James Suckling (94)

Lovely aromas of chocolate and currants with bright cherries. Full body, tight and compacted tannins and a fresh and fruity finish. Crisp acidity. Linear and refined. Start drinking in 2021.

Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)

Loads of red and black currants, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and dried flower notes emerge from the 2020 Château Langoa Barton, a gorgeous looking 2020 offering medium to full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It has the concentrated, backward vibe of the vintage yet brings remarkable opulence and texture. It's impressive.

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.

James Suckling (98-99)

This is a superb wine. I didn’t think it could be better than the 2015 but indeed it is. Full, layered and sexy. It goes on for minutes with dense fruit, yet it’s also vivid and showcases sublime tannins and acidity balance. Great finish.

James Suckling (95-96)

A fantastic 2017 from Margaux with a deep and ripe core of fruit in the center palate. Silky and juicy tannins. Full body, plenty of fruit and a long, flavorful finish.

James Suckling (95-96)

A fantastic 2017 from Margaux with a deep and ripe core of fruit in the center palate. Silky and juicy tannins. Full body, plenty of fruit and a long, flavorful finish.

James Suckling (97-98)

A structured and muscular Malescot with blackberry and blackcurrant aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Big wine for this producer.

James Suckling (96-97)

Wow. This is so perfumed and mesmerizing with currant, floral and blackberry character. It’s full-bodied, yet so refined and polished with wonderfully fine-grained and crafted tannins. The finish goes on and on.

The Wine Cellar Insider (94)

Coming along nicely, the wine is already softening, filling out, and adding layers of complexity. Rich, full-bodied, lush, silky, and fresh, the layers of deep black and red fruits feel great on your palate and in the long, showy finish. This is developing in all the right ways.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

The 2019 Marquis d'Alesme Becker was very impressive from barrel. Now in bottle, it has retained those engaging aromas of blackberry, raspberry, cedar and a pinch of spice, well defined and quintessentially Margaux. The palate is understated on the entry, smooth and sensual in texture, with gorgeous, very pure red fruit. I adore the harmony of this wine, and the way it sashays toward the finish. Deceptively approachable, this will mature beautifully in bottle.

Wine Spectator (100)

Opulent and flamboyant are the two words that come to mind with this wine. Aromas of blackberries, dark chocolate and toasted oak follow through to a full-bodied palate, with big, chewy tannins (yet they are refined and silky) and a long, long finish. This is a full-throttle Palmer. Superripe and delicious. Score range: 95-100

Decanter (98)

One of the great years of Bordeaux now at 10 years old and showing why this is such an unusual vintage in terms of the depth of structure and muscular concentration that was achieved. In fact, I am upping the drinking window from the last time I tasted this, as there is such a pulse of life and grip that shows no signs of going anywhere. The initial layers are starting to be peeled back, but this retains primary black and blue fruits that are still full of flesh alongside baked earth, tons of liquorice and black chocolate with a grippy tannic structure, fresh acidities and a serious attitude. Brilliant stuff, that is clearly going to power on for decades. Harvest September 22 to October 20.

Decanter (98)

One of the great years of Bordeaux now at 10 years old and showing why this is such an unusual vintage in terms of the depth of structure and muscular concentration that was achieved. In fact, I am upping the drinking window from the last time I tasted this, as there is such a pulse of life and grip that shows no signs of going anywhere. The initial layers are starting to be peeled back, but this retains primary black and blue fruits that are still full of flesh alongside baked earth, tons of liquorice and black chocolate with a grippy tannic structure, fresh acidities and a serious attitude. Brilliant stuff, that is clearly going to power on for decades. Harvest September 22 to October 20.

James Suckling (100)

I am breathless with the dark-berry, lavender and burnt-orange aromas. Some salt. Just so formidable and deep. Stunningly sexy on the palate with a density and power, yet it leaves things so clean and bright. You want to drink it and enjoy it now, but it has the structure to last forever. Drink in 2022.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

Just hover your nose over the glass to get excited about this wine. Inky purple in colour, cigar box, tobacco bud, pencil lead, tight cassis and bilberry fruit. Where the 2015 is generous, the 2016 is tighter, less expressive at the five year mark, but with layers and potential to fire up an entire room. Has the structure and the chiselled fruit that signposts great Bordeaux in an exceptional vintage, with the nuanced whisper of violet and peony that takes you to the Margaux appellation. Powerful and muscular, still austere but the morieish juice on the finish tells you how much this has to give over the next few decades. Harvest October 3 to 18. Gets better every time you go back to it. 60% new oak.

Wine Advocate (97+)

A blend of 54% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored, 2017 Palmer gives a very serious nose of pronounced blackcurrant cordial, warm plums and blackberry preserves with hints of cedar chest, pencil shavings, violets, dark chocolate and star anise plus exotic wafts of sandalwood and cassia. Medium-bodied, the palate features fantastically vibrant, crunchy black fruits with a firm texture of ripe, grainy tannins and tons of freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced. It will need a good 5-7 years to really blossom with all those tightly wound nuances, but it should be a stunner!

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

A memorable vintage for both good and bad reasons, with yields that dropped down to 11h/h after mildew, but with a concentration and precision that is remarkable. This truly is a briliant wine. There are hints of dried fruit character, wrapped in the complexity of a wine stacked with cigar box, ripe berry fruit, dark chocolate, marmalade zest, turmeric and black pepper spice, layer upon layer, all served up with fresh acidites that make it moreish at the same time. Unusual, and beautiful. Harvest September 13 to October 15, 60% new oak.

The Wine Independent (99)

The Palmer 2019 is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs considerable shaking to unlock notions of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, and crème de cassis, leading to wafts of rose oil and espresso. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with rich, seductive black and blue fruit, supported by heart-thumping tension and very fine tannins, finishing with epic length and jaw-dropping fragrance. Stunning!

The Wine Independent (99)

The Palmer 2019 is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs considerable shaking to unlock notions of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, and crème de cassis, leading to wafts of rose oil and espresso. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with rich, seductive black and blue fruit, supported by heart-thumping tension and very fine tannins, finishing with epic length and jaw-dropping fragrance. Stunning!

Wine Enthusiast (97-99)

97–99. Barrel Sample. This wine's floral perfume is matched by generous tannins that surprise by their strength. The fruit flavors offer a mix of black and red berries. They are finely structured and concentrated, balanced by tightly woven acidity. Made from organic and biodynamic grapes.

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.