Wines

There's a gentle herbaceousness to the cherry fruit in Heitz's 2018 Lot C-91, making it a bit more like redcurrant than true cherry. A blend of fruit from Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena and Howell Mountain, it's medium-bodied but more expansive and

What a beautiful nose of elderberries, freshly picked blackcurrants, citrus, herbs, licorice and crushed stones, amidst a backdrop of coffee beans, cedar and vanilla. Full-bodied and very subtle and refined with tightly wound tannins and an impressive

This was an iconic vintage, and the superiority of the 2016 growing season, with lots of sunshine and cool summer nights, shows. A blend of equal parts Merlot and Sangiovese, the Mazzei 2016 Siepi is profound, vibrant, nuanced and lifted. The Merlot

An 80-20 blend of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, the Ca' Marcanda 2018 Bolgheri Rosso Camarcanda is another gorgeous edition of this important wine, although this vintage does start off slower than some of the other wines in this vertical. The wine is

Just love this wine, the lyricism and the generosity of it, and its always vivid depiction of fruits and stones. So juicy, so drawn out, works with the vintage, leans into its low yields, with greengages, raspberry, plum, gentle spices, lemongrass, minerality

The Bibi Graetz 2021 Colore is Sangiovese from old vines, but otherwise, winemaking and the oak regime is identical to the other top red, Testamatta. In this case, fruit comes from the Lamole area with vineyards at a high 600 meters above sea level.

Intense aromas of purple fruits such as raspberry, spice, lead pencil and granite. Perfumed flowers as well. Full-bodied, tight with poised tannins that show transparency and focus. Crunchy and very long. Better after 2028 when it opens and integrates

Lime and spicy pear with crushed stone. Kumquats. Smoke and iron. Kiwi. Full and rounded with bitter pear and steel. Dried limes. Unique minerality. Bright acidity. Touch of sweetness at the end that makes it fascinating. 65% sauvignon blanc and 35%

I tasted this at the property from barrel, thrilled to follow it now in bottle. Grabs you from the first moments with its sage, thyme, dried flowers and incense aromatics, clings to your nostrils, drawing you in, so much depth of flavour to the vivid

The third vintage by oenologist-winemakers Telmo Rodriguez and Pablo Eguzkiza, the 3.8-hectare, single-vineyard cuvée from the limestone foothills of the Sierra de Toloño in Rioja Alavesa is made from a massal selection of Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha,

Nervy and tight with notes of crushed almonds, chalk, white grapefruit, digestive biscuits, lemons and apricot stones. Hints of fennel and white pepper. Deep and mineral, with plenty of power. Very fine bubbles. Long drive at the end. Try after 2024.

The 2013 Comtes de Champagne captures all the pedigree of this great vintage in its energy, depth and vibrancy. Lemon confit, dried flowers, chamomile, spice and crushed rocks all race across the palate. Passionfruit, ginger, marzipan and mint appear

Intense aromas of crushed lime and lemon as well as mineral and flint follow through to a medium body, ultra-precise acid and fruit balance. Long and linear finish. Just a hint of vanilla and cream. Give it a year or two to develop in the bottle but

This is a beautiful wine that consistently outperforms vintage variation. In other words, it maintains very high quality despite the many troubles Mother Nature can throw its way. This was an easy vintage with a hot summer and plumper, richer aromas