What to Buy
Welcome to Cru World Wine, the world's leading platform for fine wine and spirits, where you can find an extensive selection of wines from both old and new world regions. Whether you are a wine connoisseur or just starting to explore the world of wine, we have something for everyone.
For those who are looking for a no-brainer sweet bargain, we have a range of affordable wines that are perfect for everyday drinking and entertaining. These wines offer great value for money without compromising on quality.
If you are looking to invest in fine wines, we have a selection of investment recommendations that are sure to impress. Our team of experts carefully curates these wines based on their potential for future appreciation and their historical track record of increasing in value.
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No matter what your taste preferences or budget, our platform offers a diverse selection of wines that are sure to satisfy you. So why wait? Start browsing our selection today and discover your next favorite bottle.
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What to Buy
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Burghound (92)
This is quite densely fruited with an unusually expressive mélange of violet, plum, red and black currant, tea and plenty of earth elements. There is very fine volume and plenty of power to the reasonably well-detailed and muscular flavors that delivers outstanding length on the youthfully austere and saline suffused finish. While I envision that markedly more depth will develop there is enough underlying material present that if it does then my predicted score may very well be too conservative as this is very good. Drink: 2023+Inc. VAT£822.04 -
(6x75cl) 2014Wine Advocate (92)
Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, Tollot-Beaut's 2014 Corton Grand Cru has a clean, pure bouquet with red cherries and cranberry scents that seem to billow with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a sensual opening, plenty of supple red cherry and strawberry fruit with a touch of spice toward the finish. This is a delicious red Corton that should drink well for 12 to 15 years. Tasted September 2017.Inc. VAT£729.64 -
Wine Advocate (92-94)
The 2015 Corton Grand Cru has a modest nose following the pair of excellent Aloxe-Corton Premier Crus. The small proportion of whole bunch lends a little forest floor to the mix of broody dark fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin. There is a keen thread of acidity here although it tightens up towards the finish, slams the door shut (for now). Hopefully buyers will cellar this for several years, because it has huge potential.Inc. VAT£525.64 -
Vinous (91-93)
The 2018 Corton Grand Cru comes from the Les Combes climat toward the bottom of the slope. It has a floral bouquet with pressed rose petal aromas flanking the raspberry, strawberry and vanilla aromas. The palate is clean and precise on the entry, displaying good acidity, and quite linear in style, with a strict, tensile finish that is very promising. One to watch once in bottle.Inc. VAT£1,839.20 -
Vinous (93-95)
The 2020 Corton Grand Cru, which comes from Les Combes as usual (though not on the label), has a lovely nose with brambly red fruit, black truffle and subtle pencil box aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, very fine tension and an almost sorbet-fresh, quite mouth-coating finish. It will require time in bottle...but this Corton will be worth the wait.Inc. VAT£555.89 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (89-93)
Rich purple, perhaps not quite so dense. Ripe strawberry with some floral rose notes in a concentrated register, then an explosion of blackcurrant, blackberry and some fresher red berry notes as well on the palate, soft and liquid, though the alcohol is showing, at 15%. Tasted: October 2021Inc. VAT£647.60 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (91)
The 2021 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has an even heavier reduction than David Croix's "C.C." and this seems more fixed despite transferring between glasses. The palate is better with admirable weight and depth. The reduction is still more pronounced than I would prefer, though it is redeemed by a lovely spiciness on the admittedly oaky finish plus there is plenty of vigour and length. How this Corton-Charlemagne will play out depends on what happens to that reduction... it could go either way, hence the question mark against my score. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.Inc. VAT£500.35 -
Vinous (87-89)
The 2018 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Lavières 1er Cru has a perfumed nose, perhaps just missing a little definition due to the warmth of the growing season. The balanced palate offers sweet black cherries and raspberry fruit. Quite spicy on the midpalate, although it does not quite deliver the complexity of the 2016 or 2017 toward the finish. A Savigny more for early drinking.Inc. VAT£267.89 -
(6x75cl) 2021Vinous (88-90)
The 2021 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Lavières 1er Cru has an attractive nose with light cranberry, raspberry and briary scents. There's a fine definition, if not huge intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, a crisp line of acidity and a gentle grip toward the citrus-fresh finish. This works better than the Chorey-lès-Beaune.Inc. VAT£479.09 -
(1x75cl) 2019Halliday Wine Companion (98)
A strikingly beautiful chardonnay with its flowery bouquet bearing witness to the sheer purity of the incredibly long palate, the full palette of chardonnay flavours on display. Nectarine, white peach and grapefruit zest are sewn together by an invisible silver thread of acidity.Inc. VAT£121.19 -
(6x75cl) 2023Halliday Wine Companion (98)
It seems a gross understatement to say that Tolpuddle has been in fine form as of late, but they have knocked it out the park again with this release from the cooler '23 vintage. The palest of straw in the glass, the aromas crisp and filigreed. Citrus, white peach and nectarine cut with glorious wisps of struck match and flinty complexity. Grilled hazelnuts, deftly-judged vanillin oak, lardo, white flowers, crushed riverstone, clotted cream and sea spray. The wine envelops the imbiber; flavours precise and pure with an umami-rich, mineral cadence, dreamy texture and daubs of spiced oatmeal, grilled peaches and flint. The finish is sustained, the only thing unresolved the need for another (larger?) bottle. An outstanding Australian chardonnay.Inc. VAT£377.52 -
The Real Review (97)
Deep red-purple, bright and clear colour; superb rich ripe black cherry fragrance with a kiss of smoky oak, the palate remarkably full and rich, smooth and fleshy with excellent texture and immediate drinking appeal, although it has the legs to age well too. Serious structure, but also succulent, sweet and plush—almost too much of a good thing. Outstanding pinot noir.Inc. VAT£377.52 -
Inc. VAT£543.20 -
International Wine Report (100)
The 2019 Vine Hill Ranch 'Pure Magic' certainly lives up to its name, and it is even more impressive since my last tasting from barrel in April. This possesses such incredible pure characteristics and it is nothing short of magical, living up to its name. It instantly begins to impress as it bursts open to seductive aromas of ripe dark currants, black cherries and even hints of blueberries, which are woven together with exotic spices, violets, herbs, tilled-soil and a touch of licorice that all come together and explode from the glass. On the palate this continues to impress with its plush full-bodied texture that is dense and concentrated. It goes on to display a remarkable sense of freshness and striking overall balance, as layers of beautifully ripe dark fruits cascade on to the long supple finish. The VHR ‘Pure Magic’ is a simply brilliant wine and while it is nothing short of perfection today, it also shows tremendous promise for a tremendous future ahead.Inc. VAT£1,391.20 -
Wine Advocate (96+)
This comes from the most gravelly block in Vine Hill Ranch, Block 7, planted to twenty-year-old vines. The wine sees "classic TOR winemaking" - about three weeks on skins during and post-fermentation. It was matured in a mix of Taransaud and Darnajou small French oak barrels for twenty months, then bottled without fining or filtration. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant black cherries, mulberries and boysenberries notes plus suggestions of pencil shavings, cigar box and cardamom. Medium to full bodied, the palate has an exhilarating, fantastically fine-grained texture, with seamless freshness and bags of black fruit flavors, finishing with a lively herbal lift. 202 cases were made.Inc. VAT£1,168.40 -
Wine Advocate (95)
No RunRig was made in 2000. The 2001 RunRig features six single vineyards, an increase from the two or three that went into the RunRig wines from the 1990s. The nose is more restrained than the previous wines, and the palate is as well, with an undeniable power that surges through the finish. This is tightly wound and closed for the most part, with length that continues long after the wine is gone. This bodes well for its future. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.Inc. VAT£401.59 -
Wine Advocate (96+)
The 2015 RunRig is dark and brooding, with tar and resin, asphalt and tapenade. In the mouth, the fruit is sweet, feathered by vanilla pod and medjool date, mulberry, blood plum and sweet licorice. The length is phenomenally long, and the future will be just as long. The wine is so closed at this stage, and yet it has all the hallmarks required for long aging. 15% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.Inc. VAT£977.60 -
Vinous (96)
Inky ruby color. Expansive aromas of dark fruit liqueur, incense, candied flowers, Indian spices and vanilla. Has a smoky mineral quality that gains strength as the wine opens up. Fleshy, sweet and broad on the palate, offering impressively concentrated yet lively blackcurrant, boysenberry and violet pastille flavors that are lifted and sharpened by a smoky mineral flourish. Smooth, seamless and appealingly sweet on an extremely long, floral-dominated finish that"s framed by suave, well-knit tannins.Inc. VAT£1,339.49 -
Wine Advocate (99)
The 2018 RunRig is perfectly eloquent of the 2018 vintage. It was warm and dry, and the reds produced both in Barossa and Eden Valleys were of very high quality. Here, the 2018 could be stylistically compared to 2016, however the 2018 offers tremendous chisel and definition of both the tannins and the nuanced fruit profile. This is a brilliantly polished and sleek wine that, while approachable and ready for drinking now, offers none of the gracious complexity that it will no doubt develop with patient cellaring. Should you wish to see the potential of this wine, plan to open a bottle in 2040. Should you feel impatient, opening a bottle now will suffice—it is very good today. 15% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.Inc. VAT£1,354.40 -
Wine Advocate (96+)
The 2019 RunRig hails from a hot, dry vintage, and the wine here is brooding, structurally firm and savory. The wine is thoroughly black, both in the glass and in its nature—black fruit, black spice, brooding tannins. While the 2018 may be open for business now, this should remain closed for some time yet—2030 as a minimum would be the recommendation. 15% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.Inc. VAT£1,134.80 -
(1x75cl) 2021Matthew Jukes (20+)
2021 RunRig will make you turn your head while you gawp in disbelief. This wine has something I have never seen in Runrig before – an immovable mountain of terroir, monolithically anchored in its core. Standing at the foot of this gargantuan flavour, I could not see the summit. There is so much ravishing Shiraz skin draped decorously around this totemic terroir it appears wholly demonic and fear-inducing. But the fruit notes are as refined and finely tuned as ever, providing the taster with a baffling counterpoint between the Dark Side and a Venetian dandy, resplendent in its filigree and finery. I cannot remember seeing two such opposing characters in one wine before, and every time I went back to the glass, there was more to admire, and these elements fuse and shape-shift into a glorious amalgam of sophistication and power. Of course, it deserves a perfect score. This wine is unique and uniquely stunning. I wish I could attend every opening of 2021 RunRig – oh, to be a fly on the wall, listening to the gasps of delight when people are lucky enough to taste this wine.Inc. VAT£217.87 -
(6x75cl) 2003Wine Advocate (96)
Primarily Shiraz with a tiny dollop of Viognier, the blockbuster 2003 Descendant spent 18 months in used French oak (barrels that were previously used for Torbreck’s flagship cuvee, Run Rig). A spectacular perfume of flowers, blackberries, cassis, licorice, and honeysuckle is followed by an unctuously textured, full-bodied red displaying a seamless integration of wood, tannin, acidity, and alcohol. With elegance, power, richness, and just about everything one could want in a full-throttle, beautifully balanced dry red wine, it will drink well for 12-15 years.Inc. VAT£746.44 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2004 Descendant, an old oak-aged blend of 92% Shiraz and 8% Viognier from a 12-year old vineyard, offers up notes of blackberries, ink, sweet truffles, and acacia flowers. There are 1,000 cases of this full-bodied, intense, rich blockbuster. It will drink well for 10-15 years.Inc. VAT£446.78 -
(6x75cl) 2016
Wine Advocate (97)
A blend of 94% Shiraz and 6% Viognier aged in second fill barriques (all French oak), the 2016 Descendant features lovely floral aromas, accented by blueberries and a hint of apricot. On the palate, it's full-bodied, rich and creamy in texture, hugely mouthfilling yet somehow without excessive weight or heat, while the plush, velvety finish adds a hint of dark chocolate. It's a terrific success at a still-reasonable price for the quality.Inc. VAT£743.98 -
(1x75cl) 2019Wine Advocate (97+)
2019 followed the warm (but excellent) 2018 in the Barossa, and was marred by low yields and very concentrated fruit. 2020 was another step further down that low-yielding, dry track, completing a trio of concentrated, brooding vintages that are, as the years go by, harder and harder to get ahold of. So, the 2019 Descendant includes Viognier skins in the ferment, usually around 2%, and the fruit is sourced from vines planted from cuttings from the RunRig Vineyard. A baby Runrig, if you will. So, this is silky, slippery, tannic and intense, with layers of vibrant raspberry, jasmine tea, red licorice, jelly snakes and deli meat. As usual for the Torbreck reds, the texture of the wine is velvety, plush, intense and enveloping. This ages very well, we know it does, but if you must drink it early, decant it!Inc. VAT£132.25 -
Wine Advocate (99)
Remarkably, the 2002 The Factor may be even more awesome than the 2001. It boasts a blackberry liqueur-like intensity with chocolatey richness intermixed with blackberries, raspberries, and cherries. The unctuous texture, refreshing acidity, and sweet tannin frame-up this magnificent wine. It should drink well for 15+ years. Interestingly, the 2002 The Factor did not have the Cote Rotie-like roasted element found in the 2001, no doubt because 2002 was a much cooler growing year than the record heat experienced in 2001.Inc. VAT£412.84 -
(6x75cl) 2003
Wine Advocate (96)
The 2003 The Factor (100% Shiraz aged 24 months in old French oak) is a riveting effort that displays the exquisite talent of David Powell. Its smoky perfume of blackberry liqueur intermixed with cherries, acacia flowers, and espresso roast is followed by a full-throttle, multi-layered palate as well as a 60-second finish. This stunning Shiraz should drink well for 10-15+ years.Inc. VAT£601.18 -
Wine Advocate (95)
Aged in 50% new oak, Tobreck's 2017 The Factor boasts hickory-like smoky aromas, plus plum and blackberry fruit. It's full-bodied and firmly built, finishing with hints of chocolate, licorice and dusty tannins. Give it another 2-3 years in the cellar, then drink it over the next decade and a half.Inc. VAT£114.53 -
Wine Advocate (96)
This is quintessential Barossa. The red dirt in the ground rises up in the glass and transports me right back there: middle summer, hot, spicy air blowing across the tops of old vines. It's evocative. This 2019 The Factor is Port-y, concentrated and savory as all hell, with charred barrels, lamb fat, black pepper, salted licorice, pomegranate molasses and aniseed. This is about as big as I can cope with and still enjoy it; it takes density and intensity to a whole new level—no surprise for the vintage, the region and the producer. A perfect storm of thunderous strength. Like staring into the abyss . . . a little bit scary, but transfixing nonetheless.Inc. VAT£113.33 -
(1x75cl) 2020Matthew Jukes (19.5+)
2020 The Factor is the fashion world’s equivalent of a midnight black ballgown, brimming with CGI detail. This is Australia’s Hermitage but blacker, more mineral-drenched, more focussed and, believe it or not, less seemingly tannic and terrifying. The Factor is all about the most luxurious textures and the most incredible control. It is a rich and layered wine, but it shows no trace of excess or ebullience. It is the epitome of measured fruit, lock-step organisation and thrilling symmetry. In the Factor, Runrig, Laird triumvirate, this is the most approachable and kindly of the three wines, but it is also a mighty creation with Mensa-like detail and mind-bending length.Inc. VAT£132.25
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Burghound (92)
This is quite densely fruited with an unusually expressive mélange of violet, plum, red and black currant, tea and plenty of earth elements. There is very fine volume and plenty of power to the reasonably well-detailed and muscular flavors that delivers outstanding length on the youthfully austere and saline suffused finish. While I envision that markedly more depth will develop there is enough underlying material present that if it does then my predicted score may very well be too conservative as this is very good. Drink: 2023+In Bond£669.00 -
(6x75cl) 2014
Wine Advocate (92)
Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2014 tasting, Tollot-Beaut's 2014 Corton Grand Cru has a clean, pure bouquet with red cherries and cranberry scents that seem to billow with time. The palate is medium-bodied with a sensual opening, plenty of supple red cherry and strawberry fruit with a touch of spice toward the finish. This is a delicious red Corton that should drink well for 12 to 15 years. Tasted September 2017.In Bond£592.00 -
Wine Advocate (92-94)
The 2015 Corton Grand Cru has a modest nose following the pair of excellent Aloxe-Corton Premier Crus. The small proportion of whole bunch lends a little forest floor to the mix of broody dark fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple ripe tannin. There is a keen thread of acidity here although it tightens up towards the finish, slams the door shut (for now). Hopefully buyers will cellar this for several years, because it has huge potential.In Bond£422.00 -
Vinous (91-93)
The 2018 Corton Grand Cru comes from the Les Combes climat toward the bottom of the slope. It has a floral bouquet with pressed rose petal aromas flanking the raspberry, strawberry and vanilla aromas. The palate is clean and precise on the entry, displaying good acidity, and quite linear in style, with a strict, tensile finish that is very promising. One to watch once in bottle.In Bond£1,512.00 -
Vinous (93-95)
The 2020 Corton Grand Cru, which comes from Les Combes as usual (though not on the label), has a lovely nose with brambly red fruit, black truffle and subtle pencil box aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins, very fine tension and an almost sorbet-fresh, quite mouth-coating finish. It will require time in bottle...but this Corton will be worth the wait.In Bond£444.00 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (89-93)
Rich purple, perhaps not quite so dense. Ripe strawberry with some floral rose notes in a concentrated register, then an explosion of blackcurrant, blackberry and some fresher red berry notes as well on the palate, soft and liquid, though the alcohol is showing, at 15%. Tasted: October 2021In Bond£519.00 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (91)
The 2021 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has an even heavier reduction than David Croix's "C.C." and this seems more fixed despite transferring between glasses. The palate is better with admirable weight and depth. The reduction is still more pronounced than I would prefer, though it is redeemed by a lovely spiciness on the admittedly oaky finish plus there is plenty of vigour and length. How this Corton-Charlemagne will play out depends on what happens to that reduction... it could go either way, hence the question mark against my score. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.In Bond£408.00 -
Vinous (87-89)
The 2018 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Lavières 1er Cru has a perfumed nose, perhaps just missing a little definition due to the warmth of the growing season. The balanced palate offers sweet black cherries and raspberry fruit. Quite spicy on the midpalate, although it does not quite deliver the complexity of the 2016 or 2017 toward the finish. A Savigny more for early drinking.In Bond£204.00 -
(6x75cl) 2021
Vinous (88-90)
The 2021 Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Lavières 1er Cru has an attractive nose with light cranberry, raspberry and briary scents. There's a fine definition, if not huge intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, a crisp line of acidity and a gentle grip toward the citrus-fresh finish. This works better than the Chorey-lès-Beaune.In Bond£380.00 -
(1x75cl) 2019
Halliday Wine Companion (98)
A strikingly beautiful chardonnay with its flowery bouquet bearing witness to the sheer purity of the incredibly long palate, the full palette of chardonnay flavours on display. Nectarine, white peach and grapefruit zest are sewn together by an invisible silver thread of acidity.In Bond£98.00 -
(6x75cl) 2023
Halliday Wine Companion (98)
It seems a gross understatement to say that Tolpuddle has been in fine form as of late, but they have knocked it out the park again with this release from the cooler '23 vintage. The palest of straw in the glass, the aromas crisp and filigreed. Citrus, white peach and nectarine cut with glorious wisps of struck match and flinty complexity. Grilled hazelnuts, deftly-judged vanillin oak, lardo, white flowers, crushed riverstone, clotted cream and sea spray. The wine envelops the imbiber; flavours precise and pure with an umami-rich, mineral cadence, dreamy texture and daubs of spiced oatmeal, grilled peaches and flint. The finish is sustained, the only thing unresolved the need for another (larger?) bottle. An outstanding Australian chardonnay.In Bond£296.00 -
The Real Review (97)
Deep red-purple, bright and clear colour; superb rich ripe black cherry fragrance with a kiss of smoky oak, the palate remarkably full and rich, smooth and fleshy with excellent texture and immediate drinking appeal, although it has the legs to age well too. Serious structure, but also succulent, sweet and plush—almost too much of a good thing. Outstanding pinot noir.In Bond£296.00 -
In Bond£432.00
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International Wine Report (100)
The 2019 Vine Hill Ranch 'Pure Magic' certainly lives up to its name, and it is even more impressive since my last tasting from barrel in April. This possesses such incredible pure characteristics and it is nothing short of magical, living up to its name. It instantly begins to impress as it bursts open to seductive aromas of ripe dark currants, black cherries and even hints of blueberries, which are woven together with exotic spices, violets, herbs, tilled-soil and a touch of licorice that all come together and explode from the glass. On the palate this continues to impress with its plush full-bodied texture that is dense and concentrated. It goes on to display a remarkable sense of freshness and striking overall balance, as layers of beautifully ripe dark fruits cascade on to the long supple finish. The VHR ‘Pure Magic’ is a simply brilliant wine and while it is nothing short of perfection today, it also shows tremendous promise for a tremendous future ahead.In Bond£1,149.00 -
Wine Advocate (96+)
This comes from the most gravelly block in Vine Hill Ranch, Block 7, planted to twenty-year-old vines. The wine sees "classic TOR winemaking" - about three weeks on skins during and post-fermentation. It was matured in a mix of Taransaud and Darnajou small French oak barrels for twenty months, then bottled without fining or filtration. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant black cherries, mulberries and boysenberries notes plus suggestions of pencil shavings, cigar box and cardamom. Medium to full bodied, the palate has an exhilarating, fantastically fine-grained texture, with seamless freshness and bags of black fruit flavors, finishing with a lively herbal lift. 202 cases were made.In Bond£953.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
No RunRig was made in 2000. The 2001 RunRig features six single vineyards, an increase from the two or three that went into the RunRig wines from the 1990s. The nose is more restrained than the previous wines, and the palate is as well, with an undeniable power that surges through the finish. This is tightly wound and closed for the most part, with length that continues long after the wine is gone. This bodes well for its future. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.Inc. VAT£393.60 -
Wine Advocate (96+)
The 2015 RunRig is dark and brooding, with tar and resin, asphalt and tapenade. In the mouth, the fruit is sweet, feathered by vanilla pod and medjool date, mulberry, blood plum and sweet licorice. The length is phenomenally long, and the future will be just as long. The wine is so closed at this stage, and yet it has all the hallmarks required for long aging. 15% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.In Bond£794.00 -
Vinous (96)
Inky ruby color. Expansive aromas of dark fruit liqueur, incense, candied flowers, Indian spices and vanilla. Has a smoky mineral quality that gains strength as the wine opens up. Fleshy, sweet and broad on the palate, offering impressively concentrated yet lively blackcurrant, boysenberry and violet pastille flavors that are lifted and sharpened by a smoky mineral flourish. Smooth, seamless and appealingly sweet on an extremely long, floral-dominated finish that"s framed by suave, well-knit tannins.In Bond£1,097.00 -
Wine Advocate (99)
The 2018 RunRig is perfectly eloquent of the 2018 vintage. It was warm and dry, and the reds produced both in Barossa and Eden Valleys were of very high quality. Here, the 2018 could be stylistically compared to 2016, however the 2018 offers tremendous chisel and definition of both the tannins and the nuanced fruit profile. This is a brilliantly polished and sleek wine that, while approachable and ready for drinking now, offers none of the gracious complexity that it will no doubt develop with patient cellaring. Should you wish to see the potential of this wine, plan to open a bottle in 2040. Should you feel impatient, opening a bottle now will suffice—it is very good today. 15% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.In Bond£1,108.00 -
Wine Advocate (96+)
The 2019 RunRig hails from a hot, dry vintage, and the wine here is brooding, structurally firm and savory. The wine is thoroughly black, both in the glass and in its nature—black fruit, black spice, brooding tannins. While the 2018 may be open for business now, this should remain closed for some time yet—2030 as a minimum would be the recommendation. 15% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.In Bond£925.00 -
(1x75cl) 2021
Matthew Jukes (20+)
2021 RunRig will make you turn your head while you gawp in disbelief. This wine has something I have never seen in Runrig before – an immovable mountain of terroir, monolithically anchored in its core. Standing at the foot of this gargantuan flavour, I could not see the summit. There is so much ravishing Shiraz skin draped decorously around this totemic terroir it appears wholly demonic and fear-inducing. But the fruit notes are as refined and finely tuned as ever, providing the taster with a baffling counterpoint between the Dark Side and a Venetian dandy, resplendent in its filigree and finery. I cannot remember seeing two such opposing characters in one wine before, and every time I went back to the glass, there was more to admire, and these elements fuse and shape-shift into a glorious amalgam of sophistication and power. Of course, it deserves a perfect score. This wine is unique and uniquely stunning. I wish I could attend every opening of 2021 RunRig – oh, to be a fly on the wall, listening to the gasps of delight when people are lucky enough to taste this wine.In Bond£178.00 -
(6x75cl) 2003
Wine Advocate (96)
Primarily Shiraz with a tiny dollop of Viognier, the blockbuster 2003 Descendant spent 18 months in used French oak (barrels that were previously used for Torbreck’s flagship cuvee, Run Rig). A spectacular perfume of flowers, blackberries, cassis, licorice, and honeysuckle is followed by an unctuously textured, full-bodied red displaying a seamless integration of wood, tannin, acidity, and alcohol. With elegance, power, richness, and just about everything one could want in a full-throttle, beautifully balanced dry red wine, it will drink well for 12-15 years.In Bond£606.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2004 Descendant, an old oak-aged blend of 92% Shiraz and 8% Viognier from a 12-year old vineyard, offers up notes of blackberries, ink, sweet truffles, and acacia flowers. There are 1,000 cases of this full-bodied, intense, rich blockbuster. It will drink well for 10-15 years.In Bond£359.00 -
(6x75cl) 2016
Wine Advocate (97)
A blend of 94% Shiraz and 6% Viognier aged in second fill barriques (all French oak), the 2016 Descendant features lovely floral aromas, accented by blueberries and a hint of apricot. On the palate, it's full-bodied, rich and creamy in texture, hugely mouthfilling yet somehow without excessive weight or heat, while the plush, velvety finish adds a hint of dark chocolate. It's a terrific success at a still-reasonable price for the quality.In Bond£600.00 -
(1x75cl) 2019
Wine Advocate (97+)
2019 followed the warm (but excellent) 2018 in the Barossa, and was marred by low yields and very concentrated fruit. 2020 was another step further down that low-yielding, dry track, completing a trio of concentrated, brooding vintages that are, as the years go by, harder and harder to get ahold of. So, the 2019 Descendant includes Viognier skins in the ferment, usually around 2%, and the fruit is sourced from vines planted from cuttings from the RunRig Vineyard. A baby Runrig, if you will. So, this is silky, slippery, tannic and intense, with layers of vibrant raspberry, jasmine tea, red licorice, jelly snakes and deli meat. As usual for the Torbreck reds, the texture of the wine is velvety, plush, intense and enveloping. This ages very well, we know it does, but if you must drink it early, decant it!In Bond£107.00 -
Wine Advocate (99)
Remarkably, the 2002 The Factor may be even more awesome than the 2001. It boasts a blackberry liqueur-like intensity with chocolatey richness intermixed with blackberries, raspberries, and cherries. The unctuous texture, refreshing acidity, and sweet tannin frame-up this magnificent wine. It should drink well for 15+ years. Interestingly, the 2002 The Factor did not have the Cote Rotie-like roasted element found in the 2001, no doubt because 2002 was a much cooler growing year than the record heat experienced in 2001.In Bond£328.00 -
(6x75cl) 2003
Wine Advocate (96)
The 2003 The Factor (100% Shiraz aged 24 months in old French oak) is a riveting effort that displays the exquisite talent of David Powell. Its smoky perfume of blackberry liqueur intermixed with cherries, acacia flowers, and espresso roast is followed by a full-throttle, multi-layered palate as well as a 60-second finish. This stunning Shiraz should drink well for 10-15+ years.In Bond£481.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
Aged in 50% new oak, Tobreck's 2017 The Factor boasts hickory-like smoky aromas, plus plum and blackberry fruit. It's full-bodied and firmly built, finishing with hints of chocolate, licorice and dusty tannins. Give it another 2-3 years in the cellar, then drink it over the next decade and a half.In Bond£92.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
This is quintessential Barossa. The red dirt in the ground rises up in the glass and transports me right back there: middle summer, hot, spicy air blowing across the tops of old vines. It's evocative. This 2019 The Factor is Port-y, concentrated and savory as all hell, with charred barrels, lamb fat, black pepper, salted licorice, pomegranate molasses and aniseed. This is about as big as I can cope with and still enjoy it; it takes density and intensity to a whole new level—no surprise for the vintage, the region and the producer. A perfect storm of thunderous strength. Like staring into the abyss . . . a little bit scary, but transfixing nonetheless.In Bond£91.00 -
(1x75cl) 2020
Matthew Jukes (19.5+)
2020 The Factor is the fashion world’s equivalent of a midnight black ballgown, brimming with CGI detail. This is Australia’s Hermitage but blacker, more mineral-drenched, more focussed and, believe it or not, less seemingly tannic and terrifying. The Factor is all about the most luxurious textures and the most incredible control. It is a rich and layered wine, but it shows no trace of excess or ebullience. It is the epitome of measured fruit, lock-step organisation and thrilling symmetry. In the Factor, Runrig, Laird triumvirate, this is the most approachable and kindly of the three wines, but it is also a mighty creation with Mensa-like detail and mind-bending length.In Bond£107.00
