The initials RWT stand for Red Winemaking Trial, the name given to the project internally by Penfolds when developmental work began in 1995. No longer a trial, RWT Shiraz was launched in 2000. Its style is opulent and fleshy, made from fruit primarily selected for its aromatic qualities and plush texture. The result is a wine that helps to redefine Barossa shiraz at the highest quality level.Peak drinking: 2022 - 2050

Founded in 1818 by husband and wife Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, the Billecart-Salmon House is rich with history. For nearly two hundred years, the Billecart family has been handing down the secrets to making exceptional champagne from generation to generation. The Champagne House is special for many reasons, but one notable reason is that it is one of very few to remain Family owned. The Billecart-Salmon House covers around 50 hectares, and gets its grapes from a total of 170 hectares of land. Frequently cited for the quality of its vintages, the House pays particular attention to selecting the best grapes.

The Philip Togni estate vineyard is in the Spring Mountain District AVA, just northwest of the town of St. Helena on the western side of the Napa Valley. Sitting on the eastern slope of the Mayacamas Range, it’s the coolest and wettest region in the valley, partly due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean (50 kilometres) and San Pablo Bay (40 kilometres). Conditions on Spring Mountain are further moderated by aspect and altitude; most of the region’s vineyards face east, avoiding the harsh afternoon sun, and the steep terrain can reach as high as 800 metres. The east-facing, organic, dry-farmed 10-hectare Togni plot lies high up on the mountain itself, above the fog line at just over 600 metres. Surrounded by oak trees and tall Douglas Firs, the site was first planted in 1981 to Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Following a conversation with friend and Bordeaux legend Paul Pontallier, Togni decided to mirror the varietal plantings of Château Margaux at his own estate. The plantings now stand at 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, with the balance comprising Cabernet Franc (2%) and Petit Verdot (1%). The make-up of the wines reflects these plantings. It’s a steeply terraced site, home to old vines (33 years on average) in rocky soils of weathered sandstone and shale. Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon is made from estate fruit―the family has never purchased fruit, nor will they. “We know our site is special,” daughter Lisa explains. “We’re trying to make a wine that reflects this place.” In another tip of the cap to Bordeaux, Philip Togni’s preference from the outset has been to make wines more in the mould of Saint-Estèphe rather than Saint-Julien; in each given season, he and Lisa seek to emulate the longevity, rugged character and definition found in those wines. “That’s what we set out to do, and with a few tweaks, it seems as if that’s what we have achieved.” The 2018 season was a classic at this estate, producing elegant, detailed, site-true wines. The fruit was picked in the third week of September with potential alcohol between 13 and 14%. The grapes were sorted, gently destemmed, crushed, and cold soaked for three days. After 20 days’ co-fermenting, the wine was pressed to French oak (40% new Taransaud and Nadalie). The wine was bottled in August 2020.

Biodynamic. Théo Riesling comes exclusively from the monopole Le Clos des Capucins—a vineyard that takes its name from the Capuchin friars who arrived in the area in 1619—at the base of the celebrated Schlossberg hill. The clos is well protected from winds by the surrounding hills and walls. The soils are sand, alluvial pebbles and granitic gravel. The low-cropping vines typically offer up a supple and pithy Riesling that is wonderfully accessible when young—a reflection of these sandy soils. As with all Weinbach dry Rieslings, this was pressed as whole bunches, fermented without any yeast additions, and matured in very old oak casks for, in this case, 10 months.

Biodynamic. Primarily responsible for the Weinbach we know today, Catherine Faller’s mother, Colette Faller, was one of the legends of Alsatian wine. Sadly, Madame Faller passed away in early 2015 and, like her daughter Laurence and husband Théo before her, is now immortalised by a wine bearing her name. This cuvée comes from 50- to 60-year-old vines in the Bonnes Terres terroir, lower down on the Schlossberg slope, where the soils are deeper and sandier. The fruit here tends to be picked a touch later. Accordingly, the register of flavours is more intense, running from white flowers to tropical fruits and citrus fruit zest. The wine’s power is balanced by great freshness and verve. Even though it comes entirely from Schlossberg, some of the vines fall outside the Grand Cru boundary, so it cannot be labelled as such. The domaine has applied for Premier Cru status. But no matter, it offers Grand Cru quality in the glass. This gorgeous dry Riesling was raised for 11 months in old oak casks and bottled unfiltered.