Marcel Giesen and Sherwyn Veldhuizen began Bill Hill Vineyard in 1997. They started to plant the vines in a very dense pattern at up to 11,363 vines per hectare on the very steep slopes in the unique vineyard. The quality is unarguably outstanding and Joe Czerwinski from Wine Advocate commented on these beautiful wines after his visit in 2019 and tasted Vintage 2015, saying that “Is there any doubt that Bell Hill has emerged as one of New Zealand's top Pinot Noir producers?”. It emerged to be one of the most sought after wines nowadays as the production is minuscule and are sold by mailing list or restaurants,...

Domaine Georges Roumier is one of the top names in Chambolle-Musigny and also produces some of the most valuable wines in the world. The Domaine was established back in 1924 by Georges Roumier, which was then passed down to his son, Jean-Marie, and now the Domaine is managed by his grandson, Christophe. Their wines stand out among all other domaines in Chambolle-Musigny because of the meticulous care given to the vines and their distinctive domaine style. Their wines are pure, seductive and fruit-forward across their portfolio, with no hard-edges.  There is one cuvee which is made outside the Chambolle-Musigny appellation which is the Morey-Saint-Denis...

Nestled in the picturesque village of Oger, in the heart of the renowned Côte des Blancs region, lies the esteemed Champagne Henry de Vaugency. This venerable champagne house, steeped in tradition and excellence, has been crafting exquisite sparkling wines since 1732. For nearly three centuries, the family-owned estate has carefully guarded and passed down the secrets of their artisanal champagne production, ensuring that each generation continues to uphold the legacy of quality and prestige. Earlier this year, I had the extraordinary privilege of savoring a bottle of the 1976 Henry de Vaugency Champagne des Ancetres in Japan. This remarkable vintage captivated...

Domaine Armand Rousseau is always among the top five domaines in Burgundy that wine lovers keep their eyes on. It has fantastic holdings in Gevrey-Chambertin including six Grand Crus and three 1er Crus. They are the pioneers for domaine estate bottling in the 1930s and today the domaine is managed by their 3rd Generation, Eric Rousseau together with his daughter Cyrielle Rousseau. Winemaking remains to be traditional, and a lot of effort is put in the vineyards. Their Chambertin, Chambertin Clos-de-Beze and Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St Jacques are among the greatest drops in Burgundy; and other cuvees are also produced in excellent qualities which are on the...

A mystical life in winemaking since 1977, Philippe Charlopin inherited a tiny 1.5-hectare vineyard from his family now expanded to 25 hectares. The estate is managed together by Philippe Charlopin and his son Yann Charlopin in recent years and is one of the sharpest father-and-son businesses in Bourgogne! Under the influence of Henri Jayer, Philippe Charlopin started to destemmed his fruits and later he decreased the influence of new oak in the 1990s and put more emphasis in the ripeness of fruits. Despite its modest plain labels, Philippe Charlopin-Parizot’s wines are geared up with energy and complexity, which undoubtedly is one of the best values producers to follow. Unfortunately, given the quality of Vintage 2021, Philippe Charlopin decided not...