New vintages of renowned wines from France and beyond, including Italy, the US, Australia, Argentina, Chile, China, New Zealand 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 all 104 wines being released on the Place de Bordeaux this September.
Wines are listed white then red, in score order, by country. Click 'view' to expand the row revealing the tasting note.
| Producer | Country | Vintage | Score | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | |||||
| Zuccardi, Fosil, Uco Valley | Argentina | 2022 | 95 | From San Pablo, one of the coldest places in the Uco Valley, at roughly 1,400m above sea level and 300m from the nearest mountain. This smells gorgeous with hints of tropical fruit; pineapple and lime, peach, apricot, even mango with a minty, herbal element and dots of chamomile too, crisp as well as enveloping on the palate, round and vibrant, such a thrill with clarity and persistence. Round, succulent but sharp, with a lovely light touch in terms of texture. Mouthwateringly clean with a stone-laced finish. So pure and real, a transparent expression of the place with focus on the texture, juiciness and fruit. A beautiful length too, this makes you want another sip straight away. A totally captivating wine with amazing energy, tension and thrill, combining bitterness, salinity and exotic fruit with an underlying crystalline purity and a residual, almost sugary, hit that lingers. A brilliant wine from winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi. 90% fermented in concrete, 10% in 500l old barrels. Ageing 90% concrete, 10% barrels for one year. No malolactic fermentation. Click to see full details | |
| Zuccardi, Botanico, Uco Valley (Gualtallary) | Argentina | 2022 | 94 | From grapes in the Monasterio vineyard, 1,350m high in Gualtallary, in the Uco Valley and 17km from the nearest mountain. Fragrant orange and floral touches with green apple - fruit forward and intensely expressive on the nose aided by some tropical hints too. Slightly richer and more full than Fosil which is more straight and piercing, but this still gives a kick on the palate with honeyed lemon and lime, no sweetness, but an unctuous juiciness that makes the mouth water as well as filling it with flavour. Some bitter touches, grapefruit and freshly picked pineapple, this has bite and grip on the finish, the bitterness lingering on the tongue. Sunny fruit, a wide expression and such generosity while still maintaining purity and focus and bite. Characterful, pure and focussed, this is a slightly wider, supple style with generosity from start to finish. Winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi. Click to see full details | |
| Red | |||||
| Catena Zapata, Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae, Uco Valley | Argentina | 2020 | 98 | From the 1.4ha vineyard at almost 1,3900m elevation, this 100% Malbec is intensely fragrant and floral on the nose with milk chocolate and pink flowers. So lovely, smooth, silky and chalky, a subtle and satisfying balance between lively acidity, concentrated fruit and knitted tannin structure. Ripe but controlled, gorgeous salinity and spice throughout as well as pure blackcurrant and cherry fruit. Savoury aspects dominate the finish but this has a lot to like and feels well constructed with a juicy core. A gorgeous wine with serious ageing potential. The long finish makes you want another glass straight away. Ageing 18 months in French oak barrels. Winemaker Alejandro Vigil. Click to see full details | |
| Catena Zapata, Nicolás Catena Zapata, Mendoza | Argentina | 2020 | 97 | Wonderfully aromatic and nuanced on the nose, so alive and open. Energetic and lively on the palate, this has so much spark and brightness to it. Really compelling from the first sip, the tannins ample and cushioning the slick black fruit and accompanying savoury spices. Feels lean and taught, but with so much flair. Really a lovely expression, so generous and well defined. Youthful as you'd expect right now but when this softens it will be a beauty. Just gorgeous, with a minty fresh finish. Wine director Alejandro Vigil, winemaker Fernando Buscema. Click to see full details | |
| Zuccardi, Finca Canal Uco, Uco Valley (Paraje Altamira) | Argentina | 2020 | 96 | An alluring nose full of blackcurrants and softly fragrant plums with berry notes, damsons, milk chocolate and floral violets and crushed rose petals. Soft, smooth, succulent and sumptuous, this 100% Malbec comes from the distinctive high-altitude Finca Canal Uco, 1,100m high with alluvial and calcareous soils in Paraja Altamira. It immediately expands in the mouth giving a combination of textured tannins, bright fruits and minerality in the chalk, graphite, liquorice, slate and wet stones aspects. This feels so precise and well put together with plentiful and pure fruit, salinity, chalkiness and juiciness. Gorgeous frame, stylish, confident and compelling. A round mouthfeel with persistence and crushed velvet in texture. Seductive and moreish, a bright and true expression which craves food and a long time to contemplate how wonderful it is. Utterly drinkable form the supremely talented and devout winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi. 3.56pH. 100% whole bunch fermentation, 15 day maceration and ageing in concrete vats before being bottled after the next harvest. 3.56pH. 100% whole bunch fermentation, 15-day maceration and ageing in concrete. Click to see full details | |
| Zuccardi, Aluvional, Uco Valley (Gualtallary) | Argentina | 2020 | 96 | Dark fruits, olive tapenade with savoury, herbal, dried scrubland notes on the nose. Rich, fleshy, round and juicy, a generous and forward expression straight away, chalky too. So charming, open and expressive with purity and clarity but super fun and friendly. I love the expression, it makes you want food and gives Malbec typicity more than some of the other Zuccardi wines but still with tension and elegant overall presentation of the tannins. Ends chalky and fresh, mentholated with tobacco, liquorice, dark chocolate and really dark blackcurrants, cherries and plums. Here the challenge is to keep finesse and winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi has succeeded. I love the openness, it's out to please and shine and it does - friendly, juicy, full of flavour and ripeness, but you know it still has finesse and nothing feels overworked. From vines at 1,350m on limestone. Never 100% whole bunch fermented, usually between 30-50% for this wine. Click to see full details | |
| Viña Cobos, Malbec, Uco Valley | Argentina | 2020 | 96 | Blackcurrant, dark chocolate and vanilla on the nose, rich and forward, open and expressive. This 100% Malbec (75% from Uco Valley and 25% from Luján de Cuyo) is round, ripe and generous - stylish in the presentation and mouthfeel of the tannins and clarity of fruit - feels quite heady and opulent but retains a sense of cool classicism in the silkiness and succulence. This is out to shine, it's bold, heady, rich and spiced - but also nuanced and flashy too. A touch of alcohol on the finish reminds you this is a serious wine and not for the fainthearted but there's lots to like here. 100% spontaneous malolactic fermentation, aged 18 months in French oak barrels (59% new). Harvested March 3-5, the earliest in Mendoza's history. Click to see full details | |
| Bodegas Caro, Mendoza | Argentina | 2021 | 95 | Gorgeous scents on the nose full of cocoa powder and ripe, black bramble fruit. Smooth and silky, this 79% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon is pure and full of flavour with rich blackcurrant fruit alongside graphite and liquorice but with a lightness of touch in terms of tannic strength. Chewy and ripe yet so delicious and cool in the mouth with clear tobacco and clove spice giving the nuance. It's on the more refined side, clearly sculpted with silky tannins and a long, clean and extended finish. So much style, feels well worked with personality and a sense of class. First time breaking from exclusive sales and being released via the Place de Bordeaux. Winemaker Olivier Tregoat. Click to see full details | |
| Cheval des Andes, Uco Valley | Argentina | 2020 | 95 | This almost half-half Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec with 2% Petit Verdot is rich and full in the mouth. Tannins are massy and filling, this has power and dominance with concentrated blackcurrant, plum and black cherry fruit. Highly spiced and sunkissed, this is intense and quite a force on the palate with liquorice, black pepper and tobacco tones and a flinty mineral aspect on the finish. The alcohol sticks out a touch, just lingering with heat at the end, but it has freshness and matches the altogether hefty frame and power from start to finish. Certainly a punchy and confident wine that's out to shine. 3.83pH. Ageing 22 months, 40% in 225l Bordeaux barrels, 405 in 400l barrels, 20% in 2,500l foudres (50% new). Winemaker Gérald Gabillet. Click to see full details | |
| Zuccardi, Aluvional, Uco Valley (Paraje Altamira) | Argentina | 2020 | 95 | The Alluvional range started in 2008 with winemaker Sebastian Zuccardi vinifying three specific sites in three different villages. Vines were planted in 2009 and these wines see no oak, only concrete for fermentation and ageing to minimise micro-oxygenation and retain the delicate tannic structure. 100% whole bunch fermentation, no carbonic maceration, grapes are crushed then destemmed before being fermented by spontaneous indigenous yeasts. This is from Paraje Altamira at 1,300m above sea level, it has fragrant parma violet scents on the nose alongside dark chocolate with blackcurrant, dried herbs, thyme, szechuan peppercorns and mint leaves. Intense and concentrated on the palate, slick and straight but with a gorgeous texture that gives supreme bite and tang (harvest was 15 days before normal to keep the high level of freshness). This has an almost under ripe note, some green pepper with crisp, bitter spices, but so well held together. Clearly youthful and not entirely speaking so loudly at the moment, but the frame is sleek and finessed, poised - this feels well made, well structured and purposeful. Not so wide, but certainly fills the mouth with tenison and zing, the juicy mouthwatering and very mineral nature of the fruit comes after a few seconds still with the tight tannins giving the electricity and sharpness. I love it, feels very raw and transparent. Click to see full details | |
| La Violeta, Mendoza | Argentina | 2014 | 94 | Highly aromatic on the nose, smells heady, toasted and sun kissed and giving a serious nod to alcohol. Juicy and succulent on the palate however, mouthwatering but with quite a lean profile, it's lost some of its baby fat and has tight tannins and a firm structure with a long, cool, minty finish. Retains the sense of heat and compactness the whole way through with ripe plum, blueberry and blackcurrant fruit, coffee powder, liquorice and sweet tobacco on the finish. It's well delivered with seriously perfumed, scented, heady and opulent flavours. Ageing 24-36 months in new French barrels followed by five years in bottle before release. Winemaker José Mounier with consultant winemakers Marcelo Pelleriti and Michel Rolland. Click to see full details | |
| White | |||||
| Kracher, Trockenbeerenauslese Grande Cuvée N° 4, Nouvelle Vague, Burgenland | Austria | 2020 | 98 | The second release on the Place de Bordeaux, and a stunning wine from Gerhard Kracher in 2020. Beautifully honeyed caramel, lemon, peach and apricot notes on the nose, candied, dried and fresh with salted caramel and biscuit aromas too. Freshness straight away, a scintillating acidity that lifts the expression instantly and gives energy, life and focus. This is sweet no doubt, and you feel the richness in the weight and texture, but it also has this amazing salty, minerality underneath not only giving nuance and complexity but offsetting the sugary, ginger, cinnamon, pineapple and pear mid palate. A wonderfully compelling wine, with so much crystalline purity and ease about it. Defined, focussed, interesting and perfectly balanced. I absolutely adore it! 210g residual sugar. 7.6g/l acidity. Chardonnay fermented in barriques and Welschriesling in large wooden barrels for 30 months. Like last year, a special wooden collection box will also be available featuring this wine and other cuvées of different grape varieties and sweetness levels (this one being number four). Click to see full details | |
| Cloudburst, Chardonnay, Margaret River | Australia | 2021 | 97 | Quite a herbal fragrance and scented nose, toasted bread, dried herbs, salted crackers, chamomile, white flowers and dried lemon peel. Fresh and forward on the palate, this has a crystalline purity to the lemon and lime fruit - so clean, precise and well worked - but with a buttery element that gives weight and texture to the palate while the acidity keeps things lifted and the spice drives from start to finish. Feels a little constricted at the moment, not overly friendly, more serious and knitted - gourmet - but there's appealing minerality on the final flavour, salty stones and white pepper. A great wine from Will Berliner from 1.25 hectares farmed biodynamically in Margaret River. Click to see full details | |
| Red | |||||
| Jim Barry, The Armagh Shiraz, Clare Valley | Australia | 2019 | 98 | Wild roses, smoked meats, perfumed strawberries and green peppercorns, I love the nose on this wine. Broad and imposing straight away, layered and deep the tannins make the first mark, really filling the mouth with a chalky, velvety plushness that is massy and so wide. The tannins do most of the talking but once they subside and melt into the cheeks, the spiced red berry fruit, liquorice, flint/slate, tobacco, clove, dark chocolate cinnamon and leather come through - this is full of complexity, muscle and power yet carries so much aromatic interest. Clearly still young and not as generous or easy going as the 2018 at this point last year but this is built to last and has something so utterly charming and inviting about it. Totally moreish and delightful. I adore this wine but put it away and come back to it in a few years. 3.5pH. Ageing 18 months in French oak. Winemakers Peter and Tom Barry. Click to see full details | |
| Cloudburst, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River | Australia | 2020 | 97 | Smells heady and gorgeously perfumed, so aromatic and expressive. Fragrant pink and red flowers and red summer berry fruits, you wouldn't necessarily pick this for a Cabernet at all with hints of dried herbs too. Pure and focussed on the palate, a lovely sleek, silky texture with the most lovely juiciness, really quite light and well framed with the delicacy of the elements showing through - subtle florality, creamy-herbal strawberries with balancing acidity and slightly firm but fine tannins give the support underneath the fruit. Round and generous, so well controlled and presented, easy to drink and enjoy today. It's not at all thick or velvety, more lean and straight than I was expecting with some sharpness but it feels like it's been sculpted with sinew lingering on the tongue followed by a menthol finish. This has absolute class about with fragrance from the 3% Malbec and elements of herbal, dried spices and a graphite, iron and liquorice tang on the finish. Absolutely moreish. From a 2ha biodynamically-farmed plot carved out of wild bushland. Winemaker Will Berliner. 3.8pH. Click to see full details | |
| Wynns, John Riddoch, Coonawarra | Australia | 2020 | 96 | Bright and clear nose, so fresh and fragrant, smells amazingly inviting with perfumed raspberries, blackcurrants and black cherries with savoury olives, thyme, violets and liquorice. Concentrated yet graceful in terms of the silky smooth texture, the tannins glide across the palate, lifted by mouthwatering acidity but so full of flavour, depth and life. Definitely on the lighter, brighter side, not lean as such but really juicy, forward, energetic and ample, yet not heavy in the slightest. A slight undercurrent of sunshine, but there's such finesse and freshness. Generous and harmonious with focus. Tannins are at the fore, filling the mouth, but soft and plush, velvety with appealing plum, chalky slate and black pepper spice. There is so much to love about this, still youthful, but well worked, charming, lively and extremely drinkable. A joyful and truly elegant wine with soul. Ageing 17 months in French barriques and hogsheads, 23% new, 45% one year old and 32% two years old. Winemakers Sue Hodder and Sarah Pidgeon. 3.5pH. Click to see full details | |
| Viñedo Chadwick, Alto Maipo | Chile | 2021 | 98 | The moderately cool 2021 growing season gave a long, even ripening that preserved the acidity and gives this wine elegance and finesse. This smells wonderful, full of chocolate, salted caramel, vanilla, fragrant blackcurrants, roses and raspberries - simply gorgeous. Crunchy and chewy, the best combination of being fully flavoured and densely textured with high, mouthwatering acidity that lifts the mouthfeel and creates such a joyful expression. Direct and focussed, this doesn't deviate too much from the centre of the palate, but it has energy and drive with a soft expansions of dried herbs, flowers and ripe berries. It's more the texture and the finish that leaves such an impression - you just want another sip straight away, with cool refreshing mint, tobacco and liquorice spice adding the nuance on the persistent finish. Utterly sublime. Ageing 22 months, 80% in new French oak barrels, 20% in foudres. Click to see full details | |
| Seña, Aconcagua Valley | Chile | 2021 | 97 | The moderately cool conditions of the year have produced an intensely fragrant and concentrated wine on the nose - this smells powerful and expressive. Smooth, silky and seductive with crystalline, succulent and ample fruit - blackcurrants, cherries and strawberries, but mostly black fruit, with clear menthol, clove, cocoa and a liquorice tang. Bright and lifted, this has clear personality and such a stylish execution. Full and round, forward and intense, but delivered with poise. A delicious wine with so much to like not least the exceptional acidity coupled with the depth and width giving a complete wine with intensity and refinement. Everything feels carefully considered but still giving flavour and verve. Ageing 22 months, 90% French oak barrels (70% new), 10% in foudres. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec, 17% Carménère and 6% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Winemaker Francisco Baettig. Click to see full details | |
| Clos Apalta, Apalta | Chile | 2020 | 97 | A great effort in the hot and dry 2020, COVID-19 vintage with the earliest harvest ever. The grand vin shows power, richness and tons of fruit but retains a sense of charisma and direction that is so compelling. Bright, forward, sleek and silky, tannins enrobe the palate creating a cushion for the ripe blackcurrants and blueberries, bright acidity and underlying spice to meld together. A large percentage of Carmenere at 64% gives the fragrance and backbone while 19% Cabernet Sauvignon adds texture and depth, 13% Merlot bringing freshness and acidity and 2% Petit Verdot adding spice, colour and richness. Only just beginning to really express itself with liquorice, eucalyptus, figs, plums and a salty-wet stone minerality that comes in on the finish. Despite the intensity, this is layered and well sculpted with tons of pleasure to be had with a few more years ageing. Ageing 27 months in 225L French oak barrels, 85% new, 15% two years old. 3.7pH. Winemaker and viticulturist Andrea Leon kept more leaf coverage, a thicker and higher trellis and natural cover crops during the vintage to moderate the high temperatures. Bottles for this, and the second wine, are now made in Chile as of this vintage and have reduced in weight by 10% in a bid to increase sustainability. Clos Apalta now also featuring its name embossed in the glass at the bottom of the bottle. Click to see full details | |
| Santa Rita, Casa Real Reserve, Alto Maipo | Chile | 2020 | 96 | One of the hottest vintages of the decade, 2020 was a challenging year coping with the dry growing conditions yet this remains juicy and succulent with tangy acidity. Green pepper, cooling menthol and blackcurrant aromas on the nose. Round and enveloping on the palate, with spiced strawberry, red cherry and chalky raspberries. I love the mineral tang with tannins that have a grippy, salty stoniness that nicely combines with clearly ripe black berry fruit and a lifted finish. So well made, utterly lovely now with accents of clove, cinnamon, toast and vanilla but with excellent ageing potential. Charming, lively, upfront and complex from talented winemaker Sebastián Labbé. 3.56pH. The wine was aged in barrels for 20 months, 85% new and 15% French oak. Winemaker Sebastiàn Labbé. Click to see full details | |
| Montes, Muse, Alto Maipo | Chile | 2020 | 96 | Full and fleshy, gorgeous intensity and power straight away with the most juicy, plush tannins that fill the mouth creating a bounce and chew that is delicious yet this also keeps focus and push from start to finish. Feels well made, sophisticated and full of flavour. I love the texture, tannins are just excellently integrated and the acidity makes this so appealing to drink now but will also enable it to age well. Sumptuous, stylish and sassy. The second release of this new, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine from vines on alluvial terraces 460m above sea level at the foothills of the Andes in Alto Maipo. wine from Aurelio Montes Snr and Jnr. Click to see full details | |
| Seña, Rocas de Seña, Aconcagua Valley | Chile | 2021 | 94 | Dark chocolate, black pepper, herbal fruit - so much nuance and aroma on the nose. Juicy and supple, lively and fun, lots of playful red and black berry flavours with tight, spiced tannins and such lovely grip and personality. A fun, easy-going wine with plenty to like and lots of Cabernet and Malbec signature on show. Vibrant, juicy and stylish with mouthwatering acidity and a pristine, pure and precise aspect to the fruit with lingering liquorice and tobacco on the finish. An enjoyable wine from the cooler 2021 vintage. 9.8% Garnacha, 8.7% Petit Verdot and 5.4% Mourvèdre completes the blend. Ageing 22 months, 95% in French oak barrels (40% new) and 5% in concrete eggs. Winemaker Francisco Baettig. Click to see full details | |
| Clos Apalta, Petit Clos, Apalta | Chile | 2020 | 93 | Bright, brooding and intense on the nose; dark, heady and ripe black fruits with spiced edges and a subtle florality. Smooth and succulent but punchy on the palate, tannins are silky and well integrated and do well to underpin the fruitiness and liveliness of the expression. As usual Carmenere is the star with 40% of the blend alongside 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Youthful and exuberant, the team kept leaves on the vines and natural cover crops to cope with the sunlight, heat and lack of water in 2020, and despite the 15% alcohol this has 3.59pH with acidity that lifts the palate and avoids any heaviness. Rich but sleek, this is full of red cherries, cedar spice, soft herbal touches and finishes with a menthol freshness that is lovely. Will improve with age but great for mid-term drinking to enjoy the fresh vibrancy. Ageing 26 months in 225l French oak barrels, 53% new, 42% two years old. From this vintage, the bottles are now made in Chile and are 10% lighter in a bid to increase sustainability. WInemaker Andrea Leon. Click to see full details | |
| White - Sparkling | |||||
| Philipponnat, Les Cintres, Champagne | France | 2012 | 99 | A spectacular 100% Pinot Noir from inside the Clos de Goisses walled vineyard, only made in the best vintages, and new to the Place de Bordeaux this year. Raspberry and rose petal aromas on the nose with blackcurrants and strawberries too. Dense and concentrated on the palate but tons of energy and freshness too - rich, ripe fruit flavours and a muscular, firm frame but no fat. Juicy and succulent, intense, full and powerful initially then settles and expands making way for the tangy strawberry and lemon sherbet elements to shine. So lively, youthful and upfront with a chiselled backbone and generous interplay between a sweet and dry mouthfeel. Red berries mingle with peach, salty stones, floral accents and a soft undercurrent of orange zest and yet finishes with a menthol freshness that is so captivating. Cheek sucking and totally delicious - what a wine! Dosage 4.3gl. 100% fermented in oak barrels of one year old then ageing nine years on the lees. Disgorged June 2022. 2,176 bottles produced. Click to see full details | |
| Lanson, Le Clos Lanson, Champagne | France | 2008 | 97 | Smells quite autolytic, yeasty and bready, nutty too with faint florality and touches of salt - expressive and open on the nose with caramel, vanilla and buttery toast accents. Sharp and highly acidic on the palate with piercing citrus fruit aromas give this an immediate tang and edges and a tight frame offering some tension still. So frothy and lively, fresh and forward, this has an elegance to it that is really compelling with zing and a burst of lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit as well as some stony minerality that comes towards the finish. Bright, zesty and almost a bit sour, but there's concentration all the way through and this rounds out nicely. Still young but a compelling wine right now. Ageing 12 years on its lees and six months post disgorgement. 4g/l Extra Brut. Grapes come from a 1ha single vineyard farmed biodynamically, and certified HVE since 2019. Library release. Director Emmanuel Gantet, winemaker Hervé Dantan. Click to see full details | |
| Philipponnat, Clos des Goisses, Champagne, 2014 | France | 2014 | 97 | From the 5.83-hectare walled vineyard in a cooler, 'classic' vintage for Champagne, giving this a finessed and charming expression. Baked pastry and soft lemon curd notes on the nose, smells inviting and softly floral - honeysuckle, jasmine, lemon and lime rind with some peach. Juicy and so zesty straight away, bright, mouthwateing, scintillatingly fresh and lively, thrilling even, with tiny persistent bubbles that instantly froth and fill the mouth. Alive and energetic with lemon rind and juice, succulent green apples and strawberries, grapefruit and ginger bitterness with touches of salinity and graphite dotting the finish. This makes you instantly want another glass, but this has structure too and such a long finish. No malolactic fermentation. Dosage 4.5g/l. Made by Charles Philipponnat and Thierry Garnier. Click to see full details | |
| Thiénot, La Vigne aux Gamins Extra Brut, Champagne, 2011 | France | 2011 | 97 | The second vintage released on the Place de Bordeaux, a 100% Chardonnay from Avize made with no malolactic fermented and aged only in stainless steel tanks. A beautiful light, white gold colour in the glass, belying its 12 year age. So lifted, fresh and lively on the nose, pure and precise with citrus fruit and green orchard fruit aromatics - lemon and lime zest. Clean and clear on the palate, a true and transparent expression of succulent Chardonnay with energy, focus and interest. Balanced and harmonious, nothing out of place, not too sharp or too intense - a dosage of 2g/l 'was sufficient' says winemaker Nicolas Uriel and it really works to give a generous but controlled mouthfeel with lift, brightness and cool freshness all the way through, especially on the finish. Satisfying and extremely drinkable. From vines averaging 80 years old on pure limestone. Click to see full details | |
| Philipponnat, Clos des Goisses L.V., Champagne | France | 1998 | 96 | A library release of around 600 bottles from Philipponnat's oenotheque range. Salty aromas on the nose with fresh almonds - you can smell age and richness but the colour is remarkable, not at all deep gold or brown more bright gold, this smells older than it looks. Lots of pear, ripe and fresh with vanilla, sandalwood, floral scents and softly spiced accents on the nose alongside a faint truffle aroma. The palate is focussed and straight with an iodine, lemon and lime tang in the middle while the edges carry the maturity with smoked meat, cepe, buttery toast, vanilla cream pastry, salt and a touch of exotic fruit. Persistent, intense, complex, rich and so intriguing - a real ride of flavour and texture. A wonderful treat to taste a historic vintage direct from the estate and to be able to compare it to the initial release if you have any. Dosage 4.25g/l. Click to see full details | |
| Château d'Avize - Leclerc Briant, Blanc de Blancs, Champagne | France | 2013 | 95 | A 100% Brut-Zero Chardonnay, disgorged in April 2023. This has a gorgeous nutty nose with brioche and toasted almond aromas - smells nicely mature with soft buttery and floral notes. Crisp and dry on the palate, clean and lively, with tiny persistent bubbles. Tons of citrus - lemon and lime but also vanilla, ground almonds, acacia and just-baked pastry flavours with underlying mineral aspects and bitter grapefruit spice that settles on the tongue. Juicy and mouthwatering, super fresh and bright with crispness all the way through and a long, elegant finish. Dosage 2.3g/l. Winemaker Hervé Jestin. Click to see full details | |
| Barons de Rothschild, Rare Collection Blancs de Blancs, Champagne | France | 2013 | 95 | Smells fruity and forward on the nose - expressive and alive with lime, peach and floral notes - very pretty aromatics. Fully flavoured, this has a zing and richness giving body and lovely high acidity with rounded buttery peach and apple and citrus fruit flavours. Frothy and filling in the mouth, this has a gorgeous structure, full bodied and ample, quite a serious take on the vintage where you feel the body more than just the fruit and lively bubbles but the power is controlled as is the sharp kick of bright acidity. Ends with a mineral, almost black pepper note, subtly reminding you this still is still young and has so much potential. A wine to enjoy today and age. Dosage 5g/l. Director Frédéric Mairesse, winemaker Guillaume Lété. Click to see full details | |
| White | |||||
| Domaine de la Chapelle, Le Chevalier de Sterimberg, Hermitage | France | 2021 | 96 | Fragrant and super expressive on the nose, smells incredibly aromatic with white flowers and stone fruit. Crisp and filling on the palate, a gorgeous combination of spicy, mouth watering, zesty citrus and mineral touches - wet stone, slate, liquorice, clove, toast and lemon. Not so expansive, more linear and direct, quite tense with the flavours sticking to one line in the middle surrounded by a tight frame but there's complexity and concentration. Juicy, clean, long and tongue scraping. Feels well made. 3.30pH. Fermentation takes place in natural concrete eggs and a few demi-muids. Grapes come from 4 hectares farmed organically since 2016 and biodynamically since 2018. The first time this wine by Caroline Frey joins the Place de Bordeaux. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Chapuis, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Burgundy | France | 2020 | 95 | New to the Place de Bordeaux this year. From a 1ha plot of vines in Corton Charlemagne. Soft white flowers and subtle toasted edge on the nose, charred caramel, jasmine and vanilla pasty. Bright and sharp on the palate, lean and almost austere save for the thickness of the texture with a spiced honey and pear edge. Angular but so delicious and well worked, full of nuance and interest giving the wine a complex whole. Crystalline puritty, lovely sense of confidence and length. Clearly still young and tense, with some constriction, but graceful, energetic, lively, spiced and full of interest. I love it, long and lingering. Balanced, invigorating and uber charming. Pierre Chapuis winemaker. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Terrebrune, Blanc, Bandol | France | 2022 | 93 | Clean and fresh on the nose, fragrant and expressive with white floral scents, dried apricots, dried Mediterranean herbs and aniseed. Crisp and lifted with strawberry, orange and rose elements, aromatic and interesting with a herbal element that gives a sense of place and coats the mouth with a warming, spiced touch. Full and well made, would pair well with hearty meals. Great typicity and enjoyability on offer. A blend of 50% Clairette, 20% Ugni Blanc, 20% Bourboulenc, 5% Rolle and 5% Marsanne. Vinification in stainless steel tanks, concrete eggs and half-muids of 600l for six months. Owners Reynald Delille and Jean d'Arthuys with winemaker Daniel Abrial. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Baronarques, Blanc, Limoux | France | 2021 | 93 | This 9% Chardonnay, 5% Chenin Blanc has aromas of toasted elements on the nose; charred oak, soft floral hints and cooked lemon, white blossom and subtle pastry notes. Smooth and supple on the palate with a juicy core and lots of energy straight away which nicely counters the quite thick, almost heavy texture. Feels quite serious, but the citrus fruit is so lean and precise, really crystalline giving this a focused and detailed edge which is quite delicious. Mouthwatering acidity and a long length, there's lots to like here. The first time on the Place de Bordeaux for this wine, owned by Vignoble Baron Philippe de Rothschild (of Château Mouton-Rothschild and Clerc Milon). Director Augustin Deschamps, winemaker Fabrice Boullier. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Chapuis, Chorey-lès-Beaune, Burgundy | France | 2020 | 92 | New to the Place de Bordeaux this year. Crystalline and clear, fresh on the nose, lightly fragrant with white floral notes and lemon, quince, pear and apple notes. Fresh and really lively, zesty lemon with a butteriness that coats the mouth instantly with soft flecks of caramel, curd, toast and vanilla. Easy to drink and enjoy, well made with energy and sustains the flavour to a long, lingering finish. Mouthwatering and fun, not the most complex but I love the weight and texture this has. Winemaker Pierre Chapuis. Click to see full details | |
| La Bouche du Roi, Le Grand Lever, Ile de France | France | 2022 | 92 | A 100% Chenin Blanc new to the Place de Bordeaux this year. White flowers and grassy notes on the nose; gooseberry, green apple and pear. Crisp and sharp, straight and well defined with a core of high acidity, juicy lemon and lime - thrilling, focussed and textured. A little toasted and youthful still, it needs to shake off its oak cloak, but this has a clean character with precision and clarity and a really lovely juiciness that lifts the expression and gives an element of sweetness too. Lovely. One of three new whites (plus three reds) making their debut on the Place this September. The winemaking project on Versailles land, unsuitable for growing crops, was launched by the team behind Paris' first urban winery, Winerie Parisienne; Adrien Pélissié, Julien Bengué and oenologist Julien Brustis. Click to see full details | |
| La Bouche du Roi, Grande Vue, Ile de France | France | 2022 | 90 | This 100% Sauvignon Blanc has crisp green apple and elderflower nuances on the nose. Sharp, tangy and instantly lively on the palate, fun and thrilling with a lovely energy and sense of precision to the bright, almost sour lemon, green apple and gooseberry fruit. Light, very gently creamy which counters the acidity and gives some structure. A little toasted and spiced on the finish though which cuts shorts the fruit and leaves some bitter oakiness. Ageing in 300 and 400l oak barrels. One of three new whites (plus three reds) making their debut on the Place de Bordeaux this year. The winemaking project on Versailles land, unsuitable for growing crops, was launched by the team behind Paris' first urban winery, Winerie Parisienne; Adrien Pélissié, Julien Bengué and oenologist Julien Brustis. Click to see full details | |
| La Bouche du Roi, Les Louis d'Or, Ile de France | France | 2022 | 88 | This 100% Chardonnay is full of buttery, creamy lemon and lime on the nose with floral notes too. Lovely roundness and gentle expression, lively mouthwatering citrus fruits, lots of grapefruit, white peach, orange and lemon with spicy and toasted notes but not so persistent. Loses some grip and intensity towards the finish, but good initial burst of flavour and lovely texture throughout. One of three new whites (plus three reds) making their debut on the Place de Bordeaux this year. The winemaking project on Versailles land, unsuitable for growing crops, was launched by the team behind Paris' first urban winery, Winerie Parisienne; Adrien Pélissié, Julien Bengué and oenologist Julien Brustis. Click to see full details | |
| Barons de Rothschild, Rare collection Rosé, Champagne | France | 2013 | 94 | Strawberries and cream, vanilla and brioche notes on the nose with red berries too. Frothy and filling, ths has a succulent palate, instantly quiet mouthwatering with strawberry freshness and some herbal spice too which gives nuance and complexity. I love the construction, feels serious and gourmet - one to have with food. Lots of citrus zest too, lively, fresh, round and forward. Keeps the refinement, this is a lovely, easy-drinking wine with plenty to like. Feels classy and well made with smoke and graphite minerality on the finish that ends the wine on a different note that just pure fruit. Dosage 4g/l. Director Frédéric Mairesse, winemaker Guillaume Lété. Click to see full details | |
| Red | |||||
| Domaine de la Chapelle, La Chapelle, Hermitage | France | 2021 | 96 | Floral and fragrant on the nose, so beautifully expressive and inviting. Clean and clear, so smooth and seductive with strawberry, cherry and raspberry with soft florality and a tight, wet stone, slate edge giving an iron and mineral tang. Hints of blood orange - bitter zest - with clove and wood spice, pepper tobacco and liquorice too. Fun and friendly, packed full of flavour with lovely, well-integrated tannins, barely there, all the flavour and concentration is coming from the fruit. Not the most expansive or rich, this is lighter and more delicate despite the overall sense of heat and spice and fruit. Long finish, with clear terroir markers. Well defined with a sense of refinement. 3.74pH. Ageing for 12 months in French oak barrels (15% new), and in natural concrete eggs with malolactic fermentation. The first time this historic wine by Caroline Frey will be sold on the Place de Bordeaux. Click to see full details | |
| Château de Beaucastel, Beaucastel Hommage à Jaques Perrin, Châteauneuf-du-Pape | France | 2021 | 95 | Fragrant summer berries and wild flowers on the nose. Rich and concentrated on the palate, not heavy or too weighty, the tannins remain sleek, fine and just supportive with the liquorice and toasted spice and red berry fruit doing most of the talking. It's maybe missing some extra depth on the mid palate, this is still direct and focussed, sleek and all in one line, but there's power, intensity and grip to the elements with a long finish. Feels a touch hot on the finish. 5% Counoise completes the blend. Click to see full details | |
| Les Héritiers Saint-Genys, Clos Marcilly Monopole, Mercurey (1er Cru), Burgundy | France | 2021 | 94 | New to the Place de Bordeaux this year. This 100% Pinot Noir comes from a 7.5-hectare walled vineyard on clay-limestone soils. Fragrant and lifted on the nose, so inviting. Crystalline and pure, succulent and juicy, this is mouthwateringly fresh with clarity and sense of minerality that lingers on the tongue. Tannins are supportive, giving a wide but gentle frame while the slightly tangy, dried-herb strawberry flavour does the talking with a long, fresh finish. Feels complex and nuanced with more power than it immediately lets on. Savoury, meaty, fragrant, red fruited. Delicate yet moreish. Ageing 20 months in French oak, 20% new. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Chapuis, Aloxe-Corton (1er Cru), Burgundy | France | 2020 | 94 | A blend of three Premier Cru plots; Les Vercots, Les Guérets and Les Valozières covering 1.5ha with an average age of 45 years old. Sharp and energetic, the acidity and strawberry/raspberry tang hit first, exploding on the palate with mouthwatering acidity that gives a thrilling expression bursting with life and flavour. Tannins have a soft chalky aspect, coating the palate with a powdery texture while the fruit keeps the freshness and lift all the way through. Feels well worked, bright and poised, fun and seriously succulent but keeping the direction and sense of tension and refinement. 85% destemmed, 15% whole bunch fermented, bottled unfiltered. Winemaker Pierre Chapuis. Click to see full details | |
| Red | |||||
| Domaine de Terrebrune, Bandol | France | 2020 | 94 | Aromatic on the nose, fragrant and generously fruited with floral and red fruit scents. Powerful and forward straight away, quite tight and spiced, lean and almost verging on austere such is the tension and focus of both the tannins and the cool, spiced and salt-edged fruit. Not so ripe or plush, more direct and sleek but with plenty of flavour. Feels well worked and refined, there's a sense of sculpting about it, integrated tannins and bright freshness throughout. Refined and enjoyable today but with potential to age. Minimal intervention, indigenous yeast fermentation. Ageing 18 months in oak barrels with racking according to lunar rhythms. Click to see full details | |
| Odyssée, Vin de France | France | 2020 | 94 | This Bordeaux-Rhône collaboration, now in its fifth vintage, offers a striking nose full of menthol Cabernet Sauvignon (48%) aspects with herbal Carignan (8%) and fruit-forward Grenache (42%) but it's the delicious strawberry tang on the palate that is the most in focus with peppery, herbal spice and tension from the fine but firm tannins. Lovely sleekness with a sense of character and confidence, more Rhône than Bordeaux in the slightly hot, sun-kissed fruit and alcohol but retains a sense of brightness, bounce and enjoyable complexity. Supple, round and complete. A year where both regions enjoyed similar hot, sunny, warm and dry weather and thus the grapes 'worked in harmony' says co-creator Matthieu Dumarcher alongside Château Montrose's Pierre Graffeuille. 11,000 bottles produced. Click to see full details | |
| Les Héritiers Saint-Genys, Aux Charmes, Beaujolais (Morgon) | France | 2020 | 93 | New to the Place de Bordeaux this year and the the first for a Beaujolais Cru wine to see some of the September release spotlight. Gorgeous floral and scented notes on the nose, roses, violets and soft red fruits. Clean, clear and crisp, gentle and easy going on the palate, full of life and concentration with crunchy, juicy and sharp strawberry and contrasting black pepper. Pure and focussed with integrated tannins and a long finish. Super easy to like and drink with succulence and bite at the same time, as well as lots of freshness with liquorice, tobacco, clove and cinnamon spice at the end. From a 2.95-hectare vineyard with an average age of 50 years. Ageing 16 months in French oak barrels, 5% new. Click to see full details | |
| Château d'Aussières, Corbieres, Languedoc-Roussillon | France | 2019 | 94 | The first, wider release on the Place de Bordeaux for this wine outside of DBR Lafite. Beautiful beguiling fragrance on the nose, smells floral with dried roses and herbs, fragrant, sun-kissed blackberries and cherries and a touch of smoke. Clean and clean, focussed with beautifully delineated tannins and a sense of seriousness to the frame. Crisp, straight and well defined with mouthwatering, juicy acidity balancing the tangy, spiced fruit and layers of minerality. Rich and heady, confident but so harmonious on the palate with a long, clean, crystalline finish. Refined and forward finishing with a black olive and sweet and spiced plum aspect. First year of organic conversion. A blend of 52% Syrah, 19% Mourvedre, 20% Carignan (a little bit with carbonic maceration) and 9% Grenache. 3.66pH. Yield 40hl/ha. Ageing 50% stainless steel, 50% new and one-year-old barrels. Technical manager Olivier Richaud. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine Chapuis, Aloxe-Corton, Burgundy | France | 2020 | 93 | Lifted and lithe, lively but direct on the palate, straight and focussed, softly expanding with each sip to give more nuance of red bramble and summer berry fruit, liquorice and toasted spices. Black pepper and wild herbs also mingle on the palate with high acidity giving a push-pull of flavour and texture. Confident and harmonious with a long penetrating finish. Feels classy and elegant, yet still giving power and forward motion. First time on the Place de Bordeaux. From a 2.5-hectare vineyard with an average age of 53 years. Grapes were 85% destemmed and 15% whole bunch fermented, bottled unfiltered. Winemaker Pierre Chapuis. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Baronarques, Rouge, Limoux, Languedoc-Roussillon | France | 2021 | 93 | Sleek and stylish, this has lots of fruit-forward cherry and strawberry aspects on the palate with crunchy, almost sweet juicy acidity that lifts the expression as well as delicate florality and a menthol spice that gives balance and contrast. Creamy, chalky, bright, mouthwatering and lots of minerality too - wet stone and liquorice with a dusting of cocoa powder. Something very clean about this, pure and well positioned. Subtle complexity and layering - a super enjoyable wine with lots to like. A blend of 64% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 13% Malbec, 8% Syrah and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. The first time on the Place de Bordeaux for this wine, owned by Vignoble Baron Philippe de Rothschild (of Château Mouton-Rothschild and Clerc Milon). Director Augustin Deschamps, winemaker Fabrice Boullier. Click to see full details | |
| La Bouche du Roi, Abondance, Ile de France | France | 2022 | 91 | A 100% Chenin Blanc new to the Place de Bordeaux this year. White flowers and grassy notes on the nose; gooseberry, green apple and pear. Crisp and sharp, straight and well defined with a core of high acidity, juicy lemon and lime - thrilling, focussed and textured. A little toasted and youthful still, it needs to shake off its oak cloak, but this has a clean character with precision and clarity and a really lovely juiciness that lifts the expression and gives an element of sweetness too. Lovely. One of three new whites (plus three reds) making their debut on the Place this September. The winemaking project on Versailles land, unsuitable for growing crops, was launched by the team behind Paris' first urban winery, Winerie Parisienne; Adrien Pélissié, Julien Bengué and oenologist Julien Brustis. Click to see full details | |
| La Bouche du Roi, Coquilles Rouges, Ile de France | France | 2022 | 89 | This 100% Sauvignon Blanc has crisp green apple and elderflower nuances on the nose. Sharp, tangy and instantly lively on the palate, fun and thrilling with a lovely energy and sense of precision to the bright, almost sour lemon, green apple and gooseberry fruit. Light, very gently creamy which counters the acidity and gives some structure. A little toasted and spiced on the finish though which cuts shorts the fruit and leaves some bitter oakiness. Ageing in 300 and 400l oak barrels. One of three new whites (plus three reds) making their debut on the Place de Bordeaux this year. The winemaking project on Versailles land, unsuitable for growing crops, was launched by the team behind Paris' first urban winery, Winerie Parisienne; Adrien Pélissié, Julien Bengué and oenologist Julien Brustis. Click to see full details | |
| Domaine de Baronarques, Capitelle de Baronarques, Limoux, Languedoc-Roussillon | France | 2021 | 89 | This 95% Chardonnay, 5% Chenin Blanc has aromas of toasted elements on the nose; charred oak, soft floral hints and cooked lemon, white blossom and subtle pastry notes. Smooth and supple on the palate with a juicy core and lots of energy straight away which nicely counters the quite thick, almost heavy texture. Feels quite serious, but the citrus fruit is so lean and precise, really crystalline giving this a focused and detailed edge which is quite delicious. Mouthwatering acidity and a long length, there's lots to like here. The first time on the Place de Bordeaux for this wine, owned by Vignoble Baron Philippe de Rothschild (of Château Mouton-Rothschild and Clerc Milon). Director Augustin Deschamps, winemaker Fabrice Boullier. Click to see full details | |
| La Bouche du Roi, Les Trois Corneilles, Ile de France | France | 2022 | 88 | This 100% Chardonnay is full of buttery, creamy lemon and lime on the nose with floral notes too. Lovely roundness and gentle expression, lively mouthwatering citrus fruits, lots of grapefruit, white peach, orange and lemon with spicy and toasted notes but not so persistent. Loses some grip and intensity towards the finish, but good initial burst of flavour and lovely texture throughout. One of three new whites (plus three reds) making their debut on the Place de Bordeaux this year. The winemaking project on Versailles land, unsuitable for growing crops, was launched by the team behind Paris' first urban winery, Winerie Parisienne; Adrien Pélissié, Julien Bengué and oenologist Julien Brustis. Click to see full details | |
| White | |||||
| Bibi Graetz, Colore Bianco, Toscana | Italy | 2022 | 96 | Slightly less expressive on the nose than the Testamatta Bianco, this 100% Ansonica from old vines, is more subtle with pear, apricot, wild honey, white blossom and a delicate dusting of pepper and clove spice. Generous and charming, this settles quite quickly on the tongue, a dash of bitterness, soft acidity, sweet and ripe yellow fruit, warming toasted and herbal nuances and salty edges. It's concentrated and detailed, but more brimming under the surface at this point, not yet ready to come out all guns blazing. Beautiful construction and a captivating display of flavours. I love the nuance and the rawness - tastes somewhat wild and a true expression of the grape and place with such a long-lasting finish. Extremely moreish and just begs another sip to see the evolution. A great wine. Click to see full details | |
| Alberelli di Giodo, Carricante, Terre Siciliane | Italy | 2022 | 95 | So fragrant on the nose, wild white flowers mixed with dried herbs and aromatic peaches and lychees. Crisp yet round, a lovely burst of citrus juiciness on the palate with high acidity that zings and then settles revealing more creamy white peach and pear with subtle wet stone saltiness and herbal spice around the edges. Feels like a serious, gourmet wine, with body, structure and yet lots of life. Ends mineral and salty, I love it, with a flash of heat and southern Italy spice about it. 100% Carricante vines, averaging 50 years in age, planted between 800-900 in altitude. Ageing six months in steel tanks on the lees and 10 months in bottle before release. Click to see full details | |
| Famille Moretti Cuseri, Animalucente, Etna Bianco | Italy | 2022 | 94 | Softly floral and honeyed lemon on the nose, herbal and fragrant. Thick, round and full of flavour - burnt caramel, orange skins and blossom, pear drops and chamomile with lots of spiced toasted edges that give the the frame and the sense of structure. Lovely body and fruitiness, round and forward, delivers a full palate of flavour with nuances of iron, black pepper, clove, toast and freshly picked apples. A lovely wine. Average age of vines 30 years old. Ageing for six months in stainless steel tanks then three months in bottle before release. Click to see full details | |
| Giovanni Rosso, Etna Bianco | Italy | 2022 | 94 | Fresh and clean on the nose, thick and wide, but with such clarity and juiciness - really lovely pink grapefruit, lemon and apple with crushed stone minerality and a touch of spice around the edges. Feels accessible and friendly, almost with a butteriness that gives a slightly thick texture. Round and forward, lots of life to this with gorgeous juicy acidity that really lifts the expression. Great stuff, have chilled with seafood! Ageing in stainless steel tanks for five months on the lees with regular batonnages every week. From 5.5 hectares planted in 1975 in Solicchiata - Montedolce. Davide Rosso direction, Andrea Delpiano winemaker. Click to see full details | |
| Bibi Graetz, Testamatta Bianco, Toscana | Italy | 2022 | 94 | Invigorating scents on the nose with this 100% Ansonica, expressive and so fragrant with jasmine, dried herbs, honeysuckle, dried apricot and lemon curd. Supple yet concentrated, full bodied on the palate with a core of dried, fresh and stone fruit and a steely minerality underpinned by soft but fresh acidity. A serious, gourmet wine, with structure but remains focussed and direct from start to finish. The texture is sleek but the flavours expand horizontally around gripping the cheeks and giving a mouthwatering effect. Finishes with an appealing salty, minty, cooling bitterness that lingers. Quietly captivating with more nuance to come after a few more years in the bottle. First vintage 2016. Click to see full details | |
| Feudo Maccari, Family and Friends, Terre Siciliane | Italy | 2021 | 92 | Fresh and salty on the nose, like salted almonds and crackers with soft white stone fruit nuances. Thick and velvety, filling in the mouth with lots of peach, apricot, lemon and dried herbs with quite bitter spiced and salty notes. This will be delicious with food. Round, crunchy, juicy, excellent mid palate acidity and fruit elements, but the distinguishing part is the herbal spice that covers the entire mouth and gives a sense of heat and toastiness. A bold wine with lots on offer. Average age of vines 20-30 years old. Ageing for at least six months in concrete eggs and small barrels then six months in bottle before release. Click to see full details | |
| Family and Friends, Firrau, Terre Sicilian Bianco | Italy | 2021 | 91 | Nuanced nose, cracked black pepper, grilled salted almonds, vanilla white peach and lemon - so aromatic. Thick and round, filling with quite a spiced aspect - iron, salt, wet stones, clove, cinnamon and toast, lots of oak touches giving a slight constriction to the overall fruit enjoyment at the moment but this has a nice core of fruit and mouthwatering acidity. A little bit tense still, and a bit short on the finish, but enjoyable. Average age of vines 20-30 years old. Ageing for at least six months in barrels of three different toasts; blonde, medium and 'heart' then six months in bottle before release. Click to see full details | |
| Red | |||||
| Masseto, Toscana | Italy | 2020 | 100 | Intense and full on the nose, fragrant with ripe black fruit, floral aspects and soft spicing. Round and full on the palate, it's rich and muscular yet tight and neatly coiled with a liquorice, graphite, pepper, cinnamon and clove tang that gives this immediate but enjoyable spice. Feels well worked, juicy with high acidity that lifts the palate and gives freshness and brightness alongside really quite mouthwatering strawberry and raspberry fruit with such captivating dried floral and bitter orange rind aspects. Tannins are super fine and so well integrated yet this maintains a grip and hold from the very beginning through to a long and sustained finish. Nuanced and complex, still packing a punch in terms of power, but this feels sophisticated, suave, purposeful and controlled. Not elegant, this is more of a caged animal with it's full potential yet to be unveiled, but it is classy. A truly delicious wine with so much purity and sense of place. Malolactic fermentation in 100% new barroques, with each batch kept separate for the first 12 months of ageing before being blended and returned to barriques for another year, totalling 24 months. The wine was then aged for a further 12 months in bottle before being released. Winemaker Eleonora Marconi. Click to see full details | |
| Allegrini, Fieramonte, Amarone della Valpolicella (Classico) | Italy | 2016 | 100 | Another astounding wine from Allegrini, if you didn't buy Fiermonte last year here's a chance to buy something just as good. The most gorgeous nose; full of flowers, chocolate truffles, red fruits and dried berries - fragranced and just so inviting, also so pure. The texture and mouthfeel are just perfect - round, enveloping, the perfect weight to give structure and body with intensity and fleshiness yet nothing is over the top or too much. Delicious crunchy and fleshy fruit, wonderful minty freshness with accents of incense fragrance, wood spice and exotic spices before a lingering chalky finish with an underlying saltiness. Pure, precise, clearly defined, juicy, totally moreish. What more can you ask for? A little less friendly and overtly charming than the 2015 at the same time last year, this carries more muscle, opulence, power and boldness but it has exceptional forward motion and freshness. It delights and enthralls in equal measure from the first sip! Just wow! A blend of 45% Corvina, 45% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella and 5% Oseleta. Click to see full details | |
| Bibi Graetz, Colore, Toscana | Italy | 2021 | 99 | Another excellent wine from Bibi Graetz made from selected old-vine Sangiovese. Herbal and spiced on the nose, fragrant but with savoury aspects rather than overtly floral or fruity. Intense and direct, this hits you square on, with energy and forward motion. So sleek and well defined, smooth yet lively and energetic with tannins that are so beautifully executed. Almost plush and chewy giving weight and texture to the palate while actually being quite light and aerial overall. Complex and invigorating, fresh and wild at the same time - I love the character, it's pure but with a sense of authenticity that encapsulates the terroir and winemaking philosophy so wonderfully. Ends with a minty, liquorice, spiced blackcurrant and cool cherry element that is extremely moreish! Click to see full details | |
| Allegrini, La Poja, Amarone della Valpolicella | Italy | 2018 | 98 | Beautiful lifted scents on the nose; crushed rose petals, pink peppercorns, such incredible incense fragrance - alive, pure, concentrated and expressive - strawberries and blood orange. Crystalline and pure, upfront from the first sip - juicy and so lively but energetic too - incredibly forward and electric almost. Direct at first, then slowly expands, increasing in intensity, mass and flavour as it goes from start to finish. Leaves a lingering buzz on the tongue with softly spiced edges and a depth of red cherry and plum fruit that lasts and lasts. Utterly seductive and expansive, not especially demonstrative in terms of texture at the moment, more controlled and calm, it's all about the flavours and the intensity of the acidity that gives this such a thrill. Just hinting at its potential with brightness and verve. Tannins are integrated giving the frame and the flavour is nuanced and poised. Great freshness with balanced acidity. Feels well made with intention and such lovely drinking pleasure, a benefit of the slightly cooler vintage. A wine that makes you think, and then smile, and then drink! La Poja is Allegrini’s flagship single-vineyard Valpolicella and sits at the summit of Podere La Grola. The Corvina vines were planted in 1979 on well-drained chalk and stony soils, and its first vintage was in 1983. Click to see full details | |
| Castello di Fonterutoli, Siepi, Toscana | Italy | 2021 | 97 | Intense blackcurrant on the nose, baked and ripe, so expressive and inviting with small hints of liquorice and tar. Supple, generous, juicy and bright, this 50/50 Sangiovese-Merlot is so well worked and harmonious - rich, wide and full in the mouth, it courses with life and energy and such underlying power. You can feel the intensity and sculpting on show, this is no wall flower of a wine but it's presented so neatly and beautifully. I love the tannins, massy but controlled and perfectly countering the fresh and ripe red and black fruit with black pepper, tar, tobacco and bitter orange as well as soft floral edges. The brightness superbly matches the depth and complexity delivering a nuanced glass of wine with so much to say. I love the tannins and the sense of direction and confidence. Still in it's brooding, show-off, youthful phase with plenty of heat and spice, but this is a beauty. From the six-hectare estate owned by the Mazzei family since 1435. Click to see full details | |
| Petrolo, Galatrona, Valdarno di Sopra | Italy | 2021 | 97 | Vivid purple in the glass, gorgeous black cherry and blackcurrant aromas with touches of florality - this 100% Merlot smells wonderfully scented and inviting. Smooth, ample, really quite seductive on the palate, sensual almost in the silky but gripping tannins, beautifully ripe blackcurrant and cherry fruit and crunchy, crisp acidity that is not too sharp or too obvious but lifts the palate and gives a thrill and wonderful freshness to the overall expression. Beautifully presented, harmonious, balanced and totally enjoyable from the first to last sip. A gorgeous wine, intense yet energetic, full of flavour and textural nuance. Totally unputdownable, although with lots of potential for improvement over ageing. The wine spent 18 months in French oak tonneaux and barriques, 30% new. 3.56pH. Click to see full details | |
| Antinori, Solaia, Toscana | Italy | 2020 | 97 | Baked black fruit, ripe, fragrant and intense on the nose. Bright and sour fruit on the palate, quite a sharp initial tang from the high acidity before rich, sunny, ripe strawberries and raspberries come into play with liquorice, toast and cedar aspects giving the spiced element to the expression and graphite offering minerality. This is a powerful wine no doubt, bordering on too hedonistic at times - a result of the hot and dry summer, it's sensual, rich and flashy but the sense of control and layers of juicy freshness help balance the opulence with refinement. Clearly confident and charismatic, fans of this style will delight with Solaia in 2020. Made by Renzo Cotarella, Stefano Caraneto and Pietro Dogliani. Click to see full details | |
| Bibi Graetz, Testamatta, Toscana | Italy | 2021 | 97 | Beautifully fragrant on the nose, delicately scented and inviting with subtle wild flower scents, red and black berries and sweet spices. Chalky and powdery tannins support super bright acidity which gives this such a sharp, thrilling and lively expression. Tannins are super fine but have a spiced edge that grips and holds interest, supportive but not overpowering, letting the acidity and bright fruit flavours shine through. Beautifully delineated and expressed, elegant, refined, totally beguiling yet with layers of flavour and intensity and such a long finish. Feels supremely drinkable and that is such a feat at this young stage. Well worked, balanced, and enjoyable with flashes of heat and spice dotting the finish. Really wonderful and totally charming. Click to see full details | |
| Castello di Fonterutoli, Concerto, Toscana | Italy | 2021 | 96 | Sweet, baked red fruits with rose and pink floral aromas on the nose alongside touches of clove, toast and cinnamon. Smooth and soft in the mouth, rich yet elegant with a supple core of strawberry, cherry and raspberries lifted by high acidity and such excellent tannins. Fully flavoured with a mineral, iron, salty tang that lingers on the tongue from the mid palate onwards with tobacco and dried spices providing nice contrast to the ripe, herbal-edged fruit. A really delicious, mouthwatering compelling glass of wine. Succulent and oh so lifted and juicy. Wondrous with a lingering sense of Italian sunshine and dried scrubland. Ageing 18 months in French oak barrels; large tonneaux for Sangiovese (80% of the blend) and smaller barriques for the Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) plus three months in concrete tanks. Click to see full details | |
| Tenuta Sette Ponti, Oreno, Toscana | Italy | 2021 | 96 | A new wine to the Place de Bordeaux this September. Dark bramble fruit and intense floral and savoury aromatics, liquorice and olive with blueberry and rose nuances. Succulent and mouthwatering yet tight and focussed, the tannins are grippy but give direction as opposed to weight or width. This remains quite straight on the palate, persistent in one line from start to finish. I love the juiciness though, the strawberry juice with herbal accents and clean iron, minerality that comes across as slightly tangy and spiced on the finish lasting with a savoury olive note. Feels well made, if still taught, with a playful core and lovely sense of place. A blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot with an average vine age of 20-30 years. Ageing 18 months in small barrels and one year in bottle prior to release. Click to see full details | |
| Tenuta La Massa, Giorgio Primo , Toscana | Italy | 2019 | 96 | The first time on the Place de Bordeaux for La Massa's top cuvée Giorgio Primo, founded by Giampaolo Motta in 1992 in Chianti’s Conca d'Oro (golden basin) in Panzano 360m above sea level. The estate comprises 25 hectares of southwest-facing vines planted on schist clay, galestro marl and limestone. This cuvée, Giorgio Primo, is named after Motta's grandfather and son, and is a Bordeaux blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Intense, expressive and rich on the nose - dried herbs, sunkissed plums, balsamic-edged blackcurrants and fragrant black cherries with touches of cinnamon, tobacco clove and black olive. Bright, punchy and forward - alive and flowing, this has energy and excitement from the start with controlled power and balanced acidity that underpins chalky and velvety tannins. Calm, collected, graceful and very seductive. This really grows, expanding and lengthening vertically giving layers of flavour and texture but no overt heaviness. You can feel the flash of heat and the Tuscan herbs in the soft and warm spices throughout - as well as the menthol and liquorice finish with iron filings and wet stone aspects - but this also has a soft, understated side that suggests there's more to come with ageing. A beauty of a wine. Extremely drinkable and enjoyable, I love it. 2% press wine. Ageing in French oak barriques (50% new), six months of which is on lees with frequent batonnage. Bottled in September 2021. 3.77pH. 4.78g/l total acidity. Click to see full details | |
| Tenuta Sant'Antonio, Manfro Amarone, Amarone della Valpolicella | Italy | 2019 | 96 | Cola, perfumed raspberries, Maraschino cherries, mace and jasmine on the nose. Clean, clear and striking, this hits straight away on the palate, scintillating and spiced but impressively constructed and wide on the palate. Not at all heavy, this is lean almost in terms of the texture but the flavour permeates the whole mouth, clean and precise, pure and fragrant. Wonderfully sleek and focussed, belying it's 15% alcohol. Still quite tannic and firm, but it really works and this has a nice presence and persistence from start to finish sustaining the final flavour with cherry, strawberry and florality. I like this alot - calm, controlled and well worked. A blend of 70% Corvina and Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, 5% Croatina and 5% Oseleta. Ageing two years in 500l French oak casks. Click to see full details | |
| Giovanni Rosso, Barolo (Ceretta) | Italy | 2019 | 95 | Baked strawberries and pink flowers on the nose, smells fruity, floral and herbal - lifted and full of aromatic intensity. Supple and charming from the get go, intensely juicy - the acidity really gives the cherry and raspberry a tangy, sharpness to the expression while the tannins are chalky coating the mouth in a fine powder supporting the red berry fruits. Round, generous, bright and really well delineated, you feel the sinew of this, it has muscles but gentle and sculpted. A core of spiced, wet stone minerality and olive gives the savoury offset and adds complexity and interest. A lovely, elegant glass of wine with nuance. Click to see full details | |
| Parusso, Riserva, Oro, Vigna Munie, Barolo (Bussia) | Italy | 2014 | 95 | Only made in special vintages, this is the first time release of this 2014 Riserva that is a selection of Nebbiolo from Vigna Munie in the Bussia cru in Monforte d'Alba. Some notes of maturity on the nose; caramelised coffee beans, charred toast, parma violets, dried strawberries and fragrant red fruits with dried herbs too. Such a lot going on aromatically. Ample and wide in the mouth, the tannins expand and coat the palate in a combination of chewy, ripe fruit and powdery tobacco and liquorice elements - generous and characterful. Sleek and refined with a long finish that leaves a lasting impression. Great for drinking today and I love the smoked, rose-touched strawberry aspects throughout. Aged in small oak barrels for at least 18 months before extended bottle ageing. Click to see full details | |
| Tenuta Sette Ponti, Orma, Bolgheri | Italy | 2021 | 95 | Fragrant and floral on the nose, rose petals and blackcurrant leaf with a hint of cinnamon and exotic spice. Juicy and lifted straight away, this has a sense of joy about it, lively and buzzing with bright acidity. Depth and structure come from the slightly tight but well defined tannins that also give a touch of spice to the expression. I love the bright red fruit aspect on the palate and the juiciness is so captivating. Ends salty with a liquorice bite and touch of spiced heat. This has potential and makes me want another glass. Excitable and characterful. From 7.5ha with 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. Ageing 18 months in small barrels and one year in bottle prior to release. Click to see full details | |
| Podere Giodo, Brunello di Montalcino | Italy | 2019 | 95 | So fragrant, like smelling perfume with such clarity and focus to the aromas; pink roses and fresh and ripe strawberries, such Sangiovese signature. Sharp and thrilling on the palate, lifted strawberry sweetness straight away with great acidity that keeps the freshness but the fruit is also cool and well presented. Tannins are fine and give a sleek frame. This is elegant and refined, a nice sense of completeness and energy. Bright, buzzy, sharp, clean, tangy and light on its feet. Totally drinkable and enjoyable, a touch sour with bite and bitterness on the finish, but altogether a great glass of wine with plenty to like. Ageing 30 months in 500, 700 and 2,500l oak casks followed by additional time in concrete vats and 18 months in bottle prior to release. Click to see full details | |
| Caiarossa, Toscana | Italy | 2020 | 94 | Scented herbs and warm, sun-kissed black fruit on the nose - no surprise given it was the warmest summer since 1800 but with significant rain in June and at the end of August that allowed the grapes to ripen correctly. This smells like baked blackcurrants and roses. Supple and ample, generous and filling with gorgeous plump, but also quite defined, tannins that give the structure and the sense of tension. Fruit is tangy and ripe and with the acidity you get a push-pull of sharpness and ripeness. Round, direct, forward, this has energy and sculpting and I love the freshness that really lingers on the tongue. Well executed with lots of fragrance and a mineral, stone grip on the finish alongside dried herbs and liquorice spice. A delicious Tuscan wine with French flair (same owner as Châteeau Giscours in Margaux, AJ Domaines). Jérôme Poisson general manager of both estates since 2020 and Axel Marchat consultant since 2016. A blend of 28% Cabernet Franc, 23% Syeah, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 13% Sangiovese, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Grenache. Each plot and variety was vinifed separately and spontaneously in concrete and wooden tanks. After malolactic fermentation the wine was blended and aged for 14 months in barriques, 30% new, before spending two months resting in concrete and a further year in bottle before release. Click to see full details | |
| Tenuta Sette Ponti, Sette, Toscana | Italy | 2020 | 94 | Fragrant and scented on the nose, soft with spice and flowers and bramble fruits. Taught and tightly knitted, the tannins are focussed and give quite a sleek frame to this, not so expansive or ripe or fleshy, with a sharp tang to the black fruit and high acidity giving this a lifted, almost severe expression. Hasn't really relaxed yet with lots of flavour and controlled power - all the flavours and textures are funneled from start to finish with an underlying sense of heat and flash of alcohol on the finish. Feels a little unyielding at the moment, but it has complexity, focus and energy and it'll shine when ready. 100% Merlot from seven different vineyards, all farmed organically, and vinified separately before being aged for 18 months in small barrels and more than one year in bottle before being released. Click to see full details | |
| Giovanni Rosso, Etna | Italy | 2020 | 93 | Bright pink flowers, roses and strawberry fruit on the nose. Lively and expressive, fragrant and inviting. Smooth and succulent, a juicy and vibrant acidity on the mid palate with an iron tang, bitter orange and salty, oyster, iron, stone finish that is a touch dry but more mineral than unpleasant. Aspects of peppery spice and dried herbs on the finish leaving a sunny, warm expression. Nice clarity and precision with bite and a spicy tang. 15,500 bottles produced. Click to see full details | |
| Alberelli di Giodo, Terre Siciliane | Italy | 2021 | 93 | Potpourri dried flowers, cracked peppercorns, garrigue herbs and caramelised, spiced nuts on the nose. Warm and filling, the tannins are pronounced with a crushed stone, iron-laced tang that coats the entire mouth. This has strength but it's not heavy, with a juicy core that lifts the palate and acidity to keep things fresh and forward. This builds in layers adding in more spice, sun-kissed black and red fruit with mineral touches throughout, building to a long and sustained finish. Feels like the alcohol stands out a touch but this would work well with food. From a two-hectare vineyard planted on volcanic soils at 950 metres above sea level. 5.9g total acidity. 7,000 bottles produced. WInemaker Carlo Ferrini. Click to see full details | |
| Masseto, Massetino, Toscana | Italy | 2021 | 93 | Dried herbs and dried flowers on the nose with quite dominant oaky scents. Ripe black fruit and abundant tannins, not so rich or fleshy but massy in the mouth, wide, giving a large structure which supports the expression. This is smooth and bright with grip and intensity but you can really feel the alcohol here and it detracts from any kind of delicate nuance with toasted spices, coffee, dark chocolate and cedar at the fore. Heady and overt, powerful, though sleek and layered, the tannins are great and the fruit feels both cool and ripe but there's an underlying sense of heat from start to finish. Malolactic fermentation in French barriques (50% new) then 12 months ageing after which the 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc was blended and returned to barriques for three months before bottling. Winemaker Eleonora Marconi. Click to see full details | |
| Tenuta Sette Ponti, Pasi di Orma, Bolgheri | Italy | 2021 | 92 | Refined on the nose, softly floral and scented with raspberries and wild pink flowers. Ample and full, the tannins make the first impression - well worked and sleek, tight and slightly granular, gripping the entire mouth and giving frame to the spiced red berry fruit and soft dried herb notes. This has been well made with muscle, sunkissed fruit and a long finish. Feels refined and enjoyable. Ageing 10 months in small French oak barrels and in bottle for six months before release. Click to see full details | |
| Animardente, Etna | Italy | 2020 | 91 | Crushed rose petals and black pepper on the nose, floral and herbal, scented and expressive. Juicy and lively with a bitter orange, dried spice and chalky strawberry flavour. Lean and straight but highly flavourful with sun-kissed black fruits and exotic spices dotting the finish. Fresh and characterful with high acidity and a crushed stone, powdery dryness on the finish. Produced from bush-trained vines, 700m above sea level, on volcanic soils. Ageing 18 months in big barrels and one year in bottle before release. Click to see full details | |
| Tenuta Sette Ponti, Crognolo, Toscana | Italy | 2021 | 91 | Dried herbs, dark chocolate, olive tapenade and fragrant sun-kissed black fruit on the nose. Deep and wide, this has a lovely expansion in the mouth, super succulent but also sharp, tangy and tight with a piercing acidity and quite a tense, tannic structure. Lean and direct, focused with purity to the expression. Feels well worked, ample and precise, just super tight with black pepper and a menthol hit on the finish that is both fresh and spiced. Feels very herbal with lots of garrigue characteristics. I like the expression. Ageing 12-14 months in small barrels and six months in bottle before release. Click to see full details | |
| Sweet | |||||
| Klein Constantia, Vin de Constance, Constantia | South Africa | 2020 | 96 | Highly floral and concentrated nose full of marmalade, orange zest, toasted caramel patisserie, orange blossom, a Tutti Fruitti element and some soft oak touches too. Thick and viscous, comforting and deep with a weighty, sugary texture offset by serious spiced and toasted edges that give this angles and a taught frame. Serious, not so easy and generous, more dense and concentrated, this feels well built and purposeful. The sweetness (butterscotch, thick creamy lemon and apricot yoghurt and hints of honey) is countered by a delicious citrus zestiness and bitter orange touches. I adore the combination of flavours and this feels expertly made with precision, freshness and clarity. Lots to enjoy and think about here with a satisfying, long, mineral grip on the finish. From a challenging 2020 vintage with small, concentrated berries and a reduced crop. 174g/l residual sugar. 3.92pH. 6.3g/l total acidity. Ageing one and a half years in 50% new, 500l Hungarian and French oak barrels followed by the same time in large-format wooden foudre. Barrels are then selected with the best being chosen for the final blend. Winemaker Matthew Day. Click to see full details | |
| White | |||||
| De La Riva, Vino de Pasto Macharnudo, San Cayetano, | Spain | 2022 | 98 | A new-wave Sherry by winemakers Ramiro Ibáñez and Willy Perez makes its debut on the Place de Bordeaux this September. 100% Palomino Fino grapes come from the 3.35-hectare San Cayetano vineyard in Macharnudo, planted in 1988. Beautifully fragranced nose, really perfumed and floral, scented with wildflowers. The wine sees one year of flor ageing but it's distinctly dry and round on the palate. There's a thickness to the texture, like thick honey but with salted, softly spiced edges and a core of bright lemon, peach and pear that gives tang, energy and excitement to the expression. Poised and refined, this has a lovely ease about it, beautifully textured and fully flavoured with mouthwatering acidity and bursts of bright citrus zest that counter the saltiness - close your eyes and you could be by the beach! Interesting and captivating, long and lingering, crying out to be eaten with nuts. lovely sea salt spray, close your eyes and you're at the beach! limestone. Small production of only 6,000 bottles. Click to see full details | |
| Red | |||||
| Telmo Rodriguez, Yjar, Rioja (Alavesa) | Spain | 2019 | 98 | 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, Granegro and Rojal. A lovely bright pink-red colour in the glass. Supple and succulent, smooth and round, such a lifeforce on show, a step up slightly from last year - clearly so energetic, forward and sleek. This is defined and powerful no doubt, this is packing a punch in terms of intensity this year, focussed and spiced, the heat and oak come through strongly, but it manages to stay the right side of too much, giving direction and force with lashings of cooling minerality, dried herbs and floral touches. A great wine, joyous, bright, enveloping and high toned. It pulls the palate from black and red fruits to toasted spice, cinnamon, vanilla, blackcurrants and kirsch. Complex and compelling, Yjar always leaves a smile on my face wanting to try another glass and this is no exception. Click to see full details | |
| CVNE, Real de Asúa Carromaza, Rioja | Spain | 2020 | 97 | The second release on the Place de Bordeaux of this 'more modern' wine from the established Spanish winery says CVNE CEO and fifth-generation family member Victor Urrutia made from the 2.37ha plot of 30-year-old Tempranillo grapes known as Carromaza in the village of Villalba, 700m high in Rioja Alta. From the fresh and cool 2020 vintage, this is intensely fragrant, verging on heady aromatics on the nose; baked plum, strawberries and soft aniseed, cinnamon and clove spices. Supple and so smooth but with a crushed velvet edge giving weight and texture. Instantly satisfying on the palate with delicate, yet enrobing tannins that give structure and support but don't overwhelm the crunchy, ripe and fleshy fruit. Acidity is high and perfectly balances the warming underlying elements. Rich, sumptuous, seductive but with poise and nuance - everything feels well defined with the most delicious juiciness on the mid palate. Bright, shiny, alive and utterly drinkable. Wild yeast fermentation. Ageing 12 months in new and one year old French oak barrels. 3.6pH. 95 IPT. Click to see full details | |
| Marqués de Riscal, Tapias de Marqués de Riscal, Rioja | Spain | 2020 | 96 | Bright and alive, an expressive and wide aromatic display with dried, fragranced strawberries and dried cranberries on the nose - fruity and floral. Finessed and dramatic, taught and lean, this has a lovely tenison and direction from start to finish. Tannic but well defined, they're imposing and fill the mouth but soon soften and melt into the background leaving the slightly spiced, and warming, red fruits and cedar to give the dominating flavours. Smooth, ripe, flowing, superb energy and overall weight in the mouth with a long and lingering spicy, fresh finish. Despite the strength, power and motion there is a lovely sense of delicacy and control with elegance and finesse. Drink now and enjoy or benefit from its clear ageing potential. 3.38pH. The second release of this wine which is a plot selection of 2.85ha from a 15ha vineyard dating back to 1968 in Elciego. Production of 2,600 bottles. Click to see full details | |
| Viñedos de Matallana, Ribera del Duero | Spain | 2020 | 95 | A brand new wine to the Place de Bordeaux this year and the first wine from Ribera del Duero via a collaboration between Telmo Rodriguez and Pablo Eguzkia (also of Yjar on the Place). A field blend of massal-selection grapes - Tinto Fino, Navarro, Valenciano, Albillo 'and others' are chosen from 11 vineyards across five villages with different soils and landscapes totalling 21.5 hectares. This is softly floral on the nose with bright red berry notes. Taught and direct, this doesn't deviate too much from the centre of the palate - the spiced, tobacco-laced black fruit and clear mineral wet stone, graphite and pencil lead all in one line from start to finish, tangy and a little constricted. Feels well worked no doubt, smooth and defined, just not so expansive and wide at this point. Coiled and knitted with tons of liquorice and savouriness on the finish. A real balancing act of complexity and flavour layering with underlying power and promise of great things to come. Ageing 14 months in French oak barrels. Interestingly, the label features a series of redacted, blacked-out lines covering vineyard names as regulations prevent the naming of such. Click to see full details | |
| Adega Algueira, Dolio, Ribeira Sacra | Spain | 2019 | 93 | Brand new to the Place de Bordeaux, this is a blend of mostly indigenous varieties; 66% Mencia, 20% Brancellao, 6% Sousón, 4% Caiño and 4% Garnacha Tintorera planted in 3.7 hectares on the steep hills of Doade and Abelada in Galicia. Red berry accents on the nose, white chocolate and blood orange rind. Succulent and supple, this has a lovely bounce and sense of energy and fun to it. An element of sharpness and thrill with herbal-edged strawberries, chalky tannins and minerality too - wet stone nuance giving a metallic bite and long finish of tobacco, liquorice and sour cherries. Clean and clear, pure and precise - really easy drinking with bite and tang. This will find fans. Ageing 24 months in 335l French oak barriques and 2,000l French foudre. Director Fabio González Pérez and winemaker Fernando González Riveiro. Click to see full details | |
| White | |||||
| Quintessa, Illumination Sauvignon Blanc, Napa County and Sonoma County | USA | 2021 | 93 | Smells grassy and herbal with apple and lemon notes. Bright and lively straight away, but in a calm and controlled way, not too sour or sharp, this has structure and a wide frame, well built with mineral edges and toasted nuances that linger on the tongue. Really lovely, feels like this wine is getting better, more round and well integrated, less overtly spiced though it's there in the background. This has character and personality with a long length and would stand up to food really well. Lively, elegant and juicy with caramel, honey, lemon and lime, grapefruit pith, orange and toast elements all mingling quite deliciously. A blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc Musqué, 33% Sauvignon Blanc and 17% Semillon comes Sonoma County (55%) and from Napa County (45%). Estate director Rodrigo Soto, winemaker Rebekah Wineburg. Click to see full details | |
| White | |||||
| Dalla Valle Vineyards, Maya, Napa Valley (Oakville) | USA | 2020 | 99 | Fragrant and so scented on the nose, inviting and cool. The classic blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc is smooth and supple on the palate, crisp and crunchy yet smooth and silky and also slightly chewy and bouncy. A lovey combination of power and focus, this has drive and sculpt, nuance and detail. Excellent presentation, really fills the palate with juice, energy brightness. Lovely length and overall structure, fels well worked, full but not overpowering, rich but not overly alcoholic - a wonderful presentation and totally delicious. Winemakers Naoko Dalla Valle and Andy Erickson. Click to see full details | |
| Paul Hobbs, Cristina's Signature, Nathan Coombs Estate, Napa Valley (Coombsville) | USA | 2020 | 98 | This Napa wine is brand new to the Place de Bordeaux this year joining Paul Hobbs' Argentinian wine. Clean blueberries and dark plums on the nose - smells ripe, full and fragrant but fresh too with menthol aromas and soft wood spicing. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is ample and vibrant with richness and purity. The tannins are amazing - meltingly soft yet this is full bodied with signature plushness and weight. The gorgeous texture expands in the mouth while the clean, pure and fresh flavours give an enjoyable metallic, iron and stone tang which lingers alongside liquorice, clove and mint. Very Napa but very modern, precise and well defined giving just the right amount of strength, confidence, sunkissed currant fruit with elegance, finesse and style. Ageing 20 months in French oak barrels, 71% new. Click to see full details | |
| Quintessa, Napa Valley (Rutherford) | USA | 2020 | 98 | Gorgeous aromas, fragrant and floral, sweet and heady sun-kissed currants and black cherry fruit. Full and intense but straight and linear, quite lean and not fleshy, with some cool, crystalline blue fruit aspects as well as liquorice and tobacco notes. It's compact for sure, but so well worked, tannins are fine and firm, really supportive and give both a wide and deep frame. Spiced and chalky but this is slick, stylish and sophisticated. The coiled nature of the tannins keeps it from expanding too much right now, clearly youthful with bite and a smoky tang on the finish. A delicious, biodynamic wine worth getting your hands on. Estate director Rodrigo Soto, winemaker Rebekah Wineburg. Ageing 22 months, 60% new French oak. A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Carménère and 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Click to see full details | |
| Beaulieu Vineyard, Georges de Latour, Napa Valley | USA | 2020 | 97 | Gorgeous vivid and intense purple colour, bright and deep. Heady fragrance, ripe but fresh dark black fruit with dark chocolate, hints of tobacco and florality that lifts the aromas out of the glass. Smooth, supple and sumptuous, instantly vibrant and mouthwatering, clean and precise, almost razor sharp tannins give bite and tang straight away. Fresher and more lean than I was expecting with juicy, mouthwatering acidity, tension and direction. Feels stylish and so well built. Crunchy and tangy herbal blackcurrants, plum and currants join menthol aspects that give a spiced mint aspect to the finish. The fruit is just the right side of sunkissed, crystalline with focus and persistence alongside nuanced dark chocolate, leather, liquorice and tobacco leaf spice. A beautiful expression, lively and enticing with total estate signature on show. Alcohol is well wrapped and this leaves you wanting more. Ageing 24 months in French oak barrels (95% new). 3.65pH. Trevor Durling winemaker. Click to see full details | |
| Favia, Cerro Sur, Napa Valley | USA | 2014 | 97 | Gorgeous nose full of bright cherry and plum with honeycomb and toffee apple edges - so enticing. Delicious and filling, really envelops the entire mouth with tannins that are on the prominent, full, ample and massy side with a powdery, chalky and soft fleshines that is so welcome and appealing. Feels like it's softening and expanding nicely, becoming more confident in the glass, still with power and concentration, but the juicy acidity shines through giving such a charming character. Structured and expressive, this is perfect to have with food and such a treat to taste a Napa with some age full of soft florality, subtle cinnamon, clove and ginger spice and espresso accents. In a great drinking period but there's still lots of life yet no doubt. Generous, balanced and so satisfying with a lovely texture and overall length. Ageing 22 months French oak, 50% new. Grapes come from a mountain top block of Cabernet Franc planted nearly 40 years ago on the Rancho Chimiles, high in the Vaca mountains. Winemakers Annie Favia and Andy Erickson. Click to see full details | |
| Favia, Coombsville, Napa Valley (Coombsville) | USA | 2020 | 97 | Full and alive on the nose, ripe, fragrant and heady, supple and agile, this has energy but is also quite strict with imposing yet fine tannins with pure fruit that makes it lighter and less fleshy than the nose suggests with a juicy, succulent core underneath. This is well sculpted, and although you can feel the 15% alcohol, the acidity gives the expression lift and sense of bold fun. Stunning detail and plenty of fruit that stays the right side of being too ripe with spiced angles and a sense of clear construction and purpose. A lovely chewiness comes towards the end alongside minerality in the soft salty and flinty undercurrent, but there is also some sweet tobacco and sticky black liquorice notes on the final flavour that give contrast and nuance. Winemakers Annie Favia and Andy Erickson. Click to see full details | |
| Morlet Family Vineyards, Coueur de Vallée, Napa Valley (Oakville) | USA | 2020 | 97 | Ripe and seductive nose - strawberry jam with sunkissed blueberries, blackberries, menthol notes, aniseed and cinnamon alongside herbal touches and bright fresh floral scents. This is 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc is smooth and direct, a lovely weight in the mouth with a flawless texture - tannins are integrated and this has so much energy with bite and a cola tang around the edges. Balanced acidity, not so succulent, more full bodied with the high alcohol (15.7%) masking some of the freshness, but this is balanced and all in line with a spicy, peppery, herbal ending. Nuanced, delicate and finessed - a delicious bottle from winemaker Luc Morlet. Click to see full details | |
| Inglenook, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Rutherford) | USA | 2020 | 96 | Tobacco, dark chocolate and blackcurrants on the nose, something quite meaty and savoury about the nose too. Succulent and juicy, really quite lightly framed despite the concentration, tannins are well integrated and support the crisp blueberry and black cherry fruit. Supple with a nice energy and bounce, doesn't feel too hot or too much, balanced and harmonious. An enjoyably cool finish too - overall impressive construction and length. Super lively, juicy and delineated. Tobacco, cedar and liquorice mark the finish suggesting this needs time to age and soften but this has excellent potential and should age gracefully. Ageing 20 months in French oak, 50% new. Winemaker Philippe Bascaules. Click to see full details | |
| Chappellet, Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley | USA | 2019 | 96 | Heady and ripe, floral and open on the nose with aromas of cedar, sweet strawberries, spiced plum and herbal-edged raspberries. Crisp and juicy, tight and tense - the tannins have a firm aspect to them really giving this a coiled, concentrated, knitted texture and frame where the dark, ripe fruit drives through the centre but there's lots of liquorice, dark chocolate and clove spice giving the angles and nuance, almost overtaking the fruit. Still, it's well constructed, smooth and long with lovely integrity of juiciness. Lots of Petit Verdot character also gives the singularity and signature. A fine wine with lots to like. Stylish, sophisticated and suave. 3% Merlot completes the blend. Winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus. 3.78pH. Click to see full details | |
| Chappellet, Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley | USA | 2019 | 96 | Heady and bold, taut and super tense, the cool nature of the year and the tension from the oak dominates the palate creating compactness but also layers of freshness, flavour and textured nuance. Tannins are supple and well worked and the blackcurrant and blackberry fruit is pristine. Generous, sleek and elegant in a forward, attention-seeking kind of way, lots of spice and minerality; clove, graphite and dark chocolate, with fresh markers too; wet stones, blueberries and vanilla. Confident and full of interest. At 15% you can feel the alcohol, but there's balance to the expression with lots of polish to the long finish. 3.79pH. Ageing 22 months in 100% new French oak. Winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus. Click to see full details | |
| Inglenook, Rubicon, Napa Valley (Rutherford) | USA | 2020 | 95 | Ripe and heady on the nose, full and generously aromatic. Supple and forward, lovely energy and poise to this initially despite it being quite powerful and potent. Tannins are on the slightly present and drying side right now, a little tight and there's something that constricts the mid palate onwards, with the texture dominating the more fruit forward elements and creating a bit of a barrier to enjoyment. Mineral, stoney, flint and pencil lead aspects linger. Ageing 20 months in French oak, 75% new. Winemaker Philippe Bascaules. Click to see full details | |
| Appassionata, Pinot Noir, Fortissimo, Willamette Valley (Dundee Hills) | USA | 2012 | 95 | Brand new to the Place de Bordeaux this year is a passion project by Ernie Loosen in Oregon's Willamette Valley that began in 2005. 'A great wine starts with the idea of a great wine' Ernie believes and his idea was to create a new world Pinot Noir (Burgundian vineyards were and are too expensive) but released when the wines are starting to be ready to drink - 10 years! Smoked meat, fragrant strawberries and rose petals on the nose, delightfully beguiling and really draws you in on the first smell. Succulent and silky from the start, bright and piercing almost but then immediately softens bringing vanilla, clove, herbal raspberries, orange peel, touches of leather and meat into the mix. Still very much on the fruit but with accents of maturity that bring intrigue. Light and fresh, immediately so drinkable so feel free to pull the corks but this will also continue to improve with more age. Delicate yet layered with a certain push and style from the start and a real lingering of spice on the finish. Still a baby, only just starting to show what it's made of. Click to see full details |