Latest Releases
Prices:
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Mendoza | 4 | 97 (JS) |
Inc. TAX
€210.78 |
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James Suckling (97)A hint of flint and gunpowder with waxed lemon, oyster shell, mango and salted green apples. Quite a textured, saline expression of chardonnay with tangy flavors and a mineral drive. Full-bodied and reductive with phenolic support. Savory, saline and mouthwatering finish. Love the austerity here. Drink or hold. |
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Central Valley | 1 | 96 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€187.98 |
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Vinous (96)The 2020 Coyam is a blend of 38% Syrah, 37% Carménère, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Carignan, 4% Garnacha, 4% Mourvèdre, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec and 1% Tempranillo from the Los Robles vineyard in Colchagua. It was aged for 18 months, 75% in barrels and the rest in foudres and eggs. A rich purple in the glass. The complex nose features nuanced aromas ranging from blackberry to blueberry and currant with hints of cedar and spice. In the mouth, it’s juicy with a grippy texture and delicate, concentrated but relaxed tannins before the lengthy finish. It seems that the healthy biodynamic vineyard was able to withstand the warmth of 2020. An extremely well-made wine that handled the conditions with aplomb. |
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Aconcagua | 1 | 99 (JS) |
Inc. TAX
€631.98 |
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James Suckling (99)I love the aromas of lavender, sandalwood, sliced apples and pears. Some gunpowder and slate undertones. Full-bodied, yet formed and tight with minerality and brightness. Vivid acidity gives this energy and depth. Drinkable, but will age beautifully. |
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Burgundy | 1 | - |
Inc. TAX
€265.46 |
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Burgundy | 2 | - |
Inc. TAX
€372.26 |
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Burgundy | 2 | - |
Inc. TAX
€409.46 |
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Tuscany | 1 | 97+ (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€717.18 |
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Wine Advocate (97+)The beautiful Fattoria La Massa 2019 Giorgio Primo is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Vintner Giampaolo Motta's inspiration is the great wines of Bordeaux, and his vision has never changed despite many passing trends. But perhaps his most important choice as a winemaker (born outside of Tuscany) is his firm commitment to Panzano in Chianti as the ideal home for the French grapes he cultivates. An exciting new Merlot is also in the works, so stay tuned. This is an etched and polished wine with dark fruit, spice, graphite and pencil shavings. The tannins are beautifully managed, and the wine is long and complex. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 96 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€331.81 |
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Wine Advocate (96)Made with a special selection of Sangiovese, the 2020 Fontalloro is generous and rich, and the wine sports medium-dark color and concentration. The winemaking team has succeeded in bringing out an especially elegant side to this vintage. The wine offers pronounced notes of cherry and wild plum with delicate spice at the back. Like the other wines in this portfolio, there is a pretty mineral note that makes for a consistent through-line in all these new releases. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 98-100 (WCI) |
Inc. TAX
€2,282.87 |
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The Wine Cellar Insider (98-100)It takes nothing to sense all the intensity, freshness, and depth here. But, more importantly, it is the character. The wine is sensuous, sultry, and lively. The fruits are drenched in cashmere, and velvet that caresses your palate. The levels of depth, richness, opulence, and vibrancy must be felt to be believed. The finish, with its seemingly endless waves of black, blue, and red fruits, with their natural spiciness and purity is off the hook. The seamless finish looks at the 60 second mark, and keeps on going! This is the first vintage for Chateau Figeac as Premier Cru Classe A. With this wine, it is clear they deserve it. The wine blends 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon. 8% Press wine. 14% ABV, 3.7 pH. Picking took place September 1 - September 26. This is the earliest harvest in the history of Figeac. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2027-2065. 98-100 Pts |
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Vigneti delle Dolomiti | 2 | 94 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€275.62 |
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Vinous (94)The 2021 Teroldego Sgarzon is an elegant beauty. Roses and cloves complement bright cherries and strawberries. It's silky to the core, balancing sweet red fruits and acidity, creating a perfectly harmonious red. The Sgarzon finishes remarkably fresh yet potent and long, with a framing of gentle tannins, and licorice and mineral hints that linger on. The 2021 is quite possibly the prettiest interpretation of Sgarzon to date. |
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Central Valley | 1 | 98 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€374.87 |
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Wine Advocate (98)The 2019 Cru Truquilemu has even lower alcohol (12.5%) but a little less acidity and higher pH than the 2018. This Cariñena field blend comes from a section of the old Truquilemu vineyard that they have been vinifying for 20 years now and is cultivated with a combination of original methods of cultivating the old vines—i.e., farmed by hand and horse, accompanied by the lens, analysis and scientific ideas of Professor Alvaro Peña [Garage partner] and their in-house PhD in viticulture. This is the fruit of precise focus on small pieces of the vineyard, fermented separately in open-top 1,500- and 2,500-kilo lagar fermenters, using punch-downs and more full clusters and stems than in the regular Truquilemu. They use first-class barrels that are third-use or older and age the wines slowly over two winters, but the wines never have any notes from the wood—the barrels act as neutral containers that allow the wines to breath and develop. The 2018 feels a little more complete than this, which is still amazing. 4,229 bottles were filled in January 2021. |
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Victoria | 1 | 97 (HWC) |
Inc. TAX
€252.47 |
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Halliday Wine Companion (97)From the Primavera vineyard at Woori Yallock, planted in 2001 on the same red soil as Wombat Creek. Both destemmed (55%) and whole-bunch components. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. A very bright crimson purple. So pure and perfumed with briary cherries, ripe redcurrants and freshly cut roses. Poised, juicy and energetic, the wine has so much tang and crunch, you barely notice that this is also structured finishing with long, gently puckering tannins. A wine with immediate appeal, but also one that will reward at least another 7-10 years in the cellar. |
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Tuscany | 2 | 97 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€780.78 |
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Wine Advocate (97)This wine was tasted in a preview capacity as it won't hit the market until the beginning of next year. Tasted at the Giodo winery in one of the most remote and beautiful spots in the appellation surrounded by forests and wide open panoramas, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino gives us a promising taste of what we can expect from this warm vintage. The wine delivers ripe, but delicate aromas of cassis and dark cherry with shades of lilac, violet and crushed limestone. The tannins are present and well managed. Carlo Ferrini's Brunello promises a long aging trajectory. |
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Bordeaux | 10 | 97-98 (JS) |
Inc. TAX
€589.67 |
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James Suckling (97-98)This is a big move forward for Giscours. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh with tannins that are precise and integrated, with great beauty and length. Well-structured and vivid. Extremely fine yet defined tannins, and then it opens like a butterfly. |
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Bordeaux | 20 | 94-96 (VN (NM)) |
Inc. TAX
€481.67 |
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Vinous - Neal Martin (94-96)The 2022 Gloria was picked from 12-26 September and matured in 40% new oak, slightly less than the Saint-Pierre. It has a perfumed, floral nose with crushed violet infusing the black cherry and blueberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with sumptuous tannins that belie the structure underneath. With pure fruit and well-judged acidity, this 2022 is sensual with a persistent and lightly spiced finish. Superb. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 96-98 (VN (NM)) |
Inc. TAX
€526.07 |
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Vinous - Neal Martin (96-98)The 2022 Grand Puy Lacoste was picked from 7 to 23 September and contains more Merlot due to the high quality of the fruit, matured in 75% new oak. There is 14.2% alcohol. Therefore, this lends this GPL a little more precocity and sensuality compared to other vintages, not cut from the same "classical" cloth as, say, the 2019 or 2020. Underlying this velvety veneer are enticing traits of freshly-rolled tobacco and undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-sculpted tannins. Silky smooth in texture, so much so that it belies that backbone underneath. There is a peacock's tail of mineral-rich, quite peppery black fruit on the finish, completing a Pauillac endowed with huge potential. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 97 (DC) |
Inc. TAX
€1,205.27 |
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Decanter (97)Another excellently consistent wine from Gruaud in 2022 that gives terroir typicality with crystalline purity and such overall charm. Smooth and supple, silky but firm, generous but serious. Gorgeous acidity keeps the palate lifted and fresh while the concentrated fruit and quite present tannins give the structure and frame. I love the detail and purity, powerful and strong but refined. Direct with energy and juicy, vibrant acidity. Mineral, graphite and liquorice aspects grip the palate and linger on the finish with soft spices. Has a very moreish quality with approachability but the racy core and intense backbone suggests long ageing potential. 3.8pH. 3.45g/l total acidity. 40% production. 13% press wine (only Cabernet Sauvignon). |
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Cape South Coast | 2 | - |
Inc. TAX
€300.47 |
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Champagne | 2 | 97 (WI) |
Inc. TAX
€1,156.38 |
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The Wine Independent (97)Henri Giraud’s MV18 has a seductive nose with rich, gently oxidative aromas of spiced baked apples, peach cobbler, kumquats, almonds and spun honey. Medium to full-bodied and centered on precise, textured fruit concentration, it has a generous, mouthwatering palate trussed with fine threads of sizzling acidity and pure mineral freshness. It finishes long and elegantly. This opulent, barrel fermented style of champagne draws on a dearth of perpetual reserve wines to bring depth, power and finesse to the glass. |
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South Australia | 1 | 95 (JS) |
Inc. TAX
€267.18 |
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James Suckling (95)Spicy and creamy shiraz-based blend with velvety tannins framing a silky core of dark fruit, licorice, cloves, grilled herbs and spices. Five spice and smoked paprika coming through. Full-bodied yet elegant. 65% shiraz, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc and 3% merlot. Drink or hold. Screw cap. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 96+ (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€244.38 |
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Vinous (96+)Impressing from the first tilt of the glass, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino makes itself known, with a heady burst of exotic spice and crushed ashen stone giving way to dried black cherries and grilled herbs. This combines the energy of the vintage with the dark balsamic-tinged fruits of Montalcino’s southern reaches, as zesty acidity maintains balance throughout, and flinty minerals saturate toward the close. It finishes long, savory and structured, yet its tannins are more rounded than anticipated, creating both a classic feel, but also leaving a mouthwatering sensation that tricks the taster back to the glass for more. Easily one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2018 is not to be missed. |
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Tuscany | 2 | 92 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€133.98 |
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Vinous (92)The 2020 Rosso di Montalcino is dark and youthfully inward, as nuances of black currant and licorice are offset by crushed ashen stone. It’s silky and enveloping, yet with a saline-core of minerality and bright acids that create a more tactile feel, as a saturation of tart red berries form toward the close. This tapers off long and lightly structured, yet still quite fresh, begging for a short stay in the cellar before revealing all of its charms. Wow. The 2020 from Il Poggione mixes the warmth of the vintage with the house style to create a truly captivating Rosso. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91-93 (BH) |
Inc. TAX
€550.50 |
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Burghound (91-93)Ripe yet cool aromas include those of cassis, poached plum, an array of spice elements plus a whiff of the sauvage. The very rich and even bigger and more voluminous large-scaled flavors also brim with sappy dry extract before culminating in a balanced, powerful and lingering finish where a touch of bitter chocolate slowly emerges. This isn’t massive in the way that it usually is though it is borderline opulent, which is a descriptor I use very rarely with respect to the 2021 reds. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 88-91 (BH) |
Inc. TAX
€458.66 |
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Burghound (88-91)A subtle but not imperceptible application of wood can be found on the ripe and fresh aromas of poached plum, fennel and soft earth nuances. The rich, concentrated and palate coating medium-bodied flavors are shaped by relatively refined tannins on the lightly stony, punch and youthfully austere finale. Worth considering. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91-93 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€294.26 |
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Vinous (91-93)The 2021 Marsannay Es Chezots has a lively, vibrant bouquet with pure Dorset plum and bilberry scents, light iris petal aromas. Very detailed. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiselled tannins, quite chalky in texture, perhaps a little compact but I feel this has something up its sleeve for later. Fournier's spiciest Marsannay. Great potential. |
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South Australia | 1 | 97 (HWC) |
Inc. TAX
€430.21 |
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Halliday Wine Companion (97)John Duval is a master blender. This is all about the best of the vintage, fruit from various sites across the and Eden Barossa Valleys, to morph into the mighty Eligo. A powerhouse of flavour yet never loses focus. Dark plums infused with star anise, cinnamon, Dutch licorice and soy sauce. Full-bodied with velvety rich tannins. It gets the most oak - French hogsheads 54% new, aged 18 months, and needs time to settle in. It will. |
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Champagne | 1 | 99 (JS) |
Inc. TAX
€1,384.38 |
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James Suckling (99)The tightness and tension of this is impressive considering the youngest wine from this is 2015 (hot and dry year), with some wines going back to 2000. Ginger and orange zest. Some creme brulee. It's medium-bodied with apple, pie crust and floral character. It's salty and zesty yet, at the same time, complex and gorgeous. Chamomile and other floral teas highlight everything. Turns rich and flavorful at the finish. Terrific release. Really takes off at the end. Drink or hold. |
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Rioja | 1 | 97 (JS) |
Inc. TAX
€598.38 |
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James Suckling (97)A perfumed nose of plums, mulberries, mushrooms, caramel, sweet tobacco and sweet spices. Full-bodied with velvety, fine tannins and lively acidity. Balanced and supple with a creamy texture. Delicate and precise with a long, polished finish. 90% tempranillo and 10% graciano. Drink or hold. |
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Rioja | 1 | 94+ (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€294.78 |
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Wine Advocate (94+)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. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (JA) |
Inc. TAX
€229.67 |
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Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (94)Deep plum colour, velvety in texture, this is gorgeously measured while still being glamorous and polished. Gives you clear promise of future enjoyment, with its chocolate-dipped cherry notes that are full and welcoming but not hot or overly sweet, balanced by blueberry and bilberry fruits that give a mix of ripe and just-ripe-enough fruit with sufficient juice to carry them home, and a clear tannic construction that isn't constricting. It's marked by the vintage, with some drying notes on the finish, without being overpowered by phenolics, and is a deft handling of the year. 50% new oak, 35% one year barrels, 15% terracotta amphorae for part of the Merlot. |
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Mendoza | 4 | 97 (JS) |
In Bond
€157.00 |
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James Suckling (97)A hint of flint and gunpowder with waxed lemon, oyster shell, mango and salted green apples. Quite a textured, saline expression of chardonnay with tangy flavors and a mineral drive. Full-bodied and reductive with phenolic support. Savory, saline and mouthwatering finish. Love the austerity here. Drink or hold. |
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Central Valley | 1 | 96 (VN) |
In Bond
€138.00 |
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Vinous (96)The 2020 Coyam is a blend of 38% Syrah, 37% Carménère, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Carignan, 4% Garnacha, 4% Mourvèdre, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec and 1% Tempranillo from the Los Robles vineyard in Colchagua. It was aged for 18 months, 75% in barrels and the rest in foudres and eggs. A rich purple in the glass. The complex nose features nuanced aromas ranging from blackberry to blueberry and currant with hints of cedar and spice. In the mouth, it’s juicy with a grippy texture and delicate, concentrated but relaxed tannins before the lengthy finish. It seems that the healthy biodynamic vineyard was able to withstand the warmth of 2020. An extremely well-made wine that handled the conditions with aplomb. |
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Aconcagua | 1 | 99 (JS) |
In Bond
€508.00 |
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James Suckling (99)I love the aromas of lavender, sandalwood, sliced apples and pears. Some gunpowder and slate undertones. Full-bodied, yet formed and tight with minerality and brightness. Vivid acidity gives this energy and depth. Drinkable, but will age beautifully. |
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Burgundy | 1 | - |
In Bond
€199.00 |
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Burgundy | 2 | - |
In Bond
€288.00 |
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Burgundy | 2 | - |
In Bond
€319.00 |
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Tuscany | 1 | 97+ (WA) |
In Bond
€579.00 |
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Wine Advocate (97+)The beautiful Fattoria La Massa 2019 Giorgio Primo is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Vintner Giampaolo Motta's inspiration is the great wines of Bordeaux, and his vision has never changed despite many passing trends. But perhaps his most important choice as a winemaker (born outside of Tuscany) is his firm commitment to Panzano in Chianti as the ideal home for the French grapes he cultivates. An exciting new Merlot is also in the works, so stay tuned. This is an etched and polished wine with dark fruit, spice, graphite and pencil shavings. The tannins are beautifully managed, and the wine is long and complex. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 96 (WA) |
In Bond
€258.00 |
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Wine Advocate (96)Made with a special selection of Sangiovese, the 2020 Fontalloro is generous and rich, and the wine sports medium-dark color and concentration. The winemaking team has succeeded in bringing out an especially elegant side to this vintage. The wine offers pronounced notes of cherry and wild plum with delicate spice at the back. Like the other wines in this portfolio, there is a pretty mineral note that makes for a consistent through-line in all these new releases. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 98-100 (WCI) |
In Bond
€1,880.00 |
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The Wine Cellar Insider (98-100)It takes nothing to sense all the intensity, freshness, and depth here. But, more importantly, it is the character. The wine is sensuous, sultry, and lively. The fruits are drenched in cashmere, and velvet that caresses your palate. The levels of depth, richness, opulence, and vibrancy must be felt to be believed. The finish, with its seemingly endless waves of black, blue, and red fruits, with their natural spiciness and purity is off the hook. The seamless finish looks at the 60 second mark, and keeps on going! This is the first vintage for Chateau Figeac as Premier Cru Classe A. With this wine, it is clear they deserve it. The wine blends 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon. 8% Press wine. 14% ABV, 3.7 pH. Picking took place September 1 - September 26. This is the earliest harvest in the history of Figeac. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2027-2065. 98-100 Pts |
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Vigneti delle Dolomiti | 2 | 94 (VN) |
In Bond
€211.00 |
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Vinous (94)The 2021 Teroldego Sgarzon is an elegant beauty. Roses and cloves complement bright cherries and strawberries. It's silky to the core, balancing sweet red fruits and acidity, creating a perfectly harmonious red. The Sgarzon finishes remarkably fresh yet potent and long, with a framing of gentle tannins, and licorice and mineral hints that linger on. The 2021 is quite possibly the prettiest interpretation of Sgarzon to date. |
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Central Valley | 1 | 98 (WA) |
In Bond
€290.00 |
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Wine Advocate (98)The 2019 Cru Truquilemu has even lower alcohol (12.5%) but a little less acidity and higher pH than the 2018. This Cariñena field blend comes from a section of the old Truquilemu vineyard that they have been vinifying for 20 years now and is cultivated with a combination of original methods of cultivating the old vines—i.e., farmed by hand and horse, accompanied by the lens, analysis and scientific ideas of Professor Alvaro Peña [Garage partner] and their in-house PhD in viticulture. This is the fruit of precise focus on small pieces of the vineyard, fermented separately in open-top 1,500- and 2,500-kilo lagar fermenters, using punch-downs and more full clusters and stems than in the regular Truquilemu. They use first-class barrels that are third-use or older and age the wines slowly over two winters, but the wines never have any notes from the wood—the barrels act as neutral containers that allow the wines to breath and develop. The 2018 feels a little more complete than this, which is still amazing. 4,229 bottles were filled in January 2021. |
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Victoria | 1 | 97 (HWC) |
In Bond
€188.00 |
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Halliday Wine Companion (97)From the Primavera vineyard at Woori Yallock, planted in 2001 on the same red soil as Wombat Creek. Both destemmed (55%) and whole-bunch components. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. A very bright crimson purple. So pure and perfumed with briary cherries, ripe redcurrants and freshly cut roses. Poised, juicy and energetic, the wine has so much tang and crunch, you barely notice that this is also structured finishing with long, gently puckering tannins. A wine with immediate appeal, but also one that will reward at least another 7-10 years in the cellar. |
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Tuscany | 2 | 97 (WA) |
In Bond
€632.00 |
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Wine Advocate (97)This wine was tasted in a preview capacity as it won't hit the market until the beginning of next year. Tasted at the Giodo winery in one of the most remote and beautiful spots in the appellation surrounded by forests and wide open panoramas, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino gives us a promising taste of what we can expect from this warm vintage. The wine delivers ripe, but delicate aromas of cassis and dark cherry with shades of lilac, violet and crushed limestone. The tannins are present and well managed. Carlo Ferrini's Brunello promises a long aging trajectory. |
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Bordeaux | 10 | 97-98 (JS) |
In Bond
€469.00 |
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James Suckling (97-98)This is a big move forward for Giscours. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh with tannins that are precise and integrated, with great beauty and length. Well-structured and vivid. Extremely fine yet defined tannins, and then it opens like a butterfly. |
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Bordeaux | 20 | 94-96 (VN (NM)) |
In Bond
€379.00 |
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Vinous - Neal Martin (94-96)The 2022 Gloria was picked from 12-26 September and matured in 40% new oak, slightly less than the Saint-Pierre. It has a perfumed, floral nose with crushed violet infusing the black cherry and blueberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with sumptuous tannins that belie the structure underneath. With pure fruit and well-judged acidity, this 2022 is sensual with a persistent and lightly spiced finish. Superb. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 96-98 (VN (NM)) |
In Bond
€416.00 |
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Vinous - Neal Martin (96-98)The 2022 Grand Puy Lacoste was picked from 7 to 23 September and contains more Merlot due to the high quality of the fruit, matured in 75% new oak. There is 14.2% alcohol. Therefore, this lends this GPL a little more precocity and sensuality compared to other vintages, not cut from the same "classical" cloth as, say, the 2019 or 2020. Underlying this velvety veneer are enticing traits of freshly-rolled tobacco and undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-sculpted tannins. Silky smooth in texture, so much so that it belies that backbone underneath. There is a peacock's tail of mineral-rich, quite peppery black fruit on the finish, completing a Pauillac endowed with huge potential. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 97 (DC) |
In Bond
€982.00 |
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Decanter (97)Another excellently consistent wine from Gruaud in 2022 that gives terroir typicality with crystalline purity and such overall charm. Smooth and supple, silky but firm, generous but serious. Gorgeous acidity keeps the palate lifted and fresh while the concentrated fruit and quite present tannins give the structure and frame. I love the detail and purity, powerful and strong but refined. Direct with energy and juicy, vibrant acidity. Mineral, graphite and liquorice aspects grip the palate and linger on the finish with soft spices. Has a very moreish quality with approachability but the racy core and intense backbone suggests long ageing potential. 3.8pH. 3.45g/l total acidity. 40% production. 13% press wine (only Cabernet Sauvignon). |
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Cape South Coast | 2 | - |
In Bond
€228.00 |
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Champagne | 2 | 97 (WI) |
In Bond
€945.00 |
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The Wine Independent (97)Henri Giraud’s MV18 has a seductive nose with rich, gently oxidative aromas of spiced baked apples, peach cobbler, kumquats, almonds and spun honey. Medium to full-bodied and centered on precise, textured fruit concentration, it has a generous, mouthwatering palate trussed with fine threads of sizzling acidity and pure mineral freshness. It finishes long and elegantly. This opulent, barrel fermented style of champagne draws on a dearth of perpetual reserve wines to bring depth, power and finesse to the glass. |
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South Australia | 1 | 95 (JS) |
In Bond
€204.00 |
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James Suckling (95)Spicy and creamy shiraz-based blend with velvety tannins framing a silky core of dark fruit, licorice, cloves, grilled herbs and spices. Five spice and smoked paprika coming through. Full-bodied yet elegant. 65% shiraz, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc and 3% merlot. Drink or hold. Screw cap. |
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Tuscany | 1 | 96+ (VN) |
In Bond
€185.00 |
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Vinous (96+)Impressing from the first tilt of the glass, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino makes itself known, with a heady burst of exotic spice and crushed ashen stone giving way to dried black cherries and grilled herbs. This combines the energy of the vintage with the dark balsamic-tinged fruits of Montalcino’s southern reaches, as zesty acidity maintains balance throughout, and flinty minerals saturate toward the close. It finishes long, savory and structured, yet its tannins are more rounded than anticipated, creating both a classic feel, but also leaving a mouthwatering sensation that tricks the taster back to the glass for more. Easily one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2018 is not to be missed. |
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Tuscany | 2 | 92 (VN) |
In Bond
€93.00 |
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Vinous (92)The 2020 Rosso di Montalcino is dark and youthfully inward, as nuances of black currant and licorice are offset by crushed ashen stone. It’s silky and enveloping, yet with a saline-core of minerality and bright acids that create a more tactile feel, as a saturation of tart red berries form toward the close. This tapers off long and lightly structured, yet still quite fresh, begging for a short stay in the cellar before revealing all of its charms. Wow. The 2020 from Il Poggione mixes the warmth of the vintage with the house style to create a truly captivating Rosso. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91-93 (BH) |
In Bond
€440.00 |
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Burghound (91-93)Ripe yet cool aromas include those of cassis, poached plum, an array of spice elements plus a whiff of the sauvage. The very rich and even bigger and more voluminous large-scaled flavors also brim with sappy dry extract before culminating in a balanced, powerful and lingering finish where a touch of bitter chocolate slowly emerges. This isn’t massive in the way that it usually is though it is borderline opulent, which is a descriptor I use very rarely with respect to the 2021 reds. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 88-91 (BH) |
In Bond
€360.00 |
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Burghound (88-91)A subtle but not imperceptible application of wood can be found on the ripe and fresh aromas of poached plum, fennel and soft earth nuances. The rich, concentrated and palate coating medium-bodied flavors are shaped by relatively refined tannins on the lightly stony, punch and youthfully austere finale. Worth considering. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91-93 (VN) |
In Bond
€223.00 |
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Vinous (91-93)The 2021 Marsannay Es Chezots has a lively, vibrant bouquet with pure Dorset plum and bilberry scents, light iris petal aromas. Very detailed. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiselled tannins, quite chalky in texture, perhaps a little compact but I feel this has something up its sleeve for later. Fournier's spiciest Marsannay. Great potential. |
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South Australia | 1 | 97 (HWC) |
In Bond
€340.00 |
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Halliday Wine Companion (97)John Duval is a master blender. This is all about the best of the vintage, fruit from various sites across the and Eden Barossa Valleys, to morph into the mighty Eligo. A powerhouse of flavour yet never loses focus. Dark plums infused with star anise, cinnamon, Dutch licorice and soy sauce. Full-bodied with velvety rich tannins. It gets the most oak - French hogsheads 54% new, aged 18 months, and needs time to settle in. It will. |
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Champagne | 1 | 99 (JS) |
In Bond
€1,135.00 |
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James Suckling (99)The tightness and tension of this is impressive considering the youngest wine from this is 2015 (hot and dry year), with some wines going back to 2000. Ginger and orange zest. Some creme brulee. It's medium-bodied with apple, pie crust and floral character. It's salty and zesty yet, at the same time, complex and gorgeous. Chamomile and other floral teas highlight everything. Turns rich and flavorful at the finish. Terrific release. Really takes off at the end. Drink or hold. |
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Rioja | 1 | 97 (JS) |
In Bond
€480.00 |
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James Suckling (97)A perfumed nose of plums, mulberries, mushrooms, caramel, sweet tobacco and sweet spices. Full-bodied with velvety, fine tannins and lively acidity. Balanced and supple with a creamy texture. Delicate and precise with a long, polished finish. 90% tempranillo and 10% graciano. Drink or hold. |
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Rioja | 1 | 94+ (WA) |
In Bond
€227.00 |
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Wine Advocate (94+)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. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (JA) |
In Bond
€169.00 |
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Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (94)Deep plum colour, velvety in texture, this is gorgeously measured while still being glamorous and polished. Gives you clear promise of future enjoyment, with its chocolate-dipped cherry notes that are full and welcoming but not hot or overly sweet, balanced by blueberry and bilberry fruits that give a mix of ripe and just-ripe-enough fruit with sufficient juice to carry them home, and a clear tannic construction that isn't constricting. It's marked by the vintage, with some drying notes on the finish, without being overpowered by phenolics, and is a deft handling of the year. 50% new oak, 35% one year barrels, 15% terracotta amphorae for part of the Merlot. |
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