CS

[Thanks for coming. Maria. 11/13/14.] The easiest label ever to get… straight from the hand-labelling the team were doing when we visited the estate! …

…compared with this, which should be an epic, iconic wire, yet lacks freshness to sustain more than 1 or 2 glasses. This is undoubtedly …

Also during audit, I finally opened this wooden box, bought 11 years before, en primeur. From an off-vintage, this was broadly worth waiting for. …

Accidentally bought this instead of John X Merriman. This has a substantial Shiraz proportion, so not strictly a South African Cabernet blend. Deep ruby-garnet …

To continue my 39th general celebrations, I opened this before a now-traditional bottle of Rieussec 1975 (which showed the best so far). While enjoyed …

Another highlight of a great Cabernet line-up. Refined, albeit still a classic California Cabernet, with American oak influence. Less elegant than Quintessa, but very …

As elegant as its packaging. Napa, yes, but in harmony and refined. Retasted in October, it was the same. Deep ruby, with a narrow, …

The best Bordeaux in the Cab and Merlot line-ups, combined. Joint best Cab with the differently-styled Quintessa. A fuller, denser wine than most Domaine …

In a line-up of rosés, this stood out for its style – though not a wine to my taste. Pale ruby – deeper colour …

Our final, slightly hungover, on-our-way-to-the-airport tutored tasting after Rust was highly memorable. At the hedonists’ palace that is the Palais Coburg hotel-restaurant – with …