Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah
Clarendon Hills is the living vision of one of the world's greatest Shiraz winemakers, Roman Bratasiuk. The dream was realised in 1990 and is now home to some of the most outstanding and hard to get single vineyard wines in Australia. The Astralis is the flagship wine in the Clarendon Hills portfolio, and while this vineyard is not treated any differently to the others, it garners the most worldwide attention due to its incredible expression and timeless elegance. From an Easterly aspect and planted on a 45 degree ascending slope, Australis has phenomenal varietal length and will repay the patient cellarer for more than 15 years.
Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon
Henschke's flagship Cabernet is named after the late Cyril Henschke who purchased the Eden Valley property in the 1960s. Stephen and Prue Henschke then established the vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines which produces this intensely perfumed Cabernet. Matured in 100% new French oak for 18 months, this exceptional wine shows blackcurrant and cedar characters balanced with superb fine grained tannin.
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Chateau Palmer 3me cru classe
Regarded a Super Second (but technically a 3me growth), Palmer is capable of producing wines that equal or even outstrip the quality of its famous Premier cru neighbour, Ch. Margaux. Named for the wealthy English military man who bought the estate in the early 19th century, Palmer is now majority owned by the Mahler Besse and Sichel families - famous Bordeaux negociants. Many of the best plots on the property were purchased after the Classification of 1855, explaining in part why Palmer did not warrant higher standing at that time. Certainly today there is no question that the wine is among Bordeauxs best. The estate also makes a separate second label - named Alter Ego - which is made from similarly high quality fruit but treated differently in the winery with the aim of producing a counterpoint in style to the First wine.
La Grange des Pères Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
Château Figeac
Chateau l'Eglise Clinet
Château Léoville-Barton Saint-Julien
Château Léoville-Barton is one of the oldest Château's in Saint Julien with the Barton family still owning the estate some 175+ years since they took stewardship of the property. Always a finely perfumed wine is produced with rich and powerful tannin that gives way to beautiful fruit and richness of flavour with aging. This is especially the case when speaking of the remarkable 2009 vintage which is being classified as one of the very best of the past 100 years. Take advantage of such a vintage with wines like Léoville's that won't break the Bordeaux bank.
Roberto Voerzio Brunate, Barolo
Chateau Canon 1er grand cru classe
Chateau Canon is a 1er Grand Cru Classé estate in the St Emilion appellation on Bordeauxs right bank. The Grand Vin Chateau Canon is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. After harvesting the grapes are meticulously sorted before undergoing fermentation and a two week post-ferment maceration to build tannin structure. Maturation takes place in 60% new French oak for 18 to 20 months. In the best years, Chateau Canon is deeply coloured and plush with ample mouth-coating blue and blackberry fruit.