The September Releases 2021

Let the aromatics slowly unfurl out of the glass, really give it time. Crushed raspberries and tobacco, fresh flowers, salty crackers, oyster shell. The weight, the texture, the acidity are all in balance, playing off each other. Stops you in your tracks. A spring frost reduced yields by about 20%, fermented with 50% whole cluster between concrete vats and oak casks. 7400 cases produced. Wine Director: Alejandro Vigil.

A sit up and take notice wine. Inky colour, smooth tannins, still young and crouched but already combining subtlety and confidence. On the palate, you get a wall of liquorice, crushed cardamom, rosemary, cassis, liqueur, all expertly delivered by winemaker Fernando Buscema. Sensational wine. Tasted twice, same impression each time, of a wine full of life and interest. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Lovely depth to the fruit, clear chocolate, liquorice, rosemary and black pepper spice, along with blueberry, black cherry, nuances of orange rind. A relatively low level of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend compared to some years, but it still pulls its weight in terms of the aromatics profile. Gérald Gabillet director and winemaker (previously at Château Angélus in St Emilion).

A whole different level of Chardonnay, so much complexity and nuance. The aromatics on this are full and rich yet the texture is precise and pointed. Creamy texture, great length, generous and seductive apricot pit, lemon- grass and slate-scraping citrus, inching forward a slow shuffle at a time. Wet stone minerality, acidity that is well judged - high enough to build freshness though the palate, but not over the top, despite this being a cooler growing season and a harvest that was two weeks later than average. Juicy on the finish, and a wine that it is hard to put down. Joyful Chardonnay. Number 762 of 2,288 bottles, 3.71ph, wild yeast fermentation. Biodynamic farming across the entire estate, but no certification. Tasted twice.

Pencil lead and graphite, packed full of supple and savoury Cabernet flavours, a punch of dark fruits and eucalyptus notes on the finish. Smooth, sweet raspberry fruits, touches of cherry pit and cedar adds definition and depth. Impossible to miss the personality and swagger on this wine. 35% new oak (French oak barrels and hogsheads), 3.61ph, 37hl/h yield. Tasted twice, excellent quality.

Deep ruby red, sweet black cherry and loganberry, cassis pastille (something I often get in great Cabernet from Australia, as the flavours are so concentrated and pure). No hard edges, this has tannins but they are wrapped in chocolate, with smoked rosemary, anis, turmeric, wild herbs and spices. It rises up to meet you and doesn’t let go, handling a difficult growing season with ease. Acidity is fresh, giving a kick on the finish, suggesting that this need another thee to four years in bottle. Great stuff from owner Will Berliner. 175 of 2888 bottles, 3.71ph. Harvest March 29-30, 3.71ph. Biodynamic farming across the entire estate, but no certification.

I always feel with this wine that you are getting to know Cabernet Sauvignon all over again, with its purity of grape expression, and here you get powerful cassis notes combined with liquorice root, bitter orange peel and crushed mint. Bin 169 can sometimes get lost among the Penfold’s range, but this deserves to have its own place at the table. 4,000-5,000 cases overall, was initially released last year but is having a wider release through the Place this September.

Inky purple colour, love the nose on this. Velvety texture that trips along the tongue but has grooves that stop it being too smooth, slowing down the travel through the palate. Plenty of black chocolate, roasted cloves, all-spice, bright blueberry and black pepper. No need to wait too long for this - you could give it another few years but you don’t want to miss this juicy mouthwatering freshness. 3.83ph. Bottle 98 of 1200. Delightful and extremely moreish. There is an energy in this that elevates it above your average Malbec, and makes me think of Jesse Katz’s Devil Proof from Sonoma, another exceptional example of this grape outside of its traditional regions of Argentina or Cahors.

Concentrated and spicy, great warm region Shiraz typicity, full of plum fruits, chocolate shavings and tobacco leaf, and a low hum of rosemary through the finish. Lacks a little breath of fresh air compared to last year’s bril- liant vintage but no question this is built to last. 3.5ph. 70% French oak, 30% American oak. Made by Peter and Tom Barry, with the oldest vines planted in 1968 so now 53 years old, grown on sandy gravel soils. Tasted twice.

Let the aromatics slowly unfurl out of the glass, really give it time. Crushed raspberries and tobacco, fresh flowers, salty crackers, oyster shell. The weight, the texture, the acidity are all in balance, playing off each other. Stops you in your tracks. A spring frost reduced yields by about 20%, fermented with 50% whole cluster between concrete vats and oak casks. 7400 cases produced. Wine Director: Alejandro Vigil.

A sit up and take notice wine. Inky colour, smooth tannins, still young and crouched but already combining subtlety and confidence. On the palate, you get a wall of liquorice, crushed cardamom, rosemary, cassis, liqueur, all expertly delivered by winemaker Fernando Buscema. Sensational wine. Tasted twice, same impression each time, of a wine full of life and interest. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.

The glamour, spice and power that you find with Epu but here given the full weight and balance of concentrated black cherry and damson fruits, cardamom pod and white pepper spices and confident tannins. A serious Almaviva, one that has personality and focus. It will benefit from a few more years in bottle from now - and then suggest drinking it within the next 5 to 10 years to make the most of the generosity that is just overflowing. 75% new oak.

Full of character and depth, stretches out as it opens. Higher alcohol than the estate’s 2nd wine Le Petit Clos, but you feel it less in this wine because there is so much at play here. Complex and confident, with a flood of flavour; extremely muscular and intense but you get salinity and juice that keeps up the pace, running along- side the fruit from start to finish. Tight tannins, needs a few years in bottle.

Nuanced dried herbs with savoury blueberry and grilled butterscotch on the opening beats. Really an enjoya- ble wine, juicy, muscular and broad shouldered but with balance. As it unrolls through the mid palate you are gripped by strong coffee grounds and cocoa bean notes, and the whole thing is a gourmet slice of pleasure. Andre Lavados director. First year on the Place de Bordeaux for this exceptional Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, now 30 years in existence, with vineyards at the foot of the Andes.

The blend sees more than half Carmenere, and the character of that variety dominates the palate with its acidity, its white pepper freshness and its raspberry leaf fragrance. Chewy tannins and a long finish show the structure in this 2nd wine made from the youngest vines of the estate. 2018 is a great vintage in Chile and even with the trace of heat on the finish, this is an enjoyable easy drinker from Domaines Bournet-Lapostelle.

Second wine of Almaviva, released through the Place for the first time in 2021. There is spiced damson and blackcurrant fruit, dark chocolate shavings and a sweet, ripe feel overall, plenty of glamour and impact, but traces also of a hot, dry season with a touch of heat on the finish. This needs time to open, so although there is no problem with drinking soon, it will really benefit from time in a carafe to soften the tannins.

Only small amounts of this vintage has been made available before now, so this is really an extremely special release from one of the last Champagne houses to be run by a member of its founding family. Now 25 years post harvest, this was a high acidity vintage, meaning it was always clear that it would age well, but also clear that Clos des Goisses benefitted more than ever from its south-facing slopes that allowed the Pinot to get beautifully structured and ripe to balance the acidity. Rich and nuanced in colour, golden amber, with evident body and powerful flavours of quince, tobacco, campfire smoke. A brilliant interplay between tertiary truffle and patisserie notes with elderflower, white peaches and lemongrass coming in halfway through to add lift. Precise and delicate bubbles, clear persistency, with a bitter almond finish. The house vintages are all aged in the traditional 18C cellars, riddled by hand. Very low dosage at 4.5 g/l - making it an Extra Brut (as are all the Philipponnat Champagnes). Bottled 1997, disgorged March 2021 (and just 600 bottles, going up to perhaps 900 maximum, for worldwide distribution). Would benefit from a short carafe before drinking, but the main priority here is to clear your schedule and enjoy.

Expectations are high when you open a top flight estate in one of Bordeaux’s most revered vintages, and the 2005 Latour, while still being stubborn, is poised to deliver the goods. So many layers to get through, and it moves in distinct stages, from sweet-salty dark chocolate and soy sauce through to earthy cassis and blackberries, finishing up with a delicate burst of rosebuds and violet flowers, and a saline, slate and mint kick on the finish. The flavours remain hidden at first and need coaxing - there is definitely no rush to open, and it may still be going through something of a dumb phase, but I have been lucky enough to taste this wine a few times this year, and this week’s example was one of the best, really beginning to grow into its potential, and showing plenty of old school Latour power. There are fireworks but you have to wait for them, and ideally I would still give it another few years. 100% new oak. This wine has been released En Primeur, then again in March 2017, and this is the third and final release. Harvest between September 26 and October 6. Decanted three hours before tasting, and it needs another few hours to fully open.

Give this 5 or 10 minutes to open in the glass because it has a pretty serious structure, deftly weighted, full of white pear, quince and apricot pit, balanced by savoury rosemary, straw and fennel notes, successful and totally moreish. A vintage that had the freshness necessary for great white wines in Bordeaux, and Y pulls away from the pack with this wine.

Violet edging, and from the start it resonates with flavour, energy and impact. Mouthwatering levels of black- berry and blueberry fruits, juicy and complex, plenty of tannins that close in on the finish while maintaining a juicy frame to the fruits. This is a legendary wine with reason. From a dedicated 4ha of the brilliant Beaucastel estate, and as with all the wines it is truly a family affair - director Charles Perrin, oenologist César Perrin

A vintage that I have tasted a few times this year, and an excellent one to be reminded of at the 10 year window. Layers of blueberry, plum, cassis and rosemary, sculpted and heavy on the rose and violet floral aromatics that speak of its appellation. As it opens, the smoky notes become more evident, and this is sensuous but reflective of a cooler summer than the blockbuster 2009 and 2010 that preceded it. A hail storm at the end of June meant this is a small yield at 21hl/ha - the lowest since 1961 (until 2018). Needs another two or three years to really open up, but you might be lucky with a few hours in the glass - the most recent bottle of this wine that I had (August 2021) was absolutely singing and ready to go. One of the very few Palmers with no Petit Verdot in the blend, and a rare Merlot dominance, both of which make this an unusual bottle.

Always a treat to taste a mature vintage alongside the younger one being released, as a reminder of what this wine can grow into. If this is released alongside (to be determined) it will be in tiny quantities. A raspberry and turmeric sweetness, as the structure of the wine has opened and relaxed with age. Dominated by spices and liquorice root, still full of vivacious freshness with raspberry and bilberry fruits, this takes you right to Châteauneuf-du-Pape with its warming stones, its mixed dried herbs, its heat, power and generosity.

You are immediately captured by the aromatics of this wine, such gorgeous complexity on display, layers of fern, heather, sage, white pepper, gun smoke. Taut tannins still at 6 years old, with nuanced, balanced, juicy and powerful cassis and bilberry fruits. No need to rush because this will age, but there is so much to enjoy here.

Pale oyster shell and lemon colour, delicate shortbread biscuit and elderflower notes on the opening beats. A lovely sense of weight and expression, everything poised and with a sense of being driven forward by the fresh acidities. As things open, you get quince, raspberry pips, fleshy white pear, and a cloud of white blossom and violet flowers. Overall a sense that it grows in power and length, and this is a gorgeous Champagne with its distinctive and powerful house style. Dosage 4.5g (this is always the case with Philipponnat). 60% aged in Burgundy barrels, 40% in stainless steel tanks, no malo. A small yield after a cold winter and spring, then cool weather at flowering made for a small yield, with just 13,000 bottles (around half the most generous years). No malo, 3.08ph. Racking once, only at the time of blending. Blended and bottled May 2013, disgorged April 2021

I’m always a fan of this Chardonnay, which benefits from the remote mountainous location of the estate, even while that same location contributes to the fact that it is sometimes overlooked in the crowded field of great French Chardonnay. Plenty of textured white pear and peach pit, nuanced honeysuckle flowers. Smoky-sweet butterscotch runs through the fruit, but high enough acidity that it is delivers a juicy finish. A well controlled, gourmet white wine. Includes grapes from a tiny 0.26ha of Chenin Blanc for the first time.

Love this wine, and it has taken a leap in depth and character since the addition of Sémillion as of the 2018 vintage. Fleshy citrus comes through in the rich texture and a contrasting scrape of fresh acidities pulls everything in. Gooseberry and lime zest flavours pick up the pace with a bright Sauvignon Blanc character, all balanced out by the steadying hand of Sémillon. A clean finish, this is an excellent vintage of this wine.

The first vintage under Michel Reybier (also owner of Cos d’Estournel since 2000), still with long-time winemaker Nathalie Longefay. Delicate redcurrant and rose petal flavours on the attack, sweeter raspberry through the mid palate as it deepens, carrying things along with a mouthwatering salinity on the finish.

Savoury fruits, fine tannins and fresh acidities, expressed with harmony and balance. I have followed this Rhone-Bordeaux wine from Pierre Graffeuille and Mathieu Dumarcher since its first vintage, and this is one of the best to date, with clear personality centred around turmeric spice and black pepper accompanying ripe blackberry and cassis fruits and fragrant garrigue.

This is a 2nd wine that you can always rely on for confidence and quality, and that begs to be opened with friends. Packed with cassis and bilberry fruit, smoked coffee beans and an earthy edge. Sleek and enjoyable, can be drunk now with a carafe and over next 5 to 10 years. Supple tannins, don’t wait too long to maximise enjoyment of the bright fruits. 36hl/h yield, 20% new oak.

An enjoyably ripe and robust red, with shades of berry fruits and smoky, dried flower aromatics that make it extremely easy to recommend. Structured, rippled muscles, showing generosity coupled with a spicy undertow. Black pepper, slightly drying tannins on the finish but this is a well-judged wine. Extended harvest from September 22 to October 17, allowing full ripeness of all five varieties. Augustin Deschamps has been director since 2007, and doing an excellent job of finessing this wine.

Blackberry fruits, brambled hedgerows, a great vintage in Pauillac, and a year when it makes sense to look at 2nd wines. This has improved for me since I tasted it En Primeur, with more depth and grip to the fruits, and a touch of bitter chocolate shavings adding depth to the sweet cedar of the oak (the wine is aged in 30% new barrels). No need to wait too long, it will be at its best in another year or two, and will hold for a further five or six.

Great to see a 2nd wine being re-released at what is exactly the right moment to begin drinking it. Nuanced and creamy blackberry and raspberry fruits and lovely fragrant tomato and raspberry leaf and raspberry leaf notes that lifts things out of the glass, but there are high acidities on the finish that speak of the stubborn ripening of the year, with the last grapes coming in on October 15.

First year to have the 2nd wine of Baronarques on the Place, combining as the main wine does grape varieties from Bordeaux and the South of France. This is unfussy, easy to drink, plenty of raspberry and red cherry notes, with a kick of peppery spice that adds definition. High acidity on the finish closes things down fairly swiftly.

Axel Heinz turning out yet again a wine that is generous and moreish but that goes deeper, offering layers of coffee, smoked herbs, rosemary, saffron, gentle waves of powerful brambled fruits. Mouthwatering, with tension and precision. Finely spun tannin that are elastic in embracing and taming the exuberant fruits yet chewy enough on the finish to show there is plenty of ageing ability ahead. Makes a big impression and yet has that Italian ability to be gulpable at the same time. A more elegant, moreish version of Merlot than you get in the biggest Pomerols, but every bit as beautiful. 11ha.

Colore comes from the oldest vineyards of Sangiovese that range up to 135 years, and there is a gentle, unforced complexity to this wine that is deliciously moreish. Expect raspberries, black cherries, rosemary, liquorice, the soft floral aromatics of late-afternoon roses, caressing and silky and giving so much pleasure but not expecting too much of you. You can drink this now with a carafe but it will age, because there is acidity and grip. A lovely wine to slow down to. Bib Graetz’s 20th anniversary, proving again why he is such a compelling figure in Tuscany.

Cracked almond and bitter chocolate and a ton of blackberry and raspberry puree. It’s gourmet with butterscotch and coffee beans, a wine that you want to share. Lifts off through the palate, has complexity and delicacy and waves of flavours that invade the mouth. Set in the Tuscany hills, 300m above sea level. A brilliant wine from the Antinori family. Stefano Carpaneto director.

The second year on the Place for the Mazzei family with Siepi. What a brilliant vintage of this wine, raspberry, redcurrant, sage, tobacco leaf and savoury cherry pit. Moreish and delicate but powerful and intense, and just so drinkable in that way the best Italian wines always are - you can imagine this being passed around a table and everyone wants a piece. Love it. The same family as Conterno, in the wine business since 1435.

This is savoury, dry in the best possible way, with a ton of red fruits, dried roses and herbs, and waves of fragrance. It’s a successful blend where the Sangiovese is dominant, conferring the wine with its warm personality but the Cabernet Sauvignon adds a touch of austerity to the tannins and a sense of quiet confidence. Turmeric and olive tapenade as it opens, alongside raspberry, red cherry and smoky oak, the whole thing both extremely delicate and intensely fragrant. Can drink now with a short carafe - there are tannins here but they are well defined and finely layered - but it will also age. Small amounts of the 2018 were released last winter, but this September sees the first proper release through the Place de Bordeaux. Ageing 18 months in small French oak barrels, 70% new, plus four months in concrete tanks afterwards. One to look out for - great stuff from the Mazzei family, that has been making wine in Tuscany since the 15th century.

Pure rich and seductive fruits in that generous way that Ornellaia has, with the most gorgeous smoky character. It is full of life and nuance and so moreish. Teases with its ability to give and take, structured yet soft, powerful but finessed, full of leather, vanilla bean, raspberry, red cherry, tar. All varieties are aged separately for 12 months then blended and then put back in barrel for 6 months, 70% new oak. First released through the Place in March 2021.

A great year for Brunello and this is like a breath of fresh air, transporting you to Tuscany. Emphasis on dried herbs, leather, campfire smoke with traces of sweet cherry, butterscotch and coffee bean. Love the soft and gentle waves of flavour that gather power through the palate; tannins are grippy and mouthwatering, and this is pretty irresistible. One of the original producers of Brunello in the 1800s, with vineyards planted between 250-400 metres above sea level, still setting the pace.

Totally moreish, blackberry and black cherry fruits, generous yet subtle and at this point the tannins are welcoming and integrated, practically begging you to begin drinking the wine. Smoked caramel and butter- scotch as it opens, trace of heat on the finish but Sangiovese’s acidity balances it out, and there is a silky texture. Two more additional years of ageing compared to the Poggio Antico..

20 year anniversary vintage at this brilliant 58ha estate, and it’s hard not to love the complexity and the sense of controlled power. Raspberry, black cherry, butterscotch, truffle, scorched earth and slate, cleverly put together with clear confidence. So much happens after the wine has left your mouth - it has a whole second act where much of the nuance appears. It’s the detail that sets Testamatta apart - with the team going through the vineyard up to 8 times to ensure picking when ripe - from estate-owned plots across Tuscany where the vines range from 5 years old up to 80 years old from 400m to 600m altitude. Natural yeasts, six manual punch downs per day, 10 days maceration maximum and barrel ageing with no new oak.

An extremely classic Brunello with its sour cherry, rosemary, sage and underbrush character on the attack, hugely savoury, mouthwatering and moreish, with delicacy and juice. As it opens, leather, tobacco, olive, rose petal and a sweeter raspberry puree appear. Love it. Aged in Slovenian oak barrels. First released in March 2021, second tasting here.

After the amazing last few years that Giodo has enjoyed, the 2017 vintage doesn’t quite have the same levels of succulence but this is still an exceptional wine. Clear smoke on the first nose, aromatically rich, with touches of rosemary, saffron and white pepper alongside red cherry and raspberry fruit. Hugely concentrated, the tannins take a grip on your palate and tug the fruit back as it moves through the palate, keeping your focus engaged. 30% lower yield than normal. This will be released in September but not available for immediate delivery because it is finishing up its two years in bottle ageing (after three years in barrel). Carlo Ferrini winemaker.

Waves of dried roses on the nose, opening up to cranberry, raspberry, violet and tobacco leaf notes. A distinct personality, savoury and mouthwatering. First time on the Place de Bordeaux for this 3,000 bottle wine from owner Luca Sanjust. 5ha of old vines located in Val d’Arno in the southern part of the Chianti hills. Fermented with wild yeasts in concrete vats with long maceration on the skins

Pale but vibrant ruby in colour, from 6.5ha of 45 year old vines on the northern slopes of Etna at 750m. So fragrant it’s crazy, soft raspberry and cranberry fruits, this is far more intense on the nose than you expect from the colour. Very approachable, easy to enjoy, fragrant with rolling waves of summer fruits, orange peel and earthy dried herbs. No need to wait to drink this, although you feel gentle tannins guiding your way through the palate. Easy to recommend this wine from Davide Rosse (originally from Piedmont, and you can see something of the delicacy of nebbiolo here, the whisper of a variety that specialises in gentle persuasion). Aged in an array of differently sized French oak barrels and casks. Got to be the best value wine of the September Releases.

The 20 year anniversary vintage of Luca Sanjust’s 10ha estate set at 300m of altitude in the southern part of Tuscany by the Chianti hills, showcasing the power of its clay soils. Heavy smoke on the opening, violet edging, plenty of light and shade to the ripe Merlot fruits, with a rough grain to the tannins that adds a seductive contrast to luscious raspberry and blackberry coulis. Softens on the finish but there is plenty of freshly cut rosemary, with the freshness of the Chianti hills.

Where the 2nd wine was 50/50 between Sangiovese and Merlot, they have increased the Tuscan identity with the first wine to a dominant Sangiovese blend, and it benefits from this in terms of its savoury seductive fragrance, and its emphasis on raspberry, red cherry fruits. The flavour deepens through the mid palate with waves of vanilla bean, black tea, olive paste and cloves. A trace of heat on the finish, but this is great quality. Alessandro Marini is winemaker here.

Powerful black cherry and raspberry fruits, has a sense of energy and forward motion together with the savoury succulence of roses, dried herbs and smoked earth that Italy does so well. First year on the Place de Bordeaux for this 33ha estate located high in the Brunello hills, owned by Belgian Marcel van Poecke. In organic conversion.

The main estate wine from the Moretti Cuseri family, 7.5ha of vines located in the same corner of Tuscany as Sassicaia and Ornellaia. An impressive Bordeaux blend with the fragrance and spice that the Italian climate brings to the grape varieties. Fairly knitted down at this point, its tannins are well drawn and present, clear emphasis on spice notes with eucalyptus edging. High alcohol but well balanced, and good value for this style of wine, with substance and depth and you know it will age for a good decade or so. If open now ensure you are decanting for a few hours.

A recognisable Bordeaux blend with its structure, tannins and velvet texture. Softly brushed vanilla bean and cocoa shavings alongside the raspberry fruits. This is excellent quality, approachable with a good few hours in a carafe now, or give it another few years to further soften the tannins. Le Serre Nuove comes from younger vines or those on lighter, sandier soils, translating into a fruit-focused, unfussy wine that was first released in this vintage through the Place in March 2021, making this my second tasting.

Seductive mix of pleasure and complexity - soft but powerful, gathers strength, does a great job of stretching outwards through the palate. The sharp Sauvignon Blanc character is tempered by the softer touch of vermentino and verdicchio, combining to give white flowers, straw, rosemary, honeysuckle, slate and spice. 25% new oak, blend at the end of ageing. No malolactic, 6 months ageing on lees then 12 months in bottle before release. Showcasing the skills of Axel Heinz once again, in the second label of Ornellaia Bianco.

The personality of this estate has become better established over the past few years, and this is an enjoyable vintage. Complex and juicy, slate minerality, it has a seriously Mediterranean bouquet - meaning underbrush, dried herbs, raspberry puree, saffron, sage, aniseed. Rewards taking your time in the glass, because the flavour strands need a moment to unwind. Certified organic, and the long-term agroforestry project, with trees planted among the vineyards is the traditional way of planting here rather than a new initiative. Tuscan estate located in the Maremma and owned by the Albada family of Château Giscours, Jerome Poisson winemaker. A number of different soils and exposures that adds complexity, as do the seven different grape varieties, mix of Bordeaux and Italian varieties. 30% new oak, then back in concrete tanks for 4 months before release.

From a 3.5ha vineyard at 400m elevation in the Tuscan hills. Clear burst of fragrant raspberry and redcurrant fruits, with aromatics that curls upwards alongside cold ash and liquorice root, sweet yet smoky raspberry puree on the finish, a trace of heat brings things to a more abrupt finish than ideal, and a touch of butterscotch shows the oak influence. There is juice as it opens up, giving a mouthwatering finish. Aged in 700l oak casks for 12 months, going into 2,500 litre oak vats then cement tanks before bottling. First time for a full September release, although a limited number of bottles were released through the Place last winter.

Second year on the Place for the second wine of Masseto, from young vines. This is generous and easy to love, powerful brambled fruits and juicy red cherry, rosemary and Tuscan underbrush spice. All plots are vinified separately, wild yeast fermention, malo in barrel, with 50% new oak. Tiny quantities of this wine are made.

Carlo Ferrini’s wonderful Etna wine, from just 1.5ha of grapes situated at 900m above sea level. Pale ruby in col- our, there are floral aromatics on the nose but plenty of structure to the red cherry and cranberry fruit, and this has a serious side to it, with muscular tannins and a real fist of spice. Aged in 500-700litre oak casks, then back in cement vats to finish off the ageing. Bottled unfiltered.

A touch of vanilla and smoked oak notes add gloss to the attack. As it settles in the glass, you get white flowers, honeysuckle, rich citrus and bitter almond. First vintage 2014, although the vines were planted in the 1970s originally, recently replanted using the original clones. 3,300 bottles. Unracked until bottling. 2.5ha estate.

First released through the Place in March 2021, this has softened since I last tasted it, and majors on richly textured raspberry puree, still with distinct fresh rosemary with a handful of dried herb spice and white pepper. There is a deft confidence to the delivery and this is very easy to love. No need to wait, although it will keep delivering for another to decade. Blending takes place a few months before bottling, with ageing in a mix of oak barrels and cement vats.

Fresh acidities lift the raspberry and smoky tobacco leaf aromatics. Sour cherry notes on the palate, with firm tannins that build slowly and delicately, giving plenty of confidence that it will age well over the next few years. First released through the Place in March 2021, making this my second tasting.

This is Orma’s second wine, made from younger vines, also with Bordeaux grapes kissed by the Tuscan underbrush. This majors on blueberry and blackberry fruits, sun sweetened, showing smoked caramel on the finish. Aged in steel tanks for 18 days then six months in 225l barrels. Easy to approach, no need to wait although a quick carafing would help for the next few years.

The most gorgeous mix of straw, powerful citrus, apricot, fresh juicy white pear and peach, tons of stone fruits and spice, graphite and smoke. As ever this is both subtle and overpowering, managing push and pull and so so good - both lusciously sweet and a breath of fresh air running through your palate. As I say every time I drink Vin de Constance, if every sweet wine tasted like this, there would be no sales crisis in the category. Drink now, or allow the flavours to deepen further over the next decade.

The talented Telmo Rodriguez is launching this wine onto the Place with its first vintage for the entirety of its production. The grapes are from a 3.8ha limestone-dominant plot within the family's Remelluri estate, found in the foothills of the Sierra de Tolono mountains. A sweet and smoky attack, with a ton of flavours and fragrant aromatics that grab hold and hang on, from dense liqourice root to crushed stones to blueberry, redcurrant, rose petals and tobacco, nothing too much or too overwhelming, but you also feel the herb-strewn call of the vineyard and you want to be there, among the vines where this is made. Get hold of it now, enjoy the brilliance of Telmo Rodriguez and the sense of place that he can bring to a wine. A field blend, as with the brilliant Remelluri Blanc, with just over 7,000 bottles in this inaugural vintage. An outstanding first outing that you should be following - believe me, this is a cult wine in the making.

Needs time to open up, as even at five years old it has muscles and well-framed fruits, but it is so worth the wait of a few hours in a carafe. Fragrant raspberry leaf, sandalwood, tobacco, pencil lead, juicy black cherry, blood orange, melted tannins, all with finesse and complexity. The wine is made from old vines, up to 90 year (almost entirely) Tempranillo sat at between 750m and 1000m altitude, from a selection of their own vines, and those of local growers. This is the first vintage on the Place, and a new project, and it's standout. 25% new oak, Jean-Claude and Jeff Berrouet are consultants, working along with winemaker Montxo Martinez and owners Marcos and Carlos Yllera.

Heavy on the spice, this is textured and serious but has balance and a clear juiciness through the palate. Grilled pepper and raspberry notes, touches of turmeric and sage. I keep waiting for the heaviness to hit because the heavy bottle makes me expect a bigger wine, but this is full of brambled berry fruits, plenty of punch and appeal. Stands up against the big South American names, and would work as a match to lots of different foods. Enjoyable. Released March 2021 through the Place de Bordeaux.

As is so often the case with Opus, the wine expands slowly but surely, seducing you with the quality of tannins and the depth of the fruits that are wrapped around them. Silky at first, but as the wine expands you feel a grainier, slate texture that holds your interest. Rosebud, black cherry, cassis purée, espresso, juicy and elegant finish, extremely moreish. Similar vintage style to the 2005, a wine that I loved during a vertical of Opus I did in 2019, and the result of a mild and moderate growing season. They have eliminated green harvest as of 2020, and instead anticipate how to balance the crop earlier in the season during shoot thinning. 18 days skin contact in the cellar, another sign that this is a gentle vintage where everything came naturally so no need to macerate too long (over the years maceration has varied between 9 days and 43 days). Tasted twice.

Joseph Phelps is practically the inventor of the Bordeaux blend in California, and the team has done a wonderful job with the Insignia in 2018. Clarice Turner, who began as a trainee 23 years ago, is now director, with Ashley Hepworth winemaker, and she knows exactly how to get both juice, tension and power out of Cabernet Sauvignon, while still maintaining nuance. A ton of interest and spice. Great persistence through the palate, soft black pepper, rosebud and oyster shell on the finish adds a fragrant, saline twist. I am always a fan of this wine, and love that it showcases the history and quality of Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa.

There is the smokiest, sexiest, barely there and yet so precise sense of power. Just a great mix between the generosity of Napa and the elegance and balance of a European winemaking mindset. The tannins show sinew and muscle but allow juice to flow through them from beginning to end. An excellent vintage that once again shows Rubicon setting the pace for Rutherford Cabernet, and proving how nuanced and thrilling it can be. All aged in French oak barrels, 75% new. Philippe Bascaules winemaking director.

Cabernet Franc dominant, with touches of raspberry leaf, rosemary and sage, mouthwatering acidities. A lovely tension and grip runs right through the palate. Floral edged with peony and curled woodsmoke highlights the depth through the core. Deftly made by Pierre Seillan, showcasing an excellent lightness of touch without sacrificing tension, and for me the most successful of the three in this vintage.

Joining La Verité as one of two Sonomas released through the Place de Bordeaux, Peter Michael’s Les Pavots is his flagship wine, and I am so happy to see it included in the September Releases. A powerful vintage with plenty of Californian generosity, but with the delicacy and finesse that this mountain site delivers so expertly. Blueberry and bilberry fruits, overlaid with scorched earth, sage and rosemary herbs, all contributing to savoury Cabernet dominance with densely-packed muscular tannins, layers of tension and grip, and a mouthwatering freshness that makes it totally moreish. 3500 cases. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Slick and well made, with coffee mocha and buttescotch edging right up front. As it opens in the glass, less sweet and more complex notes come through of bitter chocolate, damson, cocoa bean, smoky yet generous, the definition of powefful and playful. Farmed organically since 1989 and biodynamically since 1996. I recently tasted a vertical of the property going back to 2010, and am always impressed by its consistency, and its ability to deliver pleasure while still walking the line of freshness. Third year on the Place for Agustin and Valeria Huneeus, and their impact on this property has been impressive and keeps getting better. Winemaker Rebekah Wineburg, consultant Michel Rolland.

The inaugural vintage release of Pym-Rae, interesting to taste alongside the 2017, as the 2016 vintage was a little more balanced. This is gorgeous, flecked with wild herbs, campfire smoke, liquorice and sun-baked black fruits. The high Cabernet Sauvignon comes through in a eucalyptus and black pepper spice to the finish. Plenty of tannins, this can be approached with a few hours in a carafe but will soften further over the next few years. First year of biodynamic conversion and first year of dry farming. Fermented in 10hl concrete tanks, with all destemming done by hand, as at the family's Pontet Canet estate back in Pauillac. Winemaker for this was Thomas Comme, now replaced by Jerome Ledit. 70% new oak. The estate is located on Mount Veeder, on the border with Sonoma and is one of the highest vineyards in Napa.

Stephan Asseo’s Rhone blend, full of nuance and pleasure and fragrance. This for me is the best of the L’Aventure wines in this vintage, for its beautifully enticing depths, fern and heather, freshly cut herbs, with the edge of spice turmeric and power crushed stones. Trace of heat on the finish, and although you can’t feel the impact, be aware of high alcohol before choosing when to drink. 12% amphora, 29% new French oak.

An early, dry year where Napa Valley received 75% of normal rainfall, giving Promontory an advantage with its mountain location (and helped even further by a four week harvest that saw 54 different passes through the vines). Still young even at six years old, rippling with fresh floral aromatics that balance the concentrated powerful olive tapenade, chocolate and liquorice-soaked berry fruits. Intense from the start, with the juicy elegance of slate, damson and cassis-dominant Cabernet Sauvignon that stretches out in the glass. The Harlan family know exactly how to deliver wines with power and punch. First released on the Place de Bordeaux in March 2021, making this my second tasting this year. First vintage 2009, distributed partly through the Place de Bordeaux since the 2012 vintage.

If you are a Cabernet Sauvignon fan, it is hard to go wrong with this wine. Broad-shouldered and inky without a doubt, but the tannins will relax over the next few years and are already provide a great sounding board for the vibrant blueberry and cassis fruit. You get a blast of sweet cedar on the opening notes, with cocoa beans, a ton of liquorice, pencil lead and scorched earth, and a fragrant sage finish that adds delicacy and balance, making it really important to give time in the glass for this aspect to become clear. One of the longest seasons on record at Daou after a relatively cool end of season, and the last grapes came in during the third week of October. 100% new oak.

Powerful, nuanced, smoky, plenty of savoury Cabernet Sauvignon flavours from rose stems and tobacco leaf to richer raspberry, cassis and black chocolate. Nothing overly sweet, plenty of spice with tannic squeeze and lift. All aged in French oak barrels, 43% new. Philippe Bascaules winemaking director.