Now this half bottle is handy if you wish to toast yourself. Pol Roger is one of the world's power house champagne houses. Famously quoted by the likes of Winston Churchill and the champagne of choice for Her Majesty the Queen. An equal blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, with addition of 20% reserve wines. It is impressively fresh and vivacious with more depth than most aperitif styles.

Australian Pinot Noir does not get any better than the wines produced by Phillip Jones at the iconic Bass Phillip winery. A Pinot Noir of utmoust power and elegance, the rival to any great Burgundy. Rated in the top classification in Langton's Classification of Australian Wine, Bass Phillip Pinot Noir is riddled with complex flavours of strawberry, violets, rose petal and forest floor. The length of palate is immortal.

Château Lafleur is a tiny 4.5-hectare Pomerol property located opposite Pétrus and producing wines of comparable quality. It is owned and run by Sylvie and Jacques Guinadeau. While the majority of great Bordeaux châteaux have changed hands over the past several generations, Château Lafleur remains in the same family hands to this day. Its vineyards are situated on the gravel-rich Pomerol plateau and adjoin those of La Fleur-Pétrus. The soils here are particularly deep and are enriched by deposits of potassium and iron. Only natural fertilisers are used and yields are painfully low, even by Pomerol standards. Lafleur's wine is typically a blend of Merlot (50%) and Cabernet Franc (50%). It is aged in small oak barrels (50% new) for 18 months. Wines from Lafleur display a spectacularly intense perfume (partly attributable to the high percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend) and display layers and layers of concentrated, black fruits, minerals, tobacco spices and creamy liquorice on the palate. The best vintages can last for up to 50 years.

Incredibly opulent and rich, Château d'Yquem is widely considered the greatest sweet wine in the world. Currently owned by LVMH, this prestigious Sauternes estate is at the very top of the appellations classification, designated 1er Cru Classé Supérieur. Château dYquems 110 ha of vineyards are planted to 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The Grand Vin is produced from only fully botrytised fruit, carefully hand-harvested over successive passes by a team of highly skilled pickers. Yields are tiny, with each vine producing just one glass of wine. Fermentation takes place in 100% new oak barriques followed by up to 36 months maturation in oak. A wine of exceptional intensity and complexity, the best vintages of Château d'Yquem are capable of aging gracefully for well over 50 years.

Majestic, intense, full bodied and tannic, Cos dEstournel is considered the leading wine of St Estèphe. Highly tannic in its youth, over time it develops much much like the great wines of adjoining Pauillac. The wine is typically a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, consistently displaying immense power and evident breed.

Chateau Angélus is one of the most renowned estates of St-Emilion, currently designated Premier Grand Cru Classé A in the most recent classification of St-Emilion. Located due west of the town of St-Emilion, the estates vineyards lie on a warm south-facing slope. The Grand Vin is a dense and unctuous blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, matured in 85-100% new French oak barriques for 18-22 months. Complex and concentrated, Chateau Angélus can appear slightly austere when young, developing greater generosity and richness with age.

Chateau Angélus is one of the most renowned estates of St-Emilion, currently designated Premier Grand Cru Classé A in the most recent classification of St-Emilion. Located due west of the town of St-Emilion, the estate’s vineyards lie on a warm south-facing slope. The Grand Vin is a dense and unctuous blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, matured in 85-100% new French oak barriques for 18-22 months. Complex and concentrated, Chateau Angélus can appear slightly austere when young, developing greater generosity and richness with age.