Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

A storrming, stonking Napa wine, playing at the top of its game in 2019. Somehow takes the power and concentration of Napa but makes it full of texture, life, light and shade. Espresso, liqourice root, cocoa bean, cassis, cranberry, black cherry, cold ash and crayon. Hard not to fall in love with, nothing overdone, everything in its place. Winemaker Todd DeVincezi, consultant winemaker Philippe Bascaules. All aged in French oak barrels, 75% new.

If you’ve ever seen a postcard of a Scottish fishing village, chances are it was Tobermory. The iconic village on the cost of the fabled Isle of Mull, is known for its colourful waterfront and picturesque fleet of fishing and pleasure craft in its ancient harbour.

The village and the isle is picturesque for sure and has a rich history of sunken Spanish treasure, Viking raiders and some of the earliest Gaelic-speaking arrivals to Scotland. It is only fitting that one of the most beloved distilleries in the country is located here; the eponymous Tobermory Distillery.

Best known for their gentle Island spirit, closers in style to Scapa and lighter Northern Islay malts, Tobermory is a gloriously pleasurable whisky, highly sought after by collectors and with a dedicated core of devotees. On the cask market, it proves as elusive as the galleon's treasure in Tobermory Bay.

The Wine Independent (100)

Paolo di Marchi’s leaving present to Tuscany is this delightful 2019 Isole e Olena Cepparello. Cepparello is a blend of Sangiovese from different vineyards, selected by Di Marchi on the basis of "the best exposure, elevation, soil, genetics and age. I feel this adds complexity.” The first vintage was in 1980 when 100% Sangiovese was not permitted under the Chianti Classico rules. Those rules have since changed but the wine remains an IGT Toscana. It has a supremely enticing nose with cream and exotic spice, reminding me of Arabian spice markets. With the 2019 there is an added precision to the aromas, less heavy oak, and no greenness on the palate. It is concentrated with a rich velvety texture but without any heaviness and with a gentle unforced quality. The tannins are fine and very well integrated, in fact finer and better integrated than even the excellent 2016 vintage. It is of course very young now but it’s almost too delicious not to drink! Supremely graceful, it just gets better and better.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Mid garnet. Heady mushrooms and violet nose. This is extraordinarily concentrated and tastes like a grand cru. Wow! Classic, top-quality red burgundy that's so vibrant, rich and yet elegant. Really rather thrilling. Perhaps the most exciting 2019 I have tasted in London.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru comes from Charlemagne and the Pernand side of the hill, comprises two barrels from the domaine and three barrels from two other sources. It comes across surprisingly closed on the nose. Maybe just going through a dumb phase of élevage? The palate is medium-bodied and much more expressive, gorgeous yellow plum and pithy/peachy notes with a caressing finish. Once the aromatics awaken, this should be a very seductive "CC".

Wine Advocate (93-95)

There's just one half-barrel of the 2019 Montrachet Grand Cru, a rich, concentrated and textural wine that evokes honeyed pears, ripe peaches, beeswax and citrus blossom. Full-bodied and muscular, it's a powerful Montrachet in the making.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2019 Nuits Saint-Georges Les Bousselots 1er Cru veers much more toward red fruit on the nose, hints of meat juice and garrigue emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, quite saline and cohesive, leading to an energetic, peppery finish that lingers. Another promising NSG from Chauvenet.

Jancis Robinson (17+)

Deep cherry red. Intense black fruit and savoury/stony restraint combined. All in embryo, like the Perrières but here the tannins are even firmer. The core is serious dark fruit and some oak spice but it is not intrusive even if it adds a note of dark chocolate to the aroma as it opens in the glass. Fine tannins slightly thickened by the oak but smooth and in harmony with the fruit. Long, savoury finish. (JH)

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-95)

Rich purple, an even colour throughout the glass. Robust red fruit. There is a fine depth of flavour and some class here, plump in the middle, juicy and long, filling the mouth again, while keeping a mineral fresh feel too.

Jancis Robinson (16.5)

Mid crimson. Deep-fruited and much more perfumed than the straight village Nuits-St-Georges. A marked step up in finesse. Dry, finely chalky tannins. Sinewy but elegant with that perfume on the long finish. Impressive persistence. (JH)

Vinous (95)

Deep, shimmering violet. Powerful, spice-tinged red and blue fruit preserve and floral pastille aromas are complemented by suggestions of musky earth and licorice. Alluringly sweet and seamless in the mouth, offering sappy, mineral-driven black raspberry, cherry liqueur, lavender and five-spice powder flavors that expand through the back half. Finishes extremely long and nervy, with harmonious tannins building steadily and adding solid grip to reverberating cherry and floral notes.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2019 Marsannay Es Chezots is one of the most impressive on the nose among Laurent Fournier’s cuvées with black cherries, cassis and briary aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins. There is a discrete marine influence, touches of oyster shell and sea salt on the finish of this splendid and sophisticated Marsannay.

Vinous (91-93)

The 2019 Marsannay Le Chapitre comprises a blend of 15- and 75-year-old vines. Interestingly, Laurent Fournier remarks that the younger vines performed better due to the superior rootstock. It has a gorgeous bouquet with dark cherries, blackcurrant and light violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very velvety in texture with an almost crystalline finish. Just a wonderful Marsannay from Fournier this year.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2019 Marsannay "Trois Terres" Vieilles Vignes has a dense bouquet with blackberry, Japanese nori and almost briny aromas. It gradually opens with more crushed stone scents coming through. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins, fleshy to the point where it disguises the structure underneath, leading to a tarry and very sustained finish. Just about as good as Marsannay gets. Superb.

Vinous (87-89)

The 2019 Bourgogne Rouge, which comes from the Vosne-Romanée appellation, has a well-defined bouquet of wild strawberry and raspberry aromas; there is something almost sedate about the nose. The pure, harmonious palate offers quite high-toned red and blue fruit. Sorbet-fresh toward the finish, with veins of blood orange. Very fine for its class.

Vinous (95-97)

The 2019 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru has a deep color. The beautifully defined bouquet offers blackberry, raspberry, incense and crushed stone aromas, all incredibly detailed and precise. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, perfectly pitched acidity and a structured finish that delivers good grip and a touch of black pepper on the spicy aftertaste. Seriously fine.

Vinous (90-92)

The 2019 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Lavières is initially tight on the nose, opening slowly to offer black cherries, blueberry and clementine peel. The palate is medium-bodied with a mixture of red and black fruit, and refreshingly saline in the mouth, particularly on the oyster-shell-tinged finish. Plenty of energy here, even if it’s not the best Grivot Nuits Saint-Georges this vintage.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2019 Vosne-Romanée Les Rouges 1er Cru has "grown up a lot over the last 10 years," according to Etienne Grivot. It is one of the more reticent cuvées on the nose this year, reluctantly unfolding to reveal more tertiary red berry fruit laced with garrigue and iodine. Good complexity, but these aromatics will need time to open. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, lithe tannins. Quite compact at the moment, this has good grip and a saline, marine-influenced finish that fans out beautifully. A succinct, understated Les Rouge that will give 20-plus years of pleasure.

Inspired by the legacy of Burgundy, the Jean Guiton Savigny Beaune Peuillets 2019 is a testament to the vintner's passion for traditional wine craftsmanship. This wine is produced in limited quantities in the heart of Burgundy, France; a region known for its distinctive terroir and venerable viticultural traditions. Hand-picked from prime vineyards, Jean-Guiton uses environmentally-friendly methods, championing biodiversity to create exquisite wines.

The Jean Guiton Savigny Beaune Peuillets 2019, is celebrated for complex layers of hawthorn, raspberry, and liquorice aromas. Matured in partially new oak barrels for about a year, this Pinot Noir exudes elegance with a silken texture, bright fruit, and prolonged finish. It provides an enriching sensory experience that leaves a profound, lingering impression.

Produced by Guillaume Guiton, a respected innovator in the field, this wine maintains the enviable quality that embodies the Jean Guiton estate's renowned reputation.

Vinous (92-94)

Matured in around 40% new oak, the 2019 Nuits Saint-Georges Au Bas de Combe Vieilles Vignes has a very controlled, focused bouquet of raspberry and bilberry fruit, beautifully defined and very terroir-expressive. The palate is well balanced and stylistically equidistant between Nuits Saint-Georges and Vosne-Romanée, betraying its geographical location. The 85-year-old vines impart great concentration but also immense quality, more Premier Cru than Village Cru. Superb.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

A powerhouse of a wine that flirts with perfection, the 2019 Hermitage reveals a dense purple hue as well as an extraordinary bouquet of sweet blue fruits supported by notes of crushed stone, lead pencil, leather, and ground pepper, with hints of flowers in the background. Full-bodied, stunningly pure, and massively concentrated, yet with riveting precision and elegance, it needs to be hidden in the back of the cellar for a decade and will evolve for 30, 40, if not 50 years. Tasting the trilogy of the 2018, 2019, and 2020 over the coming decades will be the equivalent of wine nirvana.

Vinous (92)

Deep ruby. A mineral- and smoke-tinged bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruits and licorice; a floral nuance builds as the wine opens with air. Shows very good energy and spicy lift to its juicy boysenberry and bitter cherry flavors, which are complemented by suggestions of allspice, smoked meat and candied licorice. Finishes long and taut, with repeating cherry notes, chewy tannic grip and a jolt of spicy cracked pepper.

Vinous (93)

The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet Champ Canet 1er Cru has a very attractive nose with enticing scents of nectarine, tinned white peaches, Braeburn apples and a light chalky note. The palate is well balanced with orange pith, apricot and lychee notes on the entry. This Champ Canet has fine depth and good tension, the mouth tingling with spicy residues after it has departed. Excellent.

Savour the exquisitely crafted Jean-Marc Seleque, Coteaux Champenois Premier Cru, Dizy 2019. This vintage originates from the esteemed Premier Cru vineyards of Dizy in the Champagne region of France. Produced by seventh-generation grower Jean-Marc Seleque, this wine encapsulates the family's dedication to quality and tradition, with each cluster handpicked and diligently selected for superior taste. The vinification process utilises oak barrels, fostering a refined and complex flavour profile.

This elegant wine is distilled from pure Meunier grapes, offering an impressive pallet of red fruits with a delicate minerality. Bright crimson in hue, the Dizy 2019 provides a remarkable balance between acidity and rounded smoothness, yielding an exceptionally pleasing finish.

Enjoy the Jean-Marc Seleque, Coteaux Champenois Premier Cru, Dizy 2019's fine craftsmanship with confidence, knowing it represents the best of Premier Cru selections.

Wine Advocate (98)

One of the most colossal wines in all of my tastings was Jim Barry’s 2004 Shiraz The Armagh, a 100% Shiraz aged 16 months in French and American oak. It is an opaque purple-hued, super-intense effort displaying great precision and richness. Notes of melted asphalt, acacia flowers, blueberries, blackberries, charcoal, and espresso roast emerge from this full, dense, opulent Shiraz. The finish lasts for over 45 seconds. This is a great example of one of the icons of Australian Shiraz. Anticipated maturity: now-2025.

Wine Advocate (96+)

The 2019 Graacher Himmelreich Auslese (Gold Capsule) offers a concentrated and spicy bouquet with notes of tea and lemon chutney. Round and refined on the palate, this is a highly elegant and salty-piquant Auslese with delicate grip and very fine concentration. It tastes concentrated but not that sweet and enormously piquant and salty. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2019 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (Gold Capsule) is very clear and fine on the floral and highly delicate nose. Piquant and fresh on the palate, this is a concentrated, fresh and salty, straight and precise Auslese with concise acidity and lemon chutney notes on the piquant and grippy finish. Far too young but with the finesse and irresistible charm of the Sonnenuhr. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.