Chateau Marjosse 2022 - Bordeaux's best bargain from the man behind Cheval Blanc

In Vinous's most recent Italy report, this wine topped the table as one of the highest-scoring wines of the year, even beating Solaia.

Petrolo Boggina B 2024

98 Points - Vinous

"The 2024 Boggina B is one of the best wines I have tasted from Petrolo. Aromatic and pliant, with superb persistence, the 2024 dazzles from start to finish"

97 Points - James Suckling

"One of Italy’s best whites, with aromas of honeysuckle, lavender, chalk, salt and dried lemons, as well as some apples and orange blossoms"

Petrolo is one of Tuscany’s most respected small estates, tucked into the hills of Val d’Arno di Sopra. Founded in the 1940s, the estate is best known for Galatrona, but its focus on old vines, low yields and meticulous vineyard work extends across the range.

Boggina B is Petrolo’s flagship white, made from Trebbiano Toscano from vines planted in the 1970s. Rather than being a simple, fresh Tuscan white, it is a serious, ageworthy wine with remarkable depth and structure. Petrolo’s old vines and hillside terroir give it a distinctive combination of richness, minerality and freshness.

The 2024 is one of Petrolo’s finest Boggina Bs yet, earning 98 points from Antonio Galloni and 97 from James Suckling. Lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers and mint lead into a racy, beautifully persistent finish, with chalk, citrus and honey adding complexity. At 12% alcohol, it spends over 15 months sur lies in French oak tonneaux, with bâtonnage during the early months.

Today we have a special offer price of €45* In Bond per bottle, which, from what we can see, is the lowest price in Europe on Wine-Searcher.

Add them to your collection whilst stocks last!

Petrolo Boggina B 2024

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€45* In Bond per bottle

98 Points | Vinous, Antonio Galloni

The 2024 Boggina B is one of the best wines I have tasted from Petrolo. Aromatic and pliant, with superb persistence, the 2024 dazzles from start to finish. Lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers and mint race across the palate with captivating energy. There’s a hint of reduction that adds character, but unlike some vintages that does not dominate.

97 Points | James Suckling

One of Italy’s best whites, with aromas of honeysuckle, lavender, chalk, salt and dried lemons, as well as some apples and orange blossoms. Medium-bodied, showing firm texture and a racy finish, turning lemony and limey with honey and nuts. Love the texture and length. A little cloudy, but don’t worry about it. From vines planted in the 1970s. Drink or hold.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

Browse all Petrolo wines → | Browse Tuscany → | Browse Italy →

Cult wine:

Domaine la Bergerie de l'Arcade 2023

A new domaine that's already very highly hyped. From two brothers who worked alongside the legendary Laurent Vaillé of Grange des Pères.

We only have a very small number of bottles to offer today.

Bergerie de l’Arcade is one of the Languedoc’s most exciting young domaines, founded by brothers Pascal and Gilles Soulas in Pouzols. The brothers learned their craft alongside the legendary Laurent Vaillé of Grange des Pères, whose influence can still be seen in their meticulous approach. Encouraged by Vaillé, they bought vineyards in Terrasses du Larzac, producing their first vintage in 2016.

The domaine works with around 30-year-old Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan planted across a fascinating mix of limestone clay, sand, pebbles and schist. The grapes are harvested by hand, vinified separately and aged for around two years in used barriques. The wines combine richness and concentration with remarkable freshness, elegance and fine tannins.

Grange des Peres 2023 - €205* inc VAT per bottle

Bergerie de l’Arcade 2023 - €68.50* inc VAT per bottle

There are no mainstream critic reviews yet, and that's really the interesting part. Bergerie de l’Arcade already has a cult following in the right circles, but it hasn't yet had the attention from Vinous, Wine Advocate and the other major critics that can completely change the profile of a domaine.

The Grange des Pères connection makes the price comparison particularly intriguing. The Soulas brothers learned their craft as apprentices alongside Laurent Vaillé, and that influence is still evident in their approach to the vineyards and winemaking. The result is a wine with a similar focus on place, richness and freshness, but at a fraction of the price.

€68.50* inc VAT per bottle feels like an opportunity to buy into a domaine before the critics catch up.

Once the wider fine wine world starts paying attention, I suspect this will be a very different proposition.

Domaine la Bergerie de l'Arcade 2023

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€68.50* inc NL VAT per bottle

ETA 2-3 weeks

Tasting note:

The 2023 is a beautifully expressive Languedoc, combining black fruit, violets, garrigue and pepper with fine tannins and a lovely freshness. There is plenty of depth and concentration, but the wine remains lifted and elegant rather than heavy, with Syrah bringing spice, Grenache adding flesh and Mourvèdre giving the finish a serious, savoury edge.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

Browse all Bergerie de l'Arcade wines → | Browse Languedoc → | Browse France →

Bollinger R.D. 2008

98+ Points - Wine Advocate

"When I was tasting Bollinger's brilliant Grande Année in this vintage, I was trying to imagine how good the 2008 Extra-Brut R. D. would be, as the style of the vintage seems almost perfectly adapted to this cuvée. Four years later, we have the answer, and the wine is brilliant. [...] In style, the most obvious comparison is with the 1996, but the 2008 is more integrated and harmonious on release"

98+ Points - The Wine Independent

"Emerging like a genie from a bottle, so full of life and magic, the Bollinger R.D. 2008 unwinds gradually to reveal aromatic layer after layer of white peach, Meyer lemon confit, kumquat, wafer cookies, wet stones and acacia honey intermingling with bready and faintly oxidative, nutty notes."

Bollinger R.D. is Champagne with the volume turned up. Created by Madame Bollinger in 1967, R.D. means Recently Disgorged, giving Bollinger’s powerful Pinot Noir-led style an unusually long period on its lees before release. The result is a cuvée built around depth, vinous character and freshness, combining extended ageing with the precision of late disgorgement.

2008 is widely regarded as one of Champagne’s great modern vintages. A cool, dry growing season produced slow, even ripening, exceptional acidity and remarkable concentration. The combination of freshness, structure and balance created wines with both immediate appeal and serious ageing potential, making 2008 particularly suited to long-lived prestige cuvées.

The 2008 R.D. is a spectacular expression of both the vintage and the cuvée. Scoring 99 from James Suckling and 98+ from Wine Advocate, it combines orchard fruit, citrus, brioche, hazelnut and wet stone with racy acidity and a pinpoint mousse. Disgorged in 2022 after 13½ years on lees, it remains remarkably youthful, energetic and bone-dry.

Today we have a small allocation at a fantastic price of €219* In Bond per bottle and available to buy in single bottles.

This easily makes it onto our dream list of top 2008 Champagnes to try.

Bollinger R.D. 2008

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€219* In Bond per bottle

99 Points | James Suckling

Amazing aromas of sweet uncooked pie crust with almonds. Then you smell dried apples, apricots and pineapple. Grilled fruits, too. Full-bodied. So tangy and energetic with sizzling acidity and creamy tannins. Flavorful and lightly oxidized at the finish. Smacking my lips. Agile. Ginger and spices. A touch of bitter complexity with some salinity. Extreme character that grabs your attention. 13 years and six months aging on the lees with cork. 3 grams dosage. 71% pinot noir and 29% chardonnay. Don’t serve too cold. Drink or hold.

98+ Points | Wine Advocate, William Kelley

When I was tasting Bollinger's brilliant Grande Année in this vintage, I was trying to imagine how good the 2008 Extra-Brut R. D. would be, as the style of the vintage seems almost perfectly adapted to this cuvée. Four years later, we have the answer, and the wine is brilliant. Disgorged in 2022, it's more reserved out of the gates than the dramatic Grande Année was on release, unwinding in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, orange peel, freshly baked bread, subtle hints of fino sherry, wet stones and macadamia nut. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a deep core of fruit that's animated by racy acids and a refined pinpoint mousse, concluding with a bone-dry finish. Extremely harmonious and full of youthful energy, it's the finest R. D. of the decade and one that will richly reward a bit of additional age on cork. In style, the most obvious comparison is with the 1996, but the 2008 is more integrated and harmonious on release. These bottles were disgorged late last year with three grams per liter dosage.

98+ Points | The Wine Independent

Emerging like a genie from a bottle, so full of life and magic, the Bollinger R.D. 2008 unwinds gradually to reveal aromatic layer after layer of white peach, Meyer lemon confit, kumquat, wafer cookies, wet stones and acacia honey intermingling with bready and faintly oxidative, nutty notes. Medium to full-bodied and full of high-toned energy, the palate is wonderfully silky and lithe with a super fine, creamy mousse full of stimulating acid freshness, exquisite saline intensity, and a chalky finish with a beautiful citrus peel note. A blend of 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay, it was disgorged 09 December 2022 and finished Extra Brut with a three gram per liter dosage. As beautiful as it is now, it has many years of excellent drinking ahead.

97 Points | Decanter

Bright in colour with gold reflections, the aromatics are immediately captivating, with marzipan, acacia, apricot and patisserie all vying for attention. It’s impossibly youthful yet reassuringly mature, a bread basket of delicious contradiction. Cerebral seduction ensues on the palate, with dried fruits, bergamot and lime joining the party, then come the hazelnut notes – which have been identified as a leitmotif for the vintage – and a clean, almost chalky finish to restore rigorous harmony. Precision in no way undermines generosity, and generosity in no way undermines potential. A very fine piece of work all in all, tasted from magnum, alongside bottle and jeroboam. Disgorged: November 2022. Dosage: 3g/L.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

Buy Bollinger wine → | Browse Champagne → | Browse France →

5x 100-Points:

Cos d'Estournel 2016

10th Anniversary Limited-Edition Case

Each case contains:

Cos d'Estournel 2016 - 2 bottles

Pagodes de Cos 2016 - 1 bottle

100 Points - Wine Advocate

"The palate is simply electric, charged with an energy and depth of flavors that seem to defy the elegance and ethereal nature of its medium-bodied weight, featuring super ripe, densely pixelated tannins that firmly frame the myriad of fruit and floral sparks, finishing with epic length. Just. Magic"

100 Points - Jeff Leve

"You could lose count if you were trying to number all the layers of velvet drenched, powerful, lifted, sweet, fresh deep red fruits here. The wine offers incredible levels of concentration along with precision, purity, power and elegance."

Cos d’Estournel is one of the most distinctive chateaux in Bordeaux, instantly recognisable for its exotic architecture and bold, opulent style. Situated on the hill of Saint-Estèphe near the Pauillac border, the estate benefits from exceptional gravel soils and south-facing slopes. Known as the “Maharajah of Saint-Estèphe,” Cos blends power with finesse in both its Grand Vin and Pagodes de Cos. Under Michel Reybier’s ownership, it remains a benchmark for modern precision and age-worthy grandeur.

2016 was an exceptional Bordeaux vintage, combining a dry summer with a long, slow ripening season. The best estates produced wines of remarkable concentration, freshness and precision, with ripe tannins and the structure to age for decades.

Cos d'Estournel 2016 is one of the great wines of the vintage, earning 100 points from Wine Advocate, Vinous, James Suckling and The Wine Independent. A 76% Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend, it combines cassis, wild blueberry, violets, crushed stone and spice with incredible precision, energy and depth. Powerful yet elegant, it has decades ahead.

Today sees the release of the 10th Anniversary Limited-Edition Case offering perfect provenance of this great estate. Each case contains 2 bottles of Cos d'Estournel 2016 and 1 bottle Pagodes de Cos 2016.

Releasing at a sensible €450* IB per case, our breakdown shows there is no premium for the assortment, as can often be the case with these special releases.

Two bottles of 100-point Cos d’Estournel 2016, alongside Pagodes de Cos 2016, with perfect provenance and no assortment premium. At €450* IB, this is a very special way to buy into one of Bordeaux’s great 2016 estates.

Cos d'Estournel 2016 - 10th Anniversary Limited-Edition Case

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€450* In Bond per CASE

100 Points | Vinous - Neal Martin

In my last sighted review of the 2016 Cos d’Estournel, I wrote: "I suspect it will close down for a period in its youth." Perhaps it is already beginning to shut down, because though this wine was deeply impressive, it fell just a notch short of ethereal previous bottles, despite its "pixelated black fruit" on the nose and "sublime balance" on the palate. I tasted the wine twice thereafter, though this time with a 4-6 hour decant, and this revealed the Cos d'Estournel that has amazed since I first tasted it out of barrel.

100 Points | Wine Advocate, Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The 2016 Cos d'Estournel is blended of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc aged in 65% new and 35% two-year-old French oak for 15 months. Bottled in July 2018, it is deep garnet-purple colored and starts off a little closed and reticent, opening out slowly and seductively to reveal beautiful lilacs, rose hip tea, crushed stones and camphor nuances over a core of crème de cassis, kirsch, wild blueberries and mocha plus wafts of incense and wood smoke. The palate is simply electric, charged with an energy and depth of flavors that seem to defy the elegance and ethereal nature of its medium-bodied weight, featuring super ripe, densely pixelated tannins that firmly frame the myriad of fruit and floral sparks, finishing with epic length. Just. Magic.

100 Points | The Wine Independent, Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Cos d'Estournel is quite closed to start, requiring a lot of coaxing to bring out profound notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, black cherry compote, and rose oil, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, crushed rocks, and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both opulent and energetic, revealing loads of perfumed black fruit layers and a plush, polished texture, finishing with epic length and depth.

100 Points | The Wine Cellar Insider, Jeff Leve

You could lose count if you were trying to number all the layers of velvet drenched, powerful, lifted, sweet, fresh deep red fruits here. The wine offers incredible levels of concentration along with precision, purity, power and elegance. But to take all this in at its peak, patience is required as you will need at least 12 years or so before this really starts shining. But it is going to be worth the wait.

100 Points | James Suckling

This is muscular yet so well defined and toned. Full-bodied with deep and dense fruit on the palate, yet powerful and rich at the same time. So much sandalwood and blackberry character. Chewy and rich at the finish. This is a warm and generous wine, but the alcohol is just over 13 degrees. Not that high. Love the finish. Extravagant. Magical. Try from 2025.

99 Points | Jeb Dunnuck

The grand vin 2016 Cos d'Estournel checks in as 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc that saw 70% new French oak. One of the more seamless, pure, elegant versions of this cuvée out there, it boasts a saturated purple color as well as a monster nose of pure crème de cassis, gravelly, rocky minerality, tobacco leaf, crushed violets, and lead pencil shavings. One of those “iron fists in a velvet glove” wines, with full-bodied richness and beautiful structure that’s covered by thrilling levels of fruit and texture, it stays tight, compact, and incredibly focused on the palate. It’s already brilliant given its purity of fruit and balance, but it deserves a decade of bottle age and will keep for 4-5 decades.

98 Points | Decanter, Jane Anson

The form, richness, ripeness and depth of flavour are all clearly on display here. Just bottled, it's extremely different in character to the 2015 vintage; it’s hard to believe they're just one year apart. Harvesting finished in mid-October, the latest on record bar 2001. It is excellent quality, and I look forward to attacking this wine once it has started to really show itself. We need to be patient for a good while longer, but this should run and run. Right now it's the liquorice, slate and pulsating walls of vibrant tannins that are at the fore. There's a precision to the layers of fruit and a touch of salinity on the finish. Succulent is really the best word to sum this wine up - I loved it during en-primeur and perhaps it nudges even higher now.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

Browse all Cos d'Estournel wines → | Browse Saint-Estèphe → | Browse France →

Whenever we speak to a winemaker who makes Syrah, they always say the same thing: they aspire to make a wine as good as Jamet. We have an introductory special price of a top vintage to give you a chance to try it.

Jamet Côte-Rôtie 2023

98 Points - Decanter

"Overall, this is looking like a fresh, elegant vintage, in a fairly classic style, rather than the bolder wines that have typified the past eight years. It promises serious complexity in the long term"

Domaine Jamet helped put Côte Rôtie firmly on the map of the world’s great wine regions. Founded by Jean-Paul Jamet, the domaine became one of the defining names of modern Rhône wine, showing what Syrah from these steep, ancient vineyards could achieve. Today, Jamet remains a reference point for collectors and winemakers around the world, with its wines highly sought after.

Jamet works across numerous small parcels on Côte Rôtie’s steep schist slopes, including some of the appellation’s most celebrated sites. The wines are traditionally made, with whole bunches, native fermentation and ageing in older French oak. The style is savoury and perfumed, combining dark fruit, violets, spice and mineral freshness with remarkable finesse and longevity.

The 2023 Côte Rôtie is a brilliant, classically styled Jamet, earning 98 points from Decanter and 95 from Vinous. Made with virtually all whole bunches, it combines black cherry, violets, pepper and roasted herbs with silky tannins, vibrant acidity and remarkable length. Fresh, elegant and beautifully balanced, this is a top vintage of Jamet.

Today we are offering a special price of €110* in bond per bottle to give you a chance to try it.

With top scores from the critics, the 2023 over-delivers and it comes strongly recommended; it's a domaine that we absolutely love.

Domaine Jamet Cote Rotie 2023

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€110* In Bond per bottle

98 Points | Decanter, Matt Walls

A tasting of the constituent barrels, so this is a provisional score. Gerine has a touch of cold-fireplace aroma from the stems, the tannins are quite strict and the fruit is fresh; it’s tense. Lésardes and Cumelle show some slightly confit-grape scents and a touch of cassis. Tense and fresh, with good acidity and grippy, slightly grainy tannins that are a touch underripe. Truchet is a cooler terroir, showing a touch of white pepper. It’s fuller and more generous in fruit – juicy blackberry – with softer tannins, but still very fresh and tense. Tartaras and Bonnivières had an October harvest; showing beautiful floral expression, with good ripe fruit and tannins and more richness, but it’s still so fresh. Gerine and Moutonnes are showing peat and iodine notes. It’s silky, with good ripe fruit and tannins and a powerful finish. Fongeant has notes of lavender and violet, then it’s very fresh, silky and attractive – just lovely. Le Plan is fuller-bodied, more classic warm-vintage fruit, with great acidity and tannins. Côte Blonde, Côte Bodin and Leya are lifted, silky, pure, complete and beautiful. Landonne is a relatively fine and fresh expression, not as austere as it can be. Virtually all whole bunches this year. Overall, this is looking like a fresh, elegant vintage, in a fairly classic style, rather than the bolder wines that have typified the past eight years. It promises serious complexity in the long term.

95+ Points | Wine Advocate

The 2023 Côte-Rôtie is a blend of 17 lieux-dits, fermented with 100% whole clusters and matured for 20 months in barriques, including 10% new oak. It reveals aromas of dark berries, blueberry and flowers, mingled with delicately peppery, spicy nuances. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and structured, it is layered with an enveloping core of fruit framed by lively tension. Precise and ethereal, it evokes the balance of Côte-Rôtie as it was often encountered before recent warmer vintages reshaped the region’s profile. The finish is long, mineral and subtly marked by notes of fresh licorice. This is pure Jamet.

94-96 Points | Jeb Dunnuck

Tasted as a final blend, the 2023 Côte Rôtie is all Syrah that was not destemmed and is resting in a mix of used barrels, Burgundy barrels, and demi-muids. Riper than the 2024, with a sexy opulence in its red, blue, and black fruits as well as roasted herbs, graphite, and peppery, gamey nuances, it's medium to full-bodied and delivers a pure, layered mouthfeel, plenty of tannins, and a great finish. This ripe, pure, layered beauty has a slightly more sun-kissed style compared to the 2024 and will have 20-25 years of prime drinking. Drink 2028-2048.

95 Points | Vinous

The 2023 Côte-Rôtie begins with pronounced black cherry, forest strawberry and dried violets. A touch of red plum adds further fruit complexity. Midweighted and concentrated, the 2023 shows brilliantly at this youthful stage, delivering fruit-driven allure, ultra-refined tannins and outstanding length. The 2023 jumps at you right away, and while there is assured ageing potential, it will be quite hard to resist in its youth. Outstanding.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

Browse all Domaine Jamet wines → | Browse Côte-Rôtie → | Browse France →

We really love the wines of Chateau Haut-Bailly, but they can often go a little under the radar, perhaps because they are located in Pessac-Leognan.

Veronique Sanders is fantastic. She makes wine with such passion and flair, and we have had the pleasure of visiting the newly renovated winery over the last two years for En Primeur. The winery looks like a James Bond villain's lair and has a lot of similarities with Cheval Blanc, as we believe they had the same architect. It even has a secret lift.

We have a nice ex-cellars offer today of Haut-Bailly 2016, coming directly from the estate's cellars, which has recently received a score upgrade to 100 points from both Jane Anson and Jeb Dunnuck. The Wine Advocate is not far behind with 98, making this one of the most highly rated vintages of Haut-Bailly.

100 Points, Jeb Dunnuck

"I obviously underrated the 2016 Château Haut-Bailly on release, and it easily tops out my scale. A hypothetical blend of the 2009 and 2010, it has the opulence and sexiness of a ripe, sunny vintage paired with incredible purity, concentration, structure, and elegance."

100 Points, Jane Anson

"Still concentrated and powerful, its structure and poise is a clear reminder that the vintage sets the bar as one of the greatest Haut-Baillys in recent history."

Stylistically, the wines have restrained power with plenty of elegance and finesse. Gravelly soils, old vines and a winemaker who is borderline OCD about getting everything right, along with Smith Haut Lafitte, Carmes, La Mission and Haut-Brion, make this one of the great estates of Pessac.

The wines have a beautiful perfume and a seriously moreish quality, and in 2016 you get that extra level of structure and power. At ten years old, these are starting to drink beautifully, but there is plenty of life ahead, with the best bottles easily going towards 2050.

For us, the price here makes so much sense. It is about the same as the 2023, but with a high score and a lot more age.

€112.50* In Bond per bottle for what is arguably their best-ever vintage, with ten years of ageing and perfect ex-cellars provenance.

This is one we would be very happy to have in our own cellar.

Grab them whilst you can.

Chateau Haut-Bailly 2016

 

€112.50* In Bond per bottle

 

 

Buy Chateau Haut-Bailly 2016

 

100 Points | Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

To kick off the 50 year retrospective of Haut-Bailly, we began with this exceptional 2016 (we had also tried the fragrant and nuanced 2019 in the tasting room). Still concentrated and powerful, its structure and poise is a clear reminder that the vintage sets the bar as one of the greatest Haut-Baillys in recent history. Fabulous wine, with layers of black olive paste, blueberry fruit, crayon, cigar box, luscious but still reserved, will go for decades. Harvest September 26 to October 18. Denis Dubourdieu's last year as consultant, Gabriel Vialard winemaker, Véronique Sanders director, 55% new oak for ageing.

 

100 Points | Jeb Dunnuck

I obviously underrated the 2016 Château Haut-Bailly on release, and it easily tops out my scale. A hypothetical blend of the 2009 and 2010, it has the opulence and sexiness of a ripe, sunny vintage (à la 2009) paired with incredible purity, concentration, structure, and elegance (à la 2010). Incredible aromatics of cassis, liquid violets, cedar pencil, flowers, and minerals give way to a full-bodied, multi-dimensional, layered Haut-Bailly offering ultra-fine tannins, flawless overall balance, nothing out of place, and the class to drink well today yet evolve for 30-40 years. Absolute perfection in wine, this is a modern-day Legend from director Veronique Sanders.

 

98 Points | Wine Advocate, Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The 2016 Haut-Bailly is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. The nose opens with beautiful floral notes of violets and lavender accented with earthy notions and sparks of crushed rocks over a core of kirsch, cassis and wild blueberries. Full-bodied, rich and seductive, it has layer upon layer of red, black and blue fruits intermingled with earth and mineral hints leading to a very long, perfumed finish.

 

98 Points | James Suckling, Jacobo García Andrade

Incense, dried herb and dark fruit aromas. Very precise and vibrant, with great definition and detail. Fruit, acidity and tannins work together to give the wine a chiseled, youthful and energetic profile. A pleasure to taste now, but will hold. Drink or hold. 10 Years On retrospective.

 

97+ Points | Vinous - Antonio Galloni

A big, vertical wine, the 2016 Haut-Bailly explodes onto the palate with tremendous depth and intensity. Readers should be in no rush to drink the 2016, as it won't be close to ready to drink for at least a decade, and I say that as an eternal optimist. Black cherry, smoke, tobacco, cedar, gravel and incense add to the wine's decidedly somber personality.

 

97 Points | Decanter, Elin McCoy

Refined, elegant, brilliant. Spring rain and a dry, sunny summer and autumn meant perfectly ripe grapes, a growing season CEO Véronique Sanders dubbed Le Bonheur (‘a delight’). This sumptuous, smooth red has just about everything: concentration, power, richness, floral and tobacco leaf scents, dark berry and cassis flavours, a plush texture, and long, polished tannins. Haut-Bailly is cru classé for red only.

 

96 Points | Vinous - Neal Martin

The 2016 Haut-Bailly has a lovely bouquet with vivid black fruit, briar and crushed rose petal scents, the oak beautifully intertwined. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid black fruit, cedar and black olive. Fine depth, gentle grip, this feels quite backward towards the finish. Real character here. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.

 

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*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

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Browse Chateau Haut-Bailly

Buy Chateau Haut-Bailly 2016 → | All Haut-Bailly vintages → | Browse Pessac-Léognan → | Browse all Bordeaux →

The 2025s are a beautiful set of wines showing exactly why Kumeu River belong on the world stage, standing shoulder to shoulder with far pricier white Burgundy.

Kumeu River 2025s

For those unfamiliar with the story, Kumeu River famously went head-to-head with top Burgundy in a blind tasting and came out on top. We’ve summarised the key takeaways in an article here.

94 Points - Wine Advocate

"The 2025 Rays Road Chardonnay comes from the Hawke's Bay vineyard, and the nose leads with creamed cashew, white peach, citrus pith and salted caper brine. [...] There's a lot of unspent power here—it feels raw and unbridled somehow"

96 Points - Wine Advocate

"The 2025 Coddington Chardonnay is mineral, detailed, talcy and exciting. I always love this cuvée"

97 Points - Wine Advocate

"The 2025 Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay is powerful and nutty, with ripe orchard fruit. [...] This is an exceptional release of Maté's, one you should make every effort to taste"

The 2025s from Kumeu River are another beautiful set of wines from one of New Zealand’s most important Chardonnay producers, showing exactly why these wines deserve to stand alongside far more expensive white Burgundy.

“Now producing some of New Zealand’s greatest Chardonnays, not to mention the world’s.” - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate

The 2025 vintage was notably dry, with harvest beginning on 4 February and finishing on 17 March. The dry conditions produced beautifully concentrated fruit, while the Brajkovich family's hands-off approach in the cellar allows the individual vineyard sites to shine. All the wines were hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeast in French oak, followed by 100% malolactic fermentation and 11 months ageing in barrel.

The single vineyards each have their own personality. Coddington is the most texturally nuanced, with floral lift, talcy phenolics and a fine pithy line. Hunting Hill is broader and riper, with more obvious fruit weight and generosity. Meanwhile, Rays Road from Hawke’s Bay is creamier and chalkier in texture, with plenty of power held in reserve.

Maté’s Vineyard, often described as the Montrachet of New Zealand, has remarkable concentration, power and length, with layered citrus and stone fruit, finely etched structure and serious ageing potential. It is the estate’s most complete and authoritative expression.

And then there is the Estate Chardonnay, which we absolutely love. The price-quality ratio is fantastic, and it consistently overdelivers for the money. It has much more structure, freshness and ageing potential than the price would suggest, making it one of those bottles that is incredibly easy to recommend.

If you love white Burgundy but don't want to pay Burgundy prices, Kumeu River remains one of the first places I would look.

The 2025s are another very strong set, and the Estate in particular is a wine we would happily buy by the case.

Estate Chardonnay 2025

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€24.50* In Bond per bottle

93 Points | Wine Advocate, Erin Larkin

Hailing from the exceptional 2025 growing season, the 2025 Estate Chardonnay leads initially with toasty/pencilly oak notes; however, the fruit on the palate is where the quality of the vintage is on show. Here we have yellow peach, sea salt, toasted sage leaf (even bay), quince, fig and white flowers. The acidity is prodigious, and this serves as a prop in the middle of the palate, providing real tension and fierceness to the otherwise ripe fruit. This is a very good wine, and the length through the finish is impressive. 13.6% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

Rays Road Chardonnay 2025

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€25.50* In Bond per bottle

94 Points | Wine Advocate, Erin Larkin

The 2025 Rays Road Chardonnay comes from the Hawke's Bay vineyard, and the nose leads with creamed cashew, white peach, citrus pith and salted caper brine. The palate is creamy and sleek, with bright acidity and talcy phenolics through the open-weave finish. There's a lot of unspent power here—it feels raw and unbridled somehow. This is impressive and quite different from the other cuvées, though it continues to bear the hallmarks of the Kumeu River house style. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

Coddington Chardonnay 2025

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€42.50* In Bond per bottle

96 Points | Wine Advocate, Erin Larkin

The 2025 Coddington Chardonnay is mineral, detailed, talcy and exciting. I always love this cuvée. It's not obviously powerful (though the clay soils in this vineyard do produce a wine of density), like Maté's, and it's not ripe and concentrated like the Hunting Hill; rather, this offers a lighter, more ethereal-noted wine. Like, it's quite "flowers and pith," "talc and cloth." It's a beauty, and never more so than in this brilliant 2025 vintage. The oak and fruit are gloriously harmonious here. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2025

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€46.50* In Bond per bottle

94 Points | Wine Advocate, Erin Larkin

The 2025 Hunting Hill Chardonnay is ripe and thunderous, with salted peach, walnuts and stewed apple notes. This is flavorsome, opulent and impressively distinct from the Maté's tasted alongside—the vineyards are a stone's throw from each other. This is nettle-y, laden with apple skins and driven by fruit intensity. The acidity remains a concentrated and powerful player on stage here, as with all the Kumeu River cuvées. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

Mates Vineyard Chardonnay 2025

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€49.50* In Bond per bottle

This is ‘On Allocation’, requiring support on other wines. Contact us with requests.

97 Points | Wine Advocate, Erin Larkin

The 2025 Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay is powerful and nutty, with ripe orchard fruit. There are also notes of white pepper, pressed linen, green apple, chamomile and salted cashews. The palate is predictably powerful and unbelievably concentrated, with depth and length that feels interminable. This is an exceptional release of Maté's, one you should make every effort to taste. These wines age so well; don't acquire them with the expectation that they must be consumed soon. They have a decades-long future ahead, if only you have the patience. 13.7% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

Browse all Kumeu River wines → | Browse Kumeu → | Browse New Zealand →

Caiarossa 2023

New vintage release

97 Points - James Suckling

"A graceful, restrained red with aromas of straw, angelica, cloves, bramble fruit and cocoa powder. Full-bodied with cocoa flavors and elegant tannins despite their thickness and power. A firm structure well balanced by fruit"

96 Points - Falstaff

"Intense, brilliant ruby red with violet highlights. Impressive on the nose, with plenty of dark, ripe fruit reminiscent of blackberry and black cherry, followed by mint, a hint of cigar box, and fine wood. Powerful and well-balanced on the palate, again with impressive fruit concentration and sweet tannins, harmonious acidity, and a long, silky finish"

Caiarossa is the Italian sister estate to Margaux’s Château Giscours, acquired in 2004 when Dutch entrepreneur Eric Albada Jelgersma set out to find a Tuscan property with the same ambition and focus on terroir. Tucked into the hills of Val di Cecina near the Tyrrhenian coast, Caiarossa combines biodynamic farming, diverse soils and a fascinating mix of Mediterranean varieties to create wines of remarkable freshness, minerality and precision.

Caiarossa is not your typical Super Tuscan, and that is precisely what makes it interesting.

Rather than simply following the Bordeaux formula, the blend brings together Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Grenache. The result is a distinctive, complex wine with Mediterranean character and serious structure.

The 2023 is a powerful, serious Caiarossa that needs a little patience. James Suckling awarded it 97 points, praising its elegance and firm structure, while dark fruit, cocoa, bramble and spice lead into thick, polished tannins. There is plenty of concentration here, but also freshness and balance. A wine to cellar now and enjoy from 2027 onwards.

Released this morning at €55 In Bond per bottle, this is a seriously exciting alternative to the usual Super Tuscan suspects.

If you like Bordeaux but want to see what happens when that philosophy meets the Tuscan coast, this is one to put on your radar.

Caiarossa Toscana 2023

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€55* In Bond per bottle

6x75cl OWC and loose bottles | ETA February

97 Points | James Suckling

"A graceful, restrained red with aromas of straw, angelica, cloves, bramble fruit and cocoa powder. Full-bodied with cocoa flavors and elegant tannins despite their thickness and power. A firm structure well balanced by fruit. Licorice finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2027 or 2028."

96 Points | Falstaff

"Intense, brilliant ruby red with violet highlights. Impressive on the nose, with plenty of dark, ripe fruit reminiscent of blackberry and black cherry, followed by mint, a hint of cigar box, and fine wood. Powerful and well-balanced on the palate, again with impressive fruit concentration and sweet tannins, harmonious acidity, and a long, silky finish."

95 Points | Vinous, Antonio Galloni

"The 2023 Caiarossa is a powerful, brooding wine. A blast of dark blue/purplish fruit, gravel, incense, new leather and licorice makes a strong opening statement. Readers should be prepared to cellar the 2023 for at least a few years, as the tannins are rather imposing today. This is an especially somber Caiarossa."

94 Points | Decanter, James Button

"Caiarossa 2023 opens with an earthy, woodland berry fragrance which leads into a tight, vertical palate. It’s clearly still very young as it’s not giving too much away, but it promises some fleshiness as it unfolds. The purity and clarity is impressive, and the balance is superb. Caiarossa’s flagship wine is not your typical Tuscan Bordeaux blend. In fact, it’s not a Bordeaux blend at all. The main components in the blend are Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, but it also incorporates smaller percentages of Merlot, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Grenache."

94 Points | Jane Anson

"Delivers an exceptional blend of firm tannic grip and generous Tuscan pleasure, lavender, incense, raspberry, redcurrant, liquorice, drawn out and mouthwatering on the finish. On site technical director Francesco Villa, cellar master Marco Lipparini. 40ha, Alexander van Beek director, Jerome Poisson winemaker."

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

Browse all Caiarossa → | Browse all Toscana →

Haut-Brion 2012 Magnums

1x150cl OWC

98 Points - Jane Anson

"Whiff of gunsmoke reduction, opening up to show concentrated dark berry fruit with liquorice, pencil lead, campfire and black truffle. Stately and muscular, a brilliant counterpoint to the grace of La Mission Haut-Brion. [...] I remember loving this En Primeur, and at the 10 years on mark it remains one of the wines of the vintage. 100% new oak"

98 Points - Robert Parker Jr

"The 2012 Haut Brion (65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc) is certainly one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage, [...] The wine shows subtle barbecue smoke notes in the background, but is full-bodied, stunningly concentrated and builds incrementally, yet finishes with luxurious, almost extravagant amounts of fruit and intensity"

Wine of the vintage 2012, drinking beautifully now:

Few wines carry the history, prestige and sheer individuality of Chateau Haut-Brion. One of Bordeaux’s original First Growths, its deep gravel soils and unique microclimate have produced legendary wines for centuries. The estate’s combination of old vines, meticulous winemaking and remarkable terroir gives Haut-Brion a character unlike any other First Growth.

2012 was a challenging Bordeaux vintage, with a wet spring followed by a dry, warm summer and a tricky harvest. The best estates succeeded through careful selection, producing wines with impressive concentration and freshness. It was a vintage where terroir and winemaking mattered enormously, and the top chateaux delivered some genuine surprises.

Haut-Brion 2012 is one of the great successes of the vintage, with Robert Parker calling it a candidate for wine of the year. A 65% Merlot-led blend, it combines crushed rock, black raspberry, blueberry, graphite and smoke with remarkable depth. 98 points from Jane Anson and Wine Advocate, this is powerful, concentrated Haut-Brion with decades ahead.

As one of the top performers of the vintage, and coming in at a fantastic price compared with its peers, this is a particularly compelling Haut-Brion.

This afternoon we have Magnums arriving directly from Bordeaux, each in 1x150cl OWC, giving you perfect provenance and a wine that has been stored in ideal conditions.

One of the wines of the vintage, perfect provenance and a fantastic price from us. What’s not to like?

Chateau Haut-Brion 2012 Magnum

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€745* In Bond per bottle

1x150cl OWC | ETA October

98 Points | Jane Anson

"Whiff of gunsmoke reduction, opening up to show concentrated dark berry fruit with liquorice, pencil lead, campfire and black truffle. Stately and muscular, a brilliant counterpoint to the grace of La Mission Haut-Brion. Grips the palate, this is one of the highest alcohol wines in the vintage and yet it is balanced, with so much flavour and presence that just fills the palate and hangs on. I remember loving this En Primeur, and at the 10 years on mark it remains one of the wines of the vintage. 100% new oak."

98 Points | Wine Advocate - Robert Parker Jr - Tasted April 2015

"The 2012 Haut Brion (65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc) is certainly one of the candidates for the wine of the vintage, with a dense purple color, classic nose of crushed rock, lead pencil shavings, black raspberry, blueberry and flowers. The wine shows subtle barbecue smoke notes in the background, but is full-bodied, stunningly concentrated and builds incrementally, yet finishes with luxurious, almost extravagant amounts of fruit and intensity. From only 46% of the production, this is an absolutely remarkable effort from the Dillon family and their winemaking team of the two Jean-Philippes. Drink it over the next 30-40 years."

97 Points | The Wine Independent, Lisa Perrotti-Brown

"Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2012 Haut-Brion leaps with vibrant blackcurrant cordial, preserved plums, tar, and licorice scents, followed by touches of graphite, dried roses, and cardamom plus a hint of crushed rocks. Full-bodied, firm, and very fine-grained, it has loads of savory and mineral layers leading to a long, decadently rich, fruity finish on this very pure and youthful wine. The blend is 65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc."

97 Points | The Wine Cellar Insider, Jeff Leve

"A clear candidate for the wine of the vintage, there is a richness and depth of flavor not found in most wines from this difficult vintage. Full-bodied, with layers of dark, smoky, spiced, tobacco-stained red fruits, ample tannin, and structure for aging as well as ample length and complexity in the finish, give this another 5-7 years in the cellar before opening a bottle."

97 Points | Vinous - Antonio Galloni

"A big, powerful wine, the 2012 Haut-Brion possesses stunning richness and intensity, with all of the depth that is lacking in so many other wines in this vintage. Not here. The 2012 possesses remarkable depth and tons of raw, animal power that is going to require considerable time in bottle to soften. Readers should be in no rush; the 2012 Haut-Brion is a wine for the ages. Smoke, graphite, dried herbs and blue/purplish stone fruits grace the exotic, alluring finish."

95 Points | Vinous - Neal Martin

"The 2012 Haut-Brion is beginning to flex its muscles. The bouquet is perhaps one of the most backward of the five First Growths, the Merlot firmly in the driving seat. Blackcurrant mixes with pitted black olives and cedar, and light sous-bois scents percolate through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, very good weight, plummy and lightly spiced with plenty of weight on the slightly meaty finish. This is an excellent Haut-Brion, but it needs bottle age. Tasted blind in Bordeaux."

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

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