France
Le Clarence de Haut-Brion 2010 Graves 750 mL
Fresh red berries emerge after a little air, joined by cocoa and finely measured spice. The palate opens soft and composed, then gains depth through concentrated fruit and a firm but polished structure. Merlot gives the centre a supple feel, while the Cabernet varieties add shape, freshness and length. The finish is persistent and balanced, carrying red fruit, cocoa and subtle savoury detail with a calm, refined character.
Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus Premier Cru Non-Dosé Blanc de Blancs 750 mL
Green apple and pear open with delicate citrus and chalky mineral detail. The palate is dry, precise and finely textured, combining depth with a clear saline line. Bright acidity keeps the fruit focused, while subtle lees complexity adds breadth without heaviness. The finish is long and composed, carrying orchard fruit, citrus, chalk and salinity with notable purity and quiet intensity.
Jane Eyre 2017 Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru Pinot Noir 1.5 L
Fresh red berries lead with lifted floral detail and a quietly savoury edge. The palate is open and juicy, favouring clarity and movement over heavy concentration. Bright acidity gives the fruit energy, while fine tannins keep the shape precise and composed. Subtle earthy complexity develops through the middle. The finish is persistent and detailed, lingering on red fruit, florals and gentle savoury notes.
Remoissenet 2016 Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Cazetiers Pinot Noir 750 mL
Black cherry leads an expressive perfume of violet, lavender and fresh mint. The palate is medium-bodied and poised, with finely drawn fruit and a graceful, almost weightless texture. Fresh acidity gives the wine clarity, while fine tannins provide quiet structure without interrupting its flow. The finish is persistent and detailed, carrying cherry, florals and a cool herbal note with polished restraint.
Méo-Camuzet Frère et Sœurs 2023 Chambolle-Musigny Pinot Noir 750 mL
Perfumed, crunchy red fruit opens with violet and rose-petal lift, followed by a quiet thread of spice. The palate is dry, medium-bodied and finely shaped, with fresh acidity giving the fruit precision and energy. Silky texture and fine tannins keep the wine graceful rather than weighty. The finish is pure and persistent, returning to red berries, florals and subtle spice with composed length.
Méo-Camuzet Frère et Sœurs 2022 Fixin Pinot Noir 750 mL
Bright cherry, redcurrant and crushed strawberry open with violet, herbal tea and a subtle wild note. The palate is medium-bodied, supple and silky, with crunchy red fruit carried by vibrant acidity. Fine minerality sharpens the centre, while slightly rustic, astringent tannins give the wine a compact, serious frame. The finish is detailed and lightly austere, ending on red fruit and pleasing salinity.
Méo-Camuzet Frère et Sœurs 2023 Fixin Pinot Noir 750 mL
Dark currant and berry fruit meet potpourri, earth, graphite and a subtle wild note. The palate is medium-bodied and velvet-textured, with fine depth and an even balance between red and black fruit. Fresh acidity keeps the shape precise, while dusty, mildly rustic tannins add definition. The finish is quietly persistent, returning to dark fruit, earth and graphite with composed length.
Laurence & Rémi Dufaitre 2016 Brouilly Boldness Gamay 1.5 L
Bright, aromatic fruit leads in a clear and lifted style, with the perfume taking centre stage. The palate is light on its feet and notably well balanced, carrying fresh fruit through a smooth, composed middle. Fine structure keeps the wine focused without adding weight. The finish remains clean and persistent, with lively fruit and a gently savoury note lingering together.
Domaine Pattes Loup 2018 Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons Chardonnay 750 mL
Crisp green orchard fruit opens with white flowers, orange oil and a subtle almond-paste richness. The palate is satiny yet incisive, balancing ample fruit with a firm line of freshness. Chalky extract brings definition through the middle, keeping the texture precise rather than broad. The finish is long and distinctly saline, with citrus, orchard fruit and mineral detail lingering in balance.
Château Haut-Sarpe 2015 Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 750 mL
Spicy red fruit and ripe red plum sit at the centre, with liquorice adding a darker, savoury thread. The palate is medium-bodied and crisp, shaped by lively acidity and a gently tart, traditional profile. Fine tannins give the fruit a measured frame without heaviness. The finish stays clean and composed, carrying plum, spice and liquorice with restrained persistence.
Domaine Guiberteau 2017 Saumur Rouge Les Arboises Cabernet Franc 750 mL
Straight and energetic, with a savoury core and a smoky bacon note that gives aromatic depth without weighing the wine down. The palate is taut and focused, carried by fresh acidity and a fine, silky tannin line. Its shape is elegant rather than broad, and the fruit remains restrained and precise. A clear saline note takes over on the finish, leaving a clean, persistent close.
Vignobles Levet 2014 Côte-Rôtie Améthyste 750 mL
Blueberry, red plum, cassis and blackberry meet chimney soot, green peppercorn and a floral peony note. The palate is medium-bodied and firmly drawn, with lean red and dark fruit carried by bright acidity. Fine, dusty tannins provide a traditional frame, while earth and delicate spice add savoury depth. The finish is restrained but persistent, returning to pepper, dark fruit and a quiet smoky edge.
Benjamin Laroche La Manufacture 2018 Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot 750 mL
Ripe citrus, white peach and white flowers open over crushed chalk and a restrained oyster-shell note. The palate is generous and rounded, reflecting a warm vintage, yet vibrant acidity keeps the fruit precise. A stony, saline line brings definition through the centre, while the texture remains polished and ample. The finish is long, dry and mineral, with citrus and chalk lingering cleanly.
Domaine Étienne Sauzet 2022 Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Jardin du Calvaire 750 mL
A light matchstick reduction opens toward toasted sesame, cool citrus, apple blossom and restrained stone fruit. The palate is dry and neatly structured, with lively acidity bringing clarity to a gently rounded texture. Mineral notes remain at the centre rather than oak, giving the wine a clean, composed line. With air, the fruit becomes more expressive and the finish settles into chalk, citrus peel and subtle savoury detail.
Domaine Bouard-Bonnefoy 2017 Chassagne-Montrachet 750 mL
Green apple, pear and white peach meet lemon zest, white flowers and a light touch of toasted hazelnut. The palate is rounded and gently creamy, yet bright acidity keeps the ripe orchard fruit precise. Crushed chalk and wet-stone notes add a cool mineral line through the centre, while restrained oak brings quiet spice. The finish is clean, savoury and persistent, returning to citrus and stone.
René Rostaing 2019 Côte-Rôtie La Viaillère 750 mL
Kirsch, blackberry and ripe plum are framed by violet, dried herbs, olive and green pepper. The palate combines concentration with a velvety, savoury texture, its dark fruit held in line by fresh acidity and fine, rounded tannins. Pepper and mineral notes sharpen the profile as it opens, while a measured touch of oak adds polish. The finish is long, floral and gently herbal rather than heavy.
Paul Jaboulet Aîné 2019 Hermitage La Chapelle 750 mL
Black olive and smoked bacon give the first impression a dark, savoury tone, followed by crushed blackberry, graphite and violet. The palate is dense but not jammy, with concentrated fruit held by firm, fine-grained tannins. A clear mineral line keeps the power focused, and the finish is exceptionally long, elegant and floral. Decant well before serving with venison, braised beef or aged hard cheese.
Château de Fargues 1999 Sauternes 750 mL
Fresh apricot and passion fruit open with saffron, vanilla and a fine roasted-botrytis character. The palate is rich and generous, bringing candied fruit and warm spice around a smooth, flowing texture. Acidity is measured rather than sharp, and the wine gains freshness and aromatic precision with air. The finish is expansive and persistent, returning to passion fruit, roasted notes and a subtle hint of orange peel.
Domaine A.F. Gros 2009 Vosne-Romanée Clos de la Fontaine Monopole 750 mL
Ripe strawberry and cherry lead a graceful, gently savoury profile. The palate is supple and rounded, with soft acidity and enough structure to keep the fruit composed. There is an appealing maturity to the texture, yet the wine remains clear and elegant rather than heavy. Subtle earth and fine spice emerge with air, carrying the red fruit through a smooth, measured finish.
Domaine Anne Gros 2019 Vosne-Romanée Les Barreaux 750 mL
Sweet spice and ripe red fruit open with strawberries and raspberries, followed by violets, peonies and a hint of pink rose. Old-vine depth gives the palate a velvety, concentrated feel, while the cooler site brings freshness and finely drawn mineral detail. Expressive and perfumed without losing composure, it combines generous texture with a clear sense of place and finishes poised, floral and persistent.