×
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $457.78
It's extremely rare to taste older vintages of Angélus. It's utterly sumptuous, and it's such a shame that the...
DC
95
WS
92
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $501.01
It's extremely rare to taste older vintages of Angélus. It's utterly sumptuous, and it's such a shame that the...
DC
95
WS
92
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $104.45
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $118.62
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $190.29
This is a backward, muscular, highly-extracted wine with a boatload of tannin, thus the question mark. The saturated...
WA
91
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $58.87
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle: $230.98
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $98.89
A wine must reflect its terroir, its origins. We strongly believe that the uniqueness of the vineyard’s location is...
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $572.86
While in some vintages La Mission Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion can be close in quality, that is not the case in this...
WA
95
WS
93
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $544.95
While in some vintages La Mission Haut-Brion and Haut-Brion can be close in quality, that is not the case in this...
WA
95
WS
93
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $67.20
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle: $1059.02
Many 1996 are still pretty closed up right now, as it was a vintage with fairly hefty tannins but this is perfect for...
DC
95
VM
93
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $1024.95
The 1996 Lafite-Rothschild is unquestionably this renowned estate's greatest wine. As I indicated last year, only 38%...
WA
100
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $1600.00
The 1996 Lafite-Rothschild is unquestionably this renowned estate's greatest wine. As I indicated last year, only 38%...
WA
100
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $702.72
WA
90
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $47.53
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $102.95
Tasted at the Latour-à-Pomerol vertical in London. The 1996 Latour-à-Pomerol has an intriguing bouquet. There is a...
WA
88
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $735.70
#14 of Top 100: 1999. Fabulous aromas of crushed raspberries, plums and blackberries. Mind-blowing nose. Full-bodied,...
WS
96
WA
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $1181.50
#14 of Top 100: 1999. Fabulous aromas of crushed raspberries, plums and blackberries. Mind-blowing nose. Full-bodied,...
WS
96
WA
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $165.95
The 1996 Leoville Barton appears more youthful than the 1996 Langoa Barton in the glass with a healthy deep garnet...
WA
93
WS
91

Melon de Bourgogne Pinot Blanc Red Bordeaux 1996 Pre-Arrival Wine

One of the more unusual French grape varietals, Melon de Bourgogne has been grown in and around the Loire Valley for several hundred years. In fact, this grape was first planted in the Loire region of Pays Nantais back in the mid 17th century, after a devastating frost decimated most of the red grapes which were typical in the area. The winemakers of Pays Nantais were keen to cultivate vines which were hardy, high yielding, and capable of surviving another such frost, and so turned their attention to Melon de Bourgogne for this very reason. The native home of the varietal is actually in Burgundy, where it is still grown to a lesser extent.


Because Melon de Bourgogne produces naturally heavy yields, the vintners of Pays Nantais go to great lengths to reduce the amount of fruit the vines bear. This allows the finest characteristics of the grape to come forward, and also opens up the opportunity for it to express the wonderful granite and schist soils in which the vines are grown. Melon de Bourgogne is a minerally white wine grape varietal, with a very subtle set of fruit flavors. It is prized for its freshness and brightness, and is seeing a revival in the twenty first century as an excellent wine for pairing with a wide range of foods.

Pinot Blanc is a popular white grape varietal most commonly associated with the beautiful French region of Alsace, but which is also grown across Central Europe and Italy. In Germany and Austria it is known as Weisseburgunder, in Italy it is called Pinot Bianco, and is one of the key varietals in the alpine regions of Alto Adige. Pinot Blanc is the main white grape varietal in Alsace, where it is prized for its ability to beautifully express the fine terroir on which it is grown, and it is used to produce exceptional single varietal wines, as well as blended wine such as Edelzwicker. Pinot Blanc is also a key component in this part of France’s signature sparkling wine, Cremant d’Alsace.


The wines made from Pinot Blanc are typically medium to light bodied, but they possess a remarkable freshness and clean character, which reminds us of the cool, green hillsides of their homeland. Apple, honey and biscuity, yeasty flavors are typical in fine Pinot Blanc wines, as well as a good level of minerality, making it a popular choice for those looking to pair a fine white wine with a wide range of foods. Although it is almost never oaked in Alsace, Italian vintners have a tendency to age Pinot Bianco in oak barrels, adding an extra dimension to this wonderful varietal.

There are few regions in the world with stricter regulations in regards to wine production and grape varietals than those found in Bordeaux, France. Here, in the home of the world's finest wines, the type and quality of grapes used is of utmost importance, and the legendary wineries which work on the banks of the Gironde river have mastered the careful art of juice blending to find the perfect balance for their produce. Whilst there are six 'official' Bordeaux grapes, the two key varietals for almost every fine Bordeaux wine are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and with good reason. Whilst Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are renowned for their acidity and astringency, strong fruit and spice flavors and full body, Merlot grapes are notably rounded, soft, fleshy and lighter on tannin. The combination of these two varietals, along with a small percentage of (commonly) Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc, is the perfect balancing act – the two grape varietals cancel out each others weaker points, and accentuate all that is good about the other.