2016
2016 Ben Glaetzer, Amon Ra, Barossa Valley 6x75cl
"Dramatic, intense and powerful, the 2016 Amon Ra Shiraz recalls the 2004 in its youth, crammed with layers of fruit, complex, savory elements and rich, velvety tannins. It's full-bodied,... characterized by notes of grilled meat, espresso, black olive, cassis, vanilla, baking spices and an undercurrent of loamy earth. Yes, it's unapologetically big and bold, the product of a warm, sunny climate and ripe grapes, but it does show a sense of decorum, restraint and elegance on the long finish." 96 pts., Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com
£335 / Case£55.83 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur 2016 Michele Chiarlo, Barolo, Cerequio Riserva 6x75cl
"Fragrant purple flower, dark-skinned berry, chopped mint and pipe tobacco are just some of the aromas you'll find on this captivating red. The delicious palate combines structure, finesse and... earthiness, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, black raspberry, licorice and truffle framed in taut, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it youthfully focused and well balanced." Drink 2024-2036. 96 points, Kerin O'Keefe, Wine Enthusiast
£745 / Case£124.17 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur 2016 Rizzi, Barbaresco, Pajore 6x75cl
"Treiso. Tasted blind. Mid to deep ruby with orange tinges. Concentrated, complex nose with hints of cardamom and nutmeg. Elegant, lively fruit followed by bags of coating, bitter-sweet tannins that... are still a little tough and with marked acidity on the finish, but this has the bones for ageing." 17.5pts., Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com, 14/5/2019
£171 / Case£28.50 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 Chateau Cissac Haut Medoc Cru Bourgeois 12x75cl
£170 / Case£14.17 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 Enzo Boglietti, Barolo, Brunate 6x75cl
"Light, bright ruby colour with an orange hue. Beautifully lifted bouquet of red and dark fruit, fresh
rose and some spice. A classy version of Brunate that combines austerity, vibrant fruit... characters
and fine tannins. Persistent, fulfilling and exquisitely varietal. 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." Enzo Boglietti Tasting Note
£275 / Case£45.83 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 Glenelly, Lady May, Stellenbosch 6x75cl
"The 2016 blend throws a particularly dark, opaque red/black colour in the glass. Dark and foreboding but also ever so inviting at the same time. The aromatics are quite defined with perhaps the... Cabernet Franc component currently punching way above its weight of 6% with seductive notes of freshly shaved cedar lead pencil spice, graphite, iron filings, iodine and the now hallmark Lady May character of dark, black, menthol cassis and peppermint crisp milk chocolate nuances. The palate is wonderfully suave and sleek, creamy and mouth coating with an accessibility and generosity of black and blueberry fruits that is very comforting and familiar. But just when you think the mouthfeel is all about silky tannins and fleshy black fruit concentration, the delicious tangy acids kick in to land this Hercules of a wine cleanly and effortlessly on the runway without even a hiccup. Like so many 2016 super-premium Cape Bordeaux blends from Stellenbosch, this wine thrills, seduces the senses and certainly impresses for the vintage. Drink from release or cellar for 10 to 15 years".94-95pts, Greg Sherwood MW, winemag.co.za
£165 / Case£27.50 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur 2016 Fonseca, Vintage Port 6x75cl
"The 2016 Vintage Port is a field blend sourced from the typical three quintas (Panascal in the Tavora Valley and Quinta do Cruzeiro and Quinta de St Antonio in the Pinhão Valley). When last seen,... this was in fine form. It was aged for 20 months in wood and comes in with 99 grams of residual sugar. Right now, surprisingly, this seems more tightly wound than the Taylor's, which usually seems to me the burlier as between the two. It has beautiful fruit as well, if not quite the wave of big fruit that Taylor's shows off. In 2017, I would say Taylor's wins. In this vintage, it may be Fonseca. However, there are great performances all around." 97 pts., Mark Squires, robertparker.com
£280.02 / Case£46.67 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 Enzo Boglietti, Barolo, Case Nere 6x75cl
"Trademark smoky nose. Nice structure here and a bit more sweet fruit to support the powerful tannins. Nice mouth-watering acidity lifts the wine and this should age and really come into itself nicely." 17 pts., Alistair Cooper, jancisrobinson.com
£295 / Case£49.17 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 CVNE, Gran Reserva Imperial, Rioja 6x75cl
“Polished and structured with firm, very fine tannins. Lots going on here, with layers of black fruit, dried spices, graphite, coconut and cracked pepper. Full-bodied and so intense. Keeps going.... Long. The tannins are so fine and so numerous. One of the greatest modern gran reservas. 85% tempranillo, 10% graciano and 5% mazuelo. Try in 2025.”
98 pts, James Suckling www.jamessuckling.com
£240 / Case£40 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 Tua Rita Redigaffi Rosso-di-Toscana IGT 6x75cl
£1,000 / Case£166.67 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 Kanonkop, Paul Sauer, Stellenbosch 6x75cl
"The 2016 Paul Sauer is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc matured for 24 months in 100% new oak. It has a supremely well defined bouquet of pure blackberry,... boysenberry and violet aromas, the oak seamlessly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, perfectly pitched acidity and a caressing texture. This was actually tasted after a fantastic 1994 Paul Sauer was opened the previous night; who is to say that it will not age as well over the next quarter-century? Not only is this a superb wine, but it surely represents one of the best quality-to-price ratios in the world. " 96 pts., Neal Martin, vinous.com
£330 / Case£55 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 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 2016 Chateau Haut-Batailley 5eme Cru Classe, Pauillac 6x75cl
"“The 2016 Haut Batailley has a deep garnet-purple color and aromas of baked redcurrants, red plums and cassis with asphalt, fried herbs and earth. The palate is medium-bodied, firm and chewy with an earthy finish.” 92+ pts., Lisa Perrotti-Brown, robertparker.com
£210 / Case£35 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur 2016 La Vérité Assortment California 3x75cl
£900 / Case£300 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 Bollinger PNVZ 6x75cl
"Disgorged in January 2021, Bollinger's newly released NV Brut Blanc de Noirs PN VZ16 offers up notions of pear, apple blossom, jasmine, orange zest and fresh pastry. Medium to full-bodied, precise... and elegantly vinous, it's layered and charming, with racy acids and a pretty pinpoint mousse, and it concludes with a sapid finish. It's based on the 2016 vintage, complemented by older reserve wines matured in magnum, and derives, once again, largely from the village of Verzenay." 94 pts., William Kelley, robertparker.com
Duty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 Jacopo Biondi Santi, Schidione, IGT 3x75cl
A typical coastal Tuscan blend of 40% Sangiovese, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. Schidione has a tiny production of just 2,000 bottles per year.
£450 / Case£150 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur 2016 Buon Tempo, Brunello di Montalcino 6x75cl
"Open-knit and friendly, this cheerful Brunello leads with cherry and blackberry. Charmingly accented by flint and pepper, the palate offers lots of crunchy, fresh acidity. Smooth overall, with just... a touch of astringency showing up on the finish, it will make for delightful drinking over the next five to seven years." 90 pts., Michaela Morris, decanter.com
£144 / Case£24 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 Henschke, Mount Edelstone Shiraz, Eden Valley 6x75cl
"The 2016 Mount Edelstone Vineyard Shiraz is steeped in complexity, with aromas ranging from camphor, bay leaf and sage to smoke and grilled beef and from blueberries and blackberries to plums laced... with spice. Full-bodied, rich and intense, it's ripe and velvety textured, with a long, licorice-tinged finish and dusty tannins that bode well for the cellar. From vines planted in 1912, I suspect this will come close to the quality of the Hill of Grace at a fraction of the price. Tasted again the following day from the open bottle, this was even better, seamless, flowing and harmonious in the mouth." 96 pts., Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com
£570 / Case£95 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz Eden Valley 3x75cl
£1,535 / Case£511.67 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate 2016 Enzo Boglietti, Barolo, Brunate 3x75cl
"Light, bright ruby colour with an orange hue. Beautifully lifted bouquet of red and dark fruit, fresh
rose and some spice. A classy version of Brunate that combines austerity, vibrant fruit... characters
and fine tannins. Persistent, fulfilling and exquisitely varietal. 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." Enzo Boglietti Tasting Note
£137.50 / Case£45.83 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Future Arrival