THIBAULT LIGER-BELAIR Les Saint Georges 1er cru, Nuits-St-Georges

DOMAINE LUCIEN LE MOINE Les Amoureuses 1er cru, Chambolle-Musigny Lucien Le Moine is a unique négocianthaute couture is often how they are described. Husband and wife, Mounir and Rotem Saouma source small parcels of wine from many producers. Their contribution to the wine is in the elevage, esoteric regime which changes each vintage relying on Mounirs sensory talents forged in a Trappist monastery in Lebanon and honed in their vaulted cellars in the Cote dOr. Working with the best (Jupilles, FRA), fine-grained new oak, the Saoumas produce a staggering number of Grands and 1er Crus cuvees.

When it comes to points, this prestigious Napa Valley blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is a centurion many times over. It’s the crown jewel in Dalla Valle’s shimmering portfolio, with quality and grace of an almost unrivalled pedigree. But that’s not even the best part. Maya’s Vineyard was planted to celebrate the birth of Gustav and Naoko Dalla Valle’s daughter in 1986. As fate would have it, Maya grew up to become one of America’s most promising young winemakers, continuing the remarkable legacy of her parent’s winery.

Château Palmer is considered one of the worlds first 'Super Seconds' (although actually classified as a third growth), a term relating to the top echelon of producers that fall outside of the ancient 1st Growth classification. Margaux's Château Palmer was named after a British general who fought under Wellington. It has been stated by quite a few wine critics that this could possibly be the finest Château Palmer ever produced. An amazing claim considering how phenomenal the 2005 was and is yet to be. Masses of concentrated aromas and flavours that will keep your senses entertained for hours on end. A truly remarkable achievement that will repay the patient cellarer over the next 30 years.

For some, the exquisite Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue' Musigny Grand Cru 2009 represents the pinnacle of red wine achievment in Burgundy. A special feature of de Vogüé is that their Musigny is called Musigny Vieilles Vignes old vines. For this wine, only vines 25 years or older are used. The average age is usually over 40 years.

One of the very greatest estates of Bordeaux, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild is in the commune of Pauillac in the Haut-Medoc, 50km north-west of the city of Bordeaux. Its Chateau wine or ‘grand vin’ is among the world’s most highly-rated and expensive. Excluded from the highest rank (Premier Cru or First Growth) of the famous Bordeaux Classification of 1855, Mouton was finally promoted in 1973 after decades of lobbying by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who ran the estate from 1922 until his death in 1988. Mouton was first in the region to bottle at the estate, rather than shipping its wine to merchants for bottling elsewhere. Since 1924 artists including Braque, Dali, Picasso, Henry Moore, Miro, Chagall, Kandinsky, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, David Hockney and Lucian Freud have been commissioned to produce artworks for the Mouton label. Since 1924 artists including Braque, Dali, Picasso, Henry Moore, Miro, Chagall, Kandinsky, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, David Hockney and Lucian Freud have been commissioned to produce artworks for the Mouton label. Mouton, uniquely among the First Growths, remains in the hands of the same family as it was at the time of the 1855 Classification. The vineyards are on slopes with gravel-based soils leading down to the Gironde estuary and total 75ha – 80pct Cabernet Sauvignon, 16pct Merlot, 3pct Cabernet Franc and 1pct Petit Verdot. The Chateau wine is (unusually) fermented in large oak vats and then matured in new oak barrels for between 19 and 22 months. Total production of the ‘grand vin’ is 20,000 dozen or less. There is a ‘second wine’, Le Petit Mouton, established in 1993. The ‘grand vin’ is noted for its flamboyance – exotic, powerful aromas of cassis, minerals, tobacco leaf and graphite, an opulent palate and impressive length of flavour.

Every now and then, in life and in wine, we are presented with unique opportunities to express ourselves and create something truly remarkable. When these rare opportunities arise, we need to capture, nurture and develop them so that their potential is fulfilled. So when Torbreck were given the opportunity to work with one of the most famous vineyards in the Barossa Valley, they were determined to use all their experience to ensure the resulting Shiraz was truly remarkable.