BWW2025 - Day Two with Screaming Eagle, Masseto, Lafite, Cheval Blanc, Grange etc.

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+

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.

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

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.

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

Dom Ruinart Rosé 1988 / “Onionskin-hued cherry red colour. Really powerful toast, spice, meat, and gunflint nose that comes with a charming coffee and cream note. A wild one. Ripe and massive, yet vibrant and super silky. Impressive in 75cl bottle and out-of-this-world in magnum. ”

Henschke Hill of Grace 2021 /Medium deep crimson. Expressive raspberry, blackberry, cassis, hint elderberry/violet/ sage aromas with mocha, marzipan notes. Elegant yet powerful, dense but buoyant palate with ample blackberry pastille, blackcurrant, raspberry fruits, fine supple/ grainy tannins, lovely mid palate volume/ richness and superbly balanced grilled almond, roasted chestnut notes. Finishes claret firm with a featherweight plume of bittersweet tannins. A beguiling and lasting landmark Hill of Grace vintage with wonderful definition, vinosity and torque."

When you are fortunate enough to taste nineteen Rousseau Chambertins at one meal, you can be sure you will have some perspective. The range of vintages was 2018 back to 1990 with almost all the most heralded vintages (no 1991), and the one that stood out above the rest was the 2005 Rousseau Chambertin. Make no mistake about it, there were many standouts, but the 2005 hit the highest note. It was deep but more hi-toned than some of its younger brethren, in a bright red way. It has a raspberry, cranberry and citrus mélange. While rich and saucy, it wasn’t like the other saucy vintages as it had more tension and style. This was a wine to restore one’s faith in the often glacial 2005 vintage. It had enough spice to satisfy the entire House of Atreides (99, Paris).

Tim Smith Barossa Mataro 2023 / For all the hype, Mataro/Mourvedre from the Barossa is still a grumpy thing. It’s the dark, moody, reductive, fortified grape that helps fill out blends and only enjoyed a solo career in recent years. But Tim Smith has Barossan Mataro sorted. Old vines, old oak, and Tim’s knack for nailing texture means these wines just work. Same again with the Tim Smith Wines Mataro 2023. Sourced from two vineyards, 70 and 140 years old, on the Barossa Valley ‘floor’, and this has that old vine complexity on full show. Cola, ‘Provençal herbs’ as Tim says on the label, and this licoricey black fruit endless depth without a sense of heaviness. Instead, here’s a real medium feel to it – this isn’t an unapproachable dark and heavy thing at all. The palate just sings on through in that cola, dark chocolate and savoury grainy vibe. It’s a hit.

Shafer's latest vintages / The long 2023 summer offered ideal stretches of warm days and cool nights. In early September temperatures rose on cue, ushering in a harvest of rich, elegant fruit.

Colgin Vintage 2022 / The 2022 “IX Estate” vintage offers a flourishing bouquet of vivid fruits, fragrant florals, earth, and spice. Classic cassis and red currant emerge from the glass with subtle notes of crushed flowers and bergamot tea. The soul of the wine bursts with an invigorating energy. Botanical herbs, subtle tobacco, and a touch of bouillon enhance the intricacies of this stimulating vintage. Silky, succulently textured tannins drench the palate, while hints of salted caramel and cracked pepper add a salivating sensibility. Flavors continue for a refreshingly long finish. Seductive yet awakening, the 2022 “IX Estate” is a charismatic wine to behold early yet will reveal continued pleasure and vitality for decades.