Piper-Heidsieck Duo: Sauvage & Hors Serie
Piper-Heidsieck's roots trace back to Florens-Louis Heidsieck, who created the original company of Heidsieck & Co. Christian Heidsieck joined the venture alongside Guillaume Piper and once Florens-Louis died in 1828, the duo decided to continue the adventure side by side, founding Champagne Piper-Heidsieck. Émilien Boutillat offers a reflection on time with Brut Sauvage 1982 and Hors-Série 1982, presented in the Diptyque 1982 gift box, numbered, and released in a limited edition of 500 boxes. Offering more than a mere flashback, the Chief Winemaker proposes a particularly unique tasting: Émilien Boutillat shares a real reflection on time in his pairing of the two cuvées in one box. A dialogue between two facets of one vintage, of one blend, of one philosophy, revisiting bygone times, each with its own vision. The results of the 1982 harvest are considered amongst the most exceptional ever witnessed in the history of Champagne. The grapes grew under steady weather conditions. The results were irreproachable and the harvest abundant! The grapes, all varieties included, were in excellent condition and stood out for their nesse, equilibrium and grandeur, hallmarks of a great year in Champagne. The fruit of the same vintage, the same blend and dosage, Brut Sauvage 1982 and Hors-Série 1982 each boast a distinctive character, a result of their different ageing processes. There are two ways for a champagne to age: on lees or in a corked bottle following disgorgement. Disgorged in 1992, Brut Sauvage 1982 was cellared on lees for 10 years and cork-aged for 29 years. Hors-Série 1982 spent 39 years on lees before being disgorged in 2022. Tasting the two together offers a truly unique experience as these two cuvées showcase a new perspective on time, revealing different phenomenal sensations and precise generous aromas on the nose and the palate. Hors-Serie 1982 Tasting Note: With a pale golden robe, Hors-Série 1982 being recently disgorged present quite young, luscious notes of mirabelle plums, kumquats, dried pineapple, and fresh quince, with a touch of ginger and earl grey tea. Smoky accents of coffee beans and toast balance out the wine’s minerality. Brut Sauvage 1982 Tasting Note: Harbouring a golden robe and glints of copper, Brut Sauvage 1982 presents a clean, fresh structure and long finish. Initial accents of candied fruits, pastry notes of brioche and frangipane and a touch of vanilla and nutmeg pave the way to warm harmonies of chestnut honey, aged rum and Espelette pepper.
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Batard Montrachet Grand Cru
Product Information: Produced from 0.07 ha of 85+ year old vines. There's remarkable intensity here, eclipsing underlying structure to begin with. Astonishing wine, it's focused and energetic with more notable acidity this vintage. From the vines of Pierre-Yves’ father-in-law Jean-Marc Morey. Just one new barrel of 280 litres. Don't let this one slip away. Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey's white wines are whole bunch pressed, fermented with natural yeasts, aged on lees for up to 18 months in mostly in 350 litre barrels with no lees stirring and no filtration. Burghound describes 2021 as "the kind of vintage that they absolutely love. Otherwise, expressed, it’s a burg geek’s vintage par excellence. The best wines are superbly fresh and transparent as the underlying terroir is wonderfully clear; indeed it’s at the core of each wine.... Outstanding transparency though is not all there is as the wines are strikingly refreshing and tension filled." Maker: Established as one of the young rising stars of Burgundy, Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey in 2005 left his family Domaine, Marc Colin, where he gained a solid reputation for his outstanding white wines. Pierre-Yves took control of a share of the family vineyards (Domaine Marc Colin) from 2006 vintage. His first vintages have been made from vineyards and growers that he works closely with buying the wine as must and aging the wines in barrels which he has supplied. If the resulting wines meet his standards the barrels of wine purchased are then matured in his own cold cellar below his house in Chassagne Montrachet. The Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey estate was born in 2001 from the association of Pierre-Yves Colin (son of Marc) and Caroline Morey (daughter of Jean-Marc). Today they operate 13 hectares in the villages of Saint-Aubin, Chassagne-Montrachet, Santenay, Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault. Their production consists of 92% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Noir and 3% of Aligoté grape variety. Working about 2 hectares from the family heritage, the other plots have come from different acquisitions over the last fifteen years, as well as a few plots in Fermages. Philosophy: The Chassagne vineyard dates back to the years 280 AD. Historically, the vineyards of Chassagne were mainly planted with Pinot Noir; the Grands Crus and some other plots were white (Chardonnay grape). In 1935, the INAO was created and set itself the task of defining appellations in order to ensure their quality and enhance them. It was also at this time that the Grands Crus of the Montrachet hill were delimited. The vineyard is located between 220 and 340 meters altitude on clay-limestone soils. Most of the hillside vines are based on Jurassic lands (-201 million to -145 million years old). Descending towards the plain, the soils are more recent, dating from the Quaternary (2 million years ago) and come from the erosion of the upper layers. Since the 1990s, the village has seen its proportion of vines planted with Pinot noir decrease in favour of vines planted with Chardonnay. Today, the village is world famous and renowned for its white wines, particularly thanks to the Grands Crus of Montrachet. Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey white wines are whole bunch pressed and fermented with native yeast. Ageing up to 16 months for Bourgognes, St Aubins and more than 18 months for top end white wines with no lees stirring in a very cool cellar. The red wines get partial whole-bunch ferments (about 30%) with very gentle pumping over and gentle vinification designed to maximise freshness and finesse. Long untreated corks for most wines and bottles sealed with wax. The resulting wines are built to age classically up to 10 years or more. Nose - Vibrant Green Apple, Wet Limestone, Elegant An exuberantly fresh and floral-suffused nose also displays notes of green apple and citrus confit. Palate - Richness and Power, Vivid Acidity, Citrus Confit It tastes of lemony custard surrounded by a sweet-and-salty shortbread. Finish - Rippling, Persistent, Stem Ginger Hints of grapefruit, spicy with stem ginger on the finish. Wonderful
Penfolds II Dourthe Cabernet Merlot, South Australia, Bordeaux
Laurent Ponsot Grand Cru, Cuvée de l'Amandier
Bonnes Mares Cuvée de l'Amandier is expressive with lush notes of ripe red and black berry fruit, earthy red and black cherry and spice. The medium-weight flavours possess an elegant and balanced mouthfeel, displaying excellent intensity on the persistent finish.
Laurent Ponsot Mazis Chambertin Cuvee de l'Olivier
Thibault Liger-Belair, Richebourg Grand Cru
For many Burgundophiles, Richebourg is the single greatest vineyard in Burgundy. More statuesque than la Tache and when on form, more exotic and forceful, than Romanée-Conti. Expect aromas of the Moroccan souk, coupled with firm, sinuous tannins that demand reconciliation in the cellar. Thibault Liger-Belair’s vines are very old in a regional context, dating to 1931-1934, imparting depth and vinous torque.
GlenAllachie 30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Batch 3)
Product Information: Announcing GlenAllachie's next iteration of its oldest and most exclusive core range expression: The GlenAllachie 30-year-old Cask Strength Batch 3. Said to “embody Sherry-matured indulgence”, the Batch 3 Speyside is spearheaded by long-standing whisky maker Billy Walker, who recently celebrated reaching a half-century in the industry, the leading single malt producer was met with substantial global demand upon the release of previous batches of the vintage release. The GlenAllachie 30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 700ml (Batch 3) is encased in a luxurious royal blue presentation box with suedette cushioning and gold foil detailing. Only 2,400 bottles worldwide of Batch 3 available worldwide. Expertly blended by Master Distiller Billy Walker, the distinctly elegant single malt was bottled at its natural cask strength of 48.9% ABV, without the addition of artificial colouring and unchill filtered. This rare Scotch whisky’s flavour profile boasts sophisticated waves of rich espresso, chocolate-covered hazelnuts, grated ginger and stewed plums. The third instalment marries outstanding casks that held antique Speyside single malt dating back to the early 1990s: an assemblage of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso Sherry hogsheads, as well as several American virgin oak casks. The exceptional quality whisky was extensively monitored before being hand-selected by expert blender Walker from the distillery’s impressive stocks exceeding 50,000 casks across 16 on-site warehouses. Maker: In 1967 The GlenAllachie was the fourth distillery designed by William Delmé-Evans and built by Mackinlay McPherson (the distilling arm of Scottish and Newcastle Ltd). It was designed to be almost entirely gravity-fed to run on reduced energy. In 1968, the distillery began its first production run. Fast forward to 2017, Scotch whisky industry legend Billy Walker came together with his business partners Trisha Savage and Graham Stevenson to acquire the distillery from Chivas Brothers, bringing with them extensive industry expertise. Just nine months after taking ownership of The GlenAllachie, they launched their first core range single malts. Having previously been used to create premium blends, this marked the first-ever range of single malts to be released by the Speyside distillery. In 2021 their Master Distiller, Billy Walker, was inducted into Whisky Magazine’s prestigious Hall of Fame: a permanent tribute to individuals who have made a lasting contribution to the world of whisky. In the same year, their 10-year-old Cask Strength won the fiercely contested World’s Best Single Malt title at the World Whiskies Awards. On sustainability, GlenAllachie was awarded an SIETF grant, backed by the Scottish Government, for a significant decarbonisation project that will involve the installation of Mechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR) technology that will half energy demand. To power the MVR, we have installed 134 solar panels in a neighbouring field. As for the new look. Having grown exponentially since its launch, The GlenAllachie brand was ready for a new visual identity that represents its evolution since 2018. Despite the rejuvenated exterior – said to be “a better reflection of the quality of the whisky” – the award-winning liquid inside the bottle remains unchanged. Distillery: The result of seamlessly coordinated collaboration is a range of carefully crafted and cask-perfected Scotch whiskies, each personally approved by Billy. With a quietly confident team of passionate whisky enthusiasts behind GlenAllachie, you can be sure the whisky is in good hands. A quality of quantity approach, GlenAllachie have the capacity to produce four million litres of alcohol per annum (LOA), but have made the decision to reduce their output to one million LOA in order to place the emphasis solely on spirit quality. By slowing down production, they now have the luxury of time, allowing for a lengthy fermentation period of 160 hours, which is around triple the industry average. This move has enabled them to create a more complex, flavourful distillate. In terms of wood management, GlenAllachie have a deep appreciation for the flavour contribution superior casks can offer. By allowing the spirit to interact with multiple wood types across its maturation journey is essential. Every cask quietly aging in the on-site warehouses and meticulously monitored by Billy Walker and his expert team throughout this process, ensuring the whisky is bottled at its optimum. In addition to this, being independent offers GlenAllachie limitless scope for intricate and creative wood experimentation. Their hard-earned network of connections with niche producers has opened doors for them to acquire an unrivalled inventory of not only the rarest casks but also those of the highest quality from around the world. No corners can be cut in the pursuit of excellence. Billy Walker Master Distiller proclaims “We don't pursue absolute consistency; we pursue aboslute perfection. If it's a little better than the previous batch, that's what we're aiming for. If the colour is marginally different, that's because it's natural." In the experienced hands of legendary whisky maker Billy Walker, a culture of precision, patience and perseverance has been instilled in his small yet accomplished team of whisky experts.
Domaine de Clos de Tart, Clos de Tart Grand Cru
Clos de Tart is a monopole that was established in the 12th century. In 2017, French billionaire Francois Pinault (owner of Château Latour) acquired the Domaine for a reported quarter of a billion euros. Clos de Tart is one of the most prestigious vineyards in the world. Situated in the ??commune of Morey-Saint-Denis, the vineyard is planted on the slopes. This Monopole is entirely planted to 7.53 hectares of Pinot Noir on a complex of limestone that’s rich in fossilised marine life and white marl. Taking an extremely detailed approach to selection (based on soil profile, clonal or massale selection, vine age), Clos de Tart produces 13 separately vinified cuvées. This allows winemaker Alessandro Noli greater control in producing the Grand Cru.
Penfolds II Dourthe, France, Australia
Limited Edition Cabernet Shiraz
Zodiac Year 2025. When falling in love with pony floers, it becomes gentle, calm, elegant and majestic. This Limited Edition of Wine: Colour: Deep purple-ruby with youthful vibrancy. Nose: Ripe black cherry, blackcurrant, sweet plum, thyme, toasted spice, cedary oak, touch of tobacco, fresh herbs, graphite, and liquorice, creating a fairly complex and appealing bouquet. Palate: Bold, weighty, and medium-full bodied, delivering excellent richness with refinement. Tannin: Smooth and generously sophisticated, it is well-structured by beautifully balanced tannins, which are fine yet youthfully firm. Comments: This wine offers excellent depth and structure, with a medley of ripe fruit, savory spices, and elegant oak. It strikes a perfect balance between richness and refinement, showcasing both boldness and sophistication. Pairing with Food: Pair this wine with equally robust and flavourful dishes. Consider a slow-roasted rack of lamb with a rosemary and blackberry reduction, or a creamy wild mushroom and truffle risotto. The wine’s weightiness and fine tannins will complement the richness of these dishes beautifully. Enjoy now or allow for further aging to enhance its complexity.