Rusden Sandscrub
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.
Chateau Montrose 2me cru classe
Chateau Montrose is a second Grand Cru Classé estate in St-Estephe and is considered one of the leading wine properties of the appellation. Located in the eastern half of the appellation just 800 metres from the Gironde estuary, the propertys proximity to the water provides a unique micro-climate that protects the vines from frost. The Grand Vin is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, that appears very powerful and austere in its youth, with a backbone of firm tannins that provides exceptional longevity.
Chateau La Conseillante
Chateau Talbot 4me cru classe
Classified as one of ten 4me crus in 1855, Chateau Talbot, in the Saint-Julien appellation, has a distinguished history. Throughout the years, it has been owned by the Governor of Aquitane, the Earl of Shrewsbury and the Marquis of Aux before being acquired by the Cordier family, the fourth generation of which are still in ownership today. Their 2016 Grand Cru is a wine of exceptional personality and charisma, already impressing critics with its silky sweetness and subtle edge. Balanced, crisp, and full of complexity, it is loaded with ageing potential, promising to become something even more prodigious just a few short years from now.
M chapoutier Ermitage Le Meal
A classic Hermitage, M.Chapoutiers Ermitage Le Méal typically shows ripe red berry fruits, powerful tannins and velvety texture. Le Méal, is an old French word meaning the best. The fruit is sourced from a single east-facing vineyard anchored on chalk and alluvial gravelly soils on the Hill of Hermitage. The Syrah is hand-harvested and de-stemmed before undergoing vinification in small concrete vats. Maturation takes place in a mix of new and seasoned French oak barrels for 14-18 months.
Penfolds 65F By NIGO Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz
Introducing 65F by NIGO. The iconic Penfolds chimney, re-imagined by NIGO. Inspired by the metal chimney which towers 65 feet over Penfolds Magill Estate Winery, NIGO revived material from our archive to inspire the design. Included in the gift box is a wine tag with a chalk pencil, taking inspiration from the chalk boards in the original working winery at Magill, and a chimney smoke wine stopper as a playful nod to the original purpose of the Magill estate chimney.
Yarra Yering Dry Red No 1
One of Victoria's true heritage wines, Yarra Yering Dry Red No.1 is primarily a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Malbec and a touch of Petit Verdot. Planted on a historic Yarra Valley site by the late Dr Bailey Carrodus, this wine is full of complex aromas of plum and berry which is followed by rich fruits with an oak and cedar slant. A wine drinking well now and value for the true wine lover.
Chris Ringland Hoffman Shiraz
Chris Ringland Hoffman Shiraz 2006 is a wine for the connoisseur. The palate is complex, with flavours of smoke, liquorice, blueberry and toasty oak on a savoury, super-ripe and gentle structure. For the 2006 vintage, the wine was then aged in new French oak for five years, before blending in preparation for bottling. It's impeccably aged and drinking beautifully now or until 2020.
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.
