The De Schepper family owns five wine estates in Bordeaux as well as the De Mour negociant firm that is tasked with distributing their wines, more often than not, direct to international merchants and retailers. In my experience of tasting and reviewing their wines for the past decade, this is a firm that prides itself on its values, based on human expertise passed down through generations, technical mastery of all stages in the winemaking process, as well as upmarket product ranges developed via exclusive partnerships.
Within their product range, the special pure Cabernet Sauvignon cuvée of Château Haut Breton Larigaudière was created and named “Le Createur”, a literal translation of the family name of the owners “De Schepper”, a name of Flemish origin, in honor of Emile De Schepper, who bought the estate in 1964 and started the extensive renovation of the château. “Le Créateur” is an endless and tireless search tor the perfection of the personality of a specific vintage. I recently cracked a bottle of their 2015 vintage to assess how this pure Cabernet Sauvignon is looking after 10 years from vintage.
Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudiere Le Createur 2015, Margaux, 13.5% Abv.
This pure 100% Cabernet Sauvignon shows a beautifully complex and intricate aromatics of fresh violets, black cherry, dried bay leaf spice, red currants and black plum with hints of tilled earth, black tea and fresh tannery leather. The palate displays a beautiful crunchy freshness and definition with powerful linear tannins and a stony minerality supported by layers of creme de cassis and black berry fruits, a delicate wood spice, freshly brewed tea and delicate herbal notes on the long creamy finish. Drink this classy wine now and over the next 10+ years.
“Comando G, apart from being a cartoon series from the 1980s (known as Gatchaman in English), is also Comando Garnacha (Garnacha Command), a couple of friends convinced that they can produce some of the best Garnacha wines in the world from the Gredos mountain range. What started as a pastime has become the point of reference for the area, one of the main advocates for bringing back Garnacha, and also one of the most exciting success stories in the Spanish wine world over the last decade.” – Luis Gutierrez in The New Vignerons (Planeta Gastro) 2017.
A Comando G line up at the Winery.
Comando G is the brainchild of Daniel Gómez Jiménez-Landi and Fernando García. When they started in 2008, there was initially a third partner in the company – Marc Isart. Daniel, Fernando and Marc all grew up in the 1970s and 1980s with legendary cartoons such as Mazinger Z, Heidi, Marco and Gatchaman (Comando G in Spain). When the time came to give a name to their project, they set up their own fictional series, Comando Garnacha, which would eventually be responsible for producing some of the best Garnacha wines in the world. After all, there aren’t that many world class wines made exclusively from Garnacha grapes… Chateau Rayas in Chateauneuf-du-Pape probably being the most famous internationally.
Daniel Landi pouring his Comando G wines in London with his importer Les Caves de Pyrene.
Daniel Landi started his career in 2004 at Jiménez-Landi, the old family winery in the village of Méntrida, where he gradually found his way from Tempranillo, Syrah and Merlot to some magnificent top-class Garnachas from the Gredos area. In the early days, Comando G was a 5,000-bottle hobby project with a lot of potential.
The Rumbo Al Norte vineyard – Pictures by Riaan Potgieter, the Judgement of Wimbledon Grenache Tasting Convenor of judges.
Fernando and Daniel worked around the clock to make great wines and grow the project. They sought minerality, freshness and elegance in their wines through biodynamics and by revitalizing the vineyards by returning to old traditions. Their conviction is that “great wines are grown, not made.” They are winegrowers devoted to their land, who understand Garnacha and work with whole clusters. At the time of launching Comando G, as well as until quite recently, Garnacha was looked down upon as an inferior cultivar. In villages in the Gredos area, such as San Martín de Valdeiglesias and Cebreros or Méntrida, most wine was sold off in bulk. Gredos as we know it today simply did not exist.
The geographical zone of Gredos is split between three different provinces (Ávila, Madrid and Toledo) belonging to three different regions (Castilla y León, Madrid and Castilla – La Mancha), and three appellations of origin – Vinos de Madrid, Méntrida in Toledo, and Ávila, which falls under the generic appellation of Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla y León. Comando G, together with the majority of producers in Gredos, set up an association called Garnachas de Gredos with the aim of correcting the mistake of taking a political rather than geographical approach to the appellations.
70+ year old Garnacha vines in Rumbo Al Norte vineyard.
With firm proposal to create the Sierra de Gredos appellation, Comando G suddenly found themselves alone in this endeavour as most of the growers in the Ávila part of Gredos opted for the creation of a new appellation within their province, calling it Cebreros after the village with the most land under vine there. Despite this, Comando G, given their totally terrorist approach, wanted to explain and label their wines showing their geographical origin rather than their political one. So, after all, Sierra de Gredos is simply “the appellation that could have been.’
Daniel Landi eventually left the family winery in 2012 due to differences in opinion on how to run the business, leaving behind a brand built over years of hard work in the global market, keeping just a small personal project called Dani Landi which produces just over 15,000 bottles between four reds produced from the seven hectares under vine which he owns in different villages. Las Uvas de la Ira comes from a mixture of Garnacha from El Real de San Vicente, while there are three single-vineyard reds, all Garnacha but from diverse locations, soils and with different profiles: Cantos del Diablo, also from El Real de San Vicente, El Reventón from slate-textured soils in Cebreros, and the most recent, Las Iruelas, also from slate soils in the village of El Tiemblo in the province of Ávila.
In a short space of time, Comando G went from being Dani and Fer’s hobby to becoming their main project. Since 2012, the year they built a small, simple winery in Cadalso de los Vidrios, this became their permanent project. With no plans for new wines beyond the current range, their work now focuses on a better interpretation of the vintages and a better knowledge of each of their vineyards. Work in the vineyard is key. At Comando G, they produce up to 75,000 bottles, all sold out on allocation. Production quantities vary significantly by cuvée and vintage conditions, but the below is a good rough guide:
Village Wines: (e.g., ‘La Bruja de Rozas’): This is their highest-volume wine, with approximately 40,000 to over 56,000 bottles produced in recent vintages (e.g., 56,487 bottles in 2022, 40,943 in 2023).
Premier Cru Wines: (e.g., ‘Rozas 1er Cru’, ‘La Breña 1er’): Production is more limited, with volumes around 5,000 to 15,000 bottles per wine (e.g., 15,238 bottles of Rozas 1er Cru in 2018; 874 bottles of the first vintage of La Breña).
Grand Cru / Single-Vineyard Wines: (e.g., ‘Rumbo al Norte’, ‘El Tamboril’): These are the most limited and exclusive, with production often well under 2,000 bottles per year (e.g., 1,712 bottles of Tumba del Rey Moro in 2021, and less than 2,000 bottles of Rumbo al Norte).
The plot they named Rumbo al Norte, a piece of land which faces north in the tiny village of Navarrevisca (Ávila) at 1,200 meters above sea level, is one of the most striking vineyards conceivable. The landscapes in some parts of the Gredos mountains and the province of Ávila is scattered with Granite boulders, conjuring up images of giants playing with Granite marbles and their game has been interrupted and they’ve left them scattered, as if they didn’t have time to tidy up. Rumbo al Norte itself means ‘heading north’ and in this unique site, vines can be found amongst the huge boulders, tucked into the most unlikely spaces. In this unique, cool north-facing plot of 0.3 hectares in the area called La Breña, the soils are shallow decomposed Granite and Sandstone planted with 70-year-old Garnacha vines. Historically, there was no clonal selection used so the vines are a mixture of clones making them all slightly different as well as being a mixture of younger and older vines as dead plants were replanted over time. Due to the small size of the plot with a marginal climate, only around 1,000 bottles are produced each vintage. The conditions result in grapes with high acidities, making fresh, vibrant, mineral laden wines with moderate alcohol levels.
The Rumbo Al Norte Vertical line up.
Comando G Vino de Parcela Rumbo Al Norte 2010, Villanueva de Avila, Sierra de Gredos, Spain
Sadly Corked. No Score.
Luis Gutierrez inspecting the corked 2010 Rumbo Al Norte.
Comando G Vino de Parcela Rumbo Al Norte 2013, Villanueva de Avila, Sierra de Gredos, Spain
Cooler vintage.
Stewed strawberry compote, red plum and pithy red currant. Deep and dense, there is incredible structure and focus, tight, mineral and with gravelly tannins, glassy red and black berry fruits, with a long, granitic, dried herb finish. Serious effort, taut, tight and young.
(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Comando G Vino de Parcela Rumbo Al Norte 2015, Villanueva de Avila, Sierra de Gredos, Spain
Warm vintage.
Sweet opulent nose of Seville oranges, violets, pink musk, cherry blossom and bramble berry spice. Silky and smooth, this has a certain ease and elegance, soft creamy supply dry mineral tannins and long, focused finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Comando G Vino de Parcela Rumbo Al Norte 2016, Villanueva de Avila, Sierra de Gredos, Spain
Cooler vintage.
This shows a broody, earthy lavender note, with spicy red currant and pithy forest strawberry compote notes. Cool vintage on display here revealing intense, tighter, silkier tannins. Simply superb.
(Wine Safari Score: 99/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Comando G Vino de Parcela Rumbo Al Norte 2017, Villanueva de Avila, Sierra de Gredos, Spain
Warm, hot year.
This shows an intriguing melange of dusty gravel, dried herbs, gravel, dried herbs and dried orange peel. The palate is structured and mineral, focused, taut and tight but slowly opening its grip on this tight vintage. Finish is mineral, austere in comparison and stony, but certainly imposing.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Comando G Vino de Parcela Rumbo Al Norte 2018, Villanueva de Avila, Sierra de Gredos, Spain
Cool year.
The 2018 is a complex offering of struck flint, smoky herbs, green leaf, and picante notes of red and black berry fruits. The texture is impressive, silky, polished and quite fine, laden with bramble berry fruit complexity, stewed strawberry, and liquid mineral slatey tannin finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Comando G Vino de Parcela Rumbo Al Norte 2020, Villanueva de Avila, Sierra de Gredos, Spain
Slightly unusual, dry & warm vintage.
A frenetic wine, fragrant and complex, rich, mineral, and taut. This is still an embryo, fragrant, perfumed and fine grained, delicately fruited but plenty of minerality, gravel and granitic spice. Not showing its best, super young but plenty of age worthy potential.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Many thanks to Luis Gutierrez for joining the Rumbo Al Norte vertical tasting in London in 2025.
The Marques de Murrieta estate in Rioja, Spain, is one of the truly historic and symbolic wineries profiling the best of Spanish winemaking. Founded in 1852 by Luciano de Murrieta, Marqués de Murrieta has been under the ownership of the Cebrián-Sagarriga family since 1983. Situated in the heart of Rioja. The estate has been a pioneer in the region, introducing techniques over the years that have become synonymous with the rich, aged wines of Rioja. Today, Marques de Murrieta continues to blend the old with the new, producing wines that are both deeply rooted in tradition and forward-thinking and modern in their approach.
All the grapes are sourced from the bodega’s own vineyards at Ygay near Logroño, which were recently extended to 300 hectares. Traditional grape cultivars are favoured including Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo, Garnacha Blanca and Viura (Macabeo), many of which are now starting to disappear from the Rioja region. The estate’s flagship wine, Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay, is a prime example of the owner’s premium winemaking philosophy, offering a rich, complex profile that evolves beautifully with extended ageing. From the meticulously tended vineyards to the state-of-the-art winery, Marques de Murrieta embodies the very best quality Rioja has to offer, creating wines that are celebrated the world over.
Tasting with Vicente Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga, the current Count of Creixell.
The Vinos de Rioja Crianza Etiqueta Blanca (white label) was a Vino de Crianza wine (designated to be aged at least one year in barrel and one year in bottle) that was primarily made from Tempranillo grapes, though other traditional red grape cultivars were also grown on the estate and were thought to have occasionally been included. The wine was aged in American oak barrels for at least two years, which was a traditional method for the winery and a longer aging period than other wineries at the time. While I don’t know what the very first vintage of the Etiqueta Blanca was, I have only physically seen vintages as old as 1967 on tastings though it is suggested by some that the label goes all the way back to 1925. The last vintage Marques de Murrieta produced was the 1982, which is considered a legendary vintage for this classic wine. I remember talking to Vicente Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga, the current Count of Creixell, and he mentioned that the Etiqueta Blanca was often aged in barrel and bottle for much longer than required by the appellation and indeed could have qualified as a Rioja Reserva in reality.
Regional Overview:
The Rioja designation area, located in northern Spain in the Ebro valley, is divided into three production sectors: Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa. The Rioja vineyard occupies approximately 60,000 hectares spread on both sides of the Ebro over around a hundred kilometres and is bordered by the Cantabrian Range to the north and the Sierra de la Demanda to the south. Three autonomous communities inhabit the designation area: the Rioja itself, Navarro and the Basque Country.
Marques de Murrieta Ygay Vinos de Rioja Crianza Etiqueta Blanca Cosecha 1971, Rioja, Spain
This was the second of four bottles I own (my birth vintage), originally bought from merchant Gareth Birchley when he working as the fine wine manager at Berry Brothers and Rudd. The storage has been exceptional, and the ullage levels are all in the lower neck. In the glass, the colour shows opaque hints with ample powdery sediment and a very developed maroon red colour with old mahogany overtones. The aromatics are sweet, stewed and almost pungent with tertiary notes of balsamic, polished mahogany wood, old leather sofas, and leather backed library books over vanilla pod, sweet dried cherries, stewed strawberry compote, blood orange zest, sweet Christmas spices and aged sous-bois herbal characters. Beautifully evolved and complex on the palate, the wine retains a seductive level of sweet fruit opulence, tinged with a tangy sweet-sour acidity and notes of dried fruits, stewed red berries, soy sauce, strawberry jam, cloves, cured meats, and earthy, savoury spicy tilled earth nuances. While obviously evolved and tertiary, the wine does not feel fragile, and indeed I recorked the last quarter of the bottle and drank it later that day having not oxidised any further from opening. This wine has that sweet, seductive glow of aged red wines that retains a broad enough appeal for even novices to enjoy and savour. The tail of the finish has a delicately bitter orange, dry rancio grippiness that merely accentuates the flavour persistence on the palate. A wine of this style has now become almost ageless, and I will certainly be in no rush to drink my last two bottles as they slumber in a state of stasis, neither improving nor decaying further.
(Wine Safari Score: 92/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The most recently listed market price for the Etiqueta Blanca 1971 was $179 at Acker Fine Wines.
The Marques de Murrieta wines are imported into the UK by Maison Marques et Domaines (MMD).
Burgundy is full of talented wine makers, but every now and then, a new name comes along almost out of the blue, with incredible flair – this is Kei Shiogai – a superstar in the making. Originally from Japan, Kei left Tokyo to travel to New Zealand as he was so interested in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. After a short spell there, he was strongly encouraged by locals to pursue his passion in the true home of these varieties – Burgundy – where studied viticulture and vinification in Beaune and Dijon.
Kei arrived in Burgundy and proceeded to work with several top producers including Philippe Pacalet, Domaine Rousseau and Domaine Roulot. Indeed, his earlier vintages in Beaune were produced while he was still working at Domaine Roulot. Even with his 2020 vintage, Kei started to turn heads and draw attention to his wines with their incredible elegance and purity of fruit produced from modest “village level” sites. But it is of course with fruit sourced from the more premium Grand Cru sites that Kei has really started to redefine his own stylistic talents. With limited stocks due to arrive in the UK shortly, it seemed the perfect moment to review his second Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru release.
Kei Shiogai Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2023, Burgundy
The 2023 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru from Kei Shiogai is another exceptional expression with incredible attention to detail, showing aromas of limestone minerality, white flowers, pear fruits, lemon grass, sweet herbs, and buttered white toast nuances. On the palate the wine is taut yet elegantly textured and densely layered with a notable chalky dry extract but also seamlessly creamy, harmonious, and balanced. A decidedly more serious terroir driven, linear, minerally infused expression of Corton-Charlemagne than some of the more buttery mainstream examples on the market. Undeniably profound and a real high point in Kei’s 2023 white range. Drink from 2025 to 2035+.
(Wine Safari Score: 96-97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Kei Shiogai wine are available on allocation from his exclusive UK importer, Musigny Wines. Contact: Andrew@musigny.wine
The Winshaw brothers, Pierre and JP, are well known for combining traditional beef and chicken farming with grape growing on their prestigious Stellenbosch property Klein Welmoed, selling fruit from their 50 hectares of vines to some of Stellenbosch’s most notable producers as well as making their own wines under their superb Winshaw Vineyards label.
Alongside a premium range of Cape Bordeaux blends, the line-up also includes a delicious straight talking varietal Malbec and a pristine pure fruited Cabernet Sauvignon. The two red blends honour their great-grandfather Dr William Charles Winshaw, founder of Stellenbosch Farmers Winery (SFW), and their grandfather Bill, another key figure in the history of the SFW. With a growing collector following in both South Africa as well as in the UK, their wines still represent excellent value for money in an over heated fine wine market. The 2021 blends are certainly not to be missed.
Winshaw Vineyards Charles Winshaw 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 13.5% Abv.
This impressive Cape Bordeaux blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 17% Merlot is incredibly complex and intricate displaying aromatics of dried potpourri, spicy red currant, earthy black berries, dried herbs, hints of charcoal, graphite and dusty granitic spice. The palate is medium bodied and incredibly harmonious with fine grained mineral tannins and a bright, crunchy acidity that adds plenty of vitality and energy. This is a delightful text book Cape Bordeaux blend with notable precision, tension and accessible drinkability. Drink now to 2040+.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Winshaw Vineyards Bill Winshaw 2021, WO Stellenbosch, 14% Abv.
This beautifully styled Bordeaux blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 20% Malbec, 20% Merlot was matured for 12 months in used French oak barrels. The aromatics are elegantly perfumed, brimming with fragrant violets, sandalwood, dried thyme and a vibrant melange of red and black berries with a sappy, cedar spice complexity. This Cabernet Franc lead blend is incredibly sleek and lithe, silky textured with fine grained powdery tannins underpinned by deliciously bright vivacious acids and a real persistence of black berry, red currant and pithy brambly fruits with a granitic liquid minerality that punctuates the seamless finish. This is true class personified. Drink now to 2040+.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Winshaw Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, WO Stellenbosch, 14.5% Abv.
The focus of all Winshaw red blends is based around either Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc, but with this pure Cabernet Sauvignon that was matured for 12 months in French oak barrels, of which 30% were new, the essence of Stellenbosch terroir is laid bare to see. The aromatics are archetypal, revealing lifted perfumed notes of pressed violets, sweet black cherries, crème de cassis over subtle notes of dried herbs, wet tobacco, and subtle graphite hints. On the palate, the sumptuous, fleshy opulence of the warm and dry 2022 vintage are expressed with ripe glycerol layers of black berry fruits, black plum and delicately tart mulberry hints that fades into more savoury, earthy cedar spice nuances. The texture is dense, plush and mouth filling, retaining enough acid vibrancy to invigorate the soft, creamy, compact mineral tannins and carry the wine to an accessible, sleek well-balanced finish. An impressive expression of pure Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon that you can drink now and over the next 8 to 10+ years.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Winshaw Vineyards wines are imported into the UK by South African specialist merchant Museum Wines.
The Tesseron family, owners of Château Pontet-Canet and Tesseron Cognac, purchased Pym-Rae, a 7.5-hectare vineyard at Mount Veeder in Napa Valley, in January 2016. Named by late actor Robin Williams after his children, the vineyard’s limestone soil and 550 metre altitude bring depth and freshness to the wines. Using a natural, vineyard-focused approach and adapting certain biodynamic practices, the Tesseron family produces distinctly plush, opulent wines from this unique terroir.
The 2021 vintage reveals grapes of great concentration, developed during a dry yet steady season, which allowed for a beautiful balance between ripeness and freshness. In the vineyard, there was low intervention: nature guided the vines with precision. The harvest unfolded calmly, offering grapes of great intensity. At Pym-Rae, this vintage unveils the power of its Napa Valley terroir, shaped by the balance between tension and control.
The wines are typically a composite blend mirroring vineyard plantings which currently stand at 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and are made by winemaker Jérôme Ledit who previously worked with the Tesseron family at Château Pontet-Canet in Bordeaux. Michel Rolland serves as consultant.
Tesseron Estate Pym-Rae 2021, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley, 15% Abv.
Aged 50% in new oak barrels and 50% in concrete vats, the 2021 vintage displays fragrant blue and black berry fruit aromatics with hints of Christmas spices, chocolate praline and sweet hoisin plum sauce nuances. Classical elegance on the palate with silky fine tannins, notes of graphite and liquid minerality alongside ripe red and black berry fruits, black cherries, creme de cassis and a spicy, pithy plum skin phenolics on the delicately saline finish. Drink from 2026 to 2038+.
Klein Constantia, established in 1685, is renowned as one of the world’s most beautiful wine estates, nestled on the upper foothills of the Constantiaberg with views across False Bay. Originally part of Constantia, the 146-hectare estate, it boasts decomposed granite soils and cool ocean breezes, ideal for producing premium South African wines, including the celebrated natural sweet wine, Vin de Constance. Historically favoured by notable figures such as Napoleon, Baudelaire, European royalty, and global presidents, Vin de Constance continues to captivate discerning palates worldwide with its unwavering commitment to quality.
The 2022 vintage stood out for its intensity and precision, shaped by a late start and a condensed harvest window. Warm, dry conditions dominated the season, with minimal rainfall and increased sun exposure contributing to excellent ripening. The growing season brought some pressure due to wind and heat, but balanced canopy growth and careful vineyard management delivered fruit of exceptional quality. Temperatures remained steady throughout harvest, avoiding the intense heat spikes often seen in late summer in the Cape.
Tasting with head winemaker Matt Day.
I recently joined head winemaker and cellar master Matt Day at Klein Constantia to taste not only the phenomenal new release 2022 Vin de Constance, but also to run through a number of impressive back vintages.
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2014, WO Constantia
Deliciously fresh and vibrant, the wine saw a two-week maceration on skins before 36 months in barrel. The aromatics are packed with peaches, apricot, dried orchard fruits, freshly baked fruit pastries, and marmalade jam nuances. The palate is delightfully fresh and zippy, beautifully balancing sweetness and a tangy acid freshness. Lovey focus showing a delicate toffee apple sweetness and a seductive, salty, tarte tatin finish. A wine of beauty that is maturing exceptionally well. Drink now to 2040+.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Klein Constantia fermentation cellar.
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2017, WO Constantia
Cool and elegant with the aromatics displaying a pithy, citrusy freshness with hints of toffee apples, dried apricots, and peach puree notes. The palate is full and glycerol, dense, enticingly sweet and peachy with a creamy, opulent finish. Great weight and sweetness but very well balanced. Drink now to 2045+.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2021, WO Constantia
An incredibly accomplished Vin de Constance, the 2021 is impressively taut, bright, and nervy, showing pithy citrus and a crunchy white peach freshness. There is incredible tension and an acid frame of note with underlying hints of passionfruit, peach, guava, and marmalade depth. An astounding density and freshness with balance, focus and length. Power packed but oh so elegant. A true classic. Drink now to 2060+.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2022, WO Constantia, 13.5% Abv.
Coming from a warmer shorter season, the final wine was blended from 18 batches (normally around 25). The 2022 Vin de Constance shows aromatics of freshly melted honey, barley sugar, boiled sweets, passionfruit confit, quince, a gentle sapidity and apple puree nuances with hints of savoury freshly baked apple strudel notes on the nose. The palate is incredibly dense, compact, and tight knit, quite weighty and full bodied in texture, but also incredibly creamy and picante, sweet and plush after an incredible 36 months in 4,200 litre wooden foudre, boasting notes of dried mango, nectarine, lychee, and white peach. This is an impactful Vin de Constance that displays both power and intensity alongside a regal elegance and freshness that bestows the wine with an incredible harmony and balance. Drink on release and over the next 40+ years.
For the past few years, Bordeaux negociants have been supplementing their wine businesses by offering their distribution expertise acquired globally over many decades, to distribute alternative premium fine wines from around the world. CVBG have been one of the largest proponents of the “Beyond Bordeaux” wine category and accordingly, host an impressive fine wine tasting for the trade in London annually. Below are a selection of my scores from the 2025 offerings.
The impressive tasting of Beyond Bordeaux hosted in London by Negociant CVBG Dourthe.
Massetino 2023, IGT Toscana, 15% Abv.
Plush, exotic and lifted with aromatics of cherry kirsch liquor, cassis, sour plum and subtle brûléed vanilla nuances. Super sleek polished texture showing overt stony mineral tannins with a picante, grippy extract on the finish. Plenty of tension belies the 15% alcohol.
Deep dark broody aromatics full of macerated black berries, damson plum and black cherry compote with a dusting of brûléed vanilla pod spice. Fleshy and silky soft, fulsome but also very characterful with a classical weightless concentration and elegance. A very polished expression.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Marques de Riscal Tapias 2022, Rioja DOC, 15% Abv.
Shows dense layers of black berry, damson plum and ripe wild strawberry. Ripe tight core with muscle but also precision. The oak is still dominant now but should integrate further and age gracefully.
(Wine Safari Score: 95+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
F. ALGUEIRA Dolio 2021, Ribera Sacra, 13% Abv.
Layered aromatics with dark bramble berry fruits, a graphite dusting, crushed stones and a hint of smoky reduction. Sleek and precise with a savoury plummy sweet – sour ripeness neatly tucked between bright linear acids and fine chalky tannins.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Chateau Cheval Blanc Petit Cheval Bordeaux Blanc 2023, 13.5% Abv.
A 73% Sauvignon Blanc and 17% Semillon blend, this new release shows a juicy opulent crystalline aromatics full of vibrant yellow grapefruit citrus, fresh fennel, ripe gooseberries and lemon grass spice. Deliciously full with a harmonious texture that’s mouth coating, almost creamy, finishing with a delicious purity and clarity. Superb.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Cheval des Andes 2022, Mendoza, 14%Abv.
Cool integrated perfumed aromatics offering a classy balance and purity of blueberry, cassis and damson plum. Beautifully fine grained displaying a polished texture. A true class act with superb balance.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Errazuriz Sena 2023, Valle de Aconcagua, 13.5% Abv.
Beautifully aromatic perfumed fragrance of violets, white blossom and hints of saline cassis, black cherry and ripe blueberries. Seamless and silky, but also delightfully vibrant and fresh with a piercing black fruit concentration while remaining classically light on its feet. Very classy expression.
Enticingly fresh aromatics with delightful tertiary hints of freshly brewed tea and sous bois, bold orange and pomegranate nuances. Sleek, soft and very pure, this balances savoury red berry fruits and a bramble berry intensity with citrus, orange vermouth spices and blood orange notes on a very sleek polished finish. Wow. Impressive.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Tasting with Ernie Loosen.
Dr Loosen Wines:
From 130 year old seven hectare plots of Riesling from Ernie Loosen’s Great Grandfather (out of a total 40 hectares in Wehlener Sonnenuhr) Being the 2nd biggest holdings after JJ Prum.
Riesling Dry 2019, 12.5% – 95+/100
Riesling Kabinett 2019, 9.5% – 97/100
Riesling Auslese 2019, 9.5% – 98/100
L’Aventure Optimus 2022 Red Blend – 95/100
L’Aventure Cote A Cote 2022 – 95+/100
L’Aventure Estate Reserve 2022 – 97+/100
Verite La Muse 2022, Sonoma County, 14.5% Abv.
Mostly Merlot, wood spice, black berry, plum pip, with smoky graphite and crushed gravel. Super sleek and polished, seamless, showing sappy leafy black fruits, cedar spice, black tea and a spicy grippy finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Verite La Joie 2022, Sonoma County, 14.5% Abv.
Tightly packed with cedar, spice, chai tea, graphite and real mineral presence. Fruits are dark, taut and full of tension, acids are crisp but with a marble like polish. Tight, classical and serious.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Verite Le Desir 2022, Sonoma County, 14.5% Abv.
Tight dark and broody, this is a classy, tight black fruited expression, offering up hints of aromatic complexity. Red berries, sweet cedar and red currant fruits with a lurking leafy, red cherry intensity. Sublime balance and harmony.
(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Beautiful blend of Cabernet vineyards from Spring Mountain with 3% Merlot for extra interest. Delicious black currant, black forest gateau, plums and blueberry compote. Lovely balance with impressive balance and fleshy generosity.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Inglenook Blancaneaux 2023, Napa Valley, 13.7% Abv.
40% Viognier with Roussanne and Marsanne. Lovely cool precision, stony minerality with smoky flinty reduction, spice and dried herbs. Mouth coating, intense but good freshness.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Napa Valley, 14.1% Abv.
Small warmer vintage with slightly higher yields than 2021, showing blue and black berries, cassis, dried herbs and sweet cedar spice. A harmonious palate showing restraint with intensity and concentration, silky balance and a blueberry, black currant finish. Classical but impressive intensity.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Inglenook Rubicon 2022, 14.3% Abv.
85% Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot – Sweet herbs, sappy cedar, saline black currant, with black and blueberry, liquorice and creamy, graphite tannins. Full, powerful, incredibly complete.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Coonawarra, 13.5% Abv.
Quite an ethereal, musky, dusty Cabernet aromatics with blueberry, cassies, black cherry and black berry rock candy. Sublime balance, silky soft tannins with a creamy velvety mouthfeel, tangy acids and a salty black berry fruited finish. The oak is almost imperceptible. Very classy.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay 2023, 12.5% Abv.
Lovely lemon and lime intensity spiced up by a complexing, well judged smoky reduction. Crisp, crystalline, deliciously lean. This is a truly delicious, grown up fine wine Chardonnay.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2022, 14.5% Abv.
Restrained subdued aromatics, with hints of liquorice, blue and black berry and a spicy, granitic, mineral grippy finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds RWT Bin 789 Barossa Shiraz 2023, 14.5% Abv.
Sweet and exotic aromatics full of black berry, hoisin plum sauce, sweet Christmas spices and a smoky savoury depth with very dry, mineral grippy tannins. Very serious.
(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Abv.
Subtle aromatics of black berry, dried mint leaf, chocolate peppermint crisp and sweet dried herbs. Full and creamy, powdery chalky tannins, a cool tangy acidity and a long, focused finish. Very precise.
(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, 14.5% Abv.
Sweeter black fruits, mulberry and damson plum, over tilled earth, graphite and chai tea. Dense, complex and textural, pinpoint, focused and tight grained. Dusty chalky tannins, liquid minerals and a picante, pithy finish.
(Wine Safari Score: 97/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Penfolds Grange 2021, 14.5% Abv.
Beautiful aromatics of incense, plum sauce, black cherry, and sweet Christmas spices with a kiss of salty black liquorice. Full in the mouth with a textured, grippy tannin frame, plenty of chalky minerality and an unctuous, fleshy, grippy finish. Plenty of premium winemaking on display here.
(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Cloudburst Chardonnay 2023, Margaret River
Fabulous lemon lime intensity with an intricate smoky reductive vein. Wet stones, lemon grass and fabulous depth. Cool classy and restrained, this is top drawer cool climate Chardonnay.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, Margaret River
A vibrant, distinctive terroir driven expression that oozes terroir… wet stone minerality, tea leaf, graphite, black currant leaf, tobacco and kelp. Deliciously maritime, saline and focused with amazing energy and inner character. Wow!
(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Yalumba Florita Riesling 2015, Clare Valley, 12.3% Abv.
Lemon cordial, lime confit, white flowers and hints of butter, ginger and passion fruit crunch. Dry, pristine, very classy!
(Wine Safari Score: 96+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Jim Barry The Armagh 2022, Clare Valley, 14% Abv.
An incredibly fragrant aromatics, fully perfumed with rose petal, incense, rose hip, tangerine peel, pink musk, talc, red peppercorns and vibrant red berry fruits. Incredibly cool sleek and silky, this is Armagh elegance at the next level. Fabulous purity, weightless concentration and spectacular elegance. Wow!
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
Yalumba The Octavius Old Vine Shiraz 2020, Barossa Valley, 14.5% Abv.
Dark broody black and blue berry fruits, beautifully complex, integrated aromatics of black currant, liquorice and salted caramel. Incredibly harmonious and balanced, this is a sublime Barossa expression.
There are now so many famous names producing incredible red and white wines in the Swartland. The region has gone well and truly global with trade wine buyers and fine wine collectors snapping up the top offerings, all of which are now becoming quite tightly allocated. While most of the “young gun” growers and Swartland “Rhone Rangers” are now heading into their 50s, Jasper Wickens still represents a younger generation of vignerons that are pushing the boundaries of quality and terroir vintage after vintage.
Every new release from Jasper is eye opening and head turning, as collectors and enthusiasts are increasingly seduced by his wine’s incredible quality at still very modest prices – a true rarity in the world of collectable fine wines. Of all Jasper’s wines, no new releases are more anticipated that his old vine 1982 Chenin Blanc and 1963 Semillon. I recently tasted Jasper’s 2023 releases along side his 2023 Swerwer Chenin Blanc. I was not disappointed!
JC Wickens Swerwer Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.
2023 was an incredibly concentrated and power packed vintage in the Swartland especially for white wines and this Chenin Blanc from Jasper Wickens is a super charged classic. The aromatics are supremely rich and expressive, laced with wet straw, white peach, clementine and tangerine fruits over subtle honied lemon tea notes. The white peach and tangerine fruits continue on the palate that shows impressive concentration alongside a vibrant freshness, all harmoniously interwoven together with incredible purity and precision. At this price, this is a must buy Chenin! Drink now to 2034+.
(Wine Safari Score: 95/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
JC Wickens Wolwekop Single Vineyard Old Vine Semillon 2023, WO Swartland, 12.5% Abv.
Tasting the big-name premium producers of the Swartland has become a lucrative business for some of the world’s leading wine critics with no shortage of big scores being bestowed on said wines. However, almost all of them are guilty of merely paying lip service to the great single vineyard Old Vine wines of Jasper Wickens, most notably his Wolwekop Semillon that is harvested from a special vineyard that was planted in 1963 and which offers up, vintage after vintage, incredibly detailed, intense, focused, fresh Semillon whites that rival and often surpass anything produced in South Africa. Jasper is of course on a stellar run being awarded 97/100 for his eye catching 2021 and 96/100 for his deliciously accomplished 2022.
This 2023 turns the volume up once again and delivers a most melodious expression of this noble cultivar. Bright crystalline yellow gold in the glass, the aromatics of this new release are incredibly pure, fresh and focused showing notes of lemon grass, waxy lemon peel, white peach and hints of green apple all underpinned by a wonderfully dusty decomposed Granite Paardeberg minerality. With more in common with fresher vintages, there are no oily, lanolin nuances yet but rather fresher lemon and lime white citrus characters, Japanese green tea and a crystalline brightness with pinpoint purity. Seamless and harmonious in the mouth, the sleek lemon citrus intensity is pure and bright, supported by an incredibly well integrated tangy acidity that adds frame and definition to the long, stony, mineral finish. The oak influence is imperceptible and the focus and carry on the finish is mouthwatering and moreish. A fabulous wine that underlines the concentration and fruit power of the 2023 vintage in the Swartland. Drink from 2026 to 2038+.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
JC Wickens Tiernes Single Vineyard Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023, WO Swartland, 13% Abv.
The wonderful thing about an accomplished old vine cuvee like Tiernes is its sheer depth, intensity and presence. Imposing in the glass, this 2023 shows all the muscle and flesh neighbour Eben Sadie was so profusive about with his entire range of old vine whites and reds from 2023. The aromatics simply soar like an eagle – plush, complex and packed full of waxy lemon and white citrus, white peach, dried herbs, and intense savoury leesy nuances. The palate is rich but classically restrained, reined in by a fresh tangy acidity that frames an incredibly broad, fleshy, expansive mouthfeel that is also incredibly focused, harmonious, and seamless, yet wonderfully effusive, showing dried peach, quince, and garrigue spice, before the archetypal wet stone granitic minerality closes out the finish. The clear standout elements of most top 2023 Paardeberg whites are their muscle, fruit power, and understated depth and intensity. Not in a loud and shouty style, nor in a big and brash manner – this wine simply strolls into the room silently and commands your attention. What not to love about an old vine Paardeberg Chenin Blanc from such a distinguished single vineyard? This is undoubtedly a wine to seek out and buy on release. Drink from 2026 to 2040+.
(Wine Safari Score: 97+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The Jasper Wickens wines are imported into the UK by specialist South African merchant Museum Wines. Single vineyard wines sell for £150 IB per 6 on release.
It’s that time of year again! Tasting the unique micro expressions from some of South Africa’s top producers is no easy task. It used to be a real expose of some really unique wine styles of the ever evolving South African wine industry, but now, it feels like producers are evolving, maturing, and certainly playing it a little safer. Is that a bad thing? No, not at all!
Speaking to tasters, collectors (at the tasting) and producers, the feeling was very much that ALL wines were impressive and worthy of praise. But, many did feel that the innovation had been slightly dialled down in the name of premiumisation and in order to offer the wider global fine wine market a unique selection of wines that can be offered to incredibly fussy international merchants and collectors in a congested fine wine market place – wines that can’t be compared and contrasted to anything already available on the market.
Some will reflect on these wines and feel that they are not sufficiently “different” from the regular cuvées offered on the commercial market, but one has to bare in mind that many of the buyers engaging in the CWG auction are not in a viable position to access workable / commercial quantities of wines from these top producers now that European allocations have become so tightly controlled and limited. The CWG breaks that mould and expands the market for South African fine wine, bringing some incredibly high quality wines to a wider, new generation of collectors and connoisseurs. That alone should surely be celebrated. I for one remain a MASSIVE fan of the CWG concept and auction process and encourage enthusiasts to buy with confidence whether bidding directly or buying through a merchant channel like Bordeaux Index.
Scores at the doors…
AA Badenhorst Family Wines ‘Out Of The Strong Comes Forth Freshness’ Carignan 2024 – 93+/100
The Saldanha Wine & Spirit Co. Saldanha Pale Dry SEA, SALT, SAND AND WIND N.V. – 95/100
Ataraxia ‘Sympathy For The Pinot’ Pinot Noir 2024 – 94/100
