Double 100 Pointed Figeac 2015 - Jane Anson's wine of the year 2025

Bordeaux Bargain: Chateau Rouget 2019

“This sumptuous, flamboyant Pomerol captures all of the natural intensity of the year." - Antonio Galloni

Chateau Rouget stands among the historic names of Pomerol, with records in local archives and land registers tracing its status as one of the first recognised crus of the appellation in the 1700s. Since 1992 it has been in the hands of the Labruyere family, whose experience across Burgundy, Champagne and Beaujolais brings a thoughtful precision to the estate’s work. Their approach has steadily elevated Rouget’s reputation as one of the area’s quiet stars.

The estate’s eighteen hectares sit beside l’Eglise Clinet and la Croix de Gay, with two thirds of the vines circling the property and 1/3 planted near Trotanoy and Le Pin. Merlot dominates with a touch of Cabernet Franc, planted at a dense seven thousand five hundred vines per hectare. Organic farming, certified from the 2023 vintage, supports the winemaking philosophy of plot-by-plot definition and gentle, integral fermentation in barrel before blending the wines back together in classic Pomerol style.

The 2019 captures everything that makes Rouget such an exciting proposition. Critics highlight its vibrant red fruit, potpourri lift, dark chocolate depth and a seductive interplay of richness and finesse. The wine shows supple tannins, bright energy and a natural sense of balance, with notes ranging from smoked raspberry to kirsch and sweet tobacco. It is already charming but will benefit from further cellaring, revealing the full promise of a vintage shaped by both power and elegance.

Across the board, the 2019 vintage was outstanding for Pomerol and with both Decanter and Galloni scoring Rouget higher than usual, this is very much an under-the-radar overperformer.

Wines from Pomerol usually command a high price, but at €38.50* In Bond per bottle and coming in cases of 3x75cl OWC, these are an absolute steal.

 

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Chateau Rouget 2019

€38.50* In Bond per bottle

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95 Points | Decanter, Georgina Hindle

Ripe and dried red berry fruit on the nose, raisins, freshly picked raspberries and blueberries. Some wonderful potpourri perfume too. Great grip and hold from the start - this is tannic and they coat the mouth but with such a bright and juicy aspect too. Real energy here, a lighter if you can say that (as still 14.5%) style, with focus on delicate red fruits, perfume and dark chocolate. Rich to start with, muscular with a bold immediate taste then the delicacy comes in. A wonderful aerial style that is all in balance but still needs some time. It will reward cellaring. Great potential here and quality winemaking on show. Tasted twice.

94 Points | Vinous - Antonio Galloni

The 2019 Rouget is bold, plush and racy to the core. Raspberry jam, spice, kirsch, leather, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco all meld together effortlessly. This sumptuous, flamboyant Pomerol captures all of the natural intensity of the year.

93 Points | Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

Seductive floral aromatics, fresh acidities giving a mouthwatering feel from beginning to end, with smoked raspberry and blackberry notes, and a touch of sour plum salinity on the finish. Owner Edouard Labruyère works with a small amount of stems during the winemaking but with fully ripe grapes, giving a textured push and pull of exuberance and restraint. 33hl/ha yield.

 

View all wines from Bordeaux.

M3 Chardonnay 2023 from Shaw + Smith

The M3 remains one of Australia’s most polished and reliable Chardonnays. The price is also more than fair at €25* In Bond per bottle.

Shaw + Smith is one of the great modern success stories of the Adelaide Hills, a place where cool climate purity meets thoughtful, precise winemaking. Founded in 1989 by cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith MW, the winery has helped define the region’s identity. Their focus is tightly curated, producing only varieties that thrive in the Hills’ altitude, long ripening season and mineral rich soils. You may recognise their names, as they are also the duo behind Tolpuddle in Tasmania.

M3 Chardonnay has become a benchmark for cool climate Australian Chardonnay, combining finesse, texture and understated power. Sourced from high altitude sites in Lenswood, the wine shows white peach, citrus zest and gentle savoury notes, shaped by beautifully integrated French oak. Long, cool ripening brings tension and drive, giving M3 its hallmark balance of richness and freshness. It remains one of Australia’s most reliable fine Chardonnay buys.

Shaw + Smith’s M3 Chardonnay 2023 is a beautifully composed cool climate wine, balancing citrus purity with refined savoury depth. Lime curd, white peach, pineapple and subtle smoke glide across a precise, finely structured palate.

Elegant, mineral and vibrant, it shows why M3 remains one of Australia’s most polished and reliable Chardonnays.

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Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay 2023

€25* In Bond per bottle

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95 Points | James Suckling

Wonderfully constructed, showing polished aromas of lime curd, lemon balm, orange blossoms and gun smoke on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with precise acidity and a generous mouthfeel, giving notes of fresh pineapple, white peaches, lime curd and shortbread. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

95 Points | The Real Review

Light, bright yellow hue with a gentle trace of smoky reduction on the lemony bouquet, the palate delicate and refined with lemon and grapefruit, malt biscuit, a kiss of fresh oak, and an extended aftertaste of lovely balance.

94 Points | Halliday Wine Companion

A mellow and understated chardonnay but with plenty of detail in spice, gentle savouriness and winemaking seasoning, cool acidity, a tightly wound fruit profile, general minerality and high drinkability. Overall, elegant and refined, sleek across the palate and quite compact with a light juiciness in tow. Nougat, lime curd, green apple and ginger in the bouquet, a similar set of descriptors to taste, with a lively trail of spice following on. High in the pleasure stakes, this continues to be an impressive Hills chardonnay.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

We’ve all wished we’d secured allocations from top domaines like Ramonet, Leflaive, DRC—or Clos Rougeard—before the scores soared and the prices followed. Today, we have that rare opportunity to get in before the crowd. Sylvain Dittière of La Porte Saint Jean is being tipped as the next Clos Rougeard, and his wines are still under the radar. Critically praised and beautifully priced, this is your chance to get in early on something truly special.

“Sylvain doesn't need any support anyway; his wines are very much sought after and don't need any scores or maybe not even comments as long as they sell that quickly” - Wine Advocate, Stephan Reinhardt

Few young winemakers in France have made waves quite like Sylvain Dittière. At just 23, he launched La Porte Saint Jean in the heart of Saumur, drawing on formative stints with greats like Thierry Germain, Clos Rougeard, and Domaine Gauby. From a modest cellar in Montreuil-Bellay, Sylvain crafts some of the Loire’s most thrilling, age-worthy wines—refined, precise, and unmistakably terroir-driven. His dedication to organic farming and low-intervention winemaking has garnered a cult following for good reason.

Working with limestone-rich vineyards in Saumur and Saumur-Champigny, Sylvain produces focused, elegant wines that shimmer with minerality and energy. His Cabernet Franc is savoury, structured, and pure, while his rare white cuvées—from Chenin planted on tuffeau soils—rival top-flight Burgundy in texture and longevity. Everything is done by hand, from harvesting to bottling, with a philosophy rooted in patience and precision. Long élevage in used barrels and a refusal to rush the process result in wines of remarkable detail and tension—an uncompromising vision that’s redefining the Loire’s potential.

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We’re pleased to offer allocations of several wines from La Porte Saint Jean:

Saumur-Champigny 2022

Saumur-Champigny Les Cormiers 2022

Saumur Les Pouches Rouge 2020

 

La Perlée Blanc 2022

Les Pouches Blanc 2022

Quantities are limited, demand is rising, and once the world catches on—as it did with Clos Rougeard—these wines won’t stay at these prices. Whether you're buying to drink, cellar, or simply to be part of the story from the start, this is your moment. Secure your bottles of La Porte Saint Jean while you still can.

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 What the wine critics say:

“Nowadays, there are certainly a few contenders to the Cabernet Franc throne… like Antoine Sanzay, who shares a link to the Foucault family and cultivates a bigger part of the Poyeaux site. Domaine de Collier of course, Guiberteau as well. But for me, and also for Loire aficionado Jim Budd, the estate most in the spiritual mould of the old Clos Rougeard estate, is La Porte St Jean, run by Sylvain Dittiere, the son in law of Charlie and Francoise Foucault”  - Greg Sherwood MW

“Sylvain doesn't need any support anyway; his wines are very much sought after and don't need any scores or maybe not even comments as long as they sell that quickly. Surely his wines will not have become less interesting 10 years after Sylvain started the domaine in Montreuil-Bellay after he had studied agriculture and learned winemaking at some of my favorite domaines in France, i.e. Gérard Gauby and Cyril Fahl in the Roussillon and Marc Tempé in Alsace and in Saumur at Thierry Germain and Clos de Rougeard. Charly Foucault's son Antoine from Domaine du Collier is a big guy—not only when it comes to wine but also to whisky and life in general. Of the 8.5 hectares, the eminent part is dedicated to Cabernet Franc, but Sylvain also produces Chenin Blanc and even Sauvignon Blanc (which I haven't tasted yet). Sylvain's wines age in oak for a pretty long time since he is happy to have a perfect subterranean cellar where the temperature is constantly between 12 and 14 degrees Celsius. The Chenin Blanc is aged for 30 months on the lees and is not racked except for bottling” - Wine Advocate, Stephan Reinhardt

 

View all wines from La Porte Saint Jean (Sylvain Dittiere)

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Red’s

Saumur-Champigny Les Cormiers 2022

 

€49.50* inc VAT per bottle

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Crafted from 60‑year-old vines rooted in Jurassic limestone, this flagship sees six-week open-top ferment and 26 months in new oak. Expect concentrated blackcurrant, pepper, and game aromas, with a silky, structured palate and precise tannins—grand cru-like Cabernet Franc at its finest.

 
Saumur Les Pouches Rouge 2020

€36.50* inc VAT per bottle

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From clay-limestone vineyards in Montreuil‑Bellay, this Cabernet Franc sees long fermentation in wooden vats and 24 months in 50% new oak. Layered with dark berry, smoky spice, and savory graphite, it delivers structured elegance, fine tannins, and clear sense of place—classic Saumur rouge.

 
Saumur-Champigny 2022

€32.95* inc VAT per bottle

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From 30- to 40-year-old vines on limestone-rich soils, this Saumur-Champigny is delicate yet concentrated, offering ripe cherry, tobacco, and spice on the nose. Fermented in concrete with no remontage or pigéage, then aged 18 months in seasoned Bordeaux barrels, it delivers silky texture, fine tannins, and a long, saline finish of great finesse.

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Whites

La Perlee Blanc 2022

€40.50* inc VAT per bottle

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La Perlée is crafted from 60–80-year-old Chenin vines rooted in clay-limestone soils on the Saumur-Anjou border. Fermented and aged on lees for 30 months without racking, it offers aromas of lemon oil, crushed stones and wet chalk. The palate is rich yet weightless—textured, saline, and lifted by fine tannins and electric citrus tension.

 

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

View all wines from La Porte Saint Jean (Sylvain Dittiere)

2020 Tronquoy

You may have never heard of Tronquoy before, and that’s because they weren’t making great wine before. Since Montrose acquired the estate, quality has soared, and things are starting to align for them. 2020 is arguably a breakout vintage for them, and the best part is that it still offers exceptional value.

95 Points - Neal Martin
“The 2020 Tronquoy-Lalande puts in the surprise performance of the tasting with a quite stellar showing. It has superb mineralité on the nose, very well defined and full of vigor—perhaps the most sophisticated within the flight of Saint-Estèphe wines"

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Tronquoy, formerly known as Chateau Tronquoy-Lalande until a rebrand three years ago, has quickly become one of Saint-Estephe’s most exciting names, building a reputation for wines of depth, elegance, and exceptional value. You may not have heard of Tronquoy before, and that’s because, until recently, they weren’t making wines of this calibre.

Purchased by the Bouygues family in 2006 owners of the illustrious Chateau Montrose, the estate has since undergone a remarkable transformation, benefiting from the same meticulous vineyard management, precision winemaking, and significant investment in both cellar and vineyard technology. Its gravel and clay soils, perfectly suited to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, now produce wines that combine ripe fruit, freshness, and structure, embodying the authentic spirit of Bordeaux’s northern Médoc.

Originally founded in the 18th century, Tronquoy’s long history is deeply rooted in the Saint-Estephe landscape, yet recent decades have brought a modern revival. Under Bouygues’ guidance, the estate has embraced sustainable viticulture, gentle extraction, and a laser focus on expressing its unique terroir.

During the Southwold tasting, Neal Martin scored the 2020 Tronquoy 95 points when tasted blind, an impressive result compared to its Saint-Estèphe peers. It matched the score of Cos d'Estournel and even outperformed Calon Segur, yet comes at only a fraction of their price. The scores from the tasting were:

Saint-Estephe tasted blind by Neal Martin in the Southwold tasting:

As well as being one of the best in its sub-region, Tronquoy also contends with the big boys from Pauillac and Pomerol, which were also part of the blind tasting. Very impressive in our opinion!

Jeb Dunnuck followed suit, awarding it 95 points as well, going as far as to say that “I'd wager this is one of the finest vintages of this cuvée to date”.

Crucially, Tronquoy does not release during the En Primeur campaign, making this the brand-new release direct from the chateau. At just €26.50 In Bond per bottle, it remains a genuine bargain given its quality. Prices won’t stay this low forever, be ahead of the curve and add it to your cellar now.

 

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Tronquoy 2020

€27.00* In Bond per bottle

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95 Points | Vinous, Neal Martin

The 2020 Tronquoy-Lalande puts in the surprise performance of the tasting with a quite stellar showing. It has superb mineralité on the nose, very well defined and full of vigor—perhaps the most sophisticated within the flight of Saint-Estèphe wines. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins. It's a "solid" and structured wine, but it also conveys delineation and tension toward the hoisin-tinged finish. Very persistent on the finish, this is a class act. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Drinking Window: 2030 - 2060

95 Points | Jeb Dunnuck

Coming from a vintage compared to 2016 and 2019 by the château, the 2020 Château Tronquoy-Lalande checks in as 52% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot, hitting 13.5% alcohol. Beautiful cassis, plums, damp earth, and chocolate notes all emerge from this beauty, which is a layered, medium to full-bodied, gorgeously textured Saint-Estèphe. The tannins are present yet polished, and it has a great mid-palate and outstanding length. I'd wager this is one of the finest vintages of this cuvée to date. It has the purity of fruit and opulence to shine even today, yet I suspect it won't hit prime time for 7-8 years, and it should have 20 years of prime drinking at that point.

93 Points | Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

Seriously impressive, close to 2016 in feel, richly texured, combining the power of St Estèphe with reserve and pared-back elegance, a ton of black fruits. It remains tight on the finish for now, but the tannins are confident rather than restrictive, suggesting long ageing potential. Higher Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, partly because of the mildew that impacted the Merlot, and partly because the Cabernet Sauvignon reacted so well to the vintage conditions. 3.74ph, harvest September 11 to 28.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

View all wines from Tronquoy.

2019 Leoville Las Cases

98 Points - Wine Advocate
“The 2019 Léoville Las Cases is a brilliant young wine that will delight Bordeaux purists. […] Concentrated and serious, much like its immediate neighbor Château Latour, it is likely to emerge as one of the vintage’s longest lived—and greatest—wines.”

Chateau Leoville Las Cases is one of the most prestigious estates in Saint-Julien, often considered a "Super Second" due to its consistent First Growth-like quality. With origins dating back to the 17th century, the estate boasts one of Bordeaux’s finest terroirs, situated on deep gravel soils near the Gironde Estuary. Under the stewardship of Jean-Hubert Delon, Leoville Las Cases has maintained its reputation for producing structured, age-worthy wines with incredible depth, power, and finesse.

What truly sets Leoville Las Cases apart is the extraordinary terroir of its walled Grand Clos, a parcel often compared to the finest sites in Pauillac. Here, deep Gunzian gravel overlies clay and limestone, giving Cabernet Sauvignon perfect drainage, slow ripening and remarkable concentration. Proximity to the Gironde moderates temperatures, protecting the vines from frost and helping achieve optimal maturity. The result is a wine of profound structure, precision and mineral drive, capable of ageing for decades.

Table: Price comparison of top-scoring vintages of Leoville Las Cases. Accurate as of blog posting.

The 2019 Leoville Las Cases is a towering expression of Saint Julien, uniting immense structure with remarkable finesse. Built around 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, it delivers layers of cassis, black cherry, graphite, slate and violets, wrapped in ultra-fine, weightless tannins. Critics praise its precision, mineral depth and soaring tension, noting its kinship with neighbouring Latour. This is a profound, long-lived wine that will unfold beautifully over the coming decades.

We have a small parcel available at €169* In Bond per bottle. With outstanding scores, glowing commentary from every major critic and a price that still sits well below other top vintages, this is a clear opportunity.

If you don’t already have it in your cellar, now is the moment to make sure it’s there.

 

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Chateau Leoville Las Cases 2019

€169* In Bond per bottle

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100 Points | Falstaff, Peter Moser

Dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, subtle brightening on rim. Fine oak, a hint of nougat, dark berries underneath, some cardamom, dark cherries, a hint of candied oranges. Powerful, taut, tightly meshed, fresh acidity, spicy, supporting tannins, a hint of chocolate on the finish, convincing balance, mineral and very long lasting, cherries on the finish, a vin de garde, can also be tasted young with a few hours in the carafe, enormous future potential.

99+ Points | The Wine Independent, Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Made from 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Leoville Las Cases is deep garnet-purple in color. It bursts from the glass with seductive scents of black cherry compote, creme de cassis, violets, and dark chocolate, leading to wafts of cedar and star anise. The full-bodied palate has amazingly fine tannins and great tension supporting the mineral-accented black fruits, finishing very long.

98 Points | Wine Advocate, William Kelley

The 2019 Léoville Las Cases is a brilliant young wine that will delight Bordeaux purists. Unwinding in the glass with scents of cassis, dark berries, cigar wrapper and pencil shavings, it’s full-bodied, layered and tightly wound, with a deep core of fruit, lively acids and an abundance of rich, powdery tannins. Concentrated and serious, much like its immediate neighbor Château Latour, it is likely to emerge as one of the vintage’s longest lived—and greatest—wines.

98 Ponts | Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

This is just a great Las Cases where the structure expands upwards and outwards, making your tastebuds sit up and pay attention. The scraping minerality almost feels like you are on limestone instead of gravel soils, until the tannins kick in and you hit a wall of slate, spice, liquorice, rosebud, violet. Dark autumnal fruits of blackcurrant and bilberry are set against smoke and flint, giving no ground, demanding you slow down and take your time. It opens up, but you need to work for it. Exudes authority, a wine that delivers the essence of the property. Harvest September 18 to October 8. 3.67pH, 90% new oak.

98 Points | Decanter, Georgina Hindle

Wet stone, smoke and floral aspects to the aromatic profile - seriously inviting. Density and power here, but cooling and all in balance, full of blackcurrant and black cherries with obvious minerality. It gives such plushness in terms of roundness and grip of tannins, but also layers of perfumed fruit, ripe fruit and cooling slate and liquorice elements. A distinguished wine with a seamless tannic structure and excellent length. Lots of life here and also a real, almost sweet acidity that gives life and lift. Lots going on now but designed for long and steady ageing.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

View all vintages of Leoville Las Cases.

Thistledown Single Vineyard Grenache

“McLaren Vale Grenache, at the height of its powers, can be all things in one glass: supple and fine, powerful and statuesque, silky and structured, long and deep. This is a superstar, make no mistake” - Erin Larin, Wine Advocate

Thistledown has become one of Australia’s most exciting voices for site-driven, small-batch Grenache. Founded by Giles Cooke MW and Fergal Tynan MW, the winery champions old vines, cool sites and gentle winemaking that lets each parcel speak for itself. Their approach is meticulous yet restrained, favouring concrete fermenters, whole bunch layers and minimal extraction to preserve perfume and purity. The result is a range of wines that capture Australia’s finest expressions of Grenache with clarity, texture and finesse.

Eden Valley offers a rare style of Australian Grenache shaped by elevation, rocky quartz soils and cool nights that preserve lift and fragrance. At around 500 metres above sea level near Pewsey Vale, sites like Fool on the Hill give intensely aromatic wines, full of rose petals, blood orange and redcurrant. Gentle concrete fermentation protects its silky texture and powdery, rocky tannins, delivering a bright, finely etched expression of high grown Grenache.

Blewitt Springs in McLaren Vale is widely regarded as one of Australia’s grand terroirs for Grenache, defined by deep sand, ironstone and old bush vines. These elevated, wind-influenced slopes produce wines that are supple yet powerful, with seamless fruit, spice and beautifully pliant tannins. Sands of Time captures this character perfectly, offering sapid red fruit, savoury depth and an effortless balance that shows why Blewitt Springs sits at the pinnacle of Australian Grenache.

Both wines have received some of the highest praise yet, each earning an impressive 97 points from The Wine Advocate. It is a strong endorsement of what Thistledown is achieving, and a reminder that Australia’s greatest Grenache is now defined as much by finesse, nuance and site expression as by sheer ripeness.

These are standout releases that show just how far the variety has come.

 

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Thistledown Fool on the Hill Grenache 2024

 

€45.50* In Bond per bottle

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97 Points | Wine Advocate

The 2024 Fool on the Hill Grenache is from Eden Valley, and the wine is abundantly aromatic and eloquent of its place. The tiered vineyard site is up near Pewsey Vale and overlooks the Barossa from its vantage point of 500 meters above sea level. The wine is aromatically soft, textural and plump in the mouth, with rose petals and blood orange, red apples and redcurrants. With a hint of pomegranate molasses, the quartz comes through, and there's an integrated base of savory flavor that balances the exuberance of it. It's a highly attractive, gorgeous wine that speaks of the Eden in its splay of rocky tannin. It is chewy and powdery and fills the mouth with floral perfume. It fermented in concrete, which was a "layer cake of whole bunch and whole berry," says founder and winemaker Giles Cooke MW. The ferment received no pumping over, i.e., a very gentle extraction. Post ferment, it matured for 10 months in three- to five-year-old French puncheons. When I think of the three Grenache wines, I, perhaps controversially, given the others are from McLaren Vale, admire the tannin structure of this one the most. They all are magnificent wines.

96 Points | Halliday Wine Companion

Fermented in concrete pyramid with 20% whole bunches; 11 months in seasoned French oak. This from a new site to the brand, the Trial Hill vineyard, now owned and managed by Joel Mattschoss. This speaks the Thistledown dialect, expressly pure fruited yet intrinsically savoury, floral, elegant yet deep, finely but properly structured. There’s the usual cohort of red fruits, but it’s a little more earthy and spicy than its Vale peers. Day two is when this truly shines, becoming more fragrant with musk and souk spices. This is a wine to watch.

 
Thistledown Sands of Time Grenache 2024

€45.50* In Bond per bottle

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97 Points | Wine Advocate

Looking at this lineup of 2024 Grenaches, it is evident that 2024 was not a high-color year. However, the wines are abundantly aromatic, fresh and imbued with fine pliable structure, so with one we accept the other. So here, the 2024 Sands of Time Old Vine Single Vineyard Grenache penetrates the palate with sapid fruit flavors; the tannins "roll" more than they "shape," and they pervade every dark corner of the fruit. Everything here is in such lithe balance, and it truly is a pleasure to drink. McLaren Vale Grenache, at the height of its powers, can be all things in one glass: supple and fine, powerful and statuesque, silky and structured, long and deep. This is a superstar, make no mistake. The fruit was handpicked from Sue Trott's home vineyard and fermented wild with 30% whole bunches in concrete pyramids. It matured in both concrete and oak. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

97 Points | Halliday Wine Companion

From Sue Trott’s Blewitt Springs vineyard, planted in '52 to deep Maslin Sands. The Trott vineyard typically throws a slightly darker fruit profile, and this wine can be a little slower to emerge after bottling, but this year it’s open, perfumed and engaging from the beginning. That’s not to say it’s simpler – far from it. Refined, elegant, suffused with pressed florals and dark spice notes, rosehip tea, dried black cherry, iron, fennel seed and warm stone, the shape and drive reminiscent of nebbiolo, though more Valtellina than Langhe. That comparison is just for communication, as this is strikingly its own thing, another arrow finding the bullseye to show why modern Australian grenache is one of world wine’s most exciting categories. Sublime.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

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Saint-Pierre 2015 - a Bordeaux Bargain

97 Points - Jeb Dunnuck

“Chocolate covered dark fruits, damp earth, tobacco leaf, and lead pencil shaving-like notes emerge from this huge, concentrated beauty that has building tannin and a huge mid-palate. It’s an incredible wine that builds with time in the glass, has no hard edges and is going to 3-4 decades of life. Bravo!"

If you are looking for one of Saint Julien’s best kept secrets, Chateau Saint Pierre is it. The smallest of the appellation’s classed growths, this quiet overachiever consistently produces wines of depth, purity and true Left Bank structure. With gravel rich soils, old vine Cabernet and painstaking work under the Triaud family, Saint Pierre remains one of the Medoc’s most refined and undervalued estates.

Despite its long history, the estate’s modern era is surprisingly young. When Henri Martin painstakingly reassembled the vineyard in the early 1980s, he rebuilt Saint Pierre almost from scratch to match its 1855 footprint. Alongside its sister estate Gloria, quality has risen sharply over the past decade, and the 2015 vintage marked a real turning point in precision, definition and overall harmony.

The 2015 Saint Pierre stands as one of the great wines of the vintage, uniting depth, purity and superb ageing potential. Critics from Jeb Dunnuck to Jane Anson highlight its refined power, saturated black fruit, graphite, spice and beautifully shaped tannins. It is structured yet wonderfully graceful, a wine that has grown even more impressive with time in bottle and firmly confirms Saint Pierre’s ascent.

Neal Martin captured it perfectly when he wrote, “Utterly graceful… a convincing argument that Saint-Pierre is becoming one of the go to Saint Julien crus.”

If you are building a cellar with wines that will outperform their price for years to come, this comes highly recommended.

 

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Saint-Pierre 2015

€43.50* In Bond per bottle

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97 Points | Jeb Dunnuck

This 17-hectare estate has been rejuvenated by owner Jean-Louis Triaud and is certainly producing some of the top wines from the appellation today. I tasted the deep, inky-colored 2015 Château Saint-Pierre twice and it’s reminiscent of the 2010, only with more elegance. In 2015 the wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc and it spent 14 months in 50% new and 50% once used barrels. Chocolate covered dark fruits, damp earth, tobacco leaf, and lead pencil shaving-like notes emerge from this huge, concentrated beauty that has building tannin and a huge mid-palate. It’s an incredible wine that builds with time in the glass, has no hard edges and is going to 3-4 decades of life. Bravo!

96 Points | Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

The belief at the time that the 2014 was better than the 2015 in the northern Médoc is not being borne out with years in bottle (maybe Montrose!). The 2014 at Saint Pierre is excellent, but it's the 2015 that you want to go to if you're lookig for depth and future potential - this is loaded up with nuance and aromatic complexity. 2015 was the year where everything was new at Saint Pierre - newly renovated and expanded winery, more plot by plot vinification with tanks that range from 78hl to 135hl, with vertical press to replace pneumatic press, plus an expanded barrel cellar that allowed more than half of the press wine to be aged separately in barrel before being added to the blend. 50% new oak for ageing, harvest September 21 to October 7, Eric Boissenot consultant.

95 Points | Vinous - Neal Martin

The 2015 Saint-Pierre has a scintillating nose of brilliantly defined black fruit with superb mineralité. You can feel the energy coming from this bouquet. The medium-bodied palate is precise and pixelated, displaying fine-grained tannin and wonderful balance, leading to an exquisite, detailed, almost Margaux-like finish. Utterly graceful. This impressed me so much just after bottling, far more than in barrel, and assessed blind against its peers, it represents a convincing argument that Saint-Pierre is becoming one of the go-to Saint-Julien crus. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

View all wines from Saint-Julien

2024 Thistle & Weed

Tiny production from a 0.3 hectare parcel, crafted by Stephanie Wiid of Thistle and Weed, whose Chenins continue to turn heads. Wiid was named Tim Atkin MW’s Young Winemaker of the Year in 2024, a testament to the talent behind these beautifully expressive wines.

Founded by Stephanie Wiid and Etienne Terblanche, the winery focuses on small-batch, terroir-driven wines that celebrate South Africa's rich viticultural diversity. Thistle & Weed’s approach combines innovative winemaking with a deep respect for nature, resulting in wines that are both expressive and distinct, embodying a true sense of place and authenticity. Stephanie Wiid of Thistle & Weed was named Tim Atkin MW’s Young Winemaker of the Year in 2024 in his South Africa 2024 report.

Today we have a small parcel of three terroir-driven Chenin Blancs to share with you: the Brandnetel, Duwweltjie and Springdoring. Each has its own distinct personality, shaped by its site and soil. You will find more details under each wine, along with Tim Atkin’s tasting notes. All three deliver exceptional quality for the price.

In the 2020 vintage, Tim Atkin MW described the wine as “not as famous as some Cape Chenins, but right up there with the very best of them”, and we couldn’t agree more.

At €22.50* inc VAT per bottle, these Chenins offer distinctive terroir, tiny production and remarkable value. Given the limited quantities made each year, we only have a small allocation available on our website.

 

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Thistle & Weed Brandnetel Chenin Blanc 2024

€22.50* inc VAT per bottle

Our top pick from the range is the Thistle & Weed Brandnetel Chenin Blanc, sourced from a tiny 0.3-hectare single vineyard perched on the cool slopes of Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch, at an altitude of 304 metres. Originally planted in 1980 as a rootstock trial with 32 different rootstocks, this unique vineyard yields a multi-layered wine with impressive tension and minerality.

95 Points | Tim Atkin MW

Generally my favourite of the Thistle & Weed Chenin Blancs, this comes from two old-vine parcels on the Simonbserg. Tangy, focused and refreshing it has engaging pear and lemon zest fruit, a hint of exotic sweetness, negligible oak and lots of granitic energy. 2025-30

Thistle & Weed Duwweltjie Chenin Blanc 2024

€22.50* inc VAT per bottle

Duwweltjie comes from a three-hectare old vine block in the cooler reaches of Paarl, where sandstone and ferricrete soils give depth and texture. This is the richest Chenin in the range, offering generous pear and stone fruit balanced by subtle oak and refreshing acidity.

94 Points | Tim Atkin MW

Duwweltjie comes from gravel and clay soils on the Joostenberg farm in the low part of Paarl and is the richest of the Thistle & Weed Chenin Blancs. Textured and voluminous, but still refreshing on the palate, it has pear and stone fruit flavours, a touch of wood and enough acidity to drive and freshen the finish. 2025-29

Thistle & Weed Springdoring Chenin Blanc 2024

€22.50* inc VAT per bottle

Springdoring comes from two old vine blocks rooted in white granite on the Malmesbury side of the Swartland, a rugged area famed for its minerality. The wine delivers green apple, citrus, white pepper and crushed stone, with creamy lees and razor-sharp acidity giving drive and precision.

93 Points | Tim Atkin MW

Spingdoring is one of a trio of Chenin Blancs from Stephanie Wiid, sourced from white granite soils on the Malmesbury side of the Swartland. Earth, fennel and petrichor aromas are an intriguing introduction to a palate of wet stone, green apple and citrus, with acidity that slices your palate like a knife. 2026-30

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

View all wines and vintages of Thistle & Weed.

2020 Troplong Mondot 2020 - A new era for one of Saint Emilion’s Great Terroirs

If, like us, you love finding wines that truly overdeliver for their region, then this next one should catch your attention.

100 Points - Decanter

“A sensational Troplong. Vibrant and vivid, this makes you smile from the first smell: milk chocolate, floral notes of roses and lavender, wet stones, liquorice, cinnamon and ripe bramble fruits. Round and thrilling on the palate, tannins are abundant with a chalky blueberry coolness while a salty tang settles around the mouth. Lovely precision and purity of fruit; you feel the sharp definition […] An absolute beauty."

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Few estates in Bordeaux have changed as dramatically as Troplong Mondot. Since Aymeric de Gironde arrived after the 2017 harvest, the style has moved from sheer power to something far more refined, with greater finesse, precision and a much clearer sense of its remarkable terroir. You may already know his work from elsewhere, as he was previously head winemaker at Cos d’Estournel and made the outstanding 2016, arguably the estate’s finest modern vintage. In just a few years, Troplong Mondot has become a true benchmark for contemporary Saint Emilion.

 

A Grand Terroir Reimagined

Troplong Mondot sits at the crest of Saint Emilion, anchored by a rare twelve metre dome of deep blue clay that has never been eroded, giving the wines a natural mix of richness and freshness. The estate stretches from forty to one hundred and ten metres in elevation, with exposures that wrap almost to the edge of the medieval town, creating striking diversity. Jane Anson highlights its thicker clay over limestone as one of the appellation’s most privileged and naturally powerful sites, a terroir that ripens later and delivers remarkable intensity and complexity in the glass.

 

The De Gironde Revolution

William Kelley of The Wine Advocate has been one of the clearest voices documenting Troplong Mondot’s transformation, noting that few Bordeaux estates have evolved so profoundly in such a short period. Aymeric de Gironde’s first priority was to revive the soils, opening the compacted blue clays through horse ploughing and cover crops. Vineyard work became far more measured, with harvesting spread over a wider window to avoid the over-ripeness that once shaped the style.

Equally important were the changes in the cellar. Malolactic fermentation now happens in tank rather than barrel to preserve purity and vibrancy, and new oak is used with a lighter hand, allowing fruit and terroir to take the lead. The estate now favours gentle extraction and a focus on texture rather than sheer weight. The results are striking. While Troplong Mondot will always carry natural power, recent vintages show that power refined with finesse is far more compelling, with 2019, 2020 and 2022 marking a clear leap in precision, aromatic range and structural harmony.

 

A newfound success

The recent wines make it clear that Troplong Mondot has joined the top tier of Right Bank terroirs. Critics who once found the style too much now talk about its lift, brightness and expression of place.

What makes it exciting is that Troplong now sits comfortably beside the best limestone-driven estates of Saint Emilion, yet keeps the depth and individuality that come from its clay-rich summit. It’s rare to see this level of clarity and finesse in a wine of such natural power. Rarer still to see the change happen this quickly.

*Table accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change

In the 2020 vintage, Decanter awarded only five wines a perfect 100 points, and Troplong Mondot was among them, outscoring even Lafite and Cheval Blanc, which is no small achievement. Costing only a fraction of those grand vins, Troplong Mondot is clearly holding its own at the very top.

To help you get acquainted with the estate, we have a special offer this week at €79.50* In Bond per bottle. This is one of those moments where the stars align, so if Troplong has been on your radar, now is the time to dive in.

 

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Troplong Mondot 2020

€79.50* In Bond per bottle

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100 Points | Decanter

A sensational Troplong. Vibrant and vivid, this makes you smile from the first smell: milk chocolate, floral notes of roses and lavender, wet stones, liquorice, cinnamon and ripe bramble fruits. Round and thrilling on the palate, tannins are abundant with a chalky blueberry coolness while a salty tang settles around the mouth. Lovely precision and purity of fruit; you feel the sharp definition - still linear which makes it less immediately charming than the 2019 but giving undeniable complexity. Deep but not heady, this remains pure and detailed, with a leanness from the terroir really setting this apart. After a few minutes, the glamour starts to appear giving a salivating, succulent and moreish aspect to the finish. An absolute beauty.

98+ Points | Wine Advocate, William Kelley

The 2020 Troplong Mondot may prove to be even better than the brilliant 2019, and it is one of the Right Bank's finest wines in this vintage. Unwinding in the glass with deep aromas of mulberries, blackberries and red cherries mingled with hints of rose petal, licorice and exotic spices, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a satiny attack that segues into a vibrant, polished mid-palate, concluding with a long, resonant finish. Having seen only 65% new oak and with malolactic fermentation completed in tank rather than in barrel, it's remarkably pure and seamless. With the 2020 vintage, this estate's stylistic redemption appears to be complete.

98+ Points | The Wine Independent

The 2020 Troplong Mondot is deep garnet in color. It is quite closed, offering glimpses at stewed plums and fresh boysenberries, before opening out to expressive scents of dark chocolate, rose oil, and tilled soil, plus a touch of mint tea. The palate is full, super-concentrated, fine, and tightly wound, with grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing long and minerally.

98 Points | Vinous - Antonio Galloni

The 2020 Troplong Mondot is fabulous. Rich, dark and expansive, the 2020 is wonderfully exuberant right out of the gate. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense and licorice are all dialed up. There's tremendous breadth and power, but without the excess weight of the past. Even so, the 2020 is a big, big wine that needs the better part of a decade to soften. All the classic Troplong structure is there, but buffered by vibrant acids and tons of supporting minerality. Harvest started on September 5 and finished on October 8, a very wide window for the Right Bank, and a reminder of how different the parcels are. The 2020 was done in 60% new oak, 12% foudres 28% once-used barrels.

*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.

 

View all wines and vintages of Troplong Mondot