Staff Picks
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Country: New Zealand, WaihekeGrapes: Syrah / ShirazABV: 14.5%Style: Savoury Classic Red93 Points - Cam Douglas MS. The Man O' War Dreadnought 2018 is a classically styled Syrah with really lifted spice and floral notes overlaying a more savoury umami character. Underneath the aromatic lift is a layer of red berry fruit characters which lead into a soft and supple palate following with a clear focused acidity and fine tannins, all finishing with a trademark long persistence that is fresh and slightly salty. Vivino Rating: 4.1 (Aug 2024) Wine Press Ratings 93 Points - Cam Douglas MS -
Country: New Zealand, MarlboroughGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 14%Style: Smooth Fruity Red96 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater. A wonderful Burgundian style Pinot Noir from a producer who carefully select fruit from Marlborough's top organic single vineyards to produce wines of great elegance and complexity. An aromatic, savoury nose with notes of damson plum, dark berry, forest floor, nori, peppercorns, salami and salted, black liquorice. Medium-bodied, with plush fruit but still a seriously structured wine with layered tannins. Wine Press Ratings 96 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater (2 -
Country: New Zealand, MarlboroughGrapes: Sauvignon BlancABV: 13%Style: Aromatic Floral White92 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater. A delicate and fragrant Sauvignon Blanc from a producer who carefully select fruit from Marlborough's top organic single vineyards to produce wines of great elegance and complexity. Aromas of lime skin, green apple, cut grass, gunflint, lemongrass and garden herbs. Taut, fresh, lively palate with herbal, spicy capsicum flavours with good intensity and a rapier-like thrust of saline acidity at the finish. Wine Press Ratings 92 Points - New Zealand Wine Rater (2 -
Country: Italy, TuscanyGrapes: SangioveseABV: 14.5%Style: Savoury Classic Red96 Points - Raffaele Vecchione. Guided by the expertise of renowned consultant oenologist Giacomo Tachis (creator of iconic wines like Sassicaia, Tignanello, and Solaia) Argiano unveils a wine graced with plum fruit notes complemented by hints of dried herbs, chocolate, leather, cloves, and nutmeg. The wine's finesse and balance are a testament to the seamlessly integrated tannins and acidity. Vivino Rating: 4.3 (Aug 2024) Wine Press Ratings 96 Points - Raffaele Vecchione - WinesCritic.com (2019
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Country: Chile, Curico ValleyGrapes: Cabernet FrancABV: 13.5%Style: Rich Full Red96 Points - Patricio Tapia - Descorchados. The Caballo Loco Grand Cru Sagrada Familia is an exciting wine made by Valdivieso in their Sagrada Familia vineyard in Chile’s prestigious Curicó Valley. The Curicó Valley enjoys a Mediterranean climate and its volcanic and limestone allow for the production of exceptional quality noble grapes such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. These are at the heart of the Caballo Loco Grand Cru Sagrada Familia 2021 with Carmenere adding freshness and juiciness. Aft -
Country: Italy, VenetoGrapes: Corvina, RondinellaABV: 15%Style: Rich Full Red98 Points - Luca Maroni. The Tinazzi Ca' de' Rocchi ‘The Bastia’ 2019 is a shining example of the brilliance of the 2019 Veneto’ vintage. Crafted from a blend of 90% Corvina and Corvinone grapes with Rondinella adding support, this is a magnificent Amarone. Produced on cooler vineyards laying between 150-300 meters above sea level, once harvested in September, the grapes were left in Tinazzi’s larder to dry until December. The small amount of super-concentrated juice that remained was gently dra -
Country: Argentina, Lujan De CuyoGrapes: SemillonABV: 13.5%Style: Rich Fruity White94 Points - Descorchados. The El Enemigo Semillon is a rare find, a great Argentinean Semillon. Plantings of Semillon in Argentina have plunged over the last half century, with just 578 hectares of the once 5,500 hectares remaining in production. The innovative and quality-obsessed team at El Enemigo have seen the potential of this noble variety and have plantings in their high-altitude, 70-year-old vineyard in Agrelo in the Mendoza sub-region of Lujan de Cuyo that are producing exceptional wine -
Country: Argentina, Uco ValleyGrapes: MalbecABV: 13.5%Style: Rich Full Red92 Points - Tim Atkin MW. The El Enemigo Malbec 2020 is the product of one of Mendoza’s finest estates in a superb vintage. Crafted from Malbec with a little Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot adding further colour, it’s shaping up to be a classic Argentinean Malbec. Quite reserved – it contains a relatively modest 13.5% alcohol – it’s a wine with a real taste of place, with dusty minerals reinforcing its structure. Given 92/100 from both James Suckling and Robert Parker, this limited release wine -
Country: Argentina, Uco ValleyGrapes: Cabernet FrancABV: 13.5%Style: Rich Full Red94 Points - Descorchados. The El Enemigo Cabernet Franc 2019 is a wonderfully exuberant wine that demonstrates how fine Argentinean Cabernet Franc can be. The brainchild of Adrianna Catena and soils engineer Alejandro Vigil, the winery is in Argentina’s wine capital, Mendoza. The El Enemigo wines are made from the grapes cultivated in the region from the vineyards of Tupungato on deep calcareous and rocky soils. To preserve the grape’s vital character, only natural yeasts are used in fermentatio -
Country: Argentina, Uco ValleyGrapes: MalbecABV: 13.5%Style: Rich Full Red95 Points - Robert Parker. The Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino 2020 is one of the jewels in Argentina’s wine crown. It’s produced from vines that are up to 90 years old from the Catena Zapata Family Vineyards, Nicasia and Angélica vineyards, which lie at between 920m and 1095 metres above sea level. With their mix of gravel, loam and clay, these sites provide a wonderfully vivid and varied palate from which the winemakers can work. Such is the diversity that several weeks can pass between harvest -
Country: Argentina, Uco ValleyGrapes: Cabernet FrancABV: 13.5%Style: Rich Full Red91 Points - Descorchados. Over the last few years, Argentinean Cabernet Franc has got a lot of wine critics very excited. One taste of the Catena Appellation San Carlos Cabernet Franc and it’s easy to see why. Argentina’s pioneering Catena family could be set to do for Cabernet Franc what they did for Malbec. Made from fruit sourced from the family´s historic high-altitude vineyards (1,090m/3,576ft above sea level) in San Carlos, the sandy loam soils are perfect for Cabernet Franc, delivering sm -
Country: Argentina, Uco ValleyGrapes: MalbecABV: 13.5%Style: Rich Full Red91 Points - Falstaff. The Catena Appellation La Consulta Malbec 2019 isn’t just one of Perfect Cellar’s best Argentinean red wine buys, it’s one of the best wine buys on our entire list. The Catena family are known for their pioneering work in high-altitude viticulture in Argentina and the Appellation La Consulta Malbec 2019 showcases the beauty of such wines perfectly. Produced from Malbec grapes sourced from the La Consulta region of Uco Valley, Mendoza, it manages to combine a huge weight of -
Country: Spain, RiojaGrapes: TempranilloABV: 14%Style: Juicy Lively Red90 Points - Tim Atkin MW. This 90+ point Rioja from a modern style, family run winery is incredible value for a wine with this amount of complexity and style. The Solarce Tinto is a blend of Tempranillo, Grenache, Mazuelo & Graciano and is aged for 8 months in American and French oak barrels. Full-bodied and silky smooth with layers of fruit and spice. Fantastic Value for money for this superb Rioja. Wine Press Ratings 90 Points - Tim Atkin MW (2021 vintage) Taste Intense ruby-red colour wit -
Country: Spain, RiojaGrapes: TempranilloABV: 14.5%Style: Smooth Fruity RedCasa La Rad is a winery dedicated to the environment to sustain and improve its vitality and biodiversity. From the La Rad vineyard, the grapes are handpicked and carefully selected from bush trained vines 35 years or older, before malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels of 500 and 225 litres where it will be aged for at least 14 months. A highly rated wine by the international wine press, and gold medal winning wine at the Mundus Vini awards, Casa La Rad Tinto is a Rioja in the modern st -
Country: Spain, RiojaGrapes: TempranilloABV: 14.5%Style: Savoury Classic Red95 Points - Tim Atkin MW. San Vincente 2020 is a singular Rioja in several ways. It’s produced from a single, rare grape, the excellent Tempranillo Peludo which are grown in a single vineyard, and it enjoys an Atlantic climate with some continental influences on calcareous-clay soils. This unique combination allows for the creation of a singularly fine red Rioja. Organically farmed, nothing is left to chance here. Grapes are hand-harvested according to strict rules regarding the health and ripen -
Country: Spain, Ribera del dueroGrapes: TempranilloABV: 15%Style: Rich Full Red92 Points - Tim Atkin MW. When a producer’s ‘entry-level’ wine scores 92/100 from leading Spanish wine critic Tim Atkin MW and 93+ from Robert Parker, you know it’s something special. But then everything about Pago de Carraovejas Tinto 2021 is special. From its exceptionally well-sited high-altitude vines to its meticulous hand production, and the input from Pingus’s and Vega Sicilia's winemakers it’s a remarkable wine, one that every lover of fine Spanish red wine needs to try. Produced from a -
Country: Spain, RiojaGrapes: TempranilloABV: 14.5%Style: Savoury Classic Red94 Points - Tim Atkin MW. The Cuentaviñas Alomado 2021 is another wonderful wine from of this extraordinary Rioja bodega. Produced from a single vineyard which is home to vines that are over 60 years old, it marries tradition with innovation to startling effect. It’s planted with a mixture of Tempranillo grapes alongside the white varieties of Viura, Malvasía Riojana and Calagraño in what’s now known as a ‘field blend’. Innovation continues in the winery where the wine is barrel fermented in sm -
Country: Spain, Ribera del dueroGrapes: TempranilloABV: 15.5%Style: Rich Full Red95 Points - Tim Atkin MW. The El Anejon 2018 is another multi-award-winning wine from Bodega Pago de Carraovejas, one of the Ribera del Duero’s superstar wineries. Meticulously produced from a steeply sloping single vineyard close the Duero River, it’s an exotic blend of organically farmed Tinto Fino (81%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7%) and Merlot (12%). Only produced in exceptional vintages such as 2018, it receives the same regal treatment that the rest of Bodega Pago de Carraovejas’ wines. Grapes -
Country: Spain, Castilla Y LeonGrapes: VerdejoABV: 14%Style: Classy Complex White95 Points - Guia Penin. Capitel 2019 is the flagship wine from the magnificent Ossian Vides y Vinos, arguably Spain’s greatest white wine producer. The Capitel is made from the estate’s oldest vines, some of which are believed to be 200 years old, from a tiny, organically farmed plot at Peña Aguda, in Nieva. Over the years, the roots have penetrated the slate sheets beneath the surface and extracted a rich mineral strength from them. This packs the tiny berries with concentration and complexit -
Country: Spain, Ribera del dueroGrapes: TempranilloABV: 15%Style: Rich Full Red97 Points - Guia Penin. Pago de Carraovejas Cuesta de Las Liebres 2018 is one of the greatest wines of the Ribera del Duero. The 2018 scored 94 from Robert Parker, cementing its reputation as a wine to be compared with the likes of Vega Sicilia and Pingus. Made exclusively from Tinto Fino, the local name for Tempranillo, from a single high-altitude (850m above sea level) vineyard in only great years, since its release in 1991 it has become one of the most sought-after wines in all of Spain. Prod -
Country: USA, CaliforniaGrapes: GrenacheABV: 15.5%Style: Rich Full RedOrin Swift Abstract is a meticulously crafted red wine known for its rich and complex character. It is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Petite Sirah, creating a harmonious symphony of flavours. The wine exhibits a deep, visually striking hue and a captivating aroma profile that ranges from fruity to floral, with subtle notes of dark chocolate and spice. On the palate, it offers a full-bodied experience with robust tannins and a bold, fruit-forward taste. The finish is long and satisfying, leaving -
Country: USA, CaliforniaGrapes: Cabernet SauvignonABV: 15%Style: Rich Full Red92 Points - Wine Spectator. The Pahlmeyer Jayson 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon was produced from fruit from Pahlmeyer’s mountain-grown vines. It’s a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Merlot, so a classic Bordeaux blend. 2018 was an outstanding vintage, the unusually cool growing season saw the grapes ripen more slowly and gave them the opportunity to develop even more complexity. Once deemed ready, the grapes were harvested at night to preserve their freshness and ensure the a -
Country: Portugal, DouroGrapes: Touriga NacionalABV: 14%Style: Smooth Fruity Red91 Points - Robert Parker (2020). The Quinta do Crasto Superior Red Douro D.O.C. is a highly-rated red wine hailing from Portugal's Douro region. Skillfully blending the classical red grapes of Portugal, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz – it offers freshness and balance on both the nose and palate, along with a robust body, ripe firm tannins, and complex notes of dark berried fruits and cocoa that linger towards a long and elegant finish. Vivino Rating: 4.1 (July 2024) Taste Dee -
Country: France, BordeauxGrapes: MerlotABV: 13.5%Style: Savoury Classic Red92 Points - Wine Enthusiast. Clement Fayat set up his construction business in the 1950’s. Having grown it to the 4th largest in its sector (just behind Bouygues – owners of Chateau Montrose) he decided to follow his passion and began to invest in properties in Bordeaux. A lover of Pomerol, he purchased Prieurs de la Commanderie in 1984 and has begun to achieve the potential quality that rough diamond always promised. Dusty garnet colour. Aromas and flavours of mocha, toasty pistachio, and berry -
Country: France, BordeauxGrapes: Cabernet SauvignonABV: 13.5%Style: Savoury Classic Red93 Points - VertdeVin. The 2,5 hectare parcel producing just 10,000 bottles of this confidential wine stand in a mythical triangle of vines surrounded by Château Palmer, Rauzan Segla and Cantenac Brown, just the finest terroir one could hope for in the appellation. "Generous nose showing fruits in brandy, dried fruits and fine oakiness. Warm, expressive attack echoing the nose beautifully. The mid-palate and finish are firmer and bolder in this characterful wine." The wine is the epitome of the -
Country: England, SussexGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 12%Style: Crisp Classic Sparkling92 Points - Decanter World Wine Awards. Quintessentially English, only the very best fruit grown at Roebuck's Sussex vineyards is carefully selected for the Classic Cuvée. Crafted from a harmonious blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, this wine displays wonderful notes of baked apples and stone fruits layered with a biscuity richness. The 2017 growing season started well in the spring with an early budburst, followed by dry, sunny weather in May and June, and a very early flowerin -
Country: Portugal, DouroABV: 20%Style: Sweet and Fortified93 Points - Revista Adega. The Fonseca 20 Year Old Tawny Port is a traditional blend of grapes including Tinta Roriz, Tinta Cao, Touriga Nacional, and Tinta Francesca. Under the expert guidance of David Guimaraens, a sixth-generation winemaker, nothing is left to chance. Grapes are gathered from the best vineyards in the Cima Corgo and Douro Superior regions and are made in the traditional way with fortification with grape spirit halting the fermentation to leave some residual sugar in the wine. -
Country: Australia, South AustraliaGrapes: Pinot NoirABV: 14%Style: Rich Full Red96 points - Ned Goodwin. The Definitus is a special bottling from The Foggy Hill Vineyard. Foggy Hill is typical of the spectacular, steep, cool climate sites that have helped revolutionise Australian fine wine in recent years. Laying at 350m above sea level on the ancient soils of the Fleurieu Peninsula and cooled by the waters of Victor Harbor and Cape Jervis, it is the perfect spot for producing world-class Pinot Noir. Grapes are hand-harvested with each clone being brought in separately. Chi