Decanter (97)

A blend of 65% Pinot Noir consisting of Premier and Grand Crus from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallee de la Marne and 35% Chardonnay from the Cote des Blancs. Significantly, this has nine years ageing on its lees (longer than some Prestige Cuvees), the 2008 was first released onto the global market back in March 2019. With an Extra Brut dosage of 4g/l, this is a highly expressive, confident and convincing interpretation of the vintage. Right now, it is youthfully sharp and focused with fine salinity, depth, acidity and balance, and as such is already extremely approachable. The flavour spectrum encompasses toast, oyster shell, citrus, cream and a flinty, mineral depth. There’s supreme balance and elegance here, combined with a hidden underlying power that will continue to emerge and broaden with time. The finish is dry and long.

James Suckling (93)

Cinnamon and dried nutmeg add to the experience of bread dough and rose petals. Flavorful on the medium-bodied palate and finely poised with bright acidity. Medium-long on the finish. Drink now.

Richard Juhlin (95)

It was time for the good James to enjoy one of the most magnificent champagnes for the release of the 25th Bond film. The decision to use Pinot Noir for this 2011 vintage, exclusively from the home village of Aÿ with its mighty fruit is nothing short of brilliant. Perhaps wait about ten years until the wine has reached its peak and completely integrated its enormous fruit with the barrel notes, but the wine is already magnificent with its deep ripe aroma of Gravenstein apples, backed by fresh wooden notes. House typical and powerful.

Essi Avallen MW (96-98)

At this point of youthfulness the pink colour is rather rich and bright. Lovely clean and fruit-forward nose with fresh red berry aromas mixing with spice and orange notes. Quite shyly evolved with much more to surface on the complexity front. Today there is attractive exuberant fruitiness and perfect creamy freshness. Promising palate with power and persistence where an overall harmony enhances the feeling of sophistication.

James Suckling (99)

It's striking that is as fresh as it is given the ten years in the cellars. It has a fine citrus nose with plenty of lemons, grapefruit and yellow chalky notes, not to mention some lighter floral elements. The palate is super dry (dosage at 3-4g), and there's a silky, sherbet-like texture that makes this smooth fine and long. The citrus flavors give way to the surging acidity and the finish twists very slowly through to lightly toasted cashew nuts mingled with complex fruit and citrus flavors. Disgorged October 22, 2013.

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.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2018 Las Gravas is a blend of 90% Monastrell from limestone gravel soils and 10% Garnacha also planted in the same gravel soils, but it's obviously much younger than the Monastrell. It fermented in underground pools with 25% to 30% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in 5,000-liter oak foudres and 500-liter oak barrels for 16 months. It's an incredibly elegant and delicate Las Gravas, nuanced and with a discrete profile, a little shy at first. The palate is also super elegant and balanced, with refined tannins, a velvety texture and very fine chalky minerality. The north-facing vineyard, the backbone of this wine in a challenging and cooler year, is now 40 years old and has vigor and balance, which has resulted in an incredible wine through a lot of work in the vineyard. This has to be the finest vintage to date, a real triumph over the adverse conditions of the year that transcends the quality of the vintage. They used a lower percentage of Garnacha to avoid too much florality in the blend, and the wine is more serious. It's less explosive than the 2017, but I'd say, more gravelly... Bravo! 34,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2020.

Wine Spectator (96)

A textbook blanc de blancs in a relatively opulent style, with ample grilled nut, brioche and spice character alongside classic flavors of poached apricot, kumquat, oyster shell and lemon blossom. This rich profile is well-defined by racy acidity, sleek and well-cut, driving the long, lacy finish. A beauty. Drink now through 2035. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 4,500 cases made, 185 cases imported.

Andreas Larsson (96)

Bright light golden colour with fine and lively bubbles. Nice purity on the nose, chalky and flinty with ripe but fresh yellow fruit like peach, passion fruit, lemongrass, fresh butter, brioche and floral notes. The palate shows a nice bite and precision, lovely freshness, fine extract, rounded creaminess with layers of succulent stone fruit, crushed nuts and pastry notes. Very long and lingering finish, still in a youthful stage but great potential here.

James Suckling (98)

An amazing 2008 rosé Champagne that has all the structure and aromatic complexity - sushi ginger, oolong tea and caramelized mandarin orange - we associate with this vintage, but also has more charm than most. On the palate, this has stunning concentration, yet is diamond bright. The interplay of creaminess, fine tannins and mineral acidity builds and builds at the breathtaking finish. The color comes from about 7% pinot noir red wine, partly from the little-known Les Riceys in the far south of Champagne. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (99)

Essence of Mosel wine here, which immediately conjures up an image of tiny riesling grapes that have turned a perfect golden color in the autumn sun. Then, on the extremely rich and refined palate, comes a gigantic wave of minerality that sweeps you away. Enormously long finish of almost overwhelming beauty. Just doesn't want to stop. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drink or hold.

Jancis Robinson (19)

Aromas of green and yellow fruit mix it with flinty minerality. The palate shows a little more fruit than the straight Marienburg, grapefruit with peel and pith, but without any tropical aspirations. Nuances of salt and quinine give an almost medicinal tang, but a generous texture makes the medicine go down without any resistance. Very cool, the essence of mineral Riesling.

A unique multi-vintage blend of Brunello di Montalcino from barrels that were not ready when they first bottled the 2015 and 2016, with the addition of some 2018 to add freshness. This is a minute release of just 150 cases.

Wonderfully captivating flavours of Brunello, always very approachable and utterly delicious, with warm sun-baked aromas and lovely smooth developed finish. In fact, This is just like drinking mature Brunello di Montalcino. The palate is velvety with taut, finely-knit tannins. Precise, ripe plum fruit with Italian warmth and refined spiciness, with elegance and lift on the finish.

James Suckling (97)

This is so powerful and tightly wound with so much intensity and power. Full body. Crushed berries and hints of walnuts and cedar. Purity in fruit. Very subtle character, but great tension and richness. Drink after 2021.

Wine Enthusiast (95)

Certain wines exude a sense of elevated excellence. This one gets to that level via aromas of spice cake, baked plum and tobacco aromas. A stocky saturated palate is structured and built to age, while this tastes of cool blue fruits, herbs, coffee and chocolate. A smoothly textured finish deals cocoa and mocha notes. Drink through 2040.

Wine Enthusiast (97)

This is a fabulous gran reserva from a very good but lightly heralded vintage. Aromas of spiced plum, black olive, fig, tobacco and cassis come together like a puzzle. A deep, pure palate shows near-perfect balance, while this tastes of plum, berry fruits and earthy spice. Smooth, elegant and chocolaty on the finish, this delivers all one can ask for from Rioja. Drink through 2035.

Wine Enthusiast (97)

This is a fabulous gran reserva from a very good but lightly heralded vintage. Aromas of spiced plum, black olive, fig, tobacco and cassis come together like a puzzle. A deep, pure palate shows near-perfect balance, while this tastes of plum, berry fruits and earthy spice. Smooth, elegant and chocolaty on the finish, this delivers all one can ask for from Rioja. Drink through 2035.

Tim Atkin MW (97)

This comes from vineyards in Villalba, Briones and Torremontalbo and is another brilliant release from María Larrea. Savoury, sweet and well balanced, with 15% Graciano adding extra backbone and the zest that you expect from this special red

Vinous (94)

Shimmering ruby-red. An intensely perfumed nose displays cherry cola, cassis, licorice and smoky oak; floral and vanilla qualities emerge in the glass. Juicy, penetrating red and dark fruit flavors are given spine by a core of tangy acidity, and bitter chocolate, candied rose and spicecake nuances develop with air. Gently gripping tannins add shape to an impressively long, incisive finish that leaves more vanilla and cherry notes behind. Raised for 22 months in a combination of French and American oak barrels.

Each case contains:

2 bottles of 1x75cl Romano Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella 2008 - 98 points | Eric Guido (Vinous)

1 bottle of 1x75cl Romano Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella 2009 - 99 points | Monica Larner (Wine Advocate)

Wine Advocate (94+)

A worthy successor to the super 2008, Delamotte's 2012 Blanc de Blancs is performing very well—despite the fact that it was disgorged as recently as June 2019. Opening in the glass with aromas of citrus oil, dried white flowers, smoke and wheat toast, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a bright girdle of acidity, well-integrated dosage and a fine mousse, the muscularity of the vintage rendered with uncommon finesse. While this is quite expressive for such a recently disgorged vintage Delamotte, the rewards of even only a few years' patience will be considerable.

Wine Advocate (94)

Delamotte's just-released 2014 Blanc de Blancs has turned out very well indeed, opening in the glass with scents of citrus zest, crisp orchard fruit, fresh bread and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and incisive, with excellent depth at the core, racy acids and a chalky finish, this isn't as muscular as the 2008 or 2012, but it has real cut and persistence and should age very gracefully indeed.

Vinous (98)

The 2002 Dom Pérignon is unforgettable. Rich, sumptuous and flamboyant to the core, the 2002 captures all of the radiance of a year in which ripeness in the Chardonnays was pushed to the edge. The 2002 is oily and viscous on the palate, with tremendous textural resonance in all of its dimensions. Tropical fruit, pastry and exotic floral notes all build as the 2002 opens up with air. I can still remember the first time I tasted the 2002, here in the Hautvillers cloister, with former Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy. It was thrilling back then, and is every bit as memorable today.

Vinous (98)

The 2008 Dom Pérignon is once again stunning. More than anything else, I am surprised by how well the 2008 drinks given all the tension and energy it holds. Then again, that is precisely what makes 2008 such a unique vintage namely that the best wines are so chiseled and yet not at all austere. Lemon peel, almond, mint, smoke and crushed rocks are all finely sculpted, but it is the wine’s textural feel, drive and persistence that elevate it into the realm of the sublime. The 2008 will be even better with time in the cellar, but it is absolutely phenomenal even today, in the early going. Three recent bottles have all been nothing short of magnificent.

James Suckling (98)

A firm and vivid Champagne with a precise, focused palate. Full-bodied and dry. It’s very layered and bright with light pineapple, peach, praline, cooked-apple and stone aromas and flavors. It’s very subtle and focused at the end. Integrated with richness and high acidity. Good depth. Reminds me of the 1995. Very clean. Solid. Lovely to drink already, but will age nicely.

Decanter (98)

What a magnificent bouquet for this Dom Pérignon 2012! Pastry, a hint of smoke and autolytic notes provide a compelling counterpart to eager yet elegant aromas of citrus (lime, tangerine and kumquat) joined by those of fresh fruit, herbs, liquorice, and menthol. There is even a refreshing note of ivy. The palate is tense, vibrant, and very fresh despite its impressive density, which meets its match with an unending finish. This 2012 incarnates the very essence of Dom Pérignon with such a concentrated degree of intensity, along with a capacity for ageing, that it is surely destined for a second life in a P2 edition.

James Suckling (99)

What a nose! This smells like essence of peach with a delicate, floral-honey overtone. Seems to vibrate on the palate, thanks to the staggering minerality and totally vibrant acidity. Extremely complex and energetic finish that goes on and on. Very limited production. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (100)

Hit me with a flower! This starts very delicately with an incredibly subtle nose of fresh and dried flowers. Then comes the enormously concentrated yet totally filigree palate, which dazzles the senses with its thousand nuances and almost endless, super-silky finish. Decades of aging potential. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold.