Ten Years On – Tasting the Iconic Wines from the 2016 Bordeaux Vintage…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ 2 Comments

The 2016 Bordeaux vintage was nothing short of dramatic. For those tending the vines, it was a growing season shaped by an extraordinary mix of weather patterns which produced wines of remarkable balance and complexity. At the time, the oenologists echoed what many were feeling: “Bordeaux, by some miracle compared to many French wine regions, is preparing for an exceptional vintage.” Within the context of this historical pronouncement, and a surfeit of high critical scores dished out at En-primeur time, the only thing that can settle the status of this vintage once and for all is a “10 years on” tasting of bottled wines. Many thanks to Bordeaux Index for the opportunity to assess a phenomenal selection of top Chateaux wines.

A wet and cold winter set the stage for the 2016 vintage, with rainfall in the first six months of the growing season matching that of the entire previous year. Then, from mid-June to mid-August, the weather shifted dramatically, bringing a long, hot, and dry summer, followed by just 20mm of rain in early September. For many winemakers, that combination was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the dry heat during July and August was a worry – especially on gravelly soils or younger vines which struggled with water stress.

On the other hand, the soils that had stored the winter’s water, especially clay and limestone plots, proved their worth and sustained the vines throughout the drought. Then came a timely and gentle revival: light rains in mid-September, followed by a long Indian-summer stretch – warm days, cool nights, and slowed-down ripening.

Christian Seely from Pichon Baron and Veronique Sanders from Haut Bailly.

As a result, many of the top estates found themselves harvesting remarkably late, often stretching far into October, allowing grapes the time they needed for full phenolic maturity: deep colour, rich tannins, well concentrated flavours, but without excess alcohol or overripe jammy fruit. As Jacques Thienpont of Le Pin noted, it was the first time in the estate’s history that harvest didn’t begin until October. Overall, the vintage was characterised by a balance of fruit and high (but supremely ripe) tannins with fresh acidity and pleasingly moderate alcohol levels.

Many thanks to Bordeaux Index for the opportunity to assess a phenomenal selection of top Chateaux wines.

The 2016 Bordeaux Selection:

Chateau Cheval Blanc 2016, Saint Emilion 

Lifted and perfumed. Silky and utterly sophisticated.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Ausone 2016, St Emilion 

Dark tight and broody. More black berry intensity.  Chiselled and fresh. Precise.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau La Mission Haut Brion 2016, Pessac-Leognan

Red fruit, cedar, black berry. Earthy, Xmas spice. Class.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Haut Brion 2016, Pessac-Leognan

Rich, broad expansive aromatics. Black currant and graphite. Incredible depth. Very impressive.

(Wine Safari Score: 99+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Margaux 2016, Margaux

Fragrant cassis and saline black fruits. Silky, precise and fine grained.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 2016, Pauillac

More savoury and brûléed. Dense and powerful with beautifully chalky tannins. A classic Mouton.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 2016, Pauillac

Red and black berry fruits, exotic lifted perfume. Silky soft, pristine and very persistent.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Latour 2016, Pauillac

Complex salty cassis, oyster shell, graphite with a dense seamless palate, impressive power with phenomenal finesse. Bold wine. As close to perfection as possible.

(Wine Safari Score: 100/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Le Pin 2016, Pomerol

Mint chocolate chip, black berry and damson plum. Sweet fruited, generous palate and beautifully exotic.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Lafleur 2016, Pomerol

Beautifully exotic and complex, but also intricate. Brûléed, dark berries, salted cassis with a long luxurious creamy finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 98+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Petrus 2016, Pomerol

Dense, creamy and delicately lactic with chocolate praline notes, pithy graphite tannins and a cool finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Angelus 2016, Saint Emilion

Deep dense ripe black fruits, cassis, sapidity, full and powerful. Opulent and accessible.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Belair Monange 2016, Saint Emilion

Smoky chalky nose, graphite and black currant compote. Dense and compact power. Very smart.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Canon 2016, Saint Emilion

Graphite, black currant, sleek, silky, sophisticated. Superb.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Canon La Gafaliere 2016, Saint Emilion

Dark, spicy, picante intense fruit, raisined cherries and a chalky finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Figeac 2016, Saint Emilion

Fabulous oak – fruit integration. Complex and classy. Very silky and complete. Sensational.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Clos Fourtet 2016, Saint Emilion

Deep, dark and broody. Spicy mineral tannins, graphite hints and plenty of limestone grip.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau L’IF 2016, Saint Emilion

Touch stewed, raisined black berries. Fleshy, ripe expression. Exuberant.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau La Gaffeliere 2016, Saint Emilion

Rich and textured. Plenty of ripeness and power. Black fruits are slightly raisined on the finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau La Mondotte 2016, Saint Emilion

Warm toasty aromatics, plush and creamy, full throttle but beautifully fresh. A great success.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Pavie 2016, Saint Emilion

Dense and dark, packed with blue and black berry fruits. Chewy tannins, dry grippy limestone length. Serious.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Pavie Macquin 2016, Saint Emilion

Dusty limestone, liquor and creme de cassis. Cool and supple, elegant and vibrant. This is classy.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Quintus 2016, Saint Emilion

Earthy savoury black fruits. Polished but slightly baked black berry compote style on the finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Troplong Mondot, Saint Emilion, 15.5% Abv.

Broody black fruited nose, the palate silky, tangy and super vibrant. Very seductive.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Valandraud 2016, Saint Emilion

Earthy savoury black fruits. Dense, mineral grip. Slightly austere on the finish. But classical power.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau La Conseillante 2016, Pomerol

Brûléed, exotic enticing nose. Creamy and cool, packed with blue and purple fruits. Simply sensational.

(Wine Safari Score: 98+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau L’Evangile 2016, Pomerol

Silky, opulent and utterly seductive! Very polished example.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Lafleur-Gazin 2016, Pomerol

Ripe savoury black berry fruits, pithy, ripe. Chiselled tannins.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Hosanna 2016, Pomerol

Salty, picante black berry fruits. Oyster shell, cassis and a long creamy finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau La Fleur-Petrus 2016, Pomerol

Graphite, wood smoke and creasote on the nose. Broad creamy palate with polished tannins, silky drying finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Trotanoy 2016, Pomerol

Broody black currant fruits, creamy and mineral. Power packed. Wow.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau La Violette 2016, Pomerol

Blue black fruits, effortless concentration, light and airy but still substantial.

(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Clinet 2016, Pomerol

Silky, complex, very complete wine. Cool and mineral. Textured but such class!

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Vieux Chateau Certan, Pomerol, 14.5% Abv.

Juicy red and black berry fruits, graphite, limestone and mineral lift. Dense, creamy and very classy.

(Wine Safari Score: 98+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Haut-Bailly 2016, Pessac-Leognan

Lovely melange of savoury earth and black berry. Compact, dense, silky but plenty of power.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion 2016, Pessac-Leognan

Intricate, perfumed and exotic, very enticing. Compact but sleek. Silky tannins, fresh and elegant. True class.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2016, Pessac-Leognan

Savoury, truffle, exotic and complex. Creamy and intense. 

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Domaine de Chevalier 2016, Pessac-Leognan

Ripe red berry fruits, graphite and limestone, densely textured, compact and true class. Wow.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

La Chapelle de La Mission Haut Brion 2016, Pessac-Leognan

Earth, truffle, savoury black fruits. Fabulous creamy depth, intricate acids, and true class.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Clarence de Chateau Haut Brion, 13.5% Abv.

Supple, silky and soft, plenty of earthy minerality, with a taut grippy finish. Punches way above its price point.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau D’Issan 2016, Margaux

Plenty of brûléed black fruit, creamy tannins and earthy black currant compote finish.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Palmer 2016, Margaux

Cool, pure black fruits, impressive intensity and length. Very elegant with underlying power.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Leoville Barton 2016, Saint Julien

A dense, compact wine with impressive depth and power, tantalisingly structured for the long haul. Yes please!

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2016, Pauillac

This is super juicy, vibrant and textured with a tangy acidity, fabulous saline crème de cassis depth. Really lovely opulence.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Les Forts de Latour 2016, Pauillac

Complex layered wine with tilled earth, black berries and wet tobacco. Super serious.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Carruades de Lafite 2016, Pauillac

Medium weight, elegant and silky with black currant, damson plum and black cherry depth.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Le Petit Mouton 2016, Pauillac

Creamy black fruited depth, graphite, tilled earth with delicate mint and milk chocolate nuances.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Chateau Pichon Baron 2016, Pauillac

Dense, compact, powerful expression full of earthy black berry fruit, sweet tannins. graphite and cedar spice. Plenty of stuffing for the long haul.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

FOR MORE INFORMATION… contact Bordeaux Index Private Client Sales: Ellie.Roberts@bordeauxindex.com

From the Fine Wine Safari Cellar – Part 6: Trapiche Vina Jorge Miralles Malbec 2008 Single Vineyard…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

The Trapiche Malbec Single Vineyard selection was an annual release chosen from three of the best Malbec wines of each harvest produced by Trapiche’s head winemaker Daniel Pi. Changing every year, some vineyard selections eventually started to reappear over time, proving the vineyards’ exceptional terroir and quality potential. The wines were made to communicate the extraordinary potential of Argentina’s vast array of terroirs and their effect on their flagship cultivar – Malbec. 

This 2008 selection, which I thought was the best of the three single vineyard releases at the time, was sourced from the Jorge Miralles vineyard. Jorge was born in Chivilcoy, a province of Buenos Aires, and came to Mendoza when he was 8 years old. His father was a wine broker and in 1960, he decided to invest all his savings into an estate in La Consulta. Jorge subsequently inherited the estate and four years later he sold it to invest in a bigger vineyard also located in La Consulta. 68-year-old Jorge (in 2008) dedicated a great deal of his life to working this vineyard located at 970 metres altitude. 

Trapiche Malbec Vina Jorge Miralles Malbec 2008 Single Vineyard La Consulta, Mendoza, 15% Abv.

This is a phenomenal Malbec expression that at 18 years old is simply singing. Spending 18 months in new French oak barrels, this “Jorge Miralles” vineyard was only 10 years old when harvested in 2008 and offers up some incredibly expressive aromatics with a youthful perfume and fruit profile you would think is no more than 5 years old if tasted blind. The nose is full of deep, dark, blue, and black berry fruits, damson plums, blueberries, black cherries, and a defined vein of melted salty black liquorice. While this wine used to have a broad spectrum of dusty cocoa and mocha chocolate powder characters on release, now, this character has tightened up and turned into a picante black bitter chocolate note. On the palate, the colour is still dense, opaque, and impenetrable with a cool fleshy entry on first taste, the tannins incredibly sweet and creamy, supported by plush, juicy, black berry fruits, mulberry and black currant compote. While obviously made in a ripe style, the alcohol is imperceptible and the balance super cool, sleek and harmonious. I loved this wine on release and knew it had enough stuffing for the long haul, but I would never have expected it to age this well. What a beauty! At 18 years old, there is no rush to drink this outstanding 2008 Malbec which should still age gracefully for another decade or more.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Reviewing One of the Most Coveted New Producers in Burgundy – Tasting Through the Full Kei Shiogai 2023 Range of Wines…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Travelling to Burgundy to taste the previous vintage’s creations can be a somewhat tricky affair especially when producers across the region, in the Cotes de Nuits, Cotes de Beaune and the Maconnais all experienced such incredibly difficult vintage conditions in 2024. So, perhaps tasting through their more plentiful 2023 range serves as a timely distraction for a producer. I was very fortunate to be introduced to Japanese young gun Kei Shiogai several years ago and have gratefully been granted access to taste his wines every year from barrel and bottle since his maiden 2020 commercial releases. A relative newcomer to the Burgundy region, Kei is understandably quite protective about his winemaking philosophy, his pristine cellar and his overall privacy. Quite rightly, he prefers to let his wines do the talking.

In complete contrast to 2024, the 2023 harvest will be remembered for a plentiful, abundant harvest with generous yields, ample ripeness, and notable concentration usually commensurate with the quality of the wines’ individual terroir and level of appellation classification. While 2022 saw easy conditions for vignerons across the board, the weather circumstances in 2023 perhaps posed a few more questions, but ultimately yielding energetic, crystalline Chardonnays with a notable minerality and freshness alongside the fruit ripeness, and Pinot Noirs with delightfully sweet strawberry and red cherry-laced berry fruits that display plenty of clarity, a bright translucent purity together with linear fresh acids. Overall, the across-the-board vintage quality for red and white wines was incredibly consistent across villages with excellent balance, moderate alcohols, and elegant fruit purity.

While the 2023 vintage was neither cool and wet like 2021 or hot and dry like 2022, the season was marked by an initial warm, dry winter with a meagre amount of sunshine. The rains returned in March while the months of April and May were bright and sunny but relatively cool. Excellent flowering in May and June with perfect conditions, sealed the requirements for a potentially very generous crop. If June was warm, unseasonally cooler conditions in July and August prolonged the ripening somewhat before several heat spikes arrived in late August and early September to bring the fruit to full ripeness. Some are calling 2023 another solar vintage, or années solaires, but this description perhaps simplifies conditions unnecessarily. 

The Charmots 1er Cru has been in new oak barrels for 25 months when I tasted it again in December 2025. This wine will be bottled and released in 2026. Not to be missed. Could possibly be one of the most exciting red Burgundy releases of 2026?

The general wine merchant consensus is that 2023 is a very generous, fruit forward vintage with joyfully fresh whites that will even appeal to the classicists, and reds that range from lighter-bodied, fresh, and remarkably drinkable examples already through to more structured, riper, denser wines where producers clearly made a conscious effort to coax a little more structure and tension from their wines in light of the potential dangers of dilution from higher yields. 

Being one of the most sought after and collectable producers in Burgundy at the moment undoubtedly carries with it a few added headaches for Kei – from endless new requests for primary first release allocations in new and historical markets to highly inflated secondary market prices that always seem to benefit speculators rather than the producers themself. Nevertheless, fame at this level understandably always comes at a price, but so far, Kei is keeping his head down and focusing (or more like obsessing!) over the purity, precision and focus of his incredibly ethereal, elegant “new style” Burgundies that have captivated the global market.

Kei Shiogai Gevrey-Chambertin Village 2023

An enticingly perfumed aromatics bursting with violets and lilac, luscious red berry fruits, red plum, red cherry, pink musk and sweet strawberry confit. Silky, wonderfully fine boned and supple with incredible purity and precision with soft powdery tannins and a crystalline red berry purity, this is signature Kei Shiogai that finishes with a hint of sapidity and spice.  A very pretty wine indeed. Drink from 2025 to 2035.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kei Shiogai Gevrey-Chambertin “Baraques” 2023

The Baraques cuvee shows a deeper, darker, bolder black plum colour in the glass with a broodier aromatics of black cherry, ripe strawberry, and black plum. Inviting notes of saline creme cassis and pink musk follow to the palate that shows a regal finesse and clarity as well as all Kei’s hallmark purity and pinpoint precision. Spectacular translucent fruit purity, weightless silky tannins and a long, intense brambly finish. Quite sublime. Drink from 2025 to 2036+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kei Shiogai Pommard Poisot 2023

A sleeping giant of a wine packed with dark broody purple and black berry fruits, black cherry, strawberry and saline creme de cassis. Taut and stony on the palate, this shows the power and tension of Pommard with a vein of graphite and limestone minerality, yielding tight grained polished marble tannins, pithy black berry fruits and a chalky dry extract grip on the finish.  A classic “iron fist in a velvet glove” expression. Youthful but already magnificent. Drink from 2026 to 2038+.

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kei Shiogai Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cherbaudes 2023

An intricate floral aromatics with fabulous poise and precision, boasting violets and cherry blossom, creme de cassis, wild strawberry, graphite and piquant mineral spices. The clarity and purity are mesmerising, the light touch intensity and focus simply astounding. No shortage of piercing red and black berry 1er Cru power here, with notable concentration and creamy mouth coating tannins. True Gevrey class on display. Drink from 2026 to 2036+.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kei Shiogai Echezeaux Grand Cru 2023

A broody beast of a wine offering an aromatic depth of Asian spices, graphite, violets, wild strawberry, earthy cured meats and savoury Christmas spices. Full, broad and fully loaded in the mouth, the concentration is rich, glycerol and intricately textural but supremely powerful, distinguished, yet beautifully precise. The Kei Shiogai signature style applied with classical winemaking. Surely a true unicorn wine of the future. Drink from 2026 to 2040+.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kei Shiogai Bourgogne Blanc “Les Famelottes” 2023, 13% Abv.

Located in the commune of Puligny Montrachet, the Les Famelottes shows a beautiful melange of wet limestone, yellow stone fruits, pear and green apple, roasted nuts with delicate dried herb nuances. So supple, soft, and fleshy in the mouth with a generous depth and subtle balance. Really very impressive and also truly delicious making this a good introduction to Kei’s precise winemaking style. Drink from 2025 to 2032+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kei Shiogai Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes 2023

Cool, taut mineral aromatics reveal the true class and majesty of this great appellation. The aromatics are full of pithy lemon peel, pear, waxy green apples and a pronounced limestone mineral vein. The balance and textural precision are second to none, crystalline and beautifully focused, showing purity with immeasurable intensity and effortless elegance. Truly sublime. A great expression of this 1er Cru terroir. Drink from 2025 to 2036+.

(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kei Shiogai Puligny Montrachet Village 2023

Taut and broody, this is 100% new oak expression shows no overt oak characters on the nose but merely the faintest complexing hints of dried herbs, lemon grass and lemon herbal tea before more classical notes of grilled nuts, salted pistachios, and dusty limestone minerality. Power packed and pithy, but also quite a taut, classical Puligny expression. Drink from 2025 to 2035.

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kei Shiogai Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chalumeux 2023

Fabulously cool, pure, and crystalline, this barrel sample reveals incredible wound spring tension, a stony limestone core, lemon rind, lemon grass, and toasted almonds. Precision personified on the palate, the concentration is weightless and harmonious, the finish long, glycerol and delicately savoury and nutty. Wow! Another stunner from Kei. Drink from 2025 to 2036+.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kei Shiogai Chassagne Montrachet Village 2023

This Chassagne shows beautifully attractive aromatics of lemon cordial, wild herbs, pithy wet limestone, and yellow stone fruits. Plenty of “gras” or weight on the mid-palate but still deliciously fresh, creamy, and harmonious. This is another delicious addition to the repertoire of great Chassagne whites! Drink from 2025 to 2035.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kei Shiogai Puligny Montrachet Les Petit Grands Champs 2023

This lieu dit Puligny shows an intense, lemon and lime saline intensity with tangy bright acids. Beautiful balance and harmonious mouthfeel. Also great length with just a kiss of white toast and freshly baked brioche on the long, persistent finish. Drink from 2025 to 2035+.

(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kei Shiogai Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2023

This fabulous terroir really shines in Kei’s hands, showing liquid minerals, wet limestone, lemon grass, sweet baking herbs, and warm buttered white toast. Plush textured and densely layered with notable dry extract but also a seamlessly creamy texture and an incredibly harmonious, balanced equilibrium on the palate. A decidedly more terroir driven, linear, minerally infused expression of Corton-Charlemagne than some of the more unctuous, buttery examples produced. Undeniably a profound wine and simply drop dead gorgeous. Drink from 2025 to 2038+.

(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The wines of Kei Shiogai are imported into the UK exclusively by Musigny Wines. Contact Andrew Pavli to request an allocation.

andrew@musigny.wine

The Age of Bourgogne Aligote: Part 10 – Domaine Jerome Galeyrand Aligote Les Cailloux 2024…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Jerome Galeyrand has been listed as one of the most exiting producers in Burgundy over the past few years, topping many wine critics’ lists of “winemakers to watch” in Burgundy in the past 5 years. His winemaking style, that is all about purity, precision and focus, has elevated both his whites and reds into the highly collectable ranks. But 2025 saw yet more seismic change when Jerome moved into his newly built winery in Gevrey Chambertin, just next to Brochon.

Jerome has also been a well recognized and highly influential member of Les Aligoteurs, the local grouping promoting everything that’s great about this often under appreciated Burgundian white cultivar. With my long running “Age of Bourgogne Aligote” series running a bit dry lately, it was suddenly revived when I tasted one of the finest expressions of Aligote in a very long time… just unfortunately from, A) a tiny production 2024 vintage, and B) from a vineyard that has now been replanted to Chardonnay. Nevertheless, this is an incredibly exciting, noteworthy example worth seeking out in the up coming Burgundy En-primeur 2024 campaign.

Domaine Jerome Galeyrand Bourgogne Aligote Les Cailloux 2024

The 2024 Bourgogne Aligote Les Cailloux was actually sourced from an old vine vineyard in the Rully appellation that has since been uprooted and replanted with Chardonnay making this Jerome’s first and last creation. But boy, it’s as if that vineyard wanted to go out with a bang as this 2024 is one of the most profound Aligote offerings I’ve tasted in quite some time. Showing impressively intricate aromatics, the nose reveals complex layers of savoury leesy citrus, white blossoms, white peach, and a briney salinity before crushed limestone and lemon peel nuances. Super concentrated, this wine has a punchy, fleshy depth with a palate weight and power more akin to a top terroir driven mineral-laden Chardonnay. Wow, this really is phenomenal wine worth seeking out! Drink from 2026 to 2034+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The wines of Jerome Galeyrand are imported exclusively into the UK by Musigny Wines. Contact Andrew Pavli for an allocation.

Andrew@musigny.wine

The Old Vine Project A Decade On – Tasting a Selection of Heritage Certified New Release Wines: Part 2…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

In South Africa, the Old Vine Project (OVP) exists to protect the heritage of old vines and to ensure that old vineyards continue to thrive. Old vines are living history. Wines made from them embody decades of care, skill, and dedication. In South Africa, the OVP affords producers the opportunity to certify their old vine vineyards and wines. That it can do so is largely thanks to the South African Wine Industry Information Systems (SAWIS) database, and its records dating back to 1900. This database enables the OVP to verify planting dates and gives South Africa a unique global advantage – traceability and credibility. Members of the OVP may apply for the Certified Heritage Vineyards seal that clearly states the planting date for wine made from vineyards of 35 years or older.

When consumers think of the majority of Old Vine wines, chances are they will reference Chenin Blanc or Colombard, cultivars planted on mass years ago mostly for distillation. However, when it comes to red cultivars, the diversity of Old Vine wines on offer is a little more restricted. But among the leaders of the pack has to be Cinsault and Pinotage, two work horse varietals in the South African wine landscape.

Fuselage Wines Staggerwing Old Vines Cinsault 2021, WO Paarl, 12.5% Abv.

Danie Morkel is the acclaimed winemaker for Roodekrantz who also happens to make wines under his own boutique label called Fuselage – his family owns the Diemerskraal airfield between Wellington and Malmesbury which obligingly lends Danie’s brand the aviation link. Planted in 1954, Danie finds beauty in the mundane workhorse of Cinsault that has stood the test of time, endearing it to its operatives and taking it to an elevated status, to one of a classic and collectable wine. 

This 2021 is a charming expressive Cinsault red displaying intricate aromatics of fragrant pink flowers and rose petals, tart cranberries and red cherries over a savoury, earthy base of wet loam. The palate is cool and well defined, the crisp acidity lending a fine frame over which sleek, crystalline, translucent red berry fruits are elegantly draped. The fruit sweetness is subtle and sophisticated allowing a wet stone pithy minerality to shine through on the finish. Elegant, delightfully easy drinking and utterly charming. Drink now to 2032+.

(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Welgegund Heritage Wines Old Vine Cinsault 2024, WO Wellington, 12.5% Abv.

Established in 1777 and lovingly restored by the Brimacombe family since 2014, Welgegund – a Dutch word meaning “well bestowed” – regards their Heritage range of wines as a key part of their legacy with their Certified Heritage Vineyards a source of great pride. Their Certified Heritage Vineyard that produces their Cinsault grapes was planted in 1974. It is a dryland, bush vine and low yielding vineyard that produces top quality fruit. This Southwest facing vineyard has ancient, decomposed granite soils that add to the minerality in the wine and the vines are packed with hay bales at their feet to retain moisture and as a natural way of keeping weeds at bay. The fruit is harvested by hand in the early morning and cool grapes are delivered to the winery where the grapes go to open top fermenters, in mostly whole bunch clusters with stalks intact, and are then aged for 12 months in 500 litre French oak barrels before being bottled unfiltered in June 2025. Only 1,400 bottles were produced.

Wellington is of course home to the oldest Cinsault vineyard in South Africa (Basson Vineyard), so unsurprisingly, this 1974 Old Vine expression also shows plenty of pedigree loaded with attractive aromatics of wild strawberries, mulberries, and Pink Lady apples with a delicate dusting of cracked pepper spice and Granitic minerality. On the palate, the wine is soft, supple and approachable with a harmoniously fleshy mid palate that reveals cool, well integrated acids, a hint of salinity, silky powdery tannins and a pithy, red cherry fruited finish. Open, generous and beautifully approachable. Drink now to 2034+.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Bellevue Heritage Pinotage 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

Bellevue Stellenbosch is the oldest commercial producer of Pinotage in South Africa having produced South Africa’s first bottled Pinotage. Bellevue’s story is one of bold decisions and forward thinking. When Pieter Krige (P.K.) Morkel couldn’t find Gamay vines in 1953, he embraced a pioneering South African cultivar: Pinotage. This decision not only shaped Bellevue’s identity but also contributed to the global recognition of Pinotage as a uniquely South African wine. Bellevue currently works with the oldest average vine age in Stellenbosch with their youngest block 25+ years old and their oldest 73 years old.

Bellevue winemaker Wilhelm Kritzinger.

This 2021 Pinotage is another special heritage wine with a profound sense of place from one of the oldest commercial Pinotage vineyards in the world. A registered single vineyard planted in 1953, this 1.85 hectare sustainably farmed old bush vine vineyard reveals an incredibly complex and exotic aromatics that’s multi-layered with red and black bramble berry fruits, hints of dark chocolate and peppermint crisp, and an infusion of sage and bay leaf dried herbs. The palate is full bodied but supple with a broad, creamy, luxurious opulence that is embellished with lashing of sweet black currant and mulberries, Christmas spice and a deliciously sweet and sour acidity that slowly melts away on the long concentrated finish. Deliciously accessible but super serious as well. Drink now to 2036+.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Old Vine Project A Decade On – Tasting a Selection of Heritage Certified New Release Wines: Part 1… 

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

In South Africa, the Old Vine Project (OVP) exists to protect the heritage of old vines and to ensure that old vineyards continue to thrive. Old vines are living history. Wines made from them embody decades of care, skill, and dedication. In South Africa, the OVP affords producers the opportunity to certify their old vine vineyards and wines. That it can do so is largely thanks to the South African Wine Industry Information Systems (SAWIS) database, and its records dating back to 1900. This database enables the OVP to verify planting dates and gives South Africa a unique global advantage – traceability and credibility. Members of the OVP may apply for the Certified Heritage Vineyards seal that clearly states the planting date for wine made from vineyards of 35 years or older.

The OVP journey began in 2002 when ex-lawyer and vineyard manager Rosa Kruger started documenting old vines. In 2016, the Old Vine Project was formalised as an Non Profit Company. Since then, awareness and momentum have grown steadily. Today, with more than 5,000 hectares of old vines and over 350 Certified Heritage Vineyards wine bottled each year, the OVP has become a leader in both preservation and innovation. The OVP is committed not only to preserving existing old vines, but also to advancing research on old vines, developing the skills of those who care for them, and fostering climate-resilient practices; ensuring that today’s young vines have the opportunity to mature into the heritage vineyards of the future.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Achievements to date include:

  • Old vineyard hectarage in South Africa has increased from 2,952 ha in 2016 to 5,159 ha in 2024 — a 75% increase in eight years.
  • OVP membership has grown from 8 members in 2017 to over 130 members in 2025, with more than 350 Certified Heritage Vineyard wines per vintage.
  • The Certified Heritage Vineyards seal provides consumers and trade with proof of authenticity, quality, and traceability, increasingly required in international markets.
  • Launch of the Certified Heritage Vineyards Grape Trading Platform, connecting old vine growers with winemakers.
  • Development of the Old Vine Pruning Course with FELCO Africa, training pruners in specialised vineyard care.
  • Establishment of the Old Vine Academy, an online learning platform for the wine industry, trade, and media.
  • Partnership with Vititec since 2008 to develop clean plant material from old vines, resulting in ‘Heritage Selections’.
  • Collaboration with InterLoire confirming that some South African Chenin Blanc selections are extinct in France, and are now safeguarded in clonal gardens in France.
  • Research breakthroughs with various local and international research projects.
  • Recognition in international works such as The World Atlas of Wine.
  • Dedicated old vine wine sections in leading retailers and restaurants locally and internationally.
  • Recognition at leading wine competitions and wine guides.
  • At its 22nd General Assembly, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) adopted Resolution OIV-VITI 703-2024, formally recognising the work of initiatives such as the Old Vine Conference, Old Vine Project, Old Vine Registry, and Censimento Vecchie Vigne. The resolution defines an old grapevine as a documented vine at least 35 years old (with grafts undisturbed for the same period), and an old vineyard as a legally defined block where at least 85% of vines meet this definition.

Donkiesbaai Steen 2025, WO Piekenierskloof, 13.37% Abv.

Donkiesbaai is a brand that was started by Jean Engelbrecht, owner of Stellenbosch estate Rust en Vrede, with the name based on a familiar family holiday spot up the Cape West Coast. Made from Chenin Blanc (or Steen in Afrikaans) fruit from the Piekenierskloof from old vines planted in 1986 and 1988, 70% of the wine was barrel fermented and matured in 500 litre French oak barrels and 30% naturally fermented in concrete eggs on its fine lees with monthly batonnage to enhance the richness and texture of the wine. 

On the nose, there is a complex melange of fragrant white lemon blossoms, Granitic stony minerality over white citrus fruits and crunchy pear with a delicate sprinkling of dried herbs and fynbos. Youthful and energetic, this wine really shows the power, clarity, and intensity of the superb 2025 vintage, with layers of crunchy pineapple, green apple, white peach, and lemon crumble nuances. There is so much energy with a juicy tangy acidity that makes this wine a true mouth-watering treat. Still very fruit forward and primary, I suspect with a little more time in bottle, this impressive Chenin Blanc will slowly reveal its true Weskus salinity and underlying maritime influence, offering evolving drinking pleasure from release and over the next 10 to 15+ years. A true testament to the quality potential and pedigree of Old Vine Chenin Blanc. 

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Roodekrantz Donkermaan Chenin Blanc 2024, WO Stellenbosch, 12.6% Abv.

Roodekrantz Wines focuses primarily on the production of single-vineyard, site-specific wines from certified old vineyards. Their vision is to understand and nurture the vineyards they work with, doing everything possible to preserve their longevity and keep them rooted in the soil. Simply put, their winemaking philosophy is to capture the essence of the vineyard in the bottle with minimal intervention. Working exclusively with old barrels, their Chenin Blancs often undergo spontaneous malolactic fermentation, adding further complexity and texture to the wines. The Donkermaan vineyard’s vines planted in 1984 are 42 years old and sit at an altitude of 250 meters above sea level. Located in Stellenbosch’s Helderberg area, the old bush vines are dry land farmed in soils of deep red clay, a mix of Sandstone and Granite with a high iron content formed through the weathering of the surrounding mountains.

The aromatics on this young Chenin Blanc show more lifted pear drop-style esters alongside exotic notes of honey drizzled peaches, lychees, guava and green apples. Lurking beneath the rock candy nuances are dusty, Granitic mineral hints, touches of wet straw and white peaches. The palate is intense and fresh yet moderately phenolic with the 2024 telltale effortless crystalline intensity that so many white wines possess. Super lithe and sleek textured, medium bodied and beautifully supple and fine, this is another very classy Chenin Blanc that thrives more on its ethereal qualities than mere brute force power. Earlier drinking than either the 2021s or 2023s, this delicious example is good to savour now and over the next 8 to 10 years.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Kaapzicht Kliprug Chenin Blanc 2024, WO Stellenbosch, 13% Abv.

The Kliprug vineyard was planted in 1982 on a stony ridge of decomposed granite in the Bottelary Hills, where tough, dryland conditions shape the character of the wine. These old bush vines, farmed sustainably and without irrigation, produce small, flavour-packed berries that yield naturally low crops of exceptional concentration. The soils are shallow and rocky, forcing the roots deep in search of moisture, while cooling afternoon breezes from False Bay preserve the grapes’ freshness and balance.

The aromatics on this Old Vine Chenin Blanc show lovely intensity and focus and are truly evocative of the sun-baked Cape winelands – complex and layered with pithy yellow citrus, green apples, honey and white peach fruits over an earthy, wet Granite minerality that mingles with herby fynbos nuances. In the mouth, this youthful white is vibrant and zippy with a well-defined acidity, a crystalline apricot fruit purity and an elegant, effortless intensity. The wine’s light, airy, weightless characters on the palate are juxtaposed with its flavour intensity from the Old Vine fruit. This is a wonderful introduction to archetypal Stellenbosch Old Vine Chenin Blanc. Drink now to 2032+.

(Wine Safari Score: 92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Danie Steytler Jnr. in the Kaapzicht vineyards.

The Capensis Winery Finally Releases Its First Stellenbosch Red – Tasting the Silene Cabernet Sauvignon 2023…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

I have been a big follower and fan of the Capensis Chardonnay wines since their maiden release in 2013. South African winemaker Graham Weerts, based in the USA for many years but now firmly back in Stellenbosch, is of course the driving force behind the label with undoubtedly a firm hand of support for many years from Jackson Family Wines US owner Barbara Banke. 

On one of my last trips to the Cape winelands in 2025, I finally managed to catch up with Graham at the Capensis winery in the hills above Stellenbosch where we toured the vineyards around the tasting room and then shared a lovely sunset braai and several bottles of delicious Capensis Chardonnay – always one of my favourites in South Africa. 

Myself, Michelin Star chef Roger Jones and Graham Weerts in the Capensis vineyards.
The incredible views of Stellenbosch from the Capensis vineyards.

Other than a delicious bottle of Graham Beck Yin 2016 Cap Classique (the sibling of the Yang 2016 special release pair), we also enjoyed an impressively youthful bottle of the Capensis Chardonnay 2013 (94/100 GSMW) that somehow seemed to have shed much of its previous new oak character to reveal a more detailed citrus fruit purity. This 2013 was tasted alongside a current release Capensis Chardonnay 2021 (96/100 GSMW) that was taut, vibrant and coiled like a wound spring as you would expect from this excellent cooler vintage. Then we were treated to a real surprise – the first Stellenbosch red produced at Capensis from Helderberg fruit – Graham’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2023.

Capensis Silene Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

This first red release from Capensis is a classy and classical Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon from the Helderberg that is varietally labelled but also draws on the salt and pepper complexity of a 9% Merlot and a 6% Cabernet Franc addition that was matured in French oak, 30% new, for 14 months before bottling. Picked before the rains, this 2023 displays perfumed aromatics of violets and rose petals, sweet cedar and smoky Christmas spices, lead pencils, red and black berry fruits, and subtle notes of graphite and oystershell. In the mouth there is a deliciously fresh acidity that supports lush, supple sweet tannins and a medium weighted, concentrated black berry fruited finish that slowly recedes to reveal a stony, classically dry mineral finish. An excellent debut effort. Drink from 2026 to 2040+.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Ending 2025 with a Big Burgundy Bang – Two Epic Domaine Jean-Yves Bizot Tastings in London: Part 2 – China Tang at the Dorchester…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

Always one of the absolute highlights of visiting Burgundy, tasting at the Domaine Bizot cellar is undoubtedly one of the most coveted appointments a wine professional can attend. Unfortunately, the slightly later December visit schedule this year did mean that I would miss seeing Jean-Yves Bizot in person at his cellar in Vosne-Romanee when tasting the 2024 wines from barrel as he would already be in Asia on tour. We were expertly guided through the sublime barrel tasting by Jean-Yves’s right-hand man, Victor Mignardot, who would also be in London the following week to help tutor two sensational private client collector tasting dinners featuring some of Jean-Yves’s finest wines. The first of these tastings was in the private room at Chez Bruce, one of London’s most famous Michelin stared restaurants. The second tasting dinner took place in one of my favourite restaurants in the whole of London, China Tang at the Dorchester Hotel on Park Lane.

Originally owned by Sir David Tang until his passing, this Chinese restaurant has come to exemplify top quality food and service over the years. Knowing Jean-Yves own personal penchant for Asian culture and cuisine, it was a fitting venue for the second Domaine Bizot private client tasting dinner. After preparing our palates with a couple of glasses of Champagne Petit & Bajan Promise Brut Grand Cru, a seductive blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir with a 4g/l RS dosage based around the 2019 vintage, we kicked the dinner off in proper style tasting the revelatory maiden release Le Charlemagne 2022 Grand Cru white. For any Domaine Bizot follower, this is certainly a wine that needs no introduction, representing the absolute pinnacle of white Burgundy quality. If I took the liberty to highlight one of my top reds of the year in Part 1, namely the Domaine Bizot Clos de la Bidaude 2023 red, then I would be remiss for not pointing the spotlight on this incredible white that was without doubt my favourite white wine of 2025, having tasted it from barrel and then from bottle three more times.

Domaine Jean Yves Bizot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2022

The two specific single vineyards of En Charlemagne and Le Charlemagne make up half of this famous appellation, while white grapes grown in seven other vineyards may also be sold as Corton-Charlemagne. As a result there can be a wide divergence in styles between earlier picked south-facing locations and cooler, later picked western slopes around Pernand-Vergelesses. Jean-Yves’s 0.14 hectares of vines are only located in the prestigious Le Charlemagne vineyard and in 2022 produced a meagre two new French oak barrels, or 600 bottles, of this golden Grand Cru nectar. A wonderfully sophisticated wine, it reveals a rich vinous tapestry tightly packed with savoury aromatics of leesy yellow citrus, fresh rain on limestone, wet straw, baking herbs and glacé lemon rind. The concentration on the palate is astonishing – glycerol, piercing, fresh and beautifully crystalline and saline with intense layers of lemon and lime cordial, green apple pastille over an electric laser-like acidity with just a subtle kiss of lemon butter and vanilla pod spice on the finish. An astounding wine of incredible power, focus and precision.

(Wine Safari Score: 100/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Le Charlemagne 2022 was mind blowing the first time I tasted it from barrel and continues to impress with each subsequent tasting. The 2023 vintage was another exceptional wine from a slightly more generous vintage that yielded three barrels. Sadly, just as this astonishing benchmark white Burgundy is gaining its own global cult following, the volumes have cruelly been restricted to only a single barrel in both 2024 and 2025 due to low yields and obsessive fruit selection. 

The dinner tasting line up.

After a brief interlude, the red flights started to be poured by the China Tang sommelier team. As a special treat, Jean-Yves’s Le Clos des Fées ‘100 Phrases Pour Eventails’ Pinot Noir 2023, the fourth release from this IGP Cotes Catalanes project, was poured to illustrate the fluidity and flexibility of Jean-Yves’s winemaking brilliance. From a riper vintage than 2024, the 2023 was sumptuous and generous, fleshy but incredibly silky, pure and precise, finishing with a brambly, damson plum and black berry intensity with a subtle sapidity. (95/100 GSMW) This is a fascinating project in Southwest France and one that is well worth keeping a close eye on if the new 2024 I tasted at the cellar is anything to go by!

For anyone that drinks Jean-Yves’s wines regularly will know, the mantra of “less is more” sits comfortably when tasting both his Domaine Bizot Marsannay Clos du Roy 2023 and his Domaine Bizot Le Chapitre 2022. While the Clos de Roy vineyard was renowned for its quality potential, Jean-Yves has brought his winemaking magic to this appellation and, perhaps with a little help from global warming, has helped elevate this vineyard to a quality level making wines only ever previously seen in the Grand Cru vineyards of the Côte de Nuits.

Myself, Victor Mignardot and China Tang’s Head Sommelier and Wine Buyer Igor Sotric.

Le Chapitre is a regional appellation site, squeezed in between high buildings in the middle of Chenôve whilst Clos du Roy, despite being located in the commune of Chenôve, is a village appellation Marsannay and is the northern continuation of the vineyards around the village of Marsannay. Compared with the lieux-dits sites considered for Premier Cru status in Marsannay, Le Chapitre is just a small 5.5 hectares in size owned by around ten growers including illustrious names like Sylvain Pataille, Laurent Fournier, Domaine Gagey and Drouhin. Always one of my favourites in the Bizot range, the Clos du Roy 2023 is an incredible success for the vintage with a perfumed lift, a textural fluidity, and the most crystalline, finessed finish imaginable (96/100 GSMW). The Le Chapitre too is all about elegance and subtlety, effortless concentration with an earthy, brambly finish – the power of the 2022 vintage making itself felt on the palate (94+/100 GSMW).

For the next flight, we moved back down to Vosne Romanee and Morey St Denis where Domaine Bizot produces several village appellation cuvees. At the first Chez Bruce dinner, Jean-Yves’s Vosne Romanee 2020 proved one of the stars of the night. This time, we were treated to the delightful Domaine Bizot Vosne Romanee Village 2023 vintage, with its pristine and impactful aromatics, lashings of black cherry and raspberry fruits and its beguiling Asian five spice complexity. A benchmark wine within Jean Yves’s range (95+/100 GSMW). Accompanying the Vosne Romanee, we were treated to a repeat showing of the incredible Clos de la Bidaude 2023 Monopole red that continues to seduce collectors globally with its intensity, majestic concentration and fruit purity (98/100 GSMW).

For the grand finale, a surprise Domaine Bizot Echezeaux Grand Cru 2015 was slipped into the lineup to accompany the outstanding Echezeaux 2023. This was quite simply a Grand Cru pairing made in heaven. The 2015 showed incredible depth, power and concentration, fruit ripeness without being overbearing or disrespectful to the appellation’s terroir complexity. Incredibly youthful and harmonious, this wine was indeed a real highlight, showcasing the effortless purity, intensity and precision Jean-Yves has so masterfully perfected (97+/100 GSMW). The Echezeaux 2023 was all charm and elegance, packed with complex red and black berry fruits, whole bunch sapidity and phenolic dry extract, finishing with an alluring minerality on the finish. Another true Bizot star in the making (96+/100 GSMW).

This sensational lineup of iconic Domaine Bizot wines certainly reminded all the private client attendees why they love and covet the red and white Burgundy’s of Jean Yves so much. With last desserts accompanied by the obligatory Jean-Yves sweet wine favourite, the Vin de Constance 2017 from South Africa, the second Domaine Bizot tasting dinner was brought to a close with a few words of thanks from Victor Mignardot and Domaine Bizot’s exclusive UK importer, Andrew Pavli from Musigny Wines.

The Domaine Jean-Yves Bizot wines are imported exclusively into the UK by Musigny Wines. Contact Andrew Pavli to request an allocation.

Andrew@musigny.wine

Another Highly Collectable Rubicon Release – Tasting the New Meerlust Rubicon Cape Bordeaux Blend 2023…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

With global fine wine markets restricting and consumer consumption continuing to decline, wine connoisseurs and collectors are becoming ever more discerning when it comes to the wines they choose to buy – not only the ones for immediate consumption but also those special bottles they entrust to their wine cellars or professional storage for future drinking. Almost 30 years of industry experience tells me that when times get tough, the consumer migration back to the reliable and proven classic brand names becomes ever swifter. The marketeers call it ‘cocooning’ that features a pronounced switch to trusted comforts. In terms of iconic South African Cape Bordeaux blends, there can be none more famous and trusted than Meerlust Rubicon.

The 2023 Rubicon vintage marked the third full year of Wim Truter’s tenure as head winemaker and cellarmaster where he continues to thrive and impress with his focused winemaking style built around purity, tension, precision and freshness. The 2023 vintage saw very similar cool ripening conditions as with the much-lauded 2021 vintage (rated 96+/100 GSMW). Early phenolic ripening, which is a key attribute of this coastal section of the Stellenbosch region, allowed Meerlust to harvest intense, flavourful, and bright varietal components from the four main terroir units on the farm, with rapid flavour development evident on the majority of their vineyards harvested before the rains began in the latter part of March.

Tasting with owner Hannes Myburgh in 2025 marking this 7th generation estate’s 50th anniversary of their “Estate Bottled” wines.

The Rubicon 2023 is a classical blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. Every parcel of each cultivar was fermented separately before undergoing malolactic fermentation in 300 litre French oak barrels. After 8 months in barrel, the components were assembled, blended and given another 10 months in barrel for harmonization before bottling. The similarities in growing conditions between 2021 and 2023, extends in many ways to the qualitative expression found in the superb Meerlust Estate wines of 2023. The palate is still very tightly curled and opens with power and persistence with gentle decanting. This is a Rubicon that truly expresses the ageability of the style, but with elegance and balance that also allows for earlier drinkability – a characteristic of all truly great modern fine wines.

Meerlust Estate Rubicon 2023, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.

The Rubicon 2023 blend shows aromatics of ripe black currants, blue berries, damson plums with a cornucopia of sweet Christmas spices, black tea and melted caramel over fresh cedar and graphite hints. There is an impressive textural presence on the palate – opulent, dense, and fleshy, layered with crème de cassis, black cherry compote, lead pencil spice, and chalky mineral tannins that smother a cool, subtle, beautifully integrated acidity. This is, once again, the complete package – deep, textured and concentrated yet effortlessly balanced, finishing with a picante brûléed brown toast complexity. A class act that is sure to be one of the standout Cape Bordeaux blends of the vintage. Drink from 2026 to 2045+.

(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Meerlust Estate wines are imported into the UK by Maison Marques et Domaines and should be available from all discerning fine wine merchants for circa £40 to £45 per bottle inclusive.

Ending 2025 with a Big Burgundy Bang – Two Epic Domaine Jean-Yves Bizot Tastings in London: Part 1 – Chez Bruce…

~ Greg Sherwood MW ~ Leave a comment

My last trip to Burgundy in 2025 was slightly later than usual, in early December instead of the usual early to mid-November. This actually worked exceptionally well as all the growers had recovered from the bravado of the Hospice de Beaune Auction events as well as the tsunami of global wine merchants and critics that descend upon Burgundy every year around this time ahead of the En-primeur campaign. Arriving later was a masterstroke as not only were the winemakers feeling a lot more relaxed, but so too were their wines… in this case the 2024 whites and reds from one of the smallest and most difficult harvests on record.

Unfortunately, the slightly later schedule meant that we (myself and Domaine Bizot’s exclusive UK importer) would miss seeing Jean-Yves Bizot at his cellar in Vosne-Romanee when we went to taste the meagre quantities of 2024s from barrel as he would already be in Asia on tour attending events in China and Korea. But fear not, we were expertly guided through the sublime barrel tasting by Jean-Yves’s right-hand man, Victor Mignardot, who would also be in London the following week to help tutor two sensational private client collector tasting dinners featuring some of Jean-Yves’s finest wines.

Victor Mignardot in the Bizot cellar.

With access to the Domaine Bizot cellar incredibly limited, I feel blessed every time I am able to visit to taste these unbelievable wines from barrel at the domaine, where their perfection, precision and true brilliance is laid bare in all their glory. Jean-Yves’s Burgundies do fortunately travel very well, but there is certainly nothing like tasting the new vintages from barrel to experience their purity and finesse which is amplified by Jean-Yves’s lack of sulphur use during the winemaking and elevage process, preferring a more modest, considered sulphuring of his wines before bottling. For the exceptional 2024 releases, demand will be incrementally greater due to their excellent quality, but tiny quantities of wine produced. To compensate UK buyers and loyal followers of Jean-Yves’s wines, two incredible dinners were arranged in London to which I was graciously invited. 

Chez Bruce private tasting room.
Tasting the 2024 vintages.

The first of these two incredible events in mid-December featured mostly new release “in-bottle” vintages of Domaine Bizot’s 2023 wines alongside a small array of slightly older vintages. Expertly matched with some incredible food pairings at one of London’s top Michelin Starred restaurants, Chez Bruce, Victor and Andrew Pavli from Musigny Wines, Bizot’s exclusive UK importer, guided the guests through a delectable line up of wines that started with two phenomenal whites.

The Domaine Bizot Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits Blanc 2022 was a rich, broad, expansive expression that showed beautifully expressive aromatics and fruit power. Layered with leesy lemon and saline, briney maritime notes, and delicate wood spice complexity. The intensity and piercing tangy acids were classic Bizot with a little extra horsepower from this punchy vintage. A really exceptional wine. (95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

This was followed by the Domaine Bizot Bourgogne La Violette Blanc 2023, an incredibly elegant expression with plenty of textural finesse and effortless intensity. Sweet savoury lemon aromatics, lime peel and a wet stone minerality carry the palate with a beautiful harmony, tight grained phenolics and finely integrated acids. Showing simply sublime balance and finesse. (94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Clos de la Bidaude Monopole just above Clos des Lambrays.

The next four wines, poured in two flights, excitingly featured a wine that I rated as one of my top Burgundies tasted in 2025… the Domaine Bizot Clos de la Bidaude Monopole 2023. From one of Jean-Yves’s newer vineyard purchases, the maiden vintage was only produced in 2021 with no 2022 released, upping the pressure and expectations from collectors for the follow up. Thankfully, the Bidaude 2023 is a knockout expression, the concentration, depth, elegance and sublime precision simply staggering. This is certainly a wine I am happy to highlight individually in more detail as one of my true favourites of 2025.

Domaine Jean-Yves Bizot Clos de la Bidaude Monopole 2023

A wine that is simply mesmerizingly intense with piercing aromatics of violets, saline crème de cassis, oyster shell, and sloe berries with a tightly knit complexity of smoky sapidity, crushed limestone and chalky spice. Piercing and powerful, the purity and intensity of fruit is awesome, the precision, polish, and concentration simply majestic. The perfect marriage of intelligent winemaking harnessing super fruit purity and perfect hillside terroir. A really super impressive success for the vintage. Drink from 2028 to 2040+.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

With minuscule amounts of the Clos de la Bidaude 2024 produced, all eyes will certainly return to this wine for the potential 2025 release. This is a wine that you just feel Jean-Yves believes can match and even perhaps surpass, with time and further viticultural and winemaking tweaking, his iconic Vosne Romanee les Jachees and his Echezeaux Grand Cru. I myself, having tasted all bottled expressions, have no doubts whatsoever. So, with the 2023 Clos de la Bidaude upping the temperature on this cold wintery December evening in London, the follow up wines proved equally impressive.

Next up, the eye-wateringly delicious Domaine Bizot Vosne Romanee 2020 village, a wine with profound lifted aromatics, a savoury red and black berry fruit intensity, and a beguiling whole bunch sapidity that simply added the perfect ‘salt and pepper’ to this fine wine recipe. Youthful but drinking so incredibly well already, this wine, with the ripeness of the 2020 vintage, was one of the crowds’ absolute favourites on the night. (96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The last pair featured the well-priced Domaine Bizot Le Chapitre Rouge 2020 and the Grand Vin of Jean-Yves’s range, his Echezeaux Grand Cru. The Chapitre 2020 shared many similarities with the delightful Vosne Romanee 2020 without being quite as powerful and intense but perhaps, slightly more perfumed and ethereal. What this pair of 2020 reds certainly proved was how well they were drinking on the eve of their 6th anniversary. Certainly no rush, but a beautifully elegant wine. (95/100 Greg Sherwood MW).

Last but not least, the Echezeaux Grand Cru, one of the wines that has helped put Jean Yves on the global “most collectable” Burgundy map. As per my barrel tasting last year, a uniquely impressive expression but perhaps just 5% behind the Bidaude 2023 in both aromatic power and fruit intensity. But the brooding depth might make this the dark horse of the vintage for a late resurgence. (97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

While Jean-Yves might not have been there to share some of his own vinous treats, the evening nevertheless ended with one of his favourite sweet wines, the Vin de Constance 2017, a wine I tasted again earlier in the year with winemaker Matt Day at Klein Constantia during a vertical tasting. This is a bright, intense, seductive sweet wine that wears its greatness with effortless ease. A delicious end to a memorable evening of fine food and wine. (97/100 Greg Sherwood MW).

The wines of Domaine Jean-Yves Bizot are imported exclusively into the UK by Musigny Wines. Contact them to request an allocation.

Andrew@musigny.wine