92 Points - Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux. The Chateau Andron-Blanquet Saint-Estephe 2016 is a must-buy for any Bordeaux wine lover. With a host of major awards to its name, this brilliant estate offers exceptional value for money, particularly in fine vintages such as 2016. A classic blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it offers a seductively soft and fruity nose that's bordered by tones of smoke, peppers and violets. Rich, ripe, and mouth-filling, the palate is full of black fruits wi

Chateau les Vimieres le Tronquera is that rarest of jewels: an affordable fine Bordeaux. This tiny (0.45-hectare) estate is home to seventy-year-old vines that produce minuscule quantities of super-concentrated grapes. Decadently rich, yet supple and elegant, this offers Grand Cru levels of complexity with Margaux’s signature finesse. Produced by Eric Boissenot, consultant to Chateau Latour and Chateau Lafite, this is your chance to try a superstar wine at a down-to-earth price. Wine Press Ratin

Icario Rosso di Montepulciano 2024 is a youthful, fruit-driven Tuscan red with bright cherry, red fruit, and vanilla notes, made by a forward-thinking estate passionate about quality and place. With top critic scores for previous vintages (including a 97-point Decanter Platinum) and continued praise from wine lovers, this wine represents the best of Montepulciano’s approachable, authentic charm. TasteIcario Rosso di Montepulciano 2024 bursts with youthful energy and a vivid ruby red colour. The

Chateau les Vimieres le Tronquera is that rarest of jewels: an affordable fine Bordeaux. This tiny (0.45-hectare) estate is home to seventy-year-old vines that produce minuscule quantities of super-concentrated grapes. Decadently rich, yet supple and elegant, this offers Grand Cru levels of complexity with Margaux’s signature finesse. Produced by Eric Boissenot, consultant to Chateau Latour and Chateau Lafite, this is your chance to try a superstar wine at a down-to-earth price. Wine Press Ratin

Second wines in great years have always been a great way for Bordeaux wine lovers to enjoy something special without breaking the bank. The Pavillon du Glana 2020 is a prime example of this. Produced at Chateau du Glana, the close neighbour of Chateau Beychevelle, it shows the vintage's generosity and style in a more approachable way.  Vivino Rating: 4.1 (Oct 2025) Blend : 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot Taste With its classic bouquet of cassis, pencil lead, and violets and ripe, saturated pa

91 Points - Decanter. Beau Vigne Amendment XXI 2022 perfectly synthesizes the power and complexity of Napa Valley’s best red blends: it layers rich, dark fruit with elegant oak and spice, all balanced by the estate’s signature smoothness and structure. Produced by a boutique, sustainably-minded estate, Amendment XXI embodies the craftsmanship and terroir-driven approach that have made Beau Vigne a hidden gem among Napa’s top producers; delivering immediate pleasure and impressive cellar potentia

92 Points - Wine Enthusiast. Chateau Petit Bocq made the most of its scattered Saint Estèphe plots and selected only the finest fruit for its Grand Vin in 2017. This Cru Bourgeois Supérieur is made up of 50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Petit Verdot from vineyards that border the likes of Cos d’Estournel and Montrose.  Known as one of the best value wines in all of Saint Estèphe, it’s been described as a ‘…seriously structured wine. It also has density and solid black fruits that are r

A sophisticated expression of Franschhoek’s terroir, The Max 2019 is a meticulously crafted Bordeaux-style blend that balances power with precision. The nose is deeply layered, revealing cassis, black cherry, and plum, interwoven with cedar, tobacco, and graphite. The palate is structured yet polished, with finely grained tannins supporting a core of dark fruit, savoury spice, and mineral complexity. Aged in French oak, the wine’s elegance and depth promise remarkable ageing potential, yet its r

90 Points - Gilbert et Gaillard. Dornier is a family-owned winery situated in The Golden Triangle area of the upper Blaauwklippen Valley Stellenbosch. The primary focus at Dornier lies in the production of premium quality wines with minimal intervention which are expressive to the unique terroir. Donatus Red is a classical Bordeaux blend from 5 vineyards on the slopes of the Stellenbosch Mountain. Bursting with flavours of blackcurrant and liquorice. The palate is refined and elegant with silky

90 Points - Jeff Leve. Château Vrai Canon Bouché hails from Canon Fronsac and since 2005 it has become one of this commune’s leading wines. Its single vineyard is planted with a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc and is hand-tended like it was a garden. The owners have steadily reduced the use of chemicals and have deployed natural methods to restore the soil’s vitality. 2017 was a particularly successful year for the property. Writing in the Wine Insider, Jeff Leve awarded it 90 points

Bolgheri is a relatively young yet prestigious Italian appellation located on the Tuscan coast just to the south of Livorno, home to exceptional wines. It is known mainly for deeply coloured, supple yet age worthy red wines, usually based on the Bordeaux grape varieties, which this wine is no different (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec). A classic, elegant Bordeaux style blend with round and silky tannins that result in a pleasant and long-las

94 Points - Greg Sherwood, MW. The 2019 Winshaw Vineyards Charles Winshaw is a bold, Bordeaux-style blend showcasing the depth and complexity of Stellenbosch. Made from 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Malbec, and smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this wine is aged for 20 months in oak barrels, resulting in a rich, structured wine with layers of dark fruit, spice, and subtle oak influence. A perfect balance of power and finesse, it’s a standout expression of Winshaw Vineyards’ commitment

92 Points - James Suckling. A pure expression of Bordeaux’s Right Bank, made with a Burgundian focus on terroir. Sourced from green and blue clay soils in Sainte-Colombe, this un-oaked 2021 is bright, juicy and vibrant, with pure red and black fruit and a fresh, mineral finish. Wine Press Ratings 92 Points - James Suckling (2021 Vintage) "This is wonderfully fruity with mulberries, citrus fruit and some wet earth. It's medium-bodied and deliciously fruity all the way through. Yet, it’s in-check

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

The Petit Manou is another great example of the value of buying second wines in great Bordeaux vintages. The Petit Manou 2018 is the second wine of the 91-point Clos Manou 2018, and it shares many of its big brother's qualities, being big, bold, well-extracted and packed with black and red fruits backed by notes of cedar, mocha and minerals. At its drinking peak now, enjoy this with grilled meats, creamy cheeses, tomato-based dishes or as a satisfying solo sipper. Vivino Rating: 4.0 (Apr 2025) A

93 Points - Wine Enthusiast. The Chateau Bouscaut 2018 is one of the stars of the magnificent 2018 Bordeaux vintage. In common with its Grand Cru Classe peers, the Chateau Bouscaut 2018 is a rich, ripe, succulent wine that exudes style and class. Drinking well now, its bouquet is full of smoked black fruits, dusty minerals, cherries and Chinese spices. The palate is medium-bodied, multi-layered, broad and packed with blackcurrant, plum, earth notes, and highlights of red berries. The tannins are

93 Points - Wine Spectator. The Pahlmeyer Jayson 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 aromas

From the historic Villa Mangiacane estate in the heart of Chianti Classico, the Z District Gran Selezione 2018 is a flagship expression of Sangiovese. Gran Selezione sits at the very top of the Chianti hierarchy, drawn from the estate’s best parcels and aged to emphasise depth, elegance and longevity. This is a wine that captures both the heritage of Tuscany and the precision of modern winemaking. Taste A richly structured Chianti Classico with ripe cherry and blackberry fruit at its core. Notes

Chateau Carrosse Martillac Pessac-Leognan 2019 is a refined Bordeaux displaying poised fruit, gentle spice, and impressive length. Crafted by the Miailhe family with a steadfast commitment to sustainability and parcel-specific winemaking, it stands out among its peers for its respectful approach to terroir and quality. The vintage combines critical appreciation for balance and structure with a story of revival and environmental care, ultimately presenting a wine of true significance from the Pes

Icario Nysa Rosso 2021 is a vibrant yet refined Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot with juicy cherry, plum, and a balanced oak character. Crafted by a progressive Montepulciano estate lauded for its passion and innovative spirit, this wine’s critical recognition with 90 points demonstrates both its drinkability and uniqueness among contemporary IGT reds. TasteIcario Nysa Rosso 2021 delivers a modern, expressive profile driven by a blend of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sau

93-95 Points - The Wine Independent. Pahlmeyer made the most of the glorious 2021 Napa Valley Merlot vintage – a year that seems destined to rival or even eclipse the extraordinary 2013, 2018, and 2019 havests. The grapes for the Pahlmeyer Merlot 2021 were grown on high-elevation blocks and were hand-harvested, allowing for rigorous vineyard selection and gentle handling. Once in Pahlmeyer’s state-of-the-art winery, they were given a further hand sort and destemmed, with only perfectly ripe frui

94 Points - Andreas Larsson. Château Martet sits in the Sainte-Foy Côtes de Bordeaux, a tucked-away appellation between Saint-Émilion and Monbazillac, where the right-bank terroir produces wines with both character and finesse. The Réserve de Famille is the estate’s flagship cuvée, made from the best parcels and crafted with meticulous care. The 2020 shows the estate at its polished, expressive best. Generous, structured, and built for both enjoyment now and cellaring. Taste Plush dark plum and

99 Points - Bettane et Desseauve. Château Durfort-Vivens, a historic Second Growth in Margaux, shines in the 2019 vintage. Structured yet elegant, it combines classic Margaux finesse with rich, expressive fruit — a wine of poise and ageing potential. Wine Press Ratings 99 Points - Bettane et Desseauve (2019 Vintage) 94 Points - Jeff Leve (2019 Vintage) "Flowers, cherries, and tobacco show easily on the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, elegant, fresh, clean, and pure, with silky tannins and a vib

Esk Valley River Gravel 2019 is a rich, complex, and elegant blend from Hawke’s Bay that marries expressive dark fruit with refined oak and seamless structure. Crafted by a trailblazing winery renowned for its artisanal methods and focus on unique terroir, this wine is recognised for excellence by leading critics and offers impressive ageing potential for any serious wine collection. TasteEsk Valley River Gravel 2019 is a full-bodied blend offering deep aromas of blackberry, dark cherry, and plu