Jeb Dunnuck (96-99)

From a miniscule one-hectare parcel right across from Clinet, on the upper plateau of Pomerol, the 2018 Enclos Tourmaline is a blockbuster in the making, and I suspect it’s going to give the 2016 a run for its money. Checking in as a 100% Merlot raised in new oak, which hit 14.7% natural alcohol, this inky color blockbuster boasts a massive bouquet of black fruits, smoke herbs, chocolate, and damp earth. It shows a more floral edge with time in the glass and it’s full-bodied, concentrated, and plush on the palate, with sweet tannins. It’s certainly one of the sexiest wines in this terrific vintage. Hats off to vineyard manager and winemaker Jérôme Aguirre as well as consultant Michel Rolland for another brilliant wine in the making. Tasted twice.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

The 2019 Enclos Tourmaline is a tiny production Pomerol coming from a one-hectare vineyard beside Clinet. It's a rich, powerful, yet incredibly elegant Pomerol that does everything right, offering beautiful cassis and darker cherry fruits, notes of cedarwood, spicy oak, and chocolate, full-bodied richness, silky tannins, and a great finish. It marries opulence with finesse perfectly and is one heck of an impressive Pomerol that can be drunk any time over the coming 25 years or so. Pomerol was one of the standout appellations in 2019, and this shows it.

Wine Advocate (94+)

2020 was a great vintage in the Mediterranean, and the 2020 Albahra, a blend of 70% Garnacha Tintorera from the zone of Almansa and 30% Moravia Agria from Manchuela, showed better than ever. The two grapes fermented separately with part of full clusters in concrete and with indigenous yeasts. The Garnacha matured in concrete and the Moravia in neutral 228-liter barrels for eight months. It has 13% alcohol and good freshness, a fine thread and round tannins. It's juicy and supple—the harvest was easy with great weather, very different from 2019— and the acidity of the Moravia is more polished. The wine has a bright ruby color and is aromatic and clean, precise and attractive. It's medium-bodied and silky with very round tannins. They compare it with 2017. This is one of the most incredible bargains from Spain. Drink or hold. 59,000 bottles and 750 magnums produced. It was bottled in July 2021.

James Suckling (98)

Nervy, nicely funky, precise and mineral nose with a “protective” flintiness and an alluring peppery edge to the wild berries and pomegranate. Fine, dissolved tannins with a mealy, dusty texture, tapping into a super tangy, fresh palate full of grapefruit zest and wild berries. Really long and irresistible now, but can age.

James Suckling (96)

Wonderful clarity to this wine with floral, cedar, pure-strawberry and citrus aromas that follow through to a full bodied, tight and focused palate with tannins that flow through to the finish. Such purity and beauty to this. Try after 2023.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Fidès is a gorgeously textured, full-bodied wine that seduces you with its ripe, rich fruit. It's a wine that focuses on mouthfeel rather than aroma. It offers an attractive, bitter grip on the finish, masses of freshness and subtle oak-derived character. My only complaint is that the alcohol seems a little warm on the finish.

Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a sublime blend hailing from Stellenbosch, a premier wine-producing region in South Africa. This sumptuous red is exquisitely crafted by Louis Strydom, chief winemaker at the prestigious Ernie Els Wines estate. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are meticulously hand-harvested and matured for 18 months in fine French Oak barrels to yield an opulent and smooth finish.

The Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a dignified wine, boasting aromas of ripe, dark fruit and structured tannins, mirroring the rolling vineyards in which it is birthed. Notes of blackcurrant, cherry and mocha imbue it with a harmonious balance of richness and complexity, perfect for discerning palates. This bottled poetry is the manifestation of international sportsman and winery owner, Ernie Els's, dedication to excellence. Savour this beautifully matured Cabernet Sauvignon from the heart of South Africa - the epitome of fine wine.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2017 Aconcagua Costa Las Pizarras Chardonnay is really fascinating, and it's even sharper, more restrained and with higher acidity than the 2016 that I tasted next to it. Winemaker Francisco Pancho Baettig is really pushing the wine to the limits—harvesting early and with more concentration and structure achieved through lower yields, which provides depth and complexity. The origin is the same as for 2016, and so is the vinification and aging in French barriques for almost 13 months. This is really young and austere, and it took some time in the glass to open up. It has Chablis-like definition, austerity and crispness; it's pure, mineral, long, precise like a laser cut, symmetric and chiseled. Even if it's sharp and citrusy, the palate has more volume and depth, and some nutty notes appear after some time. It's more like a Meursault than a Chablis this time, with great length, and I couldn't help but think of the whites from Jean-Marc Roulot when tasting this. It's a monumental mineral white, with the coastal freshness and the slate tastiness. This is hands down the best vintage of Las Pizarras and the best Chardonnay I've ever tasted from Chile. It's amazing how this wine has developed in only four vintages. As an American friend of mine would say, it's awesome beyond belief! 7,000 bottles were filled in March 2018.

James Suckling (99)

I love the aromas of lavender, sandalwood, sliced apples and pears. Some gunpowder and slate undertones. Full-bodied, yet formed and tight with minerality and brightness. Vivid acidity gives this energy and depth. Drinkable, but will age beautifully.

James Suckling (97)

Real depth for a chardonnay, with lots of limey, smoky green fruit, chalky, flinty citrus, stones and oyster shells. Pure, full-bodied and mouthwatering, with laser beams of acidity cutting through the taut, textured palate. Bright, long and pure with a delicious, austere edge. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (98)

Astonishing purity and youthful freshness, the white-peach, Asian-pear and candied Amalfi-lemon aromas incredibly vivid. Super-focused, medium-bodied palate with staggering vitality and energy. This is very concentrated, but the refreshing acidity makes it feel so light on its feet. Then comes the diamond-bright minerality at the finish. Surely the best white wine from this producer to date! Made from vines planted in 2005. Drink or hold. 20th Anniversary Berlin Tasting Event, February 2024.

James Suckling (98-99)

I love the aromas of smoked meat, dried strawberries and spices. Some resin and pine-needle undertones. Full-bodied, layered and rich with plenty of fruit and linear tannins running through the middle of the wine. Juicy and refined. Purity and greatness. Drink on release or hold.

Vinous (96)

The 2023 Pinot Noir Las Pizarras comes from Quillota, about 12 kilometers from the cold Pacific waters of the Humboldt Current. The 2023 underwent cold maceration before fermenting with 2% whole clusters, followed by 12 months of aging in 400-liter barrels (55% new). Purple in hue, it offers aromas of blood orange peel, pomegranate, a hint of iodine, and rosehip, with delicate reduction adding complexity. The palate is lined with fine, slightly compact tannins and high acidity, lingering with a soft, powdery texture. This is a beautiful coastal wine, finely calibrated between freshness and texture.

James Suckling (96)

Sour black cherries, violets and a touch of peppercorns and chaparral. Really fresh and crunchy with al-dente fruit and tannins on the medium-bodied palate. Freshness is the key here, and there seems to be more fruit in this vintage. Drinkable now, but better from 2025.

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.

Matthew Jukes (19.5+)

I had to wait two hours for this wine to budge in the glass and reveal just a few chapters of its extraordinary flavour. Initially, this is a super-earthy, backward, and introverted Pinot, and if I were on a fly-by-style tasting, I would have marked it down as closed and incommunicative. It certainly needs time, but I am convinced that this is a genuine Grand Cru-level New Zealand Pinot, and I have not tasted many of these in my nearly four decades in wine. While the first taste was firm, unyielding and gruff, second and third visits revealed violets and plums, exotic hints, ravishing bitterness, and then, later, volleys of exquisite fruit and earthy. This is a desperately important wine for Escarpment, Martinborough, and New Zealand and will surely blow peoples’ minds. Just remember to be patient.

Wine Advocate (94+)

Deep, dark and intense, there are 330 cases of the 2014 Heipipi The Terraces Malbec Merlot Cabernet Franc. Plummy and rich, it's full-bodied, with velvety tannins that give a sense of plushness in the mouth. Traces of oak remain, hinting at cedar and vanilla, but what impresses is the depth and power of the fruit, which is expressed without any sense of jamminess or surmaturité. Give it a couple of years in the cellar, and drink it over the next decade.

Savour the exquisite Esprit Leflaive Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos Reyssier 2019, an exemplary expression of craftmanship from the iconic estate of Domaine Leflaive. Hailing from Macon region in Burgundy, this wine is cultivated on a unique limestone and clay terroir in Le Clos Reyssier. The 2019 vintage captures the essence of the vineyard, with meticulous bio-dynamic farming and traditional vinification in oak barrels lending depth and complexity to this Chardonnay.

Under the visionary leadership of Brice de La Morandière and the winemaking prowess of Pierre Vincent, Esprit Leflaive Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos Reyssier 2019 offers a harmonious blend of floral notes, stone fruit accents, and minerality. The palate presents a vibrant acidity balanced gracefully with a rich texture and a long, luxurious finish. Esprit Leflaive continues the Leflaive heritage of producing world-class wines, and this vintage is no exception. A heavenly experience undeniably awaits with each sip of the Esprit Leflaive Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos Reyssier 2019.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (90-93)

A surprising degree of green to the colour. A light but fine bouquet, all quite discreet, then rather more fruit intensity on the palate, quite linear but not without a little flesh on the bones. Apples washed with lime. Fine and elegant finish. Drink from 2027-2034. Tasted: October 2023.

Vinous (93-95)

The 2019 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru has a tightly wound bouquet, less expressive than the other cuvées, but a few swirls reveal intense mineral-driven malic fruit. Like the aromatics, the palate is beautifully defined and reminds me of Domaine Leflaive in style. The spiciness hits the back palate, hints of lemongrass linger in the mouth after this Les Combettes has departed. Classy but compact at the moment, so do not begrudge cellaring this for 3-5 years.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2020 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes is excellent, offering up aromas of stone fruits, pear, pastry cream, white flowers and fresh croissants, followed by a full-bodied, rich and textural palate, with a broad attack that segues into a layered, multidimensional palate. Powerful and broad shouldered, but nicely balanced, this is a compelling wine from Sauzet.

Vinous (93)

The 2016 Barolo Cerretta is gorgeous. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, flowers and white pepper give this aromatic, mid-weight Barolo a real feeling of finesse that also comes through in the silky red berry fruit flavors. There is just enough grip to give the mid-palate and finish energy, but overall this is a relatively approachable Barolo that will drink well with minimal cellaring.