2018
2018
Robert Weil 2018 Kiedrich Gräfenberg Riesling Auslese 375 mL
German White
Intense ripe apricot, peach and mango set a generous tone, but the palate stays remarkably precise. Bright acidity cuts through the concentrated fruit, while lemon zest, mint and a salty mineral edge add definition. Lush yet poised, it finishes fresh, piquant and exceptionally long, with ample energy for further development.
Remoissenet Père & Fils 2018 Meursault Premier Cru Poruzots
French White
Pear, orange oil and white flowers lead with a restrained note of clear honey. The palate is medium-full and layered, combining ripe orchard fruit with cool mineral detail and a subtle touch of oak. Fresh citrus keeps the structure poised, carrying the Chardonnay through a long, complex and quietly generous finish.
Laurent Saillard 2018 Blank
French White
Bright citrus and pale orchard fruit move across a fine, gossamer texture. The palate is light but not slight, bringing old-vine concentration to a clean, naturally expressive frame. Gentle savoury detail and restrained richness sit beneath the freshness, and the finish stays structured, elegant and quietly persistent rather than overtly fruity.
Château Marquis d’Alesme 2018 Margaux
French Red
An opulent Margaux with black cherry, warm plum, cassis and red rose, layered with baking spice and fragrant earth. The full-bodied palate is rich but focused, with firm, velvety tannins supporting dark plum, blackcurrant and blackberry. Black tea, alder and mineral notes emerge through the long finish. Give it air and serve with roast beef, lamb or duck.
Penfolds 2018 RWT Bin 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz
Australian Red
Blueberry and loganberry aromas mingle with chocolate, hazelnut and liquorice. The palate is lush and supple, with redcurrant and blackberry flavours filling out its generous texture. Silky, powdery tannins give this Barossa Shiraz a smooth frame, while its depth of fruit and balanced structure carry through a long finish.
Penfolds 2018 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon
Australian Red
Blackcurrant and dark cherry flavours lead this richly layered Cabernet Sauvignon, with black olive, cedar and dark chocolate adding savoury depth. Sandalwood and graphite notes lift the nose. Fine tannins and fresh acidity give the concentrated fruit a sleek frame, carrying its layered flavours into a long, poised finish.
Penfolds 2018 Bin 149 Wine of the World Cabernet Sauvignon
Australian Red
Kirsch and mocha aromas are joined by ginger, green olive and a hint of menthol. This Cabernet Sauvignon combines Napa Valley and South Australian fruit, with fine, close-knit tannins and bright acidity. Cedar and sandalwood frame the palate, while its succulent texture carries through to a sustained, savoury finish.
Belle Glos 2018 Las Alturas Vineyard Pinot Noir
American Red
Dark cherry, blackberry and ripe plum give this Pinot Noir a generous fruit core, with floral notes, toasted oak and a hint of cola. The 2018 combines a rich texture with lively acidity, while savoury herbs and warm spice add detail. It is a full, expressive style of Pinot Noir with a lingering, fruit-led finish.
Protea 2018 Merlot
South African Red
Blue and black berries, a light leafy note and cocoa open the profile. The palate is fruity, soft, rounded and juicy, with dark berries, gentle spice and a plush, velvety texture. Made entirely from Merlot, the wine was fermented on the skins for about fifteen days. Free-run and pressed juice were aged separately, then blended after eight months.
Serego Alighieri 2018 Possessioni Rosso Valpolicella Classico
Italian Red
Lively ruby colour accompanies cherry and light cinnamon spice. The palate is structured, with good acidity, ripe cherry flavours and a long finish recalling resinous wood. Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara form the blend. Cellar work includes a light maturation in cherry-wood barrels. The Italian wine comes from Valpolicella Classico and carries thirteen percent alcohol. Suggested pairings include fresh pasta, risotto and mature cheese.
Villa Sparina 2018 Gavi del Comune di Gavi 375 mL
Italian White
White blossom, stone fruit and fresh-herb aromas accompany green apple, lemon drop, peach and mineral notes. The palate is dry, concentrated and balanced, with a long finish. Made from Cortese, the wine ferments and ages in stainless-steel tanks. Pale straw colour shows green reflections. The designation is Gavi DOCG del Comune di Gavi, and the bottle is sealed with a cork.
Efrat 2018 Dry Red Wine
Israeli Red
Figs, red berries, redcurrant and plum appear with woody and spicy notes. The wine is dry and medium-bodied, with high acidity, some tannin and a short finish. Warm, jammy red fruit and a touch of sweetness are also present. Produced by Teperberg1870 in the Judean Hills, the wine is kosher and mevushal and comes from Israel.
Viña Falernia 2018 Pinot Noir Gran Reserva
Chilean Red
Bright ruby colour accompanies black cherry, raspberry and strawberry, with cedar, leather, forest floor, spice and smoked bacon. Marzipan and toast are also present. The palate is supple and silky, with freshness, savoury detail and a cocoa finish. This Pinot Noir comes from Chile's Elqui Valley and spends twelve months in oak. Alcohol is 14.5 percent.
Brotte 2018 Viridi Côtes du Rhône
French Red
Black cherry and plum meet smoke and liquorice in this organic Grenache-Syrah blend. The wine is unoaked, full-bodied and fresh in fruit, with fine, furry tannins. Crushed cherries, raspberries and a light dusting of pepper add to its juicy profile. The blend is eighty percent Grenache and twenty percent Syrah, vinified and aged in concrete for more than a year.
Pentâge Winery 2018 Gewürztraminer
Canadian White
Baked apple, poached pear, tangerine and pink grapefruit appear in a spicy, fruit-led profile. The wine is full-bodied and off-dry, with grapefruit, lemon and apple character. It ferments in stainless steel and spends two months on the lees. Gewürztraminer comes from the Skaha Bench in the Okanagan Valley. Serve it cool with spicy noodles or sweet-and-sour chicken.
Covert Farms 2018 Pinot Blanc
Canadian White
Supple in texture, this Pinot Blanc comes from an organic family farm in Oliver. The estate grows all of its own grapes and maintains soil health through minimal mechanical disturbance and crop rotation. More than forty organically grown fruits and vegetables share the property with the vineyard. The farm spans 650 acres and lies near McIntyre Bluff in the southern Okanagan.
Miopasso 2018 Fiano Terre Siciliane IGP
Italian White
Fresh floral notes and touches of honey accompany crisp citrus acidity. The palate is balanced and the wine may be served chilled as an aperitif or with seafood. Fiano grapes from Sicily are picked by hand, destemmed and softly pressed. Fermentation takes place between fourteen and sixteen degrees Celsius without malolactic fermentation, followed by time on fine lees and gentle filtration before bottling.
Rigour & Whimsy 2018 Flux Capacitor
Canadian White
Cloudy golden-amber in colour, with apricot, green apple, pine, young peas, white flowers, lemon and tangerine pith in the profile. The palate is lightly oily and slightly grippy, and the finish is fresh and textural with thyme and white pepper. The blend combines Pinot Blanc, Roussanne, Muscat, Grüner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Fermentation on the skins lasts two months in stainless steel, followed by seven months in used puncheons.
Kettle Valley 2018 Merlot
Canadian Red
Ripe tannins accompany blackcurrant and blackberry flavours. The wine is made entirely from Merlot harvested from the King Drive and McGraw vineyards in Naramata. Grapes were handpicked on October 19 and October 30 at about 25.3 Brix. The wine completes malolactic fermentation and matures for nineteen months in French oak. The small, family-run winery sits on the Naramata Bench in British Columbia.
Zenato 2018 Valpolicella Superiore
Italian Red
Wild berries, blackcurrants and black cherries sit with spice, smoked meat, savoury herbs and dark chocolate. The palate is dry, robust and velvety, with vibrant fruit. The blend is led by Corvina Veronese, with Rondinella and Corvinone. Grapes come from the hilly area of Valpolicella Classico, and maturation takes place in large oak casks for twelve months.
Dow’s 2018 Late Bottled Vintage Port
Portuguese Fortified
Blackberry and blueberry aromas are joined by mint. The substantial mouthfeel carries black-forest fruit, fleshy black plum, peppery tannins and fine acidity, with tobacco and tea in a long, dry finish. Grapes come from Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira and are trodden in modern lagares. The blend includes Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Sousão, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz.
Novaripa 2018 Monatic Dark Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Italian Red
Extremely dark colour shows purple glints. Concentrated black fruit appears with a vegetal note, while the palate has a solid, slightly firm tannic structure. Pressed plum, blackcurrant, cherry jam and milk chocolate are also present. Made entirely from Montepulciano, the wine spent one year in a combination of stainless steel and oak. The vineyards sit around 250 metres above sea level.
Niepoort 2018 Rótulo Touriga Nacional Dão
Portuguese Red
Wild fruit and violet form an expressive, delicate bouquet. The palate has good structure, mineral character and fine tannins, and the finish is fresh and persistent. This red is made from Touriga Nacional and carries 13 percent alcohol. The Dão vineyards lie on granite terroir at the foot of the Serra da Estrela. The style is fresh and light, with pronounced acidity.
Bordertown 2018 Living Desert Red
Canadian Red
The profile includes plum, fig, coffee, dark chocolate, black cherry and blackcurrant. Decanting is recommended. This concentrated red combines 28 percent Syrah, 22 percent Cabernet Franc, 22 percent Malbec, 12 percent Petit Verdot, nine percent Merlot and seven percent Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit comes from estate vineyards in the Osoyoos region of the Okanagan Valley.
Umani Ronchi 2018 Fonte del Re Lacrima di Morro d’Alba
Italian Red
Pepper, pine, anise and pitch accompany ample dusky violet and plum. The profile runs across a very long palate to a dried-herb finish. Lacrima di Morro is an aromatic red grape named for the tear-like droplets that appear when the berries are ready to pick. Fonte del Re refers to a former spring near Morro d'Alba.
Château Roquegrave 2018 Médoc Cru Bourgeois
French Red
Violet, blueberry, cassis, raspberry, liquorice, vanilla and toast appear in a ripe-fruit profile, with grey pepper and caramel also present. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with fine tannins, freshness, mineral notes and a delicate finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot make up the blend. The vineyard follows sustainable farming practices in the Médoc.
Mas des Caprices 2018 Le Blanc de l’Oeuf Corbières Blanc
French White
Fresh white fruit, chopped herbs and a dry saline finish define a rounded yet fresh profile. Carignan Blanc, Macabeu and Grenache Blanc make up the blend. The wine is raised in an egg-shaped cement vessel, contributing breadth and suppleness. The biodynamically farmed estate works sixteen hectares across the limestone plateau of Leucate and the schist foothills of Corbières.
Rathjen Cellars 2018 P + G Pinot Noir–Gamay
Canadian Red
Wild cherry, raspberry, plum and pink peppercorn appear in a light, juicy profile with fresh acidity and salinity. Pinot Noir and Gamay from Vancouver Island make up the blend in equal proportions. The fruit received a forty-eight-hour cold soak, followed by native fermentation in open-top bins and one week on skins. Each variety spent one year in neutral French barrels before blending, then another year in barrel. Bottling was unfined and unfiltered.
Collestefano 2018 Rosa di Elena Marche Rosato
Italian Rosé
The colour resembles raspberry juice, and fresh red-berry aromas are present. The palate is mellow and vinous, with the crispness of a white wine and closing notes of geranium, red apple and aniseed. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon make up ninety percent of the blend, with other grapes forming the remainder. The fruit was hand harvested, softly pressed and macerated for six hours. Four months on lees took place in stainless steel. The vineyards were farmed organically.