Vinous (90)

Dried apricots and peaches emerge from an air of white smoke and incense as the 2020 Bramìto della Sala opens up in the glass. It’s soft and appealing through its stimulating mix of mineral-tinged orchard fruits and complementary nuances of sour citrus. Hints of grapefruit and green botanicals linger throughout the long, spicy. mouthwatering finale. The 2019 represents excellent value in the category of entry-level Italian Chardonnay.

James Suckling (99)

This is big and powerful, without being ripe and heavy. So much apple, stone, and hints of toffee. Aromatic. Full-bodied, layered and framed with phenolic tension and a great finish. Muscular and agile at the same time. One of the best I have tasted. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (96)

Focused and complex on the nose with stone, sliced cooked apple and hints of toffee. Full-bodied, with a density and freshness and liveliness. Vivid and energetic. All about class here. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (97)

Complex nose of toast, charred pineapple, green papaya, kaffir lime and lemon. Crushed stones and white pepper, too. Full-bodied with vibrant acidity. Textured. Long and layered. Delicious and concentrated. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (97)

This is very aromatic and lifted with mineral, nougat, floral, and lightly cooked apples. Some flint and matchstick. Medium- to full-bodied with a fine phenolic and acid backbone that energizes the wine. Complex aftertaste with subtle fruit and pastry at the end. This will age beautifully but hard not to drink now.

Wine Advocate - Robert Parker (97)

The 2000 Montefalco 25 Anni simply multiplies all the elements exponentially with room-filling aromas of sweet berry fruit and perfectly integrated oak and a mouth-coating cascade of ripe fruit, powerful, dense, and sensual tannins in a swelling flow of unrelieved pleasure. I would be very surprised if this wine did not last another two decades.

Vinous (94)

The 2004 Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni is even more remarkable. A dark, brooding beauty, this pure Sagrantino flows from the glass with awesome richness. The wine's fruit is still primary and vibrant, while the textural sensations on the palate are totally seductive. The firm Sagrantino tannins are there, but the wine has so much fruit they are barely perceptible. First made to celebrate the property's 25th anniversary, the 25 Anni is a selection of the best fruit and sees 24 months in small French oak barrels. It represents the very finest in contemporary winemaking.

Vinous (95)

The truly captivating 2016 Montefalco Sagrantino 25 Anni pulls you close to the glass with a beguiling bouquet that mixes citrus-tinged black fruits with exotic spices, hints of oregano, menthol and a dusting of cocoa. While there’s admirable weight and depth here, the textures are more like pure silk, delicately draped across the palate, yet leaving behind a saturating blend of intense dark fruits, minerals and fine-grained tannin. There’s so much depth and concentration to work through that, even as the 2016 finishes youthfully structured and dry, it continues to resonate for well over a minute with notes of currant, sage and dark chocolate. Bury this beautiful beast for at least 3–5 years in your cellar, and then enjoy it over the next decade or more. This is a fantastic rendition of Arnaldo Caprai’s 25 Anni.

Immerse yourself in the exquisite richness of Castello di Solomeo Rosso 2018, a remarkable Red Wine from the heart of Umbria, Italy. This illustrious vintage, crafted by the esteemed vintners of the Castello di Solomeo estate, is the embodiment of years of dedicated viticulture and meticulous winemaking. The 2018 vintage is made from a careful blend of Sangiovese, Sagrantino, and Merlot grapes, aged in oak barrels to instil a harmonious balance of robust fruit flavours, spicy undertones and subtle oak nuances.

Renowned for producing wines of exceptional character, the Castello di Solomeo estate is nestled in the picturesque valleys of the commune of Solomeo, providing perfect terroir for these distinctive grapes. Castello di Solomeo Rosso 2018 shines brightly in the glass, with a complex aroma profile ushering in a palate that juxtaposes freshness with maturity. Pair it with richly flavoured dishes to fully appreciate its opulent profile.

Savor the legacy of Italian winemaking with Castello di Solomeo Rosso 2018, a treasure in any wine lover's collection.

Halliday Wine Companion (98)

81% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot, 6% cabernet franc, 3% malbec. Wild-fermented and matured for 18 months in French oak (40% new). The colour is faultless, as is the wine. It has waves of complexity, like one of Margaret River's surf breaks, changing shape as the luxuriant cassis swells on the mid-palate, then finishes with ripe, textured tannins as the wave goes on to crash on the shore. The overall ripeness is perfection.

James Suckling (99)

This is a superb edition of this revered, cabernet-based blend with such complete, seamless and elegant feel, yet there’s such depth of flavor, too. Aromas of fresh redcurrants, red and violet flowers, subtle spice, fresh earth, paper bark, fresh-picked thyme and sage, red berries and some cedary notes. The palate is stunning and has a brand of elegance with power that is found in only the greatest wines. Pristine mulberries, red plums, blueberries and red cherries sail through layers of fine tannin, into an unwaveringly long and vibrant finish. An exceptionally concentrated and convincing Diana Madeline release, this is one of their finest. A blend of 79% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 5% malbec. Delicious now, but his will bloom from 2028. Screw cap.

Halliday Wine Companion (98)

87% Cabernet sauvignon, with 7/3/2/1% merlot/cabernet franc/malbec/petit verdot. Matured for 15 months in barrique, 45% new. Cassis and red licorice on the nose, bay and salt bush, too. The palate is salty and fine with layers upon layers of spice and texture. The tannins are like finely textured gills, stacked as delicately as the folds in a mushroom. The length of flavour unfurls and extends across the palate, taking so long to fade that this entire tasting note is possible off one sip. The rest are just for pleasure. Drink it now, or in 40+ years from now… both will be possible.

Halliday Wine Companion (95)

57% malbec, 37% petit verdot, 6% merlot, hand-picked on 11 Feb '17, when a total eclipse occurred, turning the moon red. Wild-fermented, matured for 9 months in French oak (10% new). It's a delectably juicy red berry wine with minimal interference from tannins, but will be no pushover as it ages.

Wine Pilot (99)

In many ways the most Burgundian of any of the Leeuwin releases, this will rank up there with the best to date. There’s a waxy light mealy aroma which picks up nuances of limestone and spice with a trace of grapefruit. But it is the palate that really distinguishes it. There is an austerity with the minerally chalky feel that cuts through the fruit extending to a finish of extraordinary length. Precision and focus harness a wine of great power and poise before dry savoury edges lift the finish.

Ray Jordan (99)

It would not surprise me if this was considered the greatest Leeuwin chardonnay yet. You would get no argument from me... there is elegance and power here. Subtle layered wine. It was a year of great concentration and power. Has pear and lime character that is part of the DNA. The fruit is generous, especially about the mid palate. Has a subtle and not overstated flinty character with a lift of spice. The oak is brilliantly managed and complementary. It's very tight and precise and the whole-bunch technique gives it that stalky, phenolics character. There's a savoury almond meal character on the finish. Incredible length and power here. The minerally character on the finish is quite pronounced. In the top three, certainly, of any Leeuwin chardonnay.

Vinous (91)

Shiraz is on the move in Margaret River as evidenced by this delightful release from the 2019 Art Series. It offers up sensational aromas of mulberry, blackberry, clove and white pepper with some stalky notes providing a tantalising start. There is plenty of fleshy fruit flavour as well with jube and fruits pastilles with a dusting of toasted cloves. A supple finish only adds to immediate drinkability as does fine length.

Wine Advocate (93)

Has been through a few subtle iterations in recent years and this one reverts to a previous style which is more generous and immediately flavoursome. Has a creamy texture with a light lemon curd and peachy stone fruit all held with deliberate restraint to give it that extra polish and classy dimension.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2019 Burnside Vineyard Chardonnay is flinty, spicy and lean, with curry leaf, a hint of Champion Ruby (rolling tobacco in Australia—think Golden Virginia) and a bit of saltbush (local flora). It is very smart. The cooler year is moderated by the close proximity to the beach here—it is briny and so good. I could drink a lot of this. It has a beautiful clean finish. Excellent.

Wine Advocate (97)

The warmer vintage here brings concentration, plushness and deliciousness into the mix. While the 2020 Burnside Vineyard Chardonnay doesn’t have all of the mineral detail that the 2019 does, it is incredibly vibrant. Very smart, people will love this. It has the phenolic chew and shape that bring drinking pleasure and add another dimension of experience. Burnside is generally my favorite vineyard in the trio of single-vineyard Chardonnays.

Halliday Wine Companion (96)

From a schistous single vineyard close to the coast, this was made sans additions with an ambient ferment, evident lees handling and maturation in French oak of the utmost quality, to boot. More generous aromatically than wines made of fruit from the souther zones, the wine nevertheless boasts a nervous mineral tension underlying its swag of stone fruit flavours. The mid-palate boasts a hint of curd, but none of the excessive sulphidic funk of many contemporary expressions.

Halliday Wine Companion (95)

Grown on limestone and sand-loam soils close to the ocean. The coolest of the single vineyard chardonnay sites. Aromas of cashew and oatmeal mingle with white-fleshed stone fruit and a suggestion of salty sea breezes. Tight and precise on the palate, green apple and citrus curd flavours run into a long, textural, minerally finish. Drink by 2027

Cultivated with immense proficiency, the Paolo Bea Sagrantino Montefalco Secco Pagliaro 2011 is an exquisite masterpiece from one of the most highly regarded wineries in Montefalco, Umbria. Assembled from 100% Sagrantino grapes, this exquisite vintage shines with a brilliant ruby hue, underpinned by aromas of wild cherries, plums, and a hint of spice.

This extraordinary wine is the result of meticulous craftsmanship, where each grape is hand-harvested, undergoes spontaenous fermentation with no temperature control, allowing the passionate terroir of the Pablirano vineyard to imprint itself into the wine. The ageing process in stainless steel and large Slavonic oak barrels for 4 years ensures the development of a complex and unique character.

Producer Paolo Bea is renowned for his organic and biodynamic practices, creating unrivalled wines that offer a true expression of their birthplace. The Paolo Bea Sagrantino Montefalco Secco Pagliaro 2011 is indeed a sublime testament to his unwavering adroitness and absolute devotion to tradition.

The Western Australian (98)

This is a remarkable wine that captures the essence of this variety in a way not seen before in Australia. It’s a medium-bodied wine yet the palate delivers deep and complex flavours through to an exceptional finish. Has a European gravelly, grainy mouthfeel that carries plenty of intensity albeit delivered with such poise and almost shy coyness.

Halliday Wine Companion (96)

90/8/2% cabernet sauvignon/petit verdot/malbec. Wild ferment, matured in French oak (44% new) for 18 months. Not enough can be said in favour of the 2018 vintage, producing wines just like this. Powerfully ripe and dense, with epic length of flavour. This is a structural and concentrated cabernet capable of decades of graceful evolution in the cellar. Wild raspberry, salted licorice, aniseed, pomegranate, ferrous and kelp. Saline acid. It comes in at under $50, and long may that continue, for it is one of the great-value premium wines of the region.

Halliday Wine Companion (96)

Bright crimson-purple; this has provenance written large across its visage, likewise purity. Restructuring of the Vasse Felix offers to the market has lifted, not compromised, this dark, fruit-filled cabernet.