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Benriach The Thirty 30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLANDReduced from $1,199.00$999. 00Bottle$11988.00 DozenABV: 46%"A complete whisky." - whiskyadvocate.com
Along with its younger expressions, The Twenty One and The Twenty Five, The Thirty represents Benriach's “refreshed” core range. The acclaim for the new age statements has been undivided and consistently high, including some of the highest ratings in recent memory from whiskyadvocate.com. Though not always operational since its inception in 1898, the distillery has amassed a huge cask inventory meaning hundreds of distinct barrels can be blended into thousands of new whiskies. Currently, owners Brown-Forman have allocated this responsibility to Master Blender, Rachel Barrie. She's focused on maintaining an “orchard fruit-laden” profile, while also pushing to create more varied products, often with varying degrees of peat input. 'The Thirty' is her latest, and arguably greatest achievement to date. Like the rest of the new range, it comes matured in four cask types: x-Sherry, Bourbon, Virgin Oak and Port. The combination of Fortified wine and complexing smoke left one taster comparing it to "...mature port wine that's sat in a glass next to someone who was recently smoking a pipe." Extremely limited stocks.
Other reviews... Benriach digs into the vaults for this rare gem, and it’s a tour de force. The maturity shows at once, with an antique note of well-aged peat char and dark sherried aromas of dried figs and raisins. The palate offers flavors of cooked berries and baked apple, along with candle wax, dark chocolate, and roasted espresso beans. It all finishes with rich chocolate, old spice rack, and a parting note of ashy peat. A complete whisky. 95 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: David Fleming 2021
...This orange-gold 30 year old single malt explodes with an array of dried fruits, toasted nuts, and warm spices, while a present, but unobstructing, savory smoke maintains order and structure in this spirit that is still very much alive. 92 points - Excellent, Highly recommended - Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2021
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- 92
- Biodynamic
2020 Okonomierat Rebholz Riesling TrockenPfalz, GERMANY$64. 99Bottle$779.88 DozenABV: 12%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
Extremely fresh with a hint of youthful funk (reduction), but that blows off quickly to reveal crisp pear and lime-zest aromas. Very clean, straight and bright with so much citrus and herbal character at the finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
92 points
Stuart Pigott - jamessuckling.com -
- 96
- Biodynamic
2020 Okonomierat Rebholz Im Sonnenschein Riesling Grosses GewachsPfalz, GERMANY$190. 00Bottle$2280.00 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
So much energy and expression, but this remains really sleek and focused. Minty freshness. Power married to the minimum of weight necessary to support it. Then, at once silky and energetic at the very long, precise finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Respekt certification. Drink or hold.
96 points
Stuart Pigott - jamessuckling.com -
- 91
2020 Basileus GrenacheBarossa Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenMinimum 6 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2022-2025)ABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinDeep dark red colour with black shaded edges and a dark red hue. Nosing reveals aromas of dark raspberry, dark cherry, red liquorice, confectionary and light pepper. Juicy dark raspberry and liquorice fruits are layered across the fleshy, mid weighted palate with some scorched earth and spicy pepper characters lying underneath. Fine grained tannins with a ripe, spicy medium length conclusion.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 14.5% -
- 92
- Organic
- Preservative Free
Organic Hill Preservative Free Sparkling BrutSouth Australia, AUSTRALIA$24. 99Bottle$299.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesABV: 13%Closure: Crown SealCertified Organic. Pours with a frothy white mousse that holds well over a pale straw coloured base that has a fine bead flowing through it. Pronounced ripe pear, baked bread and yeast lees scents mix with some subtle honeyed apple like notes. Rich, mouthfilling flavours of ripe pear, baked apple and yeast lees overlay a hazelnut like back drop. Finishes dry and crisp with a generously textured nutty lees aftertaste.
Alc. 13% -
- 92
2020 Vintage Longbottom H Medium Dry RedMcLaren Vale, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2022-2026)ABV: 14.3%Closure: StelvinA blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Shiraz and 16.5% Grenache matured in 2-3 year old French oak. Very deep black dark red colour with a dark red hue. Spicy blackcurrant and plum scents intermingle with vanillin cedar and earthy tobacco like notes. Ripe blackcurrant and spicy dark plum fruits dominate the mid weighted palate over a back drop of earthy tobacco and vanillin cedar characters. Slightly grainy tannins with a spicy medium length aftertaste.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 14.3% -
- 92
2020 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny Les Hauts-Doix Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$540. 00Bottle$6480.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkDespite owning plots in prime Grand Cru vineyards such as Bonnes-Mares and Chambertin Clos-des-Bèze, Domaine Robert Groffier still fly relatively under the radar. Guided now by Robert's son Serge and grandson Nicolas, the team are considered one of the finest in Burgundy. The domaine consists of almost 8 ha of fine vineyards, including 1 ha of Bonnes Mares, almost 0.5 ha of Chambertin Clos-des-Bèze and a full 1 ha of Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses, the biggest single owner of this vineyard. Winemaking is flexible dependant on the season, however new oak use is minimal, and the wines are only racked once at the end of the élevage.
Other Reviews....
From 70-year old vines that provided 50% whole bunch, matured in 25% new oak, the 2020 Chambolle-Musigny Les Hauts Doix 1er Cru has a ripe and quite generous bouquet with plump red cherries and crushed strawberry scents, a touch of undergrowth emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine acidity, taut and fresh with a little more restaint on the finish compared to the aromatics. Lovely, quite endearing red fruit here. Excellent. Drink 2026-2048.
92-94 points
Neal Martin - VinousThe second vineyard to be picked, 50% whole bunch vinification, with 25% new wood. This is a draining sandy soil which gets direct sun only in the morning, so not hot but dry. 12.8% alcohol. A dense dark black purple. For the moment the whole bunches speak quite loudly. Dark fruit, rather exciting, shows the oak a bit, not all together but there is a lot of wine here. When this does come together it will be rather impressive.
92-95 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 96
2020 Domaine Robert Groffier Bonnes-Mares Grand CruBurgundy, FRANCE$1749. 00Bottle$20988.00 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkDespite owning plots in prime Grand Cru vineyards such as Bonnes-Mares and Chambertin Clos-des-Bèze, Domaine Robert Groffier still fly relatively under the radar. Guided now by Robert's son Serge and grandson Nicolas, the team are considered one of the finest in Burgundy. The domaine consists of almost 8 ha of fine vineyards, including 1 ha of Bonnes Mares, almost 0.5 ha of Chambertin Clos-des-Bèze and a full 1 ha of Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses, the biggest single owner of this vineyard. Winemaking is flexible dependant on the season, however new oak use is minimal, and the wines are only racked once at the end of the élevage.
Other Reviews....
The 2020 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru comes from 80-year old vines: 100% whole bunch with one-third new oak. This takes time to unfold on the nose when often this cuvée is quite medium. The aromatics say: Hold your horses. Then it unfurls to reveal slightly tertiary black fruit, tobacco and crushed limestone, almost flinty aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. Silky texture, poised acidity, this might be the most elegant and refined Bonnes-Mares that Nicolas Groffier has produced. I confess, I could not resist swallowing my tasting measure. This is one of Nicolas Groffier's finest achievements to date. Drink 2025-2060.
96-98 points
Neal Martin - Vinous80 year old vines, 100% whole bunch vinification, one third new wood,13.2% alcohol, the first vines to be picked. Rich deep crimson colour. The bouquet suggests power but the detail must wait. A very rich ripe ball of fruit in the mouth, succulent, more a white soil style of Bonnes Mares. Very complete, with just a fraction of torrefaction to add character at the end.
94-96 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy -
- 88
Benriach The Original Ten 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Speyside, Highlands, SCOTLAND$89. 99Bottle$1079.88 DozenABV: 43%A Bourbon, sherry and virgin oak matured expression in Benriach's new presentation. 43% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... It presents tropical fruits, vanilla, honey, and ginger on the nose. Soft fruits, malt, and milk chocolate inhabit the creamy, well-balanced palate. Hazelnuts, drinking chocolate, and light spices surface in the medium-length finish, with just a wisp of smoke. 88 points - whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Gavin Smith 2020.
....A pleasant nose layered with pears and honey proves smooth on the palate where ripe quince mingles with vanilla and barley malt on a delightfully smooth palate. Behind the scenes, a bare whisper of smoke infiltrates to bring structure but not dominate. 92 points, Excellent, Highly Recommended - Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2021
...Nose: Juicy peaches right away mellow into cereal grains, but also the fresh loveliness of baked goods. The finish has the brightness of strawberry and the tartness of raspberry. Palate: The body is light all the way through. Just a touch of that fruit up front, bright, juicy peach and red grapefruit. This warms and sweetens to the back palate with note of red wine and cocoa. These great scotch distilleries are capable of a great range of flavors, even under the 15 year age mark, and these still stand out. The Original Ten has more flavor upfront and clearly, while The Twelve has similar flavors but deeper and richer. BenRiach is known for a touch of smoke across even their unpeated expressions. I didn’t get any of that from the Original 10, but it came through in The Twelve. Score: 4/5 - thewhiskywash.com
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Meletti Limoncello Liqueur (700ml)ITALY$74. 99Bottle$899.88 DozenABV: 30%Lemons have been cultivated on the Amalfi coast since 200 AD. In the creation of this liqueur, Meletti selects the finest Sorrento lemons from the region's groves. A variety noted for its low acidity and thick skin, the rich oils give this liqueur its body and aroma. The final blend is aged for three months before being bottled, resulting in a limoncello that's both vibrant and rich.
Other reviews... This lemon liqueur appears slight at first: pale yellow and slightly cloudy, lightly fragranced with lemon oil. Yet one sip, and the favor is unmistakably bold, balancing sweetness with an authentic and clean lemon-peel acidity. 90 points - Kara Newman - Wine Enthusiast
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Arran 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)Isle of Arran, SCOTLAND$899. 00Bottle$10788.00 DozenABV: 46%Arran are one of the first of the 'new wave' of Scottish distilleries to reach maturity. To mark that watershed, they've released 3000 bottles of their oldest expression to date. Now sold out at the distillery, it has been eagerly anticipated by those already enamoured with the superb 18 & 21. And if you're surprised by the price, consider the massive hikes for similar age statements from Macallan, Highland Park, Ardbeg or Balblair et al. and it actually compares very favourably. The 25 year old is set to become an annual offering, although outturns will remain minimal (no doubt they're reserving a portion for even older releases in the future). Impressively housed in a timber presentation case, it comes matured in 35% ex-sherry and 65% ex-bourbon casks, but was also allocated twelve months in first-fill and refill sherry hogsheads. Like most other Arrans, it's bottled at 46% without chill filtration or the addition of any colouring.
Other reviews... The oldest in Arran’s core range has a warm, inviting nose of sweet vanilla, poached pear, and crème caramel, with a flurry of wood spices, ground pepper, and nutmeg grated over rice pudding. Rich and syrupy-textured, with honey, fudge, black pepper, and gentle oak building up to a peak of crystallized ginger followed by Seville orange peel, vanilla, ripe apricot, and apple. A mouth-coating finish of ginger and honeycomb toffee. 93 points - whiskyadvocate.com
...The bottle is superb, the price maybe a little less so. This is a combination of bourbon and oloroso, further married for one year in sherry hogsheads. What's sure is that this is the oldest Arran I've ever tasted. Colour: copper/amber. Nose: starts with a bowl of sour cherries and a clear vinosity, on old barriques and a little balsamico. I'm also finding many red berries, which come totally unexpected, raspberries, mulberries, also rosehip, dried pears, whiffs of dunnage, blood oranges, drops of fino… This is not what I was expecting, on the other hand I think it worked, it's just, well, very singular, with obvious wine impact. Mouth: cherry clafoutis, once again, cherries in kirsch, then mead and triple-sec, elderberry syrup, and a feeling of arrak. Then more blood oranges, more eglantine tea, and just preserved morellos. Are we sure this has never met with a single dollop of pinot noir? Finish: medium, with a little more malt and raisins, café latte, butterscotch… I short, it fell in line. A salty touch in the aftertaste. Comments: let's keep an open mind, this is not what we were expecting from a new 25 yo, but it's not lacking courage and opinion. The idea was strange but it was well executed. 86 points - whiskyfun.com
Notes from the bottlers... Nose – Rich oak with a gentle nutmeg note. Sweeter aromas of baked ripe figs, sultanas and black cherries. Palate – Fruit cake with toasted almonds and cinnamon. The juicy zestiness of oranges and mandarins mellows perfectly with manuka honey, muscovado sugar, baked apricots and an interesting white pepper note that provides even more complexity. Finish – Creamy and spicy with dark chocolate, walnuts and dark fruits compote.
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- 90
Meletti Fernet (750ml)ITALY$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 40%Centuries-old and rooted in medicine, Fernet are a kind of sub-category of Amaro that are typically less sweet, or more bittersweet. Like Amaros, they're usually consumed at the end of a meal to aid digestion and are flavoured with locally grown plants and herbs so as to represent the flavours of a given region. The Branca brand has long held the top position in the Fernet world, but that hasn't stopped countless distilleries, both in Italy and beyond from making proprietary variations of their own. Meletti's expression is described as a 'moderately bitter' style, offering hints of dark chocolate, coffee and mint, finishing with bitter gentian root, while the ingredients are said to include cardamom, myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile and saffron, among others. 40% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews... A stomach settler and a breath freshener, this liqueur is full-on minty from first sip straight through to exhale. The moderately bitter midpalate offers hints of dark chocolate, espresso and allspice. There's a passing resemblance to thin-mint cookies if you squint. 90 points - Kara Newman - wineenthusiast.com
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Meletti Green Label Anisetta Liqueur (700ml) - 34%ITALY$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 34%This is the company's flagship product which Silvio Meletti began formulating in the mid 1800s. Following a period of trial and error, he identified plants from the Ascoli Piceno region, east of Rome as being of the highest quality. Here, heavy clay soils produce the most aromatic anise. Silvio captured these aromas via a traditional alembic still, however, he subsequently attributed the incredible flavour of this special Anisette primarily to his proprietary aging process. Enjoy with your coffee, on the rocks, in a cocktail or sipped after dinner. 34% Alc./Vol.
Other reviews.... Among the best of the its category, Meletti made its name experimenting with anise plants from numerous Italian provinces as far back as 1870, determining finally that the best quality anise grew on the Adriatic Coast directly east of Rome. The end result: a pungent aroma hinting at anise and fennel, and a mellow, sippable flavor that slowly unfurls fiery cinnamon, anise, Dutch licorice and a sweet-herbal hint of sarsaparilla. 90 points - Kara Newman - Wine Enthusiast
- 36 Short Blood Orange Flavoured Vodka (500ml)South Australia, AUSTRALIA$63. 99Bottle$767.88 DozenABV: 40%
Made using home grown blood oranges picked straight from the Virginia-based farm, 36 Short's Blood Orange vodka bursts with citrus flavour, perfect for refreshing summer drinks. Try it with ruby red grapefruit or blood orange juice. 40% Alc./Vol.
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- Biodynamic
Vouette et Sorbee Blanc d'Argile (R18) ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$230. 00Bottle$2760.00 DozenABV: 12%Closure: CorkBertrand Gautherot has been quietly working away in the hamlet of Buxières-sur-Arce, in the Aube’s Côte des Bar region of Champagne, yet his wines have not escaped the attention of the top restaurants and retailers of the world. Each year Vouette & Sorbee allocations are eagerly awaited, and these exceptionally fine wines are consistently some of the best and most unique expressions from the area.
The vineyards here lie closer to Chablis than to Épernay, both in distance and geology, with soils dominated by the same Kimmeridgian limestone for which Chablis is famed. Gautherot’s wines take their deep and powerful personalities from these soils and the (relatively) sunnier climate of the southern Aube. His wines all come from a single harvest—noted by the “R” number on the back label—with the exception of the Fidèle cuvée, which sees a small addition of 5-10% reserve wine from a perpetual blend started in 2001. His winemaking abhors any kind of manipulation in the cellar. Gautherot uses the traditional Coquard press and the juice is transferred into oak or amphorae via gravity rather than being pumped. Primary fermentations are always carried out with natural yeasts and riddling and disgorgement are all done entirely by hand. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration and without dosage. The results are some of Champagne’s most original and delicious wines: wines of distinctive personality, energy and sense of place.
Blanc d’Argile has been described as Grand Cru Chablis with bubbles—a comparison that, on this evidence, flatters many a Chablis producer. Within the cold, west-facing, Kimmeridgian limestone-rich lieu-dit of Biaunes, there is a small plot of Chardonnay that Gautherot planted wild (without preparing the soils) amongst the native vegetation. The Côte des Bar is overwhelmingly planted to Pinot Noir, but nevertheless he did this in 2000, with massale cuttings from Anselme Selosse’s vines (in Avize) and Vincent Dauvissat’s Valmur Grand Cru vineyard. This plot has become the base of what Antonio Galloni calls “one of the most beautiful and distinctive wines in Champagne.” Fermentation for this wine was wild and took place in 4-10 year old, 500 and 600 litre barrels, with a small a portion of fruit fermented and raised in Georgian amphora. As with the Fidele, this wine spent roughly 15-18 months in bottle on lees, before being disgorged by hand with zero dosage.
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- Biodynamic
Vouette et Sorbee Blanc d'Argile (R19) Champagne Magnum (1500ml)Champagne, FRANCE$485. 00Bottle$5820.00 DozenABV: 12%Closure: CorkBertrand Gautherot has been quietly working away in the hamlet of Buxières-sur-Arce, in the Aube’s Côte des Bar region of Champagne, yet his wines have not escaped the attention of the top restaurants and retailers of the world. Each year Vouette & Sorbee allocations are eagerly awaited, and these exceptionally fine wines are consistently some of the best and most unique expressions from the area.
The vineyards here lie closer to Chablis than to Épernay, both in distance and geology, with soils dominated by the same Kimmeridgian limestone for which Chablis is famed. Gautherot’s wines take their deep and powerful personalities from these soils and the (relatively) sunnier climate of the southern Aube. His wines all come from a single harvest—noted by the “R” number on the back label—with the exception of the Fidèle cuvée, which sees a small addition of 5-10% reserve wine from a perpetual blend started in 2001. His winemaking abhors any kind of manipulation in the cellar. Gautherot uses the traditional Coquard press and the juice is transferred into oak or amphorae via gravity rather than being pumped. Primary fermentations are always carried out with natural yeasts and riddling and disgorgement are all done entirely by hand. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration and without dosage. The results are some of Champagne’s most original and delicious wines: wines of distinctive personality, energy and sense of place.
Blanc d’Argile has been described as Grand Cru Chablis with bubbles—a comparison that, on this evidence, flatters many a Chablis producer. Within the cold, west-facing, Kimmeridgian limestone-rich lieu-dit of Biaunes, there is a small plot of Chardonnay that Gautherot planted wild (without preparing the soils) amongst the native vegetation. The Côte des Bar is overwhelmingly planted to Pinot Noir, but nevertheless he did this in 2000, with massale cuttings from Anselme Selosse’s vines (in Avize) and Vincent Dauvissat’s Valmur Grand Cru vineyard. This plot has become the base of what Antonio Galloni calls “one of the most beautiful and distinctive wines in Champagne.” Fermentation for this wine was wild and took place in 4-10 year old, 500 and 600 litre barrels, with a small a portion of fruit fermented and raised in Georgian amphora. As with the Fidele, this wine spent roughly 15-18 months in bottle on lees, before being disgorged by hand with zero dosage.
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- Biodynamic
Vouette et Sorbee Textures (R19) ChampagneChampagne, FRANCE$250. 00Bottle$3000.00 DozenABV: 12%Closure: CorkBertrand Gautherot has been quietly working away in the hamlet of Buxières-sur-Arce, in the Aube’s Côte des Bar region of Champagne, yet his wines have not escaped the attention of the top restaurants and retailers of the world. Each year Vouette & Sorbee allocations are eagerly awaited, and these exceptionally fine wines are consistently some of the best and most unique expressions from the area.
The vineyards here lie closer to Chablis than to Épernay, both in distance and geology, with soils dominated by the same Kimmeridgian limestone for which Chablis is famed. Gautherot’s wines take their deep and powerful personalities from these soils and the (relatively) sunnier climate of the southern Aube. His wines all come from a single harvest—noted by the “R” number on the back label—with the exception of the Fidèle cuvée, which sees a small addition of 5-10% reserve wine from a perpetual blend started in 2001. His winemaking abhors any kind of manipulation in the cellar. Gautherot uses the traditional Coquard press and the juice is transferred into oak or amphorae via gravity rather than being pumped. Primary fermentations are always carried out with natural yeasts and riddling and disgorgement are all done entirely by hand. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration and without dosage. The results are some of Champagne’s most original and delicious wines: wines of distinctive personality, energy and sense of place.
Textures is one of Gautherot’s newest cuvée; a rare, 100% Pinot Blanc Champagne crafted from vines in the Fonnet vineyard (planted between 1995 and 2000). Gautherot describes it as his “easiest” wine, i.e. the one that is the easiest to drink young. There is certainly more pulpy texture (hence the name), more fruit, and easier-going refreshment than in his Blanc d’Argile. There is also ample intensity and a great deal of poise and interest on offer, and a complexity that comes from the aging. This is a unique, one-of-a-kind expression of the Côte des Bar. You can expect candied citrus, floral and ripe lemon aromas and flavours, a generous, not-quite-creamy palate and a twist of gentle, refreshing bitterness on the close.
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36 Short Blood Orange Gin (500ml)South Australia, AUSTRALIA$68. 99Bottle$827.88 DozenABV: 45%Made using home grown blood oranges, this award winning gin offers subtle aromatics of blood orange, Meyer lemon peel and trace juniper. The flavours are uncomplicated but fresh and keenly balanced, with well defined citrus as the keynote, backed up an oily-yet-zesty pith / peel finish that lingers. 45% Alc./Vol.
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36 Short Single Malt Australian Whisky (500ml) - 45%South Australia, AUSTRALIA$134. 99Bottle$1619.88 DozenABV: 45%Adelaide brothers, Jon and Con Lioulios own and run Thirty Six Short Distillery from Virginia in South Australia, where they recently launched Australia's first Rakia - partly as a tribute to their late Macedonian father, Pando whose dream was to distil traditional Rakia. The venture is actually named after Pando’s suit size, '36 Short'. A 1200 litre copper pot still also bears his name. The brother's first single malt was released in late 2021, cut back with water sourced from an aquifer that runs directly underneath the distillery. The barrels are locally sourced, x-Shiraz, shaven and charred American oak barrels. This initial maturation is followed by further resting in x Bourbon barrels to add fruity notes, before the liquid is finally returned to the Shiraz casks for a finishing. Advanced in colour, it feels more like a sherry matured Scottish malt than a warm climate Australian whisky. Aromas of oak shavings, pepper, cocoa and a dry nuttiness confirm the wine character, as does the full-bodied delivery: Dried fruits come through at the middle; Cherry ripe chocolate leads the finish where sweeter Bourbon-like notes converge over the wood spices. Even if the oak is a bit overdone, especially after air contact, it's an undeniable success for a first edition. 45% Alc./Vol.
Notes from the producers... NOSE: Sweet and fruity on the nose, with tart lime marmalade notes. A faint aroma of fresh cut pine and tropical fruit adds a delicate malt finish. TASTE: A warm roundness encompassing the whisky with character of a tangy dried fruit medley. A hint of vanilla bean, taking you on a long, sweet fruity journey. FINISH: A beautiful long finish with a taste of dried mixed fruit. Lingering with notes of apricot and peaches with a warming finish.
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2019 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape La CrauChateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone, FRANCE$199. 00Bottle$2388.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
The 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau is a hugely successful vintage, marked by scents of sun-warmed stones, garrigue, black cherries and black olives. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it finishes with tremendous length and softly dusty tannins, which should help ensure a long, positive evolution. Drink 2023 - 2040.
96+ points
Joe Czerwinski - Wine Advocate (May 2022)Saturated ruby. Deep-pitched red/blue fruit liqueur aromas pick up suggestions of licorice, pipe tobacco and pungent flowers and herbs with air. In a lush, weighty style, offering expansive black raspberry, cherry cola, singed plum and fruitcake flavors sharpened by a jolt of spiciness on the back half. For all this wine's richness, it's energetic as well, showing solid, spice- and floral-driven persistence on the finish, which is framed by velvety, even tannins. Drink 2026-2036.
95 points
Josh Raynolds - VinousIf anyone tells you that Châteauneuf is just a big red that’s never elegant, then they need to taste this masterpiece of elegance. So many spicy and savory nuances on the very concentrated but almost perfectly proportioned palate. This is both joyful and serious at the very long, focused finish. Decades of aging potential! Drink or hold.
97 points
James Suckling -
- 95
- 92
2019 Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas Terrasse du DiableGigondas, Southern Rhone, FRANCE$110. 00Bottle$1320.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
Very dense and complex with aromas ranging from black plum to wild thyme, as well as hints of candied orange, smoke and dry earth. In spite of all the richness and concentration of this imposing Gigondas, the slightly rustic tannins give this a lot of drive and accentuate the freshness. Long, chalky finish. Drink or hold.
95 points
James SucklingMoving to the 2019s from bottle, the 2019 Gigondas Terrasse Du Diable has loads of chalky minerality as well as bright cherry and strawberry fruits, medium to full body, hints of white flowers and pepper, and building yet polished, fine tannins. It will evolve for 15 years. Drink 2021 - 2036.
92 points
Jeb Dunnuck -
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2018 Penfolds GrangeSouth Australia, AUSTRALIA$999. 00Bottle$11988.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
Inky, bright-rimmed violet. A kaleidoscopic, penetrating bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruit preserves, espresso, cola, incense, coconut and Moroccan spices, along with a smoky mineral topnote. Shows superb clarity and mineral lift to the sweet, deeply concentrated black currant, bitter cherry, dark chocolate, fruitcake and mocha flavors, which are sharpened by a spicy element. A vein of juicy acidity adds support and drives a wonderfully long, smoky finish that leaves a suave floral note behind. Drink 2030 - 2045.
98 Points
Josh Raynolds - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (September 2022)Fruit from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. It's strange that the Clare Valley, seldom mentioned in the roster of regional contributions, no matter how numerous, comes up as one of three here. Although I have to admit there's a parcel of beautiful Clare Valley shiraz that frequently finds its way into the blend. It's unclear whether Penfolds' assessment of 'Instantly, an assault of piercing VA [volatile acidity]' is in reference to a passing phase or to the deliberate retention of VA, but it's part of Grange. For me, persistent black shoe polish marks the bouquet of this wine. To one side, it's all about unbridled power, and it'll be at least another 8 years before it calms down. There's so much screaming for attention it's distracting, and senses of proportion are lost. Drink by 2050.
95 Points
James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion (August 2022)This wine comes with high expectations—as does the vintage. The 2018 vintage across South Australia (and cheekily, we could probably extend the accolade to all of Australia) was excellent. It was warm, but without incident, and responsible for powerfully ripe, serious wines. Many producers made some of their best wines in this vintage. So here, to the 2018 Grange: there is spiced raspberry, lashings of salted licorice, red curry paste, layers of forest berries, rendered lamb fat and crushed pink peppercorns to start. In the mouth, the tannins close around the fruit with the same polish and seamlessness as the 2008, possibly the 2004? Very different vintages, but there is a textural similarity for me. This is polished and glossy and so very pretty. It contains 3% Cabernet Sauvignon this year, and 69% Barossa, 18% McLaren Vale and the balance from Clare Valley. Each of the regions brings with it its own characteristics. Barossa brings the red dirt, blood, deli meat and rust. McLaren Vale brings the plush purple fruits with a side of meat and licorice. Clare brings the polish, the opulence and the velvet texture. With their powers combined, this is an extraordinary Grange. One of the true greats, which will only get better as it ages. Drink 2028 - 2058.
99 Points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (July 2022)Such open-hearted approachability has never been so pronounced in Grange. The even-footed balance comes from a smooth, silky palate that glides on a sleek acid line to complement rather than override the robust flavours. There’s spice, aniseed and sage lifting above blackberry, redcurrant and earthy forest floor notes, all integrated effortlessly through a lengthy profile. No longer trying to be the loudest or most pious Shiraz in the market, this vintage is surprisingly well behaved. Released at A$1,000/bottle. Drink 2022 - 2062.
95 Points
David Sly - Decanter (June 2022)97% Shiraz, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. As is custom, it spent 18 months in 100% new American oak. For reviews of every Penfolds Grange ever made, click here. It’s sourced from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and, interestingly, the Clare Valley.
A substantial Grange release, poised, creamy, saturated with dark berried flavour, vanillin but appropriately so. Rarely does tannin come, when it’s as robust as it is here, so saturated in flavour, start to finish, sun up to sun down. Pan juices flow, fruit commands, tannin blows the roof off things. This is a big release, bigger (in memory at least) than the previous few releases – it has a CMYK blacker-than-black density to it – but its quality is ballistic. Take the stereotype of new world red wine, push its quality to its outer limits and then push it out yet further again, and you have this wine. Grange for the true believers, maybe not, but one for the new believers, definitively. Drink 2028 - 2048+
98 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front (July 2022)Much is anticipated of this famous wine from a particularly famous vintage. Shiraz plus 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruit from Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley. 18 months in American oak hogsheads (100% new). TA 7 g/l, pH 3.56.
Very deep blackish crimson. Much more expressive than the RWT on the nose. This really should be a banker should anyone put it into a blind tasting. The French have criticised it for being too approachable, according to Gago! Salty nose plus really ripe, rich dark fruits. Heady – just hinting at porty – and super-healthy on the palate. So rich underneath. Multi-layered, warm and spicy. Rich and broad. No disappointment. Drink 2027 – 2060.
19 / 20 Points
Jancis Robinson.com (June 2022)
Remarkable, bursting with complexity and intensity but on a polished, mouthcoating and juicy frame, which makes this easy to enjoy now. Features chicory, sarsaparilla, dark chocolate and salted caramel notes that mingle with ripe black cherry, framboise and huckleberry flavors. Delivers almond paste and savory details of cured meat and fresh crushed rosemary, which linger on the long, epic finish. Drink now through 2045.
98 points
Wine Spectator
A robust Grange from a lauded vintage, this wields sheer power with such compelling prowess. Uncompromising Grange. There are rich blackberries and plums on offer, together with brazen oak and abundant notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, charcoal, cola and hard brown spices. So fleshy and intense. Dark-chocolate and cocoa-powder aromas and flavors here, too. The tannins are polished and long, extruding deep into the finish and holding endlessly. Dark chocolate, black cherry, dark plum and more. Impressive. Brazen. One of the great Granges that will drink magnificently for decades to come.
100 points
JamesSuckling.com -
- 88
2021 Vintage Longbottom H Sangiovese RoseAdelaide Hills, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now (2022)ABV: 11.4%Closure: StelvinTranslucent salmon colour. Spicy cherry and pomegranate aromas mix with hints of blood orange. The tangy palate features blood orange and citrus fruits over a wet slate back drop. Finishes dry with zesty acidity and a dash of spice to the modest aftertaste.
Drink now.
Alc. 11.4% -
- 90
2021 Vintage Longbottom H Pinot SyrahAdelaide Hills, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now (2022)ABV: 13.3%Closure: StelvinBright red to dark red core with a youthful red hue. Violet red raspberry, strawberry and red liquorice scents blossom from the glass with some spicy fresh herb notes also chiming in. Lively acidity imparts a crunchy feel to the red fruited flavour profile. Light forest floor and fresh herb elements appear on the back half. Finishes dry with faintly chalky tannins and a vibrant red fruited aftertaste.
Drink now.
Alc. 13.3% -
- 92
2021 Vintage Longbottom H ChardonnayAdelaide Hills, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 2 Years (2022-2024)ABV: 12.6%Closure: StelvinBrilliant pale straw colour with a watery hue. Fresh peach, apricot and honeysuckle aromas emerge with hints of spicy nougat in the background. Fleshy and vibrant the fruit driven palate sports ripe peach, melon, citrusy nougat and delicate spice flavours. Finishes with a lick of crisp acidity and fruity aftertaste.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
Alc. 12.6% -
- 93
2016 Avanzi Montecorno ReboVeneto, ITALY$44. 99Bottle$539.88 DozenMinimum 6 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2022-2025)ABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkRebo is a dark skinned cross of Merlot and Teroldego grapes. Dense black dark red colour with a dark red hue. Elevated dried cherry and liquorice aromas mix with old vanillin oak, earth and spicy leather notes. Rich black cherry, liquorice and dried cherry flavours carry an opulent feel over an earthy leather, vanillin oak and cinnamon spice back drop. Ripe, slightly chewy tannins with a generously fruited yet rustic like aftertaste.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 14.5% -
- 93
2020 Henry’s Drive Shiraz Grenache MourvedreMcLaren Vale, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$39. 99Bottle$479.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2022-2025)ABV: 14.8%Closure: StelvinDeep black dark red colour with a dark red hue. Pronounced spicy dark raspberry and ripe cherry aromas mix with red liquorice, confectionary and subtle earth notes. Rich and juicy the opulently textured palate is awash with dark raspberry, ripe cherry and red liquorice fruits. Notions of earth and spicy pepper also chime in. Bright finish with lively acidity, a sturdy tannin structure and long luscious aftertaste.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 14.8% -
- 91
Alpino ProseccoKing Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenABV: 11%Closure: Crown SealA fluffy white mousse shows good staying power over a pale straw coloured base that has an exceptionally fine bead flowing through it. Aromas of pear, citrus and red apple mix with some lees like notes. Refreshing pear and red apple fruits drive the palate. Light airy mouthfeel with some citrus and delicate bready characters also evident. Finishes dry and crisp with a stimulating aftertaste that has a touch of sherbet to it.
Alc. 11% -
- 91
Crittenden Estate Geppetto Sparkling CuveeVictoria, AUSTRALIA$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenABV: 12%Closure: CorkA satiny mousse prevails over a pale straw coloured base that has a steady stream of tiny bubbles flowing through it. Yellow peach, apple and citrus aromas mix with bready yeast lees like notes. Fruity red apple and citrus flavours overlay a back drop of subtle toast and yeast lees. Dry, slightly chalky finish with a refreshingly crisp aftertaste.
Alc. 12% -
- 91
All Saints Estate Rutherglen Muscat (375ml)Rutherglen, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenABV: 18%Closure: Glass StopperOther Reviews....
And so the journey starts in the classification system, this the first tier, a youthful style with a pale amber hue; lighter on the palate but with plenty of flavour from big fat juicy raisins, fresh brewed black tea with honey, butter scotch, lemon toffee and a floral lift. Just like chewy toffee for adults. 375ml.
91 Points
Jane Faulkner - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion (August 2022) -
- 93
- 93
- 94
2018 Renato Ratti Barolo ConcaPiedmont, ITALY$230. 00Bottle$2760.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
The 2018 Barolo Conca is tight and beautifully intense with cassis, sour cherry, wild rose and blue lilac. The wine's inner fiber is fine and delicate, with slight aromas of spice, licorice and toast at the edges. Barolo Conca awards a lot of fine elegance and a long, polished finish. Drink 2024 - 2038.
94 points
Monica Larner - Wine Advocate (Aug 2022)Aromas of dried cherries with some spice and a hint of scorched orange rind. Medium-to full-bodied with a silky texture and an almost creamy mouth-feel. Intense, flavorful finish. The very fine tannins build a little towards the end. This has a lighter overall structure this year, but the intensity and focus and is not lacking. Try from 2024.
93 points
JamesSuckling.comConca, one of the smallest vineyard plots in the Barolo zone (a little more than 2.4 hectares) is situated just below the Ratti winery in an amphitheater setting. Ratti’s Barolo from Conca displays the elegant tannins Annunziata is known for, but offers a flavour profile a bit more wild. Aromas of morello cherry, oregano and tobacco emerge, with very good acidity and impressive persistence. Drinking Window 2025 - 2037.
93 points
Tom Hyland - Decanter -
- 96
- 96
- 96
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- 94
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2021 Vieux Chateau CertanPomerol, Bordeaux, FRANCE$750. 00Bottle$9000.00 DozenClosure: CorkVieux Chateau Certan is regarded as one of the finest estates in Pomerol, and given their neighbours include Petrus, Lafleur, Certan de May, and l’Evangile, this is no surprise. Much of the vineyard is planted on the clay and gravel plateau of Pomerol, with the mix of grapes being 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Other Reviews....
A blend of 77% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Vieux Château Certan wafts from the glass with lovely aromas of violets, rose petals, sweet wild berries, exotic spices, orange rind and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping, it's an elegant, fleshy wine with a bright core of fruit, ultra-refined tannins and a precise, saline finish. Despite its almost Burgundian finesse, this Pomerol's remarkably penetrating, perfumed finish gives the lie to any notion that it's in any way lacking in intensity of flavor. As is almost invariably the case, Vieux Château Certan is one of the finest wines of the appellation this year.
94-96 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 Vieux Château Certan is a spectacular tour de force from Alexander and Guillaume Thienpont. What a wine. Vibrant and magnificent in its precision, the 2021 races across the palate, revealing seemingly endless layers of nuance over time. Dark blue/purplish fruit, cinnamon, new leather, graphite, lavender and crushed rocks all build effortlessly. The Cabernets are dialed up in 2021 and that comes through in the wine's flavor profile and overall feel. The purity of the flavors is just mind-bending. Harvest took place between September 25 and October 4. The blend is 67% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Readers who can find the 2021 should not hesitate, as it is truly magical. Drink 2031-2061.
96-98 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThe 2021 Vieux Château Certan was picked from September 24 to October 6 at 38hL/ha and registers 13.2% alcohol. It is a VCC defined by its Cabernets; Guillaume Thienpont told me ]they used all they had. "I would have blended more if we had more vines," he quipped. The nose unfurls with air to reveal graphite-infused black fruit, touches of undergrowth and tobacco – quintessential VCC aromatics. The palate is beautifully balanced with exquisite definition, not powerful and certainly not opulent, yet built around finesse, precision and charm. It seems to grow in stature in the glass. Pure class. Drink 2028-2058.
95-97 points
Neal Martin - VinousMedium to full body with a supple, textured and firm tannin structure. Velvety and perfumed with fragrant notes of flowers, cloves, plums and raspberries. Broad and layered. Very supple and evolving. Opens on the palate. 77% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 3% cabernet sauvignon.
96-97 points
James SucklingThe 2021 Vieux Château Certan is another pure, elegant Pomerol with plenty to love. Giving up a very pretty, precision, and medium-bodied style, it has lots of pure blue fruits, notes of spring flowers and graphite, finely polished tannins, and a great finish. It shows the cooler, fresher style of the vintage but has incredible purity and certainly brings good intensity. The tannins here are also terrific. The blend is 77% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, all of which is still resting in 65% new French oak.
93-95 points
Jeb DunnuckDark ruby in color, the perfume kicks off with lilacs, violets, graphite, nutmeg, spice, plums and black cherry nuances. On the palate, the wine is fresh, vibrant, crisp, chewy and long. The salty touch of minerality in the endnote adds to all the sweet, dark red pit fruits. Refined, elegant and classic, (but in a good way) there is length, purity, tension and energy in the finish, with just a hint of spice too. The wine blends 77% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.2% ABV. The harvest took place September 24-September - October 6. Yields were 38 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2026-2049.
94-96 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderRipe juicy strawberry, this has a gorgeous intensity on the nose, really fragrant and expressive, in a rich deep, heavily-scented way. You get the ripeness here with smooth, silky tannins giving depth and intensity on the palate. Succulent with a sharpness, that hit of freshly picked strawberry and cherry juice - electric and bright with tension and direction. It’s softly spoken in one way, so quietly confident, yet showing so much detail in another, saying; "looking at how charming I can be". It has freshness and tension - ‘a cool climate VCC’ said Alexandre Thienpont. Bright acidity through delivered gracefully and sensitively with a gentle persistence. I love the delicacy, it has body no doubt, but it’s the detail that’s so captivating. A wonderful wine and one of the best from Pomerol in 2021. 3.63pH. A yield of 38hl/ha. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050.
96 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 95
- 95
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- 95
- Nicks Import
2021 Chateau La ConseillantePomerol, Bordeaux, FRANCE$499. 00Bottle$5988.00 DozenClosure: CorkAs a wine often compared to Burgundy, Chateau La Conseillante produce one of the most refined and elegant examples in all of Bordeaux. Vines here are planted to 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, and are situated on some of the finest land in Pomerol (with a touch of Saint-Emilion!).
Other Reviews....
A superb effort that transcends the challenges of the vintage, the 2021 La Conseillante offers up a beautifully perfumed nose of wild berries, raspberry coulis, violets, exotic spices and vine smoke. Medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping, it's a sensual, seamless wine that's deep and layered, structured around supple tannins and lively acids. Perfumed and penetrating, the 2021 isn't the most powerful wine this estate has produced, but it brilliantly exemplifies the rare structural elegance and almost Burgundian aromatic range that so often set this great estate apart from the rest of the Pomerol appellation. It's a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc.
95-96 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 is a super-classic La Conseillante the likes of which has not been made here in a very long time. A Pomerol of vibrancy and tension, the 2021 bristles with energy from start to finish. All the elements are so well-balanced. Aromatic and delineated, with terrific drive, the 2021 is so impressive in the early going. Dried herbs, licorice, mocha, cassis and blackberry open beautifully. The 70% new oak is already nicely integrated. To be sure, the 2021 is nervy and taut, as most wines are in this vintage. But it's all there. Drink 2031-2061.
95-97 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThe 2021 La Conseillante was picked the latest in memory, from September 28 until October 8, at 39hL/ha, and matured in 70% new oak. It comes in at 13.3% alcohol and a pH of 3.6. The beautifully defined bouquet offers blackberry, bilberry and light iris petal scents, just a suggestion of black truffle coming though with time. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and lightly spiced red fruit. There is a very subtle ferrous note, lovely depth and grip on the finish, and a persistent aftertaste. A beautiful La Conseillante courtesy of winemaker Marielle Cazaux and her team. Drink 2027-2060.
95-97 points
Neal Martin - VinousLovely, balanced and linear with seamless, fine tannins that are soft and creamy. Medium-bodied. Very attractive berry, light walnut and violet character. Long finish.
94-95 points
James SucklingThe 2021 Château La Conseillante showed beautifully, and while it's not going to match the all-time greats here, it's a quintessential, elegant, seamless Pomerol in the making. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a spectacular nose of pure cassis, ripe tobacco, damp earth, and ample floral nuances, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. It's a remarkable effort in this challenging vintage. The blend is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, still aging in 70% new barrels, that hit 13.3% alcohol and a pH of 3.6.
93-95 points
Jeb DunnuckViolets, incense, black raspberry, dark kirsch, plums, espresso, and earthy overtones crowd into the finish. Deeply colored, on the palate the wine is exactly as it should be, elegant, refined, lifted, vivacious, and energetic, with a savory edge to the earthy red fruits and a hint of oak that should become completely integrated with a few years time. Perhaps this is a modern day version of the 1985, which if you have not tasted it lately, has aged extremely well. The harvest took place September 28, October 10, making this the latest vintage in the history of the estate. The wine blends 85% Merlot with 15% Cabernet Franc, 13.3% ABV, 3.6 pH. The yields were 39 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2025-2050.
94-96 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderIris and raspberry notes on the nose, delicately floral but fresh and lively - just shy of mouthwatering acidity - but enough to create such a lift on the first taste which has a juicy effect. The acidity is nicely balanced but this has such a gentle charm, a suaveness and sensuality to it, tannins are sleek and agile with some bitter dark chocolate and slate edges while the fruit is full of black cherry, plum and blueberry touches. But it’s the texture and the aromatic display that are so captivating - having density and weight but no heaviness. You get the ripeness in the flavour but the overall feeling remains cool and refreshing with tension and terroir on show in the wet stone nuance underpinning the fruit. Just pure grace and precision. An exceptional effort for the estate's 150th vintage. 'The worst thing on the label is the vintage' says general director Marielle Cazeaux "because people think it’s bad, but this is really the DNA of La Conseillante". 3.6pH. Merlot picked from 28th September to 1st October, Cabernet Franc on the 6th and 12th October. Drinking Window 2026 - 2049.
95 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 94
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- Nicks Import
2021 Chateau Pavie MacquinSaint Emilion, Bordeaux, FRANCE$189. 99Bottle$2279.88 DozenClosure: CorkOther Reviews....
Another success in this challenging year is the 2021 Pavie Macquin, a promising effort that offers up aromas of sweet berries, Indian spices, licorice and bay leaf. Medium to full-bodied, layered and incisive, it's a tensile, tightly wound wine that's concentrated and penetrating, concluding with a mineral finish. Its low pH profile means that this is always an estate that gains a lot from élevage, but even at this early stage, it's clear that this has excellent potential.
93-95 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 Pavie Macquin is a rich, heady wine, as it typically is. Dark red fruit, leather, smoke, licorice, mocha and espresso build nicely in the glass. The tannins are a bit firmer than they usually are, but there's plenty of creaminess and texture lurking beneath. The 2021 needs time to fully come together. In some tastings it was a bit austere, while in other moments, the trademark Pavie-Macquin sensuality was more in evidence. Tasted three times. Drink 2031-2046.
92-94 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThe 2021 Pavie Macquin was picked from 4 to 19 October at 37hL/ha, the Grand Vin representing around 80% of the crop. Matured in 50% new oak, it clearly has the most fruit concentration amongst Nicolas Thienpont's portfolio with black cherries, blueberry and bilberry fruit, just a faint touch of orange rind in the background. The palate is fresh and well-structured on the entry, insistent grip and a pleasant seam of sapidity running through this Saint-Émilion. More "vertical" than usual, this is nicely focused with a delineated, quite mineral-driven finish that showcases its asteriated limestone terroir. Excellent. Drink 2029-2055.
92-94 points
Neal Martin - VinousLots of blackberry and inky character to this year. Always refined and polished with lovely length and medium body. 79% merlot, 19% cabernet franc and 2% cabernet sauvignon.
94-95 points
James SucklingTasted on multiple occasions, the 2021 Château Pavie Macquin is a more forward, textured, charming wine from this estate that still has plenty of classic Pavie Macquin class, freshness, and minerality, which is the hallmark of this terroir. Coming from a cooler site just above Château Pavie, the 2021 is a blend of 79% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, from a selection of 80% of the production. Harvest here started on the 4th of October for the Merlot and finished on the 19th of October for the Cabernet, and the wine spent 30-35 days on skins in a mix of open top wood and concrete tanks and is currently resting in 50% new French oak barrels. Its deep purple hue is followed by terrific aromatics of blue fruits, violets, and chalky minerality, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, rounded tannins, good mid-palate depth, and a great finish. This cuvée always needs bottle age, but I suspect this will be one of the more approachable vintages for this wine.
93-95 points
Jeb DunnuckFlowers, plums, espresso, licorice, and dark cherries with a touch of leafy herbs are in the nose. The wine is fresh, bright, crisp, and with a salty, savory, olive-tinted edge on the palate, as well as in the mineral driven finish. Give the wine a few years in the cellar to soften and fill out. The wine was produced from blending 79% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place October 4 - October 19. Drink from 2026-2043.
92-94 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderBramble, coffee and caramel notes on the nose. Juicy and vibrant on the palate, this has a gentle coursing of strawberry and blackcurrant fruit with blackcurrant leaf giving a savoury, almost herbal edge, while the crushed stone and slate bring in minerality and salinity on the finish. Detailed and nuanced - I like the overall texture, there is grip and aromatic interest with density, chew and a gorgeous core of acidity that keeps things playful and joyous. Supremely alive and thriving on the palate with a persistence that doesn't let up. I love this and think it will be excellent after ageing. Tasted twice. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.
94 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 97
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- Nicks Import
2021 Chateau FigeacSaint Emilion, Bordeaux, FRANCE$530. 00Bottle$6360.00 DozenClosure: CorkPositively ancient in wine terms, Chateau Figeac has a history of grape growing going back to Roman times. Once a large estate of 200 hectares, various divisions over the years, most notably selling the parcel that would become Chateau Cheval Blanc, the estate now covers 37 hectares and is planted to 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, and 30% Merlot. The high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon is rare on the Right Bank, and owes to the soil being a mainly fine gravel base, and the resultant wine requires at least mid-term cellaring to soften.
Other Reviews....
One of the highlights of the vintage on the Right Bank, the 2021 Figeac is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc and 29% Merlot, and the fruit of a harvest that lasted a full month, from September 21 to October 19, with each parcel picked at optimal maturity. Offering up aromas of blackberries, cassis, rose petals, violets, cigar wrapper and sweet soil tones, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, its velvety attack segueing into a deep, layered core of beautifully vibrant fruit, concluding with a long, saline finish. The first vintage vinified in Figeac's new winery, it's a resounding success for administrator Frédéric Faye and his team.
94-97 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 Figeac was picked from September 21 until October 19 and matured, as usual, in 100% new oak. It has a very pure, elegant bouquet, the Cabernet Sauvignon imparting subtle pencil lead notes, blackberry and briar, almost understated at first but gaining vigor with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, a fine bead of acidity and just the right amount of sapidity. There is unerring symmetry about this Figeac, which is extremely focused yet unconcerned about showing off. There is lovely piquancy on the finish. Unequivocally one the finest Right Bank wines in 2021. Frédéric Faye continues to guide Figeac to the pinnacle of the appellation. (13.0% alcohol). Drink 2027-2060.
95-97 points
Neal Martin - VinousThe 2021 Figeac is a super-classy, elegant Saint-Émilion. Silky tannins and lifted, savory aromatics add to a total impression of finesse. There is more Cabernet Sauvignon than typically in this year's blend, which naturally brings added aromatic presence. The 2021 is not as explosive as recent vintages have been, but its class is evident. This is a strong showing from Figeac and the team led by Estate Manager Frédéric Faye. Tasted two times. Drink 2031-2051.
93-95 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousA red with lots of dark-fruit, graphite and tar aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied and very integrated with firm, polished tannins and a long finish. Racy and compact. Silky texture.
94-95 points
James SucklingUnquestionably one of the wines of the vintage on the Right Bank, the 2021 Château Figeac checks in as 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, and 29% Merlot, brought up all in new barrels. It's a gorgeous, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and textured 2019 with remarkable purity in its darker cassis and fresh plum fruits as well as notes of tobacco, truffly earth, cedar pencil, and spice. While it's easy to compare this to wines from the Médoc given its high Cabernet content, it has beautiful Right Bank character and is a classic, balanced, incredibly impressive Figeac that will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and cruise for over two decades. It reminds me slightly of the 2014.
95-97 points
Jeb DunnuckViolets, roses, cigar wrapper, espresso, cherries, plums, blackberries and currants create the attention-seeking perfume. Lively and fresh, the wine is perfectly balanced between its elegant nature, vibrant red fruits, silky textures, length and purity. The fruit has a sweetness along with salinity that is impossible to miss. The wine is a slow build on your palate. So you do not notice it at first. But with an intake of air, the wine begins slowly expanding in the finish. This is a perfect example of a modern classic wine blending 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc and 29% Merlot. 13% ABV, 3.65% pH. The harvest took place September 21 - October 19, making 2021 not only one of the longest harvests in the history of the estate, but also one of the latest vintages they have ever recorded. Both choices were the key to the vintages success here. Of equal importance, 2021 marks the debut vintage for the estate's new, state-of-the-art cellars. Drink from 2026-2055.
95-97 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderOne of my absolute favourite wines in 2021 with Figeac's star power clearly on show. Amazing aromatic complexity on the nose; dark chocolate with perfume from the Cabernet Franc - pink flowers, red cherry touches vanilla and cinnamon - such a seductive smell. Pure and focused - so smooth and sleek with a clear tang to the palate. Quite taut, so defined and pure. The minerality comes through the sweet strawberry and raspberry fruit giving that chalky, salty flavour and texture on the palate. Everything is precise and in the right place. You can tell this is ripe, the concentration is there in the fruit, alongside such bright freshness but also these fun and playful red fruit flavours with lively acidity. Classic Bordeaux style with vibrancy, clarity and harmony - you feel the St-Emilion terroir and the understated glamour. This is an epic wine, a brilliant Figeac and contender for wine of the Right Bank. 100% new oak. 3.65pH. Drinking Window 2028 - 2050.
97 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 96
- 96
- 94
2019 Delas Hermitage Lieu Dit Ligne de Crete Les Grandes VignesHermitage, Northern Rhone, FRANCE$370. 00Bottle$4440.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkBeginning with the 2015 vintage, Delas have introduced a new wine in the range from the hill of Hermitage made exclusively from the "Les Grandes Vignes" lieu-dit. Situated above L'Ermite and just east of the chapel at the peak of the Hermitage hillside at around 325m altitude, this south-facing plot forms an amphitheatre of semicircular vine terraces planted to Syrah. Winemaking is sensitive to retain the finesse and subtlety of this vineyard, with the grapes completely destemmed before being transferred by gravity to stainless steel vats for alcoholic fermentation. The wine is then transferred to barrel for malolactic fermentation and 20 months elevage. The barrels used are fine grained and no more than 30-40% are new. In a good year production is limited to only 1,800 to 2,000 bottles.
Other Reviews....
Marked by scents of cedar, mint, violets and cherries, the 2019 Hermitage Ligne de Crete Les Grandes Vignes really opened up and added weight and texture with air, so I suspect my rating may be stingy. On the palate, it's currently medium to full-bodied, tight and silky in feel, with hints of licorice and maple syrup on the long, mouthwatering finish. Give it a few years, at minimum, in the cellar. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes. Drink 2025 - 2040.
94+ points
Joe Czerwinski - Wine Advocate (Jan 2022)Powerful, highly perfumed aromas of black/blue fruit liqueur, licorice, olive and potpourri are complemented by an exotic suggestion of incense. Stains the palate with intense boysenberry, cherry, cassis and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily through the midpalate. Shows a suave blend of power and delicacy and betrays no rough edges. Youthfully chewy tannins add shape to an extremely long, mineral-driven finish that delivers outstanding clarity and floral thrust.
96-98 points
Josh Raynolds - VinousPlum, damson and blackberry coulis. Dense fruit, very fine tannins and a seamless texture. The alcohol here is quite high, but it's a very impressive wine nonetheless, with great concentration and length, not to mention fine tannins and balanced acidity. An authentic expression of the Hill. There is some cinnamon and cola oak spice running through it and the fruit can take it, it's well balanced. From lieu-dit Les Grandes Vignes, the highest plot on the hill of Hermitage, a new cuvée first made in 2015. Drinking Window 2026 - 2038.
96 points
Matt Walls - Decanter -
- 95
- 95
- 94
- 98
2015 Delas Hermitage Lieu Dit Ligne de Crete Les Grandes VignesHermitage, Northern Rhone, FRANCE$350. 00Bottle$4200.00 DozenABV: 14%Closure: CorkBeginning with the 2015 vintage, Delas have introduced a new wine in the range from the hill of Hermitage made exclusively from the "Les Grandes Vignes" lieu-dit. Situated above L'Ermite and just east of the chapel at the peak of the Hermitage hillside at around 325m altitude, this south-facing plot forms an amphitheatre of semicircular vine terraces planted to Syrah. Winemaking is sensitive to retain the finesse and subtlety of this vineyard, with the grapes completely destemmed before being transferred by gravity to stainless steel vats for alcoholic fermentation. The wine is then transferred to barrel for malolactic fermentation and 20 months elevage. The barrels used are fine grained and no more than 30-40% are new. In a good year production is limited to only 1,800 to 2,000 bottles.
Other Reviews....
Since the wine was finally released with a name and label, I've taken the opportunity to update readers on Delas's 2015 Hermitage Ligne de Crete Les Grandes Vignes. Unfortunately, it's in a bit of a quiescent phase on the nose, but determined swimming coaxes out hints of crushed stone, pencil shavings, machine oil and blueberries. In the mouth, it's considerably more dramatic, with mouthfilling richness balanced by fine-grained tannins and a sense of stone-shackled restraint. Possessing tremendous power and length, it should age well for at least two decades. Drink 2025 - 2045.
98 points
Joe Czerwinski - Wine Advocate (May 2021)Glass-staining ruby. Mineral-accented dark berries, licorice, incense, olive and succulent flowers on the intensely perfumed nose. Impressively concentrated, expansive flavors of blueberry, black raspberry, spicecake, smoked meat and candied violet are complicated by licorice and bitter chocolate notes that sneak in on the back half. Sweet, sappy and sharply delineated on the floral- and dark-berry-driven finish, which shows outstanding clarity and well-knit but substantial tannins that build smoothly and steadily. Drink 2025-2035.
95 points
Josh Raynolds - VinousFrom one of the all-time great vintages for the Northern Rhône, the 2015 Hermitage Les Grandes Vignes reveals a ruby/plum color as well as a tight, closed, full-bodied style that's going to benefit from bottle age. Offering notes of darker currants, loamy soil, new leather, graphite, and obvious minerality, it's nicely balanced, has ripe tannins, and outstanding length. Certainly a more elegant, classic 2015, I suspect it’s in a more closed phase (as are many 2015s today) since it wasn't until the second day that this really opened up. Do your best to hide bottles for another 4-5 years, and it's going to deliver the goods over the following two decades. Drink 2026 - 2047.
94+ points
Jeb DunnuckThere's a little dusty element to the red fruits on the nose, likely from the élevage; the wood is a little prominent still, the acidity quite noticeable for a typical Hermitage. It has a very silky, seamless, relatively lightweight palate, but not without intensity, and has a strong mineral core. It's as if there's a little Vosne-Romanée blended in. Elegant and well-balanced with exceptionally fine tannin. Don't expect classic Hermitage muscle and weight here - this is much more about finesse and contour. Not showing huge complexity now, so I would wait, even though the tannic load is relatively light. Certainly approachable now; better from 2026. Drinking Window 2021 - 2036.
95 points
Matt Walls - Decanter -
- 97
- 95
- 97
- 94
- 97
- Nicks Import
2021 Chateau Haut-BrionPessac Leognan, Bordeaux, FRANCE$1349. 00Bottle$16188.00 DozenClosure: CorkLong before the 1855 classification of Bordeaux, Chateau Haut-Brion were renowned for their quality and style. When Thomas Jefferson visited the region in 1787 he noted the quality of wines in the area, creating his own hierarchy that listed Chateau Haut-Brion along with Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux, and Chateau Lafite and the finest wines of Bordeaux. This same elite group were later given First Growth status, and Haut-Brion remains the only estate outside of the Medoc to claim this honour.
Located near the city of Bordeaux, the 48 hectare Chateau Haut-Brion vineyard is planted to 48% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot for the reds, while the whites are a mix of 51% Semillon and 49% Sauvignon Blanc.
Other Reviews....
The 2021 Haut-Brion confirms its fine showing en primeur, cementing its status as one of the wines of the vintage. Its complex bouquet of dark berries and cassis mingled with notions of cigar wrapper and burning embers unfurls in the glass. Full-bodied, deep and velvety, it’s concentrated and layered with a multidimensional core of fruit, sweet tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. Reflecting the timeless elegance of Haut-Brions from cooler years, the 2021 will delight Bordeaux purists. Drink 2030-2065.
97 points
Yohan Castaing - Robert Parker's Wine AdvocateThe 2021 Haut-Brion has a very pure bouquet, quite complex with a mixture of blueberry and black cherry fruit, iris flower and violet, hints of sea spray in the background. This is more engaging than the 2021 La Mission Haut-Brion at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, good fruit concentration considering the vintage, commendable salinity and a harmonious, sapid finish that is classic in style. I suspect this may well close down for a period of time before re-opening. Excellent. Drink 2030-2065.
95 points
Neal Martin - VinousThis is beautifully crafted and very perfumed, with ultra-fine tannins and vivid dark fruit such as blackcurrants, as well as dark chocolate, hazelnuts and hints of forest floor, mushrooms, tar, matchstick and oyster shells. Drink or hold.
97 points
James SucklingIn comparison to its sibling La Mission Haut-Brion, the 2021 Château Haut-Brion is firmer and much more masculine, with an impressive, almost austere style in its smoky red and black fruits, salted meats, graphite, tobacco, and crushed stone-driven aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, beautifully concentrated, and elegant on the palate, it picks up density and suppleness with time in the glass and has plenty of tannins, a seamless, layered mouthfeel, and a great finish. It's clearly in the fresher, elegant style of the vintage, yet this brings a serious, age-worthy style that will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve and drink brilliantly over the following two decades. The blend is 50.3% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11.7% Cabernet Franc, hitting 13.8% alcohol, with the elevage in 73% new French oak. Drink 2028-2049.
94+ points
Jeb DunnuckOne of the absolute stand out wines on 2021 with an electric appeal almost unrivalled in the vintage. Blackcurrant leaf, dark chocolate, cocoa powder, rose petals, sweet cherries and bramble fruits on the nose. Incredibly lively and energetic on the palate with a burst of sharp, sweet and sour fruits that just fills the mouth coated by chalk, slate and pencil lead mineral tannins that give a intensity while the fruit persistency lingers above and through to the long finish. Such delicacy yet multi-layered and full of concentration, clear ripeness and power, though delivered with suaveness and style. Tannins are firm and robust, mouthfilling, no doubt about that, but they give the structure and frame to the plush and plump fruit which also has such a crystalline purity to it. I love the intensity and also these spicy bitter dark chocolate and liquorice elements on the finish which give nuance. Drink 2028-2050.
97 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 92
- 92
- 94
- 92
- Nicks Import
2021 Chateau QuintusSaint Emilion, Bordeaux, FRANCE$240. 00Bottle$2880.00 DozenClosure: CorkOther Reviews....
The 2021 Quintus shows considerable promise, displaying more concentration and character than the 2017, combined with appreciably lower alcohol than intervening vintages. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums, loamy soil, raw cocoa and a deft framing of new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, with good concentration and a seamless, complete profile. It's a blend of around 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc from the limestone slopes.
92-94 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 Quintus is the most elegant wine I have ever tasted here, by a wide measure. Nearly half of this fruit is from the former Grand Pontet property, and that fruit seems to bring a measure of aromatic intensity and freshness these wines have lacked in some vintages. All the elements are so well balanced. Bright saline notes linger on the finish. This is impressive for the year. Drink 2031-2046.
92-94 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousExtremely focused and refined, with firm tannins that run the length of the wine. Medium-bodied with lovely length and juiciness. Blackberry and earth with mushroom and bark. Hints of orange peel, too. 68.2% merlot, 31.3% cabernet franc and 0.5% malbec.
94-95 points
James SucklingDeeply colored, the wine is packed with nuances of crushed rocks, black raspberries, flowers, plums and forest leaves. Extremely poised and polished, the silky palate offers purity in the fruit, length and the sense of minerality, finishing with an array of red pit fruits, cocoa and salty tannins. This is the first vintage to include from the recently purchased vineyards formerly belonging to Grand Pontet. The wine blends 58% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec. 13.3% ABV. Drink from 2023-2040.
92-94 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderFragrant, perfumed strawberries and red cherries on the nose, they have a sweet note to them, so welcoming, really bursting out of the glass. Smooth but also quite sharp on the palate with a rush of red fruits - cherries, raspberries, redcurrants and plums fill the palate - with mouthwatering acidity balanced by touches of wet stone minerality, iodine, graphite and pencil. You definitely get the feeling of the terroir here in the chalky saltiness, as well as the stalky, bramble, spiced Cabernet Franc giving backbone and direction. Quite a bit of smoked cedar spice comes in on the end, just overshadowing the brightness and overall sense of fun to this. Well worked with promise. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.
92 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 93
- 91
- 92
- 91
- 91
- Nicks Import
2021 La Clarte de Haut-Brion BlancPessac Leognan, Bordeaux, FRANCE$280. 00Bottle$3360.00 DozenClosure: CorkOther Reviews....
A blend of 55% Sémillon and 45% Sauvignon Blanc, the 2021 La Clarté de Haut-Brion exhibits aromas of crisp nectarine, citrus oil, white flowers and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, lively and textural, it's beautifully balanced, concluding with a long, saline finish. It's worth serious consideration this year.
91-93 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 La Clarté de Haut-Brion will give readers a very good idea of how compelling the vintage is for white wines. The second wine of both La Mission and Haut Brion Blanc, La Clarté offers a beguiling bouquet redolent of lemon confit, orchard fruit, mint and white flowers. Bright and steely, but with an extra kick of mid-palate creaminess, La Clarté is absolutely gorgeous today. Drink 2024-2031.
91-93 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThe 2021 La Clarté de Haut-Brion Blanc has a fresh lime, pineapple and orange zest bouquet, well defined with moderate acidity. The palate is well balanced with fine acidity, taut and fresh, and quite harmonious toward the finish. Seductive white peachy notes linger on the aftertaste. Very fine. Drink 2024-2032.
90-92 points
Neal Martin - VinousFresh, yet creamy, with a medium body. Notes of salted lemons and herbs with smoked almonds. Supple, ripe and well balanced. 56% semillon and 44% sauvignon.
92-93 points
James SucklingThe second wine of Haut-Brion, the 2021 La Clarte De Haut-Brion Blanc is well worth seeking out, offering melon ball, crushed citrus, and honeyed mineral-nuances in a medium-bodied, clean, straight, balanced package. It shows the vintage's fresh, pure, chiseled style.
91-93 points
Jeb DunnuckWhite peach, flowers, yellow citrus, pomelo and yellow plums are all over the place here. Juicy and fresh, with a creamy, lemon and green apple finish, the endnote really keeps on going. The wine blends 55% Semillon and 45% Sauvignon Blanc. Drink from 2023-2034.
94 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderExpressive nose full of green apple, elderflower, honeysuckle, acacia, citrus zest and grapefruit. Lively and upfront, a rush of almost sweet but fresh lemon, peach and apple fruits, crunchy but with a lovely texture that gives a sense of weight on the palate. Full of life with direction and precision, a mouthwatering sensation as well as a full one. Great stuff here, so much character as well as purity of fruit and overall harmony. One worth seeking out. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040.
93 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 94
- 94
- 95
- 93
- 91
- Nicks Import
2021 Chateau Pape ClementPessac Leognan, Bordeaux, FRANCE$199. 00Bottle$2388.00 DozenClosure: CorkNamed after its most famous owner, Pope Clement V, Chateau Pape Clement in Pessac Leognan makes both red and white wine from their 32.5 hectare vineyard. Vineyards for the red wine is planted to 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, while the soils here are a complex mix of gravel and clay over a base of clay, limestone and sandstone. Maturation takes place in 100% new French oak, and while Bernard Magrez has refined the style since taking over winemaking duties the wines are still rich and lush in style with a concentration of ripe fruit.
Other Reviews....
The 2021 Pape Clément exhibits notions of sweet berries and cherries mingled with rich aromas of espresso roast, black truffles, toasty new oak and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, deep and quite extracted in style, it's a rich, fleshy wine that gained in integration and harmony over the the three weeks I spent in Bordeaux. Tasted three times.
91-94 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 Pape Clément is a very elegant, polished wine. Crushed flowers, red cherry fruit, blood orange, menthol and spice all grace this wonderfully layered, expressive vintage of Pape Clément. Pretty floral top notes add freshness and vivacity. The more laid-back house style these days is so appealing. Drink 2031-2051.
94 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThis is really polished and beautiful with very fine tannins that caress your palate. Medium body. Refined. Currant, chocolate, hazelnut and black walnut. Some mushroom. Very complex and subtle. Drinkable now but better in a couple of years.
95 points
James SucklingThe 2021 Château Pape Clément checks in as a blend of 50% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, and splashes of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc that was brought up in barrels and tuns. Its deeper ruby/plum hue is followed by a beautifully layered, round, medium-bodied Péssac offering ripe black cherry and currant-driven fruit, some textbook scorched earth and tobacco notes, a round, layered, expansive mouthfeel, and ripe yet integrated tannins. It's one of the gems from Péssac that will shine for 15 years. Drink 2024-2039.
93 points
Jeb DunnuckConcentrated and intense nose with subtle violet and perfume flecks. Quite chewy and grippy on the palate, this has more of a chunky frame than many others with mouthwatering acidity, plush tannins and a good dose of strawberry, blackcurrant and black cherry fruit edged by eucalyptus and liquorice. You get the liveliness but also the density and the gentle power and I love the minerality at the end, a touch of salinity as well as cedar, clove, bitter dark chocolate and slate. You've got a lot going on with this wine and it's one of the more confident wines from the Bernard Magrez stable in the vintage. This could be very excellent. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Tasted twice. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.
94 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 94
- 93
- 95
- 94
- 93
- Nicks Import
2021 Chateau ValandraudSaint Emilion, Bordeaux, FRANCE$340. 00Bottle$4080.00 DozenClosure: CorkOther Reviews....
Opening in the glass with inviting aromas of dark berries, baking chocolate, exotic spices and vanilla pod, the 2021 Valandraud is a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy wine that's seamless and layered, exhibiting impressive concentration, beautifully ripe tannins and a long, succulent finish. Bursting with fruit, this is an especially elegant Valandraud, with below-average alcohol at 13.5%, but it doesn't lack for anything. Tasted four times, twice at the château.
93-94 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 Valandraud is compelling. Bright acids give the 2021 terrific purity and cut. The style of the year is perhaps a bit unusual for Valandraud, which tends to be an opulent wine, but there is a ton of potential. Aeration brings out the wine's natural texture and breadth. Wild dark cherry, mocha, spice, new leather and licorice all build nicely. In most vintages, Valandraud offers tons of near-term appeal. The 2021, on the other hand, is a long distance runner. Drink 2031-2046.
93-95 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThe 2021 Valandraud was picked October 3–15 and matured for a planned 18–24 months entirely in new oak. Again, this has quite an intense bouquet of perfumed blackberry, briar and mineral scents, the latter distinguishing it from the Virginie. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe, supple tannins that frame the pure, lightly spiced red berry fruit. More linear than previous vintages, yet fresh, this is well-defined toward the finish, where a pleasant spiciness carries over on the aftertaste. Drink 2029-2045.
92-94 points
Neal Martin - VinousFull-bodied with a silky yet very firm and broad tannin structure. Lots of ripe, cool blue-fruit and stone character. Red tea, too. Textured. Well balanced and focused for the vintage. Lovely length.
95-96 points
James SucklingThe Grand Vin 2021 Château Valandraud checks in as 85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, and it's still resting all in new barrels. Deep purple-hued, with rocking bouquet of ripe black and blue fruits, chocolate, spicy oak, and spring flowers, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, velvety, ripe tannins, terrific mid-palate depth, and one heck of an impressive finish. Despite the new barrels, this wine leads with its fruit, has everything in the right places, and delivers notable freshness as well as a great finish. I'd put it up with any of the top wines out there.
94-97 points
Jeb DunnuckPut your nose in the glass and smell all the chocolate, espresso, black plums, black raspberry, licorice and wet earth. Deep garnet in color, the wine is plush, polished, silky and loaded with sweet, dark, ripe, lusciously-textured red fruits. The wine blends 85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.5% ABV, pH 3.5. The harvest took place October 3 - October 15. drink from 2025-2048.
93-95 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderA rich and hedonistic nose full of perfumed black fruits that are so beguiling. Smooth, supple and generous on the palate in every way - tannins are present and mouthfilling but do well to give the blackcurrant and black cherry frame in the mouth. The fruit has quite a high tone to it, stopping short of being sharp but really vibrant with sparky edges from the acidity and liquorice, clove, toasted wood and cinnamon spice. It's characterful with lots going on - well presented with elegance and a cool freshness throughout. It's the detail that is just so excellent here. It's still got a lot of youthful excitement but this has beautiful intention, direction and understated power. A bold and more hefty style for the vintage with clear confidence. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045.
94 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 96
- 96
- 96
- 95
- 94
- Nicks Import
2021 Chateau Ducru-BeaucaillouSaint Julien, Bordeaux, FRANCE$499. 00Bottle$5988.00 DozenClosure: CorkAs a relatively large estate in Saint-Julien, the 75 hectare Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou estate is planted to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, at a density of 10,000 vines per hectare. They also own a small parcel of land in Haut-Medoc.
Changes in the winery, and a greater focus on parcel selection for the Grand Vin has resulted in a reduction in output from around 20,000 cases per year in the 1980’s to around 10,000 cases today. And the wines have never looked better. The pair of 2009 and 2010, along with the 2016 are considered standouts for the region, intense and concentrated efforts that will live for many years to come.
Other Reviews....
A wine that will delight Médoc purists, the 2021 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a blend of fully 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot and checks in at a mere 12.5% alcohol. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cigar wrapper, violets, loamy soil and spices, it's full-bodied, layered and velvety, with superb depth at the core, lively acids and powdery tannins. Complete and penetrating, it's a true classic, reminiscent of a modern-day version of Ducru's brilliant 1996—though today's precision winemaking means that the 2021 is unlikely to go through so long a hibernation as that vintage.
94-96 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a pretty significant departure from the past, as it is nearly pure Cabernet Sauvignon. A deep, aristocratic wine, the 2021 possesses remarkable intensity from start to finish. Inky dark fruit, bittersweet chocolate and leather are some of the myriad nuances that develop with some aeration. The 2021 is so well balanced. The 100% new oak, often quite dominant in Ducru en primeur, is so well integrated, likely because lower alcohol extracted less oak imprint. The 2021 is a drop dead gorgeous wine, and a Ducru for the ages. Superb. Drink 2031-2061.
96-98 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThe 2021 Ducru-Beaucaillou was picked at around 24hL/ha and matured in 100% new oak for 18 months, as is customary. It takes time to unfold in the glass, revealing intense blackberry, raspberry, iris flowers and a touch of spice. Very precise, though as expected, more understated than previous vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with a sappy, saline entry and good grip. Classic in style, fanning out toward the finish, and briny on the aftertaste. This is a fascinating, almost old-school Ducru-Beaucaillou. Drink 2028-2050.
94-96 points
Neal Martin - VinousFirm, structured and pure with a cool and solid core of dark currants, blackberries, tar, pencil lead and bitter chocolate. Hints of tobacco, too. Firm but silky tannins. Very pure, with a long, mineral finish. Intense and very focused. 98% cabernet sauvignon and 2% merlot.
96-97 points
James SucklingLastly, the 2021 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou might be the wine of the vintage. It has more depth and density than just about every other wine out there, all while still bringing beautiful tannins and elegance. A blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot, harvested from September 21 to October 10th, it was vinified in wooden tronconique tanks and is still aging in new barrels. This beauty hit 12.5% natural alcohol, with a pH of 3.88 and an IPT that's just about off the charts. Deep black and blue fruits, graphite, spicy oak, tobacco, and chalky minerality all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a concentrated, powerful mouthfeel, building yet fine tannins, and a great finish. Where most 2021s are going to offer plenty of up-front appeal, this is going to benefit from a solid 4-6 years of bottle age and be incredibly long lived.
95-97 points
Jeb DunnuckCigar box, tobacco leaf, wet earth, blackberry, flowers, and black currants fill the nose. On the palate, the wine is fresh, polished, soft, and energetic, with a spice, and leafy-tinted finish that leaves you with dark cherries and currants on the backend. There is length, purity, lift, and softness in the finish. This is one of the potential candidates for wine of the vintage. Classic (In a modern way) in style, the wine is a blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot. This is the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the history of the estate. 12.5% ABV, 3.88 pH, The yields were a scant 25 hectoliters per hectare. Harvest took place September 28 - October 11. Drink from 2026-2055.
95-97 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderBeautiful and beguiling nose, perfumed blackcurrants and dark fruits; damsons, plums, raspberries and rose petals. Lovely crunchy fruit, real bite and presence in the mouth. Excellent precision, tannins are succulent and ripe they fill the mouth with a juicy, intense granular texture. There is such depth to this - perfume, tobacco, earth, violets and concentrated fruits that have a verticality to them with an unprecedented 98% of Cabernet Sauvignon providing the support and the backbone. There is a crystalline purity to the fruit giving tension to the overall frame, it’s focussed and driven all with excellent definition. This is not a wallflower of a wine - it’s charming and confident, strutting its stuff right now and giving you absolut St-Julien terroir and vintage markers in the glass with slate, graphite and liquorice salinity on show. Skilled winemaking on show. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050.
96 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 94
- 92
- 96
- 95
- 92
- Nicks Import
2021 Chateau Pape Clement BlancPessac Leognan, Bordeaux, FRANCE$310. 00Bottle$3720.00 DozenClosure: CorkOther Reviews....
The 2021 Pape Clément Blanc shows the tension and cut that this vintage could bring to dry white Bordeaux. Exhibiting aromas of gooseberries, nectarine, confit citrus and pastry cream, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy but incisive, with a textural attack and a bright, saline finish. It's a blend of 72% Sauvignon Blanc, only 22% Sémillon, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 1% Muscadelle.
93-94 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 Pape Clément Blanc offers lovely creaminess and richness, but in the more restrained, mid-weight style that has characterized these wines of late. Ripe pear, tangerine oil, passionfruit, mint and jasmine open with a bit of time in the glass. The 2021 is promising. Tasted three times. Drink 2025-2036.
92-95 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThe 2021 Pape Clément Blanc was picked from 8-23 September and offers fragrant white flowers and peach skin on the nose, more minerality than the Clementin, gaining intensity with aeration. The palate is well balanced, perhaps tauter than recent vintages with a fine spine of acidity, a dab of stem ginger and lemongrass towards the finish. The 30% Sémillon just lends a bit of umami here, and it should age well in bottle. Drink 2024-2039.
91-93 points
Neal Martin - VinousSerious and refined with dried lemon, pineapple, green apple, almond, gun flint and some aniseed. Bright and tight. Medium to full body. Fresh and alluring. Wait and see.
96-97 points
James SucklingThe 2021 Château Pape Clément Blanc is certainly in the running for the white of the vintage. Based on 70% Sauvignon and 30% Semillon brought up in just 18% new oak, it has bright, racy acidity that's beautifully balanced by a rock-solid core of fruit and mid-palate density. Giving up notes of pineapple, tart peach, white chocolate, and ample minerality, it will warrant 2-4 years of bottle age, but it's impressive anyway you look at it.
95-97 points
Jeb DunnuckCreamy, fresh and bright, with lemons, lime and green apples and just a hint of spice, this is going to be perfect for consumption over the next few years. In fact, you can enjoy this refreshing wine on release! Drink from 2023-2027.
91 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderExcellent clarity and precision, you can feel this has been well worked with a vibrancy and tension running through the apple, apricot and fleshy peach fruit with some creamy patisserie edges. I love the lick of sherbet that lingers on the tongue and the persisting zestines. Fully flavoured and confident with some lemon drop and crushed stone salty minerality on the finish. A blend of 72% Sauvignon Blanc, 22% Sémillon, 5% Sauvignon Gris and 1% Muscadelle. Tasted twice. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.
94 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 96
- 94
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- 96
- Nicks Import
2021 Valandraud BlancBordeaux, FRANCE$165. 00Bottle$1980.00 DozenClosure: CorkOther Reviews....
The 2021 Valandraud Blanc is rich, deep and super-expressive. There is a level of intensity here that is beguiling. Lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, crushed rocks and slate abound. All the Blanc needs is time—a recent bottle of the 2017 was outstanding. Light tropical notes and white flowers linger on the resonant close. Drink 2026-2036.
94 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThis is showing aromas of smoked almonds, crushed stones, fennel, lavender, cedar and orange curd. It’s flinty, subtly spicy and medium- to full-bodied, with bright acidity. Mineral and elegant finish. Drink or hold.
94 points
Claire Nesbitt - JamesSuckling.comThe 2021 Château Valandraud Blanc is brilliant stuff and offers a gorgeous perfume of honeyed limes, mint, spicy herbs, and just a kiss of background oak. With medium-bodied richness, a focused, chiseled texture, and a gorgeous finish, it does everything right. It has bright acidity and rock-solid concentration and will benefit from a year or three in the cellar and have a decade or more of longevity. Drink 2025-2038.
96 points
Jeb DunnuckFlowers, honeysuckle, vanilla, and yellow with orange citrus create the nose. On the palate, the wine cracks with bright, crisp, lemon peel, a touch of orange, spice, and pineapple. The finish balances between its opulent, flamboyant nature and its fresh, bright citrus side. The wine blends 50% Sauvignon Gris, 35% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon. The harvest took place September 7 - September 20. Drink from 2023-2037.
95 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderClean aromatics of white flowers, lotus and peach pit. Thrilling and electric, full of energy and poise with great definition – streamlined and precise yet with a juicy, succulent core. Not overly mouthwatering but integrated and calm, confident and very enjoyable. Cool wet stones and a lovely mineral finish; elegant, delicately layered, with lemon, pear and green apple notes. Crisp and poised. Aged for 10 months, 80% new oak barrels and 15% terracotta amphora. 3.20pH. Production 3,500 bottles.
96 points
Georgie Hindle - Decanter -
- 95
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- 94
- Nicks Import
2021 Chateau Haut-BaillyPessac Leognan, Bordeaux, FRANCE$320. 00Bottle$3840.00 DozenClosure: CorkBased in Pessac-Leognan on the Left Bank of Bordeaux, Chateau Haut-Bailly has 30 hectares under vine planted to 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. As it is only recently that the wines have truly excelled, with knock out wines in 2005/2009/2010/2015/2016, they are one of the best values in Bordeaux, but also one of the hardest to find.
Other Reviews....
A classic in the making, the 2021 Haut-Bailly wafts from the glass with aromas of dark berries and wild plums mingled with sweet spices, loamy soil, raw cocoa and violets. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and concentrated, with bright acids, ultra-refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish, it's a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, only 22% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. With yields of a mere 19 hectoliters per hectare, it's impressively intensely flavored despite its quintessentially elegant, classically proportioned profile. In many respects, it may represent the Cabernet-driven modern-day alter ego of the superb Merlot-dominant 1998 Haut-Bailly.
94-95+ points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 Haut-Bailly is a dark, rather somber wine. The aromatics alone are captivating, but there are strong savory inflections from the high percentage of Petit Verdot in this year's blend. This deceptively mid-weight Haut-Bailly has plenty to offer. Spice, leather, tobacco and incense linger. The final blend also includes 10% press wine. Drink 2031-2061.
94-96 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThe 2021 Haut-Bailly is built around 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, the blend employing less Merlot and more Petit Verdot this year since the latter was not affected by frost. It was picked between September 27 and October 11 and matured in 50% new oak with 10% vin de presse. Allowed to open in the glass, it unfurls to reveal blackberry, briar, touches of crushed stone and cedar. The taut, fresh palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and fine acidity. This is back to the older style of Haut-Bailly in some ways; less opulent, in keeping with the style of the vintage, and delivering good weight on the finish, even if there is not the persistent aftertaste of previous vintages. The great virtue of this Haut-Bailly is the sapidity that marks the conclusion. The kind of Pessac-Léognan that needs to be decanted then poured at the dinner table. Drink 2029-2055.
93-95 points
Neal Martin - VinousLots of graphite and crushed-stone character with redcurrants and pine needles. Medium body with silky and layered tannins. Pretty balance and elegance. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 22% merlot, 10% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc.
95-96 points
James SucklingThe 2021 Château Haut-Bailly checks in as 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It's another elegant, pure, incredibly balanced wine from this château, offering complex aromatics (cassis, smoked tobacco, spicy wood, and earth), medium body, ripe, supple tannins, and a great finish. Hitting 13% alcohol with a pH of 3.9, this seamless beauty will drink nicely right out of the gate yet evolve for 25-30 years.
93-95+ points
Jeb DunnuckInitially you notice the blackberries, black plums, and black currants before moving on to the tobacco, flowers, spice, and smoke in the aromatic profile. Supple, refined, and elegant, perhaps the best way to describe the wine is modern chic, or modern classic if you prefer. The tannins are soft and polished, and the fruit is pure, clean, and fresh, with a salty, mildly-chalky, supple endnote. Although it is going to probably always be a bit reticent in character, you will be able to approach and enjoy this wine in its youth, as well as age it for more complexity. The wine blends 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. The blend represents the highest percentage of Petit Verdot in the history of the estate. 13% ABV, pH 3.9. The harvest took place September 27 to October 11. The Grand Vin was produced from 50% of the harvest. 2021 is the first vintage produced in their new, state-of-the-art cellars. Drink from 2025-2055.
94-96 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderSeductive blackcurrant and juniper with purple floral touches on the nose. Smooth texture with high acidity giving sharp strawberry fruit balanced by both savoury and mineral touches - slate, crushed stone, smoke, violets and dark chocolate - very much in the style of the vintage with no harshness or overt opulence but instead gives a pure sense of classicism, restraint and refinement. Elegant and well structured with a long determined finish - this will continue to deliver pleasure for a long time. 10% press wine. No chaptalisation. 30% grand vin. 3.9pH. 3% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. Yield 19hl/ha. First year in the new cellar. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045.
95 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 93
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- Nicks Import
2021 Clos FourtetSaint Emilion, Bordeaux, FRANCE$250. 00Bottle$3000.00 DozenClosure: CorkOther Reviews....
A bend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Clos Fourtet offers up inviting aromas of wild berries and plums mingled with hints of black truffle, violets, potpourri and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping, it's lively and layered, with beautifully refined tannins, bright acids and a long, sapid finish. Harvest lasted until October 15, which shows in unusual depth and plenitude for the vintage. Tasted three times.
93-95 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 Clos Fourtet is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage on the Right Bank. Towering in its stature, the 2021 is a regal wine endowed with tremendous energy and vibrancy. This classically austere Saint-Émilion oozes class from the very first taste. Blue/purplish fruit, spice, lavender and menthol are some of the aromas and flavors that build into the resonant, deeply pitched finish. What a wine. Drink 2031-2061.
94-96 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThe 2021 Clos Fourtet was picked September 28 to October 15 and matured in 50% new oak. Around 20% of the vats underwent saignée. This has a powerful bouquet of dark cherries, red plum, mint and violets. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. A less concentrated Clos Fourtet, even with the bleeding, but it retains balance and displays salinity and precision on the finish. This is promising, though it might be eclipsed by the 2019 and the 2020 in the long term. Still, I can see this maturing in style. (13.5% alcohol) Drink 2028-2048.
91-93 points
Neal Martin - VinousA polished and creamy red with bright currant, raspberry and clove character. Silky, supple tannins and fresh acidity. Excellent length.
93-94 points
James SucklingAnother terrific Saint-Emilion from the upper plateau, the 2021 Château Clos Fourtet is 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Franc that's pulled from 70% of the total production. The soils here include slightly more clay than its neighbor, Canon, and the wine is always a touch more powerful. The 2021 has 15% of the blend go through malolactic fermentation in barrel, and the élevage will span 16-18 months in 60% new oak. Dense purple-hued, with ample black fruits, roasted herbs, chocolate, and chalkiness, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a great mid-palate, ripe tannins, and one heck of a finish. It's an undeniable success that will shine in its youth yet also evolve gracefully. Tasted multiple times.
93-95 points
Jeb DunnuckDark plums, chocolate, blackberries, espresso, smoke, and wet earth on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied, soft, fresh, and silky and with a sweetness and energy to the red fruits with a touch of spice and salt that come in the endnotes. Refined and fresh, this is a refined vintage of Clos Fourtet. The wine was made by blending 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place, September 28 - October 15. Drink from 2024-2049.
94-96 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderA little high toned initially, the fruit is bright with good acidity but lacks a little density with slightly astringent tannins. It's polished though, there is a nice clarity to the strawberry and red cherry fruit but is missing some weight on the mid-palate. Liquorice and crushed stone come in on the end showing the terroir in the glass. The tannins are fine and well integrated and support the black fruits, this is gentle and delicate. Perhaps less showy and forward than some but has a delicate and almost shy nature at the moment. A little bit harder to understand right now but this does feel well worked with refinement on show. It will be interesting to taste after ageing. Tasted three times. 3.6pH. A yield of 40hL/ha. 14-18 months ageing 50% new barrels, 48% second-fill barrels, 2% amphora. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.
93 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter -
- 95
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- Nicks Import
2021 Chateau Beau-Sejour BecotSaint Emilion, Bordeaux, FRANCE$140. 00Bottle$1680.00 DozenClosure: CorkOther Reviews....
Aromas of deep berry fruit, dark chocolate, subtle spices and dried flowers introduce the 2021 Beau-Séjour Bécot, a medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless wine that's lively and layered, with a deep core of fruit, ripe tannins and a long, saline finish. Cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare, and based on Merlot with some 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon in a supporting role, its quality reflects a growing season of relentless efforts and the impact of extra sorting equipment rented on the eve of harvest.
93-95+ points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Apr 2022)The 2021 Beau-Séjour-Bécot is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted here. Pliant and deep, with striking depth, the 2021 is outrageously beautiful. All the elements come together so effortlessly. Dark fruit, mocha, spice, licorice and incense all build in the glass. The creamy tannins are impossibly refined for the year, while the finish is eternal. The 2021 is a real stunner. Readers won't want to miss it! Drink 2031-2061.
95-97 points
Antonio Galloni - VinousThe 2021 Beau-Séjour-Bécot was picked September 21 to October 15, almost a whole month, with crews working half-days to pick at optimal maturity in each parcel. Yields were 33hL/ha, and the wine matured in 55% new oak, 25% amphora and 20% used barrels for a planned 16 months. Tasted twice; the first sample was a bit bashful, but the bottle poured at the château was much better. It has a mixture of red and black fruit, dried rose petal, bergamot and a touch of chalk. The palate is medium-bodied with fine definition, a fine level of acidity (pH 3.5) and mineral-laden red fruit. It shows fine transparency and appreciable energy and tension. 13.2% alcohol. Drink 2027-2050.
91-93 points
Neal Martin - VinousLots of blue fruit with violets and a hint of boysenberry. Medium body, integrated and fine tannins and a cool, linear finish. Solid length and brightness.
93-94 points
James SucklingI loved the 2021 Beau-Séjour Bécot. This is just straight-up class with its ripe red plum and bright cherry fruit as well as mineral-laced aromatics of tobacco leaf and flowers. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has the freshness and purity of the vintage, terrific balance, ripe yet certainly present tannins, and a great finish. It's a beautiful wine in the making.
92-94 points
Jeb DunnuckFlowers, cherries, licorice, leafy herbs, spice, tobacco leaf and dark chocolate create the perfume. On the palate the wine is lush, soft, fresh, clean and most importantly, the wine expresses a gorgeous sense of purity in the red fruits that you sense in the mid-palate, which carries all the way through to the elegant, fresh, vibrant, long, energetic, sensual finish. The wine blends 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.5% ABV. The harvest took place September 21 - October 12. Drink from 2025-2050.
94-96 points
Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar InsiderRose-edged raspberries on the nose with blackcurrant leaf, soft herbal and earthy tones too. Gently floral and perfumed – so welcoming. Direct and streamlined on the palate with gently chalky/creamy tannins that are so integrated they just glide across the tongue settling around the mouth giving a salty tang to the juicy red and black fruit. Such a lovely freshness; this is delicate in terms of texture and overall frame but well positioned and expressive, benefitting from racy acidity and fruit density. It’s harmonious and balanced with such detail on the palate giving transparency of the vintage, the terroir and the grapes. Confident and finessed: a distinguished 2021 that will give a lot of drinking pleasure. 3.5pH. 32hl/ha Drinking Window 2026 - 2045.
95 points
Georgina Hindle - Decanter
















































