Vinous - Neal Martin (95-97)

The 2020 La Clotte was picked 14-30 September and matured in barriques for 18 months. This has a gorgeous and expressive bouquet with beautifully defined red fruit, crushed stone, wilted rose petal and a touch of sea spray. It is extremely focused with seamlessly integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied and silky smooth. Finely tuned acidity gently builds in the mouth. Very harmonious towards the finish that fans out wonderfully. This is a superb Saint-Émilion, one of the best you will find in 2020.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2020 La Dominique is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. Dark and sumptuous in the glass, the 2020 is racy and wonderfully sleek right out of the gate. Dark cherry, gravel, spice, dried flowers and espresso lend shades of darkness to this deep, wonderfully plush La Dominique. Superb.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2016 Laroque is blended of 95% Merlot, 4.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines more than 50 years old and aged in 50% new French and Austrian oak. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly unfurls to reveal a beautiful core of redcurrants, Morello cherries, wild blueberries and fresh plums with touches of lilacs, oolong tea, chargrill, bay leaves and yeast extract plus a hint of wet slate. Medium to full-bodied, taut and finely textured with ripe, grainy tannins, it has bold freshness cutting through the densely packed red and black fruit layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)

A blend of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc representing just 41% of the total production, the 2018 Château Laroque is still resting in barrels and oak tanks. Its deep purple color is followed by a classy bouquet of ripe black cherries, cassis, graphite, licorice, and crushed rocks. Deep, medium to full-bodied, with a beautiful mid-palate and ripe, silky tannins, it's an incredible success for the estate, which is firing on all cylinders today thanks to the talented David Suire!

Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)

A blend of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc representing just 41% of the total production, the 2018 Château Laroque is still resting in barrels and oak tanks. Its deep purple color is followed by a classy bouquet of ripe black cherries, cassis, graphite, licorice, and crushed rocks. Deep, medium to full-bodied, with a beautiful mid-palate and ripe, silky tannins, it's an incredible success for the estate, which is firing on all cylinders today thanks to the talented David Suire!

Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)

A blend of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc representing just 41% of the total production, the 2018 Château Laroque is still resting in barrels and oak tanks. Its deep purple color is followed by a classy bouquet of ripe black cherries, cassis, graphite, licorice, and crushed rocks. Deep, medium to full-bodied, with a beautiful mid-palate and ripe, silky tannins, it's an incredible success for the estate, which is firing on all cylinders today thanks to the talented David Suire!

Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)

A blend of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc representing just 41% of the total production, the 2018 Château Laroque is still resting in barrels and oak tanks. Its deep purple color is followed by a classy bouquet of ripe black cherries, cassis, graphite, licorice, and crushed rocks. Deep, medium to full-bodied, with a beautiful mid-palate and ripe, silky tannins, it's an incredible success for the estate, which is firing on all cylinders today thanks to the talented David Suire!

The Wine Independent (95+)

The 2019 Laroque, composed of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, is deep garnet-purple in color. It sports cedary overtones to start off, giving way to notes of stewed black plums, blueberry pie, and Chinese five spice with hints of crushed rocks and unsmoked cigars. The full-bodied palate has a formidable backbone of firm tannins, with a lively line and muscular fruit, finishing long. This one is built for the longhaul, so give it another 3-5 years in cellar and drink it over the following 15 to 20-years+.

The Wine Independent (97)

A blend of 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Laroque is deep garnet-purple in color. A little subdued to begin, offering subtle notes of crushed rocks and damp soil, it opens out to a core of ripe black and red plums and fresh blackberries, plus a fragrant waft of lilacs. The full-bodied palate is bursting with taut, muscular black fruits and amazing tension, framed by ripe, rounded tannins, and finishing with great length and depth.

The Wine Independent (97)

A blend of 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Laroque is deep garnet-purple in color. A little subdued to begin, offering subtle notes of crushed rocks and damp soil, it opens out to a core of ripe black and red plums and fresh blackberries, plus a fragrant waft of lilacs. The full-bodied palate is bursting with taut, muscular black fruits and amazing tension, framed by ripe, rounded tannins, and finishing with great length and depth.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93-95)

The 2021 Laroque is a standout. Bright and racy, with tremendous persistence, Laroque stakes its claim as Saint-Émilion's brightest rising star. Bright limestone accents run through a core of red/purplish fruit, rose petal, mint and white pepper. There is a linear intensity to Laroque that is hugely appealing. Technical Director David Suire fashioned a gem. Don't miss it.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (98)

One of the unquestioned Sleeper jewels of the year, the 2016 Le Prieuré is off the charts beautiful. Silky and impossibly refined, the 2016 is a wine of pure and total precision. Today, the 2016 is a bit more restrained than it was from barrel, when it was a more overt wine. That is not a bad thing, though, as I suspect the 2016 is going to need a number of years to be at its finest. Dark, beautifully perfumed and gracious, Le Prieuré represents the height of finesse in Saint-Émilion. Jean-Claude Berrouet consults for the Artemis Group, which is now the sole owner of Le Prieuré. The 2016 is a fabulous wine by any measure. Don't miss it.

We are pleased to have secured a number of 2021s in a year when many distillers are severely cutting their allocations of casks to the market and it is a particular coup's barrels specially selected for us; bourbon-sized barrels previously used for top-grade Oloroso sherry giving a smaller surface area than ex-sherry hogsheads, butts or puncheons. Therefore the whisky will develop relatively quickly, rewarding the years more profoundly than lower-quality, lower-cost refill barrels.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94+)

The 2014 Malartic-Lagravière is a gorgeous wine, but it is also flamboyant and exotic, especially in its flavor profile. Super-ripe red cherry and plum make a strong first impression. Sweet floral and spice notes, along with ripe, silky tannins, add to the wine's sensuality. A rich, powerful wine with soft contours and striking depth, the 2014 is a real beauty. It will be even more compelling once the new oak tannins soften a bit further. The blend is 52 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 40 % Merlot, 5 % Cabernet Franc and 3 % Petit Verdot. Tasted two times.

James Suckling (96)

I love the deep and complex nose, in which the cassis and mint of cabernet sauvignon are beautifully married to the more generous blackberry of ripe merlot and the vanilla and toasty notes from the oak are marvelously integrated. On the palate it creeps up on you slowly; the first impression is ripe yet delicate, then the fine-grained tannins charge through and light up the sky. Very long finish. Drink or hold.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95)

The 2018 Malartic Lagravière is every bit as compelling as it was en primeur. Inky dark fruit, dried herbs, licorice, lavender and chocolate are all kicked up in this sumptuous Pessac-Léognan. Soft curves and silky tannins add to the wine's considerable appeal. The 2018 is undeniably flashy and alluring, I loved it.

Wine Advocate (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2009 Pavie drifts effortlessly and profoundly from the glass with baked plums, spice cake, sandalwood, Black Forest cake and blueberry pie scents followed up with a fragrant undercurrent of potpourri, unsmoked cigars and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, rich and plush, this is pure seduction in the mouth, offering a taut yet velvety texture and oodles of freshness to frame the opulent fruit, finishing very long and mineral laced.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Pure perfection in a glass and unquestionably one of the great vintages for this cuvée, the 2015 Pavie is a blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 80% new French oak. Sharing some similarities with the 2009, this tour de force sports a saturated purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of crème de cassis, crushed rocks, white truffle, and licorice. Its oak is perfectly integrated and balanced by this wine’s massive fruit and structure. Full-bodied, deep, and superbly concentrated, with building tannins, it’s a massive wine by any measure, but what sets it apart is that it still glides across the palate and retains an incredible sense of purity, balance, and elegance. It’s drinking well today due to the vintage’s opulence, yet won’t hit prime time for another 5-10 years and I suspect will keep for upward of 50 years.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

One of the wines of the vintage is the 2018 Château Pavie, and Gérard Perse continues to produce one of the greatest wines in the world, in just about every vintage. Based on 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 shows the slightly more restrained style of the estate today yet still brings classic Pavie richness, depth, and grandeur. Revealing a deep purple color as well as a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, damp earth, tobacco, chalk, and lead pencil shavings, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, incredible purity, a dense, concentrated mid-palate, and a liqueur of rocks-like sense of minerality on the blockbuster finish. There's a backward, inward style here that actually reminds me of the 2000. This is another magical, probably immortal wine from this terroir that marries power with elegance perfectly. Don't miss it!

James Suckling (98-99)

This is superb with great length and quality tannins. It’s full-bodied with intense, polished tannins and great length. Tar and black fruit. Goes on for minutes. On and on. We will see which is better: 2019 or 2018.

James Suckling (100)

This opens up on your palate like a butterfly. It takes your breath away. Purity of blackberry, raspberry and black cherry. Lavender. Very, very impressive. Full and chewy with tight and polished tannins that go on and on. Energetic and structured. Crisp and vivid. Superb finish. Better after 2029 but a joy to taste.

James Suckling (99)

Amazing, pure cherries, plums and flowers, as well as crushed stones. It jumps out of the glass. Full body, powerful tannins and a freshness and roundness to it. Lightly salty on the finish. Great structure with finesse. Try after 2024.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

From an incredible terroir on the upper plateau, just above Pavie, the 2018 Château Pavie Decesse is a normal blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought up in mostly new French oak. Its dense purple color is followed by an incredibly classic limestone-driven bouquet of chalky minerality, white flowers, truffle, lead pencil, and cassis and blackberry-like fruits. This carries to an incredibly pure, full-bodied Saint-Emilion with nicely integrated acidity, flawless balance, building tannins, and a great finish. This remarkable, elegant yet powerful 2018 won't hit full maturity for another 10-12 years, but it's a magical Saint-Emilion that should live for 30-40 years.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

From an incredible terroir on the upper plateau, just above Pavie, the 2018 Château Pavie Decesse is a normal blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc brought up in mostly new French oak. Its dense purple color is followed by an incredibly classic limestone-driven bouquet of chalky minerality, white flowers, truffle, lead pencil, and cassis and blackberry-like fruits. This carries to an incredibly pure, full-bodied Saint-Emilion with nicely integrated acidity, flawless balance, building tannins, and a great finish. This remarkable, elegant yet powerful 2018 won't hit full maturity for another 10-12 years, but it's a magical Saint-Emilion that should live for 30-40 years.

Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)

An estate that’s on an upward trajectory, having just completed work on a new cellar, the 2018 Château Ripeau comes from just over 12 hectares of vines situated near the likes of Cheval Blanc, Figeac, and La Dominique, and is a rough blend of 67% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon that will spend 16-18 months in new French oak. It offers a deep purple color as well as terrific purity and precision in its vibrant cassis and black raspberry fruits and notes of spring flowers, spice box, and earth. Medium to full-bodied, silky, and seamless on the palate, it has building tannins, ample mid-palate depth, and good concentration, and stays light on its feet and incredibly elegant. This estate is managed by Julien Salles and gets consulting advice from Claude Gros. My money is on this 2018 being the best to date, and I suspect the best is still to come!

Jeb Dunnuck (96)

An estate that has been firing on all cylinders recently, the Merlot-dominated 2016 Château Sansonnet sports a saturated ruby color as well as a beautiful bouquet of macerated black cherries, blackcurrants, smoked earth, spice, and tobacco. This ripe, sexy, full-bodied beauty has terrific overall balance, a layered texture, no hard edges, and a beautiful finish. It's a gem in the vintage and is well worth a case purchase. The blend is 90% Merlot and 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, all brought up in 80% new French oak. Don’t miss this brilliant wine.

Jeb Dunnuck (96+)

This estate has been on fire of late and that doesn't appear to have changed with the 2018 Château Sansonnet. Revealing a dense purple hue as well as a young, unevolved bouquet of pure crème de cassis, graphite, crushed violets, bouquet garni, chocolate, and distinct chalky minerality, it delivers remarkable purity, full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and flawless balance. A wine that builds slowly with time in the glass, offering a beautiful mix of richness, elegance, and length, it's as good, if not even better than the 2016. Don't miss it!

Few producers of spirit, Scotch or other can claim as dynamic a history as Tullibardine. Tullibardine’s modern history begins in 1949 though there was a brewery on the site dating back to 1488 which made ale for the coronation of James VI, (later James I of England). Originally part of the Whyte & MacKay portfolio it was under-appreciated and mothballed in 1995, until it was bought by independent investors setting up the Tullibardine Distillery Ltd. who resumed production and rejuvenated the brand.

A classic Highland gentleman, it is a whisky of fine character and a good example of the terroir of whisky as the distillery draws its water from the Danny Burn flowing from the Ochil Hills, known as some of the purest in the country (the same source of Highland Spring water). This splendid source gives Tullibardine its soft generosity, not to mention its agreeable nature, affording it a remarkable propensity to take to wine casks better than most.

This cask is a remarkable proposition, having been aged since distillation in 1st Fill Red Wine Barriques previously used by world-renowned Château Talbot, a Cru Classé estate in Saint-Julien, on Bordeaux’s Left Bank. The nature of the wine cask has given this whisky a delicate tinge of colour as well as a vibrant deep fruit profile tha will only develop more with age. Just gone 7 years old, this is a very special cask in the making.

A strikingly designed distillery set among picturesque farmland at the foot of the Ochil Hills in Auchterarder it is in many ways the modern heir of the Perthshire farm distilleries of centuries past. It is a genuine marvel for many insiders that Tullibardine's elegant, gentle spirit has not attracted the attention it deserves. That will not remain the case for long, in our view.

The Xanadu The Wine Society Special Selection Margaret River 2022 is a tantalisingly complex eau-de-vie, crafted meticulously in Australia's prestigious Margaret River wine region. Xanadu, a critically acclaimed winery, boasts a reputation for creating exquisite wines that reflect the purity and uniqueness of the terroir. This special selection depicts the result of a seamless union of impeccable viticulture and innovative winemaking.

The wine portrays a captivating curation of Cabernet Sauvignon, the crown jewel of this region. This indulgent wine is aged in French oak barrels, endowing it with complex layers and a layered, textured palate. Its evolving flavour profile offers a delightful journey through dark berries, mocha, and subtle traces of oak.

In essence, the Xanadu The Wine Society Special Selection Margaret River 2022 is a hallmark of fertile soils, divine climates, and artisan touch, leaving no stone unturned in the pursuit of perfection. This wine is a testament to Xanadu's dedication to creating world-class wines that resonate with their essence of origin.