Australia & NZ
These far-flung wine regions may be referred to ‘new’ when compared against the historic European wine regions, but they have a long winemaking history. Spared from Phylloxera, Australia in particular has world's highest concentration of venerable vines and legendary producers such as Penfolds, Henschke and Tyrell’s have been around for over 150 years. Though for many years piggybacking on Europe’s successes, branding their own wines as ‘Chablis’, ‘Hermitage’ etc., Australia now have created a real identity of their own, making inimitable styles like Coonawarra Cabernet or Hunter Valley Semillon.
New Zealand doesn’t quite have as an extensive history but has established itself in an astonishingly short amount of time as a reliable source of whistle clean, distinctive examples of varietals like Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
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Australia & NZ
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Halliday Wine Companion (96)
A full-bodied shiraz that reflects cunning winemaking. Whole-berry fermentation has put a rich gloss on the palate without overloading the tannin structure. The predominantly black berry fruit is shot through with licorice, spice and an airbrush of dark chocolate.د.إ788.00 -
James Suckling (97)
I have tasted this producer's wines for a time now and adore the grenaches. Often my preference is for the Sands of Time cuvée but in 2021, a vintage of such effortless quality, This Charming Man ascends. Bitter red-fruit, orange-pastille, tea-tree, dried-thyme, bracken and sandalwood riffs are beautifully compressed by a phalanx of brushwood tannins. Mid-weighted Nebbiolo vibes. Very fine. Extremely long. An exquisite grenache. Drink or hold.د.إ946.00 -
Decanter (97)
Subtle and elegant nose displaying aromas of apple, gooseberry, meyer lemon and fresh herbs. A lovely playful wine with a crisp acidity and juicy, ripe fruit energy. Polished and textured on the palate.د.إ578.00 -
Halliday Wine Companion (98)
It seems a gross understatement to say that Tolpuddle has been in fine form as of late, but they have knocked it out the park again with this release from the cooler '23 vintage. The palest of straw in the glass, the aromas crisp and filigreed. Citrus, white peach and nectarine cut with glorious wisps of struck match and flinty complexity. Grilled hazelnuts, deftly-judged vanillin oak, lardo, white flowers, crushed riverstone, clotted cream and sea spray. The wine envelops the imbiber; flavours precise and pure with an umami-rich, mineral cadence, dreamy texture and daubs of spiced oatmeal, grilled peaches and flint. The finish is sustained, the only thing unresolved the need for another (larger?) bottle. An outstanding Australian chardonnay.د.إ1,770.00 -
The Real Review (97)
Deep red-purple, bright and clear colour; superb rich ripe black cherry fragrance with a kiss of smoky oak, the palate remarkably full and rich, smooth and fleshy with excellent texture and immediate drinking appeal, although it has the legs to age well too. Serious structure, but also succulent, sweet and plush—almost too much of a good thing. Outstanding pinot noir.د.إ1,590.00 -
Vinous (96)
Inky ruby color. Expansive aromas of dark fruit liqueur, incense, candied flowers, Indian spices and vanilla. Has a smoky mineral quality that gains strength as the wine opens up. Fleshy, sweet and broad on the palate, offering impressively concentrated yet lively blackcurrant, boysenberry and violet pastille flavors that are lifted and sharpened by a smoky mineral flourish. Smooth, seamless and appealingly sweet on an extremely long, floral-dominated finish that"s framed by suave, well-knit tannins.د.إ5,440.00 -
Wine Advocate (99)
The 2018 RunRig is perfectly eloquent of the 2018 vintage. It was warm and dry, and the reds produced both in Barossa and Eden Valleys were of very high quality. Here, the 2018 could be stylistically compared to 2016, however the 2018 offers tremendous chisel and definition of both the tannins and the nuanced fruit profile. This is a brilliantly polished and sleek wine that, while approachable and ready for drinking now, offers none of the gracious complexity that it will no doubt develop with patient cellaring. Should you wish to see the potential of this wine, plan to open a bottle in 2040. Should you feel impatient, opening a bottle now will suffice—it is very good today. 15% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.د.إ5,490.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2004 Descendant, an old oak-aged blend of 92% Shiraz and 8% Viognier from a 12-year old vineyard, offers up notes of blackberries, ink, sweet truffles, and acacia flowers. There are 1,000 cases of this full-bodied, intense, rich blockbuster. It will drink well for 10-15 years.د.إ1,785.00 -
Wine Advocate (98+)
Very deep purple-black colored, Torbreck's 2010 The Laird offers an extraordinary perfume of Chinese five spice, sandalwood, rose petals, espresso and licorice over a core of prunes, dried mulberries and blackcurrant preserves plus a touch of cloves. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and packed with dried black fruits and exotic spice flavors, the generous fruit is structured with velvety tannins and just enough freshness. It finishes with commendable persistence.د.إ8,460.00 -
Wine Advocate (95+)
A new offering, the 2004 The Pict, is a 220-case cuvee of 100% Mourvedre that tips the scales at 13.2% alcohol. Reminiscent of a 1998 Domaine Tempier Cuvee Speciale (a great vintage for that estate), it boasts an inky/blue/purple color, phenomenally intense blueberry and blackberry fruit characteristics, and hints of black truffles as well as fresh mushrooms. Deep and full-bodied, with superb fruit and the right amount of sweet tannin (a rarity for Mourvedre), this beauty should evolve slowly, and drink well for 15 or more years.د.إ2,255.00 -
Matthew Jukes (19+)
My mind went into orbit when I tasted this wine. Tasting like a magical concoction of 4-parts Serralunga d’Alba and 1-part Bonnes-Mares (Morey-side), this wine’s 43% Eden Valley Shiraz component makes it the most energetic, challenging, and utterly mesmerising vintage I can remember. I have always been a Struie fan, but it often sits down in the pack alongside some of the more powerful Shirazes, so one has to look deep into the portfolio to truly appreciate its charms. In 2021, while it is not a bigger wine, it is undoubtedly more intense and aeons longer on the finish, so I can see it standing shoulder to shoulder with its more fêted siblings for years to come.د.إ1,350.00 -
James Suckling (97)
A super-polished wine that has a broad array of fruits: raspberry, blackberry and cassis, with white pepper, graphite and a clear whole-bunch lift. The palate has a powerful, focused core of concentrated dark plum and cassis, boldly spicy, then dark chocolate to close. Best from 2019.د.إ2,045.00 -
Sam Kim Wine Orbit (100)
No tasting note available.د.إ1,965.00 -
Raymond Chan (100)
Full, dark, deep ruby-red colour with purple-black hues, near impenetrable. The nose has incredibly intense and penetrating aromas of ripe blackberry fruit with subtle dark raspberry and blue fruit notes, lifted by an array of red, violet and black florals, melded with fine spice elements and a suggestion of black pepper. The aromatic components are seamlessly interwoven and harmonious in presentation. Medium-full bodied, the palate is richly sweet and succulent with ripe, vibrant and lively fruit flavours of blackberries entwined with dark-red and blue fruit notes, along with dark-red, violet and black florals, melded with notes of liquorice, spice and black pepper forming a complex amalgam. The fruit is fine and beautifully concentrated with intensity and depth, the lusciousness balanced by considerable extraction, the tannins very fine-grained and flowery in texture. The acidity is ripe, and softly integrated, and the wine carries with great linearity and drive to a long and sustained finish of black fruits, florals and spices. This Syrah has a remarkably intense and perfumed nose with a beautiful array of floral aromatics, on a rich, succulently sweet black, red and blue fruited palate with considerable, but refined extraction.د.إ1,790.00 -
Raymond Chan (20)
Dark, deep, black-hued ruby-red colour, a little lighter on the rim. The nose is softly fulland voluminous with a very deep and finely with concentrated core with an array of aromatics, showing beautifully ripened blackberry fruit entwined with dark raspberries, harmoniously layered with an array of dark-red and violet florals, together with exotic Asian spice elements, nuances of dark herbs, and a suggestion of black pepper. This has an amazing range of fragrances and aromatics that are expressed without showiness, but plenty of style and harmony. Medium-bodied, the palate is mouthfilling with refined, plush and sweetly rich, ripe and succulent fruit flavours of blackberries and dark raspberries, hints of plums and liquorice, unfolding layers of dark-red and violet florals with exotic spices. This is multi-dimensional and multi faceted in expression. Te fruit is supported by the very finest powdery tannins, but with considerable extract, structure and presence, but is is no way overbearing. The acidity is harmoniously integrated, and the wine carries to a sustained finish of richness. This is a beautifully harmonious and multi-dimensional and complex detailed Syrah of great beauty, finesse and fragrance. Match with the best lamb, beef and venison dishes over the next 10-15 years. 100% Syrah, predominantly MS clone from 20 y.o. vines in the Gimblett Gravels with the inclusion of a small amount of new clone material from hillside plantings behind the winery on Roys Hill (officially not part of the Gimblett Gravels). Fruit all hand-picked, foot-stomped and fermented with 30% whole bunches on average (some lots 100%), adding Viognier skins to 13.0% alc., the wine spending on average 30 days on skins, and aged 15 months in predominantly new French oak barriques and a portion in 5,000 L oak ovals.د.إ1,765.00 -
Matthew Jukes (19)
The 2017 Homage is a sensational wine, garnering a mighty 19/20 score in my notes and it arrives in the UK this week. No other wine came close to this mark and yet who’d have thought this possible if you digest this wine’s vital statistics? This is a 96% syrah, 4% viognier skins, partial whole bunch, 100% new oak, 12.5% alcohol conundrum and it is bafflingly sublime. Winemakers Warren Gibson and Damian Fischer have turned what could have been a disaster into a work of sheer beauty. “Homage” pays tribute to the late Gérard Jaboulet, who passed away at only 55 years of age back in 1997. I am sure that the man behind the iconic Syrah Hermitage La Chapelle would be bowled over by this extraordinary Trinity Hill creation and would be honoured by the tributeد.إ3,680.00 -
Andrew Caillard MW (98)
Medium deep crimson. Beautiful pure raspberry strawberry red cherry aromas with espresso/ sage/ white pepper notes. Inky textured wine with dense concentrated raspberry pastille, strawberry fruits, fine silky tannins and roasted chestnut espresso oak. Finishes chalky al dente firm with lovely mineral length and feathery tannin plume.د.إ2,590.00 -
Vinous (93)
Medium red color. Floral, mineral-tinged red berry aromas, with subtle spice and underbrush notes; this could pass for a ripe Burgundy. Fine-grained and spicy, showing vivid raspberry and strawberry preserve flavors that build impressively with air. Finishes with silky tannins and energetic notes of red berries and fresh rose. This is awfully suave.د.إ657.00 -
(6x75cl) 2019Wine Enthusiast (92)
Densely packed aromas of blackcurrant cordial, violets, mint, cedar, bay leaf and ground baking spice carries through to a full figured palate that oozes jammy fruit. It's balanced by savory spiced tannins, a touch of toasty oak and a good lick of acidity. Drink now with a decanter at hand and throughout the next decade.د.إ918.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
Just like last year, this patch of the Eden Valley has turned out a magnificent wine. The 2018 Yacca Block Menglers Hill Shiraz boasts fragrant notes of violets and blueberries spiced with hints of cinnamon, caramel and roasted meat. It's the biggest of the Block wines, labeled at 14.3% alcohol, but despite being full-bodied, comes across as impeccably balanced. It's fleshy and generous, but supple tannins, which turn silky on the lengthy finish, keep the overall impression one of savory elegance.د.إ1,505.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The richest and flat-out sexiest of the single vineyards this year, the 2018 Holy Grail Seppeltsfield Road Seppeltsfield Shiraz offers up a compelling nose of caramelized meat, warm raspberries, vanilla and an array of dried spices. It's full-bodied without being over the top at all (it's labeled at 14.1% alcohol), supple, fleshy and generous yet structured, with a reverberating finish that echoes with fruit and savory nuances. It should be delicious over the course of its entire life, which should be well over a decade.د.إ2,160.00 -
Wine Advocate (99)
A special selection of Shiraz from the Holy Grail vineyard in Seppeltsfield, the 2016 My Hands is an infrequently made, ultra-luxe offering. If you have to ask the price…. After two years in French oak hogsheads (and another couple in bottle prior to release), it's extravagantly perfumed, loaded with scents of vanilla, cinnamon and cedar, yet placed in near-perfect balance with notes of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. It could be your grandmother's mixed-berry crumble but with an added savory edge that includes hints of black olives and dark coffee. Full-bodied and plush, yet structured, this is a rich, velvety wine on the palate, yet one that doesn't sacrifice length or longevity for immediate pleasure—like the juxtaposition of sweet and savory flavors, they're somehow able to coexist and remain harmonious throughout.د.إ1,580.00 -
Vinous (94)
Bright purple. Complex, pungent aromas of raspberry, blackberry, potpourri and incense, with a suave mineral note adding vibrancy. Sweet, minerally and densely packed, with terrific sappy vivacity to the flavors of raspberry and cherry preserves and minerals. With air, the spiciness gained strength and sexy floral notes emerged. Finishes with impressive breadth, fully ripe, gentle tannins and superb length.د.إ2,020.00 -
Wine Orbit (96)
Gorgeously fruited and splendidly styled, showing sweet plum, thyme, roasted nut and warm mushroom aromas, the wine exhibits awesome concentration and richness, while remaining elegant and refined. Plush and persistent with fine grainy tannins, finishing superbly long and satisfying. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2032.د.إ937.00 -
Decanter (95)
Flinty reduction and gentle smoke appear briefly before that fulsome Central Otago fruit takes over: think ripe red cherry edged with hints of ivy. The palate has the same juiciness but also a crunchy, graceful but firm tannin structure along with shimmering nuances of white pepper spice. This is made to last the distance, so buy some, cellar it and wait two or three years.د.إ932.00 -
James Suckling (97)
From a steep, east-facing plot with plantings dating back to the 1950’s, this has abundant blackcurrant and blackberry aromas and flavors with an open-knit yet elegantly balanced palate. Long, rich and so drinkable now. Screw cap.د.إ632.00 -
The Real Review (98)
Bright, light yellow colour with intense lemongrass aromas, hints of straw and wax, barely any toast evident at this stage, the palate intense and long, concentrated and driving, without bigness or heft but light on its feet and super- precise. Fills every corner of the mouth effortlessly: an outstanding semi-mature semillon. Superior concentration and persistence here. This is ageing very slowly and will be long-lived.د.إ1,030.00 -
(6x75cl) 2022Decanter (95)
Perfumed and pure-fruited with cassis, red liquorice, strawberry jam, red cherry, vanilla and rose petals – think summer pudding. Juicy and upfront with a delicate structure, fine tannins and a bright core of succulent, concentrated fruit with a savoury bass line. Youthful and energetic. Hard to go past the immediate charm, but balance, fine tannins and crunchy acidity suggest it’ll age well.د.إ1,074.00 -
د.إ719.00 -
Halliday Wine Companion (96)
Bright crimson-purple; this has provenance written large across its visage, likewise purity. Restructuring of the Vasse Felix offers to the market has lifted, not compromised, this dark, fruit-filled cabernet.د.إ658.00
