New vintages of renowned wines from France and beyond, including Italy, the US, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and South Africa, are being launched this month via Bordeaux's famous distribution network.
Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for the wines being released on the Place de Bordeaux this September.
Wines are listed in alphabetical order. Click on the winery name to go to the individual wine's page and click 'view' to expand the row revealing the tasting note.
| Producer | Appellation | Vintage | Score | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberelli di Giodo, Rosso | Etna | 2019 | 91 | A charming wine from star Italian winemaking consultant Carlo Ferrini. The nose is filled with cherries and floral aromatics with the body of the wine dense and textured with chewy tannins and persistence of bright red fruit freshness. Juicy with a nice hit of acidity and touch of spice around the edges. Made from 100% Nerello Mascalese. Click to see full details | |
| Antinori, Solaia | Toscana | 2018 | 98 | From its sloped southwesterly expired position in the sunniest 20-hectare part of Tignanello’s hillside home comes this sunkissed wine bursting with ripe raisins, blackcurrants and cherries. The texture here is so enjoyable but so is the acidity, subtly mouthwatering with creamy touches around the sides. Such depth and elegance, very well constructed, juicy and plush but at the same time this has a quiet personality. A delicious wine, Wait to drink, this has a long life ahead. Click to see full details | |
| Beaulieu Vineyard, Georges de Latour Private Reserve | Napa Valley | 2018 | 96 | An excellent 2018 from one of the oldest and most historic estates in Napa filled with just the right amount of density, power and structure. The nose is rich and fruit-filled, bursting with blackcurrants, raspberries and black cherries alongside perfumed aromatics and touches of dried herbs. The first sip shows the wine’s depth and concentration, full-bodied with layers of cherry, liquorice and tobacco leaf with an unlying suppleness and freshness that gives bounce and chewiness to the fruit. Lovely density and juice throughout with velvet-like tannins and sustaining acidity. Vibrant and youthful with plenty of potential for ageing. A blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec. Wines are aged for 22 months in French oak, 95% new barrels. Made by winemaker Trevor Durling, also general manager of Beaulieu owner Treasury Wine Estates. Click to see full details | |
| Bibi Graetz, Colore | Toscana | 2019 | 98 | The ‘dream’ in Italian, this is from very old, high-altitude vineyards on stony soils mixed with sand and stone. This is one of the wines of the tasting, a real showstopper that captures your interest and holds it all the way. Red cherries and strawberries dominate the nose with softly-spiced liquorice touches. But it’s the texture that’s so captivating, gripping straight away and holding you there, but in a soft and gentle way. Bright acidity comes in keeping things fresh and welcoming while the structure and length give a lovely roundness. A real success. Grapes for Colore are sourced from three vineyards, with each harvested up to eight times. After the first selection in the vineyards, a second selection occurs at the winery before destemming where grapes are softly pressed and placed in open-top barriques, keeping each plot and parcel separate from the others. The fermentation is conducted naturally by indigenous yeasts without temperature control lasting up to two weeks, with one extra week of maceration on the skins. After the fermentation the wine is moved into new barriques, where the malolactic fermentation happens. Each parcel is aged separately for almost 20 months before the final blend is decided. Click to see full details | |
| Bibi Graetz, Testametta | Toscana | 2019 | 96 | The 20th anniversary bottling of Testamatta made, from the 2019 vintage, in brand new winemaking facilities in Florence. This just shines from the moment it’s poured. Layered and complex this is a gem of a wine filled with cherry, raspberry, damson and caramel notes alongside a savoury edge that makes it so moreish. Tannins that support but don't overwhelm give a nice overall weight to the palate while the flavous linger on the long finish. Made from old vines on stony soils on the Tuscan hilltops. Grapes are selected and sourced from the best five vineyards, which are divided into parcels and harvested up to eight times. Fermentation is in open-top barriques for the smaller parcels and in barrels or stainless steel for the larger ones without any temperature controls. Maceration for 7-10 days then moved into old barriques for 20 months. Click to see full details | |
| Caiarossa | Toscana | 2018 | 93 | A slightly different SuperTuscan here, being a blend of seven different Bordeaux and Italian varietals including 30% Syrah, 18% Cabernet Franc, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Sangiovese and 2% Alicante. Under the same ownership as Château Giscours in Bordeaux, this wine is nuanced and fresh with density and power but also elegance. Floral touches combine with Mediterranean herbs, rosemary and liquorice, and textured red fruits that, with dense tannins, give a sense of real structure on the palate and a long length. A ‘grand vin’ around the 30 euro mark that is enjoyable now but will also age. Click to see full details | |
| Castello di Fonterutoli, Concerto | Toscana | 2019 | 96 | Such a fragrant and appealing burst of aromas here with milk chocolate, blackcurrants, dried herbs and flowers. A blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, this has a core of cherries and raspberries alongside savoury olive and oak elements with round, just-there tannins that give support to the fresh and lively fruit. Great power, depth and concentration. The wine is aged for 18 months in small French 225l oak barrels, 70% new, before moving to concrete tanks for four months. Click to see full details | |
| Castello di Fonterutoli, Siepi | Toscana | 2019 | 96 | This has the same owner, location and team as Concerto - the Mazzei family who founded the estate in 1435 but this is a 50/50 blend of Sangiovese and Merlot. Power and seduction straight away on the nose, this smells intensely of black cherries and blueberries. The palate is juicy and instantly mouthwatering giving an abundance of succulent red berries and a touch of herbal spice on the finish. This is excellent quality, I adore it. Smooth and silky with purity and energy. Really shines in the glass - drinking well now but will also age. The second vintage on the Place for Siepi since its debut last year. Click to see full details | |
| Catena Zapata, Nicolas Catena Zapata | Mendoza | 2018 | 97 | Powerfully aromatic on the nose and palate with blackcurrants, liquorice, aniseed and herbal elements. Dark fruits fill the mouth with chewy, juicy tannins. This has such a lovely eucalyptus freshness that just drives the wine from start to finish allowing the intense fruit to shine but also giving a feeling of coolness on the tongue. Really delicious with excellent structure and precision. The wine first joined the Place de Bordeaux in 2018. First produced in 1997 and now made by the father-daughter team Nicolás Catena Zapata and Dr. Laura Catena. Fermentation takes place in 500l oak barrels, concrete and stainless-steel tanks, at temperatures of 26-28ºC for about 10-15 days. The post-fermentation maceration lasts between 5 and 10 days. The wine carries out its malolactic fermentation and is then aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Malbec. Click to see full details | |
| Château de Beaucastel, Hommage a Jacqus Perrin | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2019 | 96 | Gorgeous perfume just jumps out the glass here, strongly scented and inviting. This is succulent and sweet, with an almost cherry kirsch, alcohol kick to this but in an excellent way. Mouthwatering and brimming with energy, there's depth, spicy edges and a silky smooth mid palate. It's seductive and heady while also complex, nuanced and layered. A long life ahead.
Additional tasting note by Matt Walls, at Château de Beaucastel, 17 Dec 2019. 97 points. Still opaquely coloured, but it's there now; open and developed, albeit still young. A wonderfully harmonious nose that's difficult to pick apart; it almost feels a bit gauche to try. It's still principally on the fruit, blackberry and black plum, but there are some dried citrus peels, nutmeg and cigarette tobacco. A very immediate wine, but it coats your mouth with fruit and ripe tannin, not to mention alcohol, which is quite raised in this vintage. Very long finish. Bold and proud. Click to see full details | |
| Château de Beaucastel, Hommage a Jacqus Perrin | Châteauneuf-du-Pape | 2009 | 95 | The 2009 and 2019 are both being offered on the Place de Bordeaux this year and were tasted together showing remarkable ageability and evolution over time. A lovely brick-red colour in the glass, the nose is characteristic and full of personality. Raspberry and soft cherry fruit on the palate, still young and fresh but with a brush of sage and liquorice. This is really delicious, sweet and satisfying. A great food wine with plush tannins and a kick of spice around the edges. Great to drink now. Click to see full details | |
| Château Palmer | Margaux (3ème Cru Classé) | 2011 | 94 | A multi-faceted wine with no Petit Verdot in the blend given the concentration of the Merlot (55%), which is unusually dominant, and Cabernet Sauvignon (45%) from the smallest harvest before 2018, since 1961. This has a wonderfully evocative nose, perfumed with violets, plums, cherries and blueberries. On the palate there is bright acidity, still so juicy and alive with a cool blue fruit touch and menthol edges. Precise yet still structured - you're reminded that this is a serious wine, and at this 10 year mark, there is still such life and energy that it will go on and on. Delicious. Click to see full details | |
| Cloudburst, Cabernet Sauvignon | Margaret River | 2018 | 97 | Produced in tiny quantities, just 2,888 bottles of the 2018 produced, from vines that have never seen chemicals or invasive viticulture in Margaret River. High-toned on the nose, softly-sweet cherries and blackcurrants with touches of violets, dark chocolate and smoke. On the palate it has an incredible lightness of touch but so satisfying - just-there tannins support the bright fruit and there is freshness and vitality running through. A cooler style with plenty of life and verve, the focus on fresh fruit with a backing of wild herbs and dried spices giving definition. Structured and well made with an enjoyable aftertaste that lingers. A delicious wine from owner-winemaker Will Berliner. Click to see full details | |
| Cloudburst, Chardonnay | Margaret River | 2019 | 97 | An incredible Chardonnay from Margaret River with layers of complexity and nuance. So many aromatic touches on the nose, salty lemon notes alongside apricot, peach and lime zest with buttery almond edges. These follow through on the palate with a satisfying creamy texture. Smooth and structured, weighty but not overpowering and with a vein of freshness and wet stone minerality that gives it such life and energy. Hard not to love this. A total production of 2,288 bottles produced in 2018 by owner-winemaker Will Berliner. Grapes are hand sorted and whole-bunch pressed directly into barrel. An atypically cool spring and summer with unprecedented frost meant low yields and a harvest that was two weeks later than unusual. Despite the challenges this is a powerful and precise wine that is great to drink now and will age. Click to see full details | |
| Cloudburst, Malbec | Margaret River | 2018 | 96 | Just 1,200 bottles of this exceptional Malbec from Margaret River were produced in 2018 from a 0.10ha plot planted with 1,000 vines. A fine example by owner-winemaker Will Berliner that is a dark purple in the glass and full of aromatic intensity. Ripe and heady with dark chocolate hints, blue fruit and some herbal, cinnamon and peppery notes. A totally different expression of Malbec on the palate, full of energy, so bright and juicy with intense perfume that captures your attention straight away. Fresh, succulent and mouth watering with a lifted finish making you want another sip straight away. Drink now and enjoy this in its youth or wait and enjoy over the years to come. Click to see full details | |
| Dalla Valle Vineyards, Maya | Napa Valley (Oakville) | 2018 | 94 | A wonderfully fragranced and well-structured wine. Perfumed florality comes through from the 40% Cabernet Franc in the blend (with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon) alongside ripe red and black fruits and a kick of liquorice spice. Instantly captivating on the palate with a good balance of opulent fruit, herbal savouriness, refreshing acidity and grippy tannins. An excellent food wine but this a little more time before opening. Click to see full details | |
| Fattoria Petrolo, Bòggina B | Toscana | 2019 | 92 | A serious white with lemon zest, lemongrass and grapefruit aromas with hints of vanilla. This has excellent acidity but also a weight in the mouth, juicy but viscous with a lift at the end. A great food wine. Made from recently-planted organic Trebbiano grapes using the same clones that were used in original plantings in the 1970s. First produced in 2014 as a tribute to the renowned white wines from Valdarno in the past. Natural vinification with native yeasts in tonneaux, aging on the less for over 15 months in French oak tonneaux with regular batonnage during the first few months. Only one racking before bottling. Around a 5,000 bottle production. Click to see full details | |
| Fattoria Petrolo, Bòggina C | Valdarno di Sopra | 2019 | 94 | A really distinctive nose here filled with floral and red fruit aromas. The palate is mouthwatering and plush at the same time giving ripe, chewy and generous fruit flavors but with a finessed touch. Careful winemaking at play here with such brightness and balanced acidity all the way through. First time on the Place this year. 3,000 bottled produced. Click to see full details | |
| Fattoria Petrolo, Galatrona | Valdarno di Sopra | 2019 | 95 | The 25th anniversary bottling of this 100% Merlot wine and jewel in the collection of owner-winemaker Luca Sanjust’s 10-hectare Fattoria di Petrolo estate, located just outside the Chianti Classico zone near Montevarchi. This has a wonderful floral touch to the aromas, beguiling and elegant, with a touch of wild strawberries. Satin-like at first, then the textured tannins settle surrounded by succulent cherry, raspberry and blackberry fruit finishing with a herbal lift at the end. Excellent drive, smooth and satisfying with a long life ahead. Click to see full details | |
| Frescobaldi, Castelgiacondo | Brunello di Montalcino | 2016 | 97 | Despite the difficulties of the vintage 2016 is hailed as an excellent year in Brunello. This has coffee, dried herbs, cherry, dark chocolate and balsamic notes on the nose. Round and supple on the palate, the fruit is chewy and mouthwatering filling the palate making you suck in your cheeks. Tannins gently grip and hold through to the long finish. Such brightness with acidity and depth. A great food wine and an excellent time to drink although it will age well. Elegant, well structured and moreish. Click to see full details | |
| Giovanni Rosso, Etna Rosso | Etna | 2018 | 93 | A lovely pale orange-red tinge to the wine in the glass. Such an aromatic nose filled with iron filings, wet stone and summer berry fruits alongside violet touches. It has such freshness on the tongue, immediately juicy and then fills out with density of flavour. There’s a captivating rusticity to this with a savoury, almost herbal element edging the bright cherry and raspberry fruit. Soft tannins and lively acidity. A star-value buy. Made with native grape Nerello Mascalese with small percentages of other local and indigenous varieties. Vines are planted on volcanic soil in a north/northeastern site 750 metres in altitude. First vintage 2016. Production 20,600 bottles. Click to see full details | |
| Inglenook, Blancaneaux | Napa Valley (Rutherford) | 2019 | 94 | Strong aromatics on the nose and palate, floral and summery with pear, apricot and lemon zest alongside some fresh herbal, peppery notes. Round and full on the palate but offering a delicate balance between freshness and approachability and power and structure. Precision winemaking here, this feels well constructed with the ability to age. First produced in 1999 as a partner to Rubicon, this is a blend of the estate’s three white Rhône varietals; 38% Viognier, 35% Marsanne and 27% Roussanne. Wines are aged for eight months on the less, 60% stainless steel, 40% French oak. Click to see full details | |
| Inglenook, Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley (Rutherford) | 2018 | 94 | This wine has such excellent drive, powerful but rounded and appealing at the same time. Blackcurrants and milk chocolate combine on the nose followed by a chewy, dark-fruited, liquorice-edged palate. A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.5% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot and 0.5% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 18 months in 100% French oak 43% new oak. Click to see full details | |
| Inglenook, Rubicon | Napa Valley (Rutherford) | 2018 | 97 | A lovely enticing nose filled with rich plum, fig and blackcurrant fruits - heady and opulent. The palate is precise with a distinct texture, certainly dense and ripe but the flavours just settle on the tongue giving spiced touches of liquorice but allowing the freshness and acidity to underpin the overall taste. It feels very carefully constructed with everything in place allowing power and generality but neatly packaged and not overdone. A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 18 months in 100% French oak, 76% new.
Click to see full details | |
| Jim Barry, The Armagh Shiraz | Clare Valley | 2017 | 96 | Such incredible perfume and florality from this standout Shiraz, so expressive and captivating, filled with roses and violets alongside cherries and plum fruit, milk chocolate and some sage notes. Medium-bodied on the palate but it’s the texture and overall presence of the wine in the mouth that gives this star quality. Tannins are fine and seductive cashmere-like, edged with fruit intensity and spicy sides. This has a good energy to it, mouthwatering and pulsing with life with a long finish and lift at the end. Precision and power - built to last. Click to see full details | |
| Joseph Phelps, Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 2018 | 93 | From the excellent, solar 2018 vintage in Napa. This has dark and ripe berry fruits on the nose - smells rich and vibrant. The texture is soft and smooth on the tongue but there’s an incredible amount of density and depth to the tannins and overall flavour. The mouth is filled with generous and chewy blackcurrant fruit and a menthol freshness that gives an enjoyably cool finish. Round and powerful. A blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec from estate and grower vineyards in St. Helena, south Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District and the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. The wine was aged for eighteen months in 40% new oak (49% French, 51% American) and 60% one- to two-year-old French and American barrels before bottling. Click to see full details | |
| Joseph Phelps, Insignia | Napa Valley | 2018 | 96 | This shows the excellence of the 2018 vintage in Napa made by seasoned winemaker Ashley Hepworth who, this year, celebrates 23 years at Joseph Phelps. The wine opens with a seductive, fruity and generous nose followed by a mass of concentrated blackberry flavours edged with creamy coffee and caramel tones. Instantly mouthwatering then there comes a kick of power with spice and black pepper surrounding the tongues and cheeks. Needs some time to integrate but this is a fine example of Cabernet with freshness, poise and power. A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc from estate-grown Napa Valley vineyards: 30% Las Rocas Vineyard (Stags Leap District), 18% Suscol Vineyard (South Napa Valley), 18% Yountville Vineyard (Oak Knoll District), 14% Home Ranch Vineyard (St. Helena), 13% Banca Dorada Vineyard (Rutherford), and 7% Barboza Vineyard (Stags Leap District). Wines were aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak. Click to see full details | |
| Klein Constantia, Vin de Constance | Constantia | 2018 | 98 | A gorgeous wine, texturally brilliant with such intensity while not being overpowering or too much. The overall feeling is so satin-like, smooth and intense with layers of wild honey, orange blossom, caramel, pear, white peach and a delicate smokiness. The aromas alone are enough to get your excited about this wine. A density of sweetness settles at the back of the throat reminding you that this is a sweet wine as there’s so much freshness and life to it. Everything in balance and in its place. Exceptional. Drink now to enjoy the youth or wait for further evolution. Click to see full details | |
| L'Aventure, Côte à Côte | Paso Robles | 2019 | 96 | An excellent offering from the trio of L'Aventure wines being offered on the Place de Bordeaux this year. This is polished and refined, there’s power but it’s precise and well handled. The alcohol is high but it feels in proportion and not out of balance and the overall wine has a lovely weight, roundness and juicy core. A violet, perfumed edge lingers on the finish adding an extra interesting element. Leave to age for a few years before opening. A blend of 34% Grenache, 34% Syrah and 32% Mourvedre from 100% estate grown fruit. Wines are aged for 14 months, 41% in one-year-old French oak, 29% new French oak, 18% in concrete tanks and 12% in amphora. No fining, no filtering. Click to see full details | |
| L'Aventure, Estate Cuvée | Paso Robles | 2019 | 93 | A chocolate-dusted nose with liquorice and cool blue fruit aromas. This has density with ripe and chewy fruit on the palate, similar to the other wines in the L'Aventure range, they major on cool blue fruits, berries and plums. The texture is smooth but this has layers of fruit, spice, caramel, sweetness and savouriness with a long finish. The alcohol is high with a hint of spice on the finish bringing it slightly into focus. A blend of 50% Syrah, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot from 100% estate grown fruit. Wines are aged for 15 months, 81% in new French oak and 19% one-year-old French oak with malolactic fermentation in barrel. No fining or no filtering. Click to see full details | |
| L'Aventure, Optimus | Paso Robles | 2019 | 94 | Lovely aromatic intensity, spicy and nuanced on the nose but incredibly well defined on the palate which is crisp and precise with flavours that glide across, so linear and straight. There’s a coolness to the fruit profile and a refreshing juiciness. Concentration and structure with good tannic grip - lots on offer here. A blend of 57% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 14 months in 89% new French oak and 11% one-year-old French oak with malolactic fermentation in barrel. No fining or filtering. Click to see full details | |
| Luce della Vite | Brunello di Montalcino | 2016 | 95 | Such a gorgeous, unmistakable Brunello nose, filled with red cherries and plums with a Mediterranean herbal aspect. Straight away the soft tannins fill the palate, supporting the bright, mouthwatering sour cherry fruit followed by savoury notes of coffee, tobacco, rosemary and tapenade. A traditional, powerful wine with excellent balance. Delicious. Click to see full details | |
| Luce della Vite, Luce | Toscana | 2018 | 95 | A Sangiovese-dominant main wine where you really feel the generosity of the grape in the bright and lively fruit, satin texture and energetic acidity. This stands out as one of the wines that feels the most alive. It has a juicy core which makes a great immediate impact on the tongue then settles to reveal deep red cherry, olive and herbal elements. Lovely. Click to see full details | |
| Luce della Vite, Lucente | Toscana | 2018 | 92 | Inviting and intense, the second wine from Luce is bright, elegant and packed full of acidity. An equal blend of 50/50 Sangiovese and Merlot gives flavours of blackberries and cherries with touches of vanilla and toast. Needs more time but there's real promise here with succulence and power in spades. Click to see full details | |
| Masseto | Toscana | 2018 | 99 | This is a showstopper of a wine, and one of the wines of the tasting. Lots of power here but the tannins just glide across the palate, gently with sophistication, with the dense and dark fruit covering the mouth and lingering. Round, ripe and juicy with excellent acidity that enhances the mineral undertones and spicy sides. Extremely well made by winemaker Axel Heinz and one that you just want another glass of immediately. Malolactic fermentation in 100% new oak barrique barrels, keeping the various lots separate for the first 12 months of ageing. The wines are then blended and put back in barrels for another year, totalling 24 months before bottling. Wines are then kept for an additional 12 months before being released. Click to see full details | |
| Masseto, Massetino | Toscana | 2019 | 94 | This is only the third vintage of Masseto’s second wine, which shares the same pedigree as its sibling, and the second time it is being released on the Place after the 2018 debuted last year. The first time Cabernet Franc is used in the blend, which is completed by 94% Merlot, this has a lovely ripe quality to it with florality coming from the Cabernet. There are some serious tannins on the palate, with a touch of heat, spicy new oak and liquorice coming through the blackcurrant and berry fruit. Opulent and rich but balanced with fresh acidity. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel, with 50% new oak. After the first 12 month of aging the wine is blended and put back into barrels for a further three months before bottling. Click to see full details | |
| Opus One | Napa Valley (Oakville) | 2018 | 98 | Power and concentration from the start but with a lovely vein of cool blue fruits and an invigoratingly fresh core. Dark chocolate, coffee, blueberries and pomegranate combine to give a seductive nose and follow through on the palate with an immediate burst of juicy acidity and plush tannins. Layered and nuanced, the texture is striking, elegant and precise with juice that his the side of the mouth supported by oak spice that gently frames the overall feeling giving balance. Abundant in a sense but also reigned in making you want another glass straight away. 80% wild yeast fermentation for the first time as of the 2018 vintage. Click to see full details | |
| Opus One, Overture | Napa Valley (Oakville) | 93 | A multi-vintage blend of mostly 2018 and some 2017, this is a fine, fruity and extremely likable second wine from Opus. It has good construction on the palate with blackcurrants, Morello cherries and soft wood spicing with concentration and drive. The aromas and flavours open and evolve after a few minutes in the glass giving succulent sweet cherry and blueberry notes alongside some savoury olive and ash elements. Overture comprises roughly 10-15% of the total Opus production. First released 1993 and was, until 2014, primarily sold via cellar door. More than 50 lots are vinified separately then blended and aged for 17 months in French oak, 50% new. Click to see full details | ||
| Ornellaia | Toscana | 2018 | 97 | This is such a charismatic wine, abundant and packed full of flavour while refined and precise. The palate has barely-there tannins that glide across the tongue underpinned by milk chocolate, leather, almost-sour cherries, blackcurrants and liquorice spicing. Freshness and persistence balanced by density and silkiness. Fermentation in oak barrels 70% new and 30% once used, then transferred to barriques for 18 months. After the first 12 months of maturation the wine is assembled and returned to barriques for an additional 6 months before being bottled and aged again for 12 months prior to release. A blend of 51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.
Additional tasting note by Aldo Fiordelli in Milan, 10 Feb 2021. 96 points. Often seen as one of the most powerful wines from Bolgheri, and possibly too muscular up until the first decade of the 2000s, Ornellaia 2018 is lighter than usual - a fact which is the result of both the cooler vintage and a thoughtful style. In this vintage, Merlot is the prominent grape, reaching 51% of the blend. The nose is intoxicatingly fresh and full of spice, with restrained cassis, citrus, clove and black pepper, most likely benefitting from lighter extraction. Graphite minerality dominates the palate, together with sweet blond tobacco and dark fruits. The mid-palate shows good concentration, with crunchy, ripe tannins and brilliant acidity. A really great expression of Bolgheri, more focused on elegance than powerful. It perhaps has slightly less ageing potential - 20 years instead of 30 - yet it’s full of complexity. A blend of 51% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Click to see full details | |
| Ornellaia, Le Serre Dell'Ornellaia | Bolgheri | 2018 | 93 | Ornellaia's second wine, this is aromatically complex with notes of cocoa, herbs, wild roses and summer berries - raspberries and strawberries. A blend of 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 17% Petit Verdot, this is seductive with a tight core of tannins and fruit with both spicy and savoury edges. Give it time to breathe if opening soon - it has a long life ahead. Click to see full details | |
| Ornellaia, Le Volte Dell'Ornellaia | Toscana | 2019 | 91 | An enjoyable and expressive third wine from Ornellaia that delivers herbal intensity and juicy, well-defined fruit flavours. Raspberry and blackcurrant meld with rustic Mediterranean herbs underpinned by bright acidity. Good sense of direction and poise, full-bodied with intensity but also pleasant to drink now. Click to see full details | |
| Ornellaia, Poggio alle Gazze dell'Ornellaia | Toscana | 2019 | 94 | Clean and crisp on the nose, this smells inviting with a white florality and fresh fruit aroma to it full of peach, pear and green apple alongside baked vanilla notes. Aromatic on the palate too with candied lemon peel and pear notes and hints of spice on the finish which adds interest and structure. Excellent concentration, opulent and generous with a nice roundness to the overall feel. Will age well. Made from 91% Sauvignon Blanc and 9% Viognier. Click to see full details | |
| Philipponnat, Clos des Goisses | Champagne | 2012 | 95 | A wonderful nose blending a wonderful combination of fruit and sweet patisserie elements - lemon, apple, grapefruit and pear with buttery biscuit and roasted hazelnut notes. The palate is strikingly bright filled with textured, lively and persistent bubbles underpinned by balanced acidity and depth of flavour overall. A really well-constructed Champagne from the acclaimed 2012 vintage giving body, weight, precision and drive with a long length. Each sip is so satisfying. Disgorged in April 2021 after eight years on the lees, 60% aged in Burgundy barrels and 40% in stainless steel. A dosage of 4.5g/l which is the same for every Clos des Goisses. This, alongside with the 1996 vintage are new to the Place de Bordeaux this year with Philipponnat the first Champagne house to use the distribution network. Click to see full details | |
| Philipponnat, Clos des Goisses | Champagne | 1996 | 99 | A special back-vintage release of the Clos des Goisses 1996 which has seen no other official commercial sales since its initial disgorgement. The bottles being offered via the Place de Bordeaux, which amount to less than 1,000, were disgorged in March 2021 having spent 24 years on their lees. A beautiful light caramel gold colour in the glass, this has aromatic intensity with a poised and delicate palate. So juicy and fresh, the high acidity of the 1996 vintage still evident with bright white fruits at the fore backed by buttery patisseries elements and some tertiary nuttiness around the sides of the mouth that give shape to the overall mouthfeel. An invigorating glass and one to savour the nuanced complexity. A dosage of 4.5g/l. Click to see full details | |
| Pierre Graffeuille and Matthieu Dumarcher, Odyssée | Vin de France | 2018 | 94 | A project from the winemaking pairing of Philippe Grafeuille of Léoville Las Cases and Matthieu Dumarcher, organic Côtes du Rhône specialist, this is intense on the nose with rich red fruits, black pepper, scrubland and liquorice spice. Lovely tannin structure and overall weight with flavour that just grips the palate in the best way and drives to the finish. Lots of direction and pleasant drinkability with the potential to age. Click to see full details | |
| Podere Giodo | Brunello di Montalcino | 2017 | 95 | This has a distinctive and aromatic nose with herbal aromas alongside red cherries and black bramble fruit. The palate is so juicy with such life and an almost sweet touch to the acidity. It tastes youthful and brimming with fervent energy - alive in the best possible way. Tannins are well integrated and the texture overall is smooth and refined. 30 months in 25hl and 40hl traditional Slavonian oak casks, followed by 18 months ageing in bottle. Click to see full details | |
| Podere Giodo, La Quinta | Toscana | 2019 | 93 | A younger interpretation of 100% Sangiovese labelled as Toscana IGT to minimise ageing requirements for earlier consumption. From a 3.5-hectare plot of 7-12 year-old vines, this is mouthwatering with a sweet, almost cherry-drop succulence to the palette. Bright and easy to enjoy with good drive and an energetic lift at the end. Silky with appeal. Aged for 12 months in 700l oak casks and 2,500l tapered oak vats followed by additional time in concrete before being bottled. Click to see full details | |
| Poggio Antico | Brunello di Montalcino | 2016 | 95 | A debut on the Place this year from a vintage hailed as one of the best in the last decade. Grapes come from a 30-hectare vineyard bought in 2017 by Belgian businessman Marcel van Poecke who has invested heavily in replantings and new cellar facilities. The texture and overall feel here are lovely - powerful and succulent bramble fruits fill the palate, gliding across the tongue while coffee grounds and dried herbs settle in the background giving structure and definition. This has an aerial quality with real finesse. Click to see full details | |
| Poggio Antico, Poggio Antico Riserva | Brunello di Montalcino | 2015 | 96 | From the excellent 2015 vintage comes this delicious Riserva. The palate is succulent and light, giving plenty of flavour; sour cherry, toffee - almost like a Caramac bar, coffee and liquorice. It’s actually quite heady without being heavy or plush, amazing intensity and elegance with an undercurrent of bright acidity driving things forward. Click to see full details | |
| Promontory | Napa Valley | 2015 | 97 | Silky and polished on the surface with a delicious wild and powerful rusticity underneath. This gives lots of intensely ripe red fruit but also concentrated savoury elements - coffee grains, black chocolate, black olives and pencil shavings - that draw you in and sustain interest. Incredibly well made with excellent texture and weight on the palate offering body and length. A serious wine, less focussed on bright acidity but still youthful with clear freshness. A four week harvest saw 54 harvest passes by hand and 40 different vat vinifications - excellent haute-couture winemaking by the Harlan family. Click to see full details | |
| Quintessa | Napa Valley (Rutherford) | 2018 | 96 | A less traditional style of wine in Napa Valley, this is lifted and charming with poise, powdery tannins and a chalky finish. Richly perfumed and wonderfully evocative on the nose, it’s seductive and inviting with black cherries, raspberries and blueberries alongside savoury notes of dried herbs. The flavours open and evolve on the palate bringing cocoa, tobacco and pencil lead into play underpinned by supple tannins. It’s powerful but on the leaner side, refined and elegant with a good sense of direction and drive - everything feels well placed and well defined. Tasted twice and both times were highly enjoyable. A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 2% Carmenére and 1% Petit Verdot. Wines are aged for 20 months in oak, 100% French, 62% new. Biodynamically grown and certified organic. Winemaker Rebekah Wineburg and estate director Rodrigo Soto. Click to see full details | |
| Santa Rita, Casa Real Reserva Especial | Maipo Valley | 2017 | 94 | A new wine for the Place de Bordeaux this year. This is Santa Rita's flagship wine, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon cuvée, cultivated in the Alto Jahuel region in the Maipo Valley. Liquorice and eucalyptus notes fill the aroma alongside dark fruits inviting you in. The palate is soft and smooth with precise, driving fruit and a lovely perfumed and refreshing edge. Excellently made and a brilliant wine to accompany food. Made by winemaker Sebastián Labbé, who took over the technical direction of Santa Rita in January 2017. After maceration skins are pressed using a vertical basket press. The press wines separated, matured and a key component of the final blend. The 2018 was aged in barrels for 18 months using 83 % new and 17 % second year French oak barrels and bottled without filtration or clarification. Click to see full details | |
| Seña | Aconcagua Valley | 2019 | 96 | The 25th anniversary bottling of Seña, created as a joint venture between Chilean Eduardo Chadwick and American Robert Mondavi in 1995 and now fully owned by the Chadwick family. This is rich, heady and intense on the nose with a palate that's layered and so moreish. There's a succulent to the fruit that hits you straight away, dropping the flavour squarely on the tongue, bold and powerful but wrapped up in velvet tannins that are so sleek. Well made, round with raspberry and blueberry fruit, coffee beans and a hint of salinity taking the complexity up a notch. Great stuff. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 15% Carmenere and 4% Petit Verdot. Click to see full details | |
| Telmo Rodriguez, Yjar | Rioja (Alavesa) | 2017 | 98 | The first time a Spanish Rioja has been offered via the Place de Bordeaux. The new wine by oenologist-winemaker Telmo Rodriguez, was definitely one of the wines of the tasting. It is a 3.8-hectare, single-vineyard cuvée from the limestone foothills of the Sierra de Toloño in Rioja Alavesa and made from a massal selection of Tempranillo, Graciano, Garnacha, Granegro and Rojal. A gorgeously dense and rich nose, concentrated and a balanced combination of perfumed elements, fruit and spices - cherries, ripe plums and liquorice. Tannins gently settle on the tongue but the flavours are impactful and so precise. It’s a bold wine but seriously defined and charming, super fresh and elegant. And you really feel the limestone terroir in the clarity and cleanliness of flavour. Superb. A production of 7,000 bottles that will be sold in its entirety through Bordeaux. Click to see full details | |
| Tenuta Sette, Orma | Toscana | 2019 | 94 | From 20-year-old vines located between Ornellaia and Sassicaia, Orma’s main wine is a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. The fragranced aromas really stand out here, perfumed red and black fruits alongside spicy eucalyptus. Tannins are present and coat the mouth with dense blackcurrant flavours. There’s power and freshness here, and definitely an elegance to the overall feel of the wine, but this is tight and somewhat closed at the moment. One to hold on to for a few years. Click to see full details | |
| Tenuta Sette, Ponti Passi di Orma | Bolgheri | 2019 | 92 | The second wine from Orma which has 5.5 hectares of Bordeaux varietals under vine situated between Ornellaia and Sassicaia’s vineyards in Bolgheri. Made from a blend of 15-year-old vines grown in deep pebble/clay soils, this has a gorgeous combination of herbal aromas and rich, dark fruits. Seductive on the palate with a juicy core, not so high in acidity but round and full. Six months ageing in small barrels, six months ageing in bottle. Click to see full details | |
| Wynns, Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon | Coonawarra | 2018 | 97 | Second year on the Place de Bordeaux for the flagship wine John Riddoch first made by Wynns in 1982 from the best available Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown in the estate’s Coonawarra vineyards. This has a lovely distinct nose full of black fruits, menthol touches and mineral wet stone notes. Plush on the palate, this has chewy but fine and barely-there tannins that grip gently and caress the fruit all the way through the palate. Incredible freshness, from generous acidity, as well as intensity and the cooling menthol elements with lively blackcurrant is so enjoyable. An excellent wine with real personality from long-standing winemaker Sue Hodder. Grapes are matured for 15 months in French barriques and hogsheads (35% new), with the remainder in 2-3 year old barrels.
Additional tasting note by David Sly in Coonawarra, South Australia, 16 Oct 2020. 97 points. Taking shape as it matures in barrel, this is a lively, feisty youth, with pronounced savoury tones wrapped around the fresh bite of ripe red plum and blackcurrant. With no signs of juvenile awkwardness, the luxurious palate is piqued with rhubarb bite and seductive cedar, resulting in a spirited tussle with the rich fruit notes. Time will tell which elements seize the upper hand. Click to see full details |