"A quality Bordeaux at this price is quite astonishing" Sam Kim

"AN AMAZING VALUE MERLOT CABERNET" Jo Burzynska, Viva

4.5 Stars & 90/100: Sam Kim; The Wine Orbit

A quality Bordeaux at this price is quite astonishing. The bouquet is classic, displaying dark plum, dried herb and game characters. It's medium-bodied, as it should be, and beautifully ripe with elegant texture and fine-grained tannins providing a lovely long dry finish. It's youthful but delicious already with a potential to develop greater complexity. At its best: now to 2015. 

A... Read more »

"JP Chenet is the best selling French wine brand in the world"

JP Chenet NOW IN magnum!

4 Stars: Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

"Medium-deep red/purple in colour, this is a generously flavoured red from the southern France, displaying dark plum, blackberry and a hint of dried herb characters on the nose. It's well fruited and smooth on the palate with firm tannins and a lingering dry finish. Ideally suited to partner BBQs and rich savoury dishes. At its best: now to 2013" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

JP Chenet is the best selling French... Read more »

"Thirst-quenching fresh forest fruit and strawberry flavours, finishing crisp and pure" 

"Thirst-quenching fresh forest fruit and strawberry flavours, finishing crisp and pure - utterly delightful. Perfect chilled on its own or enjoyed with light starters - that's up to you!" 

WHATS WITH THE NAME 'WILD PIG': The winery tells us a pig they have called 'Greta' loves eating the crop.  Apparently Greta is a shrewd and sneaky swine that descends from the Cévennes mountains to pillage the finest grapes of the vineyards! Such a smart and gluttonous pig deserved a special cuvee in her honour, a way for winemaking team to remind her:  you didn’t get all the best grapes!

Located in the sunny Languedoc area of France,... Read more »

** FREIGHT FREE **

"Youthful and charming, the bouquet is fragrant and appealing with red cherry, plum, spice and floral characters"

2010 - A great vintage in the SOuthern Rhone Valley of France: Robert Parker

4.5 Stars & 90/100: Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

"Youthful and charming, the bouquet is fragrant and appealing with red cherry, plum, spice and floral characters. The palate is medium-full and succulent with smooth texture and a pleasant dry finish backed by fine tannins. A delightful casual red, and should be a great partner... Read more »

"The palate is rounded, a strawberry and raspberry fruit basket of indulgence"

"The palate is rounded, a strawberry and raspberry fruit basket of indulgence, yet firmly structured and with hints of aniseed on the finish. As one would expect from such a serious wine, this is a perfect match for all summer cuisine; indeed the Delormes specifically recommend stuffed tomatoes à la Provencale, sea bass, or, rather further afield, paëlla....plenty of food for thought, as long as you don't forget that this is a delicious Rosé to get stuck into."

Brothers Fabrice and Christophe Delorme find their Domaine in the fertile but frustrating territory of what can only be described as 'superstar status', frustrating in the sense that there is seldom enough wine to go round.... Read more »

"Textbook, smooth and peppery Côtes-du-Rhône from classic vintage"

The brilliant 2010 Noble Dame des Treilles Cotes du Rhone, which is 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah, has a beautifully sweet nose of blueberry, blackberry, pepper, and licorice. The wine is complex, medium to full-bodied, has no hard edges, and should drink nicely for 3-5 years

"What a year! Wine critic and Rhône expert Robert Parker says 2010 "is looking like a potentially superb vintage - may come close to rivaling that stupendous year (2007)." 

There's never been a better time to discover the sun drenched wines of Southern France, with 2010 bringing an embarrassment of riches in the form of a balanced growing season.

"2010 is an unmissable vintage for Bordeaux - taste for yourself with this fruit-filled claret"

Gold Medal: Brussels International Wine Show 2011

Made from 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. The colour is ruby red, the nose is fruity with a touch of spicy oak in the background, and the palate shows cassis, black cherries and fine, soft tannins. Versatile enough to match a wide range of foods but particularly good with beef dishes.

One of the joys of the 2010 wines is their luscious fruit, which makes them delicious drinking when youthful, yet they have the structure to mature gracefully. The other is that quality is up across the board - from the mighty First Growths to the much more affordable petit... Read more »

"Rich and spicy Shiraz with lots of plum and black fruits on the nose and a smooth, velvety taste"

Bronze Medal:  IWC Medal 2010

Commended: Decanter Magazine

"Rich and spicy Shiraz with lots of plum and black fruits on the nose and a smooth, velvety taste. This wine has the deep colour, dense fruit and well balanced structure typical of southern French Shiraz. A perfect match for a wide range of dishes such as lamb chops, mushroom risotto and hard cheeses."

Here's what the back label says:

"The name... Read more »

"Classic, honest, southern French red"

What great fun this wine is! With its unique and distinctive, bottle shape, Celliers des Dauphins Côtes du Rhône represents all that is good about the heritage of classic, honest, southern French reds.

Blended from Grenache, Syrah and Carignan, Celliers des Dauphins displays enticing notes of rich red fruit with a touch of dried provencal herbs. Light notes of earth appear on the spicy, lasting finish

It comes from the sun drenched vineyards of the Rhône Valley in the deep South of France, and is made by one of the leading producers in the region, Cellier des Dauphins, who have been turning out exceptional value Côtes du Rhône for around a hundred years now. Expect classic Côtes du Rhône, bursting... Read more »

"This is classic Côtes du Rhône from one of France's greatest winemakers"

"It is unlikely anyone could find a better-run estate than Domaine de la Mordorée. Winemaker Christophe Delorme and his team continue to produce extraordinary wines whether whites, roses, or their portfolio of serious red wines.” - Robert Parker; The Wine Advocate

This is classic Côtes du Rhône from a very good producer, in fact wine critic Robert Parker includes Domaine de la Mordoree in his book “The World’s Greatest Wine Estates”.

Another great value from Domaine de la Mordoree (which has made many great Chateauneuf-du-Papes since the mid-90s) is their Côtes du Rhône ‘La Dame Rousse’ red. Made from an intriguing blend... Read more »

"dark, plummy fruits and some spice and dried herb notes"

Gold Medal: General Agricultural Show Paris

This wine is a blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah from 50 year old vines. The vineyard soil is comprised of clay, chalk with clay, and limestone and sand with pebble stones. All the grapes are harvested by hand.

This is a dark, brooding wine. The nose shows primary, dark, brambly red fruit. On the palate there are more dark, plummy fruits and some spice and dried herb notes. It is a modern style, with firm tannin adding impressive structure but with time in the glass this wine opens up beautifully to reveal purple floral notes and fleshy damson fruit flavours.
 

"Incredibly moreish Rhone Valley pink from the highly acclaimed Delorme family"

"This is a terrific Rosé offering up notes of watermelon, red berry fruit and some hints of citrus and flowers." - Robert Parker

Brothers Fabrice and Christophe Delorme find their Domaine in the fertile but frustrating territory of what can only be described as 'superstar status', frustrating in the sense that there is seldom enough wine to go round. Rather unusually, however, for a top Châteauneuf-du-Pape property, they are based a little further to the West in Tavel, and Tavel, historically, is the home of Rosé.

"Magnificent, double Gold claret from a Bordeaux estate that's very much on the up!"

Gold Medal: Brussels International Wine Show

Gold Medal: Macon International Wine Show 

This wine shows lovely raspberry notes from Cabernet Franc, blueberry notes from the generous Malbec component, and a broad, supple, plummy palate from its proportion of Merlot. Light to medium-bodied, silky, svelte and super easy-going. It's just beggining to show some lovely gamey, developed characters and is perfect for drinking now.

Chateau du Haut Guerin 2008 certainly proves you don't have to pay a... Read more »

"Smart, fruit-forward Cotes-du-Rhone from a great vintage"

Ripe flavours of spiced blackberry, raspberry and redcurrant. Lovely, long, smooth and silky. But then this is made by Châteauneuf-du-Pape's Cellier des Daupins. The grape blend is similar to their grands vins - super-ripe Grenache and Syrah - and it's been lavished with the same care. The only give-aways are the Côtes-du-Rhône label -and the great deal price. Great with hearty dishes.

The grapes (a blend of Grenache and Syrah) are hand-selected from small individual groups, ensuring meticulously that only the very finest fruit at the estate's disposal goes into this lip-smacking wine.

The 2010 growing season too was hailed by Rhone legend Michel Chapoutier as 'the greatest vintage in 25 years... Read more »

"Domain Santa Duc is one of the reference points of winemaking in the southern Rhone"

The 2009 Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes, which I loved last year, continues to drink very well. Notes of pepper, garrigue, black cherry and currants along with some tobacco leaf and underbrush are all present in this medium-bodied wine, meant for consumption over its first 2-3 years. - Robert Parker The Wine Advocate

Domain Santa Duc is one of the reference points of winemaking in Gigondas as well as one of the model estates in the southern Rhone

Santa Duc was founded in 1874 in Gigondas. Duc is the name of an owl, which has sensibly selected Provence as its preferred home. The Duke of Gigondas is the irrepressible Yves Gras, the 4th generation of winemakers at the property, whose aspiration is to forge... Read more »

"Magnificent, velvety Châteauneuf-du-Pape"

Deep ruby, aromas of all sorts of fresh pressed, ripe berries, crushed wild herbs from the surrounding Garrigue and shattered flinty minerals from the depths of hard rock - this is an extraordinary red for the money. Don't miss it!

Incredible value, 'pick of the bunch' Châteauneuf from a stunning vintage - superb value and quality

Big and bold yet elegant and perfectly structured, this mighty Châteauneuf is a hugely impressive centrepiece for your dining table.

It's crafted by skilled winemaker Thierry Walet, using 'pick of the bunch' fruit from some of the region's finest. The result of working this way is astonishing value as well as supreme quality. Amazing depth of spicy... Read more »

"crisp, elegant berry fruit intermixed with crushed rock and roasted herb notes"

87/100 Points: Robert Parker

The 2010 Cotes du Ventoux reveals crisp, elegant berry fruit intermixed with crushed rock and roasted herb notes in its medium-bodied, Burgundian-like, elegant personality. Robert Parker

Its colour is a deep ruby red, showing garnet reflections while young. With its predominately berry-fruit bouquet, this wine shows the full aromatic power of these two fine grape
varieties whilst retaining the freshness imparted by well-controlled wine making.

Grenache grapes undergo traditional wine making in stainless steel vats. Daily pumping over allows gentle... Read more »

"blueberry, blackberry, pepper, and licorice"

"Beautifully sweet nose of blueberry, blackberry, pepper, and licorice. The wine is complex, medium to full-bodied, has no hard edges, and should drink nicely for 5-6 years." Winemakers Notes

The property of Andéol Salavert was founded in 1840 and lies just south-east of Nimes. A few years ago it was purchased by the large French wine company Boisset. They produce a full range of traditional Rhône wines that includes a very smart Vacqueyras and Chateauneuf-du-Pape as well as the outstanding value-for-money Côtes du Rhône and the Costieres de Nimes.

Critics agree: 2009 was a spectacular vintage in the Rhone. Yields were down and concentration's through the roof! Demand's sky-high - prices too, unless... Read more »

'This is effortless drinking' Sam Kim

4.5 Stars & 91/100: Sam Kim; The Wine Orbit

Beautifully perfumed and inviting, the nose shows red/black cherry, plum, spice and floral characters. It's succulent and rounded on the palate with silky texture and a lingering smooth finish. This is effortless drinking. At its best: now to 2015. 

Made from 70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, 10% Cinsault. This beauty has rich, ripe flavours of spiced blackberry, raspberry and redcurrant. Lovely, long, smooth and silky on the palate but with plenty of structure making it feel more like a $30 wine. 

"This estate is increasingly one of the super-stars of the southern Rhone"

91/100: Robert Parker Jr.

This estate is increasingly one of the super-stars of the southern Rhone. For example, they have fashioned a sumptuous 2009 Cotes du Rhone from a blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah aged in cement tanks and bottled unfined and unfiltered. It is a natural, pure wine with lots of sweet strawberry and black cherry fruit intermixed with hints of licorice and lavender. Broad, opulent and hedonistic, it is a classic example of both the southern Rhone and Provence. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.  Robert Parker

Another superb estate in the Cotes du Rhone village of Rasteau, Domaine Grand Nicolet has the seemingly... Read more »

"juicy and penetrating, but with a lovely sweetness of fruit"

Pale straw-yellow. Very fresh aromas of pineapple and crystallised citrus peel; smells very dry. Then juicy and penetrating, but with a lovely sweetness of fruit leavened by terrific vinosity. Offers excellent clarity of fruit. Winemakers Notes

This is benchmark Alsace Pinot Gris. Rich, heady, exotic and concentrated stuff but still dry and well-balanced. Perfect.The Alsace family of Trimbach has a wine-making history stretching back almost 4 centuries, the firm having come into existence in 1626.It was not until the late 19th century, however, under the leadership of Frédéric-Emile Trimbach, that the business began to really expand. Success came when he exhibited the wines at an international fair in Brussels in 1898, to... Read more »

"Lashings of juicy forest fruits and spicy, rich berry flavours on the palate" 

4.5 Stars & 90/100: Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

"Deep purple hue, a beautifully scented nose with violet, floral aromas. Lashings of juicy forest fruits and spicy, rich berry flavours on the palate and a good, smooth finish. Equally good with anything from shepherd’s pie, meatballs or hearty vegetarian dishes."

The property of Andéol Salavert was founded in 1840 and lies just south-east of Nimes. A few years ago it was purchased by the large French wine company Boisset. They produce a full range of traditional Rhône wines that includes a very... Read more »

"Superb vintage southern French from a great winemaking dynasty"

An excellent value is the 2009 Cotes du Rhone, a spicy, fruity, hedonistic fruit bomb: Robert Parker; The Wine Adovcate

Proprietor Jean-Jacques Sabon and the other younger family members are taking these wines to even greater quality heights than previously attained. The new vintages possess updated, more polished labels, but more importantly, the wines continue to go from what were very strong efforts in the past, to even deeper concentration, complexity, and depth.

Sabon’s Cotes du Rhone is a shrewd buy for bargain-hunters. Kirsch notes intermixed with some underbrush, licorice, and garrigue are followed by a lush, richly fruity, engaging style of wine that is ideal for everyday... Read more »

"Evolved, complex and silky smooth, full-bodied, impressive"

91/100: Robert Parker

One of the top wines of the vintage is the 2008 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois. Made from a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah and the rest equal parts Counoise and Vacarrese, the wine is aged in two-thirds stainless steel tanks and one-third in small barrels. This strong effort is already delicious, which gives it somewhat of an advantage over other great vintages which often need 5-8 years of cellaring. A dark plum/ruby color is followed by an attractive nose of raspberries, licorice, black currants and kirsch. Evolved, complex and silky smooth, this full-bodied, impressive 2008 should be drunk during its first decade of... Read more »

"This is a beautifully rich Chateau Latour" - Robert parker

95/100: Robert Parker

"The 2006 Latour performed even better from bottle than from barrel. Only 38% of the production (10,000 cases) made it into the grand vin, a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot and a small amount of Cabernet Franc. From barrel, I thought it was a modern day version of the 1996 or 1986, and certainly the 1996 comparison still holds. I thought it was somewhat austere from barrel, but that is no longer an issue. This is a beautifully rich Chateau Latour boasting a dense ruby/purple color, a sweet, smoky, charcoal, cassis, graphite, and forest floor-scented nose, full body, an attractive... Read more »

"AWESOME SHIRAZ FROM THE SUN KISSED VINEYARDS OF SOUTHERN FRANCE"

5 STARS & 93/100: Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

"Intensely coloured and beautifully perfumed, this is striking and beautifully ripe on the nose displaying blackberry, dark plum and floral characters with a hint of spice. It's succulent and richly flavoured on the palate with velvety texture and a sumptuous finish. At its best: now to 2014". Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

WHATS WITH THE NAME 'WILD PIG': The winery tells us a pig they have called 'Greta' loves eating the... Read more »

"best Cotes du Rhone I have ever tasted from Delas" Robert Parker

90 Points: Robert Parker

The brilliant 2009 Cotes du Rhone St.-Esprit is the best Cotes du Rhone I have ever tasted from Delas. Seventy percent Syrah, twenty percent Grenache and the rest Carignan and Mourvèdre, this wine comes primarily from the Cotes du Rhone village of Cairanne. The wine has great fruit and a sweet raspberry and black cherry nose with some herbs, liquorice, and pepper. Aged all in tank, the wine is medium to full-bodied and possesses sweet tannin as well as a long finish. Robert Parker

Domaine Giraud is now one of the more exciting domaines in Chateauneuf du Pape

90/100: Robert Parker

The deep ruby-colored 2008 Chateauneuf du Pape exhibits abundant fruit, garrigue, licorice, and spice characteristics, medium to full body, and surprising concentration for this vintage. Robert Parker

After selling wine to negociants for many years, this estate began to estate bottle in 1998. With the assistance of the brilliant Philippe Cambie, the wines have soared in quality, and Domaine Giraud is now one of the more exciting domaines in Chateauneuf du Pape. They own over 47 acres of vineyards, including the incredible parcel of 100+-year-old vines in a lieu-dit called La Grande Pierre which has sandy soil similar to... Read more »

Another Incredible Chenin Blanc From the Incredible Francois Chidaine

"Alluring, with ginger and cardamom notes leading the way for apple and persimmon fruit flavors. Long and precise through the finish, with fine minerality. Drink now through 2012."
- 90/100 Wine Spectator

Deep, complex and thrilling treasure from the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The stunning, deep ruby/purple-hued 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape exhibits black fruits, licorice, incense, and hints of grilled meats and garrigue. The full-bodied, velvety textured, big, substantial 2006 is a top success for the vintage. Drink it over the next 15 years.
- 91-93/100 Robert Parker

Bright red. Energetic red berry and cherry aromas are brightened by minerals, dried flowers and anise. Racy redcurrant and wild strawberry flavors are braced by youthful tannins and become sweeter with air, finishing with great snap and sappy length. Reminds me of an elegant Chambolle-Musigny.
- 91-94/100 Stephen Tanzer

Very juicy, with layers of raspberry and plum fruit cascading over each other, while... Read more »

Trevallon's Rare, Cult Red From the Bouche du Rhone

Visionary winemaker Eloi Dürrbach created his world renowned vineyard back in 1973 in a Provençal backwater on the edge of Les Alpilles, between Aix and Arles. Made from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Syrah, Trévallon has similarities in terms of structure and finesse to some of the finer wines of the Médoc, whilst there is also an obvious resonance with the dense, dark wines of the Northern Rhône, the whole interspersed with an untamed Provençal character of its own.

"Dark inky colour with diverse floral, liquorice and garrigue herb aromas. The hugely complex palate with concentrated, ripe, red berry-fruit flavours, hints of lavender and black olives is underpinned by firm chocolaty tannins."

From the finest estate in St Estephe, Bordeaux

"Gorgeous aromas of currants and berries with hints of licorice. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a pretty finish. Silky. This is extremely good for the vintage. The team of Cos worked hard on their 2002 and it shows."
- 93/100 Wine Spectator

"A brilliant effort for the vintage, the 2002 Cos d'Estournel is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot made from low yields of 32 hectoliters per hectare. It represents an outstanding expression of Bordeaux elegance married with surprising power, yet never going over the top. Complex aromatics include scents of smoke, licorice, red as well as black currants, vanilla, spice box, and Asian spices. The wine is medium-bodied, with great purity and elegance, a... Read more »

From 70 Year Old Syrah Vines - A Legend of the Northern Rhone

"Ratcheting up the level of concentration is the 2004 Ermitage Le Pavillon. Its deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by sweet aromas of blackberries, cherries, licorice, and minerals. Medium-bodied, with lovely purity and a long finish. It will age well for 15 years."
- 94/100 Robert Parker

"Ruby-red. Vibrant raspberry and cherry skin scents are enlivened by zesty mineral and floral accents. Structured and chewy, with well-focused red fruit flavors, excellent depth and a graceful, silky texture on the finish. There's a striking and impressive mix of bright and rich tones here. This comes from the lieu-dit Bessards."
- 93/100 Stephen Tanzer

The Second Wine of Ch Leoville Las Cases

Clos du Marquis's grapes actually come from a separate area of vineyards (rather than younger or less successful vines at Léoville-Las Cases) surrounded on all sides by other Second Growths. This is made with much more Merlot (38%) than the Léoville-Las Cases and is very rich, with sweet, creamy, overripe raspberries and blackberries with leather overtones. It is a very precise wine within a beautifully integrated framework of new oak and classy tannins.

"The superb second wine (of Leoville Las Cases) Clos du Marquis, reflects the utter brilliance of the 2005 grand vin. It boasts an inky/ruby/purple color along with a sweet perfume of lead pencil, ripe cherries and black currants, and hints of earth... Read more »