Collectibles & wines on allocation

“Another superb Cartology release.” - Greg Sherwood MW, 95+ points

We are offering the Cartology 2022 on a 'first-come, first-served' basis, which, when you think about it, is nothing more than the usual terms of engagement between merchant and customer. In fact, supermarket checkout queues would be pandemonium if any other system were in place. 

We were lucky enough to attend a vertical tasting of every vintage since its debut in 2011, so we can safely say that Cartology is a wine that ages beautifully for at least a decade. The Chenin Blanc component (representing 92% of the blend) comes from a widespread patchwork of parcels in the Skurfberg, Tygerberg and Paardeberg, as well as Bottelary, Stellenbosch, Piekenierskloof, False Bay and Botrivier and the Semillon comes from the old La Colline block in Franschhoek. You pick up a lot of minerality and stony crunch on the nose, with impressions of crushed chalk and broken clay, leading to succulent stone fruit and quince flavours on the palate and a delicate hint of frangipane. This is an intense and striking wine that is rightfully held up as one of the most important pieces in the Cape's 'old vine' jigsaw. 13% alc. Drink now-2034.

Press reviews:

Tim Atkin MW: “"It was a vintage that gave you the chance to show what you were made of," says Chris Alheit of the "middling 2022 growing season". It certainly did. This is a brilliant cuvée of Chenin Blanc with 8% Semillon, sourced from ten different vineyards. Showing lots of energy from early picked grapes on granite soils, it has fennel, fynbos and lanolin aromas, citrus, green herb and wet stone flavours, and good ageing potential, despite the heat of the vintage. Drink now-2030.“ 95 points

Greg Sherwood MW: “This flagship blend from Chris Alheit is made from 92% Chenin Blanc and 8% Semillon grapes sourced from eight disparate old vine vineyards of between 40 and 60 years old. The youthful aromatics display a melange of granitic minerality over notes of peach, tangerine, orange oil and wet hay nuances. The 2022 is beautifully cool, harmonious and overtly mineral-led with dusty dried herbs, white peach, green pear and yellow stone fruits. The acids are gentle, soft spoken but deliciously tangy and the finish creamy, leesy and delightfully mouth-coating with and impressively persistent length. Yet another superb Cartology release from Chris ‘Butch’ Alheit. Drink now and over the next 10 to 12+ years.” 95+ points

JancisRobinson.com (Tamlyn Currin): “A mesmerising unfurling of fragrance from the moment you put the glass to your nose: wild-meadow grass and flowers, hay and summer honey, grainy pears. The acidity is ripe and broad and spreads across the mouth from side to side rather than beginning to end. Delicate bitterness forms the spine; apple pips, citrus peel, apricot stone. Very savoury finish. Fruit is muted. Texture is what’s left on the length. Rumpled linen. Drink now-2032.” 17+ points

“This now plays in the major league.” - The Wine Advocate, 98+ points

This extraordinary wine lives on the edge in so many ways: on the edge of Europe, on the edge of an Ocean, on the edge of a volcano and on the edge of balance (it teases your palate with its crisp acidity, but pulls back from the edge, bringing succulence just in the nick of time).

It’s made from 100 year-old Listan Blanco vines from the village of Palo Blanco, regarded as the best site in Tenerife for white wines, and it transmits the character of the soil and the weather and the maritime climate as eloquently as the ink of a good travel writer. The wine is mineral, zesty, saline and chiselled, packed with citrus, yet rendered complex and fascinating by the substrate of minerals that underpin it. A lemon-flavoured hand-grenade! It’s made to be enjoyed, but it's not going to change its nature to please you. Love it for what it is, and what it is is fabulous! 11.5% alc. Vegan-friendly. Drink now-2030.

Organic farming
Vegan-friendly

Press review:

The Wine Advocate: “The grapes for the 2023 Palo Blanco were harvested earlier than ever, picked even earlier than the grapes from Taganana. It was a warm year, but the wine feels more like it's from a cool climate; it has a moderate 11.5% alcohol and is volcanic and less reductive than in previous years, fine-boned and sharp, with a vibrant palate, effervescent acidity and a dry chalkiness that gives it salinity. It's approachable but should also age in bottle. Drink now-2030.” 98+ points

“This is delicious!” - Neal Martin, Vinous

Vinous: “The 2023 Rully Maizières was the first vineyard picked as it has a warmer mesoclimate than others due to its exposure. That is translated on the more exotic-leaning nose, with just a touch of tinned pineapple and passion fruit, yet still very well defined. The palate is well balanced with a keen line of acidity. Orange zest mixed with quince leads to a really entrancing, sprightly finish that bounces around the senses. This is delicious! Drink now-2038“ (90-92) points

Th Wine Advocate: “The 2023 Rully Maizières Blanc wafts from the glass with notes of white flowers, crisp orchard fruit, warm oatmeal and honeycomb. Medium- to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, with a tangy spine of acidity, it concludes with a long, mouthwatering finish. Drink now-2035“ 90+ points

A tense, taut, excitingly mineral and smoky white blend from the maverick genius, Dirk Niepoort. That smoky quality comes from the soil (as well as a breezy saline element), not the oak, as it’s not remotely ‘oaky’, but there are some attractive woody layers that stratify the lime and grapefruit flavours, like the feuilles of pastry in a millefeuille. It’s mainly Côdega do Larinho, plus Rabigato, Donzelinho, Cercial and other bits and bobs. Vines aged 40, 60 and 100 years on schist at 600 metres above sea level. Fermentation, malo and 12 months' ageing in big oak casks. 11.5% alc. Drink now-2032

Press review:

JancisRobinson.com (previous vintage): “Lightly spicy stone-fruit and delicate spring-blossom aromas. First impression is quite pretty but it soon shows its more mineral character. On the palate, this tastes not totally bone dry. It is balanced and the few grams of residual sugar are completely meshed. Although the fruit profile is not really Riesling, the wine as a whole reminds me of that variety, with its mix of steel and prettiness. This is a baby that needs more time but it clearly has intensity and harmony. Long, too. I kept this in the fridge and, with great restraint, continued to sip it over a period of two weeks. It became more and more impressive, developing a slight toasty/mineral reductive character with time (counter-intuitively). The development in the open bottle promises a wonderful evolution in bottle. Genius wine offering untold pleasure. VVGV (JH).” 19++ points

The Wine Advocate (previous vintage): “The white 2021 Tiara, the only white wine from granite soils in a specific (two) place in Douro, was produced with a blend of Rabigato (over 50%), Códega de Larinho, Donzelinho, Cercial and others (perhaps some Alvarinho too) from very old vines at 600 meters in altitude. It has a faintly reductive character, with minerality (the salty character of the granite) and sharpness and is straight, with the upfront feeling from the granite soils, tasty and vertical. This takes time to develop in bottle and ages quite slowly. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in foudre (1,300- to 2,500-litre ones) with full malolactic and was kept with the lees for one year.“ 94 points

“Vincent Dureuil’s wines frequently stood out at the London Burgundy tastings. Such is their consistency and value for money that whenever dining in Beaune, I first check if any of his wines are listed. I know that I’m not the only one.” - Neal Martin

A wine packed with apple, lime and apricot flavours, almost cordial-like in its concentrated intensity, flashing with glints of golden fruits and white oak shavings. Full-bodied, yet wonderfully lively and tangy on the finish. Those in the know will buy this much-sought-after wine by the case, but we only have couple of cases, so we have had to restrict it to a maximum of 3 bottles per customer. Drink now-2035. Organic/ biodynamically farmed

Press review:

Vinous: “The 2023 Rully Village is the usual of blend of 4 lieux-dits This is more introverted on the nose and demands coaxing from the glass. It’s quite malic in style, with scents of grassy meadow. There’s a fine delineation. The palate is taut, fresh and quite mineral-driven, with just a very subtle reduction. It has a poised, quite intense, lemongrass-tinged finish that lingers in the mouth. It’s a worthy follow-up to the splendid 2022. Drink now-2036. “ (90-92) points

The Wine Advocate: “Offering up aromas of pear, toasted nuts, beeswax and white flowers, the 2023 Rully Blanc is medium-bodied, fresh and charming, with succulent acids and a gently honeyed finish. Drink now-2033.“ 90 points


EXTREMELY LIMITED. MAXIMUM 2 BOTTLES PER CUSTOMER. NOT AVAILABLE ON ITS OWN, MUST BE PART OF AN ORDER THAT MEETS OUR MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF 6 BOTTLES. UK MAINLAND ONLY.

This a really exciting new wine from Domaine Bernard Moreau, sourced from some of the best parcels in Saint Aubin and priced very keenly for a Premier Cru white Burgundy from the small-but-perfectly-formed 2020 vintage. It has real poise and balance and a classical feel, with the fruit concentration, the acidity, the oak influence and the mineral aspect all in perfect harmony. It has everything we look for in a white Burgundy and, what’s more, it’s almost exclusive to Vin Cognito (only one other UK merchant received an allocation, as 2020 yielded such a tiny harvest). 13% alc. Drink now-2028.

Organically farmed

From the famous rocky outcrop of decomposed granite that is farmed by local heroes like Eben Sadie and Craig Hawkins, the 2022 ‘Fire By Night’ shows classic Paardeberg characteristics of richness, minerality and tension in equal measure. Pear, mango, apple granita, green plum, lime juice and thatching straw feature in this taut and chiselled Chenin Blanc. 12.5% alc. Fermented in cement eggs. Drink now-2034.

Press reviews:

Tim Atkin MW “Fire by Night all comes from the Alheits' Nuwedam property on the Paardeberg and shows both the quality of the terroir and the talent of the winemaker. Old vines planted between 1971 and 1985 supply the raw material for this taut, chiselled, old wood-matured Chenin. Wild mountain herb, citrus and lime juice flavours are complemented by notes of oatmeal and wax and a bracingly fresh finish. Drink now-2032“ 97 points

Jancis Robinson.com: “Smells like tarte Tatin before it goes into the oven. But very tight – still way too young to drink. Crunchy raw pear. Sorrel. Toast and smoke. Green apricot. Apricot-skin texture and very very very stony. The finish is the mouth-watering taste of cement dust. And wonderful bitterness that weaves real tension and length into the finish. (TC). Drink 2024-2032.” 17++ points

“A truly heavenly Chardonnay.” - The Australian Wine Companion, 97 points

“So good. Again!” - The Wine Advocate, 96 points

The Rocket Chardonnay has burst onto the scene (ha! ha! like a rocket, geddit?! brilliant!) since its launch (ha! ha! like a rocket, geddit?! brilliant!) in 2017. It has already become a cult wine without even trying (actually... trying to become a cult wine instantly disqualifies you from becoming one). The aromas lift off (ha! ha! like a rocket, geddit! brilliant!), displaying all manner of ineffable loveliness, best described as a continental breakfast trolley tumbling down the side of a volcano, so there’s lime marmalade, toast, warm viennoiserie, pumice stone, struck match, flint and half a grapefruit. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2032.

Press reviews:

The Australian Wine Companion: “The back label confides 'Made on earth by humans.' It is a truly heavenly Chardonnay, with impeccable balance and mouthfeel, attributes it will retain as it matures in bottle. The fruit has the whip hand, not the oak.“ 97 points

The Wine Advocate: "The 2022 Limited Release The Rocket Chardonnay is a more open-weave, raw, powerful rendition of Chardonnay than the sleek Tilbury, tasted alongside. This has crushed curry leaf in profusion, sugared pink grapefruit, apple pie, layers of preserved lemon and even a hint of loquat. There is an all-consuming galaxy of flavour and texture here. Some roasted almonds and crushed shells close the palate. So good. Again! Drink now-2035." 96 points

Decanter (previous vintage): “It’s lean, sprightly and immediately delicious. The racy front palate has fresh lemon zing and a smart savoury drawstring around the waist. Complexity unfurls as flavours gently roll without ever intruding on the lightness and bounce of the palate. It’s cleverly understated, yet highly sophisticated; a lively dancer that’s great fun to be with.” 98 points

“One of Catalunyas best white wines.” - Tim Atkin MW, 97 points

“This is stunning.” - The WIne Advocate, 96 points

We’re extremely proud to represent Enric Soler’s wines in the UK, one of the most revered winemakers in Catalonia. We could list his various achievements (Spain’s champion sommelier, founder of the Barcelona Wine Academy, leading exponent of biodynamic viticulture in Penedes), but the best illustration of the high esteem in which he is held came when we were talking to a young Catalan winemaker and we told him that we were Enric’s importer and he told us that he idolised him so much that he had named his dog after him. No higher praise needed.

This is Enric Soler’s ‘grand cru’, sourced from a tiny 0.7 hectare vineyard composed of Xarello vines planted in 1945. There’s a latent richness, but without any impression of excess fat, showing immaculate clarity of fruit, tantalising acidity, concentration and length. Imagine a flinty Grand Cru Chablis that spends its summer holidays by the Med and that goes some way towards conveying the spirit of this glorious wine with its flavours of wispy minerals, grapefruit, white flowers, pumpkin and a marine salinity that emerges on the finish. 100% organic/biodynamic farming. Only 7 barrels produced (2,935 bottles). 8 months in 300-litre Burgundy barrels (25% new) without batonnage (so as “not to make the wine dizzy", says Enric). 13% alc. Drink now-2032.

If you buy six it comes in a wooden case (NB I’m afraid we can only offer the 6-bottle wooden case for London delivery, as it’s too fragile to survive the rigours of the courier system. For deliveries outside London, we would need to repack it into ‘mailsafe’ cardboard boxes).

Organic/ biodynamic

Customer review:

“Even though 2023 was another hot and dry year in the region, the wine does not show this, but is remarkably subtle and elegant. It has the typical richness, complexity, and harmony that Nun always has, but I think feels more graceful and elegant in the 2023, also with a bit more freshness than in some previous vintages, and definitely it is one of the best vintages of this wine. The characteristic flavours of the Xarel·lo grape are there as part of a complex spectrum, all with great purity and the harmony of the wines of Enric Soler.  It is excellent to drink now and will last for many years in the cellar.” - from Professor C.K., a Vin Cognito customer, who visited the winery in March 2025

“I recently had the pleasure of opening the bottle of Nun Vinya dels Taus I purchased last year and was absolutely blown away—it was truly exceptional” - Mr. A. B.

Press reviews:

Tim Atkin MW: “Broader on the shoulder than Espenyalluchs; waxier and riper in style. Ripe orchard fruits, white peach, toasted hazelnuts and lemon peel on the nose. Driven, persistent and effortlessly long; the sort of wine that just oozes class. One of Catalunyas best white wines. Drink now-2040.” 97 points

The Wine Advocate: “The iconic 2023 Nun Vinya Dels Taus is a single-vineyard Xarel.lo from the first plot they started working, which took 20 years to recover, recovering the soils, working organically and biodynamically with the plants and animals in the vineyard and lowering the yield per plant in a plot that was used to produce base wine for sparkling wine. It's only 0.67 hectares, planted in 1945. After the soft pressing of the whole bunches, the must fermented with indigenous yeasts in 300-litre barrels, 20% of them new. It matured for nine months in new, second and third-use barrels from selected barrel makers in Burgundy with lees without being racked or doing bâtonnage. This is stunning. It displays a bright yellow colour, almost fluorescent and with some green tints. The nose is kaleidoscopic, detailed and nuanced but very subtle and elegant, clean and precise. The palate is even more precise and fresh, like laser cut, vibrant and pungent, long, tasty and dry, with a chalky finish. Drink now-2035.” 96 points

”If we were to talk in hushed tones about what would constitute a Tasmanian Grand Cru Chardonnay, the Tolpuddle would be the front-runner. Superb.” -The Australian Wine Companion, 98 points

A stunning, white-knuckle ride of a Chardonnay. Rocky mineral aromas vie with grapefruit and waxy lemons and slices of white truffle. If it were Burgundy, it would be a Philippe Colin Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru, jam-packed with tangy fruit and woody high notes, but it isn't, it's from an island 12,000 miles away in the Tasman Sea. Astonishing wine! 13.5% alc. Drink now-2036.

Press review:

The Australian Wine Companion: “Another alluring Coal River Chardonnay release from the folks at Tolpuddle. It's at once full and concentrated but is reined in by a tight framework of acidity, coiling on rails of minerality before powering across the palate. Tension and detail on point, light textural phenolic elements give it a sleek and silken mouthfeel. The fruit tones of white peach, nectarine and citrus are cloaked in soft spice, white floral tones, struck match, almond paste and crushed stone and the wine displays a stony elegance and seriousness on the long finish. If we were to talk in hushed tones about what would constitute a Tasmanian Grand Cru Chardonnay, the Tolpuddle would be the front-runner. Superb.” 98 points

The Wine Advocate: “The 2022 Chardonnay is a quieter, fleshier wine than the 2021 tasted alongside, and this shows delicacy and precision. The persistence of this wine through the finish is admirable, and while it could be overlooked for the flashier vintages either side, it will remain an elegant and restrained expression of this vineyard. I love this wine. It's totally in the zone for me. It's salty and elongated and powerful, but it has restraint in spades too. Drink now-2036.“ 98 points

Decanter (previous vintage): “A wonder of lightness and precision; a hedonistic mix of immediate restrained pleasure and long-term intellectual provocation. An amazingly subtle and complex finish. I adore this wine. Drink now-2050.“ 99 points and Decanter ‘White Wine of the Year’.

“It is difficult to avoid hyperbole when discussing the Catena family's impact on Argentine wine.” - The Wine Advocate

Press reviews:

JancisRobinson.com: “Always the more voluptuous and powerful of this excellent Gualtallary duo of Chardonnay wines, White Stones has a broad, textured mouthfeel with a mineral tension on the finish with very fine, powdery tannin. Notes of baking spice, fresh white peach and subtle white flowers haunt the nose, and roll out on the long, impressive finish. Drink now-2036.” 18.5 points

The Wine Advocate: “The 2022 Adrianna Vineyard Chardonnay White Stones is more introverted, understated and explicitly chiseled than its more textural and exotic White Bones companion. On the nose, it opens with transparent yet focused aromas of citrus pith and crushed stones, introducing a sleek, vibrant and laser-focused palate. The finish is similarly angular and incisive, continuously generating additional depth and dimension with time in the glass. While I slightly preferred the White Bones bottling due to its extra gear of complexity and textural depth, this is another clear-cut yardstick by which to measure the progress of Argentine white wine production. Drink now-2037.” 97 points

James Suckling: "This is always minerally and incisive and very different from White Bones. This is more classic Chardonnay, with lots of freshly squeezed lemons, wet stone, flint and seashells. Brisk acidity on a medium- to full-bodied palate. Tense and intense, but this is acid-driven with a fine touch of salinity that lingers at the end." 97 points

Tim Atkin MW: “After a two year break - best not to spend too long discussing why with Chris Alheit - Magnetic North is back to delight its many fans in 2023. Sourced from vines planted in 1981 and 1984 at 520 metres on the Van Lill farm on Citrusdal Mountain, this is a wine that marries power, depth and incredible focus and finesse. Racy, ferrous and very stony, with lots of underlying structure, notes of oyster shell, pink grapefruit and umami, negligible oak and a tapering finish.2023-2035.” 97 points

“The 2012 is a beautiful old-school Rioja.” - Vinous, 95 points

“A true classic.” - Decanter, 95 points

A gloriously distinguished, old-school Rioja aged for 6 years in oak barrels, which achieves the seemingly impossible paradox of tasting old and young at the same time. Neither age before beauty nor beauty before age. They walk through the door together. One of the world’s iconic wine treasures. 13% alc, Drink now-2036.

The Wine Advocate: “The 2012 Viña Tondonia Reserva comes from a very dry year, with 25% less rain than the average (at the time), resulting in lower yields of very healthy grapes that delivered wines with nice balance between alcohol and polyphenols, making it very apt for the aging in barrel. It had a slightly longer élevage in barrel, six years. The wine is aromatic with a developed profile, spicy and tertiary (forest floor, a touch of brick dust and iodine), complex and nuanced. The palate is full and round, with polished tannins and a long, dry finish. Drink now-2035.” 95 points

Vinous: “The 2012 Viña Tondonia is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano, cultivated on the meander of the Ebro River in Rioja Alta. This garnet wine reveals aromas of ash and plum marmalade, with a faintly herbal core and hints of oaky cedar. Dry and lean, the fairly chalky texture lingers long, concluding with a compact, flavourful and lasting finish. The 2012 is a beautiful old-school Rioja. Drink now-2035.” 95 points

Decanter: “After six years in barrel (produced at López de Heredia's own cooperage) and three in bottle prior to release this is all you can expect from a classical Viña Tondonia with its focused intensity and muscular yet super elegant tannins. Assertive but also super silky, with juicy fruit gliding through the palate while being pleasantly pulled back by an energetic, smoky verve. Broody while at the same time mature - another accomplished vintage of a true classic. Drink now-2040.” 94 points

Fans of northern Rhone Syrah at its plumpest and most opulent best will not want to miss the 2020 vintage of Vincent Paris’s Cornas ‘Granit 60’. It’s delicious now, a furiously dark and dangerous adolescent bursting with youthful energy, but will age beautifully in a cool cellar for at least 15 if not 20 years.

Organic (certified)/ biodynamic farming

Press reviews:

Decanter: “There are herbal depths here, but they're currently filled by the intense, powerful berry fruits. Medium- to full-bodied, this has good concentration and intensity of fruit, coupled with powerful but very ripe tannin. There's good energy here, the wine is upright and not as soft and easy-going as some other Cornas this year. Great vitality and salinity, this is well-balanced, fresh and classically Cornas. A satisfying and energising wine with a long finish. 50-year-old vines on very steep slopes, 70% destemmed. No pigeage, natural yeasts, then spending 16 months in two to eight-year-old barrels. Drink now-2035.” 95 points

JancisRobinson.com: “Subtle. An understated yet concentrated wine with lovely sweetness of fruit, fine tannic structure, integrated oak. All the components here are in fine balance. Dark olives, sweetness of berry fruit. Intriguing mineral and floral finish. Drink now-2032.” 16.5+ points

“Our 18th Young Gun of Wine recipient, Marco Lubiana, joins a special group of award-winners. These winemakers are already proving to be the leading face of Australian wine and these winemakers are the ones building new audiences for Australian wine. They are the future and it is right here, right now.” - Young Gun of WIne Awards 2024, Winner

“Marco Lubiana is one of the rising stars of Tasmanian, nay, Australian wine.” - The Wine Companion

No one really knows how a wine achieves cult status, but when you hear about a wine on the grapevine, discover that it will be available to taste at a wine bar in an old pharmacy in east London and your allocation, if you attend, will be 12 bottles, then that's probably a good start. That's exactly how we came by this Pinot Noir from young gun, Marco Lubiana. It's a really fine example of the heartbreak grape, with fine details in its floral and cassis aromas, its wonderfully intense sour cherry and raspberry palate and that ineffable feeling that you are drinking molten rubies! 13% alc. Drink now-2036.

Press reviews:

The Wine Companion: "Marco Lubiana is one of the rising stars of Tasmanian, nay, Australian wine. This marks his 5th release, now focusing solely on the certified biodynamic Granston Estate vineyard in the Derwent valley. 30% whole bunch this year due to the cooler season. Bright ruby with nicely focused fruit tones of raspberry, red cherry and wild strawberry. Hints of medina spice, purple flowers, crushed stone, dried orange peel, mountain herbs and dried meats. Harmonious and supple with a very composed flow across the palate, fine porcelain acidity and subtle chalky tannins, finishing long and true." 95 points

The Wine Advocate: "The 2023 Pinot Noir leads with rosewater and musk sticks, strawberries and cherries, vanilla wafer and dried herbs. While I loved the Chardonnays from the cool 2023 vintage, I find this to be light and tightly wound. With a feathery texture to the tannins and a core of black liquorice, the wine is layered and detailed, but it does take some patience to pop the bonnet and look under the hood. There's a lot to see, but only for those who allow their palate to adjust to the fine-tuned nature of the wine. It is quiet. Drink now-2033." 92 points

JancisRobinson.com (previous vintage): “The nose on this! It explodes into clouds of fragrance. Damson and peony, wild cherry. Exquisite floral notes. Blood orange, and peel. Tannins like silk stockings. Dense mesh, dense texture, and really peppery. This has bite and nip, strumming with spice: Sichuan pepper, pink peppercorns, sumac. Something urgent about this – perhaps it's the raw energy. Beautiful weave of floral notes and strawberries, clove and laurel spice. Very complex but a lot more edgy than Stefano Lubiana's wine. Barely restrained. (TC) 13% alc. Drink now-2032” 17.5 points

There are certain rules to live by: Never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city, never dine at a restaurant with a thin chef and never trust a clean-shaven winemaker. Timo Mayer has one of the best beards in the wine trade, although he still has a long way to go to match Raul Perez or even Adi Badenhorst, but he looks as gnarled as his old vines and that gives a strangely reassuring sense of authenticity.

He makes this beautiful Syrah using whole bunches, i.e. without destemming, which brings a sappy, lifted freshness to the wine, which might otherwise follow the Ozzie norm and become a dark and chewy behemoth. Instead, it feels almost European, not wholly dissimilar to Jamet’s Cote Rotie, with morello cherry, blood plum, wet moss and a peaty hint, finishing with notes of chewing tobacco and white pepper. 13% alc. Drink now-2038.

Press review:

Australian Wine Companion: “Estate-grown fruit, 100% whole bunches and matured in seasoned hogsheads. Is this the best and most consistent wine in the Mayer range? Probably. It’s gorgeous with dark plum skins, black cherry, graphite, white pepper, a touch of freshly ground coffee beans and incense. There's just as much happening on the rich, heady but beautifully balanced palate. It's so, so drinkable now, but know that this will age superbly, too.” 98 points

“Simply sublime, awesome even, and most definitely a vintage that will come to define premium quality Cabernet for years to come. A true classic that will richly reward bottle ageing.” -Greg Sherwood MW, 98+ points

Etienne Le Riche, often referred to as the ‘King of Cabernet’, has been pivotal in the story of South African Cabernet Sauvignon, consistently making some of The Cape’s best for over 35 years. His Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Reserve’ 2020 recently cemented its status as a truly world-class Cabernet with a ‘Best in Show’ trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards, the world’s largest wine competition, and in so doing, outperformed 18,249 wines entered from 57 countries! What is slightly scary is that the 2021 is a step up again, a wine of vertiginous depth, plush richness, power and beguiling charm, which is only produced in exceptional years. If this were a Napa Cabernet, it would be $300 a bottle and you would receive 3 bottles a year if you were lucky enough to be on the allocation list! Drink it now or stash it away for 10 years and allow its softer side to emerge. A blend of grapes sourced from around Stellenbosch, including 67% Helderberg, 22% Simonsberg and 11% Jonkershoek Valley, which were matured in 70% new French oak for 24 months. 14.5% alc. Drink now-2050.

Press reviews:

Greg Sherwood MW: “This highly anticipated 2021 release comes hard on the heals of the highly rated 2020 and 2019 from Christo Le Riche, and the impressive 2021 completes the trilogy of blockbuster vintages from this Cabernet specialist. Unwinding in the glass, the aromatics show delicately musky, perfumed notes of white flowers, crème de cassis, blueberries, black berries and freshly tilled earth hints that mingle with notions of dried herbs, thyme and fresh mint leaf, dried peach skins over graphite, granite dust and delicate dark chocolate cocoa spice nuances. The palate is beautifully silky and creamy, full and broad yet velvety soft and plush, voluminous but delicately elegant, finely detailed and weightlessly concentrated. Tight and compact, seductively seamless in the truest sense with an incredibly integrated acid fruit balance, a lively purity, and supple sweet tannins on the long, piercing finish. If 2019 had the muscle and power and 2020 the seductive elegance, balance, and accessibility, the 2021 is a stand apart expression, as unique as the vintage itself. Simply sublime, awesome even, and most definitely a vintage that will come to define premium quality Cabernet for years to come. A true classic that will richly reward bottle ageing. Drink on release and over the next 20 to 30+ years." 98+ points

Tim Atkin MW: “Tighter than the exuberant, ultra-perfumed 2020 was at the same stage perhaps, but this is another very impressive Reserve bottling from Christo Le Riche. Partnering grapes from seven blocks, it includes components from the lower Helderberg, the Simonsberg and the Jonkershoek Valley. Dense and deeply coloured, with 72% new wood, damson, fig and blackcurrant flavours and the concentration to age. Drink 2025-2042.” 97 points

The Wine Advocate (previous vintage): ”Profoundly impressive with a devastatingly gorgeous nose, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is an instant champion of Stellenbosch Cabernet. Offering a beautifully structured nose with layers of complexity, this stunning Cabernet is wrapped in elegance and finesse. Medium to full-bodied and made using about 75% new French oak, there is no shortage of hedonistic pleasure on the palate. As the wine uncoils - I know it's too young - I just can't put down my glass. Give it two or three more years in the bottle, and I bet you'll also have difficulty putting your glass down. Only 12,000 bottles of this world-class Cabernet were produced, and it will have no challenges aging for 30 years. Wow, what a stunning Cabernet! Drink 2026-2050.” 98 points

Decanter (previous vintage): “‘Things come, things go, fashions turn … but, year after year, Stellenbosch quietly gets on with producing some of the Southern Hemisphere’s most assured Cabernet Sauvignon. We had an example among our Platinum winners last year, so it was satisfying to see a Best in Show contender this year, and this graceful and accomplished wine didn’t take long to win its place in the Top 50. It’s dark black-red in the glass, with serenely curranty scents teased to perfect ripeness and lent dimension by oak without any overt woody stamp obtruding on that fruited charm. The wine exhibits a perfect combination of weight, muscle and energy in the mouth: it’s every inch the athlete. At the end of the palate, though, that singing, lyrical fruit returns before tapering off in a finish that leaves the mouth clean and fresh yet hoping for more. Spot on.’ 97 points and ‘Best in Show’

"The whole Valley was laughing at me, saying you can't do whole bunch Cabernet!" says Timo Mayer, who explained that he doesn't want to extract heavy tannins from his Cabernet, so he eschews new oak and ferments this wine using the technique of 'whole-bunch carbonic-maceration', which gives a soft extraction of flavour from the skins without the stalky, drying tannins that come from regular pressing-down and pumping-over. It makes for a hedonistic, silky wine, woven from delicate threads of blackcurrant, pomegranate, blueberry skins and purple petals - fabulously atypical for an Australian Cabernet. Timo's wines are now in huge demand and no one in the Valley is laughing at him now. 13% alc. Drink now-2040.

Press review:

The Wine Companion: “Cabernet from a north-facing slope on Hans and Anna Orth's vineyard in Coldstream. A combination of crushed fruit, whole berries and whole bunches. Matured in hogsheads (10% new). Fragrant with cranberries, boysenberries, plum skins, a little olive tapenade and well-judged florals from the whole bunches. Medium bodied, this juicy red is neither forced nor extracted and the sinewy, fine and long tannins are already in perfect harmony with the fruit. A delicious and atypical Cabernet.” 95 points

Vinous (previous vintage): "Brilliant violet. A heady and highly complex bouquet evokes fresh red and blue fruits, exotic spices, incense and vanilla. Stains the palate with vibrant bitter cherry, blueberry, spicecake, mocha and botanical herb flavors that become sweeter through the back half. Shows excellent clarity and floral lift on the youthfully tannic finish, which emphatically repeats the spicy note. The use of whole clusters (100%) really shows." 95 points

“Oh this is outstanding!” - JancisRobinson.com, 17.5+ points

JancisRobinson.com: “Oh this is outstanding! Pale ruby in colour with an aromatic brambliness. Intense depth of flavour with black plum, cherry, earthy forest floor, blueberries, and just a kiss of wood. Fantastic. (SCJ). 12% alc. Drink now-2028.” 17.5+ points

The Wine Advocate: “Medium ruby, the 2018 Pinot Meunier features scents of red and blue berries, conifer, Earl Grey tea leaves and woodsmoke with tinges of saline. The light-bodied palate is delicately intense and silky, its layers of detailed, earthy fruit gliding seamlessly into a long, layered finish. Drink now-2033.” 95 points

Certified organic.

Argiano’s ‘Solengo’ might just be the last of the affordable SuperTuscans. Deep and inky in colour, the 2019 is a rich and opulent blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Merlot, which stains the palate in sweet black fruits haunted by ethereal notes of sandalwood, soft tobacco leaf, vanilla and sweet spices. It’s like Chateau Palmer in sunglasses, returning from a summer holiday in Tuscany. Drink now for up-front exuberance and show-stopping intensity or wait 5 or 6 years and drink from 2027 onwards for a more subtle and mellow experience. 14% alc.

Organically farmed

Press review:

Vinous: “The 2019 Solengo seduces with its richly decadent display of vanilla and mocha-tinged dark fruits and spices, which are wonderfully lifted by minty herbal tones and white smoke. This enters the palate like weighted velvet, smooth and fleshy at first, yet lively, as mineral-tinged black currants mix with fine-grained tannins, clamping down with youthful poise. Like the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove, this tapers off incredibly long and staining, with echoes of liquorice beneath an air of cedar and tobacco; yet somehow, through it all, the palate is left watering for more. It will be many years before the 2019 is ready to show its best, but it will certainly be worth the wait. The Solengo is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese that spends eighteen months refining in a combination of 60% new to 40% second-pass barriques. Drink 2026-2039.” 96 points

It takes a lot to rouse the UK wine trade, but when Jamie Goode referred to Koomilya as “the new Wendouree” it really pricked up its ears, because Wendouree is Australia’s most revered cult wine, whose bottles rarely make it to these shores and when they do, they are snapped up by collectors, and in Australia, they are only available to a lucky few on Wendouree’s mailing list. I have never even seen one, let alone tasted one. So, when Jamie made that bold comparison, the big sharks of the wine trade detected blood in the water and started circling. Little did they know, however, that Koomilya is only available via three minnows of the UK wine trade and Vin Cognito is one of them! As volumes are tiny (we only have 6 cases available), it made no sense for them to sell through the bigger fine wine brokers and we were extremely honoured to be chosen. So, with a little bit more ado...

Koomilya is the new project of Steve Pannell, who, when he was the head winemaker at Hardy’s, used to source Shiraz from this old McLaren Vale vineyard for the ‘Eileen Hardy’, Hardy’s flagship red, and even won the Jimmy Watson Trophy for a wine made from these very vines. When it came up for sale in 2012, he pounced and Koomilya was born. The oldest vines on the Koomilya estate date back 120 years (a gnarly old parcel of Mourvedre), but the two Shiraz plots are at least 80 years’ old (and equally gnarly). They are named after the original growers, so this Shiraz is called the ‘JC Block’, after Jill Cant, whose family have tended these vines for decades. It’s a glorious old-vine Shiraz made in the classical style, without any new oak and aged in large foudres, eschewing the modern preference for small barriques. As Jamie Goode says: “These are serious, old-school wines with incredible potential for development. Just as with Wendouree, they are not wines to crack in their youth, but instead need cellaring.” Drink 2024-2050. 14% alc.

Press reviews:

James Suckling: “This parcel is rich in limestone and ironstone and gives a bold delivery of ripe, glossy red and dark berry and plum fruit aromas and flavours. The plushness is so impressive, blooming with big flavours. Delicious and almost hedonistically fruited but precisely balanced. Concentrated and packed with fine, rich, smooth tannins. You can drink it now but try after 2025 to see more of what’s inside.” 99 Points 

The Wine Front: “Earthy, saline, fragrant, deep, special. Liquorice, bramble fruit, walnut, spice, charcoal, dried flowers and herbs. Thick tanning rolling through the mouth, nori and lavender perfume, all the berries but not fruity, as such, powerful and stony, with chew and freshness on a superb long finish. And, indeed, it’s the length of flavour and presence that marks this out as a special wine. Outstanding. An Australian classic. Very long term.”  96+ points

The Australian Wine Companion: “There is so much to ponder across this Koomilya triumvirate that writing notes on wines that, in the words of Stephen Pannell, symbolise ‘a reclamation of Australian shiraz’, is a study unto itself. I adore this sentiment, because much in this country has become too big, too sweet and too challenging to drink, or conversely, overly reductive. Not here! The JC is comprised of 46yo vines on silty alluvials flecked with ironstone. Hand picked. Minimal messing. Jubey and floral. Pomegranate, persimmon, blue- and red-fruit allusions, hung game and ample Asian spice undertones. Best, the tannins! As with all of these Koomilya iterations! Here, a splay of moreish, detailed and utterly precise stitches, like imprints in calf-skin leather across the palate, serve as a weapon to combat any unwanted seam of sweetness. Superlative warm-climate Shiraz.” 96 points

"Exquisite... capturing all the senses." - The Australian Wine Companion, 99 points

“What a superstar. Awesome."  - The Wine Advocate, 95 points

Yarra Yering's 'Dry Red Wine No.2' is their Rhone blend (95% Shiraz, 3% Mataro and 1% Viognier and 1% Marsanne) and although you can take the grapes out of the Rhone, you can't take Australia out of the wine, so it tastes like a Cote Rôtie on holiday in the Gold Coast. The fruit is flirtatious and relaxed, and despite being made from seriously gnarly old vines, it tastes soft and playful, bursting with red fruits and pudding spices. It's only medium-bodied (with an appetising alcohol content of 13.5%), so you can enjoy it without food, but it really deserves some decent tucker. Drink now-2034. NB Closed with cork.

Press reviews:

The Australian Wine Companion: "Follows Bailey Carrodus's method of co-fermenting Shiraz with small amounts of Viognier, Marsanne adding floral notes, and Mataro adding spice. It's another exquisite wine from 2017, capturing all the senses immediately you assess the bouquet and palate. It's only just into medium-bodied territory, but it's mouthwatering in its intensity, red fruits flying high like a gaudy scarlet kite." 99 points

Houn Hooke, The Real Review: "Deepish red colour with a purple tint and a reserved bouquet of red and darker fruits, laced with subtle spices. A hint of oak char. It's medium to full-bodied and very elegant in the mouth, with fine-grained tannins and some appealing cinnamon nuances to the mixed spice aromatics. The wine has a refined, silky texture and glides through the mouth. Red cherry and raspberry fruit flavours predominate. It's not a big wine, but the aftertaste lingers on for a very long time. Outstanding! Drink now-2037."  97 points

The Wine Advocate: "The wines of Yarra Yering are prized in Australia for their luminescent fruit profiles and masterful handling of tannins both in the vineyard and at the hands of winemaker Sarah Crowe. At five years of age, this 2017 Dry Red No 2 (Rhone Blend) has done nothing but settle into its own self: it has retained the seductive and silky flow of flavor in the mouth that it had on release and shows that time is not bothering it. Almost suspended in animation, the wine verges on unevolved - it has barely moved through its first stage of development. What a superstar. Awesome. Drink now-2042." 95 points

Jancis Robinson MW: "Dark crimson. Very together, well-melded confident nose. Already very pleasing on the nose and then tightens up on the end. Tastes neither Australian nor Rhône. Maybe it’s Yarra Yering! Drink now-2030." 17.5 points

Winemaking
The fruit was hand picked, sorted and destemmed directly to the Yarra Yering half-tonne open-fermenters. As much berry as possible was retained to encourage perfume. Some stalks were added back to some of the fermenters in order to contribute structure and aroma. A portion of the fermenters had frozen Viognier skins added to the bottom, some with Marsanne skins. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak barriques, 30% new before blending and bottling.

“Yarra Yering’s Underhill will leave you smitten by the indulgent sweetness of its fruit.” - Jancis Robinson

What a stunning aroma! It’s a heady cocktail of pummelled plums (ouch!), violets, grenadine, baking spices and yet more plums, those gorgeously scented Victoria plums, which is fitting, given where this wine comes from. It’s an extraordinary cornucopia of aromatic wonders and the palate isn’t too shabby either, showing an elegance and a translucency of flavour that is quite European in terms of weight and fragility (think Northern Rhone meets Margaux). It’s 100% Shiraz sourced from an unirrigated block planted in 1973. Watch out for a bit of natural sediment, so either decant or pour the last drops carefully. 13% alc. Drink now-2034.

Press review:

The Wine Companion: “Hand-picked from a 3.2ha block planted in 1973, whole berries fermented in half-tonne fermenters with stalk baskets, some batches with 20% whole bunches, one batch with 100%, matured for 12 months in French puncheons (30% new). Bright, deep colour; right from the outset, very different to the other wines in the release, with more spring in its step, more stalky/spice flavours behind black fruits, peppery notes inlaid into the broader mosaic of a constantly changing colour.” 96 points

Vinous: “Dark violet. Powerful aromas of blackberry, cherry preserves, succulent flowers, olive paste and exotic spices pick up a hint of smokiness with air. Smooth and expansive on the palate, offering spice- and mineral-accented black and blue fruit and candied violet flavors and a touch of licorice. Finishes on a repeating floral note, with impressive energy and smooth, well-knit tannins. Drink now-2035.” 94 points

The Wine Advocate: “The 2021 Vosne-Romanée Village is a particular success for Felettig this year. Offering up aromas of sweet plums, berries and cassis, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy, with powdery tannins, lively acids and impressive depth and flair.” (89-91)+ points

Organic

“Their finest effort to date.” -The Wine Advocate, 100 points

This comes from one of the most dramatic vineyards in Tenerife, clinging to a cliff face on the north-east corner of the island. The wine itself is quite pale, like rosehip cordial. So fresh, so pure, so elegant, so Tenerife! The fruit is beautifully pared down, as if reduced to its bare essence. Thinly sliced strawberries, watermelon, rose petals and cold embers. Elegance… from a volcano!

A blend of Listán Negro, Baboso Negro, Negramoll, Vijariego, and 10% of white varieties such as Malvasía. Red basalt soils of volcanic origin. Spontaneous alcoholic fermentation with ambient yeasts in open vats using 100% of the stems. Daily punching down, and malolactic conversion in neutral French oak barrels of 500 litres. Aged in the same barrels for 11 months on its lees, without any racking. Simple really. Only 1,800 bottles produced. Organic farming.12% alc. Vegan-friendly. Drink now-2030.

Press review:

The Wine Advocate: “2021 was a cooler year, like 2016 and 2018, and they did longer macerations. The grapes were healthy, they got a little higher yield and it was all easy. The 2021 Táganan Parcela Margalagua is young and long, very balanced, complex and elegant, peppery, spicy and floral, with iron-like notes, raw meat and a salty twist on the finish. The wine is long and expansive. This was their finest effort to date, with a superb 2023 produced later at a similar level. Drink now-2034.” 100 points

EXTREMELY LIMITED. MAXIMUM 3 BOTTLES PER CUSTOMER. NOT AVAILABLE ON ITS OWN, MUST BE PART OF AN ORDER THAT MEETS OUR MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF 6 BOTTLES. UK MAINLAND ONLY.

“Immensely rich, long, focused and vibrant.” - The Wine Advocate, 97 points

I remember tasting Chateau Lafite for the first time. It was back in 2002 and the bottle of 1996 had recently been given to my father as a thank you present. It had just been awarded 100 points by Robert Parker, so we approached it with all due reverence, bringing out the best glasses and double-decanting it two hours beforehand. I had my notebook open, ready to write down my best Diploma student tasting-notes, and poked my nose into the glass in preparation for the transcendent moment. My pen remained poised above the page. I poked my nose in deeper, tilting my head at various angles to give better access to the aroma molecules, but the anticipated choir of angels didn’t burst into song, or, if they did, it was sotto voce. In that moment, I realised that perfection, in vinous form, at least, wasn’t a synonym for hedonism. Great young wines didn’t surrender their gifts immediately, they were introverted, restrained, beautifully-balanced, elegant and disappointing. Twenty years later, I tried the Chateau Lafite 1996 again for only the second time and the angels were in fine voice, with a much, much wider range of octaves than before. I filled the page of my notebook with superlatives.

I would put this outstanding Argentine Malbec at a very similar stage of life to that young Chateau Lafite, with everything in perfect balance, not a hair out of place, just waiting for its best friend, time, to bring the best out of it. 13.5% alc. Drink 2027-2050.

Press reviews:

The Wine Advocate: “The 2021 Adrianna Vineyard Malbec Fortuna Terrae opens with a quintessential profile of black fruits, dried herbs and purple flowers, all delivered with the ethereal lift common to this section of Gualtallary. The palate is deep, concentrated and savoury, seamlessly transitioning into an immensely rich, long, focused and increasingly vibrant and mineral-driven finish. This vintage is particularly dynamic in the glass, continuously gaining power, depth and tensile structure; I do not doubt it will develop beautifully in the cellar with its other Adrianna Vineyard counterparts. Drink now-2036.” 97 points

Vinous: "The 2021 Malbec Adrianna Vineyard 'Fortuna Terrae' is sourced from a small plot situated in Gualtallary, featuring a soil profile with a depth of one metre. It underwent a meticulous 16-month aging process in foudres and concrete vats and exhibits a dark purple hue. The nose presents enticing lavender, minty, mountain herbs, orange peel and curry aromas layered over a foundation of dried flowers. The palate offers a compelling combination of dryness and juiciness. The rich and taut mouthfeel imparts a vibrant energy that flows into a compact yet delicately lingering finish. A unique and flavourful Malbec, it marries a primary style with a terroir-driven conceptual approach. Drink now-2040." 97 points

Descorchados:"Fresh years like 2021 tend to accentuate the fresh and fruity character of the Fortuna Malbec. This vintage offers a lovely layer of tart red fruits, but it also has the floral notes and, indeed, the herbal touches that are characteristic of Gualtallary. The palate is tense and full of tannins that give the textural sensation of chalk as well as energetic and vibrant acidity in a wine that seems to actually crunch in the mouth. This Fortuna Terrae comes from five hectares planted in the Adrianna Vineyard around the mid-1990s in Gualtallary, in the north of the Uco Valley. It's a deep, sandy loam soil that has a layer of calcium carbonate toward the bottom, where the roots reach and deliver that classic chalky texture to the wine." 98 points

JancisRobinson.com: “For several years now winemaker Alejandro Vigil has been focused on treating his top Malbecs with a delicate hand in the cellar, and that allows nuances of fruit layers to come through in the wine. Blackberries and Victoria plum meddle with exotic spices, clove and a touch of cigar. There’s a fine spine of tannins and tension with firm acidity that gives a powerful finish. This cool vintage will age nicely. Drink now-2040.” 17.5+ points

The reason we love Flaccianello is because it takes Sangiovese to church! The Flaccianello 2018, which garnered the famous 100 points from The Wine Advocate, is not only spectacular in youth, but has the ability to age for two decades or more. It's one of the most glorious expressions of Sangiovese you will ever try, a gloriously plush and opulent wine. Drink 2025-2045.

Press reviews:

Vinous: "The 2018 Flaccianello della Pieve is another stellar wine from Fontodi. It is the richest Flaccianello ever made (in terms of dry extract), with elevated acidity that trails the 2016 by just a touch, but it does not taste like that at all. Dark cherry, violet, lavender, spice, mocha and graphite build with a bit of time in the glass. The 2018 Flaccianello is not a wine of size, as in most previous years, but rather a wine that exudes vibrancy, energy and class from start to finish. I absolutely loved it. Drink 2020-2050." 100 points

MAXIMUM 3 BOTTLES PER ORDER. UK MAINLAND DELIVERY ONLY. MUST BE PART OF AN ORDER THAT MEETS OUR MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF 6 BOTTLES.

“Breathtaking balance. Simply gorgeous. Montalcino nobility.” - JancisRobinson.com

They say that “practice makes perfect”, so we can only assume that Conti Costanti have had a lot of practice at making Brunello di Montalcino…

Decanter: “When I tasted Costanti’s Rosso di Montalcino in 2021, I was struck by how Brunelloesque it was, which boded well for the actual Brunello. Gloriously sculpted, the wine is indeed statuesque and stately. While it doesn’t give everything up all at once, it is gracious in its presentation. From chestnut forest and sweet earth to anise and orange extract, the aromas are visceral, and boundless depths of wild red berries suffuse the palate. It vibrates with scintillating acidity and long, tactile tannins. I bet the Rosso has hit its stride now - it’s the one to drink while waiting for this captivating, beautiful Brunello. I can’t help but imagine what next year’s Riserva release has in store. Drink 2027-2043.“ 100 points and ‘Wine of the Year’ (Italy)

Ian d’Agata: “Good bright ruby-red. Penetrating floral aromas of red plum, blackcurrant, star anise and cinnamon, plus a bright violet topnote. Sweet, lush and round, with a cool-climate quality contributing to the wine’s impression of steely resolve. I love the combination of silky texture and complexity here. Finishes broad and long, with ripe tannins and a multifaceted personality. What else to say? Beautiful, elegant, mineral, suave, pretty and elegant Brunello sums this gorgeous wine up nicely. It is one of the Brunellos of the 2019 vintage. Drink 2029-2043.” 100 points

Kerin O'Keefe: "The 2019 Brunello from Costanti is breathtakingly gorgeous. Combining the intensity of the vintage and the hallmark finesse that defines the wines of this historic estate, this is a wine Brunello lovers will want in their cellars. It opens with heady aromas of fragrant blue flower, woodland berry, forest floor and new leather that on the palate segue into juicy Marasca cherry, wild raspberry, blood orange, menthol and baking spice. Firm, ultra-refined tannins offer support while bright acidity keeps it beautifully balanced and vibrant. What. A. Stunner. Drink 2027–2044.” 100 points

“Ravishing and multidimensional.” - The Wine Advocate, 99 points

“Intense and glorious.” - JancisRobinson.com, 19 points

The Wine Advocate: “The 2018 Monte Bello is as classic a release from this storied site as ever. It contains 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. A ravishing, multidimensional nose of wet clay, cocoa powder, peperoncini, cured meat and eucalyptus endlessly expands and congeals with further aeration. The palate precisely stitches together supple concentration and firm, coarse tannins that give sturdiness and intensity to its otherwise medium-bodied frame. The finish is amazingly long and delicious and begins to close down after a few hours, telling me this timeless wine should be left alone for the next 10-12 years. Superb through and through, this wine should excel past its 50th birthday. Drink now-2070.” 99 points

Jancis Robinson MW (October 2022):“Very dark crimson. The ripeness level is quite a shock immediately after the 1977! Floral cassis in abundance but nothing heavy. It’s supported on an air mattress of acidity and gives huge pleasure. I wouldn’t choose to drink the 2019 now but I could drink this! Great lift and freshness as well as all that ripe fruit. SO neat! Drink now-2045.” 19 points

… and just for good measure, Jancis tasted it again…

Jancis Robinson MW (April 2024):“Really deep blackish garnet. Already thoroughly rewarding on the nose – truly a bouquet of complexity! Some menthol with strong, ripe cassis. Already smells tertiary and utterly beguiling. Both rich and savoury with much dried-leaf character. Luscious, savoury fruit and yet with a dry, neat finish. Opulent but not sweet. Gloriously satisfying already but clearly set for a long, long life that will deliver even more pleasure. Intense and glorious. Drink 2024-2034.” 19 points

"A new reference point for Merlot in Italy." - James Sucking, 100 points

The Galatrona 2022 has just received this perfect 100-point review from James Suckling...

James Suckling: "The floral aromas are spellbinding, with aromas of violets, lilacs, orange peel, raspberries, rose petals, and some oranges. It’s medium- to full-bodied with crunchy and open-grain tannins that are creamy and caressing. It’s endless in the finish. Crunchy and energetic. A wine that is thoughtful and gives you such great pleasure. Such purity. It’s like eating perfectly ripened grape must. Pure Merlot. Drinkable in many ways, but will come together beautifully. A new reference point for Merlot in Italy. Drink after 2028." 100 points

..... but in the interests of balance, we feel obliged to also include this damning 97-point review...

Decanter: "The very promising 2022 has great freshness on the nose, where wild berries vie with savoury mineral notes and hints of aromatic herbs. The impact of the fruit on the palate is intense but in perfect balance, the tannins are super-fine, and the finish infinitely long and impeccably precise. Current owner Luca Sanjust inherited Petrolo from his mother Lucia who, with the early guidance of legendary master taster Giulio Gambelli, established a production of outstanding quality in what was at the time the little known backwater of the Colli Aretini. Merlot has been a feature of the production since the 1980s, and on the clay soils of the Galatrona vineyard on the cooler left bank of the Arno river, the variety gives wines with bright, succulent fruit and extreme elegance in a style which sets them apart from the Merlots of the Tuscan coast. Pure class." 97 points

“Gloriously mouth coating, hedonistic and persistent with just the most subtle sappy, pithy, bitter orange peel vermouth twang.” - Greg Sherwood MW, 98+ points

An extraordinary, one-off straw wine sourced from a Muscat of Alexandria vineyard planted in 1882! Deep amber in colour, it has intense aromas and flavours of apricot, candied orange peel, medjool dates, raisins and salted caramel. The texture is rich and unctuous, similar to a Pedro Ximenez and would be amazing to drink with hard cheeses or duck liver parfait (they do something similar with PX in Jerez and it’s amazing!) or with a fruit-based dessert. 7% alc. Only 220 cases produced. Drink now-2070.

Press review:

Greg Sherwood MW: “Looking at this rich, unctuous wine in the glass is akin to gazing through an ancient piece of Jurassic fossilised amber – ripe, captivating and most definitely warmly inviting. But this is no normal sweet wine and one sniff of the rich, ripe, potent aromatics reveals an enchanting bouquet of freshly boiled marmalade jam, green mango preserve, barley sugar, sweet herbs, wet straw and dried apricots. Give the dense, glycerol wine another slow swirl in a big Zalto Bordeaux bowl and it shifts gears again to offer yet more pithy orange peel nuances and seductive notes of quince jelly, pressed grapes and burnt caramel. Like some of South Africa’s other truly great sweet wines, the aromatics are so complex and seductive that you almost forget to sip the wine! Incredibly viscous and fleshy on the palate with a round glycerol opulence, there is no suggestion at any point that this wine is going to be overly sweet and clawing with its 450 g/l RS. In fact the sweetness is kept smartly in check by a searing acidity that scythes through the caramel and barley sugar laden fruit layers with samurai sword precision. The finish is gloriously mouth coating, hedonistic and persistent with just the most subtle sappy, pithy, bitter orange peel vermouth twang.” 98+ points

‘It is hard to think of any basis on which this is not perfection.’ –The Wine Advocate, (99-100) points

“It’s possibly our finest Vintage Port since 1945.” - Dirk Niepoort

Some will say that you have to lay down Vintage Port for decades. Poppycock. You can enjoy it in its youth for all its spectacular blackberry braggadocio and inky intensity (“ridiculously delicious now even though it clearly has massive potential longevity”, says Jancis Robinson), but it will, of course, become a much more complex and mellow creature after a decade or so in the cellar. It’s almost two wines for the price of one!

Reviews:

Jancis Robinson: “Black cherry colour with narrow purple rim. Gorgeous pure hedgerow black fruit and no sense of the alcohol on the nose – it has been completely integrated with the fruit already. Ripe blackberry, elderberry and blackcurrant and a touch of spice, wild fruit. Incredibly intense on the palate but not showy and the tannins make it taste almost dry. Wonderful texture, great freshness, the tannins ‘sweep the sweetness out of the mouth’, as Mondavi once said to Niepoort. Incredible purity, freshness, intensity and harmony. I’ve put a start date of 2025 but this is ridiculously delicious now even though it clearly has massive potential longevity. An incredible dark, rocky purity with a long savoury finish, the fruit is intense but not ultra-fruity. This reminds me of the rocky Douro from which the wines come. Sheer beauty with hidden power. Glorious, very long, totally moreish even now. Drink 2025-2070.” 19.5 points

The Wine Advocate: “The 2017 Vintage Port is a field blend from old vines (80 to 100 years old). It comes in with 89 grams per litre of residual sugar. This was set for bottling in two weeks, but it was the final blend. Even when open for a couple of days, this was still tight, muscular and concentrated, grabbing the palate and never letting go. On opening, it was fragrant and delicious, but even then, there was plenty of muscle and evident concentration. The concentration and power merely improved as it aired out - unlike a lot of 2016s (which year Niepoort did not declare). Tasting it after several days open showed that it shut down and closed up in terms of expressiveness, but it definitively proved that it's an old-school, long-haul wine. Dry, stern and long on the finish, this is brilliant. It is hard to think of any basis on which this is not perfection just now—Niepoort says it is the best he's ever made. It's certainly the best I've seen from him, and it is a leading candidate for ‘Wine of the Vintage’, although certainly not the only one. Finally, this is going to require patience. Nothing about it says "drink me now." It should age brilliantly. If you lack a cellar and patience, look away. Drink 2035-2085.” (99-100) points

“I suspected that a perfect Olerasay was possible after the first iteration. This is it.” -Neal Martin, Vinous, 100 points

Neal Martin (Vinous): “The Olerasay 2° is 100% Chenin Blanc with 8.5% alcohol and 331g/l of residual sugar, not that you notice those figures. It was bottled on 17 January 2020. It is an ethereal wine that gives me no choice but to use a simple word loaded with meaning and one I rarely use with respect to wine...perfection. The 375ml bottle was examined over the course of two weeks during which time it barely changed. Each time I put it under a microscope looking for a fault. I never found one. Golden in colour, it has an intoxicating bouquet with orange sorbet, quince, lemon verbena and a very slight Aszú-like note that hovers in the background. Having recently tasted plenty of Sauternes, I can’t help noticing how the aromatics are unencumbered by a thick cloak of oak, thereby lending the bouquet brightness and vividness that is totally enthralling. This all translates across to the crystalline palate. The perfect seam of acidity cuts like an ancient Samurai sword through the viscous fruit whose purity is off the charts. This electrifying Olerasay does not mess about – it immediately thrills the senses with its mélange of blood orange, apricot, crushed minerals and passion fruit. There is so much energy in this wine. The finish has a weightless quality that means, despite its high residual sugar level, the wine is actually easy to drink and is not weighed down by its own unctuousness. The killer aspect of this is the soupçon of bitter orange that hits the back of the throat. I suspected that a perfect Olerasay was possible after the first iteration. This is it. Despite this being a Cellar Favorite, don’t feel you are committing a heinous crime popping the cork now because who knows where we will be by the end of 2020. Just bear in mind that this wine will last decades. Drink now-2080.” 100 points

EXTREMELY RARE AND LIMITED! NOT AVAILABLE ON ITS OWN. MUST BE PART OF AN ORDER THAT MEETS OUR MINIMUM ORDER OF 6 BOTTLES. UK MAINLAND ONLY.