Matthew Jukes (19)

This is a wine of outstanding refinement. Ben readily admits that the early vintages of Amon-Ra were supposed to shock international wine commentators with their scale and impact. They certainly achieved their aim, but Ben knew that Amon-Ra really needed ratcheting back and this vintage shows the results of his gradual finessing and adding of detail. Cooler and longer with beautiful balance, this is a wine which will be sure to impress all-comers as opposed to just lovers of massive Barrosan reds. Using 95% new French and 5% new American oak hogsheads this wine has swallowed this carpentry whole and it shimmers with refinement in the glass. It justifiably gains my highest ever score for this label.

Wine Advocate (98)

Certainly one of the best vintages of young Amon Ra I've ever tasted, the 2018 Amon Ra Shiraz is a stupendous effort. From old vines in the Ebenezer section of the northern Barossa, it starts off with a whirlwind of mocha, blackberry and dried spices, then actually gets more red-fruited as it sits in the glass. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated without being jammy or overdone, the wine finishes long and savory, framed by dusty tannins and mouthwatering black olives. Winemaker Ben Glaetzer compares 2018 to 2004 (which continues to drink well). Expect the 2018 to drink well young, but easily age through 2035, perhaps longer.

Wine Advocate (96+)

The 2019 Amon Ra Shiraz is 100% Shiraz and 100% from the 2019 vintage, as Ben Glaetzer felt it—unlike many previous vintages—didn't need to be freshened with a small proportion of younger wine. From old vines in the Ebenezer district of the northern Barossa Valley, it offers classic notes of blackberries and spice, framed by hints of cedar and vanilla (it's aged in 100% new oak hogsheads, mostly French). It's full-bodied yet crisp, supple but tight and really long. Offering lovely dark fruit, hints of espresso and black olive, it finishes mouthwatering and firm. Give it some time in the cellar and drink it from 2025 – 2040.

Wine Advocate (97)

I've looked at this wine many times over the years, almost exclusively as an older/cellared wine. The impact it has made is strong, and so it is through this lens that I now view this 2020 Amon Ra Shiraz. This year's Amon-Ra is concentrated, dense and absolutely, utterly saturated with flavor. The fruit that spirals within the bounds of the firm tannins is fleshy and pure, and with the knowledge that the wine sails through the decade with noiseless grace, it is all the more impressive in its infancy now. A brilliant wine—all ductile and proud. Yes.

Vinous (93)

(75% shiraz and 25% cabernet sauvignon) Deep, glass-staining ruby. Spicy blackberry and blueberry aromas are complicated by smoky Indian spices and fresh flowers. Sappy, pure, deeply concentrated dark berry flavors stain the palate, with fine-grained tannins gaining strength with air. The spicy character repeats on the finish of this beautifully balanced blend, which is surprisingly lithe and precise.

Wine Advocate (97)

For the 2018 Anaperenna Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon, Glaetzer blended in 18% Cabernet Sauvignon to give the wine increased fragrance and length. The nose is smoky, slightly herbal and marked by sweet cedar- and vanilla-tinged oak, but it also offers great cassis and blackberry fruit. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, the flavors are kept nicely in check by fine-grained tannins. This wine has it all: terrific intensity, complexity, length and texture.

Matthew Jukes (20+)

2016 The Eye of Ra is a 100% Shiraz, using 100% French oak and all of the fruit comes from Ebenezer. This wine is made from the finest parcel of fruit that Ben has ever seen in his vineyard. Outstanding aromatics lead the way and the palate is nothing short of spellbinding. The finish has epic freshness and the tannins are like nothing I have encountered before from the great Glaetzer portfolio. The Eye of Ra is all about power countered with impeccable restraint and I can still recall all of its flavours several weeks later. It is one of a number of wines that I have seen lately which signal a new and fascinating epoch for Barossa Shiraz. I followed this wine over three hours that evening and it never stopped evolving in the glass. This celestial wine made a huge impression on me and it is hard for me to see how this wine can be bettered and so I am overjoyed to give it a perfect score.

Experience the refined elegance of Glandien L'Ouverture Blanc 2021, an exquisite work of vinicultural artistry hailing from the terroirs of France. This world-class white wine epitomises the dedication and passion of the Glandien family, renowned guardians in the world of fine wines. Crafted from the finest hand-selected grapes, this Blanc 2021 vintage offers an aromatic bouquet of green apple, fresh pear, and subtle almond undertones for a crisp yet smooth finish.

The Glandien L'Ouverture Blanc 2021 exudes a deep radiance with a hue of polished gold, a testament to its meticulous vinification process. Undertaken under optimal weather conditions, the white grapes are allowed to bask in prolonged summer sunshine enriching them with superior fruit consistency. This, along with careful cellaring, culminates in a wine that is a testament to its pedigree.

In your hand, a glass of Glandien L'Ouverture Blanc 2021 is not merely a wine, but an ambassador of a grand tradition of craftsmanship and heritage.

From the renowned French vineyard, the exquisite Glantenay Volnay 1er Cru Les Ronceret 2020 is a testament to the exceptional terroir of Volnay in Burgundy. Hailing from the 2020 vintage, the fragrant, vivid red fruits of this Pinot Noir are beautifully complimented by its mineral nuances and velvety tannins. Predominantly grown in calcareous-clay soils, the grapes are hand-picked, de-stemmed, then gently pressed, allowing extraction of sublime flavours and holding back excessive tannins.

This wine has spent 18 months maturing in oak barrels, crafted by the talented Glantenay family, who have been making wine in Volnay for several generations. With its deep ruby hue and the balance of fruit, spice, and earthy notes, Glantenay Volnay 1er Cru Les Ronceret 2020 is a captivating expression of its unique origin. Expertly crafted and reflecting the passion and dedication of its makers, this is a wine for true connoisseurs.

Tim Atkin MW (96)

The 2014 release has less Cabernet Sauvignon and more Cabernet Franc than the 2013 and is better for it in my opinion. it's another wine that lives up to the Bordeaux pedigree of its owner, May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, with violets and graphite on the nose, notes of chocolate and mint, fine tannins and a long, refreshing finish. 2021-29

Christian Eedes (95)

80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc. Matured for 20 months in 300-litre barrels, 75% new. Red and black berries, some herbal lift and oystershell on the nose. Full but balanced – great clarity of fruit, bright acidity and a pleasantly austere finish. Very pure and focused but that much less imposing than 2015.

Greg Sherwood MW (97)

If the 2015 Lady May resembled a powerful, dense, Pauillac-styled Cabernet Sauvignon led red blend, and the 2016 a broader, softer expression from a warm dry vintage, then the 2017 is pretty much the antithesis, boasting the most elegant, silky, seamlessly harmonious texture combined with an attractively fragrant, Margaux-esque delicacy, an understated density and graceful precision. While super youthful, the wine inevitably displays some of the lush, alluring and reassuringly expensive new oak creaminess, boasting layers of warm buttered brown toast smothered in black currant preserve, fresh espresso, hints of mocha dust and delicate vanilla pod spice notes. But probably the most pleasing element about this wine is the way ex-winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain captured the truest essence of the 2017 vintage with its extreme purity, weightless fruit concentration that dances across the palate together with a focused, piercing intensity on the long, silky, luxurious finish. This is class personified and I for one am completely smitten. Drink on release and over 25+ years.

Tim Atkin MW (97)

Even better than the 2017 release - and there aren't many top Stellenbosch Bordeaux blends that you can say that about - this is a superb Lady May that makes light of the hot, dry conditions. Something of a sleeper, it's a brooding assemblage of Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, aged in 92% new wood. Intense, smooth and textured, with graphite and cigar box aromas, fine-grained tannins and layered flavours of damson, fennel and blackcurrant leaf.

Tim Atkin MW (96)

2019 was a challenging vintage in Stellenbosch, but thanks to good viticulture and plenty of patience and grape sorting, Glenelly has made an impressive Lady May. Cabernet Sauvignon takes the lead here, aided by a chorus of 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. To be enjoyed before the 2018 and 2017 releases, this is fresh, harmonious and elegant, with filigree tannins, cassis and bramble fruit and well-integrated 70% new wood.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)

The 2016 Gloria is one of the undisputed stars of this vintage. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2016 possesses tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, menthol, licorice and dried rose petal all add complexity. In 2016 Gloria is a real head-turner. It should be a fabulous value as well. There is not much else to say.

Jancis Robinson (18)

Tasted blind. Complex nose with savoury layers. Aromatic ink. Smooth and polished. Lovely balance with really lively energy. Nothing forced. Very long. Almost pretty!

Vinous - Neal Martin (95)

The 2020 Gloria is another Saint-Julien with an unapologetically backward nose, yet it has razor-sharp delineation and superb mineralité. It's just tightly coiled at the moment. Very harmonious, the palate is medium-bodied and satiny in texture, with sapid black fruit and a precocious yet beautifully controlled and persistent finish. Outstanding. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Falstaff (97)

The nose of the golden wine immediately radiates creaminess, a soft richness that is reminiscent of freshly baked apricot and almond tart and red apple flesh, laced with fine, heady notions of freshly zested Tarocco orange peel. The palate is as creamy as the nose suggests, yet has the poise and the beautiful, salty depth of 2008. A lovely phenolic edge reminds of bitter almond and apple pip, this sits well with the sinuous, toned and lightly salty richness, the ultra-fine mousse and that lovely streak of ripe lemon zest. Gorgeous.

James Suckling (93)

Deep, dark and rich fruit, from plums to berries. Full bodied, layered, dense and very rich. Best after 2022.

Decanter (97)

Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Cinsault, Syrah, Muscardin; 14hl/ha yields; 30 months in large barrels before bottling. Already open and expressive, with black pepper and juniper married with liquorice, raspberry, plum and garrigue herbs. It’s full-bodied, but so lively and expressive, with a grand tannic structure and a powerful, grippy finish. It’s generous in alcohol but doesn't taste unbalanced. Just outrageously good.

Wine Advocate (89+)

The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon from 28-year-old, dry grown vines) spent 20 months in new French wood. It offers up earthy, spicy, cedary, new saddle leather, black currant, and dried herb characteristics. Tannic and austere, it could easily be confused with a top Medoc from a moderately tannic vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018.

Exclusive and refined, the Gralyn Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 is a striking example of timeless winemaking magnificence. This Western Australian product, hailing from the acclaimed Margaret River region, is of unparalleled quality. It's the result of the esteemed Gralyn Estate, well-recognised for their viticultural expertise and precision in producing award-winning wines.

The Gralyn Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 is crafted using meticulous handpicking techniques and aged in French oak barrels, resulting in a distinctive full-bodied bottle presenting deep red hues, a nose of blackcurrant, and a defined oak presence. Devoured in the mouth, it unveils a rich plum palette, softened with fine-grained tannins and a prolonged finish.

A single tempting example of Gralyn Estate's persistence in upholding traditional winemaking methods, the Gralyn Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 signifies perfection and allure in every bottle. A portfolio must-have for any true fine wine enthusiast.

Decanter (96)

This has a burnished mahogany colour - pale and interesting with an intense nose, coffee, tertiary notes, forest floor, balsam and tree bark. On the palate graceful plum fruit is now giving way to raisin, toffee, balsam, coffee, spice box and creamy caramel. It has a refined texture with super complexity and balance alongside a lovely freshness, elegance and length. A classic, old school, mature Rioja which is very much alive and a joy to drink. It’s at its peak but should plateau at this level for some time if well stored.

Wine Enthusiast (96)

This deep-garnet-colored wine has aromas of blackberry, black currant and olive tapenade. It is soft at first sip, and then rugged tannins build on the palate, ferrying flavors of dark plum, pomegranate, cocoa powder, thyme and orange zest that wend their way to a surprisingly bright finish. Drink through 2035.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92+)

Dark cherry, plum, lavender and violet are some of the notes that open up in the 2014 Grand Corbin Despagne. Medium in body, with a classic sense of structure and plenty of tannin, the 2014 is built for cellaring. It shows quite a bit more overall intensity today than it did as a barrel sample, which is quite positive for its long-term prospects.

Wine Enthusiast (93-95)

Powerful tannins and ripe fruits are the main characters here. With a solid, foursquare character, it is generous and opulent. Tannins and concentration are all there, resulting in a wine with serious aging potential.

The Wine Cellar Insider (94)

Quite youthful as you would expect, still it is difficult not to be impressed by the concentration, ripeness, elegance, freshness and energy here. Parked on the corner of elegance, freshness and opulence, the fruit shows good purity, length and vibrance. Kuch of what the wine has to offer is held in reserve at the moment. The wine be best after 2026.

The Wine Cellar Insider (94)

Quite youthful as you would expect, still it is difficult not to be impressed by the concentration, ripeness, elegance, freshness and energy here. Parked on the corner of elegance, freshness and opulence, the fruit shows good purity, length and vibrance. Kuch of what the wine has to offer is held in reserve at the moment. The wine be best after 2026.