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18 Points - Matthew Jukes "While the first two wines are ready to go and eminently affordable for everyday drinking, we now take a big step up for the rest of the portfolio. A new wine in the line-up and it pleases me greatly to see that it comes from Hawke’s Bay. I adore Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay and I can certainly see why these coolish climate kings have chosen to seek more fruit and also more challenges in this part of Kiwiland. I love Rays road. Classy, layered and complete this is a very different take on this grape from the remainder of the portfolio, given that the rest come from Kumeu (north of Auckland). There is a distinct beginning, middle and end here, which is often a challenge in a new wine and particularly I love the acid line and elegance on the finish."

17 Points - Jancis Robinson "From a limestone, north-facing, dry-farmed hillside at 180 m. Spontaneous fermentation. Aged in old French oak.
Neat and well integrated, quite restrained. And already very accessible though with light, fine tannins and quite opulent fruit on the front palate. Sprightly. Lemon-pastille flavour. Very long. Beautifully made. 13.5% Drink 2021 – 2027."

Standish 2020 Four Bottle Pack

Contains one 75cl bottle of each:

• 2020 Standish The Standish
• 2020 Standish The Relic
• 2020 Standish Lamella
• 2020 Standish The Schubert Theorem

98 Points - Erin Larkin, RobertParker.com "The 2020 The Schubert Theorem Shiraz was made with fruit from the Roennfeldt Road vineyard in Marananga, with 70% whole bunches in the ferment. This is the only cuvée in the collection that sees any inclusion of a different maturation vessel: the northeastern corner of the vineyard goes into concrete, because it retains the pure blue fruit characters that so define the wine. When one considers the dirt that is in this vineyard (and I ask you, without dirt, just where would we all be?), when one sees its black, shaley sparkle, one can get a sense of what to expect in the wine. It is always the black, brooding beast of the pack, but there is always—and I repeat, ALWAYS—a core of very pure fruit at its heart. This year is no different, and it is encased in fine but structuring tannin. It soars long across the palate, and yet within it, this wine is elegant and pliable. If the Lamella is the intriguing, pretty wine, and The Standish is the savory powerhouse, then The Relic is the iron fist–velvet glove... which makes this the enigma. I cannot overstate how attracted I am to the prowling, slinking nature of it. The tannins here—of all the wines—have a blueberry skin gravel to them; they are chalky and fine and a little bit gritty… excellent. This is a sensation, in every respect. A hot contender for best wine in the release this year.

99 Points - Erin Larkin, RobertParker.com "The 2020 The Relic Shiraz-Viognier is made with fruit from the Hongell family vineyard in Krondorf, with 15% to 20% whole bunches in the ferment and 1% Viognier skins co-fermented. This is the best I’ve seen it. There’s something about the combination of the hot year and the diminished yields—it has recoiled and recompressed the Viognier on top of and into the Shiraz and brought them into balance/harmony. Beneath its floral and stone fruit guiles is a pool of savory, muscular, red-dirt Shiraz. There is bacon fat and pure berry fruit and spice for days… I’ve recently looked at a previous vintage of this wine alongside an older but immaculate Chateau d’Ampuis, and while their origins were clear in the glass, the Relic proved an Australian perspective more than relevant. The balance between the varieties—and the classic push/pull of sweet and savory—is more harmonious this year than in any I can remember, and the only thing I am more excited about when I consider this wine is what I will say next year, through the lens of an excellent, cool and elegant year. What a fine pair they will make."

99-100 Points  - Stuart McCloskey “The Standish was noticeably more approachable (48 hours in the decanter) and reminds me a little of the 2019, albeit with a touch more charge. The bouquet is mesmerising and delivers an intoxicating mix of saturated black and blue pastille fruits, crème de mûre, mulberry, Indian ink, violet and lavender. There’s a noticeable brininess overtone to all the fruit. Sea kelp and graphite are a marriage made in heaven… The palate glides like silk – not a hair out of place. The unerring sense of purity and sensuality is overwhelming. Exquisite, in a word. My notes are flowing with more ease suggesting accessibility. That said, this still needs 5-8 years and will be at its best in 20-25 years. Full-bodied, supremely balanced - tannins are firming. The fruit is wonderfully pure, luscious, extravagant and provides a wonderful rich lacquer-feel inside of the mouth. This is an incredible release and I can sense my tasting note is gaining pace – bewildering. Polished, dark fruits in abundance, cloaked with saline, graphite, licorice and mocha. Wonderfully intense and decadent. The finish is never-ending and keeps giving. Dried, blood orange after minutes… Bloody amazing. Truly, so. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

Dan Standish "Darker red fruit spectrum – red liquorice, raspberries and pomegranate. Christmas spice and mocha, structured firming mouthfeel. Finishes with a freshness and taught completeness."

*Available for delivery early July 2022*

99 Points - Wine Pilot 
“There was some debate around a decade ago that this iconic Margaret River winery had lost a little of its glitter and that the wines were not what they once were. I was not quite as onboard with that as some. In fairness, it is not easy to remain at the pinnacle for a half century. But in recent years, the levels of quality they have attained have put to rest any such doubts. These guys now make some of the most thrilling wines in Margaret River and none better than their Cabernet. There are some world class Cabs made in the region and the MW sits with the very best. This vintage ranks with the finest of recent releases and there have been some crackers. To be honest, to look at this, I slipped it into a tasting which friends had organised, which was of some “super-second level” Bordeaux and great Margaret River Cabernets, from vintages as far back as 1990, right up to today. It will give an indication of how well it went if I tell you that one friend, not usually known for purchasing anything other than the great wines of Europe, rang the next day to say he had already picked up a six pack.
96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this is elegance personified. A low yielding and slightly cooler vintage, the grapes went into small open tanks for fermentation, with thrice daily hand-plunging. 15 days on skins and then pressed to tank before it was racked to French oak, 15% new. Over two years maturation. As mentioned, elegance personified. A silky combination of coiled power and finesse, this is a glorious Cabernet. Blackberries, spices, tobacco leaves, kid leather, violets, cigar box notes, aniseed and delicately integrated oak. There is a gossamer-like web of complexity weaving through the wine. Seamless, great length and cashmere tannins. This is a brilliant wine. Ten years, twenty years? How long have you got? If you are serious about great Australian Cabernet, this is a must for your cellar."

99 Points – Antonia Galloni (Vinous) “The 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Asili is every bit as spectacular as it has always been. I remember tasting the 2004 with Bruno Giacosa and Dante Scaglione before it was released, and making a note to buy as much of the wine as soon as it hit the market. I have never regretted that decision. Explosive, deep and powerful, the 2004 Asili will reward readers lucky enough to own it for several decades. On this night, it is simply sublime. Not surprisingly, the 2004 is also one of the favorites of the group.”

98+ Points – Stuart McCloskey (Sampled June 2022) “What a stunner and surpasses my expectations. The bouquet delivers Dog Point’s tell-tale struck match however, 10-years in the bottle has dampened the producer’s reputation for being overtly reductive – this is not. Wonderfully precise bouquet which needs a little coaxing - liquid minerals, limestone, white flowers and lemon rind. The palate oozes with flavour, yet it is far from being over-the-top. Layered, oily-textured, but precise and focused. Wonderfully spicy – butter and fresh ginger too. The acidity is lively and the finish is incredibly long. So youthful even at 10-years of age. This is magnificent and will continue to age effortlessly (perhaps 5-10 years). I'm grinning like a Cheshire cat. Do not overchill. We sampled in both Zalto’s Bordeaux and Burgundy glassware with no clear winner.” 

18 Points - JancisRobinson.com "Really smoky, more so than the 2015. A little more oaky, but the acidity is brighter and crisper. Less rich overall than the 2015 but still some lovely citrus fruit. Tight and a touch spicy on the finish. Still so youthful and even more elegant and long than the 2015." Julia Harding MW tasted February 2018

17.5 Points - Jancis Robinson "Mid coppery gold. Like the 2019 regular Dog Point Sauvignon, this has a strong struck-match character. I love it but not everyone will. The varietal character is almost submerged beneath the reductive fume. Much drier than the Sauvignon 2019. Really vibrant and deep. A New Zealand Sauvignon for white-burgundy fans."

94 Points - Decanter "Powerful, precise and classic Dog Point Sauvignon: stylish and mineral nose of citrus and tropical fruit and an abundance of fresh herbs. All the attributes displayed in the bouquet come alive on the silky, fresh, salivating and fruity palate. A lively, refreshing example; well made, lengthy and tasty."

93 Points - Mike Bennie TheWineFront "Ye olde standard. Flinty, struck match characters, well done, lemon juice, passionfruit, aloe vera – big bouquet. Limey to taste, a little more mellow than the bouquet but sure is puckering and shapely to sip on. Very fine, chalkiness in feel too. Very nice."

Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild 1998

2005 Carruades de Lafite

100 Points - Decanter “We are in perfectly-aged claret territory here, the most beautiful impression of a wine at its plateau. It's perfectly ready to drink and is still generous, with a long life ahead of it. Its spicy notes, touches of pencil lead and still-concentrated cassis combine with menthol, buttery leather and that classic Médoc saline, mineral-edged flourish - this is the height of well-aged Cabernet Sauvignon.”

98 Points - James Halliday "Citrus and passionfruit blossom soar as you swirl the glass, and the palate achieves the seemingly impossible with the volume of turbo-charged fruit. It reaches every receptor in the mouth and there's no hint of added acidity, the balance and length faultless."

97+ Points - Stuart McCloskey “This is right up my street so far as Sauvignon Blanc goes. A distinct personality and shows Sauvignon Blanc in the finest of forms. I selected Zalto’s Bordeaux glass as I wanted immediate aeration (Universal is perfectly fine). The bouquet delivers an immediate impact of struck match, smoked minerals along with blackcurrant leaf. Wait for a few minutes for the yellow stone fruits, lime zest, lemongrass, kaffir leaf, fresh, green pepper and wafts of sea spray to develop. A tropical element sits in the background and will come to the fore with more bottle age – Passionfruit and fresh ginger juice being the most obvious. The palate delivers outstanding levels of complexity along with layer-upon-layer of character which most Sauvignon Blancs can only dream of. Kudos to Matt and Sophie. Scintillating freshness combined with deep, textural perfection – wonderful mouthfeel which covers every facet. Savour the yellow stone fruit infused with a smoky mineral wash – the epically long, salty finish is incredible. Wonderful, serious and certainly one of Australasia’s best available examples. Fantastic. Drink now to 2027.” 

18 Points - Julia Harding MW | JancisRobinson.com “If the Holdaway Sauvignon was all about the fruit, with a little bit of winemaking, this is more about the winemaking but could not be built like this without that same fruit quality and intensity – as it opens there’s blackcurrant leaf and an almost hidden note of tropical fruit and richness. Marked struck-match, smoky, cordite first impression, but not excessive unless you don’t like this style. This is bold, fresh, with the start of some cedary development of bottle age. On the palate, the texture is rounded and deep, filling the mouth but still incredibly fresh. Long, mouth-watering, salty finish, and a promise of more bottle-aged complexity to come. Delicious now but no rush. Classy, complex, distinctive. For lovers of Sauvignon in the style of Dogpoint Section 94."

97+ - 98 Points - Stuart McCloskey “Parallels have already been drawn to Coche Dury which are unmistakable as are similarities to Domaine Leflaive. The bouquet fascinates – smoky popcorn, toasted nuts, hay, milk, a fresh rasp of nutmeg and saline – super savoury with the faintest lemon twang on the end. Fascinatingly complex and a wine I could sniff for hours.  The palate is beautifully detailed and fine boned. I love the texture – silky and caressing. Power juxtaposed with finesse. This is immensely satisfying whilst raising questions of intrigue. Wonderfully complex albeit in a nonchalant way. Drink now (do not overchill) to 2030. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

18 Points - Julia Harding MW | JancisRobinson.com "Seductive and well-judged ‘reductive’ (smoky, struck-match) aroma and really toasty as it opens up, something cedary. Very Coche Dury but, most importantly, there is the fruit intensity to carry off this winemaking style. Nutty, creamy, mealy citrus. So many things going on that it makes you slow down to try to enjoy all this complexity. Deep, deliciously fresh and incredibly persistent with an aftertaste of savoury/mineral citrus. Worth every penny of its NZ price of $45 (from the producer's website). Classy and got better and better over the few days post opening."

Seventh Son Grenache Shiraz is quite a different wine for Mitolo and a commitment to the McLaren Vale region and its most revered varieties. The Grenache portion, sourced from old bush vines off the sands of Blewitt Springs, provides rustic, lighter, earthier flavours than the fruit forward, softer Shiraz portion sourced from the Lopresti vineyards. When blended together though these opposites provide a great foil for each other, creating a complex and intriguing wine. There is no new oak influence in this wine, with older oak barrels chosen for the èlevage. The tannins are sandy, almost gritty, helped along by the tiny dollop of Sagrantino, a little Italian twist on a classic blend from southern France and McLaren Vale. This is a wine made more in the earthy style of the wines of Mitolos European heritage, yet still speaks loudly of place, McLaren vale, with its generosity and purity.

Serpico, the flagship Mitolo Cabernet, is made using the Amarone technique of drying grapes before fermentation. This process concentrates flavour contributing mid palate plushness, complexity and mouth coating yet silky tannins. It’s a unique wine that is rich and structured yet has the balance of elements crucial to the Mitolo style. Fruit for Serpico comes from the Lopresti vineyard, and more specifically the Chinese Block, which is located at the southern end of McLaren Vale about 3km east of the coastal town of Port Willunga. The Cabernet in this vineyard is planted on black Biscay clay which along with the ideal Mediterranean climate produces wines of concentrated varietal character.

96 Points - Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot “You’d think they were crazy making an Amarone style from cabernet sauvignon. Amarone is one of Italy’s greatest wines made from dried grapes which concentrate the flavours and tannins to create long lived wines. This is a gorgeous wine, and my pick of the current new releases, which packs a serious punch. The colour is deep suggesting a big dense style but the wine is surprisingly light on its feet. Sweet, pure and vibrant blackcurrant fruits are tempered by dried herbs with some sweeter blackberry underneath. Oak is there too but sits in the background. This then leads to a bold and explosive palate full of power and energy – fruit pastille flavours are supported by fine acidity that is all underpinned by significant but well handled tannins. It is soooooo long too with the fruit concentration holding that flavour for minutes. A delicious wine stacked full of personality that is hard to put down.”

96 Points - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit “The wine shows stunning fruit purity as well as seductive complexity with cassis, sweet plum, tobacco and spicy oak characters. It’s impressively concentrated and persistent, displaying awesome power brilliantly structured by loads of fine tannins. Multi-layered and graceful. At its best: 2024 to 2039.”

The Style: Angela is a slightly different expression of Shiraz which is sourced from Sandra’s block, located about 5km south of the Chinese Block we use for our G.A.M. Shiraz. We have always used grapes from Sandra’s block as a blending component in our Jester Shiraz but as this vineyard has matured, it has shown its potential to stand alone as a single vineyard wine. We have always loved the slightly brighter fruit profile and complete structure that we get from Sandra’s block. It has the ideal power and weight to sit between our Jester Shiraz and premium G.A.M. Shiraz. Angela is lifted with pure, ripe berry flavours at the forefront and subtle oak, allowing the fruit flavours to shine.

95 Points, Sam Kim, Wine Orbit “Fabulously ripe and offering excellent fruit purity, the wine shows perfumed aromas of black/blueberry, violet, dark cocoa and roasted nut on the nose with a hint of spicy overtone. The palate displays superb concentration and richly textured mouthfeel, wonderfully supported by fleshy texture and velvety tannins, making it delectably satisfying.”

Stuart McCloskey “In two words - Cooling and soothing best describes the bouquet along with dried tea leaves, graphite, kelp, saddle leather, Indian ink, plum and spiced black fruits. I detect a little waft of iodine too. To me, simply lovely and I am very happy. Everything about the ’16 is modest and effortless. It’s one of those wines which makes you want to light the fire and open a good book. The palate flows to the same soulful and pleasing tune. Filigree tannins provide the faintest hug of grip. No, it’s not overly complex, yet there is no disappointment. The fruit is generous, edged with sweetness with a little woodsmoke – a rounded lusciousness with a lift of minty freshness. Blackberry, brambly / hedgerow fruit, violet, tobacco, mint and cedar. From start to finish, this flows with absolute enjoyment and so much prettiness. It’s faultless. Focus on the tasting note and not the lack of a score (it’s an in-house test!). Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware. Decant for an hour or so. Drinking now to 2028.”

97 Points - Stuart McCloskey “Put this in a blind tasting and tell me it’s almost ten-years of age - astonishing. Moreover, this kills off the argument that New World Sauvignon Blanc cannot age well. Of course, the caveat being that it must be ‘very good’ in the first instance, which this is. The freshness and vitality is extraordinary – I am genuinely bowled over. The bouquet expands with nettle, passionfruit, baked apricot, blackcurrant leaf, fennel seed, fennel throngs (essentially anise-like fresh herbs), lemon grass, freshly grated lemon zest (almost sorbet like freshness to the lemon), a little ginger and fresh Thai spices. Spiced, poached pear and guava if you leave a drop in the glass for a minute or two. Simply delectable and would serve as a dream pudding. The flavours are mouth filling and range from ripe stone-fruit and spice. Lemon drives the citrus with a soupçon of lime and fresh herbs. The wine’s structure remains firm and completely intact – there’s nothing blowsy about this. Wonderfully clean and moreish. Set aside your prejudice for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - This is an example of great winemaking and most importantly, a delicious wine. This is an emphatic, mature release. The wine was bottled in November 2014 and cellared at the winery prior to its release. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware. Drink now to 2025.”

Delivery ETA to UK August 2022

Incredibly vibrant and expressive on the nose with layers of lemon flesh, lime juice, apples and grapefruit at the forefront. Elevated and lifted notes of lemon myrtle, sweet jasmine, kaffir lime leaf, coriander seed and sea spray promote the purity and clarity.

Lively and concentrated palate with focus and finesse. Cut lime and lemon zest meet with minerality and a tightly coiled acid structure. A saline thread is evident throughout with delicate and textural layers towards the crisp and talc-like finish.

Delivery ETA to UK August 2022

17.5 Points - Tamlyn Currin, JancisRobinson.com "This smells so good: fresh black pepper (so fresh it’s like peppercorns straight from the drying mats). Deep, delicious, meaty sweet fruit. Violets, daphne with a blue-purple-fruited lusciousness and yet the wine is, at the same time, dry and savoury. Grounded yet ethereal. Determined yet open. Muscled tight yet fluid. Extraordinary ying-yang balance of opposite but complementary forces."

96 points - Ray Jordan, The West Australian "A 20 per cent inclusion of whole bunch fermentation has played a strong hand in elevating this beautiful example of the quality of the 2019 vintage. It has such life and vibrancy and that is largely due to that whole bunch inclusion. Brilliant, bright colour with hues of crimson and purple on the fringes. The palate is in that medium zone, with an effortlessly graceful ease about it. Spicy and perfumed with a mix of cherry and plum. Oak, which is a mix of one, two and new oaks, is brilliantly managed to gently coax all that is good from this variety. Love the mouth feel and the long, focused chalky feel in the mouth."