Vinous (92)

The 2020 Pinot Noir Bannockburn is welcoming as well as rich, savory and sinewy, delivering a plump cloud of both lifted and brooding fruit: a portion of whole-cluster fermentation has brought herbal and violet high notes alongside red and black cherry. There's excellent concentration despite this being the entry to the Felton Pinot range, and fine, lightly furry tannins on the medium-long finish. This could be approached now, but it’s better to wait a couple of years to let the components settle.

Richly bestowed with an incredible pedigree, Ferrando Carema Etichetta Bianca 2017 is a masterfully created, Italian Nebbiolo hailing from Piedmont's majestic Alpine vineyards. Rooted in vineyards planted in the commune of Carema on the steep, rocky slopes of the Alps, this fine wine is the artistic embodiment of third-generation winemaker Luigi Ferrando's deep commitment to classically structured and balanced wines.

Ferrando Carema Etichetta Bianca 2017 boasts a meticulously achieved complexity and elegance. Its unique character evolves from a two-year maturation in large Slavonian oak barrels, resulting in exquisite layers of wild cherry, Alpine herbs, roses, and minerals, adorning a beautifully structured, mid-weight body. This rare vintage, with its linear precision and powerful thrust, testifies of Ferrando's impeccable vinification techniques, and the region's terroir, marked by a continental climate and soils composed of moraine deposits.

Savour the generous palette of this singular wine, Ferrando Carema Etichetta Bianca 2017, a testament to the Ferrando family’s unwavering dedication to winemaking excellence.

Crafted by the globally lauded producer Giulio Ferrando, Ferrando Carema Etichetta Nera Black Label 2017 encompasses the elegance and stark depth of Carema's mountainous terroir. Derived from 80-year-old Nebbiolo grapevines grown on terraced slopes straddling the border of Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta, this exquisite wine showcases the fine art of winemaking.

Adhering to traditional methods, this unique red wine undergoes slow fermentation, followed by 48 months of aging in Botti. These practices imbue Ferrando Carema Etichetta Nera Black Label 2017 with a seductive robust crimson hue and a harmonious balance of tannins and acidity. Its tasteful notes of wild berries, dried rose petals, and subtle undertones of tobacco, offer a captivating and prolonged finish.

As a hallmark of biodynamic viticulture, Ferrando Carema Etichetta Nera Black Label 2017 stands as a testament to the Ferrando family's commitment to producing wines that resonate with authenticity and distinct character, promising a remarkable experience for discerning wine connoisseurs.

Caramel, vermouth rosso colour. On the nose slight hints of sandalwood, with undertones of toasted almonds, pine nuts and dried apricots. The mouth is very light, opening on Oloroso sherry characters, walnut, balsamic and dried fruits. The mid pallet reveals a little sweetness with notes of black cherries and oriental spices. Finish raw cocoa nibs and tamarind with an interesting balance of bitterness and savouriness.

Wine Advocate (97)

No, the vintage date of this wine is not an error. Just released, it is a selection of old-vine Primitivo grown south of Taranto and only now hitting the market. No one seems to know whether the fermentation was stopped by fortifying the wine or if it just stopped on its own as a result of the superlative richness of the must, but the fact remains that, with close to 14% of alcohol, it is as sweet as a great Recioto, a wine which it greatly resembles. Still an amazingly fresh ruby color, it features a decadent nose of blackberry jam, raisins, chocolate, and licorice, a texture of sheer satin, great warmth and roundness, a sweetness which never becomes cloying, precise and focused flavors, and a finish as long as the fade-out to "Hey Jude". The producer is negotiating with an importer for this and other wines, but it is presently available at Piero Selvaggio's Valentino restaurant in Santa Monica and at Alain Ducasse's Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo, for those willing to fling a few shekels around.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

More bloody meat, black raspberries, wood smoke, spice, and truffle notes emerge from the 2017 Hermitage Le Méal, a massive, opulent effort that has loads of opulence and fruit, building tannins, a gorgeous mid-palate, and a monster finish. It's one of the finest wines I've tasted from this estate! It’s already approachable yet promises to evolve gracefully for 20-25 years or more.

Founded in 1824 in the east Highland foothills of the Grampian Mountains, Fettercairn is a distillery that is very much on the up in recent years. A redeveloped brand at the distillery and an increased focus on prestige bottlings, it is beginning to be more recognised around the world for the unique spirit that comes off it’s elegant stills.

A whisky of renowned purity and finesse, Fettercairn’s classic style is achieved courtesy of a unique still cooling process by which irrigation tubes drench the stills in cool, pure water, cooling the copper causing the harsher oils and phenolic in the vapour to fall back into the still, rather than proceed into the spirit safe.

With ineffably fine spirit and patient devotion to maturation, Fettercairn is best at older age statements, making casks with in-built age a particularly compelling proposition. A stable mate of Dalmore, one of the most sought-after malts in the world, Fettercairn is a no-brainier to buy into while its still available at reasonable prices. Much like Glenrothes followed Macallan into the realm of rarefied for exclusivity, Fettercairn is sure to follow Dalmore into the stratosphere given time.


We are pleased to have secured this superb 12-year-old cask of Fettercairn at an excellent price and with a classic, delicate nutty malt profile it is exactly what you want from a Bourbon-aged Highlander. Still above 60% at this age, look for this to age gracefully for many years to come. Really no need to rush this one.

Wine Advocate (97)

I tasted this wine twice over the course of six months, in advance of its commercial release. The 2016 Pàtrimo is quite a wine and needs all the extra bottle time it can get. Indeed, I would suggest putting it at the back of your cellar for another 5 years (at least). It opens to a black and impenetrable appearance. This is an elaborate and beautifully constructed wine that is put together piece by piece like a jigsaw puzzle. When viewed as a whole, all those tiny pieces create a beautiful portrait of a grape as the protagonist and of a region as its context. This full-bodied Merlot has made important strides since I first tasted it. Today, it is more expansive and exuberant. It shows lots of volume and depth with elegance and finesse.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

One of the true blockbusters in the vintage is the 2015 Château Feytit-Clinet and readers should beg, borrow, or steal to get ahold of this beauty. Made from 96% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, it offers an incredible perfume of black cherries, blackcurrants, spring flowers, violets and damp earth. With a huge, full-bodied profile, an opulent, seductive texture, big tannin, and perfect balance, it’s a true superstar that’s going to cruise in the cellar for two to three decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

One of the true blockbusters in the vintage is the 2015 Château Feytit-Clinet and readers should beg, borrow, or steal to get ahold of this beauty. Made from 96% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, it offers an incredible perfume of black cherries, blackcurrants, spring flowers, violets and damp earth. With a huge, full-bodied profile, an opulent, seductive texture, big tannin, and perfect balance, it’s a true superstar that’s going to cruise in the cellar for two to three decades.

Jeb Dunnuck (96-99)

From one of my favorite estates in Pomerol, situated between Trotanoy and Latour à Pomerol, the 2018 Château Feytit-Clinet is currently sitting at 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc being raised in 70% new French oak. Sporting a deep purple/blue color as well as a massive bouquet of blackberries, smoked herbs, liquid violets, and graphite, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a weightless, seamless texture, thrilling purity, and a great, great finish. It’s a powerful wine hitting 14.9% alcohol yet there’s not a trace of heat. Offering beautiful purity and flawless balance, it reminds me of the 2010, only better.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

Jeremy Chasseuil continues to make a brilliant, ripe, incredibly sexy Pomerol that always seems to put a smile on my face. His 2019 Château Feytit-Clinet is inky-hued and has a blockbuster nose of ripe black fruits, damp earth, chocolate, and tobacco. This all carries to a full-bodied Pomerol with background oak, ripe, velvety tannins, a great mid-palate, and one heck of a finish. I wish there were more wines like this in the vintage. It offers pleasure today yet will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise for over two decades. Bravo!

Jeb Dunnuck (96-98)

Another blockbuster in the making from this tiny estate in Pomerol, the 2020 Château Feytit-Clinet is based on a normal blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, hitting 14.8% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.7. The aging will span 18 months in 70% new French oak. It boasts a dense purple hue as well as a stunning nose of crème de cassis, currants, tobacco, and damp earth. About as ripe, sexy, and opulent as they come, it still shows the purity and freshness of this great vintage. It reveals more and more tannins with time in the glass, but given its mid-palate as well as its overall density, it’s going to benefit from just 3-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-30 years.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98)

More weight through the palate than the 2009, with reserved but muscular and chalky tannins, this is concentrated, majoring on black fruits, earning its reputation as a Left Bank-styled St Emilion. Beautiful curls of gunsmoke and violet flowers emerge as it opens, with fennel, black truffle and crayon. Give it a little longer in the bottle. Harvest September 27 to October 18, yield 33hl/h 100% new oak for ageing.

James Suckling (93-94)

A like the quality of the tannins in this with plenty of subtle berry and chocolate character. Full body, with a lovely acidity. Wonderful length to it. This is really pretty.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

Love this vintage of Figeac, and it is fully delivering at the ten year point, still teetering on the edge of its mature drinking window. Brambled fleshy black fruits, firm tannins, edge of cocoa, incense, steel and mandarin peel, grip and length. Great quality. Harvest September 21 to October 15, 100% new oak for ageing. Romain Jean-Pierre technical director, Frederic Faye managing director.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

Another brilliant wine from the genius of Frédéric Faye, the 2016 Château Figeac checks in as 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that spent 19 months in new French oak. Roughly 75% of the production made it into the grand vin. This deeply colored beauty is a legendary wine in the making and offers ultra-pure aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, smoke tobacco, dried herbs, chocolate, truffle, and graphite. Showing more violets notes with time in the glass, it builds incrementally on the palate, with flawless balance as well as incredible elegance, no hard edges, and a finish that won't quit. Readers will have a blast comparing the 2016 and 2015 vintages over the coming 3-4 decades and this estate is firing on all cylinders. This will most likely merit a triple-digit rating in 7-8 years and keep for 4 decades or more.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

Another brilliant wine from the genius of Frédéric Faye, the 2016 Château Figeac checks in as 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that spent 19 months in new French oak. Roughly 75% of the production made it into the grand vin. This deeply colored beauty is a legendary wine in the making and offers ultra-pure aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, smoke tobacco, dried herbs, chocolate, truffle, and graphite. Showing more violets notes with time in the glass, it builds incrementally on the palate, with flawless balance as well as incredible elegance, no hard edges, and a finish that won't quit. Readers will have a blast comparing the 2016 and 2015 vintages over the coming 3-4 decades and this estate is firing on all cylinders. This will most likely merit a triple-digit rating in 7-8 years and keep for 4 decades or more.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)

The 2017 Figeac is outrageously beautiful. Rich, deep and ample, the 2017 soars out of the glass with vertical intensity and explosive power. The flavors are just pulsing with energy. Time in the glass brings out a captivating range of lavender, spice, mint and rose petal overtones. The 2017 Figeac is a towering achievement from Technical Director Frédéric Faye and his team. When Michel Rolland was appointed consulting winemaker some years back, many feared the personality of Figeac would be lost. It is impossible for an outsider to truly know how small or large the impact of a single person is, but Figeac has indisputably been one of the very finest wines of the Right Bank over these last few years. The 2017 is a real "wow" wine; don't miss it.

Wine Enthusiast (100)

With its rich swathe of Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine has density and immense structure balanced by stunning black fruits that give impressive promise. This powerful wine is probably the greatest ever produced from this estate. Drink from 2027.

The Wine Independent (100)

Composed of 36% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot, the 2019 Figeac is deep garnet-purple colored. It needs considerable swirling to coax out its alluring perfume of redcurrant jelly, juicy blackcurrants, and blackberries, with underlying suggestions of candied violets, chocolate box, fragrant earth, and lavender plus a touch of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a mind-blowing array of layers with exceptionally ripe, fine-grained tannins and jaw-dropping tension, leading to a fantastically persistent mineral and floral-tinged finish that makes your heart stop. With its energy, structure, and incredible depth, truly, this is a towering triumph.

James Suckling (100)

A mesmerizing nose here with flowers such as violets and red roses, then shows cherries and currants with some mineral and black truffles. Full-bodied yet so refined and harmonized with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Flavors of perfectly ripened fruit (al dente) with a hazelnut character that comes from the seeds. Incredibly transparent young red. Breathtaking. 37% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2028 and onwards. Magnificent.

James Suckling (100)

A mesmerizing nose here with flowers such as violets and red roses, then shows cherries and currants with some mineral and black truffles. Full-bodied yet so refined and harmonized with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Flavors of perfectly ripened fruit (al dente) with a hazelnut character that comes from the seeds. Incredibly transparent young red. Breathtaking. 37% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2028 and onwards. Magnificent.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)

Lovely aromatics right off the bat, good spice, white peppers, touches of savoury cassis. This 71% mix of the two Cabernets is the highest ever at Figeac, and you feel it in this savoury, rosebud, leafy character to the palate, brilliantly handled and one of the wines of the vintage. This delivers careful balance, sculpted fruits, with a juicy finish. 100% new oak. Romain Jean-Pierre technical director. 38hl/h yield, harvest September 21 to October 19 (with a three week gap between Merlot and Cabernet). 3.65ph. First vintage with the new cellar. 70% production into Figeac, 8% press wine. Tasted twice, excellent quality.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2022 Figeac is one of the wines of the vintage. Unfurling in the glass with a deep and complex bouquet of dark berries and cassis mingled with hints of violet, pencil lead, mint and cigar wrapper, it's medium to full-bodied, dense and concentrated, with striking intensity and sweetness of fruit married with unerring precision and energy, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. Abundant but exquisitely filigreed tannins lend a sense of classicism and proportion to a wine that might otherwise be flamboyant. As I wrote from barrel, it's the quintessential Figeac, testament to the late Thierry Manoncourt's vision to plant such a large proportion of Cabernet, and on drought-resistant rootstocks. Such is the inherent complexity of Figeac's terroirs that harvest took place sub-block by sub-block between September 1st and 25th. Could the result be a contemporary version of the estate's magical 1949?

James Suckling (95-96)

Vivid and lively with blackberries, earth and some flowers. It’s full and layered with tannins that spread across the palate. Broader form to this young Bordeaux. Lots of tannins at the end.

Andreas Larsson (95)

I must say that I was quite excited to taste the Champagne that everybody talked about, but no one tasted yet. A great reunion with my old friend, Rodolphe Péters whose champagne making skills are nothing less than exceptional. A ground-breaking style that blends Chardonnay from Côte de Blancs of which one part is the actual vintage, one part reserve wines and one part mature wines from bottle. The rosé part being Pinot Noir from Vertus made as a rosé de saignée blended just before bottling to keep the notion of youthful red fruity freshness. It shows a very gentle bright rosé colour and a vivid mousse with fine bubbles. The nose starts out elegantly – layered and nuanced with chalky notes, fresh hazelnut, marzipan, fresh butter, pink citrus and lemongrass. After some time in the glass the Pinot enters with aromas of crushed raspberry, cherry and pain d´épice. The palate is nicely built, showing great flavour intensity and an invigorating freshness. It´s classically bone dry (4,5 grams of dosage) with a chalky presence, balanced by a mellow creaminess. Flavours of marzipan, confit de citron and peach with layers of mature nuttiness and pastry. Elegantly built with great persistency and precision. Drinks truly well today but should certainly improve from further cellaring.