Chateau Haut-Brion
Vieux-Château-Certan Pomerol
The 2012 Cos dEstournel is a classic expression of St.-Estèphe, with notes of graphite, crushed rock, blackberry, blackcurrant fruit, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, structured, but well-integrated tannins and a long finish of 35 seconds or more. This is a beauty and an undeniable top success in the Médoc for 2012. Give it 4-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades or more. The final blend, which achieved 13.8% alcohol, is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot - Rober Parker Jr
Penfolds Grange Shiraz LNY
Grange is arguably Australia’s most celebrated wine. Crafted with intensely structured shiraz grapes for an Australian style recognised as one of the world’s great wines. With an unbroken line of vintages from the experimental 1951, Grange demonstrates the synergy between shiraz and South Australia.
Torbreck The Forebear Shiraz
First made in 2019, The Forebear Shiraz is an ultra-fine, single-vineyard wine born of one of the oldest shiraz vineyards in the world. In the glass, its bouquet wows, resplendent with florals and red berry fruits, while its captivating, textural mouthfeel blends the same fruits with a swathe of savoury notes, round tannins, and sleek acidity. Fruit for The Forebear is hand-picked, and the wine made with the utmost care, just as it would have been in the old days. Before release, The Forebear spends 24 months in French barriques, and then three years in bottle. On its name, Torbreck’s Chief Winemaker, Ian Hongell, says ‘We chose the name 'The Forebear' to honour the pioneering spirit of the Springbetts and other pioneering families and their role in establishing the Barossa as one of the great winegrowing regions of the world. This wine is our tribute to those who came before us.’
Château Angélus Saint-Emilion
A very important estate in St-Émilion, Château Angélus was acquired by the de Boüard de Laforest family in 1924 and merged with the previously owned Château Mazerat. The apostrophe was dropped in 1989 and is now simply known as Angélus. The wines are characterised by a fabulous texture offered by the high component of Cabernet Franc with the plump softness added by the Merlot creating a wine of pleasing plushness.
Torbreck RunRig Shiraz
The flagship of the Torbreck stable. Recently been elevated to 'Exceptional' status in Langton's Fine Wine Classification, it is a wine of utmost power and density. Famous for rich concentration and opulent power, this exceptional Australian Shiraz is as popular abroad as it is at home. Definitely one to place in the cellar and simply forget about - let the patience reward you over 10 or more years time.
Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo
Chateau de Beaucastel Hommage à Jacques Perrin
Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz (Gift Boxed)
Penfolds has been a pioneer in the world of winemaking since its establishment in 1844 by Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold. The company's success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers who have pushed the development of the company to extraordinary, bold new heights. Mary Penfold's reign at the helm of Penfolds saw years of determination and endeavour, experimenting with new methods in wine production. In 1948, Max Schubert became the company's first Chief Winemaker and he propelled Penfolds onto the global stage with his experimentation of long-lasting wines - the creation of Penfolds Grange in the 1950s. Soon, the medals began flowing, and Grange quickly became one of the most revered wines around the world. In 2012, Penfolds released its most innovative project to date - 12 handcrafted ampoules of the rare 2004 Kalimna Block Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, Penfolds continues to hold dear the philosophies and legends that have driven the company's success since its establishment in 1844. Penfold's Grange is Australia's most revered wine, and its creation represents a distillation of Max Schubert's ambition for Australian wine. Schubert joined Penfolds as a messenger boy in 1931 and by 1948, he became Penfolds' first Chief Winemaker. In the latter part of 1950, Schubert was sent to Europe to investigate winemaking practices in Spain and Portugal. On a side trip to Bordeaux, Schubert was inspired and impressed by the French cellared-style wines and dreamed of making 'something different and lasting' of his own. Combining traditional Australian techniques, inspiration from Europe and precision winemaking practices developed at Penfolds, Schubert made his first experimental wine in 1951. In 1957, Schubert was asked to show his efforts in Sydney to top management, invited wine identities and personal friends of the board. To his horror, the Grange experiment was universally disliked and Schubert was ordered to shut down the project. Max continued to craft his Grange vintages in secret, hiding three vintages '57, '58 and '59, in the depths of the cellars. Eventually, the Penfolds board ordered production of Grange to restart, just in time for the 1960 vintage. From then on, international acknowledgment and awards were bestowed on Grange, including the 1990 vintage of Grange, which was named Wine Spectator's Red Wine of the Year in 1995. Today, Grange's reputation as one of the world's most celebrated wines continues to grow. On its 50th birthday in 2001, Grange was listed as a South Australian heritage icon, while the 2008 Grange vintage achieved a perfect score of 100 points by two of the world's most influential wine magazines. With every new generation of Penfolds winemakers, Max Schubert's remarkable vision is nurtured and strengthened. Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz is the benchmark by which all other reds in Australia and overseas are often measured. This wine has many reasons for its success, including concentration of flavour, complexity and longevity. Grange blossoms with 15 to 20 years of bottle age, when most other reds have passed their best and better vintages can live and continue developing for decades longer. The Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz 2019 is deep, dark and bright, the nose is automatically recognisable - formic and glacial higher notes - not quite as audacious as a fleeting perception of heady spirit (a la Cognac), and yet not just simple. Beneath, a more familial oaked nuttiness (hazelnut?) recedes to reveal aromas of black licorice/anise/black olive. A shroud of condensed glazed fruits surrenders to reveal a fresher disposition...a coulis of berries and stone fruits; boiled beetroot. Unsurprisingly wafts of coffee-grind, pan-scrapings/jus also ascend, hovering over a persistent base of cold lamb fat and marrow. Upon sitting, a sprinkle of lavender and exotic spices almost completes the aromatic package - well, at least for another minute or two. And then... Early days. On the palate there is cohesion, vigour, sheen, poise - four borders of a frame that structurally binds the lofty palate ambitions of this South Australian blend. Fresh and balanced. Neither exaggerated nor over-ripe - lively blueberry and other youthful blue/black fruits bely the maturation timeline of this alluring blend. Certainly befitting this style, unmistakable barrel-ferment characters are undoubtedly more pronounced on palate than nose. If the mid-palate is somewhat formidable (ably supporting a thick/dense core), by contrast the back-palate is creamy and caressingly endearing. Indeed, expansive and full-washing away all ahead of it. Certainly persistent. Texturally, chewy/grainy tannins and just-right acidity abet succulence and mouthfeel. Effortlessly handles 19 months in 100% new oak. Peak drinking 2029-2065.
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon (Gift Boxed)
Product Information: A blend of four regions – Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, Padthaway and McLaren Vale – from a cool vintage. The Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 is a remarkable wine that has been matured for 16 months in American oak hogsheads that are 100% new. This wine has been crafted using exceptional grapes grown in Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, and Barossa Valley regions. The 2022 season was generally cool, with the prevailing conditions delaying harvest by several weeks. The extra hang hang-time allowed the grapes to develop lovely varietal characters and balanced ripe tannins. Bin 707 is a perfect cabernet sauvignon representation of Penfolds ‘House Style’: intensely-flavoured fruit; completion of fermentation and maturation in new oak; expressing a Penfolds understanding of multi-vineyard, multi-region fruit sourcing. Inspired by the iconic jet that took it to the world. The rich and powerful Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, our first commercial release of a single cabernet-based wine, is linked to Max Schubert’s dream of making a great Australian red wine that could last at least 20 years. During the ‘50s and early ‘60s cabernet sauvignon was mostly used for blending, but Schubert’s breakthrough with the varietal as a stand-alone wine came in 1964 with inaugural vintage. Early Bin 707s were typically open fermented under wax-lined header boards and matured in seasoned old oak (rather than new oak). The wine was not made from 1970 to 1975 (when fruit was directed to other wines) nor in 1981, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2011 or 2017 (when fruit of the required style and quality was not available). Full-bodied and with proven cellaring potential, Bin 707 retains a secure place among the ranks of Australia’s finest cabernets. Maker: Penfolds has been a pioneer in the world of winemaking since its establishment in 1844 by Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold. The company's success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers who have pushed the development of the company to extraordinary, bold new heights. Mary Penfold's reign at the helm of Penfolds saw years of determination and endeavour, experimenting with new methods in wine production. In 1948, Max Schubert became the company's first Chief Winemaker and he propelled Penfolds onto the global stage with his experimentation of long-lasting wines - the creation of Penfolds Grange in the 1950s. Soon, the medals began flowing, and Grange quickly became one of the most revered wines around the world. In 2012, Penfolds released its most innovative project to date - 12 handcrafted ampoules of the rare 2004 Kalimna Block Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, Penfolds continues to hold dear the philosophies and legends that have driven the company's success since its establishment in 1844. Vineyard: In Coonawarra, spring's cooler temperatures led to nine days of sub-2°C weather. The deployment of frost fans proved effective in safeguarding vine shoots against these cold snaps. Warm weather prevailed in December, setting the stage for superb flowering and fruit-set conditions. Veraison was uniform across vineyards, leading to consistent grape development allowing flavour, tannin, and colour to flourish during the final ripening phase under near-perfect conditions. The Barossa Valley experienced cooler-than-average temperatures coupled with spring thunderstorms. Despite this, yields and grape quality surpassed expectations even among vines impacted by hail. A particularly arid yet cool December slowed down fruit-set, however, robust canopies played a pivotal role in driving up sugar levels and physiological maturity without the risk of dehydration at harvest time. The cooler growing season also fostered excellent acid retention which translated into grapes that were both finely structured and balanced. Padthaway encountered a frost event in October, but enjoyed an otherwise gentle growing season, free from extreme heat spikes or rain delays at harvest time. McLaren Vale reported only three days exceeding 35°C - half what was recorded for the previous year's vintage - resulting in a gradual harvest that allowed Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to be picked at their peak condition. Nose - Peppermint, Blackcurrant, Woodsmoke Peppermint, vanilla, blackcurrant, bay leaves and woodsmoke, peppercorns wrapped in milk chocolate. Palate - Cherry Chocolate, Sage, Savoury Olives Blackberry compote, cherry chocolate, nutmeg, bay leaf, sage herbals, iodine and Mediterranean black olive savoury notes. Finish - Thyme, Intense, Lingering Woodsy Spice This is a muscular red wine with the smoothness of oil. It looks good for drinking even now, as intense as it is, but it will outlive most of us.
