2018
2018 Il Poggione, Brunello di Montalcino 6x75cl
"Impressive from the first tilt of the glass, the 2018 Brunello makes it a heady burst of exotic spice and crushed ashen stone giving way to black dried cherries and grilled herbs. This combines the... energy of the vintage with the dark balsamic tinged fruits from Montalcino’s southern reaches as zesty acidity maintains balance throughout, and flinty minerals saturated towards the close. It finishes long, long and structured, yet its tannins are more rounded than anticipated, creating a classic feel, but also a mouth watering sensation that tricks the taster back for more. Easily one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2018 is not to be missed." Drink 2026-2036
96+ points, Eric Guido, www.vinous.com
£170 / Case£28.33 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2018 Chateau Figeac Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe B 6x75cl
£1,000 / Case£166.67 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Penfolds, Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, South Australia 6x75cl
£280 / Case£46.67 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Fonseca, Guimaraens Vintage Port 6x75cl
£115 / Case£19.17 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Chateau Cos d’Estournel Saint Estephe Deuxième Grand Cru Classe 6x75cl
£650 / Case£108.33 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 le Clos du Caillou, Cotes du Rhone, Le Bouquet des Garrigues Rouge 12x75cl
“…aromas of crushed wild strawberries… spicy notes of black and white pepper. The palate is creamy, with nice freshness and nice minerality where we find beautiful aromas of red fruits accompanied by spicy notes.” (Le Clos du Caillou winemaker tasting notes)
£180 / Case£15 / 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
2018 Gerla, Birba, IGT 6x75cl
£90 / Case£15 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Cask 23, Napa Valley 6x75cl
"Like the 2020, the terrific 2018 Cask 23 Cabernet Sauvignon leans a bit more heavily on the Fay Vineyard (the 2019 includes a bit more S.L.V.). It's medium to full-bodied, supple, silky and elegant... yet still possesses enough richness to evolve for the next two decades. From the stunning, slightly lifted aromas of violets, cherries and cassis, to the long, dusty finish, this exudes class all the way."
97 Pts, Joe Czerwinski
£1,200 / Case£200 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Rustenberg, Five Soldiers Chardonnay, Stellenbosch 6x75cl
"The 2018 Five Soldiers Chardonnay, named after the five pine trees that overlook the estate, is matured in oak for 15 months. It has a delightful nose of citrus fruit, marzipan, orange blossom and... hints of crushed stone, the oak nicely integrated. The palate is very well balanced with a precise, slightly mineral-driven entry that segues into lovely pithy, white peach and dried pineapple notes toward the finely sculpted finish. This is a superb Chardonnay from Rustenberg. " 93 pts., Neal Martin, vinous.com
£138 / Case£23 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2018 Chateau Phelan Segur, Saint-Estephe 6x75cl
"The 2018 Phélan Ségur is composed of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Merlot, weighing in at 14% alcohol, 3.8 pH and has an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. Deep purple-black in color, it leaps... from the glass with vibrant notes of crushed blackberries, blackcurrant jelly and kirsch, plus suggestions of menthol, Ceylon tea, forest floor and lavender. The medium-bodied palate delivers elegance and impressive vivacity with finely grained tannins and a refreshing line supporting the intense red and black berry layers, finishing long and perfumed."
93+, Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, www.robertparker.com
£186 / Case£31 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Henschke, Keyneton Euphonium, Barossa 6x75cl
"65/23/9/3% shiraz/cabernet sauvignon/cabernet franc/merlot grown in the Barossa and Eden Valleys. Matured in 71/29% French (20% new) and American oak hogsheads for 18 months. Detail is a wonderful... thing. If you stick your nose in the glass and close your eyes, perhaps tilt your head just so, you can pick out the individual components of this wine, yet they mesh together perfectly. Juicy berry and plum fruits, abundant spice, fine-grind tannin grip, a fine lacy acid line and an elegant, perfectly poised, slow fade out of pure fruit."
95 points – Dave Brookes, March 2023, WineCompanion.au
£195 / Case£32.50 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Jean-Jacques Girard Savigny-les-Beaune Les Fourneaux Premier Cru 6x75cl
£130 / Case£21.67 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Dujac Fils et Pere, Chambolle-Musigny 6x75cl
£450 / Case£75 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Domaine Philippe Livera Cote de Nuits-Villages 6x75cl
£130 / Case£21.67 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Sylvie Esmonin, Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieillles Vignes 6x75cl
"The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes is matured in 50% new oak with 60% whole-bunch fruit. I actually like the definition on the nose, which is intense but shows decent clarity, offering... copious dark cherries, marmalade and blueberry aromas. The fresh palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, delivering dark cherry and black currant fruit laced with blood orange and white pepper and coming across quite citric on the finish. Good potential."90-92, Neal Martin,
£288 / Case£48 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Sylvie Esmonin, Gevrey-Chambertin 6x75cl
"The 2018 Gevrey-Chambertin Village, matured in 40% new oak with 40% whole bunch, has an intense bouquet of black cherries, iodine and blueberry aromas that burst from the glass. The intense palate... is medium-bodied with supple tannins, blood-orange-infused red fruit and a touch of pain d’épices and black pepper toward the finish. Fine." 90-92, Neal Martin, www.vinous.com
£222 / Case£37 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Philippe Livera (Tilleuls), Gevrey-Chambertin, Les Evocelles 1x300cl
From a vineyard high up the slope on the northern side of Gevrey-Chambertin, this is a very smart and assured wine with real presence and power. The southern exposition of the site brings striking... ripeness and intensity. Under the surface there is minerality and elegance, whilst the initial impression is expressive black fruits with a touch of liquorice. Definitely 1er Cru quality.
£215 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Chateau d’Issan 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 6x75cl
"The 2018 Château d’Issan offers fragrant blackberry, cedar and light peppermint scents on a nose that gently unfolds with aeration. This is charming and precise. The palate is medium-bodied with... sappy black fruit and fine intensity. A dusting of dark chocolate appears toward the finish, which needs some time to fully cohere; cellar it for 4–6 years. A very capable Margaux that should develop well in bottle." 92 pts., Neal Martin, www.vinous.com
£270 / Case£45 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc Cru Classe, Pessac-Leognan 6x75cl
"The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has come together beautifully over the last two years. Rich and unctuous in feel, the 2018 offers terrific nuance to match its creamy, enveloping personality.... Dried pear, marzipan, lemon confit and white flowers all build as the 2018 blossoms in the glass. The poised, deeply resonant finish is striking. I am so impressed with the 2018, a wine that is far more convincing in bottle than it was from barrel. " 95 pts., Antonio Galloni, vinous.com
£378 / Case£63 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2018 Catena Zapata, Nicolas Catena Zapata, Mendoza 6x75cl
“... The results are breath-taking. Purple in the glass with garnet flecks, this wine delivers layers of aroma, beginning with black currant and moving on to intense, precise notes of lavender and... mint along with hints of black tea, sage and cigar box. In the mouth, austerity vies for supremacy with sheer power, a balance overseen by polished, grippy tannins placed into relief by a well-judged freshness that keeps the whole package light on its feet. This is a wine of tension foregrounded by the blend: the Malbec smooths out the Cabernet Sauvignon, which in turn brings energy to a red with an extremely long finish.” 96 points, Joaquín Hidalgo, www.vinous.com
£300 / Case£50 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2018 Chateau les Gravieres Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 6x75cl
£85 / Case£14.17 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2018 Paul Jaboulet Aine, Hermitage, La Maison Bleue 3x150cl
£270 / Case£90 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2018 G.D. Vajra, Barolo, Bricco delle Viole 6x75cl
"The 2018 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is not super intense, but it is balanced in its own way. The wine is subdued but complete with softly yielding tannins to support an elegantly streamlined... mouthfeel. Bricco delle Viole is a high and cool growing site in Barolo at 400 to 480 meters in elevation with characteristic Sant'Agata marl soils with fossils. The wine represents a selection of fruit from over seven hectares. With fermentation in steel tank and aging in large Slavonian oak, you are invited to a silky, lifted and beautifully delicate experience with an accessible personality."
95 points, Monica Larner, www.robertparker.com
£345 / Case£57.50 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate