Top wines of 2018 from Decanter Panel Tastings

Ferraton Père & Fils was established in 1946 by Jean Orëns Ferraton. His son, Michel, continued his work and added further to the range of wines. Today, Ferraton Père & Fils produces a huge range of Rhône wines from Hermitage to St-Péray, with added help from long-time friend Michel Chapoutier who, in 1998, introduced new appellations to the business, as well as creating a plot-selection approach and biodynamic practices. These changes have put Ferraton Père & Fils and winemaker Damien Brisset in the spotlight. Les Grands Mûriers is one of three Cornas wines produced. The vines are grown mainly on decomposed granite soils with the rest on clay and limestone. Gearoid Devaney MS: A classic Cornas that is brimming with ripe fruit and delicious spices. There is a beguiling blood-red meat and iron element here, and great energy and tension from the tannins. It needs time, but the finish is long. Simon Field MW: A traditional wine that is rigorous and magnificently unapproachable at present. It is tannic, firm and long; I am so pleased that this style still persists and flourishes – bravo! Matt Walls: Dense, herbal and oaky aromatics unfold elegantly onto a full-bodied, powerful and lush palate. It is full of plush fruit and muscular, thunderous power in an old-school style. There is a lot to enjoy here all the way to a long finish lengthened by fine tannins and piercing acidity.

Sidewood was only founded in 2004, but is now the largest sustainable winery in the Adelaide Hills. Should you ever visit the estate in the autumn or winter, you may do a double-take at the sight of flocks of sheep nibbling their way between the rows of vines. These are not escapees from the nearby farm, but an integral part of Sidewood’s methodology, acting as roaming weed killers and fertilisers, where the environment is at the core of its practices. Winemaker Darryl Catlin covers the hard yards in the vineyards, selecting the best fruit from the best parcels for this Shiraz. It is fermented in barrel, with 25%-30% whole bunch, after which it spends 18 months in new and one-year-old French barriques. Tine Gellie: Lovely savoury aromas of spiced leather lead into a developing fruit palate of dark berries and sappy, whole-bunch fruit tannins. Refreshing acidity makes it very quaffable. A top-drawer Shiraz that will mature well. Roger Jones: A beautiful, savoury nose leads into a palate of gentle, evolving fruit with classy, restrained elegance. It has nice acidity, making this fresh, clean, vibrant and exciting - a real feminine style. Just stunning. Anthony Rose: Excellent vibrant, spicy aromatics are followed by an intense and concentrated palate with a rich, dark berry quality. It has a spine of incisive cool-climate acidity and firm, sinewy tannins for structure. Finessed and complete.

Vinteloper was founded by husband and wife team, David and Sharon. David cut his teeth in both France and Australia before his Vinteloper journey began in 2008. He sources fruit from a clutch of small-scale vineyards that span Adelaide Hills, as well as boosting their volume with farm-grown fruit from Clare Valley and Langhorne Creek. This Shiraz comes from the Glengrove vineyard, a single vineyard located in the Kangarilla Hills. It’s treated with kid gloves, following a minimal intervention principle. Fermentation is with wild yeasts, after which it is matured for 18 months in French oak, 25% new, then bottled with minimal sulphites. Tine Gellie: A vibrant wine boasting amazing purity and concentration of smoky, gamey, autumnal fruit on a velvety palate. It has delicious suppleness with bright acidity that balances the evolving savoury fruit. Roger Jones: Mature tasting, with a luxurious, textured quality. Soft, delicate oak lingers on the palate, sitting alongside savoury, meaty flavours with notes of berries, tobacco and cocoa. Anthony Rose: Spicy, peppery aromas lead into rich, concentrated flavours of blackberry and smoky bacon. The fruit has evolved into a seductively-textured, dark berry quality, with that cool-climate element that brings a northern Rhône level of class.

Under the ownership of the Germano family for five generations, this estate currently spans 18ha of vineyard. This Barolo is sourced from one of Serralunga d’Alba’s most important crus, Cerretta, an expansive hill facing south/southwest. While adopting modern techniques – stainless steel is much in evidence – the winemaking is rooted in tradition: fermentation is short, around 12-15 days, in open wooden fermenters and maturation is completed in a variety of barrel sizes. The Cerretta spends 24 months in 700-litre French oak barrels, 15-20% new, and then a further 15-18 months in bottle before release. Stephen Brook: Hefty nose of smoky bacon but with ample plummy fruit too. Very rich and forthright, highly concentrated, with firm acidity and tannins. Still youthful and almost raw, as the alcohol is a bit too apparent, but it’s still harmonious and voluptuous with admirable length; will go the distance. Michael Garner: Firmly structured, with a core of sweet fruit encircled by notes of liqueur cherry, almond and charred spice; some freshness still, with plentiful tannins to finish. Good. Susan Hulme MW: High-toned, smoky, iodine aromas. Darkly powerful, intensely concentrated palate with very firm tannins closing the fruit down right now, but this has huge concentration, energy and drive.

Domaine Grosbois, family owned since 1820, can trace its connection to the land as far back as the French Revolution. It is located in the appellation of Chinon in Touraine, nestled in the Loire valley on a 9ha estate. Today the estate is fronted by Nicolas Grosbois, who in 2008 crafted a range of seven differing types of Cabernet Franc, based on the unique soil characteristics of 13 plots. These comprise clay soils on a limestone bedrock, with the vines on average 40 years old. Jim Budd: A sooty, smoky nose, with good concentration and structure on the palate – a powerful, early-bottled 2017. It is best kept a year or two before you start to drink. Chris Kissack: A much more convincing nose in the context of this line-up: dark fruit, concentrated, black cherry compote and blackcurrant. Fresh, bright, pure, defined, ripe, grained, elegant and energetic. An excellent young Chinon, fresh, composed, complete, with so much potential. Perhaps up to 12 months in bottle to help it come together a little more, otherwise this is good to go. Brilliant. Ben Llewelyn: Concentrated black fruit, a touch of dried prune on the nose and palate. It finishes with a density that requires time to resolve, but it’s very long and quite grown-up.

In 2013, Xavier Gerard’s father – who used to be a part-time winemaker, grower and Crédit-Agricole employee – passed his vines to his son. Xavier spent the decade before that learning the trade at home, as well as travelling extensively, getting experience by working at other wineries. Now in his 30s, he is producing some great wines from his excellent parcels of fruit: Terroir du Mollard giving a mineral character, and those north of Ampuis giving a peppery character to the blend. Gearoid Devaney MS: Immediate, ripe forest berry fruits spring from the glass and unfurl onto a rich palate with good concentration and smooth tannins. It is complex and glossy yet elegant with a fresh finish. Simon Field MW: Classicism in every sense: gently reticent at first then a linear palate emerges, garlanded by red fruit and finely powdered tannins. There is quite an assertive undertow presaging an illustrious evolution. Matt Walls: Just 4% Viognier, but it makes itself known on the nose with a touch of stone fruit among the berries. Soft, ripe, yielding palate, but also concentrated and long, with fine tannins and brisk acidity leading to a long finish. Intense yet easygoing style – very easy to love.

Kilikanoon was founded in 1997, producing just 25,000 bottles in its first vintage. As the name suggests, this wine comes from a miniscule, dry-grown vineyard planted on Terra Rossa soil over 150 years ago. Only around 800 of the original vines remain, but they produce tiny crops of small, powerful berries yielding 3kg per vine. The wine is fermented in open vats, then basket pressed before spending 22 months in French oak hogsheads. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered, but this does not signal the end of the cycle, as it is sat on for at least a further two years before being considered for release. Tine Gellie: Dense, full, inky and tannic. It's an 'old-style' Aussie Shiraz that's not shy on the oak, but it has plenty of brooding black fruit and peppery spice to balance. Power over grace here, but it has great grandeur and complexity, and will have lots of fans. Roger Jones: An elegant, perfumed nose leads into a seductive and charming palate. The purity of the fruit is immense, and there's a gentle Arabic spice note in the background. The savoury, meaty backbone is engulfed by some rather pristine, tiny clusters of perfect Clare fruit. A stunning wine. Anthony Rose: There's plenty of sweet vanilla on the nose, suggesting a traditional style of Shiraz, and indeed the dark berry fruit is rich, concentrated and powerful. Just as this threatens to overpower the palate, a new savoury dimension kicks in, salvaging balance and bringing complexity, power and a sinewy texture to the enterprise. Classic Clare Shiraz.

Domaine du Mortier is located in St-Nicolas de Bourgueil in the Loire Valley, a 13ha estate run by brothers Fabien and Cyril Boisard who initially had no formal winemaking experience! Dionysos is their ‘flagship’ wine, or top cuvée, using 30- to 50-year-old vines which are grown on gravel soils, producing a yield of 40hl/ha. Wines are produced through spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, aged in minimum third-use oak, and a little sulphur dioxide is added only prior to bottling. The Dionysos 2016 was aged for 15 months in barrel. Jim Budd: This is a densely coloured wine, with seductive texture, mouthfilling red and black fruits, lovely balance and oak adding complexity. Good potential to age – one for the cellar. Chris Kissack: A dark and restrained nose to this glossy, crimson-rimmed wine. The palate is textured, complete, correct, with primary and restrained fruit, countered by a ripe wrapping of finessed tannins and fresh acidity. Very youthful, but very composed and competent, with great potential. Lots of tannic substance here to keep this alive, and the oak which shows through a little here will be no problem in time. Top stuff. Ben Llewelyn: A dark, very brooding style. Fully formed fruit, lovely tannins and a los of guts to help it along in the finish. This is showy now, but will become refined with age.

The Grasso family have been winemakers since 1927, but have only been bottling all their production themselves since the mid-1980s. Their vineyard holdings add up to 14ha, of which they own 6ha while leasing the rest. Federico Grasso is in charge of the winemaking here and has, in the words of Robert Parker, ‘produced a bevy of sensational efforts’. A bottling from a single vineyard in La Morra from vines dating back to 1968, this wine’s name was changed to Bricco Manzoni in 2010. Fermentation takes place in steel tanks for 15 days before maturation in French oak barriques for 24 months, with less than 30% new oak. Stephen Brook: Meaty, savoury nose, a bit charred, yet it’s aromatically vibrant. Nicely concentrated, ripe and silky with a seamless quality to the texture, while it shows sufficient but not dominating acidity and well-integrated tannins. Harmonious, long and lively. Michael Garner: Bright and fresh red fruit aromas with hints of liquorice and clove. Full, round and juicy with superb flesh and lavish, mineral-toned fruit. Really good. Susan Hulme MW: Cool, menthol top notes with creamy spice, dark cherry and sous-bois flavours; very harmonious, melded and velveteen, with a lingering, juicy finish.

This small, family-run winery was founded in 1974 by Athanassios Parparoussis who is still head winemaker at the estate, working with his two daughters: Erifili, oenologist and viticulturist, and Dimitra who is in charge of the day-to-day running of the business. The estate is located at Bozaitika in Patras in the northern Peloponnese and proudly promotes indigenous Greek grape varieties. Its vineyards include Assyrtiko, Athiri, Sideritis and Mavrodaphne, planted in various PGIs around the Peloponnese. This particular wine is made from 100% Mavrodaphne and aged in French Allier oak barrels for 24 months. Terry Kandylis: Laurel leaves and sage complexity, with leathery notes and plummy fruit. A very attractive and unique wine, with wonderful acidity and rounded tannins, plus a herbal undertone that is evident on the palate. It’s long, poised and complex, displaying an almost Cabernet Franc character. Yiannis Karakasis MW: This has fine aromatic complexity, with a leafy character but also funky notes on the nose. Very elegant and precise on the palate. A wine of class and character. Nico Manessis: Laurel aromas on the nose, with a strong gamey and botanical imprint. Classy.

Julian Castagna's eponymous estate sits at 500m above sea level near Beechworth, in the foothills of the Victorian Alps. He is devoted to operating in accordance to biodynamics, although he’s not convinced by the spiritual side of the movement, merely seeing it as a farming practice which enables him to extract the very best from his land: ‘Our intention is to make a wine which is an expression of the place where it is grown, and this is the best way to achieve optimum fruit quality that best expresses its terroir,’ he says, as evidenced by the Genesis, whose fruit is lovingly cared for and aged in fine-grained French oak. Tina Gellie: A really vital, lifted wine with elegant, savoury fruit dancing on a silky palate. What a joy after so many over-oaked examples! It has a supple, velvety mouthfeel and beautiful purity of red fruits, supported by dusty, spicy oak. Delicious. Roger Jones: A savoury, whole-bunch style, the stalkiness carried well by the fruit. I love the perfumed, fruity element on the palate, which shows fine evolution. Anthony Rose: There's lots of energy and verve to the medium-bodied, charmingly textured raspberry red fruit, which is tinged with spice. It displays nicely evolving tannins and juicy acidity, and comes as something of a surprise in this line-up of big-hitters and traditionalists. But it's a spot-on, classy surprise.

Southern Italian Francesco Miranda and his family arrived in Griffith, New South Wales in 1938, founding a wine estate the following year. His son, Lou, now runs the estate along with his wife and daughters The flagship Old Vine Shiraz is made from bush vines planted in 1907 in what is known as the Church Block. The vines are largely left to look after themselves, receiving no irrigation whatsoever, before being hand-picked, carefully pressed, then transferred to small, open-top fermenters. It's gracefully matured in fine, medium-toast American oak for over 18 months. Only 7,400 bottles were produced. Tina Gellie: This is showing some secondary characteristics of soused dark fruit, coconut and cigar box spice on the silky palate – it's very well made. There's plenty of oak, but it's sexy and polished, ably balancing the big, bold fruit. Roger Jones: Elegant chocolate and savoury nuances are balanced by perfect fruit, with notes of violets and silky smooth grapes. The flavour is polished and wonderful, yet maintains its restraint and poise. This is Barossa at its best. Anthony Rose: Attractively evolving, though still youthful scents of pepper, spice, coconut and dark berry fruit. The palate is wrought from sinewy black and red fruits tinged with peppery notes, all resolving brilliantly. It's starting to drink beautifully, but no doubt has enough fruit weight and power to develop complexity as it turns from adolescence to middle-age over the next decade. Classic Barossa.

Having found an ideal vineyard site in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, at an elevation of 440m above sea level on ancient granitic soils, winemaker Keppel Smith founded Savaterre in 1996. Mild summer days and cool nights encourage the high-density plantings to produce small crops of high quality fruit. The estate is run organically, and winemaking is inspired by minimal intervention concepts. Wild yeasts are used for fermentation, and the wine is aged in French oak barriques, 50% new. Tina Gellie: Beautiful maturity here, full of exotic spices, toasty oak and lifted, ripe bramble fruits on a satin-textured palate. It's drinking beautifully, with great freshness, grip and balance. Roger Jones: A soft, delicate perfume on the nose, with restrained but pure fruit. The silky, textured palate is spiced, layered, vibrant and elegant. Anthony Rose: A distinctive, seductively spicy perfume is accompanied by a hint of mint. It's richly concentrated in the mouth, with a spice-imbued, savoury dark fruit quality that's evolving nicely, and silky tannins which coat the tongue. Almost plush and Cote Rôtie-like.

This certified organic estate is located in the Conca d’Oro (Golden Bowl) of Panzano, in the Chianti Classico appellation. Today it’s run by Monica Piccini, whose father and grandfather both grew grapes here. Vineyards are planted at an altitude of around 500m on galestro soil, and benefit from a unique microclimate. Almost all of the vines are Sangiovese, with 1ha of Merlot planted by Piccini’s father. Le Bambole takes its name from the Vigna delle Bambole vineyard, the source of the fruit used in this Gran Selezione. Andrea Briccarello: Clean yet rustic, with leather and cigar box aromas. On the palate the wine is very polished and super-sleek. Lots of red forest fruits flow into an intense body. Great personality here, and a long aftertaste. Susan Hulme MW: Dark fruit combines with tar, polish and black olive on the nose. A very richly compact and concentrated palate with refined, oak-coated tannins. A super-smart, sophisticated style that's slick, round, satisfying and deeply concentrated. Andrew Jefford: Understated yet very intricate and charming; sweet, perfumed and serene. The elements are brought together with magnificent subtlety and harmony. That grace is amply evident on the palate too, demonstrating seamless harmony and an accumulation of nuance with textural finesse. It has sap, freshness and richness, and an assured sense of being Tuscan.

This wine is a blend of 70 per cent Corvina with 20 per cent Rondinella and just 5 per cent each of Croatina and Oseleta.  It’s deep black-red in colour, and is dark and forceful, sombre yet voluptuous in aroma: a harmonious weave of black chocolate, sloe and elderberry, with the years in oak bringing a cedary refinement.  On the palate, it’s a vault of a wine: deep, dark and roomy, packed with earthy refinements and black-fruited echoes, both severe yet soft and enticing too.  The tannins are ample yet fine-grained, the acidity delicate and sustaining.  I wrote about the ‘crocodilian’ character of grand Veneto dried-fruit reds wine back in April, but the teeth are polished ivory here.  This is horizon-altering ‘Valpolicella’ which would perform outstandingly in any Amarone tasting.

Campogadis is one of just four wines that are produced at Ernesto Ruffo’s winery, in the Superiore zone of Valpolicella. The others are an Amarone della Valpolicella and two Veronese Rosso wines; one sweet, one dry. Located on the hills of San Briccio, the unique microclimate and volcanic soils contribute greatly to the character of wine from this small family estate, which is run by Ruffo, who has been making wines here for decades. Campogadis is a blend of Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella grapes and is aged in French oak barriques. Andrea Briccarello: Spicy first impression, with plenty of dark fruits at the back. Rich, oaky notes with plenty of vanilla and cinnamon, followed by cola notes on the back palate. Wonderful. Michael Garner: This is edgy, with strong, creamy vanillin notes over dark fruit aromas. Big, full and juicy in the mouth, with plump, luscious dark fruit flavours. It finishes finely balanced and aromatic. A keeper for a few more years yet. Andrew Jefford: Dense, rich, close-textured and suggestive. There is oak here but it's well integrated, rendered creamy by the mass of fruit. It has a sumptuously composed aromatic profile, though evidently in the richer style with appassimento fruit. On the palate this is a deep, profound, searching wine with magnificent tannic structure, powerfully sustained fruit flavours, and the innate exoticism which can come from passito grapes grown here. A masterclass in a glass.

Established in La Morra in the early 19th century, Ascheri moved to the town of Bra in 1880, and the original La Morra vineyards were added to purchases of individual estates in Serralunga d’Alba, Verduno and Bra. Grown on selected plots of the Sorano vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba, this is made by Matteo Ascheri and produced in only the best vintages. Coste & Bricco is known to be very long-lived, yet Ascheri remains ever-vigilant in avoiding the extraction of harsh tannins. Stephen Brook: Muted, leathery nose. Very rich and sumptuous, a full-bodied style with an imposing depth of fruit, but not ungainly or overwrought. Michael Garner: Full and frank, bramble fruit aromas with faintly herbal notes. Juicy and ripe, pretty red fruit flavours – stylish, charming, and nearly ready. Susan Hulme MW: Liquorice, molasses and tar on the nose, firmly austere but very concentrated. Traditional, uncompromising style with intense liquorice-toned dark fruit, very firm tannins and bright acidity, with a very long, sinewy finish. Powerful and impressive.

Run by the third generation, Bovio is a small producer with 6.5ha spread across La Morra, Barolo and Castiglione Falletto. Their philosophy is strongly embedded in tradition, with lengthy maceration on skins and ageing in big oak casks. Arborina, in La Morra, is one of Bovio’s two single-vineyard Barolos made by winemaker Matteo Franchi. After fermenting in steel for 12-15 days, the wine remains on the skins for 30-40 days before ageing for 24 months in barriques, followed by six months in concrete tanks and six months in bottle. 3,500 bottles produced. Stephen Brook: Subdued nose, with a hint of oak. Freshness and concentration; the tannins are perhaps too pungent now, but they give the wine its drive, aided by good acidity. A bit gawky, but intensity and persistence here. Michael Garner: Luscious black fruit aromas. Full, ripe and juicy with lively fruit, cultured tannins and a notable freshness and lift. Will develop further. Susan Hulme MW: Dried fruit nose, with attractive dried cherry and balsamic notes on the palate, bolstered by firm, muscular tannins. A chunky, forceful style but well managed, with great vibrancy.

Founded in 1958 by Arnaldo Rivera, the son of a smallholder, Terre del Barolo is a cooperative based in Castiglione Falletto, growing from 21 founding members to 300 today. The company maintains a philosophy based on quality, local provenance and commercial reliability, including a technical assistance programme that encourages growers to pursue quality and environmental sustainability. The winery uses modern technology while following traditional procedures. This wine undergoes maturation in both French and Slavonian oak casks. Cannubi lies on a small hill and is one of the most famous and sought-after Barolo crus. Stephen Brook: Rich, smoky cherry and raspberry nose. The attack is fresh and limpid and this shows purity of fruit, though there is no lack of tannin to give structure, with acidity bringing out the sweetness of the fruit. Michael Garner: Ripe and spicy rose and cherry aromas. Round, fresh and juicy, with notable sweetness of bright red fruit partnering notes of liquorice and tobacco. Lively and youthful; a lot more to give. Susan Hulme MW: Complex nose of sous-bois, dark cherry, creamy spice. Rounded and harmonious with fine, gravelly tannins; attractive weight and balance.

Fabre Montmayou was founded in the early 1990s by winemaker Hervé Joyaux Fabre, after he moved to Argentina from his native Bordeaux. Having built his winery in Vistalba (Luján de Cuyo), Fabre set about buying exclusively old-vine vineyards in Mendoza, as well as in Patagonia’s Rio Negro Valley. As the estate’s only bottling of 100% Cabernet Franc, the source of fruit for this wine is Luján de Cuyo in the upper Mendoza Valley. Meticulous sorting is done by hand prior to vinification, in order to select only the very best grapes, with 60% of the wine spending 12 months in French oak. Paz Levinson: Lovely black and blue fruit, with notes of cassis intermingling with touches of mint, eucalyptus, lavender and violet. Not a perfect wine but with huge personality, energy and freshness. Patricio Tapia: Tense and mineral, with a deep layer of red fruit, and structure provided by tannins that are as thick as a wall. This is austere; a really serious example of Cabernet Franc for the cellar. Dirceu Vianna Junior MW: Promising aromas with notes of blueberry, blackberry, violet and sweet spice. Compact and powerful, but tannins are too firm at the moment. Great fruit profile, but the structure requires patience: it has all the ingredients to age well and develop complexity.

Winemaker Marc Plouzeau, owner and face of Château de la Bonnelière, took over this 1848 château in 1988, adapting methods to bring a more natural approach to the wines. On the left bank of the Vienne, this 30ha estate produces a huge range of Cabernet Francs. The soils are divided into three specific types: clay-limestone, flint and gravel, all of which provide this estate’s unique characteristics. Le Clos de la Bonnelière is created from 35-year-old vines which thrive on a clay-limestone plot. Jim Budd: Smoky aromas with some notes of liquorice, finesse and charm, length. Ready to drink now but potential to age. Very attractive wine. Chris Kissack: Fire embers and toast on the nose. Sweet red cherry and redcurrant, with chalky, perfumed vanillin notes coming through on the palate, dry and distinct. Bold, grippy with a long finish, lots of tannic structure. Ben Llewelyn: Dense and brooding, albeit with mineral fruit underpinning the palate. There’s a lovely freshness to this. A good wine with characters of both vintage and terroir.

Domaine du Mortier is situated centrally between Angers and Tours, and importantly only uses organic grapes from its organic and biodynamic certified vineyards. Grapes for Les Pins are from a single parcel of vines averaging 60 years of age, on soils of clay and chalk. Whole bunches go into an open-top, 50hl wooden vat, with the fermentation initiated using lees from previous vintages. The wine is aged for 10 months in oak before being bottled. Jim Budd: Black fruit aromas, some cherries, lovely soft texture, mouthfilling black fruits, powerful wine with some structure and a long finish. Some oak showing at present, so ideally kept for another couple of years. Chris Kissack: Blackcurrant with a touch of old school desk. Dark and restrained, suggesting a savoury style. Rather perfumed too though, a palate with substance, breadth and energy, dark and vibrant fruit, zippy acidity too. Lovely purity of fruit, with little grilled pip notes, praline edges too. Energetic and grippy. This is very good. Ben Llewelyn: Strongly put-together wine with identity and structure. A great wine.

A relatively new winery, set up in 2012 in the Tyrnavos region of Thessaly in Central Greece. Christos Zafeirakis, head winemaker at the estate, is following in the local grape-growing tradition that was established by many past generations of his family. The vineyard has clay and flint soils and benefits from a unique microclimate, which is ideal for growing the local indigenous grape Limniona. Domaine Zafeirakis made its first vintage with this variety in 2008. Terry Kandylis: Charming and perfumed, with an elegant nature and an aromatic lift. Very good integration of the wood, great tannic management and long length, with very appealing fruit. A beautiful wine. Yiannis Karakasis MW: A very perfumed and pure nose displaying aromas of roses and cherries. Delicious! Savoury notes combine with well-played tannins on the palate. This is a great example of Limniona. Nico Manessis: Floral complexity, with a juicy, round and complete palate. There’s well-integrated oak too. This is a one-of-a-kind wine. I think of this variety as Greece’s answer to Pinot Noir.

Baptista is named after Baptista Governa, an immigrant from northern Italy who established a winery and vineyard in Graytown in 1891. Fast-forward to 1988 and independent winemaker David Traeger began purchasing fruit from this site, before eventually acquiring it in 1993. Now organically farmed, the vineyard is planted on fertile alluvial soils over gravel, where the shallow water table helps to keep the vines quenched during the warmer months. The first vintage of Baptista Shiraz was produced in 1996, and it is aged for 12 months in a combination of French and American oak. Tina Gellie: Graceful maturity – showcasing the savoury, meaty qualities of old Shiraz. It has a fine concentration of leathery, dusty, ripe red fruits and baking spices, with supple, integrated oak. Roger Jones: Aromatic and perfumed, with ripe fruit aromas. This has evolved beautifully, and shows a sweet-fruited character and great balance. Anthony Rose: This is holding up well, with a fresh, intense and complex fragrance with a touch of liquorice. It's showing positive evolution on the palate too, with notes of fennel and spice. The fruit is concentrated, rich and chocolatey, with malty notes and good complexity. There's a lovely silky Rioja Gran Reserva mellowness to it, and excellent balance.

Aged just 16, Ed Schild took over the running of his family vineyard following the tragic death of his father in 1956. This wine is a tribute to his father, Ben Schild, made from carefully selected fruit grown in a single vineyard overlooking Lyndoch. It is fermented in open top fermenters, then aged for 18 months in an eclectic mix of French, American and Hungarian oak. Tina Gellie: Fresh, pure bramble aromas are lifted by a floral edge. The weighty, meaty palate has nice juicy, sappy red fruits and dusty tannins, with appealing Chinese five spice notes. Well done! Roger Jones: Spiced, juicy and voluptuous on the palate, with a lovely meaty, bacon character intertwined with luscious red and black fruits which linger on the palate. It's a luscious wine that's crying out for pork belly. Anthony Rose: A good, rich colour and attractively spicy aromatics lead into a full-bodied, full-throttle palate. Spicy, sweet blackcurrant fruit tapers nicely to a seductive finish. It has a juicy texture, and background notes of pepper and spice. A lovely wine.

Owned and run by husband and wife team James and Taiita Champniss, you could never truly accuse Ten Miles East of chasing a buck. ‘Our Syrah vines are now so low yielding, that if we were to make a decision based on economics alone, we’d probably rip them out,’ says James. ‘We make one or two barrels a year; that’s it. But the resulting wine? Wow.’ This Syrah is produced from vines grafted over underperforming Carmenere in 2005 and 2006, and the wine is styled to be reminiscent of St-Joseph. Following a cold soak and a wild ferment, it's aged in a combination of new and old barrels. Tina Gellie: Smooth, enticing creamy blackberry fruit is joined by appealing touches of peppery salami and bright acidity on the velvety palate. It's textured, lifted and long, with a firm, tannic frame. Roger Jones: A beautifully gamey, meaty wine with refreshing fruit aromas. The palate has a creamy balance of fruit, with notes of savoury cherries, violets and some lovely textures. Anthony Rose: Pleasingly spicy and ripe, with an accent on espresso coffee and lots of sweet, juicy blackcurrant fruit in a full-bodied framework of grippy tannins and fresh, balancing acidity. Great value!

Bekkers’ genesis was the result of a chance meeting between youthful French winemaker, Emmanuelle, and Australian viticulturist, Toby - now one of Australia’s most respected authorities on organics and biodynamics. They have visited some of Europe's top producers, gleaning precious knowledge and advice. This Shiraz is Bekkers’ flagship wine, a dovetailing of fruit from two different vineyards. The fermentation is kicked off by native yeasts, and afterwards the wine is matured for 20 months in 500 litre French puncheons, 40% new. TIna Gellie: An excellent balance of fresh cherry fruit and vibrant acidity here, lively and lipsmacking! Integrated sweet oak and a hint of tobacco spice sit alongside a refreshing herbal character and fine fruit tannins. Roger Jones: Very bright in acidity, with cherries, frangipane and soft vanilla oak. This needs time, but evolves beautifully in the glass; the cherries get riper, and there is a lovely softness to the wine. Anthony Rose: Vibrant fresh fruit aromas show lots of energy, as if some whole-bunch pressing has been going on, delivering a slight stalky element. Overall the picture is bright, with lots of vivacious black cherry and kirsch fruit in a seamlessly textured, albeit still elementally youthful red.

Candialle is a 35ha estate located south of Panzano, with 11.5ha devoted to vines. Finnish winemaker Jarkko Peränen worked with a small producer in Chianti Classico for five years before purchasing Candialle in 2002. Sangiovese dominates the vineyard, with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malvasia Nera, Petit Verdot and Canaiolo also planted. Candialle belongs to the local Unione Viticoltori di Panzano, a sustainable winegrowing initiative that aims to make Panzano the first organic viticultural region in Italy. Andrea Briccarello: Slightly animal on the nose, with leather and sweet tobacco layers. It's very intense and structured on the palate, with delicate violets and red flowers peeping through. The tannins are rounded and there are plenty of juicy cherries on the mid-palate. Susan Hulme MW: Broad, round and spicy red-fruit aromas with perfumed cherry underneath. It has a super-subtle first impression, with silky, seamless texture and weight marking this out as a special wine. There's lovely ease and flow across the palate. Andrew Jefford: Sweet, warm, floaty fruit aromas tease with their ripeness. On the palate it is delicate and pure, with beautifully sculpted Sangiovese fruit showing freshness, depth, cut and class. Excellent.

The Castelli del Grevepesa co-operative was established in 1965 by a group of 18 Chianti Classico winemakers and growers. Today there are 150 members, who own a range of vineyards and estates in different areas including Panzano, Lamole and Greve di Chianti. A team of oenologists oversee the production of this Chianti Classico Riserva, which is a blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Merlot, hand-picked and matured in large oak barrels for two years. Andrea Briccarello: Very charming and attractive nose with herbal hints and menthol tones. Intense and complex on the palate, with generous layers of red forest fruits, spice and leather. A very seductive style, with plenty of charm and complexity. Susan Hulme MW: Warm and inviting notes of smoke, bonfire, ripe dark cherries and forest floor on nose, with a hint of greenness, reminiscent of woodland walks. Very smooth and silky textured mid-palate. Lovely weight and balance to this wine, which flows beautifully across the palate. Andrew Jefford: Enticingly subtle vanilla and lavish spice. A very concentrated, deep and searching wine of impressive intricacy and depth of allusions – and one which needs longer to grow out of its vanilla spice and express more of those forest and field notes. Ripe, ringing, fruited acidity and tannins, too, very finely spliced to the fruits: outstanding work here.

The Livernano estate traces its origins back to the Etruscans, but gained a new lease of life in 1990 as a luxury holiday village with working farm and winery. The first vineyards were planted 15 years ago, surrounded by olive groves and woodland. Livernano makes a range of wines, including Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva. This Gran Selezione is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of eight months. Andrea Briccarello: Quite a vinous style on the nose, unfolding onto dark stone fruits and plenty of dark spices at the back of the wine. Elegant and seductive with generous amounts of red forest fruits. Susan Hulme MW: Ripe red fruits and berry jam, with attractive wild strawberry notes. Perfumed fruit character. Super-smooth and seamless palate. Definitely not a loud wine, but has lots of understated grace and elegance. Andrew Jefford: Exuberant aromas of enticing fruits. Concentrated and satisfying flavours; brisk dark spice tannins at the end. A truly excellent Gran Selezione which will probably be even better in a year or two.

The Davaz family has been making wine in Switzerland since the early 1970s. In 1990, winemakers Kathrin and Johannes Davaz acquired Poggio al Sole, nestled between the towns of Tavarnelle Val di Pesa and Greve in Chianti. They produce 9,500 bottles of this wine, aged in old and new French oak barrels for a minimum of 18 months. Andrea Briccarello: Earthy and spicy scents upfront, flowing onto a palate of great concentration and savouriness that gives the wine complexity and structure. Very elegant, with poised fruits and round tannins. A well balanced wine with plenty of generous fruit. Susan Hulme MW: Warm spice notes to the fore; faded rose tones in the background. Nutmeg spice is subtly integrated and harmonious. Very appealing texture and weight, an understated, elegant style with a lingering finish. Andrew Jefford: Sweet, graceful and pure, with soft incense notes qualifying the ripe black and red fruits. Understated but very attractive. Mellow yet vivid, fresh yet fleshy: another Gran Selezione of assured quality and ample drinking pleasure. For soft charm, this is hard to beat.

Sergio Zingarelli is president of the Rocca delle Macìe estate, taking over from his late father, Italo Zingarelli, a former boxer and filmmaker who bought the 600ha estate in 1973. International and Italian grape varieties are farmed organically, alongside 80ha of olive groves. This Gran Selezione is aged in French oak barriques for 18 months. Andrea Briccarello: A nose of dark fruits with plenty of seductive, ripe, wild elements. Hints of pomegranate and rhubarb exude from the glass. Beautifully crafted with plenty of dark plums and juicy currants. Great gripping tannins and lingering fruit notes. Susan Hulme MW: Sweet wild strawberries and red cherries on the nose, with creamy oak spice. Very warm and inviting on the palate; enough fruit to support the lavish oak. Very fine tannins. Supremely harmonious. Andrew Jefford: Breezy and chic fruits with well-judged oak and incipient secondary complexities. Concentrated and beguiling on the palate, with a sweet note which gradually softens and fills as it sits in the mouth. It’s rich yet far from vulgar, full of the nuance of field and forest as well as vineyard.

Tracing its history back to the 1800s, this small farm in the hills of Valpolicella, in Fumane commune, was founded by Fasoli Fedrigo. The Cà dei Maghi estate is modest in size, with 4.5ha of vineyards, growing Corvinone, Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. Today the winery is run by Paolo Creazzi, who looks for diversity in the grapes he grows, and in the styles of wine he makes, paying close attention to every detail. This Classico Superiore is aged in large traditional casks for four years. Andrea Briccarello: Cherry stone and dry plum notes rise from the glass. It's earthy and leathery, with plenty of cigar box notes, yet great freshness and vibrancy. A cracker. Michael Garner: Broad and ripe, with good breadth and freshness, and lifted aromatics of cedar and spice. It's juicy and full in the mouth, with attractively perfumed fruit flavours leading into a fresh finish of dark fruit compote and charred spice. Charming and graceful stuff. Andrew Jefford: Still fresh and fruity after all these years, with some spiced richness, too. A brightly-fruited and well-preserved wine which is fresh, deft, concentrated, elegant and detailed. Delicious.

Corte Canella was only founded in 2009, but the combination of 50-60 year old vines and modern winery equipment has allowed them to realise their commitment to making high quality, characterful wines. Located in Cellore village, just north of Verona, they produce Valpolicella, Amarone and Soave from grapes grown on alluvial soils. This Valpolicella Superiore is a blend of Corvinone, Corvina and Rondinella grapes which undergo a drying process of 40-50 days before fermentation. The wine is aged in oak barrels for between 18 and 24 months and then rested in bottle for a further six months before release. Andrea Briccarello: A very smoky, intense and powerful nose. On the palate, hints of vanilla and cinnamon combine with ripe, jammy notes. Great structure and balance. Michael Garner: Scented dried fruit aromas are bolstered by cherry, liquorice and hints of clove and sandalwood. Lively acid underpins the full, dark fruit - appassimento aided - before the finely balanced finish. Andrew Jefford: Impressive complexity on the nose: blueberry and blackberry fruits with a creamy fullness from the oak. It's beguiling, suggestive and exotic on the palate too, displaying supple, sweet-edged fruits and an exciting panoply of spiced citrus, incense smoke, fresh and dried black cherry, bramble, loganberry and a savoury, almost bloody note. Wonderfully perfumed.

Terre di Leone is named after Leone, grandfather of owner Federico, who along with his wife, Chiara, produce wines from their modern 10ha estate in the village of Marano di Valpolicella. The vines are grown on volcanic soils at an altitude of 300-400m, surrounded by traditional dry-stone wall terracing. Although the pair believe that wines are made in the vineyard, they utilise modern technology and gentle gravity fed systems in the winery to get the most from their grapes. For this wine, the grapes are dried for 100 days, before being fermented in stainless steel and matured for around 16 months in French oak tonneaux and 25hl barrels, followed by a further six months in bottle. Andrea Briccarello: A clean, smoky and savoury nose with earthy notes shining through. On the palate the wine has plenty of intense red forest fruits and some jammy notes with hints of spice and raisin. Michael Garner: Broad, ripe and leafy, with cool, dark fruit aromas of impressive lift and development. This is juicy and fleshy, with lightly tart but full fruit flavours and aromatic touches of cedar, clove and Victoria plum. Sculpted and fine, this is a herculean effort. Andrew Jefford: Attractive lifted cherry scents in a creamy, sweet style, with some tea-leaf freshness behind. The palate, too, is graceful and elegant, very fine and perfumed, with mouth-coating fruits and ample tannic support, without being fierce or burnt in style. It's poised and pristine, a full-flavoured example of this style in the 2014 vintage. Excellent work.

This 22ha estate, nestled amongst olive trees in the valley of the Fumane commune, has adopted a single-site approach to winemaking in order to emphasise terroir. This Valpolicella Classico Superiore wine uses Corvina ,Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta grown on the Colle San Michele hillsides in Bure Alto, at an altitude of 200m. Here, the soil is a mix of calcareous marlstone and rocky fragments. The grapes are dried for 30-40 days, and the traditional drawing-off technique is used to reduce the amount of liquid in the must to enhance structure and aroma. It is fermented in stainless steel, then matured for 20 months in small French oak casks before spending a further eight months in bottle. Andrea Briccarello: Amazingly vibrant and lively, with plenty of sour cherry and blackberry notes. It's earthy and complex, showing buckets of fresh blueberry acidity and cocoa powder. Michael Garner: Packed with sour cherry flavours, with tinges of spice, herbs, grass, oak and an intriguing stalky note. It has fine balance and length, with an aromatic, peppery finale. Top drawer. Andrew Jefford: No messing with appassimento here! There's plenty of fresh, fragrant, lifted charm, and great harmony too. You can sense that the little bit of extra age has brought a refinement to the fruits. On the palate it is fine, deft, elegant and graceful. A vivaciously fruity Italian riposte to a Côte de Beaune red. Spot on for the classical style.

The estate known today as Freemark Abbey was established in 1886 by one of the first female wine-growers in Napa. Today Ted Edwards is head winemaker, working for the past three decades to develop relationships with growers, allowing exclusive sourcing rights to specific plots, which is crucial to the winery’s success. This wine has been aged for 28 months in a mixture of French and American oak. Stephen Brook: Powerful blackcurrant nose, with slightly charred oak. Very rich without being jammy, it packs a punch. An assertive and very youthful style, but good acidity and tannins mean this should go the distance. Alex Hunt MW: A bit Port-like on the nose to begin with, but there is good depth and the brightness increases in the glass. The palate is succulent, appealing, and has potential to age. Very good. Stefan Neumann MS: Intense, youthful and fruit-forward nose. This is softly structured but with a good level of tannins. Violets and rose petals lead up to a lengthy finish. Great purity and clarity here.

Priest Ranch’s philosophy is that all wines must stem from the land. This approach is followed religiously by viticulturist and winemaker Craig Becker, who adopts a minimalist approach in the winery. Priest Ranch is named after James Joshua Priest, who settled in the area in 1869 as a gold prospector. Today it’s owned by the Somerston Wine Estate which, in 2004 it merged with its 386ha Elder Valley estate. The first vintage of this wine was made in 2006 from vines planted in 1972. Stephen Brook: Ripe blackberry nose that is just the right side of jammy. Rich and velvety despite the underlying tannins, this has a certain grandeur. Very concentrated and forceful, with enough acidity to give it persistence. Alex Hunt MW: Youthful and tightly knit, this wine shows real poise and focus. There is a currant-based core that will emerge in bottle, filling out the current neat tannic structure. Stefan Neumann MS: Blackcurrant and blackberries are the dominant aromas and offer immediate charm on the nose. Concentrated with quite a high ripeness level, which makes it enjoyable in its youth. Good juicy character with a tick of grippy tannins.

Family-owned winery Sequoia Grove was founded in 1979 in a 110-year old barn beneath a grove of Sequoia trees in Rutherford. Michael Trujillo joined the winery as assistant winemaker in 1981, becoming director of winemaking in 2002. His philosophy is based on balance in the vineyard, planting different blocks with different clones, and farming without pesticides. Stephen Brook: Juicy, vibrant blackberry nose. Broad, fleshy and succulent, this has power and density too. Still a touch raw and oaky, it nonetheless has tension and drive. A lot of sucrosity on the finish, but it’s not jammy. Alex Hunt MW: Slightly closed on the first nose, with enticing aromas of blackberry and olive emerging. Powerful but focused on the palate, with just enough tannic support for the generous fruit. Fleshy enough to be accessible now, but should age well too. Stefan Neumann MS: The ripeness of dark fruits is clearly emerging from the nose. The oak influence is subtle but noticeable, as well as the ripe fruit component, proving that less is sometimes more.