Jeb Dunnuck (95)

I was blown away by the quality of the 2020 L'Hetre, and this estate, as well as the entire Castillon region, is one to watch going forward. Based on 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, brought up in 30% new French oak, it has a ruby/purple hue as well as a classic limestone-influenced bouquet of black raspberries, chalky minerality, white truffle, and tobacco. Perfectly balanced and incredibly elegant, with building yet fine tannins, drink this remarkable Castillon any time over the coming two decades.

Vinous - Neal Martin (93)

The 2017 La Clotte was one of the Vauthier’s most impressive wines from barrel and now that it is bottled, I find no reason to change that view. It delivers gorgeous black cherry and raspberry coulis aromas, intermingling with sous-bois and crushed iris. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, fresh and vibrant, very well proportioned with a veins of _mineralité _ on the finish that might be a distant cousin of a very fine Loire. This is simply a superb Saint-Émilion that is rapidly making a name for itself.

Wine Advocate (98-100)

One of the great wines of the vintage, and one that can rival its 2022 counterpart, the 2023 La Conseillante wafts from the glass with a strikingly floral bouquet of violets, lilac, raspberries, exotic spices, candied orange, pipe tobacco and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, its textural attack segues into a layered and enveloping core of pure, vibrant fruit framed by sweet tannins and concluding with a long, precise finish. It's a blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, some 30% of which is maturing in amphorae. Harvest began on September 7, lasting until October 2, block by block.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)

The 2015 La Gaffelière is a wine of total finesse. Much less obvious and overt than most Saint-Émilions in this vintage, La Gaffelière makes its case on harmony and grace above all else. Bright, lifted Cabernet Franc–infused aromatics give the 2015 striking freshness and aromatic presence. The flavors are bright and nuanced to the core, with plenty of red cherry, espresso and floral notes. But back to the basics. In 2015 La Gaffelière is a wine that stands out because of its impeccable balance and sense of proportion. I loved it. Tasted two times.

Wine Advocate (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Lafite Rothschild is a little mute on the nose at this stage, opening to reveal warm blackcurrants, baked plums and boysenberry scents with hints of chocolate mint, violets, cedar chest and pencil lead. Full-bodied, rich and densely packed with perfumed black fruit layers, it has a rock-solid backbone of fantastically ripe, grainy tannins and beautiful freshness, finishing very long and minerally. Still very youthful!

The Wine Independent (100)

The 2018 Lafite Rothschild is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a little swirling to unlock notes of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, and crème de cassis, with touches of menthol, Indian spices and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-filling, spicy black fruits with velvety tannins and a long, energetic finish.

James Suckling (97-98)

Polished and refined with a firm, fine and linear tannin structure. Harmonious. Perfumed violets, roses and subtle licorice. All in balance here, with precise layers of black fruit, minerals and pencil lead. Rather seamless. Firm, yet fine and sleek to the end. Very classy. Fine-velvet texture. 96% cabernet sauvignon, 3% merlot and 1% petit verdot.

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

The 2016 Lafon-Rochet has a very engaging bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit laced with pencil shavings and loamy scents. In fact, the more you nose this wine, the more its complexity becomes apparent. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine line of acidity, ripe and generous yet maintaining outstanding tension and revealing a judicious touch of peppercorns on the finish, which fans out gloriously. This is a fabulous Lafon-Rochet and certainly the best bottle of 2016 that I have encountered. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2020 Larrivet Haut-Brion is a powerful, dark wine marked by strong Cabernets that lend tons of aromatic presence and sheer density. This virile, explosive Pessac-Léognan packs quite the punch. Blackberry, gravel, licorice and grilled herbs are some of the notes that build in this deep, expansive wine. Superb.

James Suckling (99-100)

Shows the exotic nature of Le Pin with blackberries, milk chocolate and hints of spices, as well as coffee beans from the ripe seeds in the grapes. It's medium-bodied with focused and creamy tannins. Also plenty of nectarine and clementine character. This is so classic Le Pin at the finish. It lasts for minutes in your mouth. Silky and flavorful. 100% merlot magic.

Jeb Dunnuck (94)

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino is perfumed with high-toned aromatics of fresh rosehip, fresh red cherry, and anise. The palate is crisp and energetic with cherry pit, dried red plum, and fresh tomato leaf, with fine-grained tannins with linear acidity. A vibrant wine to enjoy 2023-2033.

Wine Advocate (97)

The 2020 vintage is rolling out now (as of January 2024). The season was warm, dry and early and marred by low yields across the state due to weather during flowering in the spring of 2019. Obviously, we all recall the events of March 2020: in Perth, the first COVID-19 lockdowns occurred in late March. Yet the wines from that season have proven to be superb—a testament to the grit and necessity of getting wines made no matter the conditions. The 2020 Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon is sweetly fruited, with a cavalcade of dark berry fruits and very fine, graphite tannins. I see this wine yearly in a blind tasting of same-vintage Cabernet Sauvignons from around the globe, and it routinely performs extraordinarily well; yet I feel its reputation has yet to catch up with the quality. For the first time, the wine has cracked $100 AUD retail, which pulls it more into line with the rest of the pricing in the region. It has excellent structure, sweet fruit, medium body and succulent acidity. Sealed under screw cap.

Wine Advocate (91)

The 2021 Art Series Shiraz is fine and fresh. It has raspberry and strawberry, mulberry and blood plum, with very fine powdery tannins. It is not a hefty wine by any means (augmented perhaps by the conditions of the season). Perhaps it doesn't have the fruit weight for long-term aging, yet this makes for lovely "now" drinking. Sealed under screw cap.

Wine Advocate (99-100)

The remarkable 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a strong candidate for the title of wine of the vintage. It's also one of the most singular, characterful wines being produced in the region today. Unfurling in the glass with complex aromas of blackberries and cherries mingled with notions of exotic spices, orange zest, pencil lead, rose petals and vine smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a velvety attack that segues into a layered, seamless and multidimensional mid-palate framed by rich, powdery tannins. Pure, perfumed and penetrating, this blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot is a brilliant success that caps a decade of relentless work by Guillaume Pouthier and his team that have seen Les Carmes Haut-Brion emerge as one of Bordeaux's leading estates. It checks in at a mere 13.5% alcohol, with a very healthy pH of 3.64.

James Suckling (98-99)

This is a fantastic wine and very, very exciting, with purity and brightness to the floral, spicy and blackberry notes. It

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2019 Château Lynch-Bages is stunningly good, and it's going to be interesting to compare this to the 2018 over the coming decades. Based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 75% new French oak, its dense purple hue is followed by an incredible bouquet of pure crème de cassis, freshly sharpened cedar pencil, spring flowers, smoke, and graphite, with an almost liqueur of rocks-like minerality. A massive, incredibly concentrated Lynch-Bages, Jean-Charles has hit a home run in the vintage, and this sensational wine has building, perfect tannins, insane purity, and a finish that won't quit. It has the purity, finesse, balance, and depth to offer pleasure not only today but to evolve for 40 to 50 years. Smart money will hide these for a good 7-8 years, but wow, what a wine. Bravo.

The Wine Cellar Insider (100)

Deep, shiny, dark ruby in color, this rocks as soon as the wine is out of the gate, or should I say out of the bottle and into your glass. Cherry blossoms and lilacs make it seem as though you are in a flower shop. On the palate, the wine is rich, full bodied and concentrated, yet the wine is light on its feet. There is a purity in the fruit that is off the hook. There is a sensuous, textural quality that makes it so you cannot help but take another sip, to make sure the experience is real, and because it is so good! The wine is a testament to Paul Pontallier, as this is in some ways, a culmination of his life's work.

James Suckling (96)

Super-elegant but really tight aglianico here with lightly peppery black fruit, colored with inky and spicy notes. With aeration, you move into the herbal zone, with fresh bay-leaf, chai and light rosemary. The palate is medium-to full-bodied and you feel all the aromas pent-up, ready to burst out. The tension here is palpable and this will need several more years before the firm tannins soften, allowing the wine to open up and flood your palate. Still be patient. Try from 2024.

James Suckling (96)

This is super silky and elegant aglianico with a deep and dense core of ripe red and black fruit. Full-bodied with beautifully embedded, fine-grained tannins and a long, controlled finish. Just a little pull on the mouth right at the end, so probably best to give it another year or two, if you can resist. Best from 2024.

The Wine Independent (100)

A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Montrose is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes tearing out of the glass with rambunctious scents of creme de cassis, juicy blackberries, and blueberry pie, leading to hints of menthol, dark chocolate, licorice, and tree bark with a touch of crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is chock full of bright black fruits with loads of spicy sparks and a firm, wonderfully velvety texture, finishing long and energetic.

The Wine Independent (100)

The 2019 Montrose is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a lot of swirling to unlock a vibrant core of ripe, juicy blackcurrants, freshly picked blueberries, and redcurrants with touches of garrigue, iris, tilled earth, and Sichuan pepper, plus a waft of wood smoke. Medium to full-boded, the palate is taut and muscular, framed by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing very long and achingly perfumed. This is a real head-turner!

James Suckling (99-100)

Wow. This is the essence of Montrose, with blackberry, blackcurrant, crushed stone and earth. I have not tasted a Montrose like this in 42 years of my career. It has a much more vertical nature to it, with layered tannins that go very deep and long, The muscular structure and intensity is something else. This is a new era for Montrose. It is now made from only 45 hectares of vineyards right in front of the chateau, instead of about 60 before. 75% cabernet sauvignon, 21% merlot and 4% cabernet franc.

Wine Advocate (94+)

This property is owned and managed by the Vauthier family of Château Ausone. The 2015 Moulin Saint-Georges is blended of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 85% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it reveals a gorgeous plum preserves, licorice and blackberry pie-laced nose with touches of cedar chest, cigar box, black olives and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and very firmly textured with grainy tannins, it has a lively backbone supporting the generous black fruit, finishing with lingering savory notes. Give it a good 5 years or more in bottle and drink it over the next 20+ years.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

A memorable vintage for both good and bad reasons, with yields that dropped down to 11h/h after mildew, but with a concentration and precision that is remarkable. This truly is a briliant wine. There are hints of dried fruit character, wrapped in the complexity of a wine stacked with cigar box, ripe berry fruit, dark chocolate, marmalade zest, turmeric and black pepper spice, layer upon layer, all served up with fresh acidites that make it moreish at the same time. Unusual, and beautiful. Harvest September 13 to October 15, 60% new oak.

Wine Advocate (96-98)

I was even more impressed by the 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Réservée than the 2019. Boasting crazily complex floral scents, garrigue, raspberries and cherries, this is one incredibly perfumed example of Pegau. Medium to full-bodied, silky, elegant and long, this is quintessential Pegau.

The vast majority of buyers and collectors will no doubt be aware of the unbelievable quality of 2009 as a vintage across the entirety of Bordeaux. Touted at the time as the "vintage of the century", the title would have most likely been without question were it not for 2016. We sincerely hope you have plenty of both in your cellars! Only time will tell which has the upper hand... 

 

A wine of complete pedigree, which has never moved from the cellars of Pichon Lalande itself. This is an incredibly rare opportunity to secure a case of something which shall be discussed by critics and experts for decades to come with perfect provenance.

 

"Dense and voluptuous in the glass, with serious richness, 2009 is also almost shockingly tannic. It won’t be ready to drink anytime soon, and yet, there is so much to look forward to" - Antonio Galloni (Vinous)

 

"Combining the best of a vintage such as 1996, in terms of structure, freshness, and precision, with the best of 1982, in terms of opulence, power, unctuosity, and thickness" - Robert M. Parker Jr.

 

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (98+)

The 2015 Pichon Comtesse is a towering wine, as it has always been. Rich, sumptuous and totally hedonistic, the 2015 melds together intense fruit with structure. Far from an easygoing wine, the 2015 is going to need a number of years and will then drink well for several decades. Grilled herbs, smoke, new leather and licorice are some of the many notes that are layered into the dark-fleshed fruit for complexity. As good as the 2015 is today, it also has room to grow. Technical Director Nicolas Glumineau has done a tremendous job with the 2015s at Pichon Comtesse. The blend is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in oak, 55% new.

Wine Advocate (100)

Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Pontet-Canet is a little shut down to begin, but with coaxing this baby is soon firing on all cylinders with a full-throttle nose of chocolate-covered cherries, crème de cassis, boysenberries and spice cake plus tons of kirsch and cranberry sauce sparks and a beautiful undercurrent of emerging tertiary characters: cigar box, sandalwood, chargrill, truffles and cast iron pan. Full-bodied, rich, multilayered and completely seductive, the palate is charged with incredible energy, with a firm backbone of velvety tannins and seamless freshness providing solid grounding and promising a very long life ahead. It finishes with an incredible display of epically long-lasting flavor fireworks. Wow!

James Suckling (98)

A stunning wine for this vintage although it’s still a bit shy on the nose (more spice than fruit showing than now). There’s wet earth, too, but on the palate it’s bursting with ripe yet subtle flavors. Very long and complex finish that goes on and on.

James Suckling (99)

The aromas to this are really amazing, with a potpourri of spices and dried flowers, as well as redcurrants, sweet plums and even some peaches. Full-bodied with layers of ripe fruit and ultra-fine tannins that spread across the palate in an encompassing yet always elegant and pure way. It’s succulent and unadulterated. Like crushed, perfectly ripened grapes. The length is rather endless. The tannins build. Fabulous young red. 35% in amphora and the rest in 50% new oak and 15% one-year oak. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot, the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2028, but an absolute joy to taste now.