DFWE NYC 2024 Grand tasting: The world of fine wines awaits you

Another astounding wine from Allegrini, if you didn't buy Fiermonte last year here's a chance to buy something just as good. The most gorgeous nose; full of flowers, chocolate truffles, red fruits and dried berries - fragranced and just so inviting, also so pure. The texture and mouthfeel are just perfect - round, enveloping, the perfect weight to give structure and body with intensity and fleshiness yet nothing is over the top or too much. Delicious crunchy and fleshy fruit, wonderful minty freshness with accents of incense fragrance, wood spice and exotic spices before a lingering chalky finish with an underlying saltiness. Pure, precise, clearly defined, juicy, totally moreish. What more can you ask for? A little less friendly and overtly charming than the 2015 at the same time last year, this carries more muscle, opulence, power and boldness but it has exceptional forward motion and freshness. It delights and enthralls in equal measure from the first sip! Just wow! A blend of 45% Corvina, 45% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella and 5% Oseleta.

This careful exercise in harmony is a grand showcase of marrying 80% Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon with Eden Valley Shiraz, bringing together different varieties from significantly different regions to achieve a seamless weave of complementary flavours and textures. It’s a bold vision smartly realised – the leafy lift, redcurrant bite and confident blackberry typical of Coonawarra Cabernet threaded with the plush red and blue fruited exuberance of Eden Shiraz. A lively fresh berry perfume leaps from the glass, but the great highlight of this blend is the comforting savoury notes that envelop the mid-palate and keep descending through its densely layered structure. Importantly, the bottled wine sits in cellar for 23 months before release, resulting in ideal balance, with fine-grained tannins underpinning the heft of rich, persistent fruits. Released globally for about AU$365/£195 on 1 June 2023.

Fragranced and aromatically complex on the nose - beguiling and totally captivating red berries, clove, vanilla, liquorice and wild herbs. This has an inky density to it, weighty and fully textured but with amazing purity of fruit. Bright and piercing acidity adds to the overall expression with tannins that are refined yet carry a sense of opulence and seduction. Clean and sleek, wide, full and mouthwatering with liquorice, cherry blossom and strawberry fruit all the way through. Delicious.

Lucky you if you have this in your cellar. In a blind tasting you'd never guess this was a 2004: sure it has flavours of currants, prunes and fruitcake alongside the smoky, spiced oak, resolved velvety tannins and savoury leather silkiness, but the fruit is so bold and juicy it tastes a good five to 10 years younger. Open, juicy and delicious with great poise and freshness.

A record temperature of 48 degrees was recorded at the estate's weather station during the baking summer of 2003. There were more than 50 days of record heat, not even dropping below 30 degrees during the night. The pH climbed up to 3.62, compared to its usual 3.5 but as you might expect, even this hasn't entirely tamed the bite of Léoville. But it works - there isn't a trace of the heat you feel in many 2003 wines from Bordeaux. It's still full of life and tasting absolutely delicious right now. If you have reservations about Léoville's ability to welcome you in, this is the vintage to try. Pencil lead and slate give the character of the soils, while liquorice, black cherry, blueberry and bitter dark chocolate add gourmet notes that you rarely see in a 15-year-old Léoville. An excellent wine, not with the staying power of some years but still head and shoulders above most 2003s.

A fine, structured, monumental Pinot with great tannins on the palate. Typical Pinot Noir characters of truffle and 'sous bois' compliment the warm, spicy notes from nine months maturation in Francois Frère oak barrels. Very much a baby at the moment, this has potential to be one of the finest expressions yet of Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir. Just give it 1-2 years to settle and develop further.

Deep and intense, with dark and meaty notes followed in the mouth by red forest fruits and a spicy undertone with plenty of luscious jammy fruits. It has round tannins, long and persistent on the palate, showcasing plenty of cherry and dark plum.

Winemaker (and vineyard manager) Daniel Estrin refers to the Jessie Vineyard Pinot as a velvet sledgehammer, saying ‘this site has power and intensity with smooth edges.’ Aromas kick off a sweet blue fruit note with turned earth and fresh herbs accented by plenty of violets. These east-facing slopes see no afternoon sun and retain great freshness. The palate reflects those lively blue fruits, showing real depth and texture. There is fresh mint and touches of balsamic and soy umami. Seriously structured to lay down for many years.

‘Great nose’ was the first thing that came to mind with this wine. First whiffs reveal raspberry, cassis, and mocha, but beef jerky barbecue spice rub aromas quickly emerge. There’s also a mineral, almost saline tinge to both the nose and palate. There’s a great energy to the wine as it moves across the palate, leaving a long, juicy finish in its wake.

An excellent, powerful and concentrated wine with smoked tar notes, ripe fig and gourmet blackberry puree. Shares similarities with the 2017, this is a big and ripe wine that is extremely easy to recommend. Impressively nuanced as it spends time in the glass, showing a curl of rose petal on the finish. 85% new oak. Carménère and Petit Verdot complete the blend.

Damilano first produced this Riserva from the highest part of Cannubi in 2008. It's aged for five years in Austrian casks. Smoky berry aromas dominate the nose, which shows intensity and clarity. As one would expect, the attack is tannic and dense but not too aggressive. It's still very closed and inexpressive, and the fruit is masked by the imposing structure. A classic, austere Riserva - this demands patience.

A sumptuous reflection of bright red and black, somewhat jammy fruit with hints of dark chocolate and forest-floor. The palate is almost decadent, but with a tannic grip that keeps everything poised. No second wine produced here, but that may change soon. Perfect for barbecued steak.

Possesses a wonderful richness and muscularity balanced by freshness. Brooding dark berry fruit, dried sage and cedar lead to an expressive cherry-fruited wine with nuances of apricot, cherry and cherry blossoms. The fruit builds on the mid-palate, gaining silky-textured volume balanced by fine-grained tannins and excellent acidity. The finish ushers in a sumptuous mix of earth, black truffles, vanilla and more cedar, culminating with a sanguine note. Heritage Pinot Noir clones DRC, LaTache, and Calera are sourced from the Dach Vineyard in Anderson Valley and entirely destemmed and aged in 17% new French oak for 16 months. 95 cases produced.