Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz 1988-2020 tasting: 2019 vintage: Medium-deep crimson. Intense dark plum, black cherry, blackberry aromas with praline, vanilla, hint black pepper notes. Generously proportioned wine with superb pure blackberry pastille, cassis sage flavours, fine chocolaty firm tannins and beautiful integrated ginger, roasted chestnut oak. Finishes chocolaty and long. Wonderful follow-up vintage. Drink 2030–2048. 14.5% alc

Australian newcomers: Mito Savitar Shiraz 2021 / Apparently Savitar is a mythical dragon. Nothing too mythical about the wine, it is real and really good drinking. It spent the best part of two years in a mix of new and older oak, mostly French. Under diam. 

A dark garnet/maroon, this is a wine of concentration, power and intensity. The nose gives us notes of chocolate and mocha with dried herbs, spices and tobacco leaves, as well as some oak which is well integrated. Impressive balance with a supple texture and fine tannins. There is some serious persistence here. Well structured, this is a very fine McLaren Vale Shiraz from a great year. Great stuff. This is going to drink beautifully for at least ten to fifteen years. 95. 

Burgundy 2022 Part III / Anne Gros Richebourg 2022: Bright ruby. Scented, seductive, red berries, detailed and nuanced, lifted, elegant nose, layered and complex.Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, red berries, spices, detailed, layered, gorgeous texture, stunning length.   96

Amazing Jacques Selosse Champagne tasting!!

Krug Vintage 1949 / Truly rare and magnificent expression of aged Champagne, Krug 1949 opens with a deep amber-gold hue, showcasing its decades of evolution. The nose is an intricate tapestry of dried apricots, toasted hazelnuts, honeyed brioche, and hints of truffle, interwoven with oxidative notes of old sherry and antique wood. On the palate, it retains remarkable vitality, with a fine, persistent mousse and a beautifully layered complexity—dried fruits, caramelized citrus, roasted coffee, and a whisper of saffron. The finish is endlessly lingering, delivering a symphony of nutty richness, iodine minerality, and a refined acidity that defies its age. A historic Champagne with unparalleled depth and grandeur.

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Riserva 2024 Edition Part II / CASTELLO DI VOLPAIA Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione Coltassala 2020 /From a mythological vineyard and valuable work on clonal selection, from Sangiovese and Mammolo. Red cherry on the nose, myrtle notes, then hints of wild mint. Salty mouthfeel, with hints of red fruit and menthol. Aftertaste of great persistence.99p

Château Suduiraut 2010 /Super nose with some exotic pineapple/mango/passion fruit undertones mixed with Vouvray-like blossom-tree and quince jelly, enormous body, but incredible purity and crystal-like transparency, great length, a masterpiece! Drink 2020-2070.

The 100-Best Champagne 2024 Finalists reviewed!

Mitchelton – celebrating 50 years / 2023 Michelton Blackwood Park Riesling, Nagambie Lakes - Victoria / Pale colour. Fresh camomile, hint lime aromas with hints of ginger and tonic water. Fresh lime cordial, touch honey, camomile, jasmine flavours, underlying ginger/ tonic water notes, fine slinky textures, very attractive mid-palate volume and pure long indelible/ crunchy acidity. Very precise with a touch of phenolic twist at the finish. Lovely density, definition and mineral length. Screw cap. Drink now – 2032 12.% alc 95 points

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).

Château Saint-Georges at Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion has three new wines made as “Vin de France”. Three wines which are supposed to be great fun for the summer time.

Domaine Ramonet tasted: 2020 Ramonet Bâtard-Montrachet / Pale lemon yellow. Apples, citrus, minerals, detailed, rich, layered, nuanced, detailed and complex nose. Fresh acidity, intense, rich, layered, nuanced, detailed, creamy, fruit forward and long. 96