New Australian Releases: Henschke Tappa Pass 2022 ($127) – If someone said to me, pick a Henschke wine to drink tonight, any wine. Well, one would be a blithering idiot not to opt for Hill of Grace, but I would not be at all unhappy if this was the choice. It is, year after year, always a favourite among some exceptional wines. 100% Shiraz from 70-year-old vines, 68% Eden Valley and 32% Barossa. Maturation was for twenty months in French oak hogsheads, 10% new. From a top vintage, this will surely rank among the very best Tappa Pass that the Henschkes have released – and that is saying something! 

A vibrant maroon hue. The nose suggests a complete wine, utterly harmonious. There is focus, a seductive and seamless structure, an alluring and beguiling texture, impeccable balance and immense length. At the conclusion, there are silky tannins, though they seem to almost disappear on contact. Notes of cassis emerge on the palate. A wine with real persistence, this has twenty years ahead of it, if needed. Stunning. 97.

Dinners with friends: The 1975 Hill of Grace / 1975 vintage in South Australia was warm and generally dry, following a mild winter and spring. Flowering and fruit set were excellent, leading to healthy yields across the Eden Valley. The warm summer ripened Shiraz fully, producing wines of generous richness and ripe tannin structure. Compared to the finer, more restrained 1972, the 1975 Hill of Grace emerged deeper, denser, and more opulent—built for longevity and power.

Deep garnet core with brick-red edges and slight tawny fade, showing fine clarity for its age.

A rich, mature bouquet of dark plum, black cherry, and dried fig unfolds with layers of cedar, leather, mocha, and aged balsamic. Secondary and tertiary aromas—smoked meats, earth, menthol, and exotic spice—rise gracefully from the glass. There’s still a whisper of sweet fruit beneath the savoury complexity.

Full-bodied and beautifully balanced after five decades in bottle. Concentrated black fruits mingle with chocolate, roasted coffee, and savoury spice. The tannins are fully integrated yet still present enough to lend backbone, while the acidity remains lively, giving the wine an elegant, lifted finish. It shows both the power of the warm 1975 season and the finesse of Hill of Grace’s old vines.

A classic mature Hill of Grace showing warmth, generosity, and depth. The 1975 has aged with dignity, retaining its fruit core while developing layers of savoury complexity. A testament to the vineyard’s resilience and the winemaking craftsmanship of the Henschke family during this formative era.

At peak maturity; best enjoyed now to 2030.

94 Points

Romanée-Conti Montrachet 2016 / A masterpiece in a glass, this Montrachet reveals unparalleled elegance and complexity. The nose is a symphony of ripe stone fruits—peach and apricot—intertwined with fresh citrus zest, delicate white flowers, and a touch of honeyed brioche. On the palate, it is profound yet ethereal, with a creamy texture balanced by vibrant acidity. Layers of minerality unfold, evoking crushed oyster shells and chalky finesse, while subtle hints of hazelnut and fine spices linger endlessly. The finish is transcendent, a testament to its grandeur and potential for decades of aging. Simply divine.

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1929 / An absolutely sensational bottle—youthful, highly elegant, and perfectly balanced between acidity and sweetness. Delicate, slightly salty caramel, malt, dried figs, and molasses weave together in a masterpiece of flavor. Simply brilliant—off the charts! 20+ points

The 1999 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet Grand Cru presents a rich and ripe profile, with honeyed notes, burnt sugar, caramel, and yellow fruits on the nose. Upon aeration, the acidity becomes more pronounced, adding vibrancy to the wine. On the palate, it exhibits excellent concentration with flavors of yellow fruits, complemented by nuances of gunflint and clove spice. The finish is rich and complex, showcasing the wine's depth and structure.

Brunello di Montalcino 2020 TOP WINES.

2010 L'Extravagant de Doisy Daëne 100 points /

Peach, pineapples, apricots, detailed, layered and complex nose, intense. Fresh acidity, intense, layered detailed, tropical fruits, peach, stunning balance and freshness, incredible length. Only some 3000 half bottles made.

Brunello di Montalcino vintage 2020 Part II / Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli 2020

CANALICCHIO DI SOPRA. Vineyard Filari Lunghi, soils predominantly of Galestro, an imposing wine,intense and juicy. Pomegranate on the nose, hints of chinotto, touches of

eucalyptus and wild iris. The drink has a citrus and balsamic appeal, with red

fruits and balsamic notes. Great length. 98+

Tastingbook tasted Screaming Eagle 1997-2019 / Last Friday's tasting was a rare journey through Screaming Eagle’s legacy—Cabernet icons from 1997 to 2019, alongside the estate’s rarities: Blanc and Second Flight. The lineup highlights Napa’s defining vintages: the power of 1997 and 2013, the elegance of 2010 and 2019, and the charm of 2004 and 2014. The Blanc 2018 and 2019 reveal crystalline precision, while Second Flight 2019 shows approachability without compromise.

Together, these wines capture two decades of Napa Valley—its great vintages, its subtle shifts in style, and the consistent brilliance that makes Screaming Eagle a true modern icon.

New Fine Wine releases from Australia: Yalumba The Steeple Single Vineyard Barossa Shiraz 2021 97 points -Anyone who ever saw Darren Lockyer or David Campese slice through an opposition backline, Wayne Gretzky on ice or Michael Jordan on a basketball court, will understand the concept of gliding. This supple and sleek texture, with its silky tannins, is the vinous equivalent, gliding effortlessly to a very long finish. From a stellar vintage, this is a single vineyard wine hailing from the sub-region of Light Pass. The vines, biodynamically grown, were planted back in 1919. Fair to say, much can be expected. And much is delivered. A wild ferment before the wine spent sixteen months in oak, 15% of which knew, termed the Tonnellerie Sylvain ‘Artistic Series’ barriques. They were made from a 365 year old oak tree (not completely sure that if I was the marketing team, I'd be promoting chopping up such a venerable old oak tree, but we can say that its demise was not in vain). 

The wine has a black cherry hue, with a wonderfully enticing nose, which just screams first class Barossa Shiraz. Full of dark berries, chocolate, roast meats, cassis, bay leaves, sage and mocha, the texture is plush in the extreme. Excellent oak integration (thankfully), there is a supple texture here and immaculate balance. Silky tannins, seriously good length and intensity maintained for the full journey, this is simply delicious, although it surely has at least fifteen years ahead of it. Notes of graphite are more prevalent on the palate. It seems that this wine often takes a backseat to some of the others in the portfolio, which seems criminally unfair. This is a gem. 97.

Perfect 100 points Graham 80 year old Tawny Port – Only 600 bottles of the 80y old were bottled and the shelf price will be well above 1.000 GBP. For Charles Symington the blending process was very emotional, as his father, Peter Symington, was born in 1944. When turning 80, Peter very much enjoyed this special Port. Dark red colour with intense reflections and a green-gold rim. Gentle and perfectly balanced Douro Bake aromas on the nose with coffee, dried orange and tobacco. Complex, dense herbal notes in the bouquet, chocolate, malt, tobacco leaves and caramel, floral notes and a hint of chocolate and toffee in the background. Incredibly complex notes on the palate. Herbal mix, chocolate, tea, malt, honey, tobacco. Perfectly long, balanced and complex finish with many overlapping layers. A perfect Port! 100

Some new wines on the place de Bordeaux.