Please see the following Assorted Stock Selection, which is offered at the very best prices in the market. Available ex-LCB Tilbury (lead times below).
For all enquiries & images, please contact david@corkingwines.co.uk
8 cases – 6/75cl Champagne Frederic Savart 1er Cru ‘Bulle de Rose’ NV @ £345 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £375-£400++) 2-3 weeks
10 cases – 6/75cl Champagne Rene Geoffroy 1er Cru ‘Expression’, Brut NV @ £170 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £220++) 2-3 weeks – Bargain 1er Cru Grower Champagne
10 cases – 6/75cl Champagne Egly-Ouriet Brut ‘Tradition’ NV @ £345 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £338++) 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 6/75cl Champagne Egly-Ouriet 1er Cru ‘Les Vignes de Bisseuil’ Extra Brut NV @ £360 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £397-£600++) 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 6/75cl Champagne David Leclapart 1er Cru ‘L’Aphrodisiaque’ Pas Dose NV (LV18 disgorgement) @ £690 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £729-£950++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 6/75cl Champagne Jacquesson ‘Cuvee 741 DT’ (degorgement Tardif), Extra Brut NV @ £410 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £480++) 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 6/75cl Champagne Pol Roger ‘Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill’ 1998 @ £1,120 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,200-£1,795++) now – photos available
The 1998 Brut Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill opens with intriguing, exotic notes of smoke, cured meats and tar. This is a big, sweeping Sir Winston Churchill endowed with layers of perfumed ripe pears, quince, flowers and spices in a style that balances a generous expression of fruit with acidity and minerality. Everything is in the right place in this delicate yet deeply satisfying Champagne. This bottle was disgorged at the beginning of 2007. Winston Churchill is Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with Pinot playing the leading role. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2023.
94 points Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate, Dec 2008
1 case – 6/75cl Champagne Pol Roger ‘Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill’ 1999 @ £1,475 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,650++) now
The 1999 Brut Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill, from magnum, is wonderfully rich and expansive, proving yet again just how well suited the big bottle is to Champagne. Smoke, peaches, mint and flowers are just some of the nuances that flow from this textured kaleidoscopic Champagne. The wine continues to gain focus and breadth through to the enticing, brilliant finish. Disgorged July, 2009. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030.
94 points Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate (192), December 2010
1 case - 1/150cl Champagne David Leclapart 1er Cru ‘l’Amateur’ Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut LV99 @ £1,775 per 1 MAG IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £2,133 loose++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 6/75cl Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, Toscana 1999 @ £1,525 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,740++) now – photo attached – Mature icon
The 1999 Ornellaia (magnum) does not disappoint. This vivid, energetic wine emerges from the glass with a myriad of graphite, menthol, licorice, leather and dark fruit wrapped around a powerful core. The bouquet alone is worth the price of admission. Though not as opulent as the 1997, the 1999 offers exceptional length and a finessed, regal close. The 1999 Ornellaia is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The wine spent 18 months in French oak (60% new) prior to being bottled. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2021.
95 points Antoni Galloni, Wine Advocate, Jan 2010
1 case – 12/75cl Domaine de la Grange des Peres (Rouge), IGP L’Herault 2000 @ £3,795 per 12 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £6,000++) 2-3 weeks – Library release, photo attached
1 case – 3/150cl Champagne Pol Roger ‘Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill’ 2002 @ £1,475 per 3 MAGS IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,600-£1,795++) now
The 2002 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is developing superbly in bottle, and the wine is beginning to show wonderful complexity, wafting from the glass with scents of green apple, orange rind and pear that mingle with hints of warm biscuits, freshly baked bread and iodine. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with ripe acids, appreciable structuring dry extract and concentration and a long, vinous and expansive finish. Readers with the 2002 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill in their cellars should be very happy indeed.
96 points William Kelley, Wine Advocate (242), April 2019
1 case – 9/75cl Duclot Assortment Collectors Case 2007 @ £4,995 per 9 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £6,295++) 2-3 weeks – photo attached
(Contains: 1xLafite Rothschild, 1xLatour, 1xMouton Rothschild, 1xMargaux, 1xHaut Brion, 1xLa Mission Haut Brion, 1xPetrus, 1xCheval Blanc & 1xd’Yquem)
1 case – 6/75cl Chateau Cos D’Estournel, St Estephe, Bordeaux 2007 @ £525 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £525-£625++) now
3 cases – 3/75cl Champagne Taittinger ‘Comte de Champagne’ Rose 2009 @ £435 per 3 IB & OC now – Release price 2022 £610!
The 2009 Brut Comtes de Champagne Rosé is a rich, gourmand rendition of this cuvée, bursting with aromas of sweet red plums, buttery pastry, tangerine and baking spices. Full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a broad attack and a layered, enveloping mid-palate that's girdled by ripe acids, it already offers demonstrative drinking. This has turned out brilliantly.
96 points William Kelley, Wine Advocate, Oct 2022
1 case – 12/75cl Chateau Pavie Macquin, St Emilion, Bordeaux 2009 @ £835 per 12 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £860-£900++) now – bought EP UK
The 2009 is enormous in size, yet broodingly backward, I was somewhat surprised by the astringency of the tannins in this blend of 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a big wine (14.5% alcohol), black purple in color, with huge concentration of fruit and beautiful purity, but a good decade of cellaring is required. From a top terroir, this wine is built for the long haul, and I am sure it will be even better than its relatively conservative rating at this point. Anticipated maturity: 2022-2035.
92+ points Robert parker, Wine Advocate
1 case – 9/75cl Duclot Assortment Collectors Case 2011 @ £4,995 per 9 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £6,171++) 2-3 weeks – photo attached
(Contains: 1xLafite Rothschild, 1xLatour, 1xMouton Rothschild, 1xMargaux, 1xHaut Brion, 1xLa Mission Haut Brion, 1xPetrus, 1xCheval Blanc & 1xd’Yquem)
1 case – 1/75cl Champagne Henri Giraud ‘Argonne’ Ay Grand Cru Brut Rose 2011 @ £725 per 1 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £875++) now – 600-800 bottles produced – rare stocks – UK agent sourced
1 case – 12/75cl Domaine de la Grange des Peres (Rouge), IGP L’Herault 2012 @ £1,695 per 12 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £2,100++) 2-3 weeks – Library release, photo attached
1 case – 6/75cl Cabernet Sauvignon ‘The Reserve’ To Kalon Vineyard, Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley, USA 2012 @ £685 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £815++) now
3 cases – 6/75cl Amarone della Valpolicella, Dal Forno Romano, Veneto 2013 @ £1,045 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,120++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 6/75cl Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux, Bordeaux 2014 @ £645 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £720-£830++) now
1 case – 6/75cl Hermitage Rouge, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Rhone 2014 @ £1,425 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,475-£1,725++) now – photo attached
As normal, I was able to taste the 2014 Hermitage in its individual components, with the Bessards and l'Hermite (which are the backbone of the cuvee) both showing full-bodied richness, plenty of mid-palate depth and no shortage of tannic grip. The Méal is always the most jammy and forward, and is easily the most identifiable given its sexy, supple texture, although it never has the definition or cut of the Bessards. The Peleat and Beaume barrels are normally smaller components in the finial blend, with the Beaume always showing the most spice-laced and perfumed of the two. The 2014 shows the house elegance and purity, yet has solid ripeness and texture. All of the samples had solid tannic grip, but the overall impression was much more forward and approachable than the 2013, and I suspect it will be relatively accessible with short term cellaring.
94-96 points Jeb Dunnock, Wine Advocate, Dec 2015
1 case – 12/75cl Domaine de la Grange des Peres (Blanc), IGP L’Herault 2014 @ £2,095 per 12 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £4,643++) now – rare stock - 250-300 cases annual production – photo attached
2 cases – 6/75cl Champagne Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru Brut ‘Millesime’ 2014 @ £1,625 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,800-£2,400++) 2-3 weeks
One of the very finest wines produced in this less heralded vintage is Egly's 2014 Brut Grand Cru Millésime, a strikingly vinous and enveloping Champagne that wafts from the glass with aromas of pear, mirabelle plum, freshly baked bread, almond paste and honeycomb. Full-bodied, satiny and layered, its textural attack segues into a deep, concentrated mid-palate of exceptional purity and cut, concluding with a long, penetrating and mouthwateringly saline finish. As ever, it's a blend of some 70% Pinot Noir with 30% Chardonnay from Ambonnay's greatest terroirs.
97 points William Kelley, Wine Advocate, December 2023
1 case – 6/75cl Ulysses Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Christian Moueix, Napa Valley, USA 2015 @ £520 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £550-£585++) 2-3 weeks
The 2015 Ulysses brings together the richness of the year with a good bit of underlying support. Dark and powerful in the glass, but with silky tannins and striking purity of fruit, the 2015 is a wonderfully complete wine. Black cherry, plum, gravel, lavender, and menthol give the 2015 many of its aromatic and flavor signatures. Readers will find much to admire in the 2015. The interplay of aromatics, fruit and structure places Ulysses among the finest wines of the vintage.
96 points Antonio Galloni, Vinous (3/2018)
6 cases – 6/75cl Champagne Cedric Bouchard ‘Roses de Jeanne Les Ursules’ Blanc de Noirs 2016 @ £1,395 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,575 re-pack-£2,153++) now
Aromas of fresh bread, crisp orchard fruit, citrus oil, clear honey and oyster shell introduce Bouchard's 2016 Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules, a medium to full-bodied, beautifully precise and tensile rendition of this emblematic cuvée. Fine-boned and elegant, it's seamless and penetrating. This an especially delicate Ursules that will reward some bottle age.
96+ points William Kelley , Wine Advocate (Apr 2021)
1 case – 6/75cl Brunello di Montalcino ‘Madonna delle Grazie’, Il Marroneto, Toscana DOCG 2017 @ £885 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £917-£1,125++) now
This is one of the icon wines of the appellation. The Il Marroneto 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie shows an elegantly streamlined appearance with shiny ruby highlights. This warm-vintage expression does not have the same vertical lift that we saw in the glorious 2016 edition, but that wine sets the bar very high (and it earned a 100-point score). This vintage is perhaps shapelier and more saturated with rose, wild cherry, peat moss and blood orange. The house style embraces extreme finesse, and you get that here. Alessandro Mori has also expertly managed the tannins, with results that appear silky and almost glossy. Thanks to elevation and soils, this cool growing site north of Montalcino village performs very nicely in the hot vintages such as this.
98 points Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, Feb 2022
The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie lights up the senses from the very first moment. Its aromatics alone are worth the price of entry; an exotic, spicy bouquet blends lavender, blood orange and tart raspberries with mentholated herbs, smoke and crushed stone. The textures are unbelievably soft, like liquid velvet, enveloping with mineral-tinged ripe cherries and sweet, sweet spice. This is so pretty and expressive, yet also juicy and fresh. Fine tannins mount, though they are only noticeable through the finale, where saline-minerals mix with sour citrus and autumnal spice in an expression that just goes on and on. The 2017 transcends the vintage, and while it may not possess the power typical of Madonna delle Grazie, it instead communicates its undeniable beauty and grace. I tasted the 2017 both in Montalcino, at the winery, and in our office, where it only got better over the three days I followed it. It's a total classic.
96 points Eric Guido, Vinous, Dec 2021
4 cases – 6/75cl Amarone della Valpolicella, Dal Forno Romano, Veneto 2017 @ £1,155 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,398++) 2-3 weeks
10 cases – 3/75cl Querciabella, Chianti Classico DOCG ‘Gran Selezione’, Toscana 2017 @ £375 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £390-£400++) now
1 case – 6/75cl Tenuta di Trinoro, Andrea Franchetti, Toscana IGT 2017 @ £580 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £630-£675++) 2-3 weeks – c.583 cases
This is a beautiful wine with infinite depth. Born in a hot and dry vintage, the 2017 Tenuta di Trinoro (a blend of 69% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon) never steps over the line into jammy or overripe territory. In fact, the wine is masterfully restrained and elegantly managed. Andrea Franchetti dealt with a harvest that, as he put it, yielded "tiny berries, all skin and seeds and no juice." I only feel the heat of the vintage in the tannins, which are a bit dryer and more astringent in this wine. This full-bodied Tuscan red boasts deep layers of black fruit, spice, tar and campfire ash. About 7,000 bottles were made. Give the wine an extra year or two of bottle aging to allow those tannins to soften up just a bit.
95 points Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, Sep 2019
2 cases – 6/75 Chateau Gruaud-Larose, St Julien, Bordeaux 2017 @ £295 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £320-£500++) now
The 2017 Gruaud Larose has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It tumbles from the glass with expressive scents of black raspberries, Morello cherries, and cassis, plus suggestions of pencil lead, red roses, and damp soil. Medium-bodied, the palate is juicy and expressive with a fine-grained texture and seamless freshness, finishing with a spicy lift.
95 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent, December 2022
1 case - 6/75cl Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux 2017 @ £1,895 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,900-£2,100++) now
The 2017 Mouton-Rothschild is lucid in colour, quite deep like the Le Petit Mouton. It has a pixelated bouquet with precise blackberry, raspberry and crushed stone aromas, the oak seamlessly integrated so that the aromatics have unerring focus. The palate is medium-bodied with a graphite-tinged entry that is actually reminiscent of Latour in many ways. This Mouton-Rothschild is all about finesse and poise, the acidity beautifully judged and with superb tension on the finish. One of the finest Left Bank wines of the vintage, there are few 2017s superior to this. Drink 2025-2055.
96 points Neal Martin, Vinous, Feb 2020
2 cases – 12/75cl Schug Carneros Estate Pinot Noir, USA 2017 @ £275 per 12 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £395++) now
1 case – 12/75cl Twomey ‘Bien Nacido’ Single Vineyard Pinot Noir (Silver Oak), Santa Maria Valley, USA 2018 @ £570 per 12 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £795++) now
1 case – 12/75cl Silver Oak ‘Alexander Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon, USA 2018 @ £995 per 12 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,195-£1,500++) now
2 cases – 6/75 Chateau Cheval Blanc, St Emilion, Bordeaux 2018 @ £2,150 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £2,150-£3,495++) now
The 2018 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, with a 3.75 pH and 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs considerable swirling and air to releases fragrant notes of stewed plums, juicy black cherries and ripe blackberries with underlying suggestions of damp soil, black truffles, rose oil and cardamom with wafts of underbrush and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with rich black fruits and loads of earthy accents, framed by super firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness to balance, finishing with amazing length and a beautiful array of floral and mineral sparks. Thirty-three plots contributed to this wine, out of the forty-three in production. Of the rest, five went into Petit Cheval and five into bulk. It will need a good 6-7 years at least to really start to strut its stuff and should cellar for a further 30 years or more. 2027 - 2057.
98+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, March 2021
1 case – 6/75cl Chateau La Fleur-Petrus, Pomerol, Bordeaux 2018 @ £795 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £833-£960++) now
A blend of 91% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2018 la Fleur-Petrus has a medium garnet-purple color and a slightly closed-down nose to begin, soon unfurling to reveal earthy notions of black truffles, mossy tree bark and damp soil, over a core of plum preserves, wild blueberries and redcurrants, plus a fragrant waft of menthol lilacs. The medium to full-bodied palate has the most gorgeous, velvety texture with well-knit freshness giving lift to the densely packed black fruit and earthy layers, finishing with a beguiling perfume. Stunning. Give it a good 3-4 years in bottle and drink it over the next 30 years or more. 2025 – 2055
97+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, Mar 2021
2 cases – 3/75 Chateau Petrus, Pomerol, Bordeaux 2018 @ £9,095 per 3 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £9,900-£10,995++) now – C&B UK agent stock – photo attached, 2nd image available
The 2018 Petrus has retained its opaque purple-black color after bottling, foreshadowing the seemingly frozen-in-time glacial pace at which this wine is proceeding. It opens very reluctantly, requiring considerable air with vigorous swirling and doggedly demands a few hours before it offers glimpses at this slumbering giant of a wine. As it eventually unfurls, it slowly morphs into a powerful, fantastically pure nose of preserved plums, blackberry preserves and blueberry compote, followed by nuances of molten licorice, dark chocolate, black truffles, iron ore and, still later, floral notions of lilacs and rose oil come through. The full-bodied palate is taut, muscular and oh-so-tightly wound at this stage, revealing peeks at many, many layers of perfectly ripe black and blue fruits, exotic spices and earthy notions for which words simply fail. The texture is at once rock solid and fantastically plush, with impeccably knit freshness, finishing so long you really can't taste or think of anything else for the rest of the day. Here is a heart-stopping titan that puts paid to all those naysayers who contest that perfection in wine cannot exist. It will require a good 8-10 years to hit its stride, then it is very likely to outlive us all, but you will want to make certain you drink this one before you go. 2029 – 2080
100 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (End of Mar), March 2021
1 case – 3/75cl Champagne Dhondt-Grellet Cramant Grand Cru VV ‘Le Bateau’ Extra Brut 2018 @ £680 per 3 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £891++) 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 12/75cl Chateauneuf-du-Pape ‘Cuvee Marie Beurriere’, Domaine Henri Bonneau, Rhone 2018 @ £1,125 per 12 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,250++) 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 12/75cl Chateauneuf-du-Pape ‘Reserve des Celestins’, Domaine Henri Bonneau, Rhone 2018 @ £2,195 per 12 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £2,836++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 3/150cl Chateauneuf-du-Pape ‘Reserve des Celestins’, Domaine Henri Bonneau, Rhone 2018 @ £1,145 per 3 MAGS IB & OWC 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 12/75cl Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Colleoni (Podere Santa Maria), Toscana 2018 @ £745 per 12 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £840++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 6/75cl ‘Kupra’ Rosso Marche IGT, Oasi degli Angeli 2018 @ £970 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,004++) 2-3 weeks
22 cases – 1/150cl Brunello di Montalcino ‘Bosco’, Stella di Campalto (Podere S.Giuseppe), Toscana 2018 @ £495 per 1 MAG IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £585-£695++) now – 1,400 mags produced
‘’ The prodigy of Gianfranco Soldera, there was no single greater mentor from which the young Stella di Campalto could learn the mysteries of Montalcino than the legendary winemaker, whose eponymous estate represents the apotheosis of modern Brunello for many lovers of the region’’.
1 case – 6/75cl Le Macchiole, Scrio, Bolgheri, Toscana IGT 2018 @ £535 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £550++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 3/150cl Champagne Frederic Savart 1er Cru ‘Expression’ Brut Nature 2018 @ £895 per 3 MAGS IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,125++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 3/150cl Champagne Frederic Savart Le Mesnil Oger Grand Cru ‘Haut Couture’ Extra Brut 2019 @ £895 per 3 MAGS IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,017++) 2-3 weeks
6 cases – 6/75cl Champagne Legrand-Latour ‘Eocene’ Brut Nature 2019 @ £395 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £444 loose++) 2-3 weeks
3 cases – 6/75cl ‘Kurni’ Rosso Marche IGT, Oasi degli Angeli 2019 @ £460 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £495++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 6/75cl Le Macchiole, Scrio, Bolgheri, Toscana IGT 2019 @ £635 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £808++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 6/75cl Tenuta di Trinoro, Andrea Franchetti, Toscana IGT 2019 @ £1,595 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,750++) now – photos attached
This is a stunning wine and one of the best in this report covering the icons of Tuscany. The 2019 Tenuta di Trinoro is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Fruit is sourced from the very best parcels, and the blending formula changes according to vintage and the style desired by vintner Andrea Franchetti. These vineyard parcels vary in altitude, ranging from 400 to 600 meters above sea level, and the soils are quite varied with pockets of clay, sand and rock. The Trinoro is profoundly deep and pure with a solid core of black fruit that is framed by an elegant contour of spice, tobacco, smoke and crushed stone. To the palate, the wine is long and the finish can be counted in minutes, but the entire experience is beautifully streamlined and velvety. This vintage saw an important freeze event on the 7th of May, and 9,000 fire candles were lit in the lower vineyard blocks to fight off frost damage.
100 points Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, Oct 2021, 2023-2048
2 cases – 6/75cl Barbaresco ‘Rabaja’, Bruno Giacosa, Piedmont 2019 @ £880 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £985-£1,350++) now – UK stock bought EP
Next to the Asili, the Bruno Giacosa 2019 Barbaresco Rabajà has even more structure and power, promising more longevity too. Thanks to the wine's natural tannic grip and structure, I suggest a longer drinking window for this expression. The Rabajà will require more time in bottle. At this young stage, it displays a pretty ensemble of dark berries, crushed rose, white stone and dusty licorice root. Patience is required here.
96 points Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, Aug 2023
1 case – 6/75cl Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri, Toscana DOC 2019 @ £1,095 per 6 IB & OWC now
The latest release from Tenuta San Guido is the 2019 Bolgheri Sassicaia. The bouquet is up front and very expressive from the get-go. It offers a generous display of crunchy, dark cherry that hints at the extra concentration and fruit weight obtained in the 2019 growing season. This vintage will be remembered for the crisp richness of the fruit and its important textural imprint. It also shows fine elegance, bordering on the ethereal, with berry aromas, tarry earth and brushes of balsam herb or grilled rosemary. Sassicaia always shows an almost-glossy finely knit quality to the polished mouthfeel, and I find it again here next to fresh acidity and firm tannins. Mouthfeel in 2019 is the wine's strongest suit. The 2019 is one of the prettiest and most balanced editions of Sassicaia we've seen this past decade, along with the back-to-back duo of 2016 and 2015. The 2019 marries the precision of the 2016 with the rich fruit weight of the 2015. 2025 – 2055
98 points Monica Larner, Wine Advocate, January 2022
6 cases – 6/75cl Barolo, Margherita Otto, DOCG Piedmont 2019 @ £345 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £386++) 2-3 weeks
6 cases – 6/75cl Montevatrano di Silvia Imparato, Colli di Salerno, Campania IGT 2019 @ £235 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £247++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 6/75cl Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Altagracia’, Eisele Vineyard, Napa Valley 2019 @ £590 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £600++) 2-3 weeks
Very deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Altagracia springs from the glass with vibrant scents of crushed black cherries, ripe, juicy blackcurrants and blackberry coulis, plus hints of cardamom, cumin seed, tree bark and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is chock-full of expressive black fruits with firm and fine-grained tannins and beautiful freshness, finishing long and spicy.
95 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (10/2021)
1 case – 3/150cl Chateauneuf-du-Pape ‘Cuvee Marie Beurriere’, Domaine Henri Bonneau, Rhone 2019 @ £695 per 3 MAGS IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £778++) 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 12/75cl Chateauneuf-du-Pape ‘Reserve des Celestins’, Domaine Henri Bonneau, Rhone 2019 @ £1,950 per 12 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £2,200++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 3/150cl Chateauneuf-du-Pape ‘Reserve des Celestins’, Domaine Henri Bonneau, Rhone 2019 @ £1,145 per 3 MAGS IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,250++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 12/75cl Chateau Barrail du Blanc Grand Cru, St Emilion, Bordeaux 2019 @ £195 per 12 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £213++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 12/75cl Chateau La Grave Trigant de Boisset, Pomerol, ETS J-P Moueix, Bordeaux 2019 @ £300 per 12 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £390++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 3/150cl Chateau La Mission Haut Brion, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux 2019 @ £995 per 3 MAGS IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,095-£1,180++) now
The 2019 La Mission Haut-Brion unwinds in the glass with aromas of inky berry fruit, wild plums and cherries mingled with notions of warm spices, burning embers and creamy new oak. Full-bodied, deep and layered, it's rich and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit, bright acids and fine, powdery tannins. Powerful and tightly wound, this is less sumptuous and demonstrative out of the gates than its sibling Haut-Brion, but I suspect it possesses even greater potential.
99 points William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
2 cases – 3/75 Chateau Haut Brion, Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux 2019 @ £920 per 3 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £974-£1,250++) now
The 2019 Haut-Brion has an ethereal degree of transparency on the nose, perhaps the most delineated of all the 2019s, fabulous precision and detail considering the growing season. The palate is medium-bodied with fine bone tannins, unerring symmetry and poise. Cohesive from start to finish with an extraordinarily persistent and compelling closing. Off the charts.
99+ points Neal Martin, Vinous (2/2023)
1 case – 6/75cl Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Altagracia’, Eisele Vineyard, Napa Valley, USA 2019 @ £635 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £695++) 2-3 weeks
4 cases – 1/150cl Sancerre ‘Clos la Neore’, Domaine Anne Vatan 2019 @ £440 per 1 MAGNUM IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £500++) 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 1/150cl Sancerre ‘Clos la Neore’, Domaine Anne Vatan 2020 @ £460 per 1 MAGNUM IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £570-£820++) 2-3 weeks
5 cases – 6/75cl Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Altagracia’, Eisele Vineyard, Napa Valley, USA 2020 @ £595 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £645++) 2-3 weeks
25 cases – 6/75cl Chateau Pavie Macquin, St Emilion, Bordeaux 2020 @ £450 per 6 IB & OWC now
The 2020 Pavie Macquin is sensational. Rich, dark and explosive, the 2020 balances the natural richness that is such a signature of the estate with a level of energy and vibrancy I have not seen here in the recent past. The result is a towering, imposing Pavie Macquin that hugely delivers. In this vintage, regisseur Nicolas Thienpont did not use the Cabernet Sauvignon, so the blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, with the Franc lending aromatic presence, energy and depth. What a total knock out! (AG)
100 points Antonio Galloni, Vinous (12/2022)
10 cases – 6/75cl Barolo DOCG, Bruno Giacosa, Piedmont 2020 @ £835 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £986-£1,050++) now – 2021 £965
10 cases – 6/75cl Barolo ‘Falleto’ DOCG, Bruno Giacosa, Piedmont 2020 @ £1,020 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,184-£1,290++) now – 2021 £1,300
24 cases – 6/75cl Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri, Toscana DOC 2020 @ £990 per 6 IB & OWC now
The 2020 Sassicaia is a bold, rapturous wine. Dark, fleshy and expansive on the palate, the 2020 offers up scents of blackberry jam, gravel, spice, new leather, licorice and crème de cassis. Potent tannins are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Sassicaia is never a huge wine, the 2020 does seem to have an extra dimension of textural intensity. It's an intensity that is hugely appealing. Estate Manager Carlo Paoli describes 2020 as a year with a long, rainy winter and a cold spring. "Temperatures warmed up in the middle of June," he explained. "July was very hot, but heat moderated in August. Even so, it was a year in which ripeness moved quickly, as opposed to 2021 when ripeness was more gradual. We picked the entire estate in 22 days instead of the 29-30 that is more typical." The 2020 spent 15-18 days on the skins, followed by 25 months in French oak, 50% new. Production is down about 30% because of selection in the vineyard. Drink 2028-2050.
97 points Antonio Galloni, vinous.com, February 2023
10 cases – 6/75cl Barolo, Margherita Otto, DOCG Piedmont 2020 @ £345 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £389++) 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 6/75cl Champagne David Leclapart ‘Coteaux Champenoise’ Trepail Blanc 2020 @ £435 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £675 loose++) 2-3 weeks
3 cases – 12/75cl Domaine de la Grange des Peres (Rouge), IGP L’Herault 2021 @ £1,325 per 12 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,436++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 3/150cl Sancerre ‘Clos la Neore’, Domaine Anne Vatan 2021 @ £1,345 per 3 MAGNUMS IB & OWC 2-3 weeks
3 cases – 6/75cl Oisly-Tourraine ‘Utopie Créative’, Domaine Nicolas Barbou, Loire 2021 @ £560 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £660 loose++) 2-3 weeks – Only 400 cases!
Nicolas Bardou started his working experience in New Zealand and also worked in two respected domaines in Burgundy, Domaine Boisson Vadot and Jean-Yves Bizot in which he learned and have his own philosophy in winemaking. Then he decided to move back to his home Loire Valley and started with Sauvignon Blanc at the beginning, he is eager to produce very high-quality Sauvignon Blanc which is compatible with the Grand Cru in Côte-d'Or. Nowadays, Nicolas Bardou produces two Sauvignon Blanc, the Utopie Créative Touraine Oisly and Utopie Folie Insolente. Utopie Créative Touraine Oisly is a 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Oisly and the vines were planted in 1975 and received 20 months aging in barrels which were used from Domaine Bizot and Coche Dury! Only 400 cases produced and nowadays being one of the most difficult wines to source!
2 cases – 6/75cl Interpretacion, Bodegas Xavier Ausas, Ribera del Duero, Spain 2021 @ £270 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £300++) 2-3 weeks
The 2021 Interpretación from Ribera del Duero was sourced and aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, with 30% new and 40% 500L oak barrels. I tasted it a couple of weeks after bottling. Garnet with a purplish sheen, its reductive nose reveals sour cherry and blackberry notes, along with dried flowers and thyme. Dry and fairly chalky on the palate, the taut and juicy flow leads to a compact mouthfeel. This is a complex and balanced red in its early stages. Drink: 2026-2040.
96 points Joaquín Hidalgo, vinous.com, September 2023
4 cases – 6/75cl Cote Rotie, Xavier Gerard 2021 @ £270 per 6 IB & OC 2-3 weeks
3 cases – 6/75cl Cote Rotie ‘Le Mollard’, Xavier Gerard 2021 @ £460 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £558 loose++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 3/75cl Hermitage Rouge, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Rhone 2021 @ £625 per 3 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £690++) 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 6/75 Chateau Haut Brion, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux 2021 @ £1,575 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £1,600-£1,890++) now
A candidate for the title of wine of the vintage, the 2021 Haut-Brion unwinds in the glass with aromas of rich red and black fruit mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, licorice, black truffles, loamy soil and burning embers. Full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's elegant and multidimensional, with superb depth at the core, lively acids and ultra-refined tannins. Combining the classical proportions of the vintages of two decades ago with the viticultural and winemaking of today, it's a timeless classic in the making, but it's difficult to find an obvious analogy with an older vintage. When pressed, Jean-Philippe Delmas suggests a superior version of the 2014 vintage, and to me, a more concentrated, serious version of the 2012 vintage also comes to mind. What is clear, however, is that this is one of the real high points of 2021. The blend is 50% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc, and it attained 13.8% alcohol—a percentage point or so lower than in 2020 or 2019.
96-98 points William Kelley, Wine Advocate, Apr 2022
1 case – 6/75 Chateau Montrose, St Estephe, Bordeaux 2021 @ £435 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £450-£500++) now
The remarkable 2021 Montrose gets my nomination for the title of "wine of the vintage" in the Médoc. Wafting from the glass with a deep bouquet of cassis and dark berries mingled with subtle hints of mint, orange, pencil shavings and spices, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered and multidimensional core of fruit underpinned by beautifully ripe, refined tannins. Concluding with a long, resonant finish, it entirely transcends the limitations of the year. This young classic, reminiscent of the estate's 1996 but far better, is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Drink 2031-2065.
97 points William Kelley, RobertParker.com, February 2024
1 case – 12/75 Chateau Calon Segur, St Estephe, Bordeaux 2021 @ £745 per 12 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £800-£940++) now – photo attached
The 2021 Calon Ségur was cropped at 36hL/ha and aged entirely in new oak for a planned 20 months. This year, the gap between the Grand Vin and the Marquis is blatantly obvious, to the extent that they are practically different wines, which is how Vincent Millet and his team treat them. The Cabernet is firmly in the driving seat here, with detailed, graphite-infused black fruit and a background florality that comes through with aeration. The medium-bodied palate displays very fine tannins, superb acidity (pH 3.65) and impressive harmony. This has exemplary build in the mouth, fine weight on the finish and a persistent aftertaste. An outstanding Calon-Ségur, elevated by the risks taken in de-leafing in June and waiting to pick. Bravo. 12.9% alcohol"
95-97 points Neal Martin, vinous.com, May 2022
4 cases – 12/75cl Kistler ‘Russian River’ Pinot Noir, California, USA 2021 @ £725 per 12 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £780-£1,200++) now
10 cases – 6/75cl Montevatrano di Silvia Imparato, Colli di Salerno, Campania IGT 2021 @ £225 per 6 IB & OC 2-3 weeks
21 cases – 6/75cl Guidalberto (2nd wine of the Sassicaia estate), Tenuta San Guido, Bolgheri, Toscana IGT 2022 @ £155 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £152-£250++) now – 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot
10 cases – 6/75cl La Difese (3rd wine of the Sassicaia estate), Tenuta San Guido, Bolgheri, Toscana IGT 2022 @ £85 per 6 IB & OWC (Lowest Wine Searcher £96-£125++) now – 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 55% Sangiovese
4 cases – 12/75cl Vin de France ‘Les Ongles’ Domaine Stephane Bernaudeau, Loire 2022 @ £1,795 per 12 IB & OC 2-3 weeks - Triple A grower – 2021 £2,400 BB&R
4 cases – 12/75cl Vin de France ‘Les Coqueries’ Domaine Stephane Bernaudeau, Loire 2022 @ £1,795 per 12 IB & OC 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 12/75cl Kistler ‘Les Noisetiers’, Sonoma Coast, California, USA 2022 @ £795 per 12 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £822-£1,200++) now
9 cases – 6/75cl Riesling ‘Scharzhofberger’ Kabinett, Mosel, Egon Muller, Germany 2022 @ £625 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £721-£770++) 2-3 weeks
4 cases – 6/75cl Riesling ‘Scharzhofberger’ Spatlese, Mosel, Egon Muller, Germany 2022 @ £890 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £981-£1,050++) 2-3 weeks
1 case – 6/75cl Riesling ‘Scharzhofberger’ Auslese, Mosel, Egon Muller, Germany 2022 @ £2,850 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £3,096++) 2-3 weeks
10 cases – 6/75cl Riesling ‘Scharzhofberger’ Kabinett, Mosel, Egon Muller, Germany 2023 @ £640 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £690-£936++) 2-3 weeks
2 cases – 6/75cl Riesling ‘Scharzhofberger’ Spatlese, Mosel, Egon Muller, Germany 2023 @ £890 per 6 IB & OC (Lowest Wine Searcher £950-£1,200++) 2-3 weeks
Payment Terms – Strictly 14 days on invoice for physical stocks (payment upon landing for later arrivals), and prior to stock transfer. Offered ex-LCB Tilbury, deliveries to other bonds charged at cost.
Subject to remaining unsold and final invoice confirmation. E&OE.
