What's New

Located in the heart of the Saint-Estèphe appellation, Château Tronquoy-Lalande has a vineyard spanning 74 acres with its origins dating back to the 18th century. In 2006, soon after acquiring its illustrious neighbour, Chateau Montrose, Martin and Olivier Bouygues purchased the estate and embarked on a large scale modernisation program which has seen a dramatic improvement in the quality of the wines.
An exceptional vintage for Bordeaux, the 2016 Chateau Tronquoy-Lalande is comprised of 58% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc with maturation taking place in French oak for 12 months.
Dense inky black core with a deep dark red black hue. Sailing out of the glass are red to blackcurrant and subtle red liquorice aromatics trailed by notions of cigar box, earthy graphite like notes, black olive and spice. Medium bodied, rich red and black currant fruits have an earthy underbelly with subtle notions of cigar box, leather, graphite and spicy black olive also evident. Firmly structured tannins have a muscular feel imparting some light grip on to the fresh finish. Long, slightly chewy yet elegant aftertaste.
Cellar 6-8 years.
Alc. 14.5%

Other Reviews….
The 2016 Tronquoy-Lalande has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed blackberries and black cherries with herbs, cigar box and damp soil. Medium to full-bodied, it offers good concentration and depth with firm, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and perfumed. Drink 2019-2033.
93 points
Lisa Perrotti-Brown – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate 

The 2016 Tronquoy-Lalande has a concentrated bouquet featuring a more open fruit profile compared to the 2016 La Dame de Montrose, offering blackberry, raspberry and light cassis notes and revealing touches of cedar and incense with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, and quite linear, leading into a nicely detailed, quite tensile finish. Another Saint-Estèphe that needs time, but this is a classy number. Drink 2022-2042.
92 points
Neal Martin – Vinous

The aromas of violets and flowers are impressive in this with dark fruit underneath. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a fresh and bright finish. Shows beautiful depth and resilience. Drink from 2023.
93 points
JamesSuckling.com

The 2016 Château Tronquoy-Lalande checks in as a blend of 58% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, all aged 12 months in 30% new barrels. It offers a ripe, black-fruited, classic Saint-Estèphe profile of blackcurrants, plums, graphite, and tobacco leaf. This gives way to a ripe, rounded, impressively concentrated wine that has sweet tannins and a great finish. It will keep for 15-20 years. Drink 2019-2039.
92 points
JebDunnuck.com

With nearly 30 years spent making Penfolds Grange and developing the RWT label at Penfolds, John Duval qualifies as one of Australia's living wine legends. In 2003 he launched John Duval Wines and wasted no time sourcing some of South Australia's finest fruit. “After 35 years in the business, I know who the best growers are,” comments Duval. Today, John is joined by his son Tim who assists with both winemaking and marketing.
With volumes down more than 50% in some vineyards, particularly Eden Valley, due to Spring frost and dry conditions, 2019 was a vintage where quality triumphed over quantity. Texture, structure and richness were the highlights of the finished wines.
For the 2019 Entity fruit was sourced from old vineyards in the Krondorf, Ebenezer, Moppa, Tanunda and Eden Valley regions comprising 89% Barossa Valley, 11% Eden Valley fruit. Maturation took place in French oak hogsheads, 35% new, for a period of 15 months.

Effortlessly refined and polished, this rich, silky Barossa Shiraz is all class.

Dense inky black core displaying tremendous colour saturation with a very deep dark purple black hue. Bursting out of the glass is a kaleidoscope of aromatics lead by dark plum, liquorice, blackberry and blueberry fruits. Lightly smoked vanillin cedar, dried herb and spice notes then kick in. Rich, plush dark plum, liquorice, blackberry and subtle blueberry fruits are draped across the palate like liquid silk. Elements of vanillin oak, dried herb, traces of fennel and spicy dark chocolate are also apparent on the back half. Finishes with a youthful freshness. Very smooth and polished in its feel, velvety tannins lead into a long powerful yet finessed finish.
Drink over the next 8-10 years.
Alc. 14.5%

Totally opaque black dark red colour with a deep dark red hue. Lifted aromatics of liquorice and dark plum are followed by smoky vanillin cedar, earth and spice. Rich, plush and deep, this is a great value Shiraz. Medium to full bodied and without the overt toasty oak of previous vintages, generous liquorice, dark plum and blackberry fruits shine through. Sitting underneath are well integrated vanillin oak elements, subtle earth, toast and spice. Velvet smooth tannins with a surprisingly long aftertaste.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 14.5%

Aged on lees for 9 years this excellent vintage Champagne is comprised of 40% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay and 27% Pinot Meunier grapes sourced from predominately (73%) Grand Cru and Premier Crus.
A frothy white mousse forms over a pale straw/pale gold coloured base that’s finely threaded by a very persistent bead. Pronounced aromatics of pear and yeast lees meld into brioche, citrus, oily toast like notes, dried honey and almond. The rich, powerful palate is caressed with baked bread, pear, yeast lees and citrus flavours which have a full creamy like feel. Elements of roasted almonds, subtle oily cashew and dried honey characters chime in on the dry, crisp finish. Long, complex aftertaste.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 12%

Other Reviews….
Comprises 40/33/27% pinot noir/chardonnay/pinot meunier, 73% grands and premiers crus. The low dosage of 2g/l and the warm vintage allow the fruit-based flavours free rein - white peach, Granny Smith apple and nectarine. The finish and aftertaste remain fresh and long. A house in grand form.
96 points
James Halliday – Australian Wine Companion

Vinhos Barbeito are one of the most forward-thinking companies on Madeira as well as being one of the youngest, being founded in the 1940s by Mário Barbeito. Barbeito are attempting to redefine the popular notion of Madeira to a generally slightly drier, more food-oriented wine. As well as careful selection, long ageing and the absence of caramel, the wines are not de-acidified, so they retain much more freshness and tang than many Madeiras. At this level, Barbeito are leading the way in making complex, fine Madeiras as naturally as possible.

Boal is a medium rich wine amongst the range from Barbeito, and is excellent as a digestif, or to match with richer dishes such as Christmas pudding, Foie-gras, chocolate, candied fruits and cheese. You should serve this at 13-14 degrees celsius, and can be kept in a cool place for several months after opening. As this is filtered it does not require decanting.

Other reviews... The world’s best-selling single malt. Isn’t that sufficient to give this dram some respect? It might be me, but it strikes me that ’Fiddich has more heft to it these days, with a sherried element giving the pear, apple, and light cereal of the distillery character a sweet, plump, sultana underpinning. This then adds chewiness to the palate, balancing the dry nuttiness and receding on the finish where those green fruits come through to add fresh acidity. Great balance. 86 points- whiskyadvocate.com, reviewed by: Dave Broom (Summer 2013)

Reputedly founded with almost no capital and only second hand equipment bought from the Cardhu distillery, distillation at Glenfiddich began on Christmas day in 1887. It now boasts twenty-eight stills and is the largest selling single malt in the world and remains the only Highland Malt whisky to be matured and bottled at its own distillery in Dufftown, Banffshire, Scotland.

William Grant, the founder of Glenfiddich was the man behind the success of the brand. However, it was only in 1963 when Glenfiddich was accepted into the blend-dominated English market in 1963, that Glenfiddich re-introduced Single Malts to the world. Glenfiddich was marketed as a 'traditional' Scotch whose taste expressed its origins, much like a great wine expresses its 'terroir'.

The highpoint in the Hennessy collection is this hors d'Age Cognac composed of several hundred rare eaux de vie. Comes presented in a stunning decanter topped by a crystal stopper and an 18 carat gold ring. Carry case included. Other reviews... Blended from eaux-de-vie ranging from 30 to 130 years old, “this is the jewel of the Prestige collection,” I was told by the brand ambassador. Louis Vuitton has apparently designed a trunk to hold the ornate crystal bottle. So how is the juice inside? Unexpectedly light amber in color with a very complex nose of jasmine, citrus blossom, cedar forest and a touch of forest floor. In the mouth, it’s crisp, fresh and spicy, offering attractive notes of green tobacco, licorice and spring herbs, and a lean, angular structure that stands out. Yes, there’s lots of hype, and the price is astronomical, but with Paradis Impérial you will at least get a delicious, subtle, complex brandy.
95 points - Jason Wilson, Vinous.com

Retasted 2020... This is a 2017 batch of the distillery's NAS, entry-level release, so a Billy Walker Benriach. From a fresh bottle, you get more of the distillery's expected fruitiness - a touch of grassiness too, especially on the palate. It's brisk and mildly fruity, lightly honied and manages impressive weight and mouthfeel despite being bottled at 40%. The finish is fresh and spritely. Bourbon cask matured, it's pretty classic as far as Speysiders go. Zero chill filtration is a bonus. 40% Alc./Vol.

First tasted 2016... [15ml sample] Brilliant gold. Pure, breakfast cereal lift to the nose with heavy vanilla and later, light cocoa entering the mix and a rich, round pepper/cereal profile. Uncomplicated and accessible. 90 points

Other reviews... A decent, non-fussy malt where the emphasis is on biscuity barley.
85.5 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2019

The story of BenRiach – ”the Hill of the Red Deer”, is typical of the great Speyside distilleries. Built in 1898 by John Duff, the distillery is sited amongst the rolling barley fields that rise to the foothills of the Grampian mountains. The barley used in crafting the whisky is grown around the distillery and the water is drawn through the Burnside Spring that lies deep below the distillery. Only a handful of Scottish distilleries still make their own malt. One of them is Benriach. The maltings stand beside the distillery and twice a week the prize barley is delivered to be steeped, spread and raked until it begins to sprout. Gentle heat then works its magic and the raw grain becomes the essential ingredient of a Scotch Malt Whisky. The distillery manager oversees the slow and deliberate crafting process of BenRiach whisky – managing the transformation from malted barley to wash, to distilled spirit and into high quality oak casks, some sourced from the great sherry bodegas of Spain. Re opening in 1965 after a 65 year absence from the market, the Benriach distillery was virtually rebuilt by The Glenlivet Distillers Ltd. in 1985 and enlarged to four stills. Its product is highly regarded by blenders and has been available as an "official" single malt bottling only since 1994.

A blend of 70% Tempranillo and 30% Garnacha aged for 26 months in oak, some new. Totally opaque black dark red colour with a bright purple red hue. Aromas of dark to black cherries intermix with black raspberries, liquorice, incense, earth and spicy dried herbs. Juicy yet also inky in its feel, the mid weighted palate is blessed with black cherry and dark raspberry fruits which are underpinned by red liquorice, earthy incense nuances and infusions of fresh herbs. Excellent freshness to the finish with polished tannins and a succulent red to dark fruited aftertaste.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 14%

A lacy white mousse dissipates to reveal a very pale straw coloured base that has an exceptionally persistent and very fine bead flowing through it. Nosing throws up aromatics of red apple, baked pear and citrus followed by some light toast and yeast lees notes. Vibrant pear and apple fruits have a racy feel underscored by notions of lemon sherbet and lees characters. Finishes dry and very refreshing with crisp acidity and a medium length aftertaste.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 11.5%