This week
2016 La Rioja Alta, Vina Ardanza Reserva, Rioja 6x75cl
"The 2016 Viña Ardanza Reserva was produced with 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha that matured in used American oak barrels for three years, where it was hand-racked from barrel to barrel six times... in the case of Tempranillo and five times for the Garnacha, as it had a slightly shorter élevage of 30 months. Against all odds, I found the 2016 to be fresher than the 2015 and less developed, despite the fact that winemaker Julio Sáenz told me he considers it a warmer year. But I have found many wines I like in 2016, and the wine feels very clean and quite harmonious, younger and less developed, with more primary notes and a velvety mouthfeel. 600,000 bottles produced. The wine was bottled in June 2020." 94+ pts., Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com
£119 / Case£19.83 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2020 Fontodi, Flaccianello delle Pieve, Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 6x75cl
“The 2020 Flaccianello della Pieve is a blend of Fontodi's vineyards, mostly three main vineyards planted on sites with very dense, heavy rocks. Dark, pliant and inviting, the 2020 is so expressive... today. Black cherry, plum, spice, lavender, licorice and mocha are seamless in the glass. The 2020 is a fine Flaccianello with a bright future. Most of this blend is sourced from three parcels in upper hillside vineyards close to town centre. The 2020 spent a year and a half in barrique (40% new) and six months in cask.”
96 points – Antonio Galloni, June 2023, Vinous.com
£650 / Case£108.33 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2017 Taylor’s, Vintage Port 6x75cl
“The 2017 Taylor's Vintage Port comes from their three quintas: Vargellas, de Terra Feita and do Junco, picking commencing at Vargellas on September 1, the earliest since 1945. Now this boasts a... bold and more flamboyant bouquet vis-a-vis the Croft with layers of blackcurrant, blueberries, violet and allspice. Wonderful definition here and as it ratchets up through the gears with aeration manages to maintain impressive delineation. The palate is medium, rather full-bodied. The first impression is one of freshness, completely disguising that summer's dryness and warmth, a disarming finesse built around the frame of tannins that would have been impossible years ago. It is a silky-smooth Taylor's, one of the most polished 2017 Vintage Ports with energy and tension flooding through the finish. Aristocratic as ever, totally Taylor's, yet still translating the growing season with aplomb. Total production is 11,500 cases.” 98 pts., Neal Martin, vinous.com
£324 / Case£54 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Future Arrival
2017 Croft, Quinta da Roeda Serikos Vintage Port 3x75cl
“The maiden 2017 Serikos from Croft comes from the oldest vines located in Quinta da Roeda. The name refers to the quinta's involvement in silk production and the texture of the wine. It was picked... from August 31 and was notable for the density of its musts from the thick-skinned grapes. Almost opaque in colour, it has a spellbinding bouquet of intense blackcurrant, crushed violet petals and later, star anis and camphor. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannin, a silver bead of acidity that slices through the multi-layered, intense black fruit laced with white pepper and sage. This is endowed with unerring symmetry, predictably a silky texture and outstanding crispiness towards the never-ending finish. Regal. Total production is 2,425 bottles.” 97 pts., Neal Martin, vinous.com
£300 / Case£100 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2017 Graham’s, Vintage Port 6x75cl
"The 2017 Graham's Vintage Port was picked from August 28 at Malvedos, though production is one-third less than the previous year. Here the Touriga Franca was particularly early ripening. It has an... expressive nose, a mélange of red and black fruit, fig jam, dates and touches of clove, aromatics that are very seductive if perhaps just missing the intellectual capacity of the Dow's. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannins, a gorgeous Graham's with hints of espresso and cloves that tincture the multi-layered fruit that veers towards black rather than red towards the finish that fans out without a care in the world. This is perhaps one of the more flamboyant Vintage Ports that is likely to drink earlier than the Dow's, yet that takes nothing away from what is a beautifully crafted Graham's. Total production is 5,250 cases." 95 pts., Neal Martin, vinous.com
£336 / Case£56 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Future Arrival
1995 Chateau Leoville Las Cases 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 6x75cl
The 1995 and 1996 Las-Cases are both monumental wines and the former does not disappoint here. It has a spellbinding nose of blackberry, cassis, melted tar and sous-bois with so much vibrancy and... vivacity. The palate is full-bodied with succulent, rounded tannins, enormous depth and power. The finish is beautifully poised and minerally, much more feminine than the ’96. This is a Las-Cases with guile and grace, but it deserves at least 2 hours decanting to open up. Tasted February 2011. 96 pts., Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate
£1,250 / Case£208.33 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Petit-Figeac, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 6x75cl
“Gorgeous aromatic complexity on the nose, floral and bramble fruits. Juicy and so appealing on the palate, the tannins are chalky and fruity at the same time with a beautiful density and... liveliness. Lovely precision on the mid-palate, fruit forward, open, expressive and vibrant with so much freshness shining out of the glass. A joyful expression with mouthwateringly pure strawberry, redcurrant, raspberry and red cherry given structure and frame by touches of oak. I love the lick of slate on the finish with the minerality putting this squarely in St-Emilion. A lovely introduction to Figeac with its own personality. You can drink this now, but has potential to age. Keep a bottle to open when anyone comes over, this will impress!” 94 pts., Georgina Hindle, decanter.com
£216 / Case£36 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Chateau Palmer 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 6x75cl
"The 2020 Palmer, which was matured in 65% new oak, possesses one of the most perfumed bouquets of the vintage with entrancing, seductive scents of black cherries, wild strawberry, iodine and crushed... violets, all beautifully delineated (as per usual). The palate is medium-bodied with fine but quite firm tannins, lending this Palmer more backbone than presupposed. Blackberry, graphite and touches of liquorice develop with aeration that build towards an assertive, pencil box-tinged finish that nods towards Pauillac. This is a Palmer destined for long-term ageing, so readers should have a cool damp cellar handy. It is a serious Palmer, very different from the previous two vintages, not a mix of the two, but content in just being itself." 96-98 pts. Neal Martin, www.vinous.com
£1,300 / Case£216.67 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Chateau Duhart-Milon 4eme Cru Classe, Pauillac 6x75cl
A lovely earthiness with nuances of cigar and tobacco leaf, forest floor, pepper corn and sweet red currant. Medium-bodied, elegant, silky and fresh, with a beautiful symmetry and balance, along with... freshness, length and purity in the fruits, this is a top vintage for the chateau. 2020 Duhart-Milon is a blend of 72% cabernet sauvignon and 28% merlot, and the first vintage made in the new cellars, which for the first time allow for parcel by parcel vinification.
£342 / Case£57 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Chateau Gruaud Larose 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 6x75cl
"79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Cask sample.
Highest percentage yet of Cabernet in the blend. Fruit-driven and structured. Plenty of drive from the word go. Builds on the... palate in persistent fashion, the refined tannins giving a long linear flow. Lovely fruit. Delicious now but has ageing potential." 17.5 pts., James Lawther MW, jancisrobinson.com
£347.50 / Case£57.92 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Chateau Montlandrie, Castillon-Cotes de Bordeaux 6x75cl
Here, Castillon- Côtes-de- Bordeaux punches well above its weight, expressing an opulence and concentration of merlot fruit directly from a grade of limestone and clay to rival some of the best... terroir in Saint-Emilion. The 2020 is a blend of 75% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon and aged in 40% new oak for 14 months and represents one of the best combinations of quality and price we’ve seen in the 2020 en primeur campaign.
£90.50 / Case£15.08 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2021 Domaine Heresztyn-Mazzini, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, Champonnet 6x75cl
Juicy black cherry flecked with black pepper and clove follow the seductive, open aromatics that a whole-bunch fermentation approach provides. Intensely flavoured, firmly structured, finishing long and savoury. Great ageing potential in the 2021. (Mr.Wheeler tasting note)
£570 / Case£95 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 le Clos du Caillou, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Les Quartz 6x75cl
"Deepest colour of the four Clos du Caillou cuvées (plenty of Syrah). The aromatics are again restrained but there’s an attractive pitch of fruit and a spicy note that grows with aeration. Rich... and sweet, the fruit really concentrated on the palate. Tannins firm but very fine and completely interwoven with the fruit. Another for ageing." 17 pts., www.jancisrobinson.com
£310 / Case£51.67 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Chateau Haut-Brion, Blanc, Pessac-Leognan 3x75cl
"A blend of 71.4% Sauvignon Blanc and 28.6% Semillon, harvested 20th to 27th August and with an alcohol of 13.9%, the 2020 Haut-Brion Blanc slowly unfurls to reveal notes of fresh pears, spiced apple... slices, orange zest and lemongrass, plus touches of wet pebbles, dillseed and baking bread. The medium-bodied palate wears its lightly spicy apple and pear layers with grace and sophistication, supported by a racy backbone and subtly creamy texture, finishing long and mineral laced. It will need time, but there's no doubting it's a knock-out." Drink 2028-2045. 95-97+ pts., Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com
£1,800 / Case£600 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Echo de Lynch Bages, Pauillac 6x75cl
Produced from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, the 2020 this superb value second wine of Chateau Lynch Bages has a firm spine of red fruit with an impressive freshness, intensity and lots of leafy cassis. Plenty of energy, here making for a good early drinking, affordable Pauillac.
£173 / Case£28.83 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Chateau La Pointe, Pomerol 6x75cl
One of the best offers of en primeur ‘20 and indeed an estate well on the up. Such that when a particular vintage renders the Right Bank the best merlot it has seen in living memory, La Pointe is... doubtless worthy of serious consideration for your drinking collection. 76% merlot, 24% cabernet franc. The vintage 2020 is just magnificent in Pomerol generally and at Château La Pointe in particular. We had rarely seen such fantastic Merlots : beautifully ripe yet not heavy, the fruit was vibrant. As for the Cabernet Francs, they were simply perfect! The 2020 vintage combines the opulence of the 2018 and the elegance of the 2019.
£180 / Case£30 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Chateau Haut-Bailly Cru Classe, Pessac-Leognan 6x75cl
"The 2018 Haut-Bailly soars out of the glass, showing magnificent poise that only grows with time. Sweet, perfumed aromatics, silky tannins and mid-weight structure add to its considerable allure.... Ripe red berry fruit, spice, blood orange, licorice, cedar, tobacco and menthol are all woven together in an effortless, classy Haut-Bailly that delivers the goods. I suppose the 2018 doesn't quite have the explosive energy of the very best years, but it more than makes up for that with its sensual, seductive personality." 97 pts., Antonio Galloni, www.vinous.com
£510 / Case£85 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Domaine du Tunnel, Cornas 6x75cl
Cornas in a most refined and invigorating style. Serious polish and elegance here from an appellation more typically known for its rustic edge. Leafy, sweet & spicy black fruit on the nose with... earthy, mineral tones. On the palate, lovely interplay of sweet black olive and bitter tapenade flavours. Good grip; supremely precise, elegant, long finish. Quite superb. (Mr.Wheeler tasting note)
£225 / Case£37.50 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2021 Domaine Heresztyn-Mazzini, Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru, Les Millandes 6x75cl
From a great vineyard abutting the grand cru of Mazis-Chambertin, here is elegance and dynamism in a wine with sumptuous layers of morello cherry, fresh herbs, and tempered by a delightful freshness and complexity. One to provide intense drinking pleasure over the next 10 to 15 years.
£565 / Case£94.17 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2021 Domaine Heresztyn-Mazzini, Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes 6x75cl
Sourced from 65-year-old vines, minty notes and a hint of liquorice open up this classic expression of Gevrey in which whole-bunch vinification give its seductive aromatics further lift. The oak... regime is delightfully modest, allowing a greater depth to the wine's dark, cherry-fruit core that is articulated by delicate but firm tannins. An exceptional pinot. (Mr.Wheeler tasting note)
£340 / Case£56.67 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2021 Claudie Jobard, Beaune Premier Cru, Les Epenotes 12x75cl
The continuation into Beaune of Les Epenots, one of two vineyards in Pommard considered for promotion to Grand Cru status. With the added mid-palate fat and ripeness in Beaune here is a cuvée that delivers superb structure and power, and will age gracefully for a couple of decades. (Mr.Wheeler tasting note)
£540 / Case£45 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Enzo Boglietti, Barolo, Brunate 6x75cl
Bright ruby colour with an orange hue. Plentiful aromatics of cherry, violet, tobacco and liquorice. The palate delivers the same exuberance of the bouquet and shows an abundance of fine,... ripe
tannins. Balanced and harmoniously structured has a long and and vibrant finish. The silty clay soil with little organic matter is responsible for the powerful yet austere structure, the large clay patches give the complexity of flavours and aromas.
£275 / Case£45.83 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Paul Jaboulet Aine, Hermitage, La Maison Bleue 6x75cl
“Mostly sourced from les Murets, the 2020 Hermitage La Maison Bleue is a solid effort, with appealing notes of blackberries, raspberries and espresso on the nose. It's full-bodied and rich, yet... streamlined and focused, with savory tones of black olives appearing on the softly dusty finish. It should drink well young, yet age well for more than a decade.” 92-94 pts, Joe Czerwinski, www.robertparker.com, (Drink 2023-2035)
£215 / Case£35.83 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Enzo Boglietti, Barolo, Case Nere 6x75cl
Bright ruby colour. Alluring aromatics of red fruit, liquorice and some mineral notes. Classically
structured with an exquisite density, the tannins are beautifully evident but fine and very pleasant. The clay portion of the soil is responsible for the robust structure while the clay patches provide for the freshness and balance of aromas.
£275 / Case£45.83 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate