Château Clerc-Milon Pauillac
In the past, Château Clerc-Milon has been a rather neglected property, but has seen recent rejuvenation due to the famous Baron Phillippe de Rothschild taking charge of the estate. Named after the original owner, Clerc, and the small village in which the Château lies, Milon, the wine itself is predominated by Cabernet Sauvignon which sets it apart from another Rothschild Château, d'Armailhac. 2008 saw a Clerc-Milon of power and strength with bold, ripe fruit that will develop wonderfully in a well cared for cellar.
Houghton Jack Mann Cabernet Sauvignon
One word - legend. Jack Mann served Houghton for a remarkable 51 consecutive vintages. His determination to create wines of intensity, elegance and regional character have inspired a generation of Australian winemakers to achieve great things. Simply one of this country's greatest Cabernets, this wine is not just single vineyard fruit, the selection process is so rigorous that often it is just a few rows from the Justin Vineyard. Such is the reverence for that great man - Jack Mann.
Woodlands Shelley Anne Cabernet Sauvignon
One of the early pioneers of the Margaret River region, Woodlands' vineyards date back to 1973. As curator of these historic vineyards, Stuart & Andrew Watson have firmly re-established Woodlands into the top echolon of Margaret River producers. Sourced from an the outstanding 2008 vintage, the Shelley Anne Cabernet Sauvignon shows cassis, mulberry and blackcurrant with that typical bay leaf and cedar undertones. A wine that will live for well over a decade.
Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte Pessac-Léognan
An upswing in quality over the past decade or so, has resurrected Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte's position amongst Bordeaux Chateau. New ownership breathed life into exceptionally positioned vineyards, now farmed with less chemicals, with a more sympatico approach in winery. Famed winemaking consultant Michel Rolland is an additional feather in Smith-Haut-Lafitte's cap, enhancing the wines concentration, power and depth, while maintaining a finesse. Though full-bodied, the wine from 2010 will be approachable a little earlier than most other fine Bordeaux, with more moderate tannin - that being said, it's life will stretch several decades too.
Domaine De Montille Volnay Taillepieds 1er Cru
Domaine de Montille is one of the greatest Domaines in Burgundy and can be traced back to the middle of the 17th Century at Creancy with the Lords of Commeau. The lieu-dit known as 'Les Taillepieds' takes its name from its steep hill and the small, sharp gravel on which winegrowers 'slashed their feet' while digging into the earth.Highly defined, it a precise wine that shows floral and spice.
Clos Saint-Martin Grand cru classe
Taking its name, appropriately enough, from Saint Martin, the Patron Saint of winegrowers, Clos Saint-Martin wines are renowned for their sensuous, opulent style - all lush, fruit-driven flavours and silken textures. This is embodied particularly beautifully in arguably the finest wine the estate has ever produced - the notoriously difficult to find 2005 Clos Saint-Martin. The winery dates back to the early 1800s and most recently changed hands in 2013, coming under the ownership of the Cuvelier family, who also own Clos Fourtet. Managed under the partnership of Michel Rolland, the evolution of Clos Saint-Martin continues to unfold in the most interesting (and delectable!) of ways.
Chateau Pavie-Macquin 1er grand cru classe
Pavie Macquin is a Premier Grand Cru Classe (B) growth of Saint-Émillion, planted mostly to Merlot on the regions famous limestone plateau. The Chateaux is named after Albert Macquin, the man oft-credited with much of the innovation around rootstock grafting that eventually saved the vineyards of Europe from the infestation of phylloxera. Prior to the 1998 vintage the wines are thought to not adequately reflect the potential of the terroir of the property, but in the past few decades the chateau has built an incredibly strong reputation.
Les Pensees de Lafleur , second wine of Ch Lafleur
Chateau Valandraud 1er grand cru classe (B)
Château Valandraud 1er Grand Cru Classé B is a wine from vintners Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud. Upon his transition from wine merchant to winemaker in 1989 (when the pair purchased a small patch of vines in St-Émilion), Thunevin became known as a ‘bad boy’ of Bordeaux, creating boutique styles in boutique quantities. This wine is powerful and juicy, rich in black fruit with inky concentration and an esoteric swagger. It is classic, but with attitude. Aged in 100% new oak, with plenty of potential for extended aging.
Jonata Fenix Bordeaux Blend
Product Information: From legendary producer Screaming Eagle. The 2017 Jonata Fenix Bordeaux Blend, comprised of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. It's heady and perfumed with an intoxicating nose pulling you in with notes of ripe black fruit, almond brioche and violets. Its generous and luxurious fruit saturates the palate. A wine of breadth and power that also boasts a truly silky texture. Powerful but stays buoyant and lively through the finish. The final blend is 40% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. The oak regime is typically 60% new French oak, 40% twice used French oak (225L). Maker: Owned by the iconic Screaming Eagle, JONATA wines are on the vanguard of an emerging quality movement in California winegrowing. The Ballard Canyon AVA is located within the greater Santa Ynez Valley appellation. As California’s Central Coast most notable emerging locations, JONATA’s sandy site and its team’s winegrowing know-how have produced results that are widely recognised as the best ever seen from this region. Dedicated to expressing a range of red—and a handful of white—wines from its estate in the Central Coast of California’s Ballard Canyon appellation within Santa Ynez Valley, Jonata is one of a new breed of producers throughout the world who are thriving with a non-traditional amalgam of varieties and blends. With a commitment in particular to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, and informed by cutting edge viticulture, winemaking and a polyface approach to their estate, the Jonata wines are on the vanguard of an emerging quality movement in California winegrowing. Jonata is dedicated to sustainability from the inside out; a principled approach to farming. With its use of polyface farming—as first introduced to America by Michael Pollan in his book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”—Jonata integrates and revolves livestock (chickens, turkeys, goats, pigs and sheep) in their farming model, which naturally enhances the soil and health of their land not to mention that of the critters themselves and the Jonata community! We maintain a large communal garden and an orchard that produces our own estate olive oil along with honey from bees raised on the ranch. Water is used judiciously and with precision. Herbicides and pesticides don’t even enter the conversation. Vineyard: 2017 had a went winter that broke the drought, giving the soils a good drink. Yet it was certainly a year with some of the smallest yields and earliest harvest dates for Jonata (with a few of the first picks coming in mid-August). There were great growing conditions in June and July before a suddenly cool August. Some early harvest prior to the warm periods graced blends with freshness and structural integrity. Some select blocks were picked after the heat had passed, fleshing out the wines with density and power. The combination of these characteristics resulted in wines of purity, balance and complexity. Nose - Perfumed, New Leather, Blackberry Preserve Heady and perfumed with an intoxicating nose that immediately pulls you in with notes of ripe black fruit, almond brioche and violets. Palate - Generous Fleshy Fruit, Espresso Notes, Silky Texture Ripe, fleshy, full-bodied, and loaded with fruit, it still shows the vintage’s more elegant, classic style. Finish - Plum, Chocolate, Ground Herbs A wine of breadth and power that also boasts a truly silky texture. Stays buoyant and lively through the finish.