Selection
Selection
El Gran Enemigo 2020 Gualtallary Cabernet Franc
Argentinian Red
Deep purple colour has red highlights. Sweet spice, black pepper, eucalyptus and thyme appear with ripe black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, chocolate and vanilla. The taste is complex, with sweet impact, structured tannins and a long, persistent finish. The blend is eighty-five percent Cabernet Franc and fifteen percent Malbec, grown on deep, calcareous and rocky soil at about 1,470 metres in Gualtallary.
Château Rieussec 2009 Sauternes 375 mL
French Dessert
Citrus and fresh fruit appear with candied apricot and green almond. Honey and acacia blossom are also present, together with length, freshness and vivacity. The blend is eighty-four percent Semillon, twelve percent Sauvignon Blanc and four percent Muscadelle. Individual lots were pressed separately, followed by cold settling and barrel fermentation. Maturation lasted twenty-four months in barrel. Alcohol is listed at 13.5 percent.
Tahbilk 2009 1860 Vines Shiraz
Australian Red
Bright crimson colour accompanies rich berry fruit, vanilla, spice, ripe black cherry and dried herbs. Integrated oak and fine-grained tannins are also present, with elegance and substantial length. The Shiraz comes from a half-hectare of ungrafted, pre-phylloxera vines. Grapes are hand picked and fermented in old open-oak vats. Maturation lasts eighteen months in French oak, with further bottle ageing.
Taylor Fladgate 2017 Vintage Port
Portuguese Fortified
Opaque black colour at the centre narrows to a purple rim. Fine, linear fruit appears with graphite minerality, violets, citrus, wild herbs and gum cistus. The palate has muscular tannins, while the finish is firm and grippy, with pure berry fruit. The blend includes Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca. Alcohol is listed at twenty percent.
Silver Oak 2016 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
American Red
Ruby colour and a magenta rim accompany cassis, blackberry, vanilla, sage and spearmint. Potpourri, bramble and raspberry are also present. The finish is juicy, with chewy tannins and medium length. The blend combines 94.6 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, four percent Merlot, and one-half percent each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, with 0.4 percent Malbec. It matured for twenty-four months in American oak, half of it new.
Château Rieussec 2010 Sauternes 375 mL
French Dessert
Medium-intensity yellow colour carries green tinges. Pineapple, vanilla, sweet spice, orange peel and peach appear with concentration, sweetness and balancing acidity. The blend is ninety-two percent Semillon, five percent Sauvignon Blanc and three percent Muscadelle. Harvest ran from mid-September to early November in five selective passes. Fermentation took place in barrels, and maturation lasted twenty-six months in new oak.
Château de Beaucastel 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape
French Red
Deep ruby colour appears with a fresh chocolate note. The wine is round, with ripe fruit, soft tannins, good length, acidity and balance. Grenache and Mourvèdre each account for thirty percent of the blend, with fifteen percent Syrah, ten percent Counoise and five percent Cinsault. The remaining ten percent comprises eight other permitted varieties. The grapes are grown organically.
Remoissenet 2009 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1.5 L
French Red
Dark red fruit, flowers, spices and liquorice appear in this Pinot Noir. Black cherry, pepper and a hint of tobacco are also present, while the wine is structured, juicy and balanced. The fruit comes from two village-level parcels, Bas de Combe and Aux Lavières. The grapes are hand harvested, and fermentation uses indigenous yeasts in open-top oak vats.
Castiglion del Bosco 2016 Brunello di Montalcino
Italian Red
Complex and rich, the Sangiovese shows small red fruit with thyme and bay leaf. Plum appears alongside finesse and elegance. The finish has an acidic note, while balance and persistence are also present. The vintage brought ripe tannins, rich colour and good acidity. A mild winter and spring were followed by a cool, mild summer, and harvest concluded around the middle of October.
Elio Grasso 2016 Barolo Ginestra Casa Matè
Italian Red
Black cherry, plum and balsamic notes appear in a profile with ample, creamy texture and depth. Nebbiolo is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks with daily pumpovers, then matured in twenty-five-hectolitre Slavonian oak casks. After bottling, the wine rests in the cellar for eight to ten months. The vineyard has calcareous, clay-rich soil and a southern exposure in Monforte d'Alba.
Moulin Touchais 1968 Coteaux du Layon
French Dessert
Amber colour accompanies an oxidative profile reminiscent of Amontillado, with olive, dried apricot, brine, toffee and walnut. The wine has welcoming sweetness and freshness, while the finish is almost malty and long. Made from Chenin Blanc grapes, this sweet white comes from Coteaux du Layon in the Loire Valley. Alcohol is listed at twelve-and-a-half percent.
Mission Hill Family Estate 2004 Oculus
Canadian Red
Merlot accounts for seventy-four percent of the blend, joined by Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Cedar, cassis and savoury black fruit appear alongside mint, liquorice, black raspberry and bitter chocolate. The wine is medium-bodied, with firm tannins and powerful character. This Bordeaux-inspired red comes from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia and is presented in a 750 mL bottle.
Nardi 2006 Brunello di Montalcino
Italian Red
Bright full red colour appears with plum, currant, sour cherry, dried flowers, nuts and a suggestion of white fruit. The Sangiovese is silky on the palate, with intensity and subtle sweetness. Its shape is spherical and mouth-coating. The finish is chewy and saline, while the tannins are in harmony with the fruit. This Brunello comes from Tuscany.
Querciabella 2017 Chianti Classico 3 L
Italian Red
Dark cherry, violets and berries appear on the nose and palate. The finish is fresh. The blend is ninety-five percent Sangiovese and five percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Cool spring temperatures and abundant rainfall accompanied the vintage, and alcohol and acidity are balanced. The wine is made from biodynamic grapes, comes from Chianti Classico in Tuscany and is listed at thirteen-and-a-half percent alcohol.
Quinta do Noval 2000 Vintage Port
Portuguese Fortified
Purity of fruit appears with a fine and delicate quality. Balance, harmony, finesse and elegance characterize the profile. The grapes are trodden by foot, and fermentation takes place in traditional stone lagares. The wine comes from the Douro and is listed at twenty percent alcohol. Made from old vines, this style is declared only in great years.
Messias 1968 Colheita Port
Portuguese Fortified
The blend brings together Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cão. Amber colour is marked by green hues. The profile is complex and intense, with nutmeg, orange peel and roasted almonds. The wine is full-bodied and complex, and the finish is excellent. Fermentation takes place in a granite lagar, followed by at least seven years of oak ageing.
Château Rousselle 2016 Côtes de Bourg 3 L
French Red
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc make up the blend. Red and black fruit include raspberry, blueberry and cherry, alongside liquorice, thyme, rosemary and mineral notes. The wine is supple and smooth, concentrated, fruity, round and full. The finish is notably long, and the average vine age is forty years. This red comes from Côtes de Bourg in Bordeaux.
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2005 Pauillac
French Red
Dense purple colour appears with crème de cassis, flowers, wet stones and blackcurrant. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and fleshy, with length and richness. Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for seventy-eight percent of the blend and Merlot for twenty-two percent. The grapes were hand picked. Maceration lasts about three weeks, while maturation lasts sixteen to eighteen months in French oak barrels.
Graham’s 2000 Vintage Port
Portuguese Fortified
Ripe plum, gum cistus, fresh blackberry and red plum appear in a full, rich profile. The palate is smooth, and the finish is long and clean. The vintage is noted for immense concentration and small quantities. Drawn from parcels across four Douro estates, this Vintage Port was produced in an exceptional year. Alcohol is listed at twenty percent.
Osoyoos Larose 2011 Le Grand Vin 1.5 L
Canadian Red
Merlot accounts for forty-eight percent of the blend. The balance is thirty-three percent Cabernet Sauvignon, ten percent Petit Verdot, six percent Cabernet Franc and three percent Malbec. Cassis and spice appear with blackcurrant, mulberry, espresso and dark chocolate. Tannins are polished and firm, and cedar appears on the finish. The listed alcohol is fourteen percent. This red comes from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.
Taylor Fladgate 2000 Vintage Port
Portuguese Fortified
Rich magenta colour accompanies powerful, intense black-fruit and cherry aromas with fragrant notes. The fruit and tannins are balanced and harmonious. Black-fruit flavours are rich, elegant and luscious, with concentration and a scented quality. The finish is long and rich. This full-bodied Vintage Port comes from the Douro Valley and is listed at twenty percent alcohol.
Castiglion del Bosco 2012 Brunello di Montalcino
Italian Red
Ruby red shows garnet flecks. The Sangiovese has complexity, structure and a mouthfilling palate. Cherry appears with iron, earth, tar and tobacco. Forest berry, underbrush, wild mushroom, lavender, liquorice, balsamic herbs, cola and grilled rosemary are also present. Linear tannins accompany fresh fruit, while the finish is persistent. The wine comes from Montalcino in Tuscany.
Antinori Guado al Tasso 2008 Bolgheri DOC Superiore
Italian Red
Toasted oak, coffee and spices appear with plum and blackcurrant. The palate is soft but firm, with acidity, freshness and crispness. Tannins are extremely elegant, and the aftertaste is very persistent, with coffee, berry fruit and toasted oak. The blend includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with Petit Verdot used in a small amount. Barrel ageing lasts eighteen months.
Château Léoville Barton 1999 Saint-Julien
French Red
Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for seventy-two percent of the blend, with twenty-two percent Merlot and six percent Cabernet Franc. The wine has extremely dense colour and a powerful tannic structure. Harvest ran from late September into early October. The end of summer was warm and dry, and the grapes reached full ripeness. Merlot recorded high natural alcohol levels during the vintage.
Château Lynch-Bages 1997 Pauillac
French Red
Intense red colour appears with blackcurrant, menthol, resin and mocha, set against an elegant oak background. The wine is persistent and rich, with concentrated, ripe and rounded tannin. It is blended mainly from Cabernet Sauvignon, with Petit Verdot accounting for two percent. Violet and blackberry are also present. The overall profile combines structure, finesse, elegance and opulence. This Bordeaux red comes from Pauillac.
Graham’s 1977 Vintage Port
Portuguese Fortified
Powerful and fruit-forward, this full-bodied Vintage Port has concentration and rich, complex fruit. The profile is harmonious and well balanced, with good structure. It is drawn from parcels across four estates in the Douro and is listed at twenty-one percent alcohol. The wine can continue evolving in bottle. The house produces this style only in exceptional years.
Taylor Fladgate 1983 Vintage Port
Portuguese Fortified
Deep cherry and burgundy colour fades at the rim. Rich, jammy, harmonious fruit appears with raisin, chocolate and plum jam. The wine is medium-full bodied, with rounded tannins. Aromatic, concentrated fruit flavours are present, and the wine has a stylish profile. The texture is fleshy, and the profile is complex. This Vintage Port comes from Portugal’s Douro Valley.
Dom Ruinart 2013 Blanc de Blancs Brut
French Sparkling
Ripe pear, orange pith, brioche and toasty lees appear with a stony nuance. The palate is smooth and expansive, with citrus and orchard fruit, minerality and smokiness. Sweet citrus oil, toasted nuts, dried white flowers and smoke are also present. A creamy, textural palate has lively acidity. The finish is saline. This dry, full-bodied Blanc de Blancs is made from Chardonnay.
Laughing Stock 2021 Portfolio 3 L
Canadian Red
Merlot accounts for half of the blend; the balance is twenty-nine percent Cabernet Sauvignon, twelve percent Cabernet Franc, five percent Malbec and four percent Petit Verdot. Cassis and blueberry appear with cedar box and fresh tobacco. Red fruit, cocoa powder, smoked cherry and tobacco leaf are also present. The wine has structure, texture and a long spicy finish.
Antinori Guado al Tasso 2009 Bolgheri DOC Superiore
Italian Red
Balsamic notes appear with ripe fruit and spices. The palate is velvety, with soft tannins and finesse. Savoury mineral notes, length and persistence are also present. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are joined by a small amount of Petit Verdot. Malolactic fermentation and eighteen months of ageing take place in small oak barrels. Bottle ageing lasts ten months.