The Real Review (96)

Line-priced with the Home Block Pinot Noir, this is a slightly more robust style thanks, perhaps, to more clay-rich soils. It's an elegant pinot noir with cherry, spice, anise, floral, violet, cigar box and fine, stemmy tannins. A little closed at this stage but with the potential to develop well with bottle age.

Raymond Chan (100)

Full, even, black-hued ruby-red with youthful purple tints. The nose is very full with softly concentrated and layered aromas of rich, ripe, dark red berries and cherries along with nuances of dark red plums entwined with fragrant violet florals, fresh herb and spicy detail. The aromatics blossom to reveal notes of raspberry liqueur, earth and minerals. This exudes richness allied to elegance and finesse. Medium-full bodied, vibrantly succulent and lusciously sweet fruit flavours of dark red berry and cherry fruit are harmoniously melded with flavours of ripe dark plums and fragrant violet florals, dark herbs, spices and red licorice. The flavours are seamlessly mouthfilling and supported by refined, flowery tannin extraction, and enlivened by poised acidity. This has drive, energy and fine linearity, and the wine carries to a very long and sustained, rich finish of spiced cherries and raspberry liqueur. This is a beautifully rich and succulent, elegantly balanced and refined Pinot Noir with seamless-flowing, ripe flavours of dark berry and cherry fruit with complexing floral and herbal detail. Match with duck, pork, beef and lamb dishes over the next 7-10 years. Fruit from the oldest parcels, 40% Abel clone with the remainder clones 5, Dijon and 10/5, indigenous yeast fermented with 25% whole bunches to 14.0% alc., the wine spending 20-26 days on skins and aged 11 months in 35% new French oak barrels.

James Suckling (98)

This has all the cherry and spice and perfume that defines this consistently stunning pinot noir, as well as a sense of immense freshness. The palate has deceptive lightness and tannins that are supple and caressing and that kick fresh and expansive out through the finish. Succulent and elegant.

Wine Orbit (98)

Offering graceful power and immense complexity, the wine shows dark cherry, dark mushroom, floral, fragrant spice and toasted almond characters on the nose with nuances of charcuterie and floral. It’s elegant and sophisticated on the palate with exceptional depth and concentration, seamlessly structured by silky tannins, finishing impressively long and engaging.

The Real Review (98)

Elegant, seamless pinot noir with fragrant, floral, red rose, dark cherry, anise, spice and restrained savoury and fresh herb characters. It's a complex medley of appealing flavours supported by an ethereal texture and a lingering finish. A surprisingly accessible wine from an excellent vintage. Should develop well with bottle age.

The Real Review (98)

Concentrated, complex pinot noir with cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, violet, wood smoke and savoury/dried herb flavours. Accessible now but with a proven history of ageing gracefully. Elegant wine with impressive power.

Decanter (96)

Family-owned winery Craggy Range was founded in 1998 in Hawke’s Bay, and the family has pursued a single-vineyard approach to winemaking. For this wine, grapes are grown on limestone-speckled stony soils in Martinborough. It is fermented in a mixture of oak and stainless steel followed by four months ageing in barrique. Roger Jones: A mellow, yellow wine with buttercups, green herbs and rosemary flowers, a silky purity and freshness. Stunning. Melanie Brown: The perfect collaboration of sweet fruit and vegetal aromas. Grapefruit, elderflower and sweet pea shoots, plus lively acid and purity galore. This is next-level elegant. Rebecca Palmer: Tart lemon-lime and whitecurrant notes with hint of spice. Silky texture, lifted by oak. Spice notes on the finish.

James Suckling (98)

This pinot has an x-factor that sets it apart. There’s an almost peppery edge to the violet, blueberry and red-cherry nose with sappy and earthy elements, as well as roasted game and fragrant baking spices. The palate has a very plush, attractive and fresh array of vibrant and detailed pinot fruit on offer. Long and precise. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

The Real Review (96)

Deepish, bright, youthful red/purple colour, with a lovely fragrant bouquet of red and dark cherries, strawberry and rose petals. It's complex and foresty too, but shows more primary fruit and perfume than usual for a young Escarpment pinot. Dried flowers, dried herb, savoury underbrush aromas. Very complex and profound in the mouth, with a very long carry. The tannins are in excellent harmony. An outstanding vintage for this vineyard. (70% whole-bunches)

Wine Advocate (95)

The full-bodied, rich 2019 Kupe Pinot Noir is a lovely example of how size doesn't have to mean a loss of elegance. Bold black cherry and plum flavors combine with nuances of cola spice and mocha to yield ample complexity, while the palate is plush and velvety, seamlessly extending through a lingering finish. While delicious now, I expect it will drink well for more than a decade.

James Suckling (96)

Intensely spicy and perfumed with concentrated notes of purple plums, cherry stones, rosemary, neroli, cloves, cigar box and ground coffee. The tannins are firm and tightly-knit, providing a solid frame to the dark fruit. Sensual and distinctive. Try this from 2024. Screw cap.

Real Review (97)

Intense, dense wine with cassis, blueberry, blackberry, dark chocolate, mixed spice and nutty oak flavours. Concentrated wine that is beautifully structured making it accessible now but with obvious potential

James Suckling (95)

A juicy and savory 2021 with dried strawberry, meat, mineral and earth undertones. Medium to full body. Chewy tannins and layered. Slightly smoky at the end. Charcoal. Very drinkable but better in 2025. Screw cap.

Crafted within the distinguished region of Burgundy, J Thevenet Bongran Vire-Clesse 2011 is an exquisite testament to the mastery of its revered producer. Thevenet's acclaimed low-yield vineyard practices offer a rarity in the world of Chardonnay, yielding a rich, powerful expression. The painstakingly hand-harvested, native-yeast fermented grapes, matured on the lees in old oak barrels for up to two years, deliver an extraordinary opulence, its incredibly high natural sugar levels balanced by naturally occurring, ice-wine like acidity.

Bongran Vire-Clesse 2011 displays a luxuriously golden hue, capturing the essence of ripe apple, pears, and quince on the nose, with nuances of honey, marzipan and delicate spices. The wine intrigues the palate with its immense concentration, ushering in a kaleidoscope of complex flavours that carry through to a prolonged, invigorating finish. Remarkably age-worthy, the J Thevenet Bongran Vire-Clesse 2011 is an absolute gem of the Mâconnais district.

The J Thevenet Bongran Vire-Clesse 2015 is a divine manifestation of traditional Burgundian wine-making. Produced in the stunning vineyards of Quintaine, Mâconnais, France, this wine reflects the exceptional skill of Jean Thevenet, a craftsman who favours nature-friendly, manual wine-making techniques. The grapes are harvested late to ensure optimum ripeness before undergoing natural fermentation processes in oak casks, landing the wine with a rich, full-bodied profile.

Savour the unique character of J Thevenet Bongran Vire-Clesse 2015, as it boasts fruity notes, a hint of earthiness and minerality. Its engaging complexity, combined with a lingering honeyed finish brings forth elegant richness and timeless finesse. This Chardonnay's balance between acidity and residual sugar offers an excellent aging potential. To all fine wine connoisseurs, immerse yourself in the charisma of this single-varietal, achieving the perfect harmony between concentration and freshness.

Join us to embark on the tantalising journey of the J Thevenet Bongran Vire-Clesse 2015, a wine that truly encapsulates 'terroir' in a bottle.

Vinous (93)

The 2016 Viré-Clessé is the vintage currently on the market, although Guillaume Thevenet suggested that it will benefit from five to seven years in bottle. That’s easier said than done given the irresistible bouquet with gorgeous white peach, nectarine, blood orange and light minerally notes. The palate is very harmonious and smooth with ginger and white pepper notes interlaced with the very subtle tropical fruit of pineapple and a hint of guava. Great linearity and length here, this is only just beginning to show what it can do, so maybe heed Guillaume’s advice!

Vinous (92-94)

The 2017 Viré-Clessé, which will be bottled at the beginning of 2022, has a killer nose with an almost Germanic feel, intense nectarine, melon and damp earthy scents with just a hint of petrol. The palate is beautifully balanced with a line of acidity keeping everything taut and linear. The 2017 is a little waxy in texture with orange rind, stem ginger and white pepper furnishing the very persistent finish. This is superb - a Viré-Clessé with genuine substance and longevity.

Wine Advocate (89+)

Deep garnet-purple in color and replete with aromas of ripe mulberries, black currants and black cherries with suggestions of black pepper, bacon, tree bark and star anise, the medium-bodied 2010 Syrah offers just enough black fruit, savory and spicy flavors in the mouth and is supported by a low to medium level of rounded tannins, perky acid and a finish with good length. Drink it now to 2018+.