James Suckling (98)

This is a superb merlot with black olive, blueberry, iodine, and oyster shell. Full body, tight tannins. Chocolate, walnut, and bramble berry. Superb finish. A beauty. Try now but give it four to five years of bottle age.

Tim Atkin MW (96)

South Africa's Sweet Wine of the Year 2017.

Wine Advocate (100)

A wine that wins my nomination for the title of "wine of the vintage" is the 2012 L'Eglise Clinet, a fleshy and enveloping Pomerol evocative of dark cherries and berries mingled with licorice, spices, pencil lead, truffle and rose petals. Full-bodied, broad and textural, it's lavish and expansive, with terrific depth at the core, supple tannins and a long, resonant finish. Seamless, charming and impeccably balanced, this transcends the vintage, and while it's deceptively drinkable now, it remains a mere adolescent at age 11.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94-97)

The 2014 L'Eglise Clinet is a real head-turner. Gorgeous, super-expressive aromatics meld into a core of dark, sumptuous fruit. Lavender, mint, violets, graphite and crème de cassis notes abound in a powerful, structured wine endowed with magnificent purity and a skyscraper-like sense of lift. Finesse and power collide in a crystalline Pomerol of exceptional beauty. Powerful and dense to the core, the 2014 is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. The blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2014 L'Evangile comes racing out of the blocks on the nose with plenty of black cherry, blueberry, cold stone and black truffle scents, quintessentially Pomerol with impressive delineation and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly grainy texture, lovely black fruit here laced with Earl Grey, spice and sage, quite intense and fanning out gloriously towards the long finish. This seems to have gained precision after bottling and I did warn that it may merit a higher score. This is a deeply impressive L'Evangile that might challenge Lafite-Rothschild in the long term. Chapeau!

Vinous - Neal Martin (91)

The 2014 La Chenade has a reserved but well defined bouquet with earthy red and black fruit, hints of truffle oil and sage, gaining a little intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with firm and quite strict tannin. This is rather aloof and distant and yet it is undeniably well defined and fascinating, a Pomerol that clearly needs some bottle age. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2014 Lafleur-Pétrus is a wine of translucence and total finesse. Deep and rich, yet also light on its feet, the 2014 Lafleur-Pétrus is one of the most distinctive wines of the vintage for the way in which it brings together intensity and elegance, all with an unmistakably understated personality. Bright aromatic top notes add to the wine’s open-knit bouquet and overall feeling of sensuality. A considerable amount of Cabernet Franc character comes through, even if Franc is only 7 % of the blend. All the elements are in the right place. In 2014, Lafleur-Pétrus is 93 % Merlot and 7 % Cabernet Franc.

James Suckling (96)

Incredible purity of fruit to this red with plums, cherries and berries. Full body, ripe and silky tannins and a fantastically long finish. Love the bitter-orange undertone to this. Drink in 2020.

Wine Advocate (96)

Tasted blind at the Southwold 2012 tasting, the 2012 La Mission Haut-Brion showed brilliantly. It has an intense, floral bouquet with rose petals and strawberry preserve, hints of sous-bois and tobacco gently unfolding in the glass, gaining more earthiness as it aerates in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, broad and spicy with hints of bell pepper suggesting high quality Cabernet Franc. It fans out gloriously with a sustained tertiary finish that completes what is a wondrous La Mission Haut-Brion from Jean-Philippe Delmas and his team. Tasted January 2012.

Vinous - Neal Martin (96)

The 2014 La Mission Haut-Brion has a sophisticated, very detailed bouquet with blackberry, wild hedgerow, cedar and graphite. This is very focused and yet at the same time quite controlled and discrete. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp acidity, cedar and touches of allspice. I love the depth of this wine and the gentle grip towards the finish. It knows not to push too hard in this growing season and that results in a very classy wine. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96+)

The 2014 La Mondotte is fabulous. Ripe, powerful and structured, with notable vertical intensity, it is wonderfully complete, not to mention hugely expressive. Inky blue and purplish-hued stone fruits, crème de cassis, licorice, lavender and violet build effortlessly as the wine shows off its beguiling personality. Even with all of its intensity, it finishes with notable precision and driven by distinctive chalk-inflected notes. A few years in bottle should help the new oak integrate. Today, the 2014 Mondotte is a real stunner. The blend is 80 % Merlot and 20 % Cabernet Franc.

Vinous (93)

Dark ruby. A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes spice-tinged dark fruit preserves, potpourri, vanilla and incense, and a smoky mineral overtone builds as the wine opens up. Sappy and broad on the palate, offering weighty blackberry, cherry-vanilla and spicecake flavors that turn spicier with air. Shows excellent precision on the persistent finish, which features sweet dark fruit liqueur and floral elements and harmonious tannins.

Tim Atkin MW (94)

La Rioja Alta is one of the most traditional wineries in Haro’s Barrio de la Estación, famous for producing wines that are good to drink on release, but also age beautifully in bottle. This new Gran Reserva, made from Tempranillo with 6% Graciano for added backbone, is very much a reflection of the cooler, more “Atlantic” 2014 vintage. La Rioja Alta didn’t make its top two Gran Reservas – 904 and 890 – in 2014, so all of its best grapes were used for Viña Arana. Fine and elegant, with vibrant acidity, notes of coconut and cinnamon from the American oak and a core of savoury, refreshing tobacco leaf and red berry flavours framed by fine, caressing tannins. Old-fashioned Rioja at its glorious best.

Wine Advocate (90-93)

Tasted as a tank sample, the 2014 Grand Cuvee Blanc is a terrific looking blend of mostly Grenache Gris that’s aged, on Viognier lees, in 20% demi-muids. From the Aspres terroir and 60- to 70-year-old vines, it has awesome notes of citrus blossom, white flowers, green herbs, salty minerality and ample pear and stone-fruit characteristics on the nose. This is followed by a textured, full-flavored, yet clean and pure white that has both freshness and richness. Count me a fan. This is a terrific white that will impress for 2-3 years, if not longer.

James Suckling (98)

The aromas of stones, oyster shell, blackcurrants and mushrooms are very intense. Full-bodied, dense and powerful with lots of blackberries. Great finish. Super energy and depth. Try in 2022. Fascinating.

James Suckling (100)

That is fantastic on the nose. OMG! Exuberant aromas of lavender, tobacco, cigar box, violets and slice plums. Medium to full body. It just builds on the palate and goes on forever. Speechless. Such finesse and beauty. Just a hint of spices. What a glorious, hyper-classic wine. Coup de foudre!

One of the finest exemplars of Champagne in existence, the Laherte Freres Les Vignes d'Autrefois Extra Brut 2014 epitomises the elaborate craftsmanship of the famed Laherte Freres estate. Located in the celebrated Chavot-Courcourt region of France, the vineyard blends conventional wisdom with avant-garde winemaking techniques to bring to life this delectable heritage cuvée.

Born from a single vineyard growing on clay and limestone soils, this 2014 vintage is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, painstakingly harvested by hand to ensure their pristine condition. After undergoing meticulous vinification in oak with indigenous yeasts, the wine is left to age on lees for 24 months, resulting in an extra brut that truly captivates.

The Laherte Freres Les Vignes d'Autrefois Extra Brut 2014 reveals complex notes of white fruit, brioche, and an enticing minerality. The palate is robust, yet refined, reflecting the extraordinary precision of this esteemed estate. A splendid toast to tradition.

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.

Steeped in luxury, the Larmandier Bernier Vieille Vigne du Levant Grand Cru 2012 is a stunning display of skill from Larmandier Bernier, a noteworthy Champagne producer. Drawing from old vines at Côte des Blancs, this wine embodies the terroir's chalky essence. Committed to biodynamic principle, the Larmandier family meticulously cultivates this single-varietal Chardonnay without artificial interference. Harvested manually, it undergoes natural fermentation and prolonged lees aging, contributing to its rich complexity.

The outcome? The Larmandier Bernier Vieille Vigne du Levant Grand Cru 2012 exhibits sumptuous flavours. Lush notes of ripe citrus, baked apple, and almond mix with a mellow undercurrent of brioche, elegantly housed within a refined mineral structure. The wine’s potent acidity beautifully underpins this symphony of flavours, while the finish persists with a lingering finesse. Give this extraordinary Champagne the appreciation it deserves and add Larmandier Bernier Vieille Vigne du Levant Grand Cru 2012 to your collection today.

Vinous (95)

The 2014 Extra Brut Les Chemins d"Avize Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is fabulous. Rich, ample and potent, the 2014 possesses tremendous density from start to finish. Apricot, spice, dried flowers, graphite and lemon confit all build in a Champagne of enormous resonance. The pedigree here is evident. Chemins d"Avize is a blend from the Chemin de Plivot and Chemin de Flavigny lieux-dits. It was vinified in neutral oak and bottled with dosage of two grams per liter. Disgorged: June, 2021.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2014 Lascombes is a bold, dramatic wine. Dark stone fruit, leather, bittersweet chocolate, smoke, licorice and French oak all meld together in the glass. Lascombes is a powerful, modern Margaux with soft contours and considerable fruit intensity. All the elements come together effortlessly. Readers should expect a bold, intense wine. Tasted two times.

Decanter (97)

This will be by far the biggest release since Latour brought in the new system, as the 2012 has not been on the market before. It's a good one to start with as this is a vintage where the drinking window is starting to come into view. This is pure liquorice, graphite and profoundly dark fruits, gourmet brushed damson and crushed stones, with a silky, appealingly open texture. The tannins are as bracing as you hope for from this estate, not giving an inch yet, but there is air between them and the structure is starting to loosen up. Harvest from September 24 to October 16, under rainy conditions after a super hot summer and early September that ensured the grapes stayed in good condition, but turned the concentration from impenetrable to an altogether more approachable style.

James Suckling (99)

So much violets, licorice, pencil, flowers and currants define this on the nose before it moves to fresh mushrooms. It’s full-bodied yet compacted with tension and a compressed center palate. Incredible, fine-grained tannins and energy. The length is truly great. Should be even more beautiful in 2024. Give it time.

James Suckling (99)

So much violets, licorice, pencil, flowers and currants define this on the nose before it moves to fresh mushrooms. It’s full-bodied yet compacted with tension and a compressed center palate. Incredible, fine-grained tannins and energy. The length is truly great. Should be even more beautiful in 2024. Give it time.

James Suckling (99)

So much violets, licorice, pencil, flowers and currants define this on the nose before it moves to fresh mushrooms. It’s full-bodied yet compacted with tension and a compressed center palate. Incredible, fine-grained tannins and energy. The length is truly great. Should be even more beautiful in 2024. Give it time.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)

One of a handful of single vineyard châteaux in Champagne, now being made by Leclerc-Briant (although they are not owners). Crisp, clean, touches of green apple on the nose but there is weight behind this and it opens to show plenty of quince, hazlenut, biscuit and flaky pastry character, not quite as far as brioche at this point although it will develop over the next few years. The first wine to be released under the new regime, with Hervé Jestin chef de cave, as for Leclerc-Briant (he was in fact already making wine here under the previous owners). Ageing in neutral oak casks, biodynamic viticulture. 2.5ha of vines, 12%abv. Tasted twice, loved it both times, powerful depth of flavour. Brut zero (2g/l dosage), Blanc de Blancs, 100% Grand Cru.

Wine Advocate (88)

The 2014 Bourgogne Blanc has developed nicely during the remainder of its élevage since I tasted it from stainless steel tank, offering apple blossom, flint and smoky scents that possess much more character. The palate is fresh on the entry with citrus peel and fresh Granny Smith, well judged acidity and a bright and lively finish. This is precisely what you want from a Bourgogne Blanc. Tasted December 2016.

Vinous - Neal Martin (94)

The 2014 Léoville Barton has a crisp, poised bouquet with graphite tinged black fruit, hints of crushed flower and clove, nicely define and gaining definition with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, beautifully judged acidity, sophisticated and poised, fanning out with confidence towards the fresh, energetic finish. This is a succinct and beautifully crafted Saint Julien with many years of drinking enjoyment to give. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

The 2014 Léoville Poyferré has a very complex bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, crushed stone, cedar and hints of violet. It is extremely focused, intense rather than overtly powerful. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp and generous, conveying much more tension and precision than the Léoville Las-Cases. It gradually fans out in the second half with real mineralité, quite profound in the context of the vintage. Outstanding. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.