The Collector's Reserve

Chateau Chantelune Margaux 2009

92 Points Wine Spectator. From one of the finest vintages of the century. Château Chantelune is a jewel located on top of the highest hill in Margaux, Château Chantelune is a unique property. Its previous owner, Mr. Soubrane was a carpenter who believed in felling his trees by moonlight, claiming this gave the best quality wood. His practice gave the property its name, meaning “sing to the moon.” He sold his land to José Sanfins, director at third growth property, Château Cantenac Brown. Forty year old vines thrive in the poor gravel-sand soils, the vines digging deep for water and nutrients making them strong and competitive. Production is limited to just 400 cases. The small size of the vineyards allow Jose Sanfins to produce small quantities of exceptional fruit, and so the best quality wine.

Pahlmeyer Jayson Red 2021

92 Points - Wine Spectator. The Jayson Red Wine was produced from grapes from a selection of prime sites in and around Atlas Peak in eastern Napa. Hailing from the outstanding 2021 vintage, a year noted for its opulence, this blend of 81% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon is wonderfully full and plump. The grapes were hand-picked and hand-sorted before undergoing fermentation in stainless steel tanks to enhance its fresh fruit profile and retain its bright acidity. The wine was then racked into French oak barrels, 58% of which were new, for 15 months of ageing. The resulting wine has more than a passing resemblance to a fine red Graves but with more generosity to the fruit character and less minerality.

Keet First Verse 2019

96 Points - Tim Atkin MW. Keet Wines epitomises viticulturist and oenologist Christopher Keet’s philosophy that the art of viticulture and winemaking lies in the focus, attention to detail and precision nurturing of vine and wine. The grapes are sourced from some of the finest vineyards in the Stellenbosch area including the slopes of the Helderberg, Stellenbosch Mountain, Simonsberg and the Polkadraai area. An understanding of this special terroir, meticulous site selection and attention to detail in the vineyards is crucial to ensure that the very best quality grapes are brought into the cellar. Each batch of grapes has been carefully selected for a specific aromatic profile, tannin structure and texture to contribute to the harmonious complexity of the First Verse.

Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino 2020

95 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 harvesting different plots of the same vineyard.  In the winery, great care is taken to use the most appropriate methods. So, some will see almost all grapes as whole clusters for fermentation, while others see only a small proportion. All wines are aged in oak for 18 months, a luxurious process that adds even greater richness and ageing ability.

Lou Miranda Heritage Series 1907 Old Vine Shiraz 2018

94 Points - The Wine Journal. The Lou Miranda Estate Heritage Series 1907 Old Vine Shiraz is a piece of Australian wine history. It is produced in minuscule quantities from fruit from their Church block which was established in 1907. These precious old vines are planted on their original rootstocks, not grafted onto American ones as is the norm today, and are afforded royal treatment. Dry grown rather than irrigated, and hand-tended at every stage of their development to ensure each vintage meets the exacting standards for which this prized wine is known. In a typical year, just 200 cases of this sensational wine are made, which has helped make the Lou Miranda Estate Heritage Series 1907 one of Australia’s most sought-after red wines.

Dehesa de los Canonigos Solideo Ribera del Duero Reserva 2019

95 Points - Pedro Ballesteros. Solideo is the reserve wine of Dehesa de los Canónigos. Its name means 'Only before God', also used to designate a silk cap that is usually worn by the Pope.  It is made with 85% Tempranillo, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Albillo Mayor and remains in barrels for 24 months, first in American oak of one and two years of age and the last four months in new French oak. From vineyards over 80 years of age, Solideo is a wine that is reserved only for exceptional harvests, and can age for many years to come.