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PENFOLDS Grange
HENSCHKE Hill of Grace

Parker Extraordinary

Lots in the current auction catalogue with 96-100 Robert Parker Wine Advocate Points

MONDAVI ROTHCHILD Opus One Cabernet Blend 2012
Cabernet Blend Napa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 1100-1200

Rating: 96 points

The iconic 2012 Proprietary Red Opus One is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot and 2% Malbec aged 18 months in French oak. A classy, complex, suave and savory 2012 Opus One, with notes of toasty oak and cr�me de cassis. This Pauillac lookalike, made by the staff at Mouton Rothschild, is a beauty. They have continued to strengthen the quality of wine and seem to have produced a brilliant, world-class wine. I imagine the 2013 may even eclipse this, but this 2012 is one of their great ones, with a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood all present in this beautiful, full-bodied wine that should drink well for 25-30 years.

XNE
1758
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $914
XNE
1757
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $914
XNE
1756
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $914

BILLECART SALMON Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rose 2008
Brut Rose Champagne
Estimate Per Bottle: 380-400

Rating: 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 BOXEDCurrent Bid: $329
XDW
0918
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $314
XDW
0943
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $314
XDW
0967
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $314
XDW
0977
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $314
XDW
1011
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $314
XDW
1013
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $314
XDW
1903
1 MAGNUM Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $795

LOUIS ROEDERER Cristal Rose 2013
Rose Champagne
Estimate Per Bottle: 800-850

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.

XBW
2809
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $764
XBW
2810
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $764
XBW
2811
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $764
XBW
2812
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $764
XBW
2813
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $764
XBW
2818
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $764

CLARENDON HILLS Astralis Syrah 2006
Syrah McLaren Vale
Estimate Per Bottle: 350-400

Rating: 99 points

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2006 Astralis has stunning nose redolent of warm blackberries, meat, toast and charcoal, infused with notes of smoked duck, anise and a slight bit of peat. Though still very youthful, this big, rich, and powerful full-bodied wine has firm yet velvety tannins, a vibrant acid line and is very long on the finish. Drink it now to 2026+.

I am grateful to Roman Bratasiuk for presenting me with small verticals from his cellar of some of his greatest vineyard sources for this report, including the Merlot (as an indication that Merlot can do well in Australia!), the Old Vines/Romas Vineyard Grenache and a vertical of the Astralis vineyard Shiraz going back to 1991. Readers should note that the 2011 vintage Clarendon Hills wines are being released a little later than usual and therefore were not available for tasting in time for this report. However, I have been informed that they will be available for tasting very soon and will hopefully make the South Australia report.

106
0888
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $240
SGW
0001
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $236
SGW
0002
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $236
SGW
0003
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $236

CLARENDON HILLS Astralis Syrah 2015
Syrah McLaren Vale
Estimate Per Bottle: 380-400

Rating: 100 points

The fitting capstone to what was a terrific vintage for Clarendon Hills, the 2015 Astralis Syrah is destined to become a McLaren Vale legend. Remarkably precise, complex and pristine aromas of anise, pepper, mint and blueberries lead the way. Theyre followed by a full-bodied yet impeccably ripe palate thats dense and concentrated yet supple, leading into a velvety, nearly endless finish. Wow.

PHI
0048
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $264
PHI
0049
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $212

CLARENDON HILLS Astralis Syrah 2017
Syrah McLaren Vale
Estimate Per Bottle: 390-400

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
1551
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $314
XWA
1549
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $314
XWA
1545
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $314

CLARENDON HILLS Astralis Syrah 2018
Syrah McLaren Vale
Estimate Per Bottle: 500-550

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
1574
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $429

CLARENDON HILLS Hickinbotham Vineyard Syrah 2006
Syrah McLaren Vale
Estimate Per Bottle: 100-120

Rating: 97+ points

The 2006 Syrah Hickinbotham Vineyard combines a voluptuous flavor profile with enough ripe tannin to evolve for 6-8 years. Drink it from 2015 to 2031.

Roman Bratasiuks Clarendon Hills is one of the worlds great wine estates. The wines are all 100% varietal, produced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, and Syrah. The vineyards are all ungrafted, planted on their own roots, most of them with very old vines. Only French oak is utilized, seasoned barrels for the Grenache, 100% new for the Merlot and Cabernets, and 50-100% new for the Syrahs depending upon the vineyard. The wines typically spend 18 months in oak prior to bottling without fining or filtration. All of the above 2006 bottlings were reviewed from barrel samples in Issue 173. The vintage was an excellent one, not quite as exceptional as 2005, but there may be cases in which selected 2006s may eventually outshine their 2005 counterparts. All of the 2006s fell within their predicted ranges (mostly near the high end) so I will keep my comments brief. Clarendon Hills 2006 Syrahs are superb. They appear to be less structured and more forward than the 2005s and will be more approachable early on. As an aside, Clarendon Hills USA importer does not bring in the Onkaparinga Grenache and Syrah cuvees. In Issue 173 I rated the Onkaparinga Grenache (92-95) and the Onkaparinga Syrah (92-95).

106
0951
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $64

D'ARENBERG The Dead Arm Shiraz 1999
Shiraz McLaren Vale
Estimate Per Bottle: 80-90

Rating: 96 points

This estate's most renowned offering is their old vine Shiraz (90+ year old vines) called The Dead Arm. The unfined/unfiltered 1999 The Dead Arm Shiraz (2,000 cases) was aged in 100% new oak, of which 70% was American and 30% French. It is about as natural and unmanipulated a product of the vineyard as one can find. Full-bodied and awesomely rich, notes of black pepper, licorice, and blackberry as well as cherry liqueur cascade over the palate with enormous concentration and intensity, high tannin, and a structured, muscular style. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring, and consume it over the following 2-3 decades. It is a timeless museum piece made in a style that can only be produced in Barossa or McLaren Vale.

GOG
0083
1 BOTTLE Into neck, slight label damageCurrent Bid: $40

D'ARENBERG The Dead Arm Shiraz 2001
Shiraz McLaren Vale
Estimate Per Bottle: 150-170

Rating: 98 points

Readers should be on the look out for the 2001 The Dead Arm Shiraz, one of the greatest examples of this cuvee. Its dense black/purple color is accompanied by celestial aromas of melted licorice, graphite, blackberries, cassis, incense, anise, and toasty oak. Fabulously concentrated, with great purity, an unctuous, viscous texture, and an amazingly long, 60-second plus finish, this fabulous baby will need 5-6 years of cellaring, and should drink well over the following 20-25 years.

Chester Osborn, the remarkable person behind this enormous array of both impeccably high quality and value-priced wines, deserves considerable accolades for what he is able to achieve at all price ranges. If you love Australian wines, d'Arenberg is a winery to seek out as these offerings all possess abundant soul as well as character. In short, the accolades that proprietor/winemaker Chester Osborn receives not only from The Wine Advocate, but virtually everybody in the wine world, are all well deserved.

LAR
0024
1 BOTTLE Cellar damaged labelCurrent Bid: $100

GIACONDA Estate Vineyard Chardonnay 2012
Chardonnay Beechworth
Estimate Per Bottle: 1000-1250

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 No Sterling insurance on freight for this lotCurrent Bid: $560

HENSCHKE Hill of Grace Shiraz 1999
Shiraz Eden Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 1000-1100

Rating: 97 points

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 1999 Hill of Grace presents fragrant notes of warm blackberries and black cherries with hints of menthol, dried thyme and sage, licorice, dark chocolate and black olives. Full-bodied, rich and powerful, it has firm, chewy tannins, crisp acid and a long finish. It is still very youthful in the mouth with lots of flavor layers. It is drinking well now and should continue to cellar through 2035+.

TIM
0001
1 BOTTLE BOXED Cellar damaged labelCurrent Bid: $481
CDA
0002
1 BOTTLE Slight label damageCurrent Bid: $385

HENSCHKE Hill of Grace Shiraz 2006
Shiraz Eden Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 750-800

Rating: 97 points

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2006 Hill of Grace has some oak poking through the red and blue fruit aromas, with underlying toast, marmite and sage hints. Medium to full-bodied, it is a very tight knit and youthful wine with crisp acid, medium to firm, finely grained tannins and a long finish. Drink it 2014 to 2030+.

JOH
0013
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $501

HENSCHKE Hill of Grace Shiraz 2018
Shiraz Eden Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 900-950

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.

ACC
15965
1 BOTTLE BOXEDCurrent Bid: $749
ACC
15966
1 BOTTLE BOXEDCurrent Bid: $749
ACC
15967
1 BOTTLE BOXEDCurrent Bid: $749
ACC
16426
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $749

HENSCHKE Mount Edelstone Shiraz 2006
Shiraz Eden Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 200-220

Rating: 96 points

The 2006 Mount Edelstone Shiraz was sourced from a vineyard planted in 1912 with yields of less than 0.5 tons/acre. It was aged for 21 months in 65% new French and American oak. Purple-colored, the nose sports aromas of wood smoke, Asian spices, incense, blueberry, blackberry, and chocolate. Dense and packed, this full-bodied Shiraz has lots of flesh, succulent blue and black fruit flavors, impeccable balance, and a long, pure finish. Drink it from 2013 to 2021.

JOH
0015
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $155

HENTLEY FARM Clos Otto Shiraz 2009
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 200-220

Rating: 96 points

The Clos Otto fruit is sourced from a small, eastern-facing block within the Hentley Farm estate. Matured for 22 months in a combination of new (90%) and old French barrels, 2009 �Clos Otto� Shiraz has a very deep purple-black color and aromas of macerated blackberries, mulberries and creme de cassis over allspice, vanilla, milk chocolate, toast and hung meat. Concentrated and richly fruited in the mouth, it has a solid structure of firm, finely grained tannins and crisp acid with a long finish of spice and dark fruit layers. Approachable now, it should drink best 2013-2025+.

MJG
0144
1 BOTTLE Slight label damageCurrent Bid: $144

JIM BARRY The Armagh Shiraz 2012
Shiraz Clare Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 440-450

Rating: 98+ points

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2012 Shiraz The Armagh offers a gorgeous perfume of baking spices, violets, Sichuan pepper and fragrant earth. More earthy and savory in the mouth than on the nose, the palate is superbly structured and taut�built for the long-haul�with a long, complex finish. Still very youthfully, forget this wine for 3-5 more years and consider drinking it over the next 20+.

PHI
0029
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $247
PHI
0030
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $247
PHI
0031
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $247
PHI
0032
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $308

LANGMEIL The Freedom 1843 Shiraz 2006
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 150-180

Rating: 97 points

The 1843 Freedom Shiraz is the winery's flagship. The 2006 was sourced from its dry-grown vineyard planted in 1843, aged for 24 months in French oak, 80% new and bottled without fining or filtration. It delivers an exotic, kinky bouquet of pain grille, lavender, black cherry, and wild blueberry. Elegantly styled, sleek, and full-flavored, it has an extra dimension of complexity that only old vines can yield. This pleasure-bent Shiraz conceals enough ripe tannin for another 6-8 years of development and should be in its prime from 2015 to 2030.

106
0896
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $96

NOON WINERY Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Cabernet Sauvignon Langhorne Creek
Estimate Per Bottle: 60-70

Rating: 96 points

The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (400 cases) is a 100% Cabernet from 30-year-old vines that spent 18 months in both small and large oak barrels. It exhibits a striking bouquet of graphite, creme de cassis, new saddle leather, Chinese black tea, and vanilla. The complex aromatics are followed by a full-bodied wine of compelling purity and nobleness with layers of concentration as well as intensity. One of the most prodigious Australian Cabernet Sauvignons ever made, it should hit its prime in 3-5 years, and last for two decades or more.

WVB
0029
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $33

NOON WINERY Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Cabernet Sauvignon Langhorne Creek
Estimate Per Bottle: 60-70

Rating: 98 points

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from a 35+-year-old vineyard and aged for 18 months in small French and American oak. Opaque purple-colored, it delivers textbook Cabernet aromas of wood smoke, pencil lead, scorched earth, black currants, and blackberry liqueur. This leads to an opulent, full-bodied, concentrated wine that beautifully combines finesse and power. As with most vintages of this wine, it can be enjoyed now or cellared for a decade. It will reward the patient imbiber with a drinking window lasting through 2030.

Noon, under the leadership of Drew Noon MW, remains one of Australia's iconic wineries. As usual, Drew Noon sets the bar for South Australia.

WVB
0031
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $33

PENFOLDS Bin 60a Cabernet Shiraz 2004
Cabernet Shiraz Coonawarra Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 950-1000

Rating: 99+ points

The release of the 2004 Bin 60A following the epic 1962 Bin 60A is old news now, but the wine was looking very fine indeed when I tasted it so I thought Id add a note. Blended of 56% Coonawarra Cabernet from Block 20 and 44% Barossa Shiraz from Koonunga Hill Block 56G and Kalimna Blocks 4 and 14, the wine was matured in 100% new American oak hogsheads for 13 months. Very deep purple-black in color, it offers restrained notes of game, smoked meat, earth, blackberry and black currant liqueurs, yeast, marmite-toast plus whiffs of dried lavender, cedar and bark. Very crisp, very tight and very firm, this taut medium-bodied wine is still all structure at this stage, going very long and earthy in the finish. Give it time and consider broaching it from 2014. It should drink well into the 2030s if not beyond.

JOE
0024
1 BOTTLE Slight cellar damaged labelCurrent Bid: $524
JOE
0025
1 BOTTLE Slight cellar damaged labelCurrent Bid: $524
JOE
0026
1 BOTTLE Slight cellar damaged labelCurrent Bid: $524

PENFOLDS Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Cabernet Sauvignon Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 700-750

Rating: 97 points

Its not known exactly when the Kalimna Block 42 was planted but there are suggestions that the vines existed during the latter part of the 19th Century. They could be the oldest Cabernet vines in the world, although the famous Metala Cabernet vineyard in Langhorne Creek was known to have been planted in 1891 so could very well pre-date Kalimna. Regardless, Ive been there and the vines are truly old. Only very rarely does Penfolds release this as a single vineyard wine, when the Cabernet is so fabulous it cant possibly be blended. The 2004 Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon was such a vintage. Matured in 100% new American hogsheads for 13 months, it displays a very deep garnet-purple color and profoundly earthy / gamey aromas over black cherry preserves, creme de cassis plus scents of leather, pencil shavings, Mediterranean herbs, black truffles, underbrush and black olives. The elegant, medium-bodied palate is tightly-knit and led by structure with a high level of grainy tannins, very high acid and a long earthy finish. Approachable now, it should continue to evolve and drink to 2025+.

JOE
0016
1 BOTTLE Cellar damaged labelCurrent Bid: $488

PENFOLDS Grange Shiraz 2001
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 950-1000

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+.

106
0830
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $560
BRE
0095
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $759
BRE
0096
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $759
BRE
0097
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $759
BRE
0098
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $759
JKN
0003
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $512
JKN
0004
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $512
JON
0229
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $482
JON
0230
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $482
JON
0231
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $482
JON
0232
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $482
JON
0233
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $482

PENFOLDS Grange Shiraz 2002
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 900-950

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 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $520
BRE
0100
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $809
BRE
0101
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $809
JKN
0005
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $512

PENFOLDS Grange Shiraz 2004
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 850-900

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
0105
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $714
JON
0149
1 BOTTLE Into neckCurrent Bid: $428
JON
0150
1 BOTTLE Into neckCurrent Bid: $428
JON
0151
1 BOTTLE Into neckCurrent Bid: $428
STO
0196
1 BOTTLE Into neck, corroded capsule, cellar damaged labelCurrent Bid: $396
JOH
0036
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $432

PENFOLDS Grange Shiraz 2005
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 1300-1500

Rating: 97 points

Containing just a dollop of 4.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2005 Grange is about 85%+ Barossa fruit with the remaining proportions coming from McLaren vale and Coonawarra. It was aged for 18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. The nose begins a bit animal with some smoked game, mincemeat and bacon notes emerging over the freshly crushed, sun-warmed blackberries, black currant cordial, earth, black truffles, anise and allspice. Rich and full with very firm very fine tannins and very crisp acid, it gives a long finish layered with coffee, mincemeat and toast. Drink it 2013 to 2025+.

JON
0245
1 MAGNUMCurrent Bid: $834
JOH
0037
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $376

PENFOLDS Grange Shiraz 2006
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 800-850

Rating: 98+ points

Made from fruit coming predominantly from the Barossa Valley this year (97%) and containing 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 Grange has been added to my list of favorite recent vintages. Deep garnet-purple colored, its still a little youthfully mute, offering notes of warm cherries, black currants, anise, coffee and toast with underlying hints of soy, yeast extract, black olives and Indian spices. Tight-knit and solidly structured on the medium to full bodied palate, the concentrated fruit is densely coiled around the firm grainy tannins and very crisp acidity at this stage, but promises something very special in the years to come. It finishes very long, complex and layered with the cedar poking though the fruit purity. Patience is required for this vintage; it should begin opening out around 2016 and drink to 2030+.

KAT
0002
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $556

PENFOLDS Grange Shiraz 2010
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 850-900

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.

DBA
0001
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $632
DEB
0050
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $556
DEB
0051
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $556
DEB
0052
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $556
DEB
0053
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $556
DEB
0054
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $556
DEB
0055
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $556
DEB
0056
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $556
PHO
0001
1 MAGNUM BOXEDCurrent Bid: $1272

PENFOLDS Grange Shiraz 2012
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 1000-1100

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 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $700
EST
0001
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $728
EIO
0200
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $626

PENFOLDS Grange Shiraz 2015
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 750-800

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
0009
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $600
ADR
0010
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $528
ADR
0011
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $528
ADR
0012
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $528

PENFOLDS Grange Hermitage Shiraz 1971
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 2000-2200

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
0071
1 BOTTLE Into neckCurrent Bid: $1000

PENFOLDS Grange Hermitage Shiraz 1976
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 2000-2200

Rating: 100 points

Production: 9,380 cases Blend: 89% Shiraz/11% Cabernet Sauvignon

KRY
0007
1 BOTTLE Penfolds Red Wine Clinic 2006 & slight label damageCurrent Bid: $1308
KRY
0008
1 BOTTLE Penfolds Red Wine Clinic 2006 & slight label damageCurrent Bid: $1308
KRY
0010
1 BOTTLE Penfolds Red Wine Clinic 2006 & slight label damageCurrent Bid: $1308
NIK
0164
1 BOTTLE Cellar damaged label, handwritten notes on labelCurrent Bid: $1120
PET
0001
1 BOTTLE Penfolds Red Wine Clinic 2000/2001Current Bid: $2200

PENFOLDS Grange Hermitage Shiraz 1981
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 1000-1100

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.

NIK
0491
1 BOTTLE Cellar damaged labelCurrent Bid: $600

PENFOLDS Grange Hermitage Shiraz 1982
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 1200-1300

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.

NIK
0492
1 BOTTLE Into neck & cellar damaged labelCurrent Bid: $640
NIK
0505
1 BOTTLE Mid shoulderCurrent Bid: $520
STO
0191
1 BOTTLE Penfolds Red Wine Clinic 2012Current Bid: $796

PENFOLDS Grange Hermitage Shiraz 1986
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 800-850

Rating: 98+ points

One of my favorite wines from Penfolds, the 1986 (a blend of 87% Shiraz and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon) is one of the most powerful Granges produced (14+% alcohol). At age 23, it reminds me of the way it tasted around 9 years of age. Inky/purple to the rim with an extraordinary perfume of sweet licorice, crushed pepper, blackberry liqueur, camphor, and barbecue spices, this sensationally full-bodied, concentrated, layered 1986 is still an infant in terms of its ultimate potential. It is remarkable how this wine has aged, and its hard to believe how certain wine geeks will subscribe to the aging ability of the Grange, but dont believe the same is true for other old vine Shiraz wines from the Barossa and McLaren Vale. It just doesnt make any sense. The 1986 is one of the greatest Granges for my palate, and it appears to still have 25-30 years of upside.

747
0002
1 BOTTLE Into neck, signed by John DuvalCurrent Bid: $407

PENFOLDS RWT Shiraz 2003
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 120-130

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.

JON
0115
1 BOTTLE Stained label (back label)Current Bid: $85
JON
0116
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $87
JON
0117
1 BOTTLE Stained label (back label)Current Bid: $84
JON
0225
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $85

PENFOLDS St Henri Shiraz 2010
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 200-220

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+.

TLA
0112
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $120
TLA
0113
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $120
JOH
0047
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $120
JOH
0048
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $120
JOH
0049
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $120
JOH
0050
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $120

PENFOLDS St Henri Shiraz 2012
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 140-150

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.

EIO
0171
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $99
EIO
0172
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $99
EIO
0173
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $99
EIO
0174
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $99

PENFOLDS St Henri Shiraz 2013
Shiraz South Australia
Estimate Per Bottle: 140-150

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.

EIO
0177
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $93

POWELL & SON Kraehe Marananga Shiraz 2015
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 700-750

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
0362
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533
XPO
0363
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533
XPO
0365
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533
XPO
0368
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533
XPO
0414
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533
XPO
0367
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533

POWELL & SON Steinert Flaxman's Valley Shiraz 2015
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 700-750

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 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533
XPO
0672
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533
XPO
0668
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533
XPO
0670
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533
XPO
0671
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533
XPO
0415
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $533

SHIRVINGTON Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale
Estimate Per Bottle: 70-75

Rating: 96 points

There are about 500 cases of the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, which was aged in both American and French wood (one-half new). The Screaming Eagle of South Australia, it possesses great purity, layers of fruit, enormous volume and intensity, and at the same time, it is strikingly elegant and well-proportioned. This stunningly pure Cabernet tastes like pure creme de cassis intermixed with licorice and oak. It should drink well for 15-16 years, but who will be able to hold onto it that long?

LAR
0031
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $59

TORBRECK RunRig Shiraz 2007
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 240-250

Rating: 98 points

Co-fermented with a splash of Viognier, the 2007 RunRig gives a very deep garnet-purple color and a perfumed nose of warm cassis, crushed blackberries and blueberries over anise, cassia, cloves, tea leaves, rose hips plus earthy hints of black truffles and tilled loam. The full-bodied palate offers rich, ripe but not over-ripe fruit with a taut structure of firm grainy tannins and crisp acid, finishing very long with a gamey/savory character coming through with some cedar and baking spices. Not a style to be broached too early, consider drinking this from 2015 to 2025+.

STO
0171
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $168
STO
0180
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $168

TORBRECK RunRig Shiraz 2014
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 400-420

Rating: 97+ points

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Run Rig opens with a bang, delivering intense fruits of the forest and blackberry preserve notes with hints of sandalwood, cardamom, dried Provence herbs, Indian spices and garrigue. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and oh, so satisfying, the beauty ticks all the great Barossa Shiraz boxes and then some. It is still relatively primary, so Id recommend giving it another 2-3 years at least in bottle and drink it over the next 20+.

ACC
17221
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $349
ACC
17222
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $349
ACC
17223
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $349
ACC
17224
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $349

TORBRECK RunRig Shiraz 2015
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 400-420

Rating: 98 points

Who wouldve thought that in the context of Barossa Shiraz, the 2015 RunRig would seem like a relative bargain? Its certainly much less expensive than Grange or Hill of Grace will be when theyre released. Its also more approachable in its youth, with enormously appealing aromas of grilled fruit, savory complexities and rich, velvety tannins. Of course, its full-bodied and concentrated, with the stuffing to age for up to a couple of decades, and it has a long, licorice-tinged finish. Winemaker Ian Hongell, who joined Torbreck from Peter Lehmann, may not have made this wine, but he deserves a lot of credit for the blending and finishing of this tour de force.

ACC
17213
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $339
ACC
17214
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $339
ACC
17215
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $339
ACC
17216
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $339

TORBRECK RunRig Shiraz 2016
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 380-400

Rating: 100 points

A blend of 98% Shiraz and 2% Viognier made just prior to bottling, the 2016 RunRig is a complete masterpiece. It kicks off with elegant notes of pencil shavings accenting blueberries and blackberries on the nose, then shows incredible, palate-staining intensity of fruit in the mouth. It's full-bodied, plush and velvety without being unstructured and manages to be fruit-forward yet savory on the long-lasting finish, where it picks up hints of mocha and black olives. This should be drinkable with pleasure throughout its entire two-decade life (it may live longer from cold cellars or in larger formats), but if I were lucky enough to have a bottle or two, I'd try the first one about 10 years out. Scheduled for June 2019 release.

XTO
0478
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $260
XTO
0473
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $260
XTO
0472
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $260
ACC
17231
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $324
ACC
17232
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $324
ACC
17233
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $324
ACC
17234
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $324
ACC
17235
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $324

TORBRECK RunRig Shiraz 2017
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 400-420

Rating: 98 points

As usual, the 2017 RunRig is approximately 2% Viognier. It spent almost 30 months in oak, 40% of which was new. Hints of peach or apricot appear on the nose, alongside notes of hickory smoke, cherries and baking spices. It's full-bodied and concentrated but supple and silky enough to seem lighter in the mouth, showing tremendous length and elegance on the finish, where it adds nuances of cinnamon and coco

ACC
17217
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $299
ACC
17218
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $299
ACC
17219
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $299
ACC
17220
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $299

TORBRECK RunRig Shiraz 2018
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 400-420

Rating: 99 points

Torbreck's 2018 RunRig needs a bit of air right now, as the nose and palate truly open up and expand after a while in the glass. Unlike some vintages, it's rather tight and cedary upon first pour, then relaxes to reveal hints of stone fruit, blueberries, cherries, pastry crust and baking spices. In the mouth, it's full-bodied and concentrated, richly textured and marked by ripe tannins, which leave behind a velvety, mouth-coating finish tinged with licorice and dark berries. While approachable now�and even damn enjoyable�it deserves another several years in the cellar. Drink the 2018 Descendant while waiting.

ACC
17225
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $280
ACC
17226
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $280
ACC
17227
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $279
ACC
17228
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $279
ACC
17229
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $279

TORBRECK The Laird Shiraz 2015
Shiraz Barossa Valley
Estimate Per Bottle: 700-750

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 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $639

ISOLE E OLENA Cepparello Sangiovese 2018
Sangiovese Toscana
Estimate Per Bottle: 180-200

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.

ACC
16963
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $144
XSA
2192
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $144
XSA
2191
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $144
XSA
2190
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $144

CHATEAU D'YQUEM 1er Cru Superieur 1976
1er Cru Superieur Sauternes
Estimate Per Bottle: 1300-1500

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 labelCurrent Bid: $632

CHATEAU D'YQUEM 1er Cru Superieur 2007
1er Cru Superieur Sauternes
Estimate Per Bottle: 1200-1300

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 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $949
XNE
1123
1 MAGNUM Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $2099

CHATEAU D'YQUEM 1er Cru Superieur 2009
1er Cru Superieur Sauternes
Estimate Per Bottle: 850-900

Rating: 100 points

Served from an ex-chateau bottle. The 2009 Chateau d�Yquem is one showstopper of a wine and perhaps it is only in a vertical that you realize this is up there among the legendary wines of the past � the 2001 included. It has a wonderful nose that expresses the Semillon component majestically: heady aromas of lemon curd, nectarine, jasmine and honeysuckle that all gain momentum in the glass. The oak is supremely well-integrated. The palate is extremely well-balanced with an unctuous entry. You are immediately knocked sideways by the palpable weight and volume in the mouth, which is almost �bulbous,� with layer upon layer of heavily botrytized fruit. It builds to a spicy finish with hints of marzipan and pralines in the background that lend it an untrammeled sense of exoticism. The 2009 is utterly fabulous and decadent, a star that will blaze brightly and undimmed for many years. Drink now-2060+. Tasted March 2014.

XNE
1128
1 HALF BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $639
XNE
1127
1 HALF BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $639
XNE
1126
1 HALF BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $639
ACC
17192
1 HALF BOTTLECurrent Bid: $629

CHATEAU DE BEAUCASTEL Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2013
Chateauneuf du Pape
Estimate Per Bottle: 800-850

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 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $739
XNE
0671
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $749
XNE
0672
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $749
XNE
0673
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $749

CHATEAU DE BEAUCASTEL Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2014
Chateauneuf du Pape
Estimate Per Bottle: 850-900

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
0674
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $749
XNE
0675
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $749
XNE
0676
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $749

CHATEAU DE BEAUCASTEL Hommage a Jacques Perrin 2015
Chateauneuf du Pape
Estimate Per Bottle: 1000-1100

Rating: 98 points

As this was bottled only a week before I tasted it, I suspect this rating will prove to be conservative once a few months have passed. The 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is another prodigious version of this wine. How many wines in this world can be so huge yet so lacking the feeling of weight? There's plenty of layered spice but also a core of raspberries; rich tannins, yet no real astringency; and a long finish without any apparent heat. Wow!

XNE
0677
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $814
XNE
0678
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $814
XNE
0679
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $814

E. GUIGAL La Mouline 2014
Cote Rotie
Estimate Per Bottle: 900-1000

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 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $417
KEV
0021
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $417

M. CHAPOUTIER Ermitage de L'Oree Blanc 2018
Blanc Hermitage
Estimate Per Bottle: 380-400

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 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $339

CHATEAU FIGEAC 1er Grand Cru Classe 2016
1er Grand Cru Classe Saint Emilion
Estimate Per Bottle: 700-750

Rating: 97+ points

The 2016 Figeac is comprised of 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is a little broody and reticent at this very youthful stage, slowly unfolding to reveal profound plum preserves, cr�me de cassis, black raspberries and star anise with hints of moss-covered bark, truffles and tilled loam plus a waft of red currants and raspberry leaves sparks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is practically quivering with energy, offering glimpses at tightly wound black fruit and mineral/ferrous layers, framed by very firm, ripe tannins and wonderful tension, finishing long with the spices coming through. This will need a good 7-8 years to come round and then should cellar for 40+ years. Very serious, beautifully poised and sophisticated personality this vintage.

XNE
1161
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $624
XNE
1160
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $624
XNE
1159
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $624

CHATEAU HAUT BRION 1er Cru Classe 2015
1er Cru Classe Pessac Leognan
Estimate Per Bottle: 2000-2500

Rating: 100 points

A blend of 50% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Haut-Brion is reticent to begin, languidly revealing crushed black cherries, ripe black plums and wild blueberries with sparks of cinnamon stick, cloves, nutmeg, espresso, unsmoked cigars, tapenade, crushed rocks and lavender. The full-bodied palate possesses wonderfully complementary contrasts of bold black and blue fruit richness and delicately nuanced cherry fruit, baking spices and floral accents, strutting ripe, finely pixelated tannins and seamless acidity that is placed firmly in the background, finishing very long and with plenty of attitude. This impeccably poised, exquisitely perfumed 2015 Haut-Brion possesses the most alluring yet seemingly effortless beauty. While it bears only a passing resemblance in its opulent personality to the now legendary 1989, like that vintage the 2015 cannot fail to hedonically satiate and intellectually edify all lovers of great Bordeaux who drink it. What�s more, it also has the blue-blooded tenaciousness to remain this jaw-droppingly impressive, throughout its many guises over time, and for a very, very long time.

XNE
1322
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $1449
XNE
1323
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $1449
XNE
1321
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $1449

CHATEAU LA MONDOTTE Grand Cru 2003
Grand Cru Saint Emilion
Estimate Per Bottle: 550-600

Rating: 96 points

A killer wine (Im so sorry I didnt buy any), the 2003 La Mondotte is clearly one of the superstars of the vintage. An intriguing perfume of licorice, Asian soy, black currant jam, ripe cherries and subtle toast emerges from this extravagantly rich, voluptuously textured, opulent, full-bodied St.-Emilion. Just coming in to full maturity, it is pure, rich and full. Drink it over the next decade or more.

XDW
0158
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $449

CHATEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD 1er Cru Classe 2000
1er Cru Classe Pauillac
Estimate Per Bottle: 2400-2500

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.

BRA
0003
1 BOTTLECurrent Bid: $1596

CHATEAU LEOVILLE BARTON 2me cru classe 2010
2me cru classe Saint Julien
Estimate Per Bottle: 440-450

Rating: 96+ points

A splendid showing, much stronger from bottle than it was from barrel, the Leoville Barton is one of the spectacular wines of the vintage. Inky purple to the rim, its huge tannin gives this wine real potential for 30-50 years of longevity. It is a classic, powerful Bordeaux made with no compromise. A superstar of the vintage, the wine has notes of pen ink and creme de cassis, good acidity, sweet, subtle oak, and massive extraction and concentration. I thought it was one of the most backward wines of the vintage two years ago, and nothing has changed in the ensuing upbringing of the wine in cask except that the wine now seems even richer, denser and fuller than I previously thought. The beautiful purity, symmetry, and huge finish of nearly a minute make this one of the all-time great classics from Leoville Barton. Anticipated maturity: 2028-2065+.

XNE
1574
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $374
XNE
1576
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $374
XNE
1573
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $374

CHATEAU LEOVILLE LAS CASES 2me Cru Classe 2000
2me Cru Classe Saint Julien
Estimate Per Bottle: 750-800

Rating: 98 points

Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2000 Leoville-Las-Cases is a quite fabulous, magisterial Saint Julien that is only just beginning to flex its muscles. It has a very intense and beautifully defined bouquet with mineral rich blackberry and bilberry scents, outstanding focus and harmony, and very well-integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, impressive backbone and focus in situ. There is a touch of mint infusing the fruit here, superb tension with a touch of mulberry and Hoi Sin lingering on the finish that still feels backward and sinewy. What was remarkable was to observe the melioration in the glass, achieving wondrous energy and delineation with time, still improving after a couple of hours. Buy it, cellar it, drink it. Tasted December 2016.

BRA
0005
1 BOTTLE Slight label damageCurrent Bid: $476

CHATEAU MARGAUX 1er Cru Classe 2015
1er Cru Classe Margaux
Estimate Per Bottle: 4500-5000

Rating: 99 points

The 2015 Chateau Margaux is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Medium garnet-purple colored, the nose features oh-so-seductive notes of warm blackberries, cassis and black forest cake with touches of forest floor, sandalwood, anise and cigar boxes plus a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers taut, muscular, densely packed black fruits and exotic spice flavor layers supported by a very firm backbone of grainy tannins with oodles of freshness and a long, savory finish. It is tightly knit and a little reticent at this very youthful stage; afford it at least 15 years in the cellar, and it will open out into a classic Chateau Margaux of incredible proportions. Readers may be interested to know that this wine is beautifully packaged in a special commemorative bottle honoring winemaker Paul Pontellier, who passed away in 2016. The gold-etched black bottle bears the message, �Hommage � Paul Pontellier� at the bottom. This 2015 is an achingly beautiful swan song from an incredibly gifted winemaker, taken from us too soon. In my view, this alone makes this vintage more than worth the investment for the many lovers of history in a bottle.

XNE
1629
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $3824

CHATEAU TROPLONG MONDOT Grand Cru Classe 2009
Grand Cru Classe Saint Emilion
Estimate Per Bottle: 500-550

Rating: 99 points

It boasts an inky/purple color along with a gorgeous bouquet of mocha, chocolate, blackberry and cassis fruit, an unctuous texture, a full-bodied, viscous mouthfeel and a skyscraper-like, multilayered finish. This spectacular wine is nearly overwhelming in its richness, thickness and intensity. Once all its baby fat falls away, the terroir characteristics and additional nuances will emerge. This blockbuster, fabulous Troplong Mondot will benefit from 10-15 years of cellaring and keep for three decades or more. It is not shy either, bouncing over the palate with 15.5% natural alcohol.

The 2009 Troplong Mondot will provide plenty of competition for the 2010, 2005 and 2000. It comes closest in style to the prodigious 1990 that proprietress Christine Valette produced 22 years ago. A phenomenal effort, it unquestionably justifies its relatively new Premier Grand Cru St.-Emilion status. Readers should keep in mind that the 1990, which probably has lower acidity and not the level of concentration found in the 2009, is drinking incredibly well at age 22 and reveals no signs of falling apart.

XNE
2201
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $449
XNE
2199
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $449
XNE
2200
1 BOTTLE Ex-cellarCurrent Bid: $449