The 2001 Léoville Las Cases is a vintage I’ve encountered many times. Now at two decades old, it has a generous nose with those black plums still in situ, along with graphite and cedar; this bottle is a little more backward, probably due to the provenance. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, white pepper and sage and fine grip. Though it’s not as precise or chiseled as recent vintages, there is admirable complexity on the lightly peppered, tobacco- and rooibos-tinged finish. Excellent. 2021 - 2050

Chateau Haut-Bailly (Pessac-Leognan)- Chateau Haut-Bailly always delivers amazing wine, and this vintage is no exception. With aromatic and dense black fruits of cherry and cassis the 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot is savory and delightful with earthy minerality and tobacco nuances. Be patient and you will be rewarded with a supremely delicious wine. You won't have to wait too long though as 2024 will mark 10 years in the bottle and the wine will start to show well. Drink 2024-2035.

Another well known Chateau from Margaux, this popular third growth of the 1855 Classification offers great value/quality from Margaux. With a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot and 20% Merlot, this is a ‘pretty' wine with floral and black tea notes interwoven with the plum, red cherry, cassis, cedar, and graphite. A classy wine that can be enjoyed now.

89–91. Barrel sample. This is a concentrated wine that's very full in the mouth and shows its structure right up front. It has acidity and some juiciness, but the fruit is still very suppressed by the dryness.

94 Points-Wine Enthusiast Spicy, rich and full of ripe fruit, this wine has great potential. It is structured and dense while bringing out a stylish elegance. Blackberry fruit dominates the tannins to create a wine that has both concentration and fine fruit. Drink from 2022.

93 Points-Wine Spectator Very pure and expressive, featuring lovely violet and cassis aromas and flavors that stream forth, backed by light anise and graphite hints. Maintains a fresh feel through the finish, with light minerality engaging with the fruit. Best from 2019 through 2028.

On the nose, vanilla and a burst of sweet ripe cassis. This is Changyu's proposition of a big wine from the Helan Mountain region of Ningxia. Opulent, luscious and of enormous character and body – this wine lifts you with its power. It conjures up a myriad of food pairing ideas, from a juicy steak, confit of duck or a rich ripe cheese. The wine is a statement for the region with its beauty, power of fruit, tannins, taste, style and a long finish. Yet, it also encompasses elements of elegance and finesse.

Very pale salmon colour. Fully ripe grapes. Very vinous nose. Masses of fruit and only the merest hint of fermentation aromas. Apparently 1.7 g/l residual sugar but it tastes more. High extract because berries are very small. Real mouthful of charming fruit. Very commercial I would have thought. Designed for the on trade. Mouthful of venosity. Well done!

Embodying an iconic legacy, Champagne Christian Busin Grand Cru 2012-993 offers aromatic intensity featuring truffle, plum, and subtle oak nuances —an exceptional wine that captures the soul of its vineyard with every sip.

Produced using Ugni Blanc grapes this brandy has a multi-layered bouquet of dried yellow plums, rose petals, caramel, and dark chocolate with complex aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. The palate is elegant up front with a spice that intermingles throughout. Perfect for sipping after dinner with dessert.

94 points- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate" Blended of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Clos du Marquis has a very deep garnet-purple color and is a little broody to begin, giving way to notes of crushed blackcurrants and black cherries with touches of warm plums, pencil shavings, earth and new leather with a waft of yeast extract. Medium-bodied with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins, it has bold fruit matched by freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. (LPB)" (11/2018)

95 points - Jeb Dunnuck

Chateau Pichon Baron is a classified Second growth located in the Pauillac appellation on the left bank of the Medoc region. The estate comprises 75ha of high quality vines growing on gravelly soils. Average age of the vine is 35 years. The 2016 vintage is a red wine blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot. This wine is classy with rich aromas of black cherry,cassis and hints of vanilla and spices. The palate has plush tannins with a dense and full bodied finish. This will age for the next 25-30 years. The Chateau Pichon Baron received 100 points from Decanter for this 2016 vintage.

The Chateau Lynch Bages 2019 ( one of the most famous 5th growths) is in line with the previous wines of the property with a blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), along with the addition of 24% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. This great Bordeaux wine offers a characteristic fruity nose with fresh and spicy notes, as well as fine woody notes. The smooth and balanced palate is supported by a beautifully dense and powerful tannic structure, providing plenty of precision and fruit. Put this one away for awhile. Drink from 2029 and will age for the next 30 years. A perfect score given from Jeb Dunnuck.

This blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30 % Semillon offers some of the best value with excellent quality in white Bordeaux. Classic and elegant, the acidity is vibrant with lip-smacking salinity and further flavours of green apple, fennel, and a touch of jasmine.

Jane Anson 96 Points for Inside Bordeaux: "The 2016 Fleur Cardinale is a muscular, beautiful and profound wine full of olive tapendade, tar, smoked earth, and tons of liquorice, bitter chocolate shavings, cassis and blueberry fruits. Things close in to a slate textured finish that gives balance and makes your mouth water, and as things open you get clearer peony floral aromatics curling out of the glass. This was the point at which the Decoster family were really making me sit up and take notice of what was happening at Fleur Cardinale, and it is starting to sing as five years old." (11/2021)

Chateau du Tertre is a 5th growth in the 1855 Classification, located in the Margaux appellation on the left bank of Bordeaux. The chateau itself is 1000 years old, stretching over 52ha. In 1961, the estate was acquired by Phillipe Gasqueton who restored the vineyards and chateau after WWII. After his death in 1995, his widow sold the property to the neighbouring owners of Chateau Giscours, a 3rd Growth. In 1997, the estate was restructured and redesigned by the current Dutch owners of Albada-Jelgersma. This red blend has mainly cabernet sauvignon, with the balance of merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot. A typical Margaux style with elegant floral and red fruits on the nose, yet with plenty of tobacco, cedar and dried herbs with a soft texture, and fresh acidity. Wait a couple of years to enjoy this and drink from 2025-2040.

"Uplifting aroma of ripe blackberries and black plums, wrapped around by a layer of smoked bacon, sweet spices, cedar and forrest floor. Structured, dense and dry palate with most fruit elements hiding behind the big frame for now. Even at this young age, there is already some degree of balance between acidity and tannins after an hour in the decanter. Not ready to drink now, let it age for 3-5 years and this Margaux will develop gracefully for the next decade." - Wine Enthusiast

Les Griffons de Pichon Baron 2018 reveals a deep, almost black colour. The nose is delicate, with notes of black fruits and a hint of subtle, well-integrated wood. The palate is generous and full, with powerful and luscious tannins. The balance is rich and harmonious with tension.

Koya is a range of Chinese brandies produced at a state- of-the-art chateau, situated in the Shandong province, near the port of Yantai. The VSOP expression has been aged for six years, and it’s very floral and fruity in style, with a lovely syrupy texture. It offers notes of candied apricot, quince, nougat, raisins, vanilla, orange zest and tropical fruit.

Exceptionally complex, fine-smelling aszú made with furmint base wine and linden-leaf aszú grain. In addition to its intense fruity aroma and good acids, it has a completely smooth, elegant structure. Its sugar content can be described in the background, its main value in its complexity and impeccable balance. A lovely but firm wine, taking full advantage of the vintage. An excellent accessory for desserts and cigars.

The watchword for this wine is style. Tannins underline the fruit. This rich structure, while not losing the swaths of berry flavors and crisp black currants, presents the balance between the ripeness and freshness of the vintage. Drink this wine from 2024. Roger Voss

The very expressive bouquet shows attractive hints of cherry and raspberry. The wine is ethereal on the palate, with beautiful freshness that highlights the delicious fruitiness. The long aftertaste confirms the overall charm and attractiveness.

Couvent des Jacobins 2016 develops blackberry and spicy aromas. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and fresh acidity. The finish reveals a beautiful structure.

Colour: It has medium-high layer with a dark red background and red rim.
Nose: Intense and complex with notes of pine forest and aromatic herbs in the clearings of the pine forest. The plum and the cherry are the protagonists, and the blackberry stands out behind them. There are sensations of spices and moist earth and the notes of red and black fruits appear between them.
Palate: It is voluminous and full, filling the palate widely. There is a lot of expressiveness and complexity in his registers. The fruity notes come out together with the earth and the aromatic plants. The tannin is sweet and of very good quality, although it is still present, giving the whole an important structure. There is power and elegance at the same time, and leaves an imprint of freshness. It is a faithful representation of the 2017 vintage, a year of spring frost, with low production and concentrated wines, with a higher volume than usual in CORIMBO.

Without a doubt, Chateau Troplong Mondot has one of the most enviable and unique terroirs on the St. Emilion appellation on Bordeaux's Right Bank. Specifically located on the highest point of Saint-Emilion's famous limestone plateau, the 43ha estate has ideal soils and exposure. The resulting wines combine strength and elegance, complexity and precision. The 2019 Troplong Mondot is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon with attractive aromas of blackberry liqueur, blueberries, licorice, chocolate, and spice. With mouth-filling, juicy, and concentrated textures and flavours, this 2019 received a perfect score of 100 from Wine Enthusiast. Best from 2027-2040.

The 2020 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, aging in 50% new French oak barriques, 35% concrete amphorae and 15% in one-year-old barrels. Harvest began on the 14th of September for the Merlot, and the final lot of Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested on 30th September. Opaque purple-black in colour, it needs significant aeration and swirling to coax out evocative notes of black cherry preserves, raspberry pie, blackcurrant pastilles and damp soil, before launching into gorgeous floral and spice notions of red roses, cinnamon stick, star anise and cardamom, with a waft of crushed rocks.

93-96 points -Wine Spectator "This is packed with fig, boysenberry and raspberry fruit flavors that keep cascading over one another while enticing anise and plum cake notes fill in throughout. Gorgeous mouthfeel, with a creamy, rounded edge, yet never giving up a generally racy and focused feel. (JM)" (4/2017)

"Aromas of wood and fresh fruit translate to the palate, giving this wine depth and concentration. It is powerful but also balanced and fresh, displaying the elegance of the vintage. While never overpowering, the wine's structure will allow it to age well. Drink from 2024. Roger Voss" - 96/100, Wine Enthusiast

Winemaker Notes
Blend: 58% Sauvignon Blanc, 42% Sémillon
This wine has a pale yellow color with golden reflections. Its nose is very expressive, with notes of citrus fruits, white flowers and fresh fruits. The lemony freshness of the attack gives way to an ample, complex and aromatic mouth, very tasty. It is a refined wine with a delicate texture, in complete harmony.

With a beautiful dark golden or amber colour, they have scents of hazelnuts, almonds, nut husks, candied citrus fruit and roasted notes. - Red Rivesaltes that is bottled young (75% Grenache Noir) and aged without oxidization for at least 12 months, three of which are in bottles.

Offering up aromas of rich cassis and blackberry fruit mingled with burning embers, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, the 2019 La Tour Carnet is medium to full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, with a broad attack that segues into an ample core of fruit that's framed by ripe, powdery tannins and lively acids. This is a seamless, rather giving Médoc that has turned out very well. Best After 2023

Chateau Giscours is a famous third growth located in the Margaux appellation of the left bank of Bordeaux. Documents indicate that the estate has been around since 1330. After World War II, it was purchased by Nicolas Tari who set about mondernizing the estate. Here there are 83ha of vineyards that make four labels, including a rose. The 2019 is made from a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, this a serious wine with high intensity aromas of spicy cumin and cloves, black cherry and blackcurrant with a full bodied palate that is layered and concentrated, bright acidity and a great. long finish. Hold for the next couple of years, and age for the enxt 10+ years.

The history of Chateau Duhart-Milon is not as well known as it should be. In the 18th century the wines of Milon became the "second" wine for Chateau Lafite. The 1855 classification awarded Duhart-Milon the only 4th growth in Pauillac, recognizing it for the quality of its soil. Sometime between 1830-1840 35 acres was left to the Casteja family who subsequently possessed a 99acre vinyard name Duhart-Milon. Over the years the property changed hands many times and suffered a decline in the quality of the wines. The property was acquired in 1962 by the Rothschild family who totally overhauled the vineyards and brought back the quality of the wine as a 4th growth. The 2019 Duhart-Milon is a red Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with an up front fruity nose of black currant and blackberry, along with typical Pauillac nuances of pencil shavings, forest floor and cedar. Round, layered and creamy through the palate this wine has excellent potential for great ageing Drink from 2025-2045.

" I loved the 2016 Château d'Issan and this is a certainly a wine to seek out. Made from a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot from yields of 55 hectoliters per hectare, aged 18 months in 50% new oak, it has a beautiful perfume of blue fruits (cassis, blueberries, etc.) as well as hints of graphite, subtle oak, and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, with integrated acidity, a terrific mid-palate, and perfect balance, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to cruise in good cellars for 20-25 years or more. It's a beautiful, elegant, seamless wine that's very much in the style of the vintage." -Jeb Dunnuck (2/2019)

97 points - Decanter

"This impressive wine is structured yet well balanced by an attractive fruitiness that parallels the tannins and the smokiness from wood aging. The density of the palate is countered by fresh acidity that shines through. Drink 2024. Roger Voss" - 95/100, Wine Enthusiast

Medium-bodied, elegant and refined, with lovely, fresh, sweet, red fruits, silky tannins and floral aromatics. The wine is bright, refined and finesse driven. There is purity in the fruit, length and energy here.
The wine was made from blending 89% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc, reaching 14.5% alcohol and aging in 50% new French oak barrels

Strong nose with aromas reminiscent of cherry & blackberries and a little pepper. This pinot noir is a classic fall and winter wine. The optimum drinking temperature is 16 to 18 degrees. It goes well with game and roasts with dark sauces.

Scheurebe belongs to the spicy grape varieties and is ideal for spicy, aromatic dishes as a wine accompaniment. Its bouquet is reminiscent of cassis, ripe yellow fruits such as pear and peach. History: The vine breeder Georg Scheu succeeded in 1916 in the State Institute for Vine Breeding Alzey (30 km from Langenlonsheim) with his 88th seedling of a cross between Riesling and Silvaner in the convincing new breed - the Scheurebe.