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2021 Thousand Candles Single Vineyard Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$54. 99Bottle$659.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2023-2031)ABV: 13%Closure: Diam CorkSemi translucent dark red colour with black shaded edges and a light red hue. Fragrant violet, red cherry and winter strawberry aromas emerge out of the glass followed by some fresh herb, stalky cedar and dusty earth notes. Light and vibrant the palate is intensely flavoured with delicious red cherry and winter strawberry fruits which are underpinned by crunchy acidity and firming tannins which impart a grainy feel. Infusions of fresh herbs, subtle rhubarb, forest floor and spicy cedar lie underneath. Finishes with a long fresh red fruited aftertaste.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 13%Other Reviews….
Whole bunches (50%), gentle handling with no pumpovers or plunging. Matured in seasoned French barriques. Excellent wines from Thousand Candles in 2021, thoroughly deserving of the Best Small Producer trophy they picked up at the 2022 Yarra Valley Wine Show. A bright crimson red. A gently textured wine that was made with respect for the fruit with real persistence and finesse. There's lovely purity to the aromas of red cherries, small, wild strawberries, violets and spice. The whole bunches are barely perceptible, and velvety, quite firm and persistent tannins are in complete harmony with the wine, too.
Drink by 2028.
96 Points
Philip Rich – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion -
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2021 Prunotto Fiulot Barbera d’AstiPiedmont, ITALY$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2023-2026)ABV: 14.5%Closure: Diam CorkIn 1904 a co-operative winery called Ai Vino Delle Langhe was founded and a young man who worked there was one Alfred Prunotto. Prunotto took over the estate in 1922, giving it his own name and today it is run under the umbrella of the famous Marchesi Antinori family. Located in Alba the estate tends around 50 hectares of vineyards throughout the Langhe and Monferrato and produces a range of fine wines from the heady Moscato d'Alba to delicious Barbera, Dolcetto and Nebbiolo.
Deep dark red black tinged colour with a bright purple red hue. Expressive morello cherry, plum and liquorice scents sail out of the glass followed by some dried herbs, earth and spice. Juicy and fresh in its feel, delicious red and morello cherry fruits mix with red liquorice, fresh herb and light earth elements. Polished tannins with a vibrant, savoury finish.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 14.5% - Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 21 Year Old Blended Malt Japanese Whisky (700ml) - NO GIFT BOXHokkaido, JAPAN$1199. 00Bottle$14388.00 DozenABV: 43%
Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product not pictured.
DISCONTINUED.Following Suntory's lead, Nikka has discontinued its lines of extra-aged whiskies, with some reports that the shortage could last up to a decade before the taps are turned back on.
Nikka's range of blended, pure malt and single malt whiskies will be exciting new discoveries for any Whisky enthusiast. This 21 Year Old bottling is dedicated to the Father of the Japanese Whisky Industry, Masataka Taketsuru.
The tale of Masataka Taketsuru's life is of the same fabric legends are made of. Sent in 1918 as a young apprentice to Scotland by his Japanese employers to crack the secrets of whisky, he not only came back with that knowledge but also with Rita Taketsuru (nee Cowan), who went on playing a decisive role in the development of the Japanese Whisky industry. Thanks to her connection to Japanese high society, Masataka was able to finance the company that is now known as Nikka Whisky.This blend of malts is from the two Nikka distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagikyo.
Other reviews... A much more civilised and gracious offering than the 17 year old...Serious whisky for the serious whisky drinker. 88 points- Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2014
World's Best Blended Malt Whisky at the 2010 World Whiskies Awards.
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- Packaging may vary
Johnnie Walker Red Label Blended Scotch Whisky (1125ml)Kilmarnock, SCOTLAND$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 40%Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product not pictured.
The world's number one selling blended Scotch and the preferred choice of whisky lovers every where. Johnnie Walker Red Label is a full-flavoured spirit that is a blend of Highland malt and Lowland grain whiskies. Red Label was originally created in 1909 for the new Scotch drinker who was inclined to mix whisky with ice, water, soda or in a variety of cocktails. By widening the range of whiskies used in his father's Old Highland Whisky, Alexander Walker developed Red Label as a smoother and lighter alternative - this was a break from the traditional deeply flavoured, full bodied Scotch whiskies of the past and was considered a more approachable drink. By 1920, Johnnie Walker Red Label had become the first truly global drinks brand, sold in over 120 countries. In 1933, the company was granted a Royal Warrant to supply Scotch to King George V, and the company has remained an official purveyor to the British Royal Household ever since. In 1996, Johnnie Walker Red Label won the Gold Medal at the International Wine and Spirits Competition, having previously picked up Silver Medals over three consecutive years. It has also consistently garnered Gold and Grand Gold Medals at the Monde Selection Awards.Tasting note: Brilliant, bright gold appearance. Aromas offer a peaty top note hovering over sweet, fat, oily grains. The palate possesses good concentration with the peat laced sweet grains and gentle spices contributing to a fat, rich, oily mouth feel. Aftertaste of vanilla and sweet cereals with the peat re-emerging. Technically faultless and an achievement given how much of this stuff is churned out. But this bottling (and they do vary) is lacking freshness being quite sweet and clunky throughout. In fact, it's almost a little out of balance. Some fresh oak required in the mix? 40% Alc./Vol.
- Van Ryn's 10 Year Old Single Pot Still Brandy (750ml)SOUTH AFRICA$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 38%
A brand that dates back to 1845 when it was founded in Cape Town. Brandies from the Van Ryn Distillery have a discernibly South African personality, rich in aroma and flavour, not only the result of the soils and sunshine but a quintessentially South African approach. Chenin blanc and Colombard grapes are distilled in locally designed copper stills, adapted in size and shape from the French prototype then matured in small French oak barrels. The minimum in South Africa is three years (six months over Cognac), but even further ageing brings out the deliciously spicy, vanilla and woody characteristics found in this example. 38% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Pretty, with notes of brown sugar, caramel, golden raisins, and a dusting of baking spice. Classic brandy, with no trace of alcoholic burn (courtesy of the lower proof, I think) but with gentle chocolate notes emerging on the increasingly nutty, spicy finish. Perfectly fine as a simple digestif. - drinkhacker.com
Notes from the producer... COLOUR: Golden amber.NOSE: Vanilla, apricots, spice and chocolate.TASTE: Lingering dark chocolate, nuts and sweet vanilla. The oak contribution is well balanced.
Gold Medal - SFWSC San Francisco Wine Spirit Competition 2022
Gold Medal - Grape Brandy - 2013 International Wine & Spirit Competition
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2017 Ada River Heathcote ShirazHeathcote, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$24. 99Bottle$299.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2023-2026)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinTotally opaque black dark red colour with a dark red hue. Intense aniseed and black cherry aromas fill the nostrils with some vanillin oak, scorched earth and peppered dried meat notes also evident. Rich, amply weighted and lush, aniseed and blackberry fruits are underscored by toasty vanillin oak and peppered earth characters. Opulent mouthfeel with velvet like yet sturdy tannins providing structure. Finishes with a lingering aniseed and toasty vanillin oak aftertaste.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 14.5% -
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Pokeno Discovery Single Malt New Zealand Whisky (700ml)NEW ZEALAND$109. 99Bottle$1319.88 DozenABV: 43%Other reviews... A blend of whiskies fully matured in first-fill bourbon, oloroso sherry, and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks, all mingled after aging (no age stated). The flipside of the bourbon-barreled expression, with the impact of sherry firmly evident. The blend of oloroso and PX — alongside the bourbon barrels — makes for some added complexity, albeit less clarity. The sherry isn’t as sharp on the nose or the palate as you might expect — particularly with PX in the mix — leading to both aromatics and flavors of Eastern spices, fresh leather, and a pecan note. The finish is surprisingly mild, acknowledging the sherry influence only modestly. Mostly, it’s the citrus that’s endemic to sherry aging that is more muted here than I expected, though that’s not altogether a bad thing. Still, I was expecting to see more power out of this bottling. I sipped on the Origin expression for quite a bit longer. 43% Alc./Vol. - drinkhacker.com
...The malt is young, the tannins are feisty, and the fruit is thick... 89 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2024
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Hazelburn Online Tasting Week May 2021 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Campbeltown, SCOTLAND$799. 00Bottle$9588.00 DozenABV: 54.9%Collectors note: Springbank's labels almost always arrive with minor wearing and markings, most often to the top of the front labels. This is unavoidable. If you are likely to be disappointed by minor label scuffing, we recommend you don't buy these whiskies.
The Online Tasting Week was organised in 2021 and had multiple sessions in lieu of the usual in-person events, presumably due to Covid. Each session included exclusive whiskies from Springbank, Glengyle and Cadenheads. Described by some tasters as "more Springbanky", this cask strength Hazelburn featured in the May 2021 session and was limited to 1174 bottles drawn from fresh oloroso casks. 54.9% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Collectable.
Other reviews... Colour: amber. Nose: a much cleaner sherry when compared to the North Star, but it does have these tiny eggy notes indeed, engine oil, soot, suet, coal smoke, then sweeter notes, cakes, raisins, dried figs, black nougat, pipe tobacco, crude chocolate… This one's certainly the most Springbanky of them three so far. With water: there, game sausages, high grouse, toffee, old red Bourgogne this time again, a little leather, pipe tobacco… Well, it sure is very oloroso-y. Mouth (neat): it's as if someone would have blended the two previous ones, as it's got both the NS's animal dirtiness and the OB's cleaner, more coastal vibrancy (for lack of a better term). Wonderful marmalade, allspice, chocolate, tobacco, a little ginger, mushrooms, a drop of Maggi, lovage, lemons, a little brine… All that while it's gaining fatness too. Big baby. With water: this time it would rather become a little sweeter, but some kind of chalky gingerness is there too, truffle oil (you pour that over any pizza and presto!) roasted chestnuts, earthy tea, roasted black raisins… Finish: very long, with some rancio wine this time. Even touches of PX that, we agree, shouldn't quite be there. The aftertaste is more on salted lemons, rather appropriately. Comments: an excellent so-called sherry monster with a distillate that's having its say too. Rather less meaty/dirty than the NS. 89 points - whiskyfun.com
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Springbank 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - 2005 bottlingCampbeltown, SCOTLAND$699. 00Bottle$8388.00 DozenABV: 46%Collectors note: Springbank's labels almost always arrive with minor wearing and markings, most often to the top of the front labels. This is unavoidable. If you are likely to be disappointed by minor label scuffing, we recommend you don't buy these whiskies.
Hard to believe we were able to source this time capsule, bottled in 2005 before the new style labelling was applied to the 10 year old and presentation boxes were still used. It's during this era that the ten year old gradually got peatier and more peppery (and better!), a trend that continued for many years, cementing its reputation as one of the most characterful tenners on the market. 46% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
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1992 Sansibar Koi Series Springbank 28 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - Bottled For JapanwhiskysCampbeltown, SCOTLAND$1999. 00Bottle$23988.00 DozenABV: 42.8%"...really magnificent and goes to prove, once more, that time is whisky's main ingredient." - whiskyfun.com
A big age statement, glowing review and a very limited outturn of just 204 bottles make for one of the more compelling independent Springbanks in recent memory. Matured in a single Bourbon cask for 28 years and bottled exclusively for Germany's Japanwhisky.com, this slightly peaty and classically coastal expression has reached full maturity. British artist, Ronnie Cruwys designed the label featuring red koi fish on an orange background - an eye-catcher for any whiskey collection or bar shelf. 42.8% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Other reviews... Lovely label with some koi fish, which are almost as expensive as Springbank. Colour: white wine. Always the perfect colour for Springbank. Nose: an ideal counterpoint after the CAD. It is the same whisky, just eighteen years older. It's lost a little oomph, but it won more complexity and subtleness, and even more elegance. Perfect chalky, sooty, fermentary, gristy notes, then rather less lemon than in the young ones, and more camphory and medicinal notes. Iodine, mercurochrome, oysters, ointments, peat smoke… In the end, it is almost like if Campbeltown and Islay had moved closer back in 1992. Plate tectonics, maybe? Mouth: indeed, you would be forgiven for saying this is an older Islay. Tight lemony smoke, cough syrup, kippers, grapefruits, brine, ashes, touches of passion fruits, oysters, plasticine, bitter almonds… This is troubling. Finish: not too long but wonderfully tertiary. Many smaller coastal and resinous notes, and a little sesame and fish oil in the aftertaste. 90% sesame, 10% fish (phew!) Comments: just wonderful. Those vintages weren't easy when they were young, but this is really magnificent and goes to prove, once more, that time is whisky's main ingredient. 91 points - whiskyfun.com
- 2021 Thibaud Boudignon Savennieres Clos FremineLoire Valley, FRANCE$210. 00Bottle$2520.00 DozenABV: 11.5%Closure: Cork
Based in Savennieres, Thibaud Boudignon is one of the new young stars of the Loire Valley. In addition to his prime plots in Savennieres, Thibaud also owns two small vineyards across the river on the south side of the Loire in the Anjou. Thibaud has worked with Philippe Charlopin in Gevrey Chambertin, Chateau Lafite Rothschild in Bordeaux (amongst others) and also in Australia before settling in the Loire, thereby building up a wealth of experience without having been born into a wine producing family. Working organically in the vineyards he harvests by hand making successive tries throughout each vineyard ending with yields that are much lower than the appellation rules allow. In the winery the grapes are whole bunch pressed with no settling and the juice is kept cold before starting a long slow fermentation. He vinifies with natural yeasts and ages the wines on lees with minimal SO2 in a mixture of barrels ranging from 300-600 litres.
This Clos Fremine site adjoins Clos de la Hutte separated only by stone walls surrounding each Clos and a tiny road between and is planted to 1.5ha of vines from massale selection, with the original material coming from vines of more than 100 years old. Sloping towards the Loire the soils have a fine cover of sand blown over the underlying schist across many millenia which conveys a silky elegance to the resulting wine, giving more immediacy and enabling this wine to be appreciated in its youth.
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2018 Bodegas Mas Que Vinos El Senorito de Ercavio Tinto TempranilloLa Tierra de Castilla, SPAIN$49. 99Bottle$599.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: 4 - 5 Years (2027-2028)ABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkTotally opaque black dark red colour with a dark red hue. Aromas of black cherry, liquorice, earth and leather are trailed by hints of dark chocolate and spice. Rich chewy black cherry and liquorice flavours are interwoven with scorched earth, old leather and spicy cedar. Firm grippy tannins with a muscular feel to the rustic finish.
Cellar 4-5 years.
Alc. 14.5%Other Reviews….
The very spicy 2018 Viña El Señorito de Ercavio is a single-vineyard Cencibel planted 25 years ago on limestone-rich soils. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and matured in second use French oak barrels for nine months. It's ripe, fruit-driven and modern but with the rustic Cencibel character and some dusty tannins. Drink 2022-2028.
93 Points
Luis Gutiérrez – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate - 2020 Famille Dutraive Fleurie Les DeduitsBeaujolais, FRANCE$115. 00Bottle$1380.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: Cork
Domaine de la Grand’Cour is one of the oldest domaines in Fleurie and carries a tradition for producing some of the most renowned wines of this cru. Back in 1969 Jean Dutraive purchased the commune-like buildings and surrounding vineyards of the domaine. He was then joined by his son Jean-Louis Dutraive, a fifth generation Beaujolais winemaker in 1977. Today the wines are quintessential Fleurie and among the finest of all Beaujolais.
The domaine now comprises 9.1 hectares in Fleurie - the lieux-dits of Grand’Cour, the 8-hectare walled Clos surrounding the house and cellar, Chapelle des Bois and Champagne; plus 1.6 hectares in Brouilly. Jean-Louis began farming organically in 2002 when he moved to live at the house inside the Clos and was certified organic in 2009. Only natural inputs are used. All work is carried out manually and harvesting is exclusively by hand to ensure on the best quality, whole bunches arrive in the winery. The soils across the vineyards are variations on the classic coarse granite sand and gravel, with some clay-limestone plots.
Famille Dutraive is a micro-negoce, created in 2017 after 2 consecutive years of devasting hail losses to Domaine de la Grand’Cour. To relieve the financial stress on the family Jean-Louis teamed up with his children Ophélie, Justin and Lucas. It has quickly evolved as a family project constant; an aside from the other more individual projects and domaines. The grapes were initially sourced from friends who shared their organic/biodynamic philosophies and practices across the Beaujolais crus as an emergency measure. Now vineyards are leased specifically for the Famille wines and the range has taken on a permanent structure ensuring outstanding quality.
This Fleurie cuvée comes from a single plot, "Les Déduits", located to the east of the Fleurie appellation on fairly deep, granitic soil. The vines are 50 years old, certified organic and face south-east at an altitude of 240m. The grapes were hand harvested and vinified in concrete vats using carbonic maceration and indigenous yeast. The wine was moved to demi-muid and barrels for 7 months ageing before being bottled unfined and unfiltered with very little or no sulphur.
- 2021 Famille Dutraive Fleurie Les DeduitsBeaujolais, FRANCE$115. 00Bottle$1380.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: Cork
Domaine de la Grand’Cour is one of the oldest domaines in Fleurie and carries a tradition for producing some of the most renowned wines of this cru. Back in 1969 Jean Dutraive purchased the commune-like buildings and surrounding vineyards of the domaine. He was then joined by his son Jean-Louis Dutraive, a fifth generation Beaujolais winemaker in 1977. Today the wines are quintessential Fleurie and among the finest of all Beaujolais.
The domaine now comprises 9.1 hectares in Fleurie - the lieux-dits of Grand’Cour, the 8-hectare walled Clos surrounding the house and cellar, Chapelle des Bois and Champagne; plus 1.6 hectares in Brouilly. Jean-Louis began farming organically in 2002 when he moved to live at the house inside the Clos and was certified organic in 2009. Only natural inputs are used. All work is carried out manually and harvesting is exclusively by hand to ensure on the best quality, whole bunches arrive in the winery. The soils across the vineyards are variations on the classic coarse granite sand and gravel, with some clay-limestone plots.
Famille Dutraive is a micro-negoce, created in 2017 after 2 consecutive years of devasting hail losses to Domaine de la Grand’Cour. To relieve the financial stress on the family Jean-Louis teamed up with his children Ophélie, Justin and Lucas. It has quickly evolved as a family project constant; an aside from the other more individual projects and domaines. The grapes were initially sourced from friends who shared their organic/biodynamic philosophies and practices across the Beaujolais crus as an emergency measure. Now vineyards are leased specifically for the Famille wines and the range has taken on a permanent structure ensuring outstanding quality.
This Fleurie cuvée comes from a single plot, "Les Déduits", located to the east of the Fleurie appellation on fairly deep, granitic soil. The vines are 50 years old, certified organic and face south-east at an altitude of 240m. The grapes were hand harvested and vinified in concrete vats using carbonic maceration and indigenous yeast. The wine was moved to demi-muid and barrels for 7 months ageing before being bottled unfined and unfiltered with very little or no sulphur.
- 2021 Famille Dutraive Saint-Amour Clos du ChapitreBeaujolais, FRANCE$120. 00Bottle$1440.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: Cork
Domaine de la Grand’Cour is one of the oldest domaines in Fleurie and carries a tradition for producing some of the most renowned wines of this cru. Back in 1969 Jean Dutraive purchased the commune-like buildings and surrounding vineyards of the domaine. He was then joined by his son Jean-Louis Dutraive, a fifth generation Beaujolais winemaker in 1977. Today the wines are quintessential Fleurie and among the finest of all Beaujolais.
The domaine now comprises 9.1 hectares in Fleurie - the lieux-dits of Grand’Cour, the 8-hectare walled Clos surrounding the house and cellar, Chapelle des Bois and Champagne; plus 1.6 hectares in Brouilly. Jean-Louis began farming organically in 2002 when he moved to live at the house inside the Clos and was certified organic in 2009. Only natural inputs are used. All work is carried out manually and harvesting is exclusively by hand to ensure on the best quality, whole bunches arrive in the winery. The soils across the vineyards are variations on the classic coarse granite sand and gravel, with some clay-limestone plots.
Famille Dutraive is a micro-negoce, created in 2017 after 2 consecutive years of devasting hail losses to Domaine de la Grand’Cour. To relieve the financial stress on the family Jean-Louis teamed up with his children Ophélie, Justin and Lucas. It has quickly evolved as a family project constant; an aside from the other more individual projects and domaines. The grapes were initially sourced from friends who shared their organic/biodynamic philosophies and practices across the Beaujolais crus as an emergency measure. Now vineyards are leased specifically for the Famille wines and the range has taken on a permanent structure ensuring outstanding quality.
This cuvée of Saint-Amour comes from a single plot, "Le Clos du Chapitre", located on a plateau to the east of the Saint-Amour appellation. Grown on old stony, alluvial soil, the vines are 50 years old, certified organic are located at an altitude of 260m. The grapes were vinified in concrete vats then the wines were aged in oak barrels for 7 months.
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2020 Comando G El Reventon GarnachaSierra de Gredos, SPAIN$330. 00Bottle$3960.00 DozenABV: 15%Closure: CorkIt’s time to leave your preconceptions at the door, as Comando G produce Garnacha (Grenache) unlike anyone else in Spain. Comando G’s Daniel Landi and Fernando Garcia craft Garnacha up in the near inaccessible hills of the Sierra de Gredos mountains which are miles away (figuratively and literally) from the dark, powerful, brooding wines of Priorat that hit the scene 20 years or so ago. These are a different breed of Garnacha, light, ethereal, built on tension and finesse. There’s no lack of concentration however, and they have much more in common with high-end Burgundy than what you would normally associate with Spain. Word is well and truly out on these special wines, with demand far outstripping supply and prices skyrocketing on the secondary market.
Other Reviews....
The 2020 El Reventón is now a wine from Comando G and no longer a Dani Landi wine, whose personal project came to an end with the 2019 vintage. It's still exactly the same wine from the same vineyard in Cebreros on slate soils. It has a lot of cherry fruit, a liquorous part à la Rayas, with 15% alcohol. It's round and juicy but with no sense of heat, mixing notes of rose hip with the lavender, curry and chamomile but in a subtler way, less Mediterranean. It's fine-boned but super tasty with an almost salty/umami twist. 1,708 bottles and 50 magnums produced. It was bottled in March 2022. Drink 2023 - 2029.
96 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Jun 01, 2023)A hint of bay leaves to the grapefruit zest, blood orange, subtle spices, stones, creamed raspberries and strawberries. I love the perfume, texture and fluidity here, highlighting tautness, tension and brightness. So juicy, svelte and firm on the palate with neat, chalky tannins and a focused but linear finish. Drink or hold.
96 points
James Suckling -
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2020 Comando G El Tamboril GarnachaSierra de Gredos, SPAIN$415. 00Bottle$4980.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkIt’s time to leave your preconceptions at the door, as Comando G produce Garnacha (Grenache) unlike anyone else in Spain. Comando G’s Daniel Landi and Fernando Garcia craft Garnacha up in the near inaccessible hills of the Sierra de Gredos mountains which are miles away (figuratively and literally) from the dark, powerful, brooding wines of Priorat that hit the scene 20 years or so ago. These are a different breed of Garnacha, light, ethereal, built on tension and finesse. There’s no lack of concentration however, and they have much more in common with high-end Burgundy than what you would normally associate with Spain. Word is well and truly out on these special wines, with demand far outstripping supply and prices skyrocketing on the secondary market.
Other Reviews....
The backward and serious character of the red 2020 El Tamboril Tinto shows the backward character of this place, a cool site with a longer cycle and later harvest, so it always attains more color. The wine has more stones, more bone than meat and chalky, talcum powder tannins from white soils that create wines with electricity and energy. This always has more Italian in character, with more Barolo tannins than Burgundy. It should develop nicely in bottle. 1,553 bottles and 50 magnums produced. It was bottled in May 2022. Drink 2023 - 2032.
97 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Jun 01, 2023)This year, Tamboril has the deepest color among Comando G’s parcel wines, even if it is still just medium ruby with a subtle orangey rim. But it certainly is glossier. Of course, there is a lot going on here, with tangy red berries and a splash of black fruit, too. Mineral and spicy with a hint of menthol. This has a bold structure with very firm, minerally textured tannins on the palate followed by a long, tight finish. Drink or hold.
96 points
James Suckling - Sierra Reposado Tequila (700ml)Jalisco, MEXICO$67. 99Bottle$815.88 DozenABV: 38%
An entry-level mixing Reposado, double distilled in copper pot stills and aged in oak barrels for 9 months. Sierra Reposado carries hints of caramel, vanilla and herbs. It comes with its own sombrero that doubles as a salt rimmer for shots, which is a bonus for the bar shelf! 38% Alc./Vo
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2021 Vinelea ShirazBeechworth, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$39. 99Bottle$479.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2023-2028)ABV: 14.5%Closure: Diam CorkDense inky black heart with a very deep dark red black hue. Potent ripe black cherry and liquorice aromas flood the nostrils with some vanillin oak, scorched earth and peppered meat notes also evident. Lavish rich black cherry and liquorice fruits meld into toasty vanillin oak, dried meat and peppered earth characters. Ripe, fleshy texture with slightly chewy yet quite velvet like tannins. Amply powered it finishes with a long, lush, black fruited aftertaste.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 14.5% -
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2020 Bodegas Albamar Fusco MenciaRibeira Sacra, AUSTRALIA$39. 99Bottle$479.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2023-2027)ABV: 13%Closure: CorkDeep dark red black colour with a dark red hue. Pronounced ripe black cherry and liquorice aromas mingle with black raspberry, scorched earth and peppered dried meat notes. Rich black cherry and liquorice fruits line the palate with ripe chewy tannins in the background. Scorched earth and peppered dried herb elements are also evident. Finishes with a lick of freshness on the mid length aftertaste.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 13% -
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2021 Best’s Great Western Cabernet SauvignonGreat Western, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$22. 99Bottle$275.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2023-2031)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinBest’s impressive range of Great Western Shiraz has long taken centre stage with their Cabernets sitting in the shadows. Showcasing the regions elegance and cool climate structure the Cabernet possesses dense rich fruit and is capable of cellaring for up to 20 years. At under $25 it consistently delivers terrific value.
Very deep midnight black core with a vibrant purple red hue. Fragrant red currant and red liquorice aromas infused with violets blossom from the glass followed by some dusty vanillin cedar, subtle earth and bay leaf notes. Rich juicy red currant and red liquorice flavours carry medium body weight and good flesh across the palate. Spicy vanillin cedar, dusty earth and spicy bay leaf infusions linger underneath. Finishes with a youthful freshness, fine grained tannins and a long savoury, spicy red fruited aftertaste.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 14%
Other Reviews....
If this wine auditioned for a role in the film adaptation of 'Remains of the Day' it would get the part in a heartbeat. It's just so exquisitely well mannered. Ultrafine tannin, perfectly ripened fruit, the line of acidity placed just so. Even the oak wraps smokily around the herb notes, as if to ensure that they don't appear too loud. This mid-weight cabernet would make the perfect butler to the finest of meals. Drink by 2034.
95 points
Campbell Mattinson - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion -
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2021 Still Moon ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$39. 99Bottle$479.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2023-2026)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinBright pale straw colour with a subtle tinge of green to the edges and a watery hue. Ripe nectarine and apricot aromas intermix with hints of honeysuckle, lemon butter and spice. Fleshy peach and apricot fruits fill the mouth with subtle butterscotch, lemon butter, spicy nougat and almond characters lingering underneath. Gently creamy in its texture it finishes fresh, nicely fruited and well rounded.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 13% -
- 89
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- 92
Pokeno Origin Single Malt New Zealand Whisky (700ml)NEW ZEALAND$109. 99Bottle$1319.88 DozenABV: 43%The New Zealand scene has gone from just one distillery that closed in 1997 (Willowbank in Dunedin) to over ten small-scale and craft distillers. One new venture, nestled amongst the volcanic mountains and misty valleys of the Waikato region is a family-owned and operated passion project aiming to distill in the style of the finest Speyside malts. And with decades of whisky industry experience, Matthew Johns, who has been associated with some of the biggest names in the world of single malts has Pokeno right on track. Founded in 2017, it is already the largest single malt distillery in the country, handling all aspects of production on-site, including maturation and bottling. It even has its own cooperage. According to some tasters, what's coming out of barrel now resembles Japanese whisky, showing more delicacy than most Scotch, and zero peat. Four whiskies make up the current range. 'Origin' comes aged in ex-bourbon casks, making for a pure, light, breezy, well-rounded whisky with hints of honey drizzled fruits (think dried pear or cantaloupe), followed by suggestions of honey, cream and coconut chocolate through the medium-long finish. 43% Alc./vol. Non-chill filtered.
Other reviews... A nose of cereal bars, honey, flatbread crackers, peppercorn, cinnamon, shelled almonds, and dried grasses. It’s rounded, with good weight and texture, delivering honey, vanilla, apricot, light citrus, fudge, peppercorn, cinnamon, and oak char, with an actively spicy finish. Well-made and a great introductory malt, but this flavor profile positions it in pretty crowded territory, up against numerous similar-tasting bourbon cask-matured single malts. 88 points - whiskyadvocate.com
...most impressive is the cleanliness of the malt; this has been beautifully and carefully made. 92.5 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2024
...Matured in first-fill bourbon barrels. No age statements. A refreshing single malt, it could easily pass for a bourbon barrel-aged Scotch. Light, buttery grains and a pinch of citrus are evident on the fresh nose, and the same follow through on the palate. Almost coming across like a shortbread cookie, the creamy whisky showcases a slightly nutty character that evokes nougat, almond butter, coconut, and again some lemon extract, filtering into the finish. Bright as sunshine, it’s a perfect (if uncomplicated) aperitif. - drinkhacker.com
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- Limit One per customer
Longrow Red Tawny Port Cask Matured 11 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Campbeltown, SCOTLAND$499. 00Bottle$5988.00 DozenABV: 57.5%Collectors note: Springbank's labels almost always arrive with minor wearing and markings, most often to the top of the front labels. This is unavoidable. If you are likely to be disappointed by minor label scuffing, we recommend you don't buy these whiskies.
Following in a long tradition of 'Reds', the 2022 limited release sees the super peated Campbeltowner aged for seven years in Bourbon barrels before ageing for an additional four years in fresh Tawny Port casks. 8,400 bottles were produced at a natural strength of 57.5% ABV. Non-chill filtered.
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- Limit One per customer
Longrow Red Pinot Noir Cask Matured 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Campbeltown, SCOTLAND$499. 00Bottle$5988.00 DozenABV: 51.4%Following on from last year's 10-year-old which was influenced by Malbec comes this considerably older expression infused with the vibrant berry character of Pinot Noir. After eleven years in Bourbon barrels the liquid was transferred into fresh New Zealand Pinot casks from acclaimed wine maker, Grant Taylor’s Valli vineyards in Central Otago. It's not the first time Springbank have done a finishing like this, with an eleven year old a few years back resulting in a Longrow masterpiece. Given that peating is normally around 50-55ppm, it's no surprise that the style on offer here will be more like the Islay single malts of Port Charlotte than the 'typical' Springbank. The outturn was 9400 bottles at 51.4% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.
Collectors note: Springbank's labels almost always arrive with minor wearing and markings, most often to the top of the front labels. This is unavoidable. If you are likely to be disappointed by minor label scuffing, we recommend you don't buy these whiskies.
- Klipdrift Brandy (750ml)SOUTH AFRICA$66. 99Bottle$803.88 DozenABV: 43%
Brandy can justifiably lay claim to the title of South Africa's favourite spirit, selling more than the white spirit and whisky markets combined. And so it should. With a heritage dating as far back as the late 17th century when early Dutch pioneers in the Cape quickly worked out that the typically Mediterranean climate and favourable soils were ideal for growing grapes - wine and ultimately, brandy was produced, and the quality has more than kept pace with demand. South Africa remains a world-class producer of the spirit (it’s also one of the few brandy-making areas outside Cognac that still conforms to age-old Cognac traditions).
Klipdrift was founded by JP Marais in 1938. Their entry-level offering is aged for a minimum of three years in French oak and boasts aromas and flavours of dried fruits and roasted hazelnuts. Awarded a gold medal at the 2013 Veritas awards - South Africa's most illustrious wine and brandy competition. 43% Alc./Vol.
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- 95
2020 Domaine Pichot L’Electron Libre Vouvray Eleve en fut de cheneVouvray, Loire Valley, FRANCE$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)ABV: 12%Closure: CorkA new cuvee for Domaine Pichot this wine comes from a selection of each of the 10 plots of the Pichot family vines situated among the best placed premier coteau vineyard sites of the village and near the family winery in the Vallee de Nouys. It was fermented in stainless steel then aged in 100% new oak barrels for 12 months. Only 10 barrels were made.
Bright straw colour with a watery hue. Lifted baked pear and apple aromas are interwoven with quince, honeysuckle and spicy cinnamon notes. Rich, full and textural the palate is engulfed with luscious ripe Jonathan apple, baked pear, honeysuckle and cinnamon flavours. Some musk and spicy quince characteristics lurk in the background. Fantastic depth, volume and concentration. Finishes fresh, long and spicy with a dash of residual sweetness.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 12% -
- 98
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2019 Vietti Barolo CerequioPiedmont, ITALY$499. 00Bottle$5988.00 DozenABV: 14%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
Vietti was able to buy a 9,000-square meter piece of Cerequio from Michele Chiarlo, arguably the king of this celebrated cru. And because this is a new addition to the portfolio, the Vietti team is still learning the ropes. For example, there is a fresh minty tone that pops up from the bouquet of the 2019 Barolo Cerequio. "That minty note was a mystery to us," Luca Currado tells me. "But then we understood that its part of Cerequio." This wine shows a firm grip on the palate that does extend out to include some textural softness, but it ultimately remains quite structured. Among the grand cru sites of La Morra, Luca Currado tells me that "Cerequio is the brother and Brunate is the sister." His wife Elena Penna adds, "We've never had two sites so close to one another show such a great difference between them.". Drink 2025 - 2050.
97+ points
Monica Larner - Wine Advocate (August 2023)The 2019 Barolo Cerequio is a worthy follow up to the stellar 2018. Aromatic and deeply pitched, the 2019 races across the palate with remarkable depth and intensity. Crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, mint and cinnamon all open in the glass, but it is the wine's silkiness and suppleness that impresses most. A kick of acids and tannins puts an exclamation point on the finish. This is a gorgeous Cerequio that takes all the finesse this site offers, and then turns up the volume. What a wine. Drink 2027 - 2044.
98 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousExtremely fresh and perfumed with lavender, violets and fresh plums. Wonderful to smell. Full-bodied with firm and focused tannins that give structure and intensity. Excellent length. Fantastic for the vintage. Only the second vintage of this for Vietti. Vegan. Drink after 2028.
97 points
jamessuckling.comComing from La Morra, a more fruit-forward tone can be found in the licorice spice and depth of the 2019 Barolo Cerequio, which offers slightly darker fruit, ripe berries, and peppercorn. This was the second vintage produced and is more approachable now for the vintage. It is a joyful wine though it still has ripe structure. Drink 2024-2044.
94 points
Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.com -
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2019 Vietti Barolo LazzaritoPiedmont, ITALY$499. 00Bottle$5988.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
With fruit from Serralunga d'Alba, the Vietti 2019 Barolo Lazzarito is a historic cornerstone wine of this mighty portfolio. It is also one of the Vietti Barolos that consistently delivers extreme quality and pleasure with each new release. Like the other wines presented here, winemaking is straightforward, with submerged cap fermentations lasting 30 to 35 days (although those times were reduced in 2019 because this vintage was not suited to long maceration times). Serralunga d'Alba always delivers power and richness. There are aromas of dried tobacco leaf, perfumed tea, crushed rose and iron ore. The bouquet is extremely expressive. Drink 2025 - 2055.
98 points
Monica Larner - Wine Advocate (August 2023)The 2019 Barolo Lazzarito continues a trend seen in recent years in which the focus has been more about finesse than raw power. Intense red fruit, iron, dried herbs, chalk, dried rose petal and white pepper all run through this deep, virile Barolo. The power and intensity of Serralunga really come alive on the heady, explosive finish. Bright saline notes linger on the deep, resonant finish. A Barolo of raw, unbridled power, the Lazzarito demands patience. Drink 2027 - 2044.
97 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousOrange peel with raspberry, crab apple and violet aromas follow through to a medium body, with sage, lavender and raspberry flavors. Firm and racy tannins. From organically grown grapes. Vegan. Drink after 2029 and onwards.
94 points
jamessuckling.comAnother pale ruby Barolo, the 2019 Barolo Lazzarito is from a 2.5-hectare parcel of the cru and reveals a hint of purple flowers, with a mix of red and blue fruit berries. It has more expansiveness on the palate, with more broadness, although it is not weighted. It offers a light balsamic tone, with rosemary and fresh herbs, and is persistent on the long finish. This will benefit from more time in bottle and drink 2026-2046.
96 points
Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.com -
- 97
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2019 Vietti Barolo MonviglieroPiedmont, ITALY$499. 00Bottle$5988.00 DozenABV: 14%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
This is the wine Luca Currado and Elena Penna are most excited to present. And because this charming couple would leave the helm of the winery shortly after my visit with them, I like to consider the 2019 Barolo Monvigliero a symbolic send-off. Making Nebbiolo from Monvigliero is often a question of technique more than anything else, they tell me, and the learning curve is arduous. This wine sees 60% whole cluster fermentation in a single vat. Having some destemmed grapes makes fermentation easier to control. Family friend Fabio Alessandria of Comm. G.B. Burlotto offered tips on how to avoid volatile acidity or other problems with long maceration times. In fact, Vietti was able to acquire directly from Fabio Alessandria their 8,000-square-meter parcel in Monvigliero located at 300 meters in elevation on a high plain. "He passed the ball to us," says Luca Currado. Drink 2025 - 2050.
97 points
Monica Larner - Wine Advocate (August 2023)The 2019 Barolo Monvigliero is stunning. What a wine. Rich, heady and explosive, the 2019 is a gorgeous, spherical Barolo that dazzles right out of the gate. Aromatically broad and expansive, the 2019 fleshes out beautifully in the glass. Bright red-toned fruit, orange zest, mint, spice and bright saline notes saturate the palate on the back end. The 2019 is a total stunner, even in this stage of youthful austerity. It comes across as a bit rustic compared to the 2018, but the final verdict on that won't be evident for at least a number of years. This is the first vintage that includes a second parcel in Monvigliero. In the cellar, one lot saw submerged cap maceration, the other did not. Drink 2029 - 2049.
97+ points
Antonio Galloni - VinousLots of dried flowers on the nose with hibiscus and raspberry character. Full-bodied with salty brine undertones to the pure fruit and citrus flavors. Well-integrated tannins. Transparent. Clear. 60% whole cluster fermentation with natural yeast. Vegan. Best after 2028.
96 points
jamessuckling.comThere is a light rustic tone in this elegant, medium-framed wine from the north in Verduno. Notes of fresh leather, pomegranate, and sweet herbs are followed by a medium-bodied wine with fine and approachable tannins. It is an elegant, more gentle expression but offers a lot of pleasure. Drink 2023-2040.
94 points
Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.com -
- 93
- 92
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- 95
- Organic
2019 G.D. Vajra Barolo Coste di RosePiedmont, ITALY$160. 00Bottle$1920.00 DozenABV: 14%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
Compared to Bricco delle Viole, Coste di Rose is distinguished by sandstone soils at lower elevations of 340 to 350 meters above sea level. There is a lot of variability in the soils, and as they change, Nebbiolo behaves differently, picking up new aromas and textural qualities along the way. The G.D. Vajra 2019 Barolo Coste di Rose shows a darker core of fruit with dusty earthy tones and campfire ash. The grape skins were quite thick in 2019, meaning that less work was done with submerged cap and other extractive methods. The beauty of this wine is the mouthfeel, which feels rich, tight and silky. Coste di Rose was first made in 2015. Drink 2025 - 2045.
95 points
Monica Larner - Wine Advocate (August 2023)The 2019 Barolo Coste di Rose is the most open of the vineyard designates, but is not the easygoing Barolo it has often been in the past. Bright acids and veins of supporting tannin give the 2019 its taut, rather nervous feel. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, spice flowers and earthy tones all develop with a bit of time in the glass. There is a bit of nervousness in the tannin that needs to soften, but all the elements are nicely balanced. Drink 2026 - 2039.
93 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousVery perfumed with fresh roses and lilacs as well as cherries and raspberries. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a slightly fluid center palate, but should fill in nicely with bottle age. From organically grown grapes. Better in a few years.
92 points
jamessuckling.comTaking on a jeweled ruby appearance, the 2019 Barolo Coste Di Rose displays a bit more depth in its aromas of raspberry, pure cherry, and sweet floral perfume. Revealing a lovely, fine tannin structure on the palate, it is an approachable red with a gentle arch to its notes of sandy soil and crushed stones as well as its soft texture on the finish. This is an elegant wine with a lot of charm to drink now or over the next 10 to 15 years.
93+ points
Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.com -
- 94
- 97
- 93
- 96
2022 Giant Steps Tarraford Vineyard ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$74. 99Bottle$899.88 DozenABV: 13%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
The warmest site among Giant Steps' four single-vineyard chardonnays, though planted on a cool, south-facing slope in Tarrawarra. Whole-bunch pressed and barrel fermented in French puncheons (25% new) with 10% mlf. An engaging and lovely wine. Opens with subtle scents of pink grapefruit, orange blossom and coriander seeds. Builds nicely on the gently textured, saline and structured palate before finishing zesty and long. The sort of wine that begs you to take another sip. Drink 2022-2027.
97 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionSofter and more forward than other chardonnay in the suite. A warmer sub-zone, albeit, eastern facing vines. Aromas of baked apples, quince, lemon drops and orange pastilles. The oak is classy and impeccably integrated, directing a bumptious, mid-weighted palate. A subtly creamy finish. I'd be drinking this while waiting for the rest. Drink or hold.
93 Points
Ned Goodwin MW - JamesSuckling.comTight, fresh and saline with a citrus-driven nose and an attractively pithy palate alongside intriguing orange spritz and old-fashioned lemonade flavours. Cut with lively acidity, it has good intensity and drive. Leased for 20 years, the Chardonnay (predominantly clone P58) was planted in 1988 on cooler south- and east-facing slopes on grey clay loam. Harvested 25 February, 28 February and 6 March with the east-facing slopes the last-picked. Drink 2023 - 2028.
94 Points
Sarah Ahmed - DecanterWhen we taste the Giant Steps chardonnays we usually start at the warmer of the single vineyard sites and work our way up, or to cooler sites. Two we have here. Tarraford is a leased vineyard though it’s a key member of the Giant Steps SV range.
This is a tight release, though highly textural, but what really shows through here is the fruit intensity of the year. There’s a concentration to this wine, a sense of bounty. It tastes of brine, apples, citrus and cedar, with attractive bacon and salt-like highlights, plus quartz, plus some greenery. I wrote the word ‘incredible’, which says it all. Drink 2024 - 2030+
96 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front -
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2022 Giant Steps Wombat Creek Vineyard ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$74. 99Bottle$899.88 DozenABV: 13%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
From the marginal Wombat Creek vineyard planted at around 400m elevation in the early 1980s. Whole-bunch pressed to French puncheons (25% new), one-third mlf. Aromas of yellow grapefruit, gently poached apples, white peach and a little yuzu. With its mouth-watering acidity, this the most tightly wound of the four Giant Steps chardonnays in 2022. Finishes chalky and long, but it needs another six to 12 months to fill out a little. Drink 2022 - 2027.
94 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionDiscreet and a little more subdued than its siblings. The highest vineyard in the Yarra. Despite being gently mid-weighted with lower alcohol, this feels softer and looser at the seams, while still typically intense. Bitter almond, lemon zest, nectarine and pistachio accents roll across a skein of tangerine freshness and cinnamon oak. Oatmeal lees at the core. The finish is exceptionally long and effusive of energy. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.
94 Points
Ned Goodwin MW - JamesSuckling.comVines here are now 40 years old, which is pretty remarkable in Yarra Valley terms. It’s the highest, coolest and most southerly of the single vineyard chardonnay sites.
Custard powder, florals, wild on the nose but then cool on the palate. They make four barrels of this; two of the four are allowed to go through malo. You wouldn’t know. There’s a creaminess here but there’s cut, there’s savouriness, there are green herb and grapefruit notes and there’s smoke. This could be anything in a few years. Anything, I tell you. But it needs some time to add flesh. Drink 2026 - 2030+
94+ Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front -
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- 96
- 95
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2022 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Pinot NoirYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$84. 99Bottle$1019.88 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
From the Sexton vineyard in Gruyere. Destemmed with whole berries and matured nine months in French barriques (20% new). A deep ruby crimson. The densest and most brooding of the Giant Steps Yarra Valley single-vineyard pinots from 2022. You'll find bramble berries, freshly ploughed earth and a little black pepper. Savoury and concentrated on the palate, there is plenty of meat on the bones with substantial and persistent tannins masked by the sheer weight of plush fruit at this stage. A succulent wine to enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2022 - 2030.
96 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionAromas of clove, bing cherries, lilac and mulch. A darker composition. A carnal whiff of autumnal leaves and Lapsang souchong. Detailed tannins compress a mid-weighted palate of impressive density and freshness. This will unravel nicely across the mid-term, based on poise and succulent length. A reductive clench at the finish confers further tension. Drinkable now, but best from 2024.
95 Points
Ned Goodwin MW - JamesSuckling.comSavoury, with earth and graphite notes on a slightly reduced and closed nose – a function of nutrient-poor grey clay loam soils. In the mouth it reveals ripe plum, cherry and dusty fig flavours, with meaty undertones and a hint of tobacco. Still very young, this 100% destemmed Pinot needs time to flesh out. The fruit comes from the saddle of the Sexton vineyard, planted to the MV6, G5V15 and Abel clones. Drink 2024 - 2028.
92 Points
Sarah Ahmed - DecanterThe Sexton vineyard is at the wonderfully-named Gruyere, planted in 1997. North-facing, exposed site.
Meaty pinot noir. Bold with varietal fruit, and spice, and herbs, but that bloody, meaty drive defines it. Gosh Giant Steps is in great form. I’d point this lower than the other single vineyard (pinot noir) releases for its length, but the flavour profile here is the biz, or the shiz, or whatever that term is. It’s an excellent wine now; if it stretches its legs on the finish as it matures it will be outstanding. Drink 2025 - 2029.
94 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front
A stunning version, showing wonderful precision. Offers wild strawberry, raspberry and maraschino cherry flavors that are sleek and polished, plus wild fennel, toasted green tea, rose petal and cardamom details. There's a hint of forest floor on the long finish, with dense, velvety tannins. Drink now through 2037.
96 points
Wine Spectator -
- 94
- 96
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- 94
- Nicks Import
2022 Chateau Guillot-ClauzelPomerol, Bordeaux, FRANCE$260. 00Bottle$3120.00 DozenClosure: CorkOther Reviews....
The 2022 Guillot Clauzel is suave and charming, bursting with aromas of sweet cherries, dark berries, licorice and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, with a lively but gourmand core of fruit and a harmonious, integrated profile, it's a real success. Drink 2027-2042.
94 points
William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateThe 2022 Guillot-Clauzel turned out beautifully. Lifted and aromatically precise, the Guillot-Clauzel is impressive. Floral and spice notes open first, announcing a healthy presence of Cabernet Franc. Red cherry fruit, blood orange, spice, mocha and lavender are beautifully amplified in the glass. The 2022 is the most elegant and refined wine I have tasted since Guillaume Thienpont took over the management of this estate in 2018. This is a gorgeous, sexy Pomerol that will be approachable with minimal cellaring. Drink 2027-2042.
94 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThis is linear and transparent with dark cherries and lemon rind. Subtle and fine. Medium-bodied with vibrating tanking that gives this vibe and length. Focused and pretty. 83% merlot and 17% Cabernet franc. Drink after 2028.
96 points
James SucklingFrom vines just beside Le Pin and 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Château Guillot-Clauzel is beautiful stuff and has a darker core of black cherries, damp earth, smoke, and tobacco. This beautifully concentrated, medium to full-bodied, layered Pomerol has ripe tannins, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and a great finish. I love its mix of richness and elegance, and it's a gorgeous 2022 to drink over the coming two decades. Drink 2025-2045.
95 points
Jeb Dunnuck - Sullivans Cove Single Cask TD0048 American Oak Second Fill 16 Year Old Single Malt Australian Whisky (700ml)Hobart, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA$799. 00Bottle$9588.00 DozenABV: 48%
Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product not pictured.
The American Oak Old & Rare range showcases some of the distillery’s oldest and most exceptional American oak casks, aged far beyond the standard American Oak Single Cask releases. Drawn from barrels that have allowed the development of extraordinary depth and complexity over more than a decade, these whiskies offer richer, more concentrated flavours and a luxurious texture that only extended maturation can achieve. Bottled in highly limited quantities, they represent the pinnacle of Sullivans Cove’s American oak expression.A well-aged Sullivan's Cove, filled into a cask in Oct 2005 and bottled in Nov 2021. 406 bottles produced.
One only from a private collection. 48% Alc./Vol -
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2019 Penfolds GrangeSouth Australia, AUSTRALIA$999. 00Bottle$11988.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
The bold, expansive 2019 Grange (97% Shiraz, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon) spent 19 months in larger new American Oak and is powerful and expressive as it delivers a dense core of coca, blackberry and baked terracotta aromas, all well backed by toasted coconut oak. Mouth-filing, expansive and seriously tannic, it then delivers waves of dark berry flavor laced with touches of spice, leading to a rich, muscular finish. It’s built for the long haul, so don’t even think of opening for at least a decade. Drink 2035 - 2055.
96 Points
Angus Hughson - Antonio Galloni's Vinous97/3% shiraz/cabernet sauvignon; matured in new American oak for 19 months. A quieter release for the 2019 rendition of Penfolds' world-famous icon. A little less of the formic and VA heft of youth in this showing and a bit more approachable as a result. Deep crimson in the glass with familiar characters of deep black berry fruits, plum compote and black cherry underscored with hints of baking spices, Calvados, espresso grounds, black olive tapenade, roasting meats, creamy oak, purple flowers and earth. Weighty and concentrated with classic Grange density of fruit and tannin; persistent, texturally flexing and long of finish. As per usual will cellar like a dream, but I think it will hit its drinking window a bit earlier than usual. Drink 2028 - 2060.
97 Points
Dave Brookes - Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionDark, dank and immaculate. The oak handling and tannic precision boast ample class. Beneath lurks a latent, molten beauty that will unravel eventually. I like this Grange. I feel that the decadent style, molten and fleshy, is well suited to the drought vintage and its thick grape skin tannic scour. Mercifully, the tannins are pliant and despite it all, plenty juicy. Firework aromas of raspberry liqueur, camphor and gunpowder, with a smear of black olive, licorella and hung meat wafting across the long finish. Best from 2030.
96 Points
Ned Goodwin MW - JamesSuckling.comThe 2019 Grange is 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. It's the pinnacle of the Penfolds release (although if you ask me, the Chardonnays are my favorite part) and a wine that takes some understanding prior to scoring. The key to Grange is the old wines; it is a style of wine heavily fortified with oak (100% new, AP Johns American oak), tannin, fruit (multi-regional) and everything else. In the mouth it can be an almost impossible constellation of flavor and texture to wrap the mind around. But in time, yes, in time, this wine shows its capacity for grace and majesty. Ten years is too young to open a bottle. 20 years is about right. 30 and beyond, not a problem. It is a cellaring proposition of the highest order, but in youth it can feel impenetrable. So, this wine in front of me now has toasted coconut, dusted licorice, roasted meat, violets, burnt toffee, pastrami, coffee grounds, crushed ants/formic, roasted pecans ... all of these dark and broody (and chunky) things. 2019 was a hot year and one marred by low yields due to some inclement weather during flowering. This has meant that, as a whole, the wines have felt big, dark and compressed. This is no exception. It's a product of the year and the state from whence it has come and in the mold and style of Grange, typical. It will be even better. For now, ne touche pas. 14.5% alcohol sealed under natural cork. Drink 2033 - 2059.
95+ Points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateIt's a hard act to follow the monumental 2018 Grange, which – priced at AU$1000 for the first time on release – earned a slew of perfect scores. Chief winemaker Peter Gago regards the 1989, 1999 and 2009 as 'sleeper vintages' so urges against any rash prejudgement on this 2019. Sure, it is not as showy as the 2018 was on release, but if it is anything like the 1999 when it hits its stride in 20 years' time, then patience will be rewarded. The imposing structure, concentration and sheen of new American oak remains the trademark style, but the most powerful wine in the Penfolds stable – officially Bin 95 – is nevertheless becoming increasingly more approachable in recent vintages, and this 2019 is no exception (although approachable remains a relative term for a wine with 40 to 50 years ahead of it). Initial high-toned aromas of chinotto and kirsch lead to spicy liquorice, cedar freshness and more savoury, earthy tones. The palate is mighty: bold, chewy espresso oak char overlaying ripe black berries, plum pudding, rosemary, cured meat and balancing acidity. A blend of Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Clare Valley fruit, aged 19 months in new American oak hogsheads. Drink 2029 - 2065.
97 Points
Tina Gellie - Decanter97% Shiraz, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. 19 months in 100% new American oak. For reviews of every Penfolds Grange ever made, click here. Grapes for the 2019 release were sourced from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Clare Valley regions.
This has its customary fruit, oak, tannin and length but I was struck by the ease of this release, the comfort. It does, I hasten to add, not lack power, or impact. Mocha, saturated plum and blackcurrant characters make sure of that. Indeed there’s some booziness to the fruit, despite its ease, but the wealth and spread of the tannin, in lockstep with excellent fruit/oak flavour, makes this release another sensation to behold. Drink 2028 - 2048+
96 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front
This is an epic wine that doesn't quit, opening up with ripe, fleshy flavors of black cherry, Maraschino cherry and framboise. But the fruit notes are only the beginning, giving way to date-nut bread, salted bittersweet chocolate, marzipan, dried olive, green peppercorn, French-press coffee and cardamom. The tannins are filling in your mouth, but never get in the way of all the complexity, and the finish just goes on and on. Drink now through 2047.
98 points
Wine Spectator - Cantine Vinci Crema Mandorla Marsala (1000ml)Sicily, ITALY$14. 99Bottle$179.88 DozenABV: 14.5%
Made from a 50/50 blend of Catarratto and Inzolia grapes and aged at least four months in oak, this sweet-styled Marsala pairs perfectly with the dry almond based sweets typical of Sicilian confectionery. Also an excellent ingredient for the preparation of ice-creams, fruit salads and cocktails. 14.5% Alc./Vol.
- Cantine Vinci Cremovo Marsala (1000ml)Sicily, ITALY$14. 99Bottle$179.88 DozenABV: 16%
A sweet, full and harmonious Marsala that can be used in the preparation of egg-nog, ice-creams and traditional Sicilian sweets. 16% Alc./Vol.
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- Packaging may vary
Cantine Vinci Fine Ambra Semisecco Marsala (1000ml)Sicily, ITALY$16. 99Bottle$203.88 DozenABV: 17%One of three value for money, one litre formats to arrive from Cantine Vinci. This is their amber, medium-dry expression made from an equal blend of Grillo and Catarratto grapes. Aged for at least one year in oak, it offers hints of candied orange peels, dried figs, dates and caramel, followed by suggestions of vanilla, coffee and chocolate. Excellent for the preparation of egg-nog or enjoyed alongside traditional Sicilian confectionery. 17% Alc./Vol.
- Van Ryn's 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Brandy (750ml)SOUTH AFRICA$105. 00Bottle$1260.00 DozenABV: 38%
Brandy is big business in South Africa, with the two biggest players being KWV and Van Ryns. Both producers will tell you that their standards and processes are on par, if not better, than the equivalent Cognac standards with the only difference being the location of the vineyards. Chenin and Colombard grapes dominate, and just as in France, they age their distillates for various amounts of time, bottling with alcohols around 38% to 40%. South Africa's commitment to quality is borne out by a slew of awards. In fact, the country has recently dominated at leading international competitions. Van Ryn's 12 year old is a perfect example, winning the trophy for ‘Worldwide Best Brandy’ six times to date - three times at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) and three times at the International Spirits Challenge. Said the IWSC judges in their tasting notes, “...an even balance is perfectly displayed with a spectrum of exciting flavours of fruit, spices and herbs... A beautiful, elegant finish lingers long on the palate – true finesse!” Matured on the banks of the Eerste River in Stellenbosch, expect hints of coffee, dried fruits, cinnamon and sweet tobacco. 38% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... Aged in small French oak casks, which makes it much more “old world” in style than the other brandies in this family. The nose is more intense, with a slight astringency driven by the wood. Still strong with raisin, well-baked apple, and spice notes, the wood notes grow heavier to the point of overpowering the spirit’s gentle fruit core. With time, the body offers up surprisingly tough notes of leather and furniture polish, with a slightly bitter bite on the finish. - drinkhacker.com
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- Limit One per customer
Longrow 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) - 2019 bottlingCampbeltown, SCOTLAND$1799. 00Bottle$21588.00 DozenABV: 46%Collectors note: Springbank's labels almost always arrive with minor wearing and markings, most often to the top of the front labels. This is unavoidable. If you are likely to be disappointed by minor label scuffing, we recommend you don't buy these whiskies. There is some minor scuffing to the boxes.
Probably distilled around 1998, this is reported to be a relatively small outturn of around 3500 bottles. You can expect the peat to be slightly subdued from the extra time in barrel. To our knowledge, it's one of the oldest Longrow's ever released. 46% Alc./Vol.
- 1991 Berry Bros & Rudd Springbank 26 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Campbeltown, SCOTLAND$5999. 00Bottle$71988.00 DozenABV: 44.9%
Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product pictured.
A very desirable Springa' distilled in 1991, then bottled by Berry Brothers & Rudd from single cask #455 in 2018. The company's spirits buyer, Doug McIvor has a reputation for high class barrel picks. This one comes with positive reviews. There's no reference to the kind of cask used, nor is the number of bottles produced stated. Non chill filtered and cask strength at 44.9% Alc./Vol.
Notes from the bottlers... A complex nose of orange blossom and rose water, interwoven with brine, apricot jam, white pepper and lemon oil. Butterscotch, salted caramel and damp ash appear on the palate initially, with over-ripe orange, tinned pineapple, ginger and a whiff of peat building with time. The finish is long, with wood smoke and brine. Quite beguiling.
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- 93
- Nicks Import
2020 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Blanc etc…Pouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE$255. 00Bottle$3060.00 DozenABV: 13%Closure: CorkPouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, and most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severely low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.
Previously labelled as Blanc Fumé de Pouilly, now reborn as Blanc Etc… and looking better than ever. Generally speaking this is the most approachable wine in the range, and since Louis-Benjamin came aboard the wine is now far closer in quality and class to the other releases. While each of the other wine focus on a single soil type or terroir, Blanc etc… blends some young vine parcels on their Saint-Andelain hill with two parcels planted on flinty clay and limestone white clay soils nearby. It was fermented in a mix of new and three-four year old barrels and then matured in both wood and tank.
Other Reviews....
The 2020 Blanc etc. is developing into a mellow style with the richness of the vintage showing. It is what the French would call gourmand and, close to three years after being harvested, has entered a delectable stage of its evolution. Yes, it's still young but has improved and opened up since tasting a year ago. It now offers baked apple, honey and pastry flavors while retaining freshness. It is long and concentrated with a firm sense of structure, doing the mouth equivalent of providing a firm, reassuring handshake, likely due to the clay-flint soils, which make up two-thirds of the blend. Drink 2023-2032.
93 points
Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous -
- 95
- Nicks Import
2020 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Buisson RenardPouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE$330. 00Bottle$3960.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkPouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, and most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severely low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.
Buisson Renard is a cool, mid-slope terroir on the southwest side of the Saint-Andelain slope, and the soils are a mixture of clay and flint. This was barrel fermented and aged in Dagueneau’s bespoke, cigar-shaped barrels (450 and 600 litres) which are designed to increase lees contact.
Other Reviews....
Perhaps the most Sauvignon-esque of all the vintage, the 2020 Buisson Renard is richly aromatic with distinctive lime, elderflower, ginger and honeysuckle aromas. It is currently most appealing for its tension as if a strong muscle is being stretched taut. It has masses of concentration and curves in the right places with an attractive sense of bitterness on the long finish. This is even better than when I tasted it from tank last year. Drink 2024-2033.
95 points
Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous -
- 94
- Nicks Import
2020 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Pur SangPouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE$330. 00Bottle$3960.00 DozenABV: 13%Closure: CorkPouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, and most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severely low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.
Pur Sang is a superstar in the Dagueneau cellar, and is widely considered one of the great white wines of the world. The close planted vineyard is situated about five kilometres north of Saint-Andelain, with a generous layer of flint and silica clay soils.
Other Reviews....
Forget aromatic Sauvignon, the 2020 Pur Sang is clear, pure and restrained. An evident nutty note to this is likely derived from the 20-25% new oak employed for all the Dagueneau cuvées. The oak combines with ripe, white stone fruit and almond meal, which lingers on the taut, grippy finish, and reveals that this wine is still in its infancy. Drink 2023-2032.
94 points
Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous -
- 93
- Nicks Import
2020 Domaine Didier Dagueneau SilexPouilly Fume, Loire Valley, FRANCE$450. 00Bottle$5400.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkPouilly Fumé and Sancerre are the global benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc, and there is no bigger name or more highly regarded producer in the area than Domaine Didier Dagueneau. Now under the guidance of Didier's talented son Louis-Benjamin, the wines still follow his ethos that authentic Pouilly Fumé requires healthy fruit from low yielding, old vines to produce the purest, and most intense and vibrantly fresh wine. That's not to say these wines are typical of the appellation. Given the severely low yields and approach to élevage, Dagueneau wines emphasise a creamy texture rather than bracing acidity, and combine mineral flavours with exotic fruits to supreme effect.
For many, the aptly named Silex is the pinnacle not only in the Dagueneau range, but in all of Pouilly Fumé. Hailing from a north facing vineyard rich in flint soils, the emphasis with Silex is the pure mineral traits Pouilly Fumé is famous for, yet with intensity and focus dialled up to eleven. Silex can take a few years in the cellar to fully express the core of citrus fruit among the smoke and flint notes; however history has proven it is well worth the wait. Dagueneau's Silex is a class leading icon of the Loire Valley.
Other Reviews....
While this was a warm season leading to richness in many wines from the region, the Silex 2020 shows ripe fruit, but there's no sense of being overblown. The fine line that races through many wines relying on flint-based parcels is there, carrying the nectarine and oak-derived vanilla flavors, but its influence never tips into austerity nor firmness. There's a sense of tenderness that runs through its core while remaining light in body. Drink 2023-2033.
93-94 points
Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous -
- 94
- 98
- 98
2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva Don Fiorino BarbarescoLanghe, ITALY$325. 00Bottle$3900.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkDon Fiorino is a multi-vineyard Riserva blend from one of the Langhe's most important producer cooperatives, Produttori del Barbaresco. 50% of the grapes come from nine crus Produttori use in their single vineyard Riservas (Asili, Montefico, Montestefano, Muncagota, Ovello, Paje, Pora, Rabaja, Rio Sordo), with the remaining 50% coming from other important vineyards that normally go into their classic Barbaresco (Basarin, Cottà, Cole, Faset, San Cristoforo). Prior to this 2016, the last release of a Riserva blend was from another exalted vintage; 1990.
Other Reviews....
The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva is a multi-vineyard bottling from the Produttori that blends lots from the nine vineyards that are bottled separately (except the Asili and Pajè because of low production) along with other holdings such as Cottà and Faset that aren’t bottled separately. It is a powerful, tannic wine that is going to need a ton of time to come around. Intellectually, the idea of blending fruit from numerous sites is appealing. In reality, I am not sure the blend is better than the best vineyard designates in a great vintage such as 2016, but time will ultimately tell. The Produttori last made a multi-vineyard Riserva in 1990. Needless to say, it will be fascinating to see how this ages. Drink 2024-2036
94 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousIncredible aromas of white truffle, meat, wet earth, lightly burnt orange peel and pure fruit. Medium-bodied and very compact, with a block of silky tannins that run through the palate and then come out at the end with a gorgeous texture. It’s very drinkable now, but will age wonderfully. This is a special release. They never made a serious blended riserva in their history. Spring 2023 release. Drink or hold.
98 points
jamessuckling.comThe 2016 Barbaresco Riserva will be available later this spring. It is introspective at the moment. although it is concentrated with licorice, fresh black cherry, cedar, and black pepper. It is a more brooding wine but retains its style, with leather, red plum, and balsamic, and as it opens it shows more fresh apricot. It is going to be a wine to hold onto and or drink over the coming two to three decades.
98 points
Audrey Frick - jebdunnuck.com















































