Australian Latest Releases: Henschke Hill of Grace 2022 / At the outset, I’ll confess that I have not scored this vintage of Hill of Grace quite as highly as I have many of the recent releases (in fairness, we are talking wafer-thin margins at the very highest levels). That is not because I think it is any less of a wine, quite the contrary, but because at the moment I think it is so tight, coiled and reticent that it simply will not give of itself what it can and what it will. In ten or twenty or even thirty years, I have not the least doubt that it will sit comfortably with any recent release, even the glorious 2021 vintage. The wine is, of course, from that famous patch of ancient vines in the Hill of Grace vineyard in the Eden Valley which was planted around 1860. Maturation is in older French oak hogsheads for twenty months. It is, as ever, an astonishing achievement. A purple/maroon hue with a hint of the haze of the Blue Mountains. The nose offers notes of black fruits, chocolate, florals, smoked meats, cloves, licorice, black olives, mocha and coffee beans. A wine that is generous, still obviously very youthful, and with serious concentration. On the palate, we see the emergence of notes of blueberries and the herb garden nature of the wine. There is immaculate balance and extraordinary length through to firm, very fine tannins on a lingering finish. The wine is perhaps marginally more savoury than it appears in some years. There is good energy here and underlying power which suggests that leaving the wine alone for the next five to eight years would be in everyone’s interests, before drinking it over the following thirty to fifty, if you think you’ll be around that long.

Dinner with friends: The 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is a breathtaking and multi-dimensional masterpiece, capturing the extraordinary solar intensity of the vintage with unparalleled freshness and aromatic precision. The nose is an explosive and high-toned bouquet of pink grapefruit, white peach, and exotic passion fruit, intricately woven with the estate’s signature "smoky" Graves terroir notes of flint, citrus zest, and a hint of wild thyme. On the palate, the wine is remarkably voluminous and oily-textured, where a dense, concentrated core of succulent orchard fruit is brilliantly counterbalanced by a vibrant, saline acidity and a crystalline mineral tension that lends the wine a majestic, vertical lift. The finish is staggering in its persistence and noble power, leaving a lingering, aristocratic trail of lemon curd, crushed stones, and a delicate touch of toasted brioche that marks this as a legendary white Bordeaux built for decades of evolution.

Large Coche-Dury tasting and few others: The Corton-Charlemagne 2002 was equally as impressive, but in a more mature way. It was in a perfect spot, on a bridge between youth and wisdom, with extraordinary balance and tension. I think that the 15-20 year mark is a real sweet spot for great vintages of Coche CC. Ooh la la (98).

A recent tasting of Monteverro’s portfolio offered a compelling insight into one of coastal Tuscany’s most refined estates. Situated in the Maremma, near Capalbio, Monteverro has quickly established itself as a benchmark for Bordeaux-style blends and Rhône-inspired wines with a distinctly Mediterranean identity.

Across multiple vintages, the estate’s flagship Monteverro consistently showed depth, precision and polished structure, particularly in outstanding years such as 2019 and 2021. The second wine, Terra di Monteverro, delivered a more approachable expression while retaining balance and varietal clarity.

The Syrah-based Tinata stood out for its aromatic intensity, combining dark fruit, spice and savoury complexity, especially in the cooler, more structured 2021 vintage.

White wines also impressed. The Chardonnay demonstrated finesse and texture, while the Vermentino captured the freshness and saline character of the coastal terroir.

Overall, the tasting confirmed Monteverro as a producer of consistency, elegance and growing international "First Growth" stature.

Garrafeiras: The essence of Port: An extraordinary tasting through more than 160 years of this rare Port category./ Niepoort Garrafeira 1863 Fully transparent medium red-orange color, with light green-olive reflections. An astonishingly fresh, balanced nose. Herbal mix, malt, coffee… breathtaking complexity. Equally awe-inspiring on the palate. Profound without seeming thick. Coffee, chocolate, and tea notes, then a long, herbal, multilayered finish. Historic in many ways, because this Port was the first to achieve more than US$100,000 at auction (in magnum). | 100

The arrivage tasting of the 2023 vintage from Bordeaux has confirmed the tasting results from the “en primeur tasting” in spring 2024.

Burgundy 2015 + many others / Méo-Camuzet Clos de Vougeot 2015 / Ruby. Dark fruits, anise, blackberries, spices, ripe and rich nose, deep. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, structured, firm, a slight herbal note far back both on nose and palate. 93

Bond Estate 2022 + Harlan 2021 + Dominus 2021 + Inglenook 2021

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.

A Vertical of Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1959-2014 /

A remarkable tasting of Taittinger Comtes de Champagne offered a rare look at one of Champagne’s most iconic Blanc de Blancs across more than five decades. Produced only in exceptional vintages and sourced from Grand Cru Chardonnay vineyards of the Côte des Blancs, Comtes is celebrated for its elegance, mineral precision and extraordinary ageing potential.

The oldest wines, including 1959 and 1961, displayed remarkable vitality, revealing complex layers of brioche, honeyed citrus and roasted almond while retaining impressive freshness. Mature vintages from the late 1960s and 1970s showed beautifully evolved nutty and pastry-like complexity.

Among the modern releases, 1988, 2004 and 2008 stood out for their structure, purity and tension. The tasting also featured several vintages of Comtes Rosé, with the outstanding 1996 showing exceptional vibrancy and depth.

Across every decade, the wines confirmed the enduring signature of Comtes de Champagne: finesse, chalky minerality and timeless longevity.

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

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."