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Vinous (95-97)
The 2021 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru, the first Grand Cru to be picked with 50% whole clusters, has a fragrant, pure and (unlike Latricières) inviting bouquet that just wants to seduce. Very sensual. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins that frame the crystalline red fruit, supreme mineralité with one of the most elegant finishes you will find in this vintage. Reminiscent of Dugat's Chapelle-Chambertin, this is divine.Inc. TAX€2,862.72 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95-98)
5 Star Wine. Louis considers that Latricières-Chambertin is typically three degrees cooler than neighbouring Combottes. 40% whole bunch vinification. Glowing purple. A touch of reduction on the nose but a vibrant luxurious fruit nonetheless. There is a gorgeous coating of a deep dark velvet fruit with the structure behind perfectly poised, refined tannins and clean acidity. Very long. A gorgeous wine in the making. Louis feels that 2020 lost the plot of Latricières – but not at all 2021.Inc. TAX€2,742.72 -
Wine Advocate (93+)
A blend of 55% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Tronquoy-Lalande races out of the glass with bright, exuberant scents of Morello cherries, mulberries, warm plums and fresh blackcurrants plus touches of allspice, candied violets and tilled soil. Medium-bodied, the palate is laden with expressive black and red fruits plus loads of floral accents and a wonderfully plush texture, finishing long and fragrant.Inc. TAX€188.88 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
A flat-out gorgeous wine in the vintage is the 2012 Troplong Mondot, which sports an inky ruby/purple color to go with heavenly notes of black currants, smoked earth, plums, licorice and graphite. Full-bodied, seamless, ultra-pure and impressively concentrated, this blockbuster effort needs 3-4 years in the cellar to let the tannins integrate, and it will knock your socks off over the following two decades.Inc. TAX€479.03 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96)
The 2014 Troplong Mondot is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, and this beauty has more intensity, richness, and exuberance than just about every other wine in 2014. A blend of 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc brought up in 85% new French oak, it sports a deep purple/plum color as well as a smorgasbord of blackcurrants, blackberries, scorched earth, toasty oak, graphite, espresso, and earth. With full-bodied richness, beautiful purity of fruit, and a rich, yet weightless texture, it’s a big, yet classy, elegant, and seamless wine from Xavier Pariente that should be snatched up by readers. It’s already drinking well but has 20-25 years of prime drinking to go.Inc. TAX€1,267.16 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
A wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Troplong Mondot is a tour de force that readers need to snatch up. This cuvee comes from the cool, clay and limestone soils on the upper plateau (it’s the highest point in the appellation) and is a blend of 92% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvest between September 30th and October 21st, that was brought up in 85% new French oak. Sporting a deep, inky color as well as a sensational bouquet of creme de cassis, blackberry, toasted spice, licorice and spring flowers, it’s another huge wine from this estate that has perfect balance between its fruit, oak and tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and an incredible finish. I wrote "crazy good" more than once in my notes. It has enough fruit and texture to drink nicely even today, yet needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for two to three decades. It's one of the great wines of the vintage.Inc. TAX€753.08 -
James Suckling (98)
Complex aromas of blackberries, dried flowers and other dark fruit. Shows hints of cedar and blackberries. Full-bodied, dense and wonderfully integrated with rich tannins that just melt into the wine. Extremely fine and focused finish. Shows harmony and balance. Better after 2024.Inc. TAX€530.63 -
Wine Advocate (97)
In a sense, this wine is like the Bosco dei Sugheri but with the addition of one more grape variety in the blend. The Tua Rita 2019 Giusto di Notri is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot. I tasted the wine shortly after it had been bottled. With 40,000 bottles made, it should start hitting the market now. The Giusto di Notri offers lots of dark primary fruit with important structure and texture in this classic vintage. Blackberry and black plum cede to spice, tar and campfire ash. There's nothing not to like in this vintage that far exceeded initial expectations. I look forward to tasting more Tuscan reds from the excellent 2019 growing season.Inc. TAX€442.54 -
James Suckling (98)
Aromas of violets, blackberries and black truffles follow through to a full body with firm, silky tannins with lots of texture that’s caressing and enticing. Such polish and beauty. Very long and powerful. So much structure this year, 100% merlot. Best after 2024.Inc. TAX€445.06 -
Vinous (93)
Medium red color. Floral, mineral-tinged red berry aromas, with subtle spice and underbrush notes; this could pass for a ripe Burgundy. Fine-grained and spicy, showing vivid raspberry and strawberry preserve flavors that build impressively with air. Finishes with silky tannins and energetic notes of red berries and fresh rose. This is awfully suave.Inc. TAX€193.99 -
Vinous (94)
Bright purple. Complex, pungent aromas of raspberry, blackberry, potpourri and incense, with a suave mineral note adding vibrancy. Sweet, minerally and densely packed, with terrific sappy vivacity to the flavors of raspberry and cherry preserves and minerals. With air, the spiciness gained strength and sexy floral notes emerged. Finishes with impressive breadth, fully ripe, gentle tannins and superb length.Inc. TAX€603.18 -
Wine Orbit (96)
Gorgeously fruited and splendidly styled, showing sweet plum, thyme, roasted nut and warm mushroom aromas, the wine exhibits awesome concentration and richness, while remaining elegant and refined. Plush and persistent with fine grainy tannins, finishing superbly long and satisfying. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2032.Inc. TAX€286.57 -
Decanter (95)
Flinty reduction and gentle smoke appear briefly before that fulsome Central Otago fruit takes over: think ripe red cherry edged with hints of ivy. The palate has the same juiciness but also a crunchy, graceful but firm tannin structure along with shimmering nuances of white pepper spice. This is made to last the distance, so buy some, cellar it and wait two or three years.Inc. TAX€286.32 -
(6x75cl) 2015Halliday Wine Companion (97)
Hand-picked in the early morning, lightly pressed before relatively cool fermentation. This is still in its infancy but is gloriously well balanced, which guarantees youth at 10yo, maturity at 20, and age yet further down the track. When to drink? Your choice.Inc. TAX€322.13 -
Tim Atkin MW (97)
Valdaya's top red, Mirum, keeps improving with every vintage and is now among the best wines in Ribera del Duero. Made with Tinto Fino from old-vine parcels - Los Bueyes and Las Piedras - in Baños de Valdearodos, it's very much a limestone-influenced style from 925 metres, with subtle wood, chalky minerality, red berry fruit, tension and floral, violet top notes. Long, stylish and beautifully judged. 2022-30Inc. TAX€447.59 -
Tim Atkin MW (97)
One of the great wines of Spain, not just Ribera del Duero, Mirum comes from a single, 1.2-hectare parcel in Baños de Valdearados. Fermented in concrete vats and aged in 20% new wood, it's pure, focused and violetscented, with pure plum and black cherry fruit, wonderful vivacity and focus, textured tannins, subtle wood spices and a long, chiselled, balanced finish. Drink 2023-32Inc. TAX€379.19 -
James Suckling (100)
Spectacular aromas of crushed fruit, plums, sous bois, porcini and black truffles. Decadent year, but fresh. Full-bodied, dense and linear on the palate, yet so much in balance and refined with incredible depth and consistency. The savory and juicy finish, with vivid acidity and fruit, is eye-opening. Greatest ever. Best after 2025, but can’t wait to try it again.Inc. TAX€1,323.59 -
James Suckling (100)
This is the first commercial release of Montosoli from Valdicava and shows incredibly complex and decadent aromas of fruit, wet earth, forest floor, leaves and cedar. Full-bodied with tannins that roll off the palate and flow to the finish. Fine, velvety texture. Lasts for minutes. Already so attractive, but be patient. Try after 2021 and onwards.Inc. TAX€586.39 -
Decanter (98)
Ripe dark fruits, notes of cherry, dried fig and boysenberry along with sage, black liquorice, potpourri, light rose petal and violet floral notes. Very fine tannins on the palate with a powdery aspect to the wine overall, lengthy acidity leading to a crisp finish. Very open note, but still developing. Certified as 'velles vinyes'.Inc. TAX€1,888.54 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)
Always one of the top examples of Grenache in any vintage, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Amiral G. sports a more ruby/subtly purple-tinged color as well as an exotic bouquet of red and black fruits, nori, licorice, wildflowers, and sandalwood-like nuances. There's a touch of background oak, but it's all about exotic, pure fruit. Medium to full-bodied, nicely textured, and seamless, it's another beautiful, brilliant wine from this team.Inc. TAX€496.54 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95)
All Grenache Blanc brought up in older barrels, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Clos Du Belvédère Blanc is light gold-hued and boasts a vibrant, clean, straight-up juicy bouquet of tart peach, minty herbs, and crushed stone. Medium bodied on the palate, it builds nicely with time in the glass and has wonderful freshness and purity as well as a classy, dry finish.Inc. TAX€417.34 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96)
The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is also terrific, with a deep, rich, concentrated style that carries classic Roussanne apple and stone fruits as well as honeyed toast, spice, and subtle floral nuances. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and fabulously well-balanced, it's going to drink well for 4-5 years, then probably shut down, only to re-emerge in another decade with a more mineral, honeyed, nutty, complex profile.Inc. TAX€454.08 -
Wine Advocate (95)
2020 was drier than average until the harvest, when it rained and diluted the grapes, and they had to wait to regain concentration. The result is that the 2020 Alión is a wine with better balance and freshness. They felt the skins were very ripe and they could extract more and use a little more American oak (4%) in the élevage. From 2019, they kept the press wine separate until June, and they keep separate quantities of press wines that are aged in different containers depending on the quality of the wine. They used a percentage of concrete and oak vats for the élevage, which gives the wine more verticality and freshness. It's a subtle and elegant Alión, not as dense as some other vintages, but with nice balance and very elegant tannins. In 2020, they produced 285,485 bottles of this wine, 7,115 magnums and some larger formats. It was bottled in May 2022.Inc. TAX€554.39 -
(3x75cl) 2005Vinous (97)
(fermented in large oak tanks and aged for six years in new French and American oak barriques) Saturated ruby. Explosively perfumed aromas of fresh ripe red fruits, floral oils, pipe tobacco and incense take on sexy vanilla and woodsmoke nuances as the wine opens up. Densely packed yet shockingly lithe on the palate, offering intense cherry liqueur, red currant and spicecake flavors given spine by a core of juicy acidity. Shows superb energy and clarity, finishing sweet, smoky and extremely long; velvety tannins add gentle grip.Inc. TAX€1,285.32 -
Vinous (98)
Inky ruby. An assertively perfumed, highly complex bouquet displays powerful, mineral-accented dark berry preserve, exotic spice, vanilla, potpourri and incense aromas, along with suggestions of cola and mocha. Broad, focused and deeply concentrated, offering palate-staining black and blue fruit liqueur, violet pastille and spicecake flavors that show remarkable clarity and are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. The spice, mineral and floral notes resonate emphatically on the strikingly long, sweet finish, which features harmonious tannins and building, resonating dark berry character.Inc. TAX€1,231.32 -
Tim Atkin MW (98)
The latest in a superb run of Único releases, the 2012 is a finely judged cuvée of Tinto Fino and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards on the south side of the Duero river with a northerly aspect. There's no sign of the heat of the vintage here on a wine that is poised, complex and self-assured. Floral, mature and nicely evolved, with fine French and American oak, graceful tannins and a hint of graphite. One of Spain's greatest reds.Inc. TAX€1,082.99 -
Tim Atkin MW (99)
Reserva (14%) The 2014 Único is the second wine in a row from a cooler, so-called Atlantic year, although the harvest was considerably less wet than 2013. Sourced from the best 40 hectares on the Vega Sicilia estate, covering a total of 30 parcels, this is a stunningly floral, complete, layered Tinto Fino with lily, wild rose and mountain herb aromas, subtle French and 25% American oak, some added backbone from 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a palate of bramble, black cherry, Asian spices and tobacco embellished and freshened by a bright, chalky finish.Inc. TAX€1,180.92 -
Wine Advocate (98)
To be released in 2020, the NV Único Reserva Especial 2020 Release is a non-vintage blend of 59 barrels from 2008, 2009 and 2010, mostly Tempranillo with some Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine has been getting closer to the style of the Único, and the blend is from vintages very close to the current release of Único, but somehow this year I think the blend has added some complexity to the bottled wine, which has the heart and soul of the 2010 vintage. In fact, they told me they are keeping more wine to have some older vintages to blend for this Reserva Especial, because in the last few years, the wine has been a little too young for the style that it used to have in the past. This has finesse and some of the Burgundian style of the blends of yesteryear. 17,071 bottles and 214 magnums produced. It was bottled in June 2016.Inc. TAX€1,387.79 -
Wine Advocate (96)
2017 was marked by the frost of the night between April 27 and 28 that Vega Sicilia fought with their anti-frost towers. The end of the season was warm, and the overall rain was low, 235 liters. The 2017 Valbuena is marked by these circumstances, produced with 94% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and 6% Merlot, with good ripeness (14.5% alcohol) and mellow acidity (4.65 grams of tartaric acid and a pH of 3.85). The grapes were cooled down and took three to four days of maceration to start fermenting with indigenous yeasts. The wine matured in a combination of new and used French and American 225-liter oak barrels and 21,000-liter oak vats for almost three years. The result, for whatever reason, was nothing short of spectacular. The wine is perfumed, floral, expressive and balsamic like few vintages before. It doesn't feel like a 2017 at all; it is harmonious, and the tannins were fine. It's an amazing Valbuena that clearly transcends the character of the vintage. What I see here is that since 2010, the wine has a very high consistency. And in 2017 it excels. 170,071 bottles, 5,516 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in June 2020.Inc. TAX€504.59 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
Reserva (14.5%) Valbuena nearly always contains a little Merlot, and that's the case on this 2019, which is dominated by 97% Tinto Fino. Aged in a classic combination of French and 15% American oak, it's a bold, layered, well-structured cuvée with blackberry and blueberry fruit supported by good acidity for the vintage, a balsamic undertone, stylish, youthful tannins and plenty of backbone.Inc. TAX€510.59
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Vinous (95-97)
The 2021 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru, the first Grand Cru to be picked with 50% whole clusters, has a fragrant, pure and (unlike Latricières) inviting bouquet that just wants to seduce. Very sensual. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins that frame the crystalline red fruit, supreme mineralité with one of the most elegant finishes you will find in this vintage. Reminiscent of Dugat's Chapelle-Chambertin, this is divine.In Bond€2,365.00 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95-98)
5 Star Wine. Louis considers that Latricières-Chambertin is typically three degrees cooler than neighbouring Combottes. 40% whole bunch vinification. Glowing purple. A touch of reduction on the nose but a vibrant luxurious fruit nonetheless. There is a gorgeous coating of a deep dark velvet fruit with the structure behind perfectly poised, refined tannins and clean acidity. Very long. A gorgeous wine in the making. Louis feels that 2020 lost the plot of Latricières – but not at all 2021.In Bond€2,265.00 -
Wine Advocate (93+)
A blend of 55% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Tronquoy-Lalande races out of the glass with bright, exuberant scents of Morello cherries, mulberries, warm plums and fresh blackcurrants plus touches of allspice, candied violets and tilled soil. Medium-bodied, the palate is laden with expressive black and red fruits plus loads of floral accents and a wonderfully plush texture, finishing long and fragrant.In Bond€136.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
A flat-out gorgeous wine in the vintage is the 2012 Troplong Mondot, which sports an inky ruby/purple color to go with heavenly notes of black currants, smoked earth, plums, licorice and graphite. Full-bodied, seamless, ultra-pure and impressively concentrated, this blockbuster effort needs 3-4 years in the cellar to let the tannins integrate, and it will knock your socks off over the following two decades.In Bond€377.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96)
The 2014 Troplong Mondot is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage, and this beauty has more intensity, richness, and exuberance than just about every other wine in 2014. A blend of 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc brought up in 85% new French oak, it sports a deep purple/plum color as well as a smorgasbord of blackcurrants, blackberries, scorched earth, toasty oak, graphite, espresso, and earth. With full-bodied richness, beautiful purity of fruit, and a rich, yet weightless texture, it’s a big, yet classy, elegant, and seamless wine from Xavier Pariente that should be snatched up by readers. It’s already drinking well but has 20-25 years of prime drinking to go.In Bond€1,010.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
A wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Troplong Mondot is a tour de force that readers need to snatch up. This cuvee comes from the cool, clay and limestone soils on the upper plateau (it’s the highest point in the appellation) and is a blend of 92% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvest between September 30th and October 21st, that was brought up in 85% new French oak. Sporting a deep, inky color as well as a sensational bouquet of creme de cassis, blackberry, toasted spice, licorice and spring flowers, it’s another huge wine from this estate that has perfect balance between its fruit, oak and tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and an incredible finish. I wrote "crazy good" more than once in my notes. It has enough fruit and texture to drink nicely even today, yet needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for two to three decades. It's one of the great wines of the vintage.In Bond€603.00 -
James Suckling (98)
Complex aromas of blackberries, dried flowers and other dark fruit. Shows hints of cedar and blackberries. Full-bodied, dense and wonderfully integrated with rich tannins that just melt into the wine. Extremely fine and focused finish. Shows harmony and balance. Better after 2024.In Bond€420.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
In a sense, this wine is like the Bosco dei Sugheri but with the addition of one more grape variety in the blend. The Tua Rita 2019 Giusto di Notri is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot. I tasted the wine shortly after it had been bottled. With 40,000 bottles made, it should start hitting the market now. The Giusto di Notri offers lots of dark primary fruit with important structure and texture in this classic vintage. Blackberry and black plum cede to spice, tar and campfire ash. There's nothing not to like in this vintage that far exceeded initial expectations. I look forward to tasting more Tuscan reds from the excellent 2019 growing season.In Bond€345.00 -
James Suckling (98)
Aromas of violets, blackberries and black truffles follow through to a full body with firm, silky tannins with lots of texture that’s caressing and enticing. Such polish and beauty. Very long and powerful. So much structure this year, 100% merlot. Best after 2024.In Bond€359.00 -
Vinous (93)
Medium red color. Floral, mineral-tinged red berry aromas, with subtle spice and underbrush notes; this could pass for a ripe Burgundy. Fine-grained and spicy, showing vivid raspberry and strawberry preserve flavors that build impressively with air. Finishes with silky tannins and energetic notes of red berries and fresh rose. This is awfully suave.In Bond€154.00 -
Vinous (94)
Bright purple. Complex, pungent aromas of raspberry, blackberry, potpourri and incense, with a suave mineral note adding vibrancy. Sweet, minerally and densely packed, with terrific sappy vivacity to the flavors of raspberry and cherry preserves and minerals. With air, the spiciness gained strength and sexy floral notes emerged. Finishes with impressive breadth, fully ripe, gentle tannins and superb length.In Bond€472.00 -
Wine Orbit (96)
Gorgeously fruited and splendidly styled, showing sweet plum, thyme, roasted nut and warm mushroom aromas, the wine exhibits awesome concentration and richness, while remaining elegant and refined. Plush and persistent with fine grainy tannins, finishing superbly long and satisfying. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2032.In Bond€219.00 -
Decanter (95)
Flinty reduction and gentle smoke appear briefly before that fulsome Central Otago fruit takes over: think ripe red cherry edged with hints of ivy. The palate has the same juiciness but also a crunchy, graceful but firm tannin structure along with shimmering nuances of white pepper spice. This is made to last the distance, so buy some, cellar it and wait two or three years.In Bond€218.00 -
(6x75cl) 2015
Halliday Wine Companion (97)
Hand-picked in the early morning, lightly pressed before relatively cool fermentation. This is still in its infancy but is gloriously well balanced, which guarantees youth at 10yo, maturity at 20, and age yet further down the track. When to drink? Your choice.In Bond€251.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (97)
Valdaya's top red, Mirum, keeps improving with every vintage and is now among the best wines in Ribera del Duero. Made with Tinto Fino from old-vine parcels - Los Bueyes and Las Piedras - in Baños de Valdearodos, it's very much a limestone-influenced style from 925 metres, with subtle wood, chalky minerality, red berry fruit, tension and floral, violet top notes. Long, stylish and beautifully judged. 2022-30In Bond€350.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (97)
One of the great wines of Spain, not just Ribera del Duero, Mirum comes from a single, 1.2-hectare parcel in Baños de Valdearados. Fermented in concrete vats and aged in 20% new wood, it's pure, focused and violetscented, with pure plum and black cherry fruit, wonderful vivacity and focus, textured tannins, subtle wood spices and a long, chiselled, balanced finish. Drink 2023-32In Bond€293.00 -
James Suckling (100)
Spectacular aromas of crushed fruit, plums, sous bois, porcini and black truffles. Decadent year, but fresh. Full-bodied, dense and linear on the palate, yet so much in balance and refined with incredible depth and consistency. The savory and juicy finish, with vivid acidity and fruit, is eye-opening. Greatest ever. Best after 2025, but can’t wait to try it again.In Bond€1,080.00 -
James Suckling (100)
This is the first commercial release of Montosoli from Valdicava and shows incredibly complex and decadent aromas of fruit, wet earth, forest floor, leaves and cedar. Full-bodied with tannins that roll off the palate and flow to the finish. Fine, velvety texture. Lasts for minutes. Already so attractive, but be patient. Try after 2021 and onwards.In Bond€481.00 -
Decanter (98)
Ripe dark fruits, notes of cherry, dried fig and boysenberry along with sage, black liquorice, potpourri, light rose petal and violet floral notes. Very fine tannins on the palate with a powdery aspect to the wine overall, lengthy acidity leading to a crisp finish. Very open note, but still developing. Certified as 'velles vinyes'.In Bond€1,550.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)
Always one of the top examples of Grenache in any vintage, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Amiral G. sports a more ruby/subtly purple-tinged color as well as an exotic bouquet of red and black fruits, nori, licorice, wildflowers, and sandalwood-like nuances. There's a touch of background oak, but it's all about exotic, pure fruit. Medium to full-bodied, nicely textured, and seamless, it's another beautiful, brilliant wine from this team.In Bond€390.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95)
All Grenache Blanc brought up in older barrels, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Clos Du Belvédère Blanc is light gold-hued and boasts a vibrant, clean, straight-up juicy bouquet of tart peach, minty herbs, and crushed stone. Medium bodied on the palate, it builds nicely with time in the glass and has wonderful freshness and purity as well as a classy, dry finish.In Bond€324.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96)
The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is also terrific, with a deep, rich, concentrated style that carries classic Roussanne apple and stone fruits as well as honeyed toast, spice, and subtle floral nuances. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and fabulously well-balanced, it's going to drink well for 4-5 years, then probably shut down, only to re-emerge in another decade with a more mineral, honeyed, nutty, complex profile.In Bond€357.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
2020 was drier than average until the harvest, when it rained and diluted the grapes, and they had to wait to regain concentration. The result is that the 2020 Alión is a wine with better balance and freshness. They felt the skins were very ripe and they could extract more and use a little more American oak (4%) in the élevage. From 2019, they kept the press wine separate until June, and they keep separate quantities of press wines that are aged in different containers depending on the quality of the wine. They used a percentage of concrete and oak vats for the élevage, which gives the wine more verticality and freshness. It's a subtle and elegant Alión, not as dense as some other vintages, but with nice balance and very elegant tannins. In 2020, they produced 285,485 bottles of this wine, 7,115 magnums and some larger formats. It was bottled in May 2022.In Bond€439.00 -
(3x75cl) 2005
Vinous (97)
(fermented in large oak tanks and aged for six years in new French and American oak barriques) Saturated ruby. Explosively perfumed aromas of fresh ripe red fruits, floral oils, pipe tobacco and incense take on sexy vanilla and woodsmoke nuances as the wine opens up. Densely packed yet shockingly lithe on the palate, offering intense cherry liqueur, red currant and spicecake flavors given spine by a core of juicy acidity. Shows superb energy and clarity, finishing sweet, smoky and extremely long; velvety tannins add gentle grip.In Bond€1,060.00 -
Vinous (98)
Inky ruby. An assertively perfumed, highly complex bouquet displays powerful, mineral-accented dark berry preserve, exotic spice, vanilla, potpourri and incense aromas, along with suggestions of cola and mocha. Broad, focused and deeply concentrated, offering palate-staining black and blue fruit liqueur, violet pastille and spicecake flavors that show remarkable clarity and are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. The spice, mineral and floral notes resonate emphatically on the strikingly long, sweet finish, which features harmonious tannins and building, resonating dark berry character.In Bond€1,015.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (98)
The latest in a superb run of Único releases, the 2012 is a finely judged cuvée of Tinto Fino and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards on the south side of the Duero river with a northerly aspect. There's no sign of the heat of the vintage here on a wine that is poised, complex and self-assured. Floral, mature and nicely evolved, with fine French and American oak, graceful tannins and a hint of graphite. One of Spain's greatest reds.In Bond€891.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (99)
Reserva (14%) The 2014 Único is the second wine in a row from a cooler, so-called Atlantic year, although the harvest was considerably less wet than 2013. Sourced from the best 40 hectares on the Vega Sicilia estate, covering a total of 30 parcels, this is a stunningly floral, complete, layered Tinto Fino with lily, wild rose and mountain herb aromas, subtle French and 25% American oak, some added backbone from 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a palate of bramble, black cherry, Asian spices and tobacco embellished and freshened by a bright, chalky finish.In Bond€973.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
To be released in 2020, the NV Único Reserva Especial 2020 Release is a non-vintage blend of 59 barrels from 2008, 2009 and 2010, mostly Tempranillo with some Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine has been getting closer to the style of the Único, and the blend is from vintages very close to the current release of Único, but somehow this year I think the blend has added some complexity to the bottled wine, which has the heart and soul of the 2010 vintage. In fact, they told me they are keeping more wine to have some older vintages to blend for this Reserva Especial, because in the last few years, the wine has been a little too young for the style that it used to have in the past. This has finesse and some of the Burgundian style of the blends of yesteryear. 17,071 bottles and 214 magnums produced. It was bottled in June 2016.In Bond€1,145.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
2017 was marked by the frost of the night between April 27 and 28 that Vega Sicilia fought with their anti-frost towers. The end of the season was warm, and the overall rain was low, 235 liters. The 2017 Valbuena is marked by these circumstances, produced with 94% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and 6% Merlot, with good ripeness (14.5% alcohol) and mellow acidity (4.65 grams of tartaric acid and a pH of 3.85). The grapes were cooled down and took three to four days of maceration to start fermenting with indigenous yeasts. The wine matured in a combination of new and used French and American 225-liter oak barrels and 21,000-liter oak vats for almost three years. The result, for whatever reason, was nothing short of spectacular. The wine is perfumed, floral, expressive and balsamic like few vintages before. It doesn't feel like a 2017 at all; it is harmonious, and the tannins were fine. It's an amazing Valbuena that clearly transcends the character of the vintage. What I see here is that since 2010, the wine has a very high consistency. And in 2017 it excels. 170,071 bottles, 5,516 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in June 2020.In Bond€409.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (96)
Reserva (14.5%) Valbuena nearly always contains a little Merlot, and that's the case on this 2019, which is dominated by 97% Tinto Fino. Aged in a classic combination of French and 15% American oak, it's a bold, layered, well-structured cuvée with blackberry and blueberry fruit supported by good acidity for the vintage, a balsamic undertone, stylish, youthful tannins and plenty of backbone.In Bond€414.00
