Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan
Simply a wine of true perfection. 2009 in Bordeaux has bestowed many a Châteaux with a wine for the ages and in iconic estates like Château Haut-Brion, the wines have been lifted to 'nirvana-ish' levels. One wouldn't be adverse to simply sitting on the nose of this wine for hours without having a want to taste it such is the complexity and aromatic waves that are present. In the mouth though, this Pessac-Léognan boasts flavours of cigar, raspberries, plums, figs and blueberries with a finish that seems to go on for decades. Breathtakingly stunning.
Pol Roger Brut Reserve Non-Vintage
Pol Roger Brut displays a beautiful golden straw coloured hue, as well as abundant and fine bubbles. With a powerful and attractive nose, it first delivers aromas of fruit (pear and mango) and then releases light flavours of honeysuckle and white jasmine, lingering on vanilla and brioche notes. Behind a frank and dynamic attack, the wine encompasses a nice harmony and a pleasant freshness, whilst preserving some structure. On the palate, flavours of cooked fruit (quince jelly, apricot jam) happily mingle with fragrances of beeswax and acacia honey. The long-lasting aromas, composed of both fruity (candied orange peel, tangerine) and spicy notes (cardamom, anis) is outstanding.
Penfolds Special Bin 111A Shiraz, Clare Valley, Barossa Valley
PENFOLDS Special Bin 111A Shiraz, Clare Valley, Barossa Valley It is a tradition at Penfolds to experiment, research and develop new wines. The large number of mostly one-off, bin-numbered wines produced, beginning in the 1950s, initially shows a company diversifying away from its core business of fortified wines. In the 1960s, the primary aim was to make show wines, but the program also resulted in the development of current-day staples like Bin 707 and Bin 389 and, more recently, of Bin 407, RWT Shiraz and Yattarna Chardonnay. In effect, the first two Special Bin wines were the then-experimental 1951 Grange and the control wine Max Schubert made alongside it so he could see what the wine would be like matured in a single, old 4500 litre cask rather than the new, 300 litre American oak barrels in which he put the real Grange.That wine is now forgotten, but, said Schubert (in 1979): It did... set the guidelines for the production and marketing of a whole range of special red wines which have been sought after, vintage by vintage, to this day. Schuberts successors, the late Don Ditter, John Duval and Peter Gago, continued the tradition, making small-batch wines (1000 dozen or less) for comparison with existing styles, to try out something new in the way of varietal or regional combinations or simply to spotlight a brilliant parcel of fruit. Some may be forgotten in time, but others are considered among the greatest Australian wines of all time.
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Grand Cru
One of the two Grand Crus from this iconic Domain, this one the wilder of the family. The soils here are on gentler slopes, (less well-drained, less quickly warmed by the sun) than their stablemates. This lends the Bonnes-Mares a distinctive individuality in the portfolio. It is more purple, rather than ruby, and takes its energy from structure, rather than minerality. It's "unconventional and free-thinking says vigneron Eric Bourgogne.
Chateau d'Yquem
The harvest began very early, on the 5th September, and lasted 9 weeks. This made is possible to reflect all the diversity of a year in which both flowering and veraison were very spread out. Picking began especially early at Yquem in 2014. Some 25% of the crop was brought in before the 15th of September, providing a rare and precious background of acidity.
Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion
Domaine Armand Rousseau
Domaine Prieure Roch Clos de Corvee Vielle Vignes 1er Cru
DOMAINE PRIEURE ROCH Clos de Corvee Vielle Vignes 1er Cru, Nuits-St-Georges