Australian | 2972 |
Italian | 648 |
Burgundy | 562 |
Imported | 531 |
New Zealand | 300 |
Champagne | 264 |
Rhone | 153 |
Bordeaux | 140 |
France | 136 |
Whisky | 120 |
Chablis | 70 |
Sauternes / Barsac | 63 |
Port | 49 |
Spirits | 17 |
Total Lots: | 6025 |
ROCKFORD Basket Press | 1991 |
ROCKFORD Basket Press | 1991 |
ROCKFORD Basket Press | 1994 |
ROCKFORD Basket Press | 1997 |
ROCKFORD Basket Press | 1997 |
ROCKFORD Basket Press | 1997 |
ROCKFORD The Rare Chance Release... | 2010 |
CROFT | 2007 |
CROFT | 2007 |
CROFT | 2007 |
PENFOLDS Grange |
HENSCHKE Hill of Grace |
Lots in the current auction catalogue with 96-100 Robert Parker Wine Advocate Points
BILLECART SALMON Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rose 2008Rating: 97+ points
Disgorged with seven grams per liter dosage, the 2008 Brut Ros� Cuv�e Elisabeth Salmon is one of the finest wines I've tasted from Billecart in recent years. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of peach, mandarin oil, warm bread, red berries and petals, it's full-bodied, deep and vinous, with lovely mid-palate amplitude, terrific concentration and bright girdling acids. In what is quite a tightly wound vintage and from a house whose style is rather understated, this is a dramatic, fleshy wine that concludes with a long, flavorful finish.
ACC 15599 | 1 BOTTLE BOXED | Current Bid: $329 | |
XDW 1987 | 1 MAGNUM Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $794 | |
XDW 1989 | 1 MAGNUM Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $794 | |
XDW 1990 | 1 MAGNUM Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $794 |
Rating: 98 points
One of the finest Champagnes I have ever brought to my lips, the 1999 Cristal bursts from the glass with fresh hazelnut and apple scents. Elegant, deep, and silky-textured, this medium to full-bodied beauty is immensely concentrated, pure, packed with apple flavors, and astoundingly long in the finish. Louis Roederer does not display a disgorgement date or consumer friendly lot number on its non-vintage Brut. This is regrettable as it has consistently been one of the finer bottlings in this category.
PET 0001 | 1 JEROBOAM BOXED | Current Bid: $6859 |
Rating: 99 points
A candidate for wine-of-the-vintage honors in Champagne, Roederer's 2013 Cristal Ros� is showing brilliantly, unfurling in the glass with notes of crisp orchard fruit, white flowers, red berries, stone fruit, freshly baked bread and tangerine oil. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, the vintage's bright girdling acids are amply cloaked in exuberant, expressive and notably concentrated fruit; so while this Cristal is as tensile and age-worthy as one would expect, it's also impressively fleshy and generous given the year. Concluding with an intensely sapid finish, the 2013 isn't as overtly structured as the muscular, tightly wound 2012: rather, it's the 2013's alliance of cut and flesh, precision and charm that's so compelling this year. This is another banner vintage for what I consider the reigning champion of the region's t�te de cuv�e bottlings, and it will be worth an effort to acquire.
Rating: 99 points
Picked before the heat and weighing in at a reasonable 14.5% alcohol, the 2008 Astralis Syrah (tasted from magnum) is singing. Showing no bricking at the rim, scents of cracked pepper, mint, bay leaf, thyme, lavender and blueberries pour out of the glass, adding meaty notes and hints of espresso and black olive with air. Full-bodied, creamy-textured and supple on the long finish, this wine shouldn't be missed. If you've got one, open it and see for yourself.
JEL 0455 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $489 |
Rating: 97+ points
The 2017 Astralis Syrah is a very fine wine. It is not a big wine. Perhaps its reputation for being a big, extracted wine is a misnomer these days. It has intention and drive and clarity and length�and the length of flavor is so long that it allows reassessment over and over again. It has cassis and blackberry, raspberry pip and salted licorice. It is perfumed and balanced, and it takes time to develop. Unctuous. Satisfying. Supple. Attractive. Beautiful. Eminently balanced. A beauty.
XWA 2303 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $314 | |
XWA 2304 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $314 | |
XWA 2305 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $314 |
Rating: 98 points
If you could drink this 2018 Astralis Syrah all day, by god you would. I mean, I would. The oak feels imperceptible, which I discover is adapted depending on the concentration of the year. This 2018 was matured in 40% new oak, and you wouldn�t know it. The tannins are chewy and pliable, and the fruit that resides within it is striking. A wine of poise. Clarity. Delicacy.
XWA 2249 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $429 |
Rating: 97 points
The 2012 Chardonnay offers up a gorgeous nose of ripe peaches, honeyed toast, cashews, yeast extract and orange blossoms with a hint of clotted cream. Full-bodied and packed with savory and stone fruit flavors that are beautifully complimented by a satiny texture, it has just enough freshness to lift the long, rich, multi-layered finish. Superb.
LEE 0062 | 1 MAGNUM BOXED | Current Bid: $760 |
Rating: 98 points
The 2013 Chardonnay has a youthfully reticent nose of ripe apricots, grapefruit and crushed cashews with ginger, cedar, struck match and orange blossoms in the background. The palate is a medium to full-bodied powerhouse, possessing a satiny texture, many layers
LEE 0063 | 1 MAGNUM BOXED | Current Bid: $760 |
Rating: 98 points
Deep brick-colored, the 1994 Hill of Grace offers notes of stewed plums, dried berries and baking spices with nuances of aniseed, vanilla and potpourri. Medium to full-bodied, it has great concentration and structure in the mouth, with crisp acid plus firm, grainy tannins, and is packed with layered, dried berry and spice flavors before finishing long with tons of remaining fruit. This wine still has many years to go. Drink it now to 2030+.
STO 0073 | 1 BOTTLE Slight label damage | Current Bid: $627 |
Rating: 99 points
Deep garnet with a hint of purple, the 2005 Hill of Grace offers a wonderful perfume of kirsch, red currant preserves and raspberry coulis with hints of cinnamon stick, cloves and orange peel. Medium to full-bodied, it is very elegant yet intense in the mouth with a lively acid line, medium-firm, very finely grained tannins, and a very long finish. Approachable now and should drink to 2040+.
SCO 0001 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $480 |
Rating: 98 points
The Hill of Grace vineyard, in Eden Valley, comprises 13 separate blocks, six of which feed into the Hill of Grace Shiraz. The oldest block (0.56 hectares), known as "Grandfathers," was planted around 1860. The other blocks were planted in 1910 (0.33 hectares), 1951 (1.08 hectares), 1952 (0.7 hectares), 1956 (0.88 hectares) and 1965 (0.57 hectares). The 2018 Hill of Grace Shiraz was matured in a combination of new (20%) and seasoned (80%) oak hogsheads (83% French, 17% American) for 18 months prior to blending and bottling. On the nose, the 2018 vintage assists this wine in speaking clearly of its regional location: raspberry and licorice, coal dust, black tea and tobacco leaf. There are inflections of black truffle and bone broth, which always seem to emerge, however the wine is brighter and more focused than I have seen. It offers a beautiful, svelte display of fruit and tannin, with all things in harmony in the mouth. This is very long, as we would expect from the pedigree of this wine and the vineyard. It is concentrated and intense, sinewy, elegant and powerful�a wine for the future generation. Henschke is one of two Australian wineries awarded the Green Emblem award, which recognizes their leadership in sustainability, toward long-term environmental health and biodiversity. The wines are of exceptional quality and regional specificity across the board, and the release of the 2018 Hill of Grace Shiraz (and the other top-tier reds from the same exceptional vintage) is a cause for excitement for writers and collectors alike. This year, due to pressing travel commitments, I sadly missed the 60th anniversary celebration hosted at the winery, where 26 vintages of Hill of Grace were opened, with bottles from all six decades of its production. It was a devastating blow to miss the tasting, but I'm fortunate to have tasted this wine many times over the years from various decades, and I am convinced that it evolves into a graceful wine of expressiveness and "sense of place." The 2018 vintage was a beauty: warm, largely free from disease pressure and responsible for a suite of wines across the region that still today speak of vitality, energy and grace. It will go down as one of the greats of the past decade and likely more and, for me, is on par with the great 2015.
Rating: 96 points
The 2016 Mount Edelstone Vineyard Shiraz is steeped in complexity, with aromas ranging from camphor, bay leaf and sage to smoke and grilled beef and from blueberries and blackberries to plums laced with spice. Full-bodied, rich and intense, it's ripe and velvety textured, with a long, licorice-tinged finish and dusty tannins that bode well for the cellar. From vines planted in 1912, I suspect this will come close to the quality of the Hill of Grace at a fraction of the price. Tasted again the following day from the open bottle, this was even better, seamless, flowing and harmonious in the mouth.
ACC 10082 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $174 | |
ACC 10081 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $174 | |
ACC 10080 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $174 | |
ACC 10079 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $174 | |
ACC 10078 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $174 | |
ACC 10077 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $174 |
Rating: 97 points
The 2006 Shiraz
SIR 0154 | 1 BOTTLE Slight label damage | Current Bid: $107 | |
SIR 0155 | 1 BOTTLE Slight label damage | Current Bid: $103 |
Rating: 98+ points
A wine that flirts with perfection, and should rival the 1986 as one of the legendary Granges produced, the 1998 has one of the highest alcohol contents (nearly 15%) as well as one of the highest percentages of Shiraz in the blend (97%). Its stunning purple color is accompanied by exceptionally sweet aromas of blackberry liqueur intermixed with barbecue spices, an endearing, smoky earthiness, pepper, roasted meats, and coffee. Huge, massive, unctuously textured, and extraordinarily youthful, this impressive wine is a candidate for perfection. It should continue to evolve over the next three decades.
DMU 0035 | 1 BOTTLE Slight label damage | Current Bid: $548 | |
SPA 0013 | 1 BOTTLE Scuffed capsule | Current Bid: $480 |
Rating: 98+ points
It is always a treat to taste Australias most famous wine, Penfolds Grange cuvee (the word Hermitage has been dropped because of legal issues). The 2001 Grange is one of the few vintages of this cuvee to be composed of 100% Shiraz (the others being 1951, 1952, 1963, 1999, and 2000). Aged 17 months in 100% American oak, and tipping the scales at 14.5% alcohol, the 2001 is undeniably one of the top examples of this wine. At this stage, it appears to eclipse the 1998 and 1996. Inky/blue/purple to the rim, with a stunning perfume of blueberries, blackberries, chocolate, graphite, and earth, it boasts good acidity, huge tannins, magnificent concentration, and a multilayered, textured mouthfeel. It is a big, but impeccably well-balanced Shiraz that should shed some of its structure and tannin over the next 4-5 years, and be at its best between 2010-2030+.
Rating: 98 points
Last but not least is Australias most famous wine, the 2002 Shiraz �Grange�. The 2002 version was sourced from 77.5% Barossa Valley and 22.5% from McLaren Vale. Included in the blend is 1.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It spent 17 months in 100% new American oak. Opaque purple, it gives off an ethereal bouquet of violets, saddle leather, blueberry, blackberry, pencil lead, and chocolate. This is followed by a full-bodied wine with tremendous concentration, multiple layers of flavor, ripe tannins, and great balance. Thick and rich, with a 60-second finish, it will slowly blossom over the next 15-20 years and provide pleasure through 2050. It is a legend in the making!
106 0833 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $679 | |
BRE 0100 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $850 | |
BRE 0101 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $850 |
Rating: 99 points
The 2004 vintage was outstanding in Barossa, McLaren Vale, and Magill, the regions where the grapes were sourced for the marvelous 2004 Grange. It contains 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged for 16 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it displays a superb nose of wood smoke, Asian spices, incense, game, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. Medium to full-bodied, satin textured, with deeply layered, succulent blackberry, plum, and chocolate flavors, it has the structure and complexity to merit extended cellaring of a decade and more. The winery estimates a drinking curve of 2016 to 2050; Id be a bit more conservative on the long end of the range. It will ultimately be seen as one of the great vintages of Grange.
BRE 0102 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $749 | |
BRE 0103 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $749 | |
BRE 0104 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $749 | |
BRE 0105 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $749 |
Rating: 100 points
Very deep garnet-purple in color the 2008 Grange reveals a truly decadent nose with tons of spices, fruit cake and black & blue fruit compote notes along with nuances of chocolate and potpourri. The full and rich, multi-layered palate has a little oak still showing, it is going through a little bit of a structural stand-out stage, but it doesnt detract on the long and complex finish. It still needs a good few years to develop, though this very opulent, expressive Grange shows the very best of this vintage and the vineyards it hails from.
ADR 0013 | 1 MAGNUM BOXED Slight rear label damage | Current Bid: $1360 |
Rating: 99 points
The 2010 Grange is a 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 96% Shiraz blend made from Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and Magill Estate fruit that was aged 17 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. Very deep purple-black in color, this is classic Grange - amongst the finest produced - replete with fresh, vibrant and youthful black fruit notes showing some blueberry aromas and accents of camphor, anise and the slightest floral hint plus a whiff of oak in the background to lend a cedar-laced lift to this textbook Shiraz nose. Medium to full-bodied in the mouth, it is very taut and finely constructed showing typically firm, grainy, uniform tannins, great concentration and wonderful persistence on the finish. If I have any very slight complaint of this near perfect wine it is that it seems a little too clinical and appears to speak less of the land and the heart of South Australia and more of the very skilled winemaking than did the Grange from the magical 2008 vintage.
Rating: 99 points
The 2012 Grange comes from just two sub-regions of South Australia this year: Barossa Valley (the majority) and McLaren Vale. This makes a lot of sense since 2012 was a cracking year in both of these areas, producing a number of extraordinary wines. As usual, this Grange contains a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon, just 2%. Very deep purple-black in color, it opens on the nose with complex earthy/meaty/savory notes, soon giving way to baked blackberries, plum preserves, hoisin and Chinese five spice with dabs of sandalwood, licorice, menthol and vanilla. The palate reveals a surprisingly open, rich, full-bodied expression exuding a powerhouse of velvet-lined decadence. Still, it characteristically possesses that rock-solid
MDW 0002 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $700 | |
MDW 0004 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $700 | |
LAN 0004 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $520 |
Rating: 98+ points
The nose of the 2015 Grange features the wine's characteristic lifted aromas, joined by pronounced American oak influence and bold blackberry fruit, plus hints of red meat, raspberries, asphalt and vanilla. It's dense and concentrated on the palate, full-bodied yet balanced and firm, with a rich, velvety texture and long, plush finish. Dont expect great complexity at this stage-it's much too young to show much more than the primary fruit and oak elements-but this is a Grange that should easily go three or four decades.
It's always a treat to sit with Chief Winemaker Peter Gago and taste through the latest releases from Penfolds. Despite losing one of his suitcases (thankfully, not the one with the newly bottled 2019 Bin 51 Riesling), he was in good humor, having just gone on a Manhattan clothes-shopping spree. The bulk of this year's wines come from the challenging 2017 vintage, but with the wide net Penfolds casts to source fruit, the winery seems capable of maintaining a remarkable degree of consistency. There are always a few wines from years on either side as well. Standouts this year include the dense, age-worthy 2016 St Henri Shiraz. This is a wine that never sees new, small-format oak, as it is aged in large oak vats. The 2017 RWT Shiraz (all Barossa Valley, all French oak) is a perennial favorite of mine, and it is reassuringly excellent. These wines differ stylistically from one another and from the flagship Grange, which is aged in new American oak hogsheads. This year's Grange release is the 2015, another strong effort. The biggest splash among this year's lineup is the debut of a new $1,700 Shiraz. The 2016 Bin 111A Shiraz is a blend of Clare Valley and Barossa Valley fruit previously ticketed for Grange, aged 18 months in new French hogsheads. It would be easy to dismiss it as another cynical marketing ploy, but it's yet another unique expression of Shiraz and the quality lives up to the lofty price tag. For the one-percenters lucky enough to snare a bottle or two, it'll provide immense pleasure for decades to come.
ADR 0007 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $560 | |
ADR 0008 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $600 | |
ADR 0009 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $600 | |
ADR 0010 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $600 | |
ADR 0011 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $600 | |
ADR 0012 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $600 |
Rating: 99 points
This wine comes with high expectations�as does the vintage. The 2018 vintage across South Australia (and cheekily, we could probably extend the accolade to all of Australia) was excellent. It was warm, but without incident, and responsible for powerfully ripe, serious wines. Many producers made some of their best wines in this vintage. So here, to the 2018 Grange: there is spiced raspberry, lashings of salted licorice, red curry paste, layers of forest berries, rendered lamb fat and crushed pink peppercorns to start. In the mouth, the tannins close around the fruit with the same polish and seamlessness as the 2008, possibly the 2004? Very different vintages, but there is a textural similarity for me. This is polished and glossy and so very pretty. It contains 3% Cabernet Sauvignon this year, and 69% Barossa, 18% McLaren Vale and the balance from Clare Valley. Each of the regions brings with it its own characteristics. Barossa brings the red dirt, blood, deli meat and rust. McLaren Vale brings the plush purple fruits with a side of meat and licorice. Clare brings the polish, the opulence and the velvet texture. With their powers combined, this is an extraordinary Grange. One of the true greats, which will only get better as it ages.
JIR 0014 | 1 MAGNUM | Current Bid: $996 |
Rating: 96 points
Medium brick colored, the 1971 Grange opens with touches of aldehyde / bottle-stink to begin over a core of fruit cake, leather, potpourri, game and sandalwood. With an elegant light to medium-body, the palate blossoms into incredible spice box, anise and mincemeat notes - wonderful multi-layered flavors � supported by a good backbone of remaining fine-grained tannins and lively acid. Its a classic Grange in terms of construction, though a little atypical considering its pretty rather than powerful nature.
NIK 0068 | 1 BOTTLE Very high shoulder, slight capsule damage, cellar damaged label | Current Bid: $1440 | |
NIK 0071 | 1 BOTTLE Into neck | Current Bid: $1440 |
Rating: 100 points
Production: 9,380 cases Blend: 89% Shiraz/11% Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 97 points
The 1981 stood out as slightly superior. Winemaker John Duval always felt this was a tannic style of Grange, but the wine has shed its tannins, and this is one of the few vintages where the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon was above 10%. Sweet notes of creme de cassis, cedarwood, charcoal, and barbecue spices are followed by a full-bodied, opulent wine displaying heady amounts of alcohol, glycerin, and density in its full-bodied, skyscraper-like texture. I was drinking this wine with great pleasure in the mid-nineties, yet here it is nearly 15 years later, and the wine does not appear to have budged much from its evolutionary state. This is a testament to how remarkably well these wines hold up, and age at such a glacial pace.
Rating: 97 points
The 1982 is another superb example of that. One of the jammiest, most precocious Granges when it was released, it has never gone through a closed stage and continues to drink beautifully. A full-bodied, opulent Grange, it reveals an inky/purple color to the rim as well as a beautiful nose of crushed blueberries, blackberries, smoke, toast, roasted herbs, and road tar. This dense, plush, expansive, seamless, seductive 1982 has not changed much since I had it nearly a decade ago.
SUE 0001 | 1 BOTTLE Very high shoulder | Current Bid: $480 |
Rating: 96 points
Deep garnet in color, the 2003 RWT Shiraz is a little shut down to begin, opening out to a savory and meaty aromatic core with gentle black cherry preserves and dried mulberry notes plus a whiff of roses. Full-bodied, concentrated, rich and seductive, it is drinking beautifully but still has a long life ahead (as with 2002). It ends long with fine tannins texturing the opulent finish.
KEL 0194 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $94 | |
KEL 0195 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $94 | |
KEL 0196 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $94 | |
KEL 0197 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $94 | |
KEL 0198 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $94 | |
KEL 0199 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $94 |
Rating: 97+ points
Very deep purple-black in color and showing an attractive nose of warm blackcurrants, blueberries and licorice with a complex undercurrent of mocha, cedar, menthol and grilled meat, the full-bodied 2010 St Henri Shiraz is relatively rich in the mouth, offering tons of fruit structured by firm, fine tannins and refreshing acid. It finishes with great persistence. Drink it 2015 to 2030+.
SPA 0016 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $152 |
Rating: 96+ points
The 2012 Shiraz St Henri is very impressive with its elegant, sophisticated and well-crafted expression of this superb vintage. As always, there is no new oak employed here, simply 50+ year old large oak vats. This vintage has a dollop (3%) Cabernet Sauvignon, contributing a lovely cassis lift to the heady perfume. Deep garnet-purple colored, it displays a gorgeous nose of commendable purity and intensity with notes of red and blackcurrants, freshly crushed blackberries, menthol, cinnamon stick, bacon fat and cloves. Rich and already expressive on the palate, it is nonetheless built for the long haul with firm, ripe and grainy tannins carrying the fruit to a long and layered finish. This should be a long-lived St Henri that should cellar gracefully for at least 2 decades.
TER 0090 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $104 |
Rating: 97 points
This 2013 Shiraz St Henri follows in the blockbuster footsteps of the 2010 and 2012. The blend is 96% Shiraz with 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and the fruit sources are far and wide, including a real mix of terroirs: McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Padthaway and Port Lincoln. It spent 12 months in 50+-year-old casks. Deep garnet-purple colored, the youthfully reticent nose is complex, offering loam, aged meat, licorice, tar, scorched earth, fenugreek and cloves over a cherry cordial, blueberry pie and dried mulberries core. The medium to full-bodied palate reveals lovely, understated elegance and depth with a firm backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and many fruit and spice layers emerging on the finish. This is one for the long-long haul and, at a fraction of the price of Grange, should be where the smart money goes for stocking the cellar.
TER 0042 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $104 |
Rating: 99 points
From a tiny, one hectare, 110-year-old vineyard in Barossa Valleys Marananga subregion, the 2015 Kraehe Shiraz (pronounced kray) has a deep garnet-purple color and profoundly scented nose of blackberry and blueberry preserves, dried plums and mulberries with salami and fertile earth undertones, plus hints of marmite toast, asphalt and licorice. The full-bodied palate packs in the flavor layers with the voluptuous fruit superbly framed by firm, rounded tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with epic length. Give this sexy Shiraz another 2-3 years in bottle and drink it over the next 25+ years. 155 cases were made.
XPO 0414 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 | |
XPO 0368 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 | |
XPO 0367 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 | |
XPO 0362 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 | |
XPO 0363 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 | |
XPO 0365 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 |
Rating: 97+ points
Coming from a small (two=hectare) single vineyard with more than 120-year-old vines in the Flaxman Valley area of Barossas cooler Eden Valley, the 2015 Steinert Shiraz offers a deep garnet-purple color and very pretty red currants, black cherries and black raspberries notes, with touches of pepper and spice box plus fleeting wafts of roses. The medium to full-bodied palate is seriously intense, delivering ripe red berry and spice layers with a very long, perfumed finish. 200 cases were made.
XPO 0416 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 | |
XPO 0415 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 | |
XPO 0671 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 | |
XPO 0670 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 | |
XPO 0672 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 | |
XPO 0668 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $533 |
Rating: 97 points
Torbreck's 2015 The Laird boasts explosive aromas of Christmas spices, ripe plums, vanilla, hickory smoke and maple syrup. It's a big wine, loaded with fruit and oak, full-bodied, rich and velvety, adding hints of toasted coconut and cinnamon streusel on the long, almost dessert-like finish. For a more savory experience, age it a decade or so before pulling a cork.
ACC 12298 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $644 |
Rating: 96 points
A pure expression of Sangiovese, the 2018 Cepparello is a beautiful expression that speaks to the classic and most exemplary side of this versatile and deeply expressive grape. This vintage is especially bright and ethereal with a true sense of luminosity and clarity that radiates from both the wine's appearance and its fragrant bouquet. Tart cherry and cassis segue to balsam herb and wild violets. To the palate, the wine shows muscle and determination with sweet tannins and impressive depth of favor. Cepparello remains true to its unique identity in this vintage. Production is 42,000 bottles.
Rating: 96 points
Tasted blind in Bordeaux, the 1976 Chateau d'Yquem reaffirms its reputation as one of the great wines of the decade, although I would suggest that that 1971 and 1975 are the true pinnacles. However, in no way do I wish to slight this Sauternes. Deep and slightly burnished in color, it offers dried pineapple, barley sugar, almond and a cheeky puff of caf� latte. There is wonderful definition here. The palate is underpinned by nigh on perfect acidity with orange rind, mango, cr�me br�l�e and minerals. As it fans out towards the finish, there is a tang of Seville orange marmalade, and though it does not quite possess the persistence of the 1975 Yquem, you will be craving for the next sip. At its peak now, enjoy this great Yquem over the next 20-30 years. Tasted April 2016.
KNS 0406 | 1 BOTTLE Into neck & cellar damaged label | Current Bid: $680 | |
KNS 0407 | 1 BOTTLE Very high shoulder & cellar damaged label | Current Bid: $600 |
Rating: 98 points
Tasted single blind against its peers. Under blind conditions, the Yquem 2007 shines like a diamond. Nevertheless, it is initially rather taciturn on the nose, eventually opening up beautifully with touches of lemon curd, Mirabelle, and clear honey. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine definition and there seems to be a great deal of energy and vigor dispensed for your pleasure. There is such race and nervosity, and then that finish just purrs with harmony and focus. This Yquem feels just so alive and vivacious, yet there is an effortless quality here that is unmatched by its peers. Tasted January 2011.
ACC 11950 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $1074 |
Rating: 99 points
The wine of the vintage is the Perrin�s 2012 Ch�teauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin, and it will most likely merit a perfect rating in another couple of years. Full-bodied, massive and layered on the palate, with awesome purity and freshness, it delivers incredible aromatics of beef blood, truffle, graphite, iron and black and blue fruits. Given all of the fruit and texture, you almost have to hunt for the structure here, but trust me, it�s there. The tasting at Beaucastel took place a 9 a.m., and even then, this is one wine I found impossible to spit. It�s a tour de force that will have 3-4 decades of life.
XNE 0084 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $749 | |
XNE 0136 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $749 | |
XNE 0141 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $749 |
Rating: 96+ points
The 2013 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is a beast of a wine that�s shed most of the baby fat it showed from barrel. A normal blend of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, and the rest Syrah and Counoise, this tiny production release has incredible minerality to go with searing black and blue fruits, forest floor, smoked earth and leather. Full-bodied, inky, concentrated and backwards with a serious kick of tannin, it will need a decade of cellaring to be approachable. I suspect it will have 2-3 decades of longevity.
ACC 10638 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $747 | |
XNE 0142 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $749 | |
XNE 0143 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $749 | |
XNE 0146 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $749 |
Rating: (94 - 96) points
Probably the wine of the vintage (I feel like I say that every year for this cuvee), the 2014 Ch�teauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is a substantial, full-bodied, shockingly concentrated 2014 that gives up classic notes of blackberries, blueberries, forest floor, beef blood and licorice. Mouth-coating and rich with building tannin, it will be approachable at an earlier age than most vintages, yet will still need 5-6 years of cellaring.
XNE 0149 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $749 | |
XNE 0170 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $749 | |
XNE 0147 | 1 BOTTLE Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $749 |
Rating: 97 points
Floral aromas accent sturdy notes of grilled meat and almost delicate notes of red berries in the open, approachable 2014 Cote Rotie La Mouline. Medium to full-bodied, it shows great purity and a supple, silky, classic feel. It's built more on elegance and complexity than power, with those floral, herbal notes leaving a long, silky impression on the finish.
KEV 0020 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $520 | |
KEV 0021 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $520 |
Rating: (96 - 98) points
Classy hints of pencil shavings accent the pear, nectarine and melon fruit in the full-bodied, voluptuous 2018 Ermitage de l'Or�e. Despite the wine's ample richness and weight, it's surprisingly fresh and zesty, with hints of citrus zest and brine lingering on the finish.
ACC 12702 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $349 |
Rating: 100 points
Tasted at the La T�che vertical at The Square. Having not tasted the La T�che 1999 since it had been bottled, I was intrigued to see how it was developing. Monumentally, is the correct answer. First and foremost this is a seriously long-term La T�che that is maturing at a glacial pace. Indeed, I left most in my glass and waited for it to open. An hour later and it was firing on all cylinders. It is blessed with an incredibly intense, powerful nose that loses its broodiness with aeration and eventually unveils a crystalline set of mineral-soaked aromatics that sport a decadent, almost exotic floral note-wilted violets and potpourri. The palate has a quite astonishing structure, but it is more the symmetry that makes this one of the greatest vintages of recent years. It unfolds with daring passion to reveal layers of plush but focused dark plum and cassis fruit that just seem to flow and flow on the never-ending finish. It is a multifaceted, multidimensional masterpiece that really needs another decade in bottle.
BOY 0005 | 1 BOTTLE Label damage, bottle number : 04714Ex-cellar | Current Bid: $10400 |
Rating: 98+ points
Since I gave this wine a perfect score, I suppose some could see this as a downgrade. I found everything still there for a perfect rating, but I was just struck by how tight and backward the wine was. A blend of 93.3% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, the wine still has a dark ruby/purple color and an extraordinarily youthful nose of graphite, black currants, sweet, unsmoked cigar tobacco, and flowers. The wine is rich, medium to full-bodied, but has that ethereal elegance and purity that is always Lafite. I originally predicted that it would first reach maturity in 2011, but I would push that back by 5-7 years now, although it has 50-60 years of life in front of it. Owners of this beauty are probably best advised to forget it for 5 years. Tasted next to a 1996 several days after the 2000 tasting, the 1996, which is a perfect wine, was far closer to full maturity than the 2000.
JOH 0035 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $1502 | |
JOH 0036 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $1502 | |
JOH 0043 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $1502 | |
JOH 0044 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $1502 |
Rating: 96 points
Tasted at Bordeaux Indexs annual 10-Year On tasting in London and then blind at Farr Vintners horizontal, the 2006 Ch�teau L�oville Las-Cases has a very complex bouquet with heady scents of blackcurrant, kirsch, crushed violets, rock salt and just a hint of cassis. It is backward and can barely contain its energy. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very symmetrical and poised, a fine line of acidity interwoven through the black fruit, touches of citrus fruit developing towards the poised and tensile finish. This is a beautiful wine from Jean-Hubert Delon, but it needs several years in bottle. Tasted April 2016.
DAR 0021 | 1 BOTTLE | Current Bid: $383 |