100 points - The best Beau-Sejour Becot ever?

Clos Saint Jean 2022s

“This is another brilliant lineup from the Maurel brothers, who continue to produce some of the greatest wines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Following the passing of consultant Philippe Cambie in 2021, the estate has continued to fire on all cylinders”

“As I’ve written in the past, Clos Saint Jean is at the top of their game and producing some of the most singular, hedonistic and brilliant wines in the world”

- Jeb Dunnuck

 

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Clos Saint Jean has become one of Chateauneuf du Pape’s most recognisable names since Vincent and Pascal Maurel took charge of the family estate in 2002. Working with the late consultant Philippe Cambie, they refined a house style defined by richness and expressive fruit. From 48 hectares of galets roulés and sandy soils around the famed La Crau plateau, the wines combine power, warmth and remarkable consistency across vintages.

The estate is particularly known for its trio of flagship cuvees, La Combe des Fous, Deus Ex Machina and Sanctus Sanctorum, which helped cement its reputation among the appellation’s elite. While unmistakably generous in style, the wines remain rooted in terroir, capturing the warmth, wild herbs and stony power that define the best sites of Chateauneuf du Pape.

La Combe des Fous draws fruit from the stony terraces of Chateauneuf du Pape, where galets roulés store heat and help Grenache reach full ripeness. Built mainly on old vine Grenache with Syrah and southern Rhone varieties, it offers kirsch, wild strawberry, rose petals and garrigue. Velvety tannins frame a rich yet lifted palate of depth and balance.

Deus Ex Machina is sourced largely from parcels on the famed La Crau plateau, one of the most revered terroirs in Chateauneuf du Pape. Here, deep galets roulés sit over red clay, storing heat and helping Grenache and Mourvedre achieve profound ripeness and structure. The 2022 shows black cherry, cassis, sandalwood and cured meat with striking intensity. Full bodied and deeply layered, it carries ripe tannins, mineral depth and immense concentration through a long, powerful finish built for long ageing.

Today, we have a small selection of 75cl and 150cl of the highly esteemed 2022 vintage. Both cuvees come with fantastic scores from both Jeb Dunnuck and Vinous.

Rhone fans, especially those who prefer a nice amount of Grenache in their blends, don’t miss these.

 

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Clos Saint Jean CNDP La Combe des Fous 2022

€65* In Bond per bottle

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96 Points | Vinous

The 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Combe des Fous is not to be missed. Hauntingly floral, it launches with radiant orange blossom, rose petal and crushed violets, mingling with wild strawberries, incense and garrigue. Gently enveloped in velvety tannins, the 2022 is a seductive and explosive La Combe des Fous. It packs spot-on balance and cruises at the same high altitude as the brilliant 2019.

96 Points | Jeb Dunnuck

Kirsch liqueur, darker berries, new leather, ground pepper, and sweet garrigue all shine in the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Combes Des Fous, which shows the pure, focused, more elegant style of the vintage. It’s full-bodied, with ripe, polished tannins, flawless balance, beautiful mid-palate depth, and a gorgeous finish.

 

Clos Saint Jean CNDP Deus ex Machina 2022

€65* In Bond per bottle

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97 Points | Jeb Dunnuck

Lastly, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Deus-Ex Machina shows a similar profile to the Combes des Fous, yet it brings another level of tannins and concentration. Kirsch liqueur, white flowers, sandalwood, cured meats, and graphite notes all shine here, and it's full-bodied, has a deep, layered, powerful, yet weightless profile, lots of ripe tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish. This ripe, sexy, seamless, incredibly impressive beauty will compete with anything in the vintage. As usual, this cuvée is 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre, which is brought up in roughly 40% new demi-muids.

96 Points | Vinous

Powerful and nuanced, the 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus Ex Machina unwinds with prominent black cherry compote, melted licorice, crème de cassis, black tea and clove. Anchored by a firm tannic core, the full-bodied 2022 is a bold and ambitious Deus Ex Machina, closing with utter persistence on the refined finale. As usual, this is one for the hedonists.

 

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Dog Point Chardonnay 2023

96 Points - Wine Advocate

“This is overwhelming "white" in character, and I love it. The saline, mineral aspect of it is highly attractive to me, and as it unfolds like an origami paper crane through the finish, it shows precision and finesse in equal measure. While 2022 may have been a challenging vintage in the vineyard, they saw none of that it in the 2023 season. This is sapid and penetrating in its quiet way. Wow."

 

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New Zealand Chardonnay is quietly entering a golden era. Cool climates and long growing seasons deliver ripe fruit at modest alcohol, preserving natural acidity and energy. Winemakers now favour restrained oak, wild fermentations and single vineyard expressions, producing wines of texture, minerality and precision. With outstanding quality and remarkable value compared with Burgundy or California, it remains one of the world’s most exciting Chardonnay frontiers.

Dog Point Vineyard is one of Marlborough’s most respected estates, founded by Ivan Sutherland and James Healy, former pioneers at Cloudy Bay. Farmed organically and focused on low yields, the estate produces wines of precision and authenticity. Old vines, careful hand harvesting and minimal intervention in the cellar define the style, delivering expressive wines that capture Marlborough’s maritime freshness and distinctive soils.

The 2023 Dog Point Chardonnay is a tightly wound, mineral-driven expression of Marlborough. White flowers, crushed shells and flint lead into lemon, pear and subtle brioche notes. Fermented with wild yeasts and aged in French oak, it balances ripe fruit with saline tension and bright acidity. Scoring up to 96 points, it is precise, textured and remarkably compelling value.

This week, we have a small parcel available at an excellent price. For those curious about the rise of New Zealand Chardonnay, this is a brilliant place to start.

 

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Dog Point Chardonnay 2023

€26.50* In Bond per bottle

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96 Points | Wine Advocate, Erin Larkin

The 2023 Chardonnay is incredibly tightly coiled and mineral on the nose, with white flowers, crushed shells, wet chalk and white pepper. This is overwhelming "white" in character, and I love it. The saline, mineral aspect of it is highly attractive to me, and as it unfolds like an origami paper crane through the finish, it shows precision and finesse in equal measure. While 2022 may have been a challenging vintage in the vineyard, they saw none of that it in the 2023 season. This is sapid and penetrating in its quiet way. Wow. Sealed under screw cap.

95 Points | Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy, Jane Skilton MW

5-Star Wine. Flint and gunsmoke adds complexity to the red apple and pear fruit.There is a powdery pithy grip to the palate which is realy lovely and works to offset the ripe fruit flavours. Long and precise, there is plenty of flavour here and whilst it is a bold wine, it retains a very charming sense of place. Alcohol 13.50%. Drink from 2025-2032.

95 Points | James Suckling

A precise, driven and vibrant chardonnay with aromas of lemons, sweet spices, flint and brioche. Medium-bodied with bright acidity. So focused, with plenty of drive and patina on the palate. Succulent and tactile, with a long, bright finish. Good value. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

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

 

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d’Yquem 2023 - Hot New Release:

100 Points - Wine Advocate

“With 153 grams per liter of residual sugar—placing it among the 10 most concentrated vintages in the château’s history—the 2023 d'Yquem ranks among the finest wines bottled here under Lorenzo Pasquini’s direction."

100 Points - Jane Anson

“Power, freshness, depth, after the extremes of 2021 and 2022, this walks the line between the two, exceptional, mandarin, quince, mirabelle plums, white truffle, fresh fruit and confit fruit, a vibration of slate and steel, opulent but slices closed on the finish”

100 Points - James Suckling

“Perfect aromas carry through to every milliliter of this wine, showing intense orange peel, honey, butterscotch, saffron, smoke and peat, with hints of coffee and dried apples. […] I can’t get over how wonderful this is now, but it can age forever.

 

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Chateau d’Yquem stands alone as the world’s greatest sweet wine. The only estate classified as Premier Cru Superieur in 1855, it has defined Sauternes for centuries. From gravelly soils overlooking the Ciron and Garonne rivers, morning mists encourage noble rot, concentrating sugars and flavour. Meticulous selection through multiple harvest passes creates a wine of extraordinary richness, balance and longevity.

The 2023 Sauternes vintage unfolded with remarkable harmony. After a humid spring demanded careful vineyard work, steady warmth allowed grapes to ripen gradually. Early botrytis developed cleanly, followed by nearly a month of dry conditions that concentrated berries slowly and evenly. The finest wines show layered richness balanced by freshness, built on density and patience, with structure designed for long ageing.

The 2023 Chateau d’Yquem ranks among the estate’s most profound modern vintages. With around 153 grams of residual sugar, concentration is immense, yet the wine remains vibrant and precise. Aromas of pineapple, mango, confit citrus and beeswax lead into a dense yet crystalline palate, framed by freshness and tension. Monumental in scale yet perfectly controlled, it promises decades of evolution.

 

Score Analysis of d’Yquem:

In the past 23 vintages, the Wine Advocate has awarded a perfect 100-point score to only three releases of Chateau d’Yquem: the exceptional 2001, 2009 and now the newly rated 2023.

 

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Chateau d'Yquem 2023

 

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100 Points | Wine Advocate, Yohan Castaing

With 153 grams per liter of residual sugar—placing it among the 10 most concentrated vintages in the château’s history—the 2023 d'Yquem ranks among the finest wines bottled here under Lorenzo Pasquini’s direction. It unfurls from the glass with a complex, vibrant and remarkably pure bouquet of pineapple, guava, mango, confit citrus, beeswax and spices. Full-bodied, dense and concentrated, it combines formidable depth with perfectly judged control, built around a fleshy core of fruit, framed by lively acidity and a crystalline texture and culminating in an endless, refined and ethereal finish. Yquem’s natural power is here masterfully harnessed by the vintage’s freshness and tension, revealing an aesthetic of precision and vibrancy encountered only in the estate’s greatest years—made all the more remarkable by the fact that the château now achieves even higher levels of concentration than a decade ago, without any perceptible increase in sweetness on the palate.

100 Points | James Suckling

Perfect aromas carry through to every milliliter of this wine, showing intense orange peel, honey, butterscotch, saffron, smoke and peat, with hints of coffee and dried apples. Full-bodied but weightless and silky, with an excellent balance of fruit, sweetness and spices. Some peanut brittle, dried oranges and lemons at the end. I can’t get over how wonderful this is now, but it can age forever. 154 g/L residual sugar. Drink or hold.

100 Points | Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

Power, freshness, depth, after the extremes of 2021 and 2022, this walks the line between the two, exceptional, mandarin, quince, mirabelle plums, white truffle, fresh fruit and confit fruit, a vibration of slate and steel, opulent but slices closed on the finish. The botrytis came early and quickly in 2023. Francis Mayeur in final vintage as consultant, after many years as inhouse winemaking team, Lorenzo Pasquini director. 154g/l residual sugar, 3.85ph, harvest September 14 to October 11.\

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

 

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Vincent Paris Cornas Le Geynale 2023

We are fortunate to offer a small allocation of Vincent Paris’ outstanding 2022 Cornas Le Geynale, a cuvee that ranks among the appellation’s finest year after year. Cornas remains something of a hidden gem for fine wine lovers, delivering pure Northern Rhone Syrah of depth and character, yet at a fraction of the price of Cote Rotie or Hermitage.

Vincent Paris is firmly established among Cornas’ elite, and the 2023 La Geynale is a compelling new release from this granite stronghold. A protege of his uncle Robert Michel, Paris works the appellation’s steep, sun-drenched slopes with a focus on whole cluster fermentation, gentle extraction and ageing in neutral oak, allowing site and vine age to lead.

Sourced from a single parcel of century-old vines planted in 1910, this cuvee takes its name from the La Geynale lieux dit, one of Cornas’ most prized sites. The pure granite soils and old vine material deliver natural concentration and mineral drive. Fermented with 100% whole bunches and raised in used oak, the 2023 shows smoky, meaty depth, wild herbs, violet, black olive and cassis. The palate is full-bodied yet tightly coiled, with intense fruit, fine tannins and a long, spicy finish shaped by granite tension.

The critics have responded emphatically. James Suckling awarded 98 points, praising its concentration and precision. Decanter scored 96 points for its lift and balance, while Jeb Dunnuck rated it up to 94-96+ points, calling it a standout built for ageing.

Year after year, La Geynale stands among the appellation’s finest wines, rivaling Cornas icons such as Clape and Allemand, yet at a fraction of the price. We have a small parcel at €37.50* In Bond per bottle.

This is serious, cellar-worthy Northern Rhone Syrah that deserves a place in any thoughtful collection.

 

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Vincent Paris Cornas La Geynale 2023

€37.50* In Bond per bottle

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98 Points | James Suckling

Smoky and meaty, with intense wild herb character, this is classic Cornas, but with modern purity and precision. Giant concentration and brilliance on the very compact and still tightly wound, medium- to full-bodied palate. Extremely fine tannins. Even at this very early stage in the wine's life, the finish has tremendous spiciness. From a single parcel of 50-year-old vines. Drinkable now, but best from 2027.

96 Points | Decanter, Matt Walls

Beautiful nose, very lifted, with violets, black olive, blackberry and cassis. Has a good sense of fullness and ripeness on the palate – it's full, powerful, fresh and driving with a good, robust tannic frame and a long finish. It's not as massive as some years, but very well balanced. A Cornas with lovely finesse of fruit and enjoyably robust tannins. It doesn't have the concentration of the more powerful years, but it's still very good, and true to place. 100% whole bunches, no new oak.

94-96+ Points | Jeb Dunnuck

The 2023 Cornas La Geynale is clearly a standout. Rocking levels of ripe red, blue, and black fruits, peppery herbs, violet, game, and rare meat-like aromatics all shine here, and it's full-bodied on the palate, with ripe tannins, the classic, wild, sauvage character of the appellation, and a great finish. Fermented with 100% whole clusters and aged in used oak, it's going to need 4-6 years of bottle age, but it's beautiful.

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

 

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Meyney 2019 a Bordeaux Bargain:

Located beside Montrose and Calon Segur, this under-the-radar Chateau delivered an exceptional performance in 2019, earning significant score upgrades since En Primeur and even outscoring Le Pin when tasted blind by Neal Martin.

 

95 Points - Neal Martin
“The 2019 Meyney has a divine bouquet, so pure and winsome with floral red berry scents, beautifully integrated new oak and superb precision. […] This is a stellar showing easily eclipsing its performances either in barrel or just after bottling. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

 

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Tucked beside the Gironde and neighbouring Montrose, Chateau Meyney occupies one of Saint Estephe’s most enviable sites. Unclassified yet superbly positioned, its deep gravel soils over clay and proximity to the estuary shape wines of structure and freshness. Cabernet Sauvignon thrives here, supported by Merlot and Petit Verdot, delivering graphite tension, dark fruit depth and classic Left Bank austerity.

Punching well above its weight, Meyney 2019 has seen notable score upgrades since En Primeur. Tasted blind by Neal Martin, it earned an impressive 95 points, matching heavyweight names such as Troplong Mondot and La Fleur Petrus, and even outscoring estates including Clinet, Calon Segur, Pape Clement and Le Pin, which received 94 points.

Photo: Location of Meyney’s vineyards sandwiched between Montrose and Calon-Segur

The 2019 Meyney is a superb expression of the appellation, combining concentration with precision. Floral cassis, bilberry and graphite lead into a medium to full-bodied palate framed by ripe yet firm tannins. Supple and polished, yet retaining Saint Estephe's backbone, it balances freshness and power beautifully. A stellar vintage that will continue to shine for decades.

With its enviable location, serious critical backing and classic Saint Estephe structure, the 2019 Meyney feels like a throwback to when Bordeaux still offered true value. At €23.50* In Bond per bottle, it is difficult to argue with.

Buy a case, and your friends and family will thank you later.

 

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Chateau Meyney 2019

€23.50* In Bond per bottle

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95 Points | Vinous, Neal Martin

The 2019 Meyney has a divine bouquet, so pure and winsome with floral red berry scents, beautifully integrated new oak and superb precision. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fleshy to the point where you can almost overlook the backbone of this Saint-Estèphe. It could have been blowsy, yet it retains superb balance and feels luxuriant and long on the finish. This is a stellar showing easily eclipsing its performances either in barrel or just after bottling. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

94 Points | The Wine Cellar Insider, Jeff Leve

Showing much better in bottle than it did from the barrel, the deeply colored wine is imbued with cigar box, tobacco leaf, spice, espresso, wet earth, and dark currants and blackberries. On the palate, the wine focuses on its medium/full-bodied core of ripe, sweet, dark red fruits, soft, tannins, and polished finish and its light kiss of chocolate in the endnote. Drink from 2025-2042.

93 Points | Decanter

This wine sneaks up on you, it needs time to seduce, revealing fresh, floral aromas with graphite. The chiseled palate - fresh and concentrated but in a subtle manner - conveys elegance with vivacity and lift on the long finish, with more floral notes and spice coming from a high percentage of Petit Verdot. A beautiful wine that needs time.

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

 

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Keermont Topside Syrah 2018

Rated as a South African First Growth by leading wine critic Tim Atkin MW

 

“Winemaker Alex Starey has steered this Stellenbosch producer into the top league in recent years. It was actually Robert Parker who called me out of the blue on my maiden trip to the Cape, suggesting that I make a beeline for their winery in the picturesque Blaauwklippen Valley.”

- Neal Martin, Vinous

 

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High on the slopes of Stellenbosch Mountain, Keermont crafts wines that speak clearly of altitude and soil. Founded by Mark and Monica Wraith, the estate farms diverse parcels of granite and shale in a cool, wind-swept amphitheatre. Careful vineyard work, natural fermentations and patient élevage define a thoughtful approach, producing precise, structured wines that capture mountain freshness and Cape intensity.

Topside Syrah comes from a cooler, high-elevation parcel on shale-rich soils on Stellenbosch Mountain. The site’s exposure tempers ripeness, preserving aromatic lift and mineral tension. Fermented with a proportion of whole bunches and aged in seasoned oak, the wine balances savoury spice, dark berry fruit and fine tannins, delivering a focused, terroir-driven expression of mountain Syrah.

The 2018 Topside Syrah reflects a drought year shaped by its cooler mountain terroir. Restrained and structured, it shows sage, oregano and floral lift over plum and red cherry fruit. Savoury tannins and bright acidity frame a mineral core, with symmetry and precision throughout.

Awarded 97 points by Tim Atkin, it is built to evolve gracefully in bottle. Best of all, the drinking starts now. South African Syrah lovers don’t hesitate.

 

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Keermont Topside Syrah 2018

€37.50* In Bond per bottle

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97 points | Tim Atkin MW

Syrah lovers could spend a long time discussing the relative merits of Alex Starey's single parcel Syrahs. I have a very slight preference for Topside in 2018, partly because its cooler terroir on Stellenbosch Mountain was well suited to the drought conditions of the vintage. Restrained, focused and built to age in bottle, it has sage and oregano perfume, savoury tannins, refreshing acidity and minerality and flavours of plum, raspberry, red cherry and tobacco leaf.

94 Points | Vinous, Neal Martin

The 2018 Syrah Single Vineyard Series Topside comes from more shale soils than the Steepside, with a slightly cooler microclimate. This makes a tangible difference on the nose, which has more delineation and mineralité, a little more floral in style. The palate is very well-balanced with a wonderful spice, and an unerring sense of symmetry with a precise and beautifully-controlled finish. Excellent.

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

 

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Blank Canvas Reed Chardonnay 2024

This wine is not for everyone. If you are drawn to wines with reductive, gunflint and struck match aromas, with a smoky edge and unapologetic intensity, this will speak your language. Previous vintages have been described as Coche-Dury in style by the wine critics.

 

Inside Burgundy placed this as the Top Marlborough wine of the 2024 vintage, and Vinous has it as one of the top-scoring wines from New Zealand in their latest report. Best of all, a bargain for the quality.

 

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Founded in 2013, Blank Canvas has quickly become one of Marlborough’s most exciting and thought-provoking producers. South Island’s first Master of Wine, Sophie Parker Thomson MW, and winemaker Matt Thomson established the estate with a clear ambition, to craft small batch, single vineyard wines that articulate terroir with precision. With more than fifty harvests around the world between them, the pair bring global experience and a distinctly Burgundian mindset to Marlborough, resulting in wines of restraint, texture and site expression that have attracted significant international praise.

One of our favourite wines in the range is Reed Chardonnay from the Waihopai Valley in Marlborough. The fruit is whole bunch pressed and fermented in 500 litre used French oak puncheons, with no lees stirring and no filtration, preserving both texture and tension. A reductive approach defines the style, giving struck match and smoky nuances that, in previous vintages, have been compared by JancisRobinson.com to Coche Dury in style. It is a bold, structured and unapologetically intense expression of Chardonnay.

The critics have taken note. Jasper Morris MW at Inside Burgundy, now looking beyond Burgundy itself, awarded the Reed Chardonnay 2024 a 5-Star rating and an impressive 96 points. Vinous followed closely with 94 points, naming it among the standout wines in their New Zealand 2025 report. The tasting notes are generous in their praise and underline the wine’s depth, character and serious intent.

Fans of bold, reductive Chardonnay with tension, savoury complexity and the confidence to age should not hesitate.

 

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Blank Canvas Reed Chardonnay 2024

 

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96 Points | Jasper Morris Inside Burgund, Jane Skilton MW

5-Star Wine. Powerful aromas of reduction to start with gunflint, smoke and struck match to the fore. Savoury oak adds another layer of complexity. On the palate the fruit is ripe and dense and easily offsets the reduction. But it is a fine balance, at this stage weighted towards the reduction. However the long savoury, almost meaty finish indicates that for the patient, this will develop into a very fine wine. Alcohol 13.50%. Drink from 2025-2034. Tasted Aug 2025.

96 Points | James Suckling

So perfumed and full of character, with wild, energetic power, offering aromas of beeswax, dried rosemary, crunchy stone fruit and savory orange peel. Medium- to full-bodied with tense, lively acidity and a tight phenolic structure, showing expressive fruit, smoke, minerals and crushed stones at the end. A beautiful wine. Drink now or hold. Screw cap.

94 Points | Vinous, Rebecca Gibb MW

The 2024 Chardonnay Reed Vineyard is certainly not shy. Power and punch align with masses of concentration in this young, tight Chardonnay. While it has incredible clarity of fruit, precision and momentum, the 2024 is aromatically unresolved: toast, grilled nuts, smokey bacon and flint make it difficult to pick out where oak influence and reduction begin. These scents seem to meld into one another until they are indistinguishable. Hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed with high solids, with no filtration of fining, this is raw and raunchy stuff. This interpretation of Chardonnay will be divisive, but there's no doubting its quality.

 

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2022 Brane Cantenac

Neal Martin tasted a vertical of Brane Cantenac from 1928 to 2023, and out of all the wines, two vintages stood heads and shoulders above the rest. 2022 and 1945. One you can buy, the other possibly not…

98 Points - Neal Martin
"the 2022 is a benchmark for the Margaux estate, its future North Star. This has a stupendous nose with intense Cabernet Sauvignon inflections, its intensity and delineation superior to the 2019 and 2020. An underlying floral scent emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with silky and fine tannins that frame the seductive black fruit laced with crushed peppercorns, and a touch of cedar on the crystalline finish. I raved about this 2022 from barrel and in bottle. I see no reason to change my "raving."

 

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In Margaux, few estates capture both finesse and quiet authority like Chateau Brane Cantenac. A Second Growth with roots dating back to the 18th century, it sits on the famed Brane plateau, where deep gravel over clay produces Cabernet of perfume and precision. Under the Lurton family, the estate has refined its viticulture and winemaking, crafting wines of clarity, balance and long ageing potential.

The 2022 Chateau Brane Cantenac is one of the wines of the vintage in Margaux. Built on 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, it delivers cassis, violets, graphite and subtle spice with remarkable clarity. Silky, refined tannins frame a core of pure, vibrant fruit, while 100 percent new oak is seamlessly integrated. Powerful yet finessed, this is a benchmark Brane, destined to age gracefully for decades.

Neal Martin recently tasted a remarkable vertical of Brane Cantenac spanning 1928 to 2023, and singled out two vintages as standing head and shoulders above the rest. In his report, he noted, “This tasting reaffirmed my admiration for Brane-Cantenac. The château represents a distinctive and classical style that borrows Pauillac structure and fuses it with Margaux finesse.”

Neal Martins Top-scoring vintages:

 

Overall, Brane Cantenac stands out as our top pick from Margaux in the 2022 vintage. It has outscored heavyweight names such as Palmer and Rauzan Segla, while sitting just a fraction behind Chateau Margaux itself. Decanter even placed it on the same level as Chateau Margaux with 98 points, underlining just how exceptional this release truly is.

 

Top Scoring Margauxs from the 2022 vintage:

 

There is no denying this represents compelling value, particularly at €69* In Bond per bottle and very strong scores across the board. Jeb Dunnuck awarded it 99 points, just shy of perfection, concluding that it is “one of the truly greats in the appellation,” and a wine collectors will be delighted to have resting in their cellar.

Don’t have this vintage in the collection? Then make sure to get it added now.

 

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Brane-Cantenac 2022

€69* In Bond per bottle

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99 Points | Jeb Dunnuck

An undeniable star in Margaux, the 2022 Château Brane-Cantenac checks in as a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 1% each Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Petit Verdot. This deep purple-hued beauty offers up a sensational perfume of darker currants and cassis that gives way to more floral, spicy oak and graphite nuances with air. With flawless overall balance, ripe, velvety tannins, terrific purity, and a great finish, this riveting Brane-Cantenac already offers pleasure, yet I wouldn't be surprised to see this firm up with 4-5 years of bottle age, only to reemerge later and drink beautifully for 30+ years. It's one of the truly greats in the appellation, and readers will love to have this beauty in the cellar.

98 Points |Vinous - Neal Martin

The 2022 Brane-Cantenac marked a year when ownership passed to Henri Lurton's four children, although he remains as general manager. More importantly (perhaps), the 2022 is a benchmark for the Margaux estate, its future North Star. This has a stupendous nose with intense Cabernet Sauvignon inflections, its intensity and delineation superior to the 2019 and 2020. An underlying floral scent emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with silky and fine tannins that frame the seductive black fruit laced with crushed peppercorns, and a touch of cedar on the crystalline finish. I raved about this 2022 from barrel and in bottle. I see no reason to change my "raving." Tasted at the Brane-Cantenac vertical at the château in September 2025.

98 Points | Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux

Juicy and extremely impressive fruit quality, this harnesses the best of 2022 and is one of the wines of the vintage. You feel the texture and the power of the fruit, streaks of cocoa, liquorice, and rose petals, totally love it. The biggest alcohol of the series, and certainly you get a touch of crème de cassis and ripe fresh fig, carefully delivered with great texture to the tannins. This was the year that Henri Lurton passed the estate over to his four children while remaining as general manager, and also planted Malbec for the first time in the vineyard. Harvest September 7 to October 10, 315hl/h yield, 100% new oak barrels for ageing. Eric Boissenot consultant, Henri Lurton owner, Christophe Capdeville technical director. I have given this wine 98 points consistently every time I have tasted it, and truly it is excellent.

98 Points | Decanter, Georgina Hindle

One of the standouts of the year - a wonderful wine with so much to like. Coffee, tobacco, liquorice, dark chocolate, blackcurrants and floral scents on the nose. Smooth, succulent and velvety, this is amazing, juicy and so bright and vibrant. Pure and so effortless, tannins are filling but fine and delicate and this has excellent clarity and purity of fruit. They really didn't try too hard but have still delivered a powerful wine with concentration and intensity yet brightness and such generosity of fruit and acidity which makes this so joyful. Simply wonderful. Harvest 7 September-10 October. Yield of 31.5hl/ha. 3.61pH. 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenere complete the blend. 42% production. 15.8% press wine. Ageing 18 months, 100% new oak. 3.57pH.

98 Points | The Wine Cellar Insider, Jeff Leve

Deeply colored, the wine opens with violets, lilacs, roses, cigar wrappers, creme de cassis, spice and lavender aromatics in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is pure silk and velvet. There is a beautiful elegance, symmetry, and balance you notice as soon as the wine graces your palate. There is length, purity, and refinement making this effortless to taste. The finish has no edges, leaving you with a wealth of sensuous fruits. Fans of Brane Cantenac should run, not walk, and buy this gem as prices continue to remain reasonable for a wine of this character, and quality. The wine blends 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 1% of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenere. The wine is 14.3% ABV, 3.61 pH. The harvest took place September 7 - October 4, with the Carmenere being picked October 10. This is the earliest start to a harvest in the history of the estate. Yields were 31.5% hectoliters per hectare. The Grand Vin was produced from only 42% of the harvest. Drink from 2027-2055.

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

 

View all wines and vintages of Brane Cantenac.

Cullen Diana Madeline 2021

“This is ethereal, as these wines often are, yet with line and length that belies its pretty curves and textures. The perfect, ideal apogee for this wine's drinking window is in the future. Get it while you can."

- Wine Advocate

“Diana Madeline. The name evokes a lot of emotions, for what the woman stood for then and what the wine stands for now”

- Halliday Wine Companion

 

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Margaret River would not be what it is today without Cullen. Founded in 1971 by Diana and Kevin Cullen in Wilyabrup, the estate helped define the region’s Cabernet potential. Today, it is led by their daughter, Vanya Cullen, whose biodynamic farming and meticulous approach have elevated the quality further. Maritime vineyards, low yields and precision winemaking shape one of Australia’s most respected family estates.

Diana Madeline is Cullen’s flagship Cabernet blend and a cornerstone of Margaret River fine wine. Named in honour of estate co-founder Diana Cullen, it is built predominantly on Cabernet Sauvignon, supported by Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Grown biodynamically and matured in French oak, it balances depth with restraint, combining cassis, bay leaf and graphite with fine, structured tannins and remarkable longevity.

Erin Larkin recently tasted a vertical of Cullen and her comments were incredibly positive:

“The Legacy Chardonnays, the Legacy Sauvignon Blanc and the Vanya Cabernets are the very opposite of wines made to a recipe. They vary each year, not only in name but also in personality, and each represents aspects of the season. They are wines of the land and of expression—wines of emotion—and it’s far more of a difficult task to pin them down stylistically. I reacted to those wines in ways that I didn’t with the former. Emotional reaction to a wine is interesting to me as a professional taster, something I had to become used to throughout the tasting. I kept thinking, Who else is doing this? Who else is making wines like these? The truth is, in the world of wine, few are”

 

         Photo: Vanya Cullen

The 2021 Diana Madeline is a poised, mineral expression of a cooler Margaret River season. The 2021 release marked 50 years since the first Cabernet vines were planted at Cullen’s Wilyabrup estate, a milestone for one of Margaret River’s defining, family-owned pioneers. Composed of 91 percent Cabernet Sauvignon with small additions of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec, it shows violets, mulberry, cassis and subtle cedar.

We’ve not had an opportunity to offer this wine before, so we are incredibly pleased to have an allocation.

In the words of Erin Larkin, “Get it while you can.”

 

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“The story of Cullen cannot be told without the inimitable and indomitable presence of Vanya Cullen. While the estate was established by her parents, Kevin and Diana—one of the very first in the early days of Margaret River’s modern historical chapter—undoubtedly, its lasting legacy will be attributed to Vanya’s fight for the land and the expression of it in the wines that they make. Few people in Australia—perhaps only one comes to mind—have had a bigger impact on the acceptance and adoption of biodynamics and organics, within the paradigm of premium fine wine.”

- Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate

 

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Cullen Diana Madeline 2021

 

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98 Points | Wine Pilot

This is a triumph for the vineyard in what was a challenging year in Margaret River. Low yields, birds and rain events all conspired to make things tough, but a rigorous biodynamic approach in the vineyard and later in the winery has resulted in a magnificent expression of a slightly cooler climate Margaret River Cabernet. High end florals on the nose with notes of violet and red berry overpaying the deeper blackcurrant concentration. The oak is well managed and integrated with the tannins firm and chalky providing the structure to support extended ageing. A worthy commemoration of family matriarch Diana Cullen who would have been 100 this year.

97 Points | The Real Review

Very deep, bright purple-red colour; wonderful fragrance of red and blue fruits, violets and subtle herbal notes, the palate is very full bodied and loaded with tannins, a big wine of awesome concentration and arresting structure, with terrific drive and power. Long, long finish. It's just a babe and has a big future. This really has some wow factor.

97 Points | Halliday Wine Companion

Diana Madeline. The name evokes a lot of emotions, for what the woman stood for then and what the wine stands for now. The 2021 vintage equals 50 years of cabernet sauvignon plantings at Cullen. When released in early 2023, it was on what would have been her 100th birthday. It’s a wine that can come from nowhere else, so strong is its sense of place. Expect to swoon over aromas of roses, violets and mulberries doused in baking spices, a ferruginous quality as much as detailed if persuasive tannins. It’s complex, complete and structured. Gosh, what a wine. What a woman. The perfect combination.

97 Points | Decanter

Fragrant, spicy, mineral and elegant, as befits a cooler and fortunately low-yielding vintage, with rainfall during the growing season and harvest. Lovely cedar and graphite detail to the saturating plum and mulberry fruit. A youthfully firm acid line and fine-textured terracotta tannins cut a swathe through (yet are softened by) the fruit, making for a harmonious, persistent palate. 100% biodynamic barriques and puncheons, 50% new, with 11% amphora-fermented.

96+ Points | Wine Advocate

The 2021 Diana Madeline is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (91%), Merlot (4%), Cabernet Franc (3%) and Malbec (2%). The only other time since the first 1995 vintage of this wine (formerly labeled as the Cabernet Merlot) that the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon has crested 90% or higher was the 2016 vintage, which saw 93% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2021 vintage in Margaret River was an interesting one, with several climate curveballs thrown at viticulturists during key times during the harvest season. Here, the fruit was handpicked on biodynamic fruit and flower days across five picks from the middle of March to the Super Moon flower day two weeks later. The wine was matured in French oak for 15 months (50% new). This 2021 is a lean, mineral rendition of the Diana Madeline, with bay leaf, rose petals, cassis, bramble and black tea forming layers that settle in the mouth. The tannins are grippy and very fine, causing one to chew slightly as one drinks. This is ethereal, as these wines often are, yet with line and length that belies its pretty curves and textures. The perfect, ideal apogee for this wine's drinking window is in the future. Get it while you can.

View all wines from Cullen.