Under $100 World’s Best Reds - 6 Pack Value
$540
$706
This is Great……and Here’s Why!
1 x Te Mata Bullnose Syrah 2018 ~ Hawkes Bay, New Zealand97/100 Sam Kim
96/100 Huon Hooke
96/100 Cameron Douglas
95/100 The Wine Front
90/100 Decanter World Wine Awards
16.5/20 Jancis Robinson
Te Mata Estate is regarded as one of New Zealand’s most important wine producers
Sam Kim "The palate is concentrated, focused and delightfully flowing with outstanding depth and intensity, while remaining elegant and poised, leading to an extremely long expansive finish. Harmonious, seamless and flawlessly precise. Combining exquisite refinement and undeniable power, this latest offering is another stunning beauty under this iconic label...The gorgeously perfumed bouquet shows Black Doris plum, sweet raspberry, violet, olive and toasted almond characters with a whiff of fragrant spice. "
Jancis Robinson "Confected black fruit, finely layered tannins, a touch of bacon and smoke on the finish. Dry, savoury, meaty persistence."
Cameron Douglas "A great bouquet, the fine nose of Syrah with white and black peppercorn, roses and lavender, a core of red currants, black cherry and Doris plum, some sweet olive and new leather. Firm, youthful and dry with an abundance of tannins and acidity."
Decanter "A very modern take on Syrah which turns up the chocolate and cappuccino characters to create a rich and silky wine. There’s dark cherry and ripe raspberry fruit to balance the roasted coffee tannins with an acid spike. Extended skin contact and a warmish fermentation have given this depth and elegance."
Gary Walsh "Ras el hanout (راس الحانوت) is a spice mix that means ‘head of the shop’, and maybe we have a bull in a shop here, such is the level of exotic spice and perfume pumping out of the glass. In with that, some lavender and vanilla, cherry and redcurrant, a smattering of green herb too. It’s light to medium-bodied, fine emery tannin, juicy raspberry acidity and flavour, inner-mouth perfume and spiced wood aromatic, and a dusty white pepper texture and taste on a cool long finish. Nice and ‘minerally’ too. You have to like them spicy and lithe, and if so, this’ll be close to the top of the shop for you."
Huon Hooke "...a pronounced spicy, peppery aroma, the palate sweet rich and deep in very elegant, classy fruit flavour. The tannins are ample and refined, balanced and the wine is overall delicious. Black pepper, subtle cloves and other spices. It has a core of fruit sweetness that is utterly delicious."
World of Fine Wine 'Getting to know a legend' "A visit to one of the world’s greatest fine-wine estates should be an integral part of any tour of New Zealand. On the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island is the independently owned, family-run, Te Mata Estate. Owners and staff still work on vineyards that began growing Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir back in the 1890s, making it the country’s oldest wine estate. Since 1905, this winery has been winning gold medals globally, which led to these sites becoming the country’s first to be protected by law due to their viticultural history...Te Mata Estate wines are currently available in 45 countries and have been presented at some of the world’s top tables— including to President Barrack Obama, President Xi Jinping, and Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee."
Raymond Chan "Te Mata Estate was the standard by which every other wine producer could be judged against, as the full range of styles has always been impeccable. In the earlier days, Hawke’s Bay was the scene of New Zealand’s quality wine, so it was very apt to have Te Mata Estate as the point of reference. Even when other regions developed, and Marlborough grew larger, and other varietals such as Pinot Noir became important, one could understand the state of the New Zealand wine industry by how Te Mata Estate behaved or reacted to influences, whether internal or international."
Te Mata Estate is regarded as one of New Zealand’s most important wine producers. It is New Zealand's oldest winery, oldest wine estate and has the oldest winery cellars in the country - in continuous operation since 1895. Coleraine is Te Mata's most acclaimed wine and is often regarded as New Zealand's best red wine.
Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, is commonly known as Shiraz.
1 x Chateau Leydet-Valentin Saint Emilion Grand Cru
2018 - Bordeaux, France
92/100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
90/100 Wine Enthusiast
90/100 Decanter World Wine Awards
88/100 Wine Spectator
Gold - Challenge International du Vin
Gold - Concours des Feminalise
Decanter, World Wine Awards “Smoky nose of ripe black plum, liquorice and spice. Ultra ripe cherry, redcurrant and new oak on the palate.”
Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast "Ripe black fruits and dark-chocolate flavors highlight this powerful wine. There's a bit of pepperiness from the alcohol, while freshness comes from the black-currant acidity."
Jeb Dunnuck "Rich, slightly chunky bouquet of cassis, toasted bread, and spice that comes together nicely with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with lots of fruit, moderate tannins and a good finish, it’s a textured, balanced Saint-Emilion"
Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider “a floral, fresh, spicy, roasted cherry filled wine with a plush, silky, dark plum finish.”
Wine Spectator "Warmed plum and cherry preserve flavors glide through easily, laced with hints of cocoa, tobacco and singed cedar. Merlot and Cabernet Franc."
The Winemaker "Slender with plenty of fruits and with touches of species, this wine is charming and deep, distinguished sensation in palate as the alcohol and body are balanced by the freshness of the tannins"
Château Leydet-Valentin and Château de Valois are owned by well respected Frédéric Leydet. With the wineries less than 3 miles from each other, these family owned estates are located in the top growing areas of Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, near Cheval Blanc, Figeac, and Angelus. In 2012, Leydet began the conversion to certified organic viticulture, receiving the certification for the 2015 vintages and later vintages.
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru wines are produced under slightly tighter production restrictions than regular Saint-Émilion wines. As with other grand cru appellations, the intention behind this is to improve the quality, and to distinguish the area's finer wines from the more everyday wines.
1 x Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2017 - Barossa Valley, Australia
95/100 James Suckling
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
James Halliday Top 100 Winery 2017
James Suckling "A phenomenal wine that is the fruit of a small plot dating back to 1853. This has a very soulful array of red-plum and mulberry aromas and flavors and a sweeping wave of tannin, which, even though very discreetly, powers a very long and smooth finish."
The Winemaker "The Old Garden vineyard is the oldest Mourvèdre vineyard in the world planted in 1853. Dry-grown, original existing vines pre-Phylloxera. Eight rows of this rare and unique planting remain to this day at Rowland Flat and produce winemaker Dean Hewitson’s much-lauded single-vineyard table wine bearing the Old Garden name. The vineyard has been hand-tended and dry-farmed by Friedrich Koch and his direct descendants across three centuries."
Andy Saxon "Aged for 18 months in new French oak this full-bodied red wine offers lifted forest berry, black cherry and orange peel aromas. The palate shows dense, lush blackberries and prunes with hints of cigar box, violets and black pepper. Fine, seamlessly integrated tannins."
Australian Wine Companion "Established in 1998 Hewitson winery is situated in the heart of the Barossa Valley on the historic Seppeltsfield Road and boasts some of the oldest vines in the world. Hewitson fruit is sourced from historic, dry-grown vineyards in the Barossa Valley and also from single-site vineyards in Eden Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills."
Frederick Wildman "Dean Hewitson founded his eponymous winery in 1998. He is a highly respected Australian winemaker ...Hewitson has worked at wineries in Australia, France, Italy and Oregon. Hewitson then moved to the U.S. where he earned a Masters from UC-Davis. On his return home, Dean brought a wealth of knowledge, practical experience and a driving passion to produce wines not only from Barossa Valley but also from the McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills regions.
Hewitson fundamentally believes great wines are the expression of the soils they are grown in and the season in which they are grown. With his longstanding focus on terroir—specific terroir plots in fact—many of Hewitson’s wines are single vineyard. He sources grapes from not only his own vineyards but also from long-standing grower contracts including a few sourced from some of the oldest living, still productive vines on plots that date back to the mid-19th century and are pre-phylloxera. His ‘Old Garden’ Mourvèdre is a single-vineyard wine, whose vines were planted in 1853 in Barossa Valley and are reputed to be the oldest Mourvèdre vines in the world. Hewitson’s ‘Miss Harry’ is sourced from a Grenache vineyard planted in 1880, also thought to be the oldest Grenache in existence.
Due to Hewitson’s education and experience in Australia, California and France, Hewitson wines combine Old-World traditions with New-World fruit purity. And while he clearly excels with Rhône Valley grape varieties, Hewitson also produces award-winning Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. A practitioner in solar energy, water recycling and encouraging natural biodiversity, Hewitson produces wines in an environmentally sustainable fashion.
James Halliday "Dean Hewitson was a winemaker at Petaluma [one of Australia's leading wineries] for 10 years, during which time he managed to do three vintages in France and one in Oregon as well as undertaking his Masters at the University of California, Davis. It is hardly surprising that the wines are immaculately made from a technical viewpoint. Dean sources 30-year-old Riesling from the Eden Valley and 70-year-old shiraz from McLaren Vale; he also makes a Barossa Valley Mourvedre from vines planted in 1853 at Rowland Flat, and Barossa Valley Shiraz and Grenache from 60-year-old vines at Tanunda."
1 x Gaelic Cemetery Shiraz 2006 ~ Clare Valley, South Australia
93/100 - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
94/100 - James Halliday
Silver - Mundus Vini
Only 200 dozen made
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "..A saturated opaque purple in color, it exhibits a brooding nose of pain grille, lavender, mineral, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a dense, layered, succulent wine with terrific integration of oak, tannin, and acidity. Give this lengthy effort 3-4 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2013 to 2026...The 2006 Shiraz was sourced from the low-yielding Gaelic Cemetery Vineyard in Clare Valley. It was aged in new French oak and bottled without fining or filtration. "
James Halliday - "Strong blackberry, prune and licorice aromas and flavours, with a spicy, fine tannin finish."
James Halliday "Gaelic Cemetry hinges on a single vineyard, planted in 1996, adjacent to the historic cemetery of the region's Scottish pioneers. Situated in a secluded valley of the Clare hills, the low-cropping vineyard, say the partners, ‘is always one of the earliest ripening Shiraz vineyards in the region and mystifyingly produces fruit with both natural pH and acid analyses that can only be described as beautiful numbers'. The result is hands-off winemaking."
Gaelic Cemetery produces limited quantity, super-premium wines. The five-star rated, multi-award winning winery is a joint venture between celebrated winemaker Neil Pike, internationally acclaimed viticulturist Andrew Pike and well known Adelaide wine retailers, Mario and Ben Barletta.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019 - Victoria, Australia
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Halliday Wine Award 2021 Judges Comment "Perfectly balanced, it has developed into an entrancing, delicately framed and poised wine with a silky mouthfeel and lingering aftertaste. Gold medal and runner up for the James Halliday Trophy for Best Pinot Noir Melbourne Wine Awards, gold medal Australian Pinot Noir Challenge....Multiple clones hand-picked and sorted, 25% whole bunches, gentle destemming, 13-15 days on skins, matured in French puncheons (25% new) for 11 months. "
James Suckling "Gorgeous decadence and richness with plum and crushed-flower aromas and flavors. Full body, very round and integrated tannins and a savory edge to the transparent fruit."
Australian Wine Companion "...continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Huon Hooke "Good concentration and persistence. A very smart wine, bold and fresh and solidly composed. It will have a long cellar future."
Jamie Goode "...these wines are peers of the world’s greatest Pinot Noirs, in my opinion." (comments from a tasting of previous vintages of Yabby Creek single block pinot noir)
Huon Hooke "One of [Yabby Creek's Winemaker] Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award."
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday "This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Led by Tom Carson "one of Australia's most lauded winemakers" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
1 x Chateau Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac 2016 - Bordeaux , France
94/100 Wine Advocate
93/100 Falstaff Magazin
93/100 James Suckling
92/100 Decanter
92/100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
92+/100 Neal Martin, vinous.com
91/100 Jeb Dunnuck
91/100 Wine Spectator
92/100 Highly Recommended Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards
Decanter Wines of the Year 2021
Jeb Dunnuck “A fine Pauillac and has a pretty, classic, elegant style that’s very much in the character of the vintage. Ruby-colored, with notes of tobacco, leafy herbs, and graphite, it has fine tannins and, again, an undeniable elegance and classic style.”
Neal Martin, Vinous “...I like the density of this Pauillac, which is focused and elegant yet classic on the finish...The palate is well balanced, with mint-infused black fruit, tobacco and sage.”
Wine Spectator "A restrained style, with a sanguine note leading off for a mix of gently mulled damson plum, loganberry, and red currant fruit flavors. Supple in feel, with perfumy cedar and alder notes guiding the finish."
Decanter "Tight and fresh, this shows good quality black fruits in a light, earlier drinking style. It's not as creamy in texture as some others, but has an enjoyable, fleshy texture as it opens in the glass."
83% Cabernet Sauvignon 17% Merlot
Château Lynch-Moussas was originally owned by Count Jean-Baptiste Lynch of Ireland in the 18th century. At the time, the estate was much larger than it is today. In fact, the Left Bank estate was so large in those days, it was eventually divided into two parts. Half of the estate gave birth to Chateau Lynch Bages. The remaining portion became Chateau Lynch Moussas. Like Lynch-Bages, it was ranked as a fifth growth in the 1855 Bordeaux classification.
In 1919, Chateau Lynch Moussas was purchased by the Casteja family and its negociant arm, Borie Manoux, which owns numerous other Bordeaux estates in the Medoc and the Right Bank including Chateau Batailley and Chateau Trotte Vieille. At the time of the purchase, they also owned Chateau Duhart-Milon.
Pauillac is a wine-growing region located between Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Julien on Bordeaux's Médoc peninsula (“Left Bank”), is home to some of the world's most famous and expensive red wines, made predominantly from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety, which is well suited to the free-draining gravel soils found in Pauillac's vineyards. The stellar reputation of Pauillac wines is based not only on their quality but on their success in international fine wine markets. Three of the top five châteaux in the 1855 Médoc Classification (a ranking of Bordeaux's best wine-producing properties) are located here: Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, and Château Latour.
1 x Te Mata Bullnose Syrah 2018 ~ Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
97/100 Sam Kim
96/100 Huon Hooke
96/100 Cameron Douglas
95/100 The Wine Front
90/100 Decanter World Wine Awards
16.5/20 Jancis Robinson
Te Mata Estate is regarded as one of New Zealand’s most important wine producers
Sam Kim "The palate is concentrated, focused and delightfully flowing with outstanding depth and intensity, while remaining elegant and poised, leading to an extremely long expansive finish. Harmonious, seamless and flawlessly precise. Combining exquisite refinement and undeniable power, this latest offering is another stunning beauty under this iconic label...The gorgeously perfumed bouquet shows Black Doris plum, sweet raspberry, violet, olive and toasted almond characters with a whiff of fragrant spice. "
Jancis Robinson "Confected black fruit, finely layered tannins, a touch of bacon and smoke on the finish. Dry, savoury, meaty persistence."
Cameron Douglas "A great bouquet, the fine nose of Syrah with white and black peppercorn, roses and lavender, a core of red currants, black cherry and Doris plum, some sweet olive and new leather. Firm, youthful and dry with an abundance of tannins and acidity."
Decanter "A very modern take on Syrah which turns up the chocolate and cappuccino characters to create a rich and silky wine. There’s dark cherry and ripe raspberry fruit to balance the roasted coffee tannins with an acid spike. Extended skin contact and a warmish fermentation have given this depth and elegance."
Gary Walsh "Ras el hanout (راس الحانوت) is a spice mix that means ‘head of the shop’, and maybe we have a bull in a shop here, such is the level of exotic spice and perfume pumping out of the glass. In with that, some lavender and vanilla, cherry and redcurrant, a smattering of green herb too. It’s light to medium-bodied, fine emery tannin, juicy raspberry acidity and flavour, inner-mouth perfume and spiced wood aromatic, and a dusty white pepper texture and taste on a cool long finish. Nice and ‘minerally’ too. You have to like them spicy and lithe, and if so, this’ll be close to the top of the shop for you."
Huon Hooke "...a pronounced spicy, peppery aroma, the palate sweet rich and deep in very elegant, classy fruit flavour. The tannins are ample and refined, balanced and the wine is overall delicious. Black pepper, subtle cloves and other spices. It has a core of fruit sweetness that is utterly delicious."
World of Fine Wine 'Getting to know a legend' "A visit to one of the world’s greatest fine-wine estates should be an integral part of any tour of New Zealand. On the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island is the independently owned, family-run, Te Mata Estate. Owners and staff still work on vineyards that began growing Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir back in the 1890s, making it the country’s oldest wine estate. Since 1905, this winery has been winning gold medals globally, which led to these sites becoming the country’s first to be protected by law due to their viticultural history...Te Mata Estate wines are currently available in 45 countries and have been presented at some of the world’s top tables— including to President Barrack Obama, President Xi Jinping, and Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee."
Raymond Chan "Te Mata Estate was the standard by which every other wine producer could be judged against, as the full range of styles has always been impeccable. In the earlier days, Hawke’s Bay was the scene of New Zealand’s quality wine, so it was very apt to have Te Mata Estate as the point of reference. Even when other regions developed, and Marlborough grew larger, and other varietals such as Pinot Noir became important, one could understand the state of the New Zealand wine industry by how Te Mata Estate behaved or reacted to influences, whether internal or international."
Te Mata Estate is regarded as one of New Zealand’s most important wine producers. It is New Zealand's oldest winery, oldest wine estate and has the oldest winery cellars in the country - in continuous operation since 1895. Coleraine is Te Mata's most acclaimed wine and is often regarded as New Zealand's best red wine.
Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, is commonly known as Shiraz.
1 x Chateau Leydet-Valentin Saint Emilion Grand Cru
2018 - Bordeaux, France
92/100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
90/100 Wine Enthusiast
90/100 Decanter World Wine Awards
88/100 Wine Spectator
Gold - Challenge International du Vin
Gold - Concours des Feminalise
Decanter, World Wine Awards “Smoky nose of ripe black plum, liquorice and spice. Ultra ripe cherry, redcurrant and new oak on the palate.”
Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast "Ripe black fruits and dark-chocolate flavors highlight this powerful wine. There's a bit of pepperiness from the alcohol, while freshness comes from the black-currant acidity."
Jeb Dunnuck "Rich, slightly chunky bouquet of cassis, toasted bread, and spice that comes together nicely with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with lots of fruit, moderate tannins and a good finish, it’s a textured, balanced Saint-Emilion"
Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider “a floral, fresh, spicy, roasted cherry filled wine with a plush, silky, dark plum finish.”
Wine Spectator "Warmed plum and cherry preserve flavors glide through easily, laced with hints of cocoa, tobacco and singed cedar. Merlot and Cabernet Franc."
The Winemaker "Slender with plenty of fruits and with touches of species, this wine is charming and deep, distinguished sensation in palate as the alcohol and body are balanced by the freshness of the tannins"
Château Leydet-Valentin and Château de Valois are owned by well respected Frédéric Leydet. With the wineries less than 3 miles from each other, these family owned estates are located in the top growing areas of Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, near Cheval Blanc, Figeac, and Angelus. In 2012, Leydet began the conversion to certified organic viticulture, receiving the certification for the 2015 vintages and later vintages.
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru wines are produced under slightly tighter production restrictions than regular Saint-Émilion wines. As with other grand cru appellations, the intention behind this is to improve the quality, and to distinguish the area's finer wines from the more everyday wines.
1 x Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2017 - Barossa Valley, Australia
95/100 James Suckling
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
James Halliday Top 100 Winery 2017
James Suckling "A phenomenal wine that is the fruit of a small plot dating back to 1853. This has a very soulful array of red-plum and mulberry aromas and flavors and a sweeping wave of tannin, which, even though very discreetly, powers a very long and smooth finish."
The Winemaker "The Old Garden vineyard is the oldest Mourvèdre vineyard in the world planted in 1853. Dry-grown, original existing vines pre-Phylloxera. Eight rows of this rare and unique planting remain to this day at Rowland Flat and produce winemaker Dean Hewitson’s much-lauded single-vineyard table wine bearing the Old Garden name. The vineyard has been hand-tended and dry-farmed by Friedrich Koch and his direct descendants across three centuries."
Andy Saxon "Aged for 18 months in new French oak this full-bodied red wine offers lifted forest berry, black cherry and orange peel aromas. The palate shows dense, lush blackberries and prunes with hints of cigar box, violets and black pepper. Fine, seamlessly integrated tannins."
Australian Wine Companion "Established in 1998 Hewitson winery is situated in the heart of the Barossa Valley on the historic Seppeltsfield Road and boasts some of the oldest vines in the world. Hewitson fruit is sourced from historic, dry-grown vineyards in the Barossa Valley and also from single-site vineyards in Eden Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills."
Frederick Wildman "Dean Hewitson founded his eponymous winery in 1998. He is a highly respected Australian winemaker ...Hewitson has worked at wineries in Australia, France, Italy and Oregon. Hewitson then moved to the U.S. where he earned a Masters from UC-Davis. On his return home, Dean brought a wealth of knowledge, practical experience and a driving passion to produce wines not only from Barossa Valley but also from the McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills regions.
Hewitson fundamentally believes great wines are the expression of the soils they are grown in and the season in which they are grown. With his longstanding focus on terroir—specific terroir plots in fact—many of Hewitson’s wines are single vineyard. He sources grapes from not only his own vineyards but also from long-standing grower contracts including a few sourced from some of the oldest living, still productive vines on plots that date back to the mid-19th century and are pre-phylloxera. His ‘Old Garden’ Mourvèdre is a single-vineyard wine, whose vines were planted in 1853 in Barossa Valley and are reputed to be the oldest Mourvèdre vines in the world. Hewitson’s ‘Miss Harry’ is sourced from a Grenache vineyard planted in 1880, also thought to be the oldest Grenache in existence.
Due to Hewitson’s education and experience in Australia, California and France, Hewitson wines combine Old-World traditions with New-World fruit purity. And while he clearly excels with Rhône Valley grape varieties, Hewitson also produces award-winning Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. A practitioner in solar energy, water recycling and encouraging natural biodiversity, Hewitson produces wines in an environmentally sustainable fashion.
James Halliday "Dean Hewitson was a winemaker at Petaluma [one of Australia's leading wineries] for 10 years, during which time he managed to do three vintages in France and one in Oregon as well as undertaking his Masters at the University of California, Davis. It is hardly surprising that the wines are immaculately made from a technical viewpoint. Dean sources 30-year-old Riesling from the Eden Valley and 70-year-old shiraz from McLaren Vale; he also makes a Barossa Valley Mourvedre from vines planted in 1853 at Rowland Flat, and Barossa Valley Shiraz and Grenache from 60-year-old vines at Tanunda."
1 x Gaelic Cemetery Shiraz 2006 ~ Clare Valley, South Australia
93/100 - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
94/100 - James Halliday
Silver - Mundus Vini
Only 200 dozen made
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "..A saturated opaque purple in color, it exhibits a brooding nose of pain grille, lavender, mineral, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a dense, layered, succulent wine with terrific integration of oak, tannin, and acidity. Give this lengthy effort 3-4 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2013 to 2026...The 2006 Shiraz was sourced from the low-yielding Gaelic Cemetery Vineyard in Clare Valley. It was aged in new French oak and bottled without fining or filtration. "
James Halliday - "Strong blackberry, prune and licorice aromas and flavours, with a spicy, fine tannin finish."
James Halliday "Gaelic Cemetry hinges on a single vineyard, planted in 1996, adjacent to the historic cemetery of the region's Scottish pioneers. Situated in a secluded valley of the Clare hills, the low-cropping vineyard, say the partners, ‘is always one of the earliest ripening Shiraz vineyards in the region and mystifyingly produces fruit with both natural pH and acid analyses that can only be described as beautiful numbers'. The result is hands-off winemaking."
Gaelic Cemetery produces limited quantity, super-premium wines. The five-star rated, multi-award winning winery is a joint venture between celebrated winemaker Neil Pike, internationally acclaimed viticulturist Andrew Pike and well known Adelaide wine retailers, Mario and Ben Barletta.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019 - Victoria, Australia
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Halliday Wine Award 2021 Judges Comment "Perfectly balanced, it has developed into an entrancing, delicately framed and poised wine with a silky mouthfeel and lingering aftertaste. Gold medal and runner up for the James Halliday Trophy for Best Pinot Noir Melbourne Wine Awards, gold medal Australian Pinot Noir Challenge....Multiple clones hand-picked and sorted, 25% whole bunches, gentle destemming, 13-15 days on skins, matured in French puncheons (25% new) for 11 months. "
James Suckling "Gorgeous decadence and richness with plum and crushed-flower aromas and flavors. Full body, very round and integrated tannins and a savory edge to the transparent fruit."
Australian Wine Companion "...continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Huon Hooke "Good concentration and persistence. A very smart wine, bold and fresh and solidly composed. It will have a long cellar future."
Jamie Goode "...these wines are peers of the world’s greatest Pinot Noirs, in my opinion." (comments from a tasting of previous vintages of Yabby Creek single block pinot noir)
Huon Hooke "One of [Yabby Creek's Winemaker] Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award."
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday "This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Led by Tom Carson "one of Australia's most lauded winemakers" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
1 x Chateau Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac 2016 - Bordeaux , France
94/100 Wine Advocate
93/100 Falstaff Magazin
93/100 James Suckling
92/100 Decanter
92/100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
92+/100 Neal Martin, vinous.com
91/100 Jeb Dunnuck
91/100 Wine Spectator
92/100 Highly Recommended Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards
Decanter Wines of the Year 2021
Jeb Dunnuck “A fine Pauillac and has a pretty, classic, elegant style that’s very much in the character of the vintage. Ruby-colored, with notes of tobacco, leafy herbs, and graphite, it has fine tannins and, again, an undeniable elegance and classic style.”
Neal Martin, Vinous “...I like the density of this Pauillac, which is focused and elegant yet classic on the finish...The palate is well balanced, with mint-infused black fruit, tobacco and sage.”
Wine Spectator "A restrained style, with a sanguine note leading off for a mix of gently mulled damson plum, loganberry, and red currant fruit flavors. Supple in feel, with perfumy cedar and alder notes guiding the finish."
Decanter "Tight and fresh, this shows good quality black fruits in a light, earlier drinking style. It's not as creamy in texture as some others, but has an enjoyable, fleshy texture as it opens in the glass."
83% Cabernet Sauvignon 17% Merlot
Château Lynch-Moussas was originally owned by Count Jean-Baptiste Lynch of Ireland in the 18th century. At the time, the estate was much larger than it is today. In fact, the Left Bank estate was so large in those days, it was eventually divided into two parts. Half of the estate gave birth to Chateau Lynch Bages. The remaining portion became Chateau Lynch Moussas. Like Lynch-Bages, it was ranked as a fifth growth in the 1855 Bordeaux classification.
In 1919, Chateau Lynch Moussas was purchased by the Casteja family and its negociant arm, Borie Manoux, which owns numerous other Bordeaux estates in the Medoc and the Right Bank including Chateau Batailley and Chateau Trotte Vieille. At the time of the purchase, they also owned Chateau Duhart-Milon.
Pauillac is a wine-growing region located between Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Julien on Bordeaux's Médoc peninsula (“Left Bank”), is home to some of the world's most famous and expensive red wines, made predominantly from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety, which is well suited to the free-draining gravel soils found in Pauillac's vineyards. The stellar reputation of Pauillac wines is based not only on their quality but on their success in international fine wine markets. Three of the top five châteaux in the 1855 Médoc Classification (a ranking of Bordeaux's best wine-producing properties) are located here: Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, and Château Latour.
97/100 Sam Kim
96/100 Huon Hooke
96/100 Cameron Douglas
95/100 The Wine Front
90/100 Decanter World Wine Awards
16.5/20 Jancis Robinson
Te Mata Estate is regarded as one of New Zealand’s most important wine producers
Sam Kim "The palate is concentrated, focused and delightfully flowing with outstanding depth and intensity, while remaining elegant and poised, leading to an extremely long expansive finish. Harmonious, seamless and flawlessly precise. Combining exquisite refinement and undeniable power, this latest offering is another stunning beauty under this iconic label...The gorgeously perfumed bouquet shows Black Doris plum, sweet raspberry, violet, olive and toasted almond characters with a whiff of fragrant spice. "
Jancis Robinson "Confected black fruit, finely layered tannins, a touch of bacon and smoke on the finish. Dry, savoury, meaty persistence."
Cameron Douglas "A great bouquet, the fine nose of Syrah with white and black peppercorn, roses and lavender, a core of red currants, black cherry and Doris plum, some sweet olive and new leather. Firm, youthful and dry with an abundance of tannins and acidity."
Decanter "A very modern take on Syrah which turns up the chocolate and cappuccino characters to create a rich and silky wine. There’s dark cherry and ripe raspberry fruit to balance the roasted coffee tannins with an acid spike. Extended skin contact and a warmish fermentation have given this depth and elegance."
Gary Walsh "Ras el hanout (راس الحانوت) is a spice mix that means ‘head of the shop’, and maybe we have a bull in a shop here, such is the level of exotic spice and perfume pumping out of the glass. In with that, some lavender and vanilla, cherry and redcurrant, a smattering of green herb too. It’s light to medium-bodied, fine emery tannin, juicy raspberry acidity and flavour, inner-mouth perfume and spiced wood aromatic, and a dusty white pepper texture and taste on a cool long finish. Nice and ‘minerally’ too. You have to like them spicy and lithe, and if so, this’ll be close to the top of the shop for you."
Huon Hooke "...a pronounced spicy, peppery aroma, the palate sweet rich and deep in very elegant, classy fruit flavour. The tannins are ample and refined, balanced and the wine is overall delicious. Black pepper, subtle cloves and other spices. It has a core of fruit sweetness that is utterly delicious."
World of Fine Wine 'Getting to know a legend' "A visit to one of the world’s greatest fine-wine estates should be an integral part of any tour of New Zealand. On the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island is the independently owned, family-run, Te Mata Estate. Owners and staff still work on vineyards that began growing Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir back in the 1890s, making it the country’s oldest wine estate. Since 1905, this winery has been winning gold medals globally, which led to these sites becoming the country’s first to be protected by law due to their viticultural history...Te Mata Estate wines are currently available in 45 countries and have been presented at some of the world’s top tables— including to President Barrack Obama, President Xi Jinping, and Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee."
Raymond Chan "Te Mata Estate was the standard by which every other wine producer could be judged against, as the full range of styles has always been impeccable. In the earlier days, Hawke’s Bay was the scene of New Zealand’s quality wine, so it was very apt to have Te Mata Estate as the point of reference. Even when other regions developed, and Marlborough grew larger, and other varietals such as Pinot Noir became important, one could understand the state of the New Zealand wine industry by how Te Mata Estate behaved or reacted to influences, whether internal or international."
Te Mata Estate is regarded as one of New Zealand’s most important wine producers. It is New Zealand's oldest winery, oldest wine estate and has the oldest winery cellars in the country - in continuous operation since 1895. Coleraine is Te Mata's most acclaimed wine and is often regarded as New Zealand's best red wine.
Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, is commonly known as Shiraz.
1 x Chateau Leydet-Valentin Saint Emilion Grand Cru
2018 - Bordeaux, France
92/100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
90/100 Wine Enthusiast
90/100 Decanter World Wine Awards
88/100 Wine Spectator
Gold - Challenge International du Vin
Gold - Concours des Feminalise
Decanter, World Wine Awards “Smoky nose of ripe black plum, liquorice and spice. Ultra ripe cherry, redcurrant and new oak on the palate.”
Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast "Ripe black fruits and dark-chocolate flavors highlight this powerful wine. There's a bit of pepperiness from the alcohol, while freshness comes from the black-currant acidity."
Jeb Dunnuck "Rich, slightly chunky bouquet of cassis, toasted bread, and spice that comes together nicely with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with lots of fruit, moderate tannins and a good finish, it’s a textured, balanced Saint-Emilion"
Jeff Leve, Wine Cellar Insider “a floral, fresh, spicy, roasted cherry filled wine with a plush, silky, dark plum finish.”
Wine Spectator "Warmed plum and cherry preserve flavors glide through easily, laced with hints of cocoa, tobacco and singed cedar. Merlot and Cabernet Franc."
The Winemaker "Slender with plenty of fruits and with touches of species, this wine is charming and deep, distinguished sensation in palate as the alcohol and body are balanced by the freshness of the tannins"
Château Leydet-Valentin and Château de Valois are owned by well respected Frédéric Leydet. With the wineries less than 3 miles from each other, these family owned estates are located in the top growing areas of Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, near Cheval Blanc, Figeac, and Angelus. In 2012, Leydet began the conversion to certified organic viticulture, receiving the certification for the 2015 vintages and later vintages.
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru wines are produced under slightly tighter production restrictions than regular Saint-Émilion wines. As with other grand cru appellations, the intention behind this is to improve the quality, and to distinguish the area's finer wines from the more everyday wines.
1 x Hewitson Old Garden Mourvedre 2017 - Barossa Valley, Australia
95/100 James Suckling
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
James Halliday Top 100 Winery 2017
James Suckling "A phenomenal wine that is the fruit of a small plot dating back to 1853. This has a very soulful array of red-plum and mulberry aromas and flavors and a sweeping wave of tannin, which, even though very discreetly, powers a very long and smooth finish."
The Winemaker "The Old Garden vineyard is the oldest Mourvèdre vineyard in the world planted in 1853. Dry-grown, original existing vines pre-Phylloxera. Eight rows of this rare and unique planting remain to this day at Rowland Flat and produce winemaker Dean Hewitson’s much-lauded single-vineyard table wine bearing the Old Garden name. The vineyard has been hand-tended and dry-farmed by Friedrich Koch and his direct descendants across three centuries."
Andy Saxon "Aged for 18 months in new French oak this full-bodied red wine offers lifted forest berry, black cherry and orange peel aromas. The palate shows dense, lush blackberries and prunes with hints of cigar box, violets and black pepper. Fine, seamlessly integrated tannins."
Australian Wine Companion "Established in 1998 Hewitson winery is situated in the heart of the Barossa Valley on the historic Seppeltsfield Road and boasts some of the oldest vines in the world. Hewitson fruit is sourced from historic, dry-grown vineyards in the Barossa Valley and also from single-site vineyards in Eden Valley, McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills."
Frederick Wildman "Dean Hewitson founded his eponymous winery in 1998. He is a highly respected Australian winemaker ...Hewitson has worked at wineries in Australia, France, Italy and Oregon. Hewitson then moved to the U.S. where he earned a Masters from UC-Davis. On his return home, Dean brought a wealth of knowledge, practical experience and a driving passion to produce wines not only from Barossa Valley but also from the McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills regions.
Hewitson fundamentally believes great wines are the expression of the soils they are grown in and the season in which they are grown. With his longstanding focus on terroir—specific terroir plots in fact—many of Hewitson’s wines are single vineyard. He sources grapes from not only his own vineyards but also from long-standing grower contracts including a few sourced from some of the oldest living, still productive vines on plots that date back to the mid-19th century and are pre-phylloxera. His ‘Old Garden’ Mourvèdre is a single-vineyard wine, whose vines were planted in 1853 in Barossa Valley and are reputed to be the oldest Mourvèdre vines in the world. Hewitson’s ‘Miss Harry’ is sourced from a Grenache vineyard planted in 1880, also thought to be the oldest Grenache in existence.
Due to Hewitson’s education and experience in Australia, California and France, Hewitson wines combine Old-World traditions with New-World fruit purity. And while he clearly excels with Rhône Valley grape varieties, Hewitson also produces award-winning Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. A practitioner in solar energy, water recycling and encouraging natural biodiversity, Hewitson produces wines in an environmentally sustainable fashion.
James Halliday "Dean Hewitson was a winemaker at Petaluma [one of Australia's leading wineries] for 10 years, during which time he managed to do three vintages in France and one in Oregon as well as undertaking his Masters at the University of California, Davis. It is hardly surprising that the wines are immaculately made from a technical viewpoint. Dean sources 30-year-old Riesling from the Eden Valley and 70-year-old shiraz from McLaren Vale; he also makes a Barossa Valley Mourvedre from vines planted in 1853 at Rowland Flat, and Barossa Valley Shiraz and Grenache from 60-year-old vines at Tanunda."
1 x Gaelic Cemetery Shiraz 2006 ~ Clare Valley, South Australia
93/100 - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
94/100 - James Halliday
Silver - Mundus Vini
Only 200 dozen made
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - "..A saturated opaque purple in color, it exhibits a brooding nose of pain grille, lavender, mineral, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a dense, layered, succulent wine with terrific integration of oak, tannin, and acidity. Give this lengthy effort 3-4 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2013 to 2026...The 2006 Shiraz was sourced from the low-yielding Gaelic Cemetery Vineyard in Clare Valley. It was aged in new French oak and bottled without fining or filtration. "
James Halliday - "Strong blackberry, prune and licorice aromas and flavours, with a spicy, fine tannin finish."
James Halliday "Gaelic Cemetry hinges on a single vineyard, planted in 1996, adjacent to the historic cemetery of the region's Scottish pioneers. Situated in a secluded valley of the Clare hills, the low-cropping vineyard, say the partners, ‘is always one of the earliest ripening Shiraz vineyards in the region and mystifyingly produces fruit with both natural pH and acid analyses that can only be described as beautiful numbers'. The result is hands-off winemaking."
Gaelic Cemetery produces limited quantity, super-premium wines. The five-star rated, multi-award winning winery is a joint venture between celebrated winemaker Neil Pike, internationally acclaimed viticulturist Andrew Pike and well known Adelaide wine retailers, Mario and Ben Barletta.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019 - Victoria, Australia
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Halliday Wine Award 2021 Judges Comment "Perfectly balanced, it has developed into an entrancing, delicately framed and poised wine with a silky mouthfeel and lingering aftertaste. Gold medal and runner up for the James Halliday Trophy for Best Pinot Noir Melbourne Wine Awards, gold medal Australian Pinot Noir Challenge....Multiple clones hand-picked and sorted, 25% whole bunches, gentle destemming, 13-15 days on skins, matured in French puncheons (25% new) for 11 months. "
James Suckling "Gorgeous decadence and richness with plum and crushed-flower aromas and flavors. Full body, very round and integrated tannins and a savory edge to the transparent fruit."
Australian Wine Companion "...continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Huon Hooke "Good concentration and persistence. A very smart wine, bold and fresh and solidly composed. It will have a long cellar future."
Jamie Goode "...these wines are peers of the world’s greatest Pinot Noirs, in my opinion." (comments from a tasting of previous vintages of Yabby Creek single block pinot noir)
Huon Hooke "One of [Yabby Creek's Winemaker] Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award."
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday "This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Led by Tom Carson "one of Australia's most lauded winemakers" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
1 x Chateau Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac 2016 - Bordeaux , France
94/100 Wine Advocate
93/100 Falstaff Magazin
93/100 James Suckling
92/100 Decanter
92/100 Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
92+/100 Neal Martin, vinous.com
91/100 Jeb Dunnuck
91/100 Wine Spectator
92/100 Highly Recommended Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards
Decanter Wines of the Year 2021
Jeb Dunnuck “A fine Pauillac and has a pretty, classic, elegant style that’s very much in the character of the vintage. Ruby-colored, with notes of tobacco, leafy herbs, and graphite, it has fine tannins and, again, an undeniable elegance and classic style.”
Neal Martin, Vinous “...I like the density of this Pauillac, which is focused and elegant yet classic on the finish...The palate is well balanced, with mint-infused black fruit, tobacco and sage.”
Wine Spectator "A restrained style, with a sanguine note leading off for a mix of gently mulled damson plum, loganberry, and red currant fruit flavors. Supple in feel, with perfumy cedar and alder notes guiding the finish."
Decanter "Tight and fresh, this shows good quality black fruits in a light, earlier drinking style. It's not as creamy in texture as some others, but has an enjoyable, fleshy texture as it opens in the glass."
83% Cabernet Sauvignon 17% Merlot
Château Lynch-Moussas was originally owned by Count Jean-Baptiste Lynch of Ireland in the 18th century. At the time, the estate was much larger than it is today. In fact, the Left Bank estate was so large in those days, it was eventually divided into two parts. Half of the estate gave birth to Chateau Lynch Bages. The remaining portion became Chateau Lynch Moussas. Like Lynch-Bages, it was ranked as a fifth growth in the 1855 Bordeaux classification.
In 1919, Chateau Lynch Moussas was purchased by the Casteja family and its negociant arm, Borie Manoux, which owns numerous other Bordeaux estates in the Medoc and the Right Bank including Chateau Batailley and Chateau Trotte Vieille. At the time of the purchase, they also owned Chateau Duhart-Milon.
Pauillac is a wine-growing region located between Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Julien on Bordeaux's Médoc peninsula (“Left Bank”), is home to some of the world's most famous and expensive red wines, made predominantly from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety, which is well suited to the free-draining gravel soils found in Pauillac's vineyards. The stellar reputation of Pauillac wines is based not only on their quality but on their success in international fine wine markets. Three of the top five châteaux in the 1855 Médoc Classification (a ranking of Bordeaux's best wine-producing properties) are located here: Mouton Rothschild, Lafite Rothschild, and Château Latour.