Wow. Fantastic aromas of blackberries, currants, minerals, violets and graphite. Full-bodied with firm, silky tannins that are incredibly polished and intense, yet ever so refined and integrated in the wine. It goes on for minutes. This one of the best modern-day Orenos so far.

Complex aromas of fresh flowers and cherries follow through to a full body, firm and very silky tannins and a long, long finish. Driven and fine.

Subtle currant, light sandalwood and some cherry aromas. Full-bodied, yet fine-tuned and polished with tannins that melt beautifully into the wine. Long and focused. Beauty and balance to this.

Planted in 1984, Bugialla is a 4ha plot at 500 metres on stony Galestro soil. Owner Piero Lanza picks the larger bunches first for the Chianti Classico and leaves the smaller bunches to ripen longer for the Riserva. Just bottled, the 2019 is shy but with coaxing, aromas of herbs and lavender emerge. Tight on the entry, it expands with a soft ripeness of charming brambly fruit, succulent with compact chalky tannins. Intricately textured and long.

Brilliant ruby ​​garnet in colour, opened with slightly smoky-earthy tones, accompanied by beautiful aromas of juicy cherries, plums and some rose petals. Hearty and gripping on the palate, with dense tannins that are wonderfully balanced.

Tasted as a half-bottle sample, the 2017 Sancerre Chêne Marchand is full bodied with ripe, baked apple fruit, almond meal and savory nuances. Starting to open up beautifully, it is finely textured and almost succulent in the mouth; however, on the finish, it's structured and a little grippy with a light chalky texture sitting on the tongue reminding you of its chalky roots. Long length. Drink now and over the course of the next five years to enjoy its savory deliciousness.

The best of the de Courcel reds in 2017, this comes from dense clay soils on the northern side of Pommard. Intense, scented and very rich, it has aromas of incense, white pepper and forest floor, with masses of dark, inky fruit, granular tannins and balancing freshness and acidity on the finish.

Palate coating fruit and very fine tannins in abundance. A highly structural wine, where the acidity, tannin and alcohol are really to the fore, the fruit buried within. I expect it to take on fruit weight over time however and grow into the structure. Full-bodied, fresh, textural and highly fragrant. Co-planted on limestone marls behind the village. 60% whole bunch, aged in Stockinger foudres except for 20% that is aged in terracotta amphorae.

A smaller production cuvee, the 2019 Rasteau Les Argiles Bleues is more purple hued and has a primordial bouquet of blue fruits, scorched earth, new leather, lavender, and violets. A serious, full-bodied Rasteau, it stays in the focused, elegant style of the vintage yet packs plenty of muscle on the palate, has loads of structure, and a great finish.

This deep ruby/purple-hued effort has a pure, vibrant, incredibly seamless, medium to full-bodied style that carries classic notes of black raspberry and black cherry fruits as well as peppery herbs, violets, spring flowers, and sous bois. This straight-up gorgeous, seamless, ultra-fine 2019 should be snatched up by readers. It has a rare mix of elegance, purity, and power, and it’s going to have two decades of prime drinking.

What a beautifully ripe mulberry aroma this Chateauneuf has! An imposing but stunningly fine tannin structure neatly supports the richness and concentration on the full-bodied palate. Very long, creamy and dry finish with a pronounced licorice note that pulls you inexorably back for more. A complex blend based on grenache. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification.