Search results

Bright ruby colour. Floral fragrances mixed with intense aromas of red fruit (red currant and cherry) mixed with pepper notes. Well-crafted and well-structured. Deep and tight texture. Long and generous aftertaste with crunchy fruit notes.  Cooked pork meats, pâté, pie, grilled or roasted meat, poultry, and all the local cheeses (Epoisses, Langres, Citeaux, BrillatSavarin...) and Comté.

Perrier-Jouet Belle Époque Champagne is an exquisite vintage cuvée that has captivated champagne enthusiasts since its first release in 1964. With its instantly recognizable bottle adorned with the elegant spray of Japanese white anemones, it stands as a testament to the timeless beauty and artistry of Maison Perrier-Jouët. The inspiration behind the design of the bottle comes from the brilliant mind of Emile Gallé, a renowned master of the Art Nouveau movement. In 1902, Gallé created the delicate and graceful spray of Japanese white anemones, which has since become an iconic symbol of Perrier-Jouet . The intricate details and meticulous craftsmanship of the bottle reflect the dedication and passion that goes into creating this exceptional champagne.

Tasting Notes:

On the eye: A pale gold, clear and luminous, like the rising sun.

On the nose: Delicate aromas of fruit – vine peach and poached pear – and linden and hawthorn blossom.

On the palate: Notes of juicy vine peach lend a fine texture, complemented by poached pear and rhubarb.

Paring: This prestigious cuvée pairs naturally with noble ingredients: king prawns with creamy polenta, sole meunière, Parmesan or Comté cheese.

Ratings:

James Suckling: 94pts; Wine Spectator: 94pts; The Wine Independent: 93pts

Deep ruby. Intense aromas of ripe red fruit (raspberry and cherry) with hints of raspberry liqueur and spices. Well-structured and complex. Intense fruit. Delicate, deep texture with well-crafted tannins. Good length with notes of jammy fruits.  Great with roasted, grilled or marinated red meats, game birds and game animals.

This is stunning. Troplong never has trouble conjuring up wonderfully rich fruit, but here it is plump and dense without being pumped up. The tannins are chewy rather than chalky, but the elegance of the vintage is unmistakable, and the rich chocolate flavours are dusted with mint. There is a very pretty salinity on the finish that lasts for minutes. I had a fascinating visit here at the start of the week, and retasted several times as this is a wine that I sometimes have trouble understanding. My main takeout is that the majority of the richness here is found naturally in the terroir – limestone on the plateau but with cool clay over the top, which explains why they are such late harvesters. But there are always winemaking and viticultural choices coming into play in any wine, and here there are adjustments being made to bring out a more finely wrought version of what is always a high impact and successful wine. Yields are higher this year, up at 48hl/ha, which helps, as does the style of the vintage and quieter extraction in the cellar, but Troplong remains true to itself.

This Single Vineyard wine is a blockbuster in the making. L’Argnée shows a beautiful colour of an intense and deep red with purple reflections. The nose offers a superb aromatic expression combining fruity notes of fresh blackberries and aromas of black truffle. The palate is complex, smooth and round, with particularly silky tannins and powerful aromas of cocoa and ripe black fruit, typical of Gigondas.

Jeb Dunnuck: 96+Pts; James Suckling: 94Pts

Crafted from organically-grown grapes

Castelgiocondo is produced from an uncompromising selection of the finest Sangiovese grapes, in a vineyard whose ideal elevation, well-drained soils, and southwest-facing exposure yield all of the qualities that converge to produce the finest expression of this ancient grape variety. CastelGiocondo’s unique location in Montalcino, with its varied exposure and terrain – galestro, clay and Pleocene sands – offers infinite nuances to this Brunello. A multi-faceted experience that evolves over time and entices us to discover, taste and remember, again and again.

The 2018 CastelGiocondo is an intense shade of ruby red. CastelGiocondo is always set  apart by its elegance, and in this vintage, this characteristic is more marked than ever. The  fruity notes, the first to hit our olfactory receptors, are dominated by blueberry and  blackberry, flanked by blackcurrant and other berries. They are followed by floral hints of  violet and dog rose, which are always found in the bouquet of the best Brunello di  Montalcino. Next on the nose are clear spicy notes of black pepper and cardamom, chased  by a pleasant aroma of liquorice. On the palate, the tannins are dense but not harsh,  accompanied by delicate mineral notes. The consistency between the nose and palate and  the long and persistent finish make it particularly balanced.

James Suckling: 95Pts; The Wine Independent: 93Pts; Luca Maroni: 93Pts; Wine Spectator: 92Pts; Jane Anson: 93Pts; Wine Advocate: 92Pts; Falstaff: 92Pts; WinesCritic.com: 92Pts; 

Crafted from substainably-grown grapes, certified by Agriqualita

Consistently one of the gems of the Southern Rhone, ‘Les Hauts de Julien’ has a slightly Northern Rhone-like style. Beautiful deep ruby-red colour with purple undertones. The nose reveals a seductive aromatic bouquet with notes of black fruit and graphite. Powerful and silky on the palate, this wine offers round, soft tannins with very concentrated aromas of very ripe fruit, liquorice and amaretto, mixed with floral and marshmallow notes. The mouth has a long finsih with aromatic persistence.

Jeb Dunnuck: 93-95Pts

Crafted from organically-grown grapes

This wine takes its name from the walls that protected the monastery at Poblet during the Mercenary Wars. he unmistakable identity of Grans Muralles is thanks to the stony, slate ground (Licorella) of the region, and the grape varieties used to make it. One century after the phyloxera plague the Torres family have begun to recuperate autoctonous grape varieties believed to be extinct, such as Garro and Samso, using modern viticultural techniques. Together with red Garnacha, Mazuelo and Monastrell they create the unique spirit of this wine, aged in new French oak (Tronçais thin grain) for 18 months.

Warm and compact full-fruit aromas are spicy, creamy and integrated, with nothing held in reserve. A huge palate stampedes with grapy blackberry, ripe plum and burn. There’s power and some fiery aggression to this Catalonian classic, with chocolaty oak settling in alongside flush berry power on a loud finish.

Decanter: 95Pts; Wine Spectator: 95Pts; Wine Enthusiast: 93Pts; James Suckling: 92Pts

Named after the rare Marsican bear, native to Frank’s father Bruno’s homeland, Abruzzo. The same bear can be seen in the night sky over Italy forming the Ursa Major – a constellation that has been a navigational reference point for ages. Marsican is a tribute to Frank Mitolo’s heritage and his fathers enduring influence and guidance.

1. Savitar – 45 year old vines, Chinese Block, Aldinga sub region, East/West orientation, North East pocket, river stone over black Biscay clay and limestone, a dark and dense cracking soil that delivers vibrant and lush Shiraz with great structure.
2. G.A.M. – 45 year old vines, Chinese Block, Aldinga sub region, East/West orientation, Western pocket, delivers an opulent and brooding style of Shiraz, of rich black fruits, olive tapenade and spice.
3. Angela – 30 year old vines, Sandra’s Block, Willunga sub region, North/South orientation, alluvial Christies Beach formation with ironstone and shale producing a slightly brighter fruit profile and complete structure.

Rocas is a blend of 38% Malbec, 25% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Grenache, 8% Petit Verdot, aged for 22 months, in French oak barrels (65% new).  The 2020 vintage of Rocas de Seña has a beautiful purple colour. Subtle aromas of coffee and Asian spices with a touch of mocha from the oak create a very deep and complex nose.  The palate is vibrant and tense with good density and shows multiple layers of fresh fruits, spices, and balsamic notes with a hint of smoke. It displays great freshness and a smooth texture with a long and juicy finish.  This is a very elegant and splendidly youthful wine.  

Descorchados: 95Pts; Wine Enthusiast: 94Pts; Falstaff: 94Pts; Tim Atkin: 93Pts; WinesCritic.com: 92Pts

Crafted from organically-grown grapes

Shiraz from the Frankland River and Mount Barker subregions of the Great Southern are blended to highlight the distinctive varietal and regional qualities of our best sites.  The expression of Shiraz from this cool, continental climate is characterised by an intensity and concentration of dark fruits with traces of spice, earth and guiding tannins.

Deep dark cherry and plush red berries, with exotic sweet spice, and savoury bush herbs seasonings. The depth and dimension of sweet fruit on the palate gives plushness and softness to the middle palate and fine supple tannins, a gentle mineral-like grip to finish. A Shiraz full of plush and primary fruit, embellished with sweet and savoury spice notes, captured in fine supple tannins.  Drink with osso bucco on polenta or a salad of bresola, shaved cauliflower & radicchio.  Drink now or cellar for up to 7 to 10 years.

The Real Review: 94Pts; The Wine Front: 93Pts

The deep garnet colored 2009 Montrose features beautiful Black Forest cake, licorice, creme de cassis and warm blueberries scents with hints of charcoal, truffles, tapenade and menthol plus a waft of star anise. The palate is full-bodied, rich, super concentrated and yet superbly harmonious with a firm backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. 

The 2017 Haut-Batailley was cropped at 50hl/ha according to Jean-Charles Cazes since they escaped frost damage. It is the first vintage that the Cazes family have full responsibility for (incidentally, the 2016 remains unsold at time of writing). Matured for 18 months in 60% new oak, it has developed nicely since I last tasted it: blackberry, bilberry, graphite and mint aromas stride out of the glass, veins of blue fruit emerging after a couple of minutes of aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, quite cohesive and dense with good grip towards the finish. There is suppleness here, but there is backbone too.

Deep, dense colour with glints of violet. Very expressive nose with black fruit and subtle notes of toast. On the palate, the attack is powerful, dense and structured. The mid-palate is full-bodied, with a fine, well-balanced tannic structure. The finish has plenty of volume with superbly ripened tannins, while remaining elegant and refined, thanks to the quality of the grapes of this exceptional vintage.

Made from 84% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc brought up in plenty of new oak, its ruby/plum color is followed by an awesome bouquet of blackberry jam, smoked meats, licorice, truffle, and hints of chocolate. Thick, opulent, super ripe, and decadent, with a full-bodied mouthfeel that needs to be tasted to be believed, it still stays balanced and fresh on the palate and is already impossible to resist. It’s going to keep for 3+ decades.

An elegant, light-coloured Rose, with delicate ruby reflections, a refined balance between Syrah and Vermentino. Alie, a fabled sea nymph, a symbol of sensuality and beauty, inspired Alie, an elegant rose with a luminous pink hue and subtle ruby highlights. It is a stylish, beautifully-balanced blend of Syrah and Vermentino, varieties that express our finest qualities when grown near the sea.

With a beautiful pale pink colour, the nose stands out intense fruity and floral scents such as peach, rose and peony. Citrus notes perfectly integrated in the context give a wonderful crispness even more accentuated by delicate iodine hints. The bouquet is all in progress and in a second moment appear sensations of aromatic herbs such as thyme and sage. The taste-olfactory correspondence is impressive, moreover to the palate is perceived a wonderful crispness together with sapidity. Alie is a full bodied, silky and smooth wine.

James Suckling: 91Pts – Crafted from substainably-grown grapes, certified by Agriqualita

Natalie McLean: 91Pts; Decanter World Wine Awards: 90Pts