Warm, complex, earthy spice tones with a lovely richness. Powerful yet elegant and ageing beautifully.

Dark purple. A heady, expansive bouquet evokes candied black and blue fruits, incense, violet and smoky minerals. Lush, palate-staining cassis and blueberry flavors show excellent clarity and vivacity for their power thanks to juicy acidity and a touch of peppery spices. Closes sweet, sappy, broad and extremely long, with smooth tannins coming on late.

A very important estate in St-Émilion, Château Angélus was acquired by the de Boüard de Laforest family in 1924 and merged with the previously owned Château Mazerat. The apostrophe was dropped in 1989 and is now simply known as Angélus. The wines are characterised by a fabulous texture offered by the high component of Cabernet Franc with the plump softness added by the Merlot creating a wine of pleasing plushness.

Castillo Ygay Tempranillo from the famed Rioja region in Spain was one of the stars of the show at the recent Dan Murphy's Wines of the World Expo! Complex roasted chestnut/mocha/dark berry/leather fruit with superb richness, underlying savoury nuances and ripe chocolaty tannins. Although matured for 31 months in American oak, the oak and fruit integration is sublime.

Les Forts de Latour is the wonderful second label of the famous Château Latour of Pauillac. Les Forts lacks none of the legendary power and concentration of its elder brother although it is approachable at a much earlier age. Rich Cabernet influence dominates this wine that comes from Latour fruit that doesn't make the grand vin as well as the younger vine material. The 2009 is considered one of the truly great vintages in living memory and it is in these years that secondary wines like this Forst de Latour really shine. Value and pedigree all wrapped in one package!

There are minuscule volumes produced of the Cirsion by Bodegas Roda (the name of the thistle which is Roda's logo) which is made from grapes specially selected for the suppleness of the tannins they deliver. Parcels selected are from low-yielding older Tempranillo vines of 45 years and more, from four vineyards. Choosing the plants with the softest tannins, this makes the wine very attractive and supple early on, but it still has great ageing potential.

Colour is deep red. The nose shows aniseed, tar, FruChocs and spicy oak. The fine palate entry has mulberry, cranberry, aniseed and liquorice flowing delicately with Rhone-like spicy, chewy, savoury tannins.

As often happens with Calvert, the nose when young is slightly muted and more direct than exotic; pure and fine aromas, not bold and lush. The palate follows on accordingly, with clarity of fruit, roses and florals. Focussed, concentrated yet pure in the mid-palate, with its hallmark mineral texture, its firm but ultimately juicy on the finish. The vines are growing up and were seeing the puppy-fat turn to muscle.