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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

Rating: 97 points

Medium garnet in color and still quite youthful on the nose with plenty of black cherry and blackberry preserves aromas, anise and dark chocolate plus a whiff of lavender, the 2004 Shiraz Viognier has tons of sweet fruit in the mouth filled out by plenty of spicy layers and packed into a very pure, elegant package shaped by very fine, medium level tannins. It finishes wonderfully balanced and long. Drink it now to 2020+.

Rating: 96 points

Medium to deep garnet in color, the 2008 Shiraz Viognier presents very youthful blackcurrant and black plums aromas accented by cloves, tree bark, some sage and a whiff of bacon. Medium to full-bodied, this more structured style has medium-firm, grainy tannins, vibrant acid and a long, concentrated finish. Drink it now to 2024+.

Rating: 97 points

Elderton

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.

Rating: 97+ points

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2010 Mount Edelstone is a single-vineyard Shiraz showing a little reticent at this youthful stage, though it gives delicate black and red fruit aromas that fan out with air to reveal kirsch, red currant jelly, mulberries and Chinese Five Spice notes alongside hints of dusty earth and potpourri. The palate is led by its commendable structure at this stage, with firm, grainy tannins and very lively acid to support the tight-knit fruit. It finishes long and layered. Consider drinking this 2016 to 2026+.

Rating: 97 points

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2012 Shiraz Mount Edelstone Keyneton Vineyard has aromas of crushed blackberries, mulberries and red and black plums with nuances of smoked bacon, fertile loam and cracked black pepper. Medium to full-bodied, it offers beautiful grace, elegance and intensity on the palate with silky fine tannins and lively acidity, finishing with great length.

Rating: 96 points

Still a bit tight and cedary, the 2013 Mount Edelstone Shiraz could use a couple of more years to flesh out and round into form. Sage and blackberry notes predominate in this full-bodied, concentrated and richly tannic offering. It still comes across as slightly drying on the finish, but its velvety, and the fruit comes through at the end, so dont hesitate to hold onto this for a decade or more.

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+.

Rating: 96 points

Never the flashiest or most opulent Shiraz, The Armagh endures as a savory classic. The 2013 Shiraz The Armagh continues in that same vein, with scents of roasted meat, scorched mulberries and hints of vanilla leading the way. Its dense, concentrated and full-bodied, with supple (almost creamy) tannins that conceal much of their power in their ripeness, without the wine ever seeming too ripe, too oaky or too fruity. Those tannins linger and turn to silk on the long finish, picking up lively red berry and orange zest nuances. Good stuff.

Rating: 98+ points

Very deep purple-black in color, the 2013 Eligo has an intoxicating nose of creme de cassis, blueberry tart and violets with underlying menthol, cloves, fenugreek, licorice and dark chocolate hints. The medium to full-bodied palate is youthfully restrained, with taut, muscular blackberry and exotic spice flavors supported by fine-grained, firm tannins and lively acid, finishing with excellent length. This is a very classy 2013 Shiraz!

Rating: 96 points

The 2005 Shiraz "Johann Georg" raises the stakes to a new level. It is sourced from vines planted in 1875 and yielding a tiny 1.5 tons per acre. It spent 2 years in American and French hogsheads, two-thirds new. It is more complex aromatically with a splendid bouquet of toast, smoke, creosote, violets, black cherry, and blackberry. Full-bodied, big and rich, but still relatively ungiving, it has remarkable concentration, purity, and length. It needs 6-8 years of further bottle age to begin revealing its full potential and will drink well through 2035 if not longer.

Troy Kalleske is owner/winemaker of his namesake winery. The family owns 400 acres, 200 cultivated, in the acclaimed Greenock region of Barossa where conditions are extreme and the vines are stressed. Much of their holdings are in older vines.

Rating: 99 points

This was a particularly great bottle of 1962 Penfolds Bin 60A, a wine I've had the privilege to taste twice before. The nose is ethereal, perfumed with exotic spices, potpourri, frankincense, rose hip tea, tobacco, leather and smoked game with a remaining whiff of kirsch. Delicate in style and yet richly fruited in the mouth, it offers layer upon layer of spice, tea and dried fruit flavors with a very long finish textured by the faintest suggestion of lingering silky tannins.

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.

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.

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!

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+.

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+.

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

Rating: 98 points

Rich, concentrated and intense, the 2014 Grange delivers exactly what we've come to expect from this Penfolds icon wine. It's full-bodied, velvety in feel and loaded with plummy fruit, framed in vanilla and cedar. Dense, powerful and tannic, it should prove to be long lived, even by Grange standards. Gago doesn't rate the vintage overall that highly, but he says the selection this year for Grange was a bit more stringent and that production levels were just average. There are still over 1,000 cases for the United States.

Rating: 99 points

The 2016 Grange includes 3% Cabernet Sauvignon and was sourced from Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley, with a little bit from Magill Estate, in the suburbs of Adelaide. Aged in 100% new American oak (as always), it offers up trademark lifted aromas plus scents of vanilla, toasted coconut, cedar, raspberries and blackberries. Impressively concentrated and full-bodied, with an extraordinarily long, velvety finish, it's nevertheless reasonably fresh and tight, with decades of cellaring potential if properly stored. Certainly at least on a par with such vintages as 2010 and 2012, the big question is whether it will ultimately reach triple digits.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Rating: 96-99 points

The Anamorphosis project features Shiraz from Kalimna in the Barossa Valley aged in new oak from four of Frances finest coopers. Like most of the other R Wines, it has exceptionally creative packaging. There will be 100 cases of the 2005 Shiraz which will spend 30 months in new French oak. It was sourced from vineyards with 40- and 100-year-old vines. Opaque purple in color, it offers up an intense perfume of pain grille, scorched earth, tar, licorice, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. Voluptuous, thick rich, and full-bodied, it is a powerful yet seamless expression of Shiraz from a great terroir. It will age effortlessly for 20 years but can be enjoyed young because of its mammoth fruit. It is a winemaking tour de force.

Rating: 96+ points

Deep purple-black in color, the youthful, still very primary 2012 Righteous Fg Shiraz sports tons of blackcurrants and blackberry notes with cedar still poking through on the nose plus dark chocolate, anise, cloves and nutmeg accents. Big, full, concentrated and muscular in the mouth, the dense fruit is still very tightly would yet it's held together by firm, ripe, fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness. Finishing with excellent length, this is one for the cellar.

Rating: 97 points

The 2005 Descendant is composed of 92% Shiraz and 8% Viognier which are co-fermented. The fruit is sourced from a relatively young vineyard in Marananga planted with 11-year-old cuttings from the Run Rig vineyards and aged for 18 months in 2.5-year-old French barrels previously used for Run Rig. Opaque purple, with glass-coating glycerin, it offers up a complex array of lavender, violets, blueberry, blackberry, and fresh road tar. Full-bodied, on the palate the wine has great concentration with a noticeable uplift from the Viognier, gobs of spicy black fruits, opulence, and well-concealed tannins which will carry this wine for 10-15 years of further evolution. Drink it through 2030.

Rating: 96 points

Deep garnet-purple in color and projecting intense aromas of creme de cassis, warm black plums and blueberry compote enhanced by hints of tar, aniseed, smoked meat and even a slight lift of honeysuckle, the full-bodied 2010 Descendent is already displaying great harmony at this early stage as it fills the mouth with perfumed black fruits supported by medium to firm, rounded tannins and balanced acid. It finishes very long. Approachable now and drink to 2024+.

Rating: 98 points

The brilliant 2004 Les Amis (100% Grenache aged 18 months in new oak) is fashioned from a vineyard planted in 1903. While it does not have quite the size and power of the 2002 Les Amis, it is still a Grenache on steroids. With wonderful purity, more elegance than the 2002, and remarkably well-integrated oak, I suspect it will shut down at some point, require 4-5 years of patience, then re-emerge and last for two decades or more.

Rating: 97+ points

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2012 Run Rig offers a nose of baked cherries and raspberry preserves with suggestions of violets, cinnamon toast, aniseed and vanilla. Full-bodied with characteristic elegance and poise in spite almost of its power, it has a solid backbone of very finely grained tannins and refreshing acidity, finishing with great length.

Rating: 98+ points

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2013 RunRig has a tantalizingly exotic nose of cloves, fenugreek, star anise and cassia with a core of mulberries, baked blackberries and blueberry preserves plus hints of potpourri and dusty earth. The full-bodied palate is multilayered with tons of spices and berry preserves notes, supported by firm yet velvety tannins and finishing with incredible length and depth. This is a very impressive RunRig.

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+.

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.

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.

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

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.

Rating: 96 points

This is quintessential Barossa. The red dirt in the ground rises up in the glass and transports me right back there: middle summer, hot, spicy air blowing across the tops of old vines. It's evocative. This 2019 The Factor is Port-y, concentrated and savory as all hell, with charred barrels, lamb fat, black pepper, salted licorice, pomegranate molasses and aniseed. This is about as big as I can cope with and still enjoy it; it takes density and intensity to a whole new level�no surprise for the vintage, the region and the producer. A perfect storm of thunderous strength. Like staring into the abyss . . . a little bit scary, but transfixing nonetheless.

Rating: 99 points

Deep garnet colored, the 2006 The Laird offers a multi-faceted nose of ripe black berries, blueberry preserves and kirsch aromas with an underlying perfume of baking spices, lavender, cinnamon stick and cloves plus some savory / earthy nuances, including bacon, black tea, tobacco and forest floor. The palate is full bodied and densely packed with fruit, savory and earth flavors while supported by a firm level of very fine-grained tannins and refreshing acidity. It finishes very long and while already incredibly complex, promises a lot more to come. Consider drinking it 2014 to 2026+.

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.

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: 97 points

The favorite sweet wine of millionaires, Chateau d'Yquem has, not unexpectedly, turned in a brilliant effort with their newly released 1989. It is a large-scaled, massively rich, unctuously-textured wine that should evolve effortlessly for a half century or more. It does not reveal the compelling finesse and complexity of the 1988 or 1986, but it is a far heavier, richer wine than either of those vintages. It is reminiscent of the 1976, with additional fat and glycerin. The wine is extremely alcoholic and rich, with a huge nose of smoky, honey-covered coconuts and overripe pineapples and apricots. As with most young vintages of Yquem, the wine's structure is barely noticeable. These wines are so highly extracted and rich yet approachable young, it is difficult to believe they will last for 50 or more years. The 1989 is the richest Yquem made in the eighties, and it has an edge in complexity over the powerhouse 1983. It remains to be seen whether this wine will develop the extraordinary aromatic complexity possessed by the promising 1988 and 1986 Yquems. Last tasted 11/97

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Rating: 96+ points

More masculine, backwards and concentrated, the 2005 Cote Rotie Chateau d�Ampuis is a full-bodied, structured effort that�s just barely starting to show some secondary nuances. Giving up notions of violet, asphalt, graphite, crushed rock, bacon fat and dried rose petal, it has impeccable balance, notable concentration and a big finish. It should hit prime time in another 2 to 3 years, and evolve gracefully through 2025. One of the reference point estates for top quality wines in the world today, the family run Guigal operation was created in 1946 by Etienne Guigal. Today, Etienne�s son, Marcel, and his son Philippe, are firmly in control here, and are without a doubt producing some of the most singular, sought after wines in the world. Due to the size of this tasting, I�ll keep my comments short, but the incredible quality coming from this operation is astounding, and a tasting here is always one of the highlights of any trip through the region. Furthermore, while a lot is said about the extended oak aging regime here, I don�t know anyone who tastes mature examples of these wines on a regular basis that still has any doubts about the genius going on here. In short, these single vineyard (and their blends as well) Cote Roties are some of the greatest wines money can buy. For this tasting (which, with the Guigals, is always a large one!), we focused on their Saint Joseph Vignes des Hospice release, and then three of their Cote Roties, starting with the classic Brune et Blonde, then the Chateau d�Ampuis, and finishing with their single vineyard La Mouline.

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.

Rating: 97 points

This wine has a character similar to its cross-street neighbor, Petrus, displaying sweet mulberry and intense black fruit characteristics, with a hint of vanillin and loads of black cherry jam. Full-bodied, extravagantly luscious, with a skyscraper-like mid-palate and phenomenal length of close to 50 seconds, the wine has plenty of tannin, but the voluptuous fruit, power and overall glycerin and intensity tend to conceal much of it. Elegant but compellingly rich and authoritative, the 2010 is a truly magnificent wine for this estate, which has one of the finest terroirs in all of Pomerol. Forget it for 5-7 years and drink it over the following 30-35.

This 2010 is one of the most remarkable wines ever produced at this estate. The vineyard, about the same size as Petrus at 35 acres, is virtually all Merlot, but there is some Cabernet Franc in the final blend.

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.

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.

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.

Rating: 97 points

Tasted at the vertical in London, the 2005 Montrose came and delivered the goods. This was the best example of the 2005 that I have tasted, perhaps a wine that is going to prove that, the longer wine lovers can resist temptation. It is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3.5% Cabernet Franc and .5% Petit Verdot picked between 23 September and 9 October. The bouquet is extremely detailed, displaying more red berry fruit compared to the 2010 Montrose that leans towards black. Graphite and cedar emerge with time, even an unusual floral scent that is uncommon with respect to this property, whilst all the time retaining fantastic focus and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a ferrous tincture on the entry. There are the first signs of secondary notes (dried leaves and bay leaf), but it is the tannic backbone and the precision that really defines this Montrose at the moment. For certain, it is masculine and structured, yet it has enormous potential, perhaps more than was suggested when it was first released? This is for the long term, but you know that already. Tasted June 2016.

Rating: 100 points

Composed of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Mouton Rothschild has an opaque garnet-purple color. WOW�the nose explodes from the glass with powerful blackcurrant cordial, black raspberries, blueberry pie and melted chocolate notions, plus suggestions of aniseed, camphor, lifted kirsch and the faintest waft of a subtle floral perfume in the background. Full-bodied, concentrated, bold and totally seductive in the mouth, it has very fine-grained, silt-like tannins, while jam-packed with tightly wound fruit layers, finishing in this wonderful array of mineral sparks. Magic.

Rating: 98 points

In 2015, the blend is 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the wine was matured 80% in new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Pavie is still sporting a bit of its oak to begin, giving way to a glorious nose of crushed black cherries, blackberries and mulberries plus hints of dried roses, stewed tea, unsmoked cigars and garrigue. The rich, concentrated, full-bodied palate delivers an incredible structure of very firm, very ripe tannins and a racy line of freshness cutting through the dense layers of perfumed black fruits and savory notions, finishing with epic length.

Rating: 96+ points

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, 50% of the 2015 Pontet-Canet was aged in new French oak, while 15% was matured in second fill barrels and 35% in cement amphorae. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose opens with exuberant black currants, red currants and black raspberries scents plus an evocative undercurrent of cedar chest, dusty earth, cloves, chocolate box and Provence herbs with a fragrant waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied and built like a brick house with very firm, wonderfully grainy tannins and black and red fruits charged with the most singular energy, it finishes with incredible persistence and depth.

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.