James Halliday – "Part from the oldest estate block (planted '48), and Rayments clone 1654 (planted '96), destemmed, berry-sorted, lightly crushed, 3 days cold soak, wild yeast-open fermented, pressed at 1 degrees baume for primary and mlf in French oak (35% new). Great fruit, great vintage, great winemaking." James Halliday | 98 Points
World Wine – 100 Points - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit.
“Destined for a long life, this majestic offering shows cassis, dark plum, hint of tobacco, cedar and floral aromas on the nose. The palate is packed with rich fruit intensity combined with layers of silky texture and complex flavours, wonderfully supported by perfectly pitched chalky tannins, making it sturdy and structured with a seemingly endless finish. Flawless and spellbinding. At its best 2029 to 2049”
World Wine – Toro Albalá has been releasing vintage-dated, sweet wines in chronological order for a while (I have great memories of the 1972) and the 'current' release is the 1994 Don PX Gran Reserva, which is a dark, sweet and concentrated dessert wine aged in American oak casks until bottling. It has 350 grams of residual sugar. It's extremely dark, motor oil-dense, sweet wine with notes of raisins, hints of flowers, minty with aromas of candied orange peel and herbs, really aromatic and showy. The palate is dense, with the sweetness balanced by good acidity plus spicy and chocolate flavors.
Decanter – Founded in 1993, Craggy Range is known for its wines from both Gimblett Gravels in Hawke's Bay and Te Muna Road in Martinborough. The Te Muna Road vineyard is separated into two distinct terraces, with Pinot Noir grown on the rocky, clay infused soils of the upper terrace. Hand harvested grapes are fermented in a combination of French oak and open top stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged in French oak barriques, of which around 25% are new. Drinking window 2020-2028.
James Halliday – "A wine with long fingers and arms. It was grown on a single block of shiraz, planted in '73. It eats elegance for breakfast, berried fruit for lunch, herb and wood spice notes for afters. Plum, char, smoked herbs, fresh red cherries, a slip of creamy/smoky oak. The balance of this wine is an experience in itself. Best of all: it pushes out gloriously through the finish." - Campbell Mattinson (Halliday Wine Companion)
The Wine Front – GARY WALSH - THE WINE FRONT
This is our regular Provence rosé, and I’d reckon we’ve knocked off (easily) more than 20 bottles since last spring, so I thought I’d better push out a note. Pale. White peach and redcurrant, a bit of tang and ruby red grapefruit, light chalky feel, freshness and vibrancy. Good zesty length. Such a good drink. It keeps you coming back for more…
Wine Spectator – Intense, stylish and pure, with a gorgeous beam of Jonagold apple, Cavaillon melon and quince flavors laced with extra hints of white peach and honeysuckle. A long quince echo shows on the succulent finish, which is deftly balanced by fine acidity. Best from 2014 through 2024.
World Wine – Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Marc Brédif Vouvray Classic is a picture-perfect Chenin Blanc, with a touch of sweetness. TASTING NOTES: This wine is fresh, bright, and textured. Its pretty and floral aromas and smooth finish should make it an excellent choice with hummus-packed pita bread. (Tasted: August 22, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
World Wine – A blended red made of 39.1% Cabernet Franc, 30.1% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.7% Malbec and 6.1 Petit Verdot and aged in 25% new oak barriques, the deep garnet-colored 2013 Ironclad offers up red and black currants on the nose, plus slight touches of Mediterranean herbs, pepper, underbrush and a whiff of pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, vibrant and framed by medium-firm, fine tannins, it gives nice concentration through the long finish with oak poking through just a bit. Drink it now to 2025+.
Decanter – Won a Gold Medal at the 2019 Decanter World Wine Awards.
Lovely expression of Chardonnay with aromas of yellow stone fruit and almond meal. The palate is rich with flavours of smoking match and nutty sulphide and has remarkable power and persistence. Supremely well-made wine
World Wine – The gorgeously perfumed bouquet shows Black Doris plum, sweet raspberry, violet, olive and toasted almond characters with a whiff of fragrant spice. The palate is concentrated, focused and delightfully flowing with outstanding depth and intensity, while remaining elegant and poised, leading to an extremely long expansive finish. Harmonious, seamless and flawlessly precise. Combining exquisite refinement and undeniable power, this latest offering is another stunning beauty under this iconic label.
Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
World Wine – Sleek and savoury pinot noir with spice, dried herb, violet, cherry, furniture polish and nutty oak flavours. This is a supremely elegant and complex wine, with a distinctive regional/vineyard character. May be enjoyed now but will undoubtedly develop well with bottle-age.
Allen Meadows – This wine comes from the two districts of Bué and Sancerre, from vines that are between 30 and 60 years old. A blend of richness and a tight mineral structure, it is a firm wine, full of white fruit and likely to age well. Drink from 2018.
Wine Spectator – Lovely spice and graphite notes lace the plumped cherry, red licorice, iron and smoke flavors of this fresh, finely balanced, medium-bodied red. A crowd-pleaser.
James Suckling – Extremely aromatic red with dried flowers, cream, citrus and plums. Hint of pumice, too. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a delicious finish. So drinkable now, but better in 2020.
Robert Parker/Wine Advocate – The 2016 Etna Rosso Archineri is made with fruit from pre-phylloxera vines aged up to 90 years old. This is a finessed and nuanced expression from a vintage that threw a few curve balls to vintners on Etna where the climate and temperatures can change at the drop of a dime. The finish is shorter compared to vintages of the recent past, but this mid-weight red is very articulate in terms of its aromatic offerings. It shows small-berry aromas with lilac, spice and wild blueberry.
Wine Spectator – Steely, with lemon pith, gooseberry and fleur de sel notes streaking over a flinty spine. An echo of lemon curd in the background adds nice contrast.
All wines over $25 per bottle will be vintage specific. In the case the listed vintage is out of stock, we will inform you via email for approval to go ahead.
Delivery Times
To be able to supply such a unique & extensive range of boutique wines, we don't hold much of the inventory. So with us, there is the added step of receiving the wine from our local suppliers before it is dispatched to you. Most orders are dispatched within 5-10 working days.
Quality Guarantee
Replacement or refund offered if bottles are faulty or damaged. All our deliveries are insured against loss, however you must notify us in a reasonable amount of time.
Sending a Gift
If you would like to include a gift message with your order, please enter that in the order instructions section. We'll print your message in a lovely font on A5 paper. We also won't include the invoice. Tracking will be sent to the email on file.
All wines over $25 per bottle will be vintage specific. In the case the listed vintage is out of stock, we will inform you via email for approval to go ahead.
To be able to supply such a unique & extensive range of boutique wines, we don't hold much of the inventory. So with us, there is the added step of receiving the wine from our local suppliers before it is dispatched to you. Most orders are dispatched within 5-10 working days.
Replacement or refund offered if bottles are faulty or damaged. All our deliveries are insured against loss, however you must notify us in a reasonable amount of time.
If you would like to include a gift message with your order, please enter that in the order instructions section. We'll print your message in a lovely font on A5 paper. We also won't include the invoice. Tracking will be sent to the email on file.
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