.In Bond£13,173.00 -
James Suckling (98)
A wine evincing true enlightenment. It’s floral on the nose and also shows blackberries, stones, minerals and cedar. Full-bodied, yet its so fine-grained and tight. So, so long. It builds like a waterfall on the finish. The tannins are powerful yet superbly integrated and harmonious. Needs four to five years in bottle. Drink in 2023.In Bond£2,800.00 -
The Wine Cellar Insider (100)
Deep ruby in color, here you find truffle, dark chocolate, coffee bean, cigar box, black cherry and dark plums. Full bodied, elegant, velvety, opulent, sweet and fresh, the presence on the palate is silk and velvet in the texture with purity and sweetness to the fruits. The wine is hedonistic as well as intellectual, and a little bit firm. There is serious aging potential. The wine really sticks with you, for over 60 seconds in the finish. Give this at least 15 or more years in the cellar to develop before popping a cork.In Bond£8,429.00 -
The Wine Independent (100)
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Petrus unfurls very slowly to offer glimpses at licorice, fragrant earth, crushed rocks, and cinnamon toast hints over a core of juicy blackberries, black raspberries, and crushed violets with a subtle waft of dusty earth. Full-bodied, rich, decant and unashamedly flamboyant, the palate has super firm, super velvety tannins and amazing tension, delivering slow releasing exotic spice and black fruit layers, finishing very long, opulent and incredibly impactful. Tuck it away for another 6-8 years, at least, and then count on it transforming magnificently over the following 50-years+.In Bond£8,777.00 -
James Suckling (96)
A very fresh, piercing nose of sliced lemon with plenty of sweet perfume, too. The palate is similarly intense and vibrant with white stone-fruit and lemon flavors, delivered in an impressively intense and balanced mode. Drink or hold. Screw cap.In Bond£100.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
Taking lots of air to show at its best, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a brilliant, classic, age-worthy wine from this great estate. It certainly shows the more structured, vibrant style of the 2018 vintage with lively acids, yet it has utterly classic Cabernet crème de cassis and almost blue fruits as well as Bordeaux-like notes of lead pencil, cedarwood, tobacco, and assorted floral nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it brings rock-solid intensity, perfectly ripe yet building, firm tannins, and again, the vintage's freshness, purity, and elegance. It reminds me of a top Saint-Julien and is a classic, old school, structured Cabernet that will reward bottle age. It needs 7-8 years to hit maturity (it's approachable today with a healthy decant), and I have no doubt this will be a 30- to 40-year wine.In Bond£655.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
Disgorged in September 2018 with 4.5 grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Extra Brut Grand Blanc is composed of vins clairs matured in barrel with blocked malolactic and vins clairs matured in tank that were allowed to complete malolactic. Exhibiting aromas of lemon oil, warm bread, hazelnut cream, wet stones and smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and nicely concentrated, with a racy spine of acidity, a fine mousse and delicately chalky structure, concluding with a long and pure finish.In Bond£429.00 -
(6x75cl) 2004Vinous (97)
The 2004 Clos des Goisses is dense and powerful in the glass, with all of the pure, unbridled energy that has always been such a signature here. Hints of lemon peel, mint, spice and crushed rocks emerge with time in the glass, but, despite its considerable beauty and unquestioned pedigree, the 2004 is frankly years away from delivering the full Clos des Goisses experience. Disgorged February 2013.In Bond£1,142.00 -
Wine Enthusiast (96)
This grand cru wine is named in celebration of the date of the Philipponnat family's arrival in the village of Aÿ. It is a mature blend of 70% Pinot Noir with Chardonnay, proportions that are typical of this producer on the Montagne de Reims. Rich, lightly toasty with green-apple and pear flavors, the wine is ready to drink.In Bond£378.00 -
Vinous (97)
Luminous deep red. Aromas of herbs (thyme, rosemary, bay leaf), sweet spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) and ripe red cherry. Very saline, juicy acidity lifts and extends the blue and red berry flavors on the long delicately herbal and spicy finish. Very ready to drink, but will age well. This will go on sale at the end of this year.In Bond£574.00 -
Vinous (98)
Crushed stone, wild herbs and tart black cherries lift up from the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigneti del Versante, but that’s only the beginning. With time, this blossoms further, gaining a sweeter fruit profile and autumnal spices with hints of shaved cedar. Its textures are remarkably refined and silky in feel, with an intense concentration of tart red fruits, yet energy is maintained through brilliant acidity, as grippy tannins build steadily toward the close. The Vigneti del Versante tapers off with amazing length, youthful poise and a balanced structure, promising many, many years of positive evolution. This is really something to behold. I tasted the 2016 from a freshly opened bottle and from one that had been opened for two days prior that showed no signs of decline; in fact, it blossomed further. Simply stunning.In Bond£649.00 -
Wine Advocate (94+)
The youngest of the reds I tasted, the 2019 Pícaro del Águila Tinto is their most approachable red and is still serious, vibrant and aromatic with great length and still has good aging potential. They use the grapes from the warmest vineyards they have in the village of La Aguilera, form the northern part closer to La Horra, mostly Tempranillo but with some 5% of other varieties (red and white) interplanted in the old vineyards, fermented together with full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barrels for 15 months. Like the 2019 Clarete, this is young and tender and has more tension than I expected for a warmer year. It has less oak than previous years (only 10% or 15% new barrels), and the wine feels better balanced and is floral and aromatic. It's medium-bodied with a very fine texture, a pretty wine that drinks very well and doesn't reflect a warm year at all, as it has incredible freshness. A great Pícaro. They produced 69,852 bottles and 850 magnums, a notable increase in volume... while they increase the quality! It was bottled in February 2021.In Bond£240.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
The juicy, velvety and aromatic red 2020 Pícaro del Águila Tinto is fine-boned and quite faithfully represents what they want to express with this cuvée; it's very tasty and has some chalkiness (perhaps through less ripeness than in years like 2018) with 14% alcohol and mellow acidity. The nose reveals some Côte-Rôtie-like notes of smoked meat and violets. 2020 delivered a good crop of healthy grapes that produced the finest wine to date for this bottling. This is superb, elegant and powerful, with everything in place (seems to be the signature of 2020) and perfectly integrated oak. 71,382 bottles and 1,979 magnums produced. It was bottled in September 2021.In Bond£242.00 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (99)
The 2020 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has one of the more opulent aromatic profiles amongst the flight of Pauillac wines, displaying black cherries, cassis, graphite and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins and a silver bead of acidity. Silky smooth in texture, this retains impressive composure toward the finish, handling the weight of fruit with class. It improves with each swirl, though the bottle I tasted just after bottling had a touch more precision. Nevertheless, this a fabulous Pauillac that flirts with perfection. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.In Bond£686.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
Celebrating its 50th anniversary (1971-2021), the organic Pieropan 2021 Soave Classico Calvarino has a soft and richly textured side that is contrasted against the bright citrusy and mineral flavors that the Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave grapes are known for. This blend sees 70% of the first grape and 30% of the second, and the wine is aged in cement for up to 15 months. That's the special quality offered by Calvarino, a wine that is modern yet also rooted in local tradition. You get a lot of food-pairing potential out of this bottle, whether it be sushi or roasted chicken. Production is 70,000 bottles.In Bond£129.00 -
(6x75cl) 2019James Suckling (94)
Very ripe Soave here with aromas of dried pineapple, honeycomb, pecan pie, light toffee and a wealth of fresh and dried flowers flitting around the edges. Medium-to full-bodied with a lovely, long palate of fruit syrup and caramel. Seamless, tasty and long. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.In Bond£155.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18+)
100% Syrah, 100% destemmed. Aged for 18 months in barrel (100% new oak). Barrel sample. Tasted blind. Lots of smokiness here, firm and showing some graphite flinty notes on the nose. A firm and tightly coiled palate with excellent freshness and florality – lots going on and a wine that has so much to offer over the coming years.In Bond£466.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
"Why has the non-vintage concept largely been reserved to entry-level wines?" pondered Péters, and he decided to produce a new cuvée to change that. Based on the 2012 Les Chétillons and supplemented by wine from the family's long-established perpetual reserve, the NV L’Étonnant Monsieur Victor Edition MK 12 is the latest rendition, and it's showing very well, opening in the glass with aromas of lemon oil, warm bread, white flowers, crushed chalk, oyster shells and wheat toast. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with superb concentration, racy acids and a precise, intensely saline finish.In Bond£1,950.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94)
Mostly Grenache yet with 15% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, with 10% Cinsault, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape boasts a vivid purple hue as well as a complex bouquet of red, blue, and black fruits as well as notes of flowers, spice, and peppery garrigue. It actually reminds me of the Cuvée Mon Aïeul with its ripe yet elegant profile. Full-bodied, balanced, and lengthy, it’s going to offer loads of pleasure over the coming 10-15 years.In Bond£175.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)
One of the top handful of wines in the vintage, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De Mon Aïeul is all Grenache, from the different terroirs (one sand, one clay, and one limestone) that was 50% destemmed and aged all in older demi-muids. Reminding me of the 2007 with its incredible perfume of ripe black raspberries, strawberries, flowery incense, peppery and Provençal garrigue, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round, expansive texture, gorgeous tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. A wine of incredibly purity, precision, and elegance, yet also with power and opulence, this sensational effort is in need of 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep for two decades.In Bond£276.00 -
James Suckling (98)
Extremely perfumed with dark berries, cherries, strawberries and crushed stones. Full-bodied with chewy, polished tannins that are muscular. Fantastic structure to this young Barolo, as well as great length. It grows on the palate with ease. Truly impressive. Incredible. Try after 2025.In Bond£477.00 -
Wine Spectator (98)
A beautifully bright and expressive Champagne, with precision and vivid acidity throughout; roasted coffee bean and graphite notes lead to a rich palate of toasted brioche, crystallized honey, bergamot and crème de cassis. Exotic ground spice details of cardamom, ginger and anise show on the finish. Tasted from magnum. Drink now through 2030.In Bond£650.00 -
Decanter (98)
Best in Show Award Pale gold in colour; very fine mousse. Fresh, pure and invigorating aromas in which green apple and citrus slowly give way to subtle, soft brioche, ivy leaf and plant sap; just a brush stroke of cream behind. This is a lean, pure Champagne of perfectly poised ripeness and restraint, very long in flavour, with the creamy richness of autolysis perfectly judged -- supportive but in no way obtrusive. The minority Chardonnay still takes a leading role at this stage; the majority Pinot Noir provides a pure frame and canvas. Exciting now, but don't hurry to drink, even though it already has a decade and a half behind it: there are further rewards ahead.In Bond£542.00

