Review Round-Up (May 2026)
Fortunate to have been born in the great city of Liverpool and to fall into the world of wine. More than 20 years later I'm Boutinot's marketing manager for much of Europe (mostly Italy and Spain) and more than content with my compact family, including 3 cats (sadly just the 11 legs) and a 1969 'Dark Star' (no, not a wine!)
We truly believe our wines are fantastic, but you already knew that – we wouldn’t sell them if we didn’t!
That said, it is always nice when someone else recognises the quality in our portfolio, even better when they write a lovely review in the press to tell everyone about it…
Here’s a round-up of what they’ve been saying about us recently!
Circle of Life White, WO Stellenbosch 2024: Spicy, apricots, dried apricot. Very intense. Bright, bright, bright. You could light up a room with this wine. So much energy and so much commanding presence. Gorgeous layers. Long. Complex. Deft and dense. 17.5pts Tamlyn Currin in Jancis Robinson.com (March 2026)
Waterkloof Sauvignon Blanc, WO Stellenbosch 2019: Ye gods, this is complex! A gyroscope of structure and movement, circular energy and angular velocity. Smoke and honey and papaya. Cream curds cut in the crosshairs of crystalline citrus and salt. Yuzu, pickled lemon, lime pickle. Tight; chalk-and-lemon texture. Beach-shell minerality. Ever-so-fine spiciness, like soft breath. Stunning. 17.5pts Tamlyn Currin in Jancis Robinson.com (March 2026)
Circumstance Cape Coral Rosé, WO Stellenbosch 2024: Very, very pale. Apricot and apricot kernel, savoury lines, salinity, energy and length. Very pure. Mouth-filling body, real substance, and yet racy and linear. This is a serious rosé – I would even say age worthy, but the choice of clear glass makes that less certain. Needless to say, it’s a wine for foodies. 17pts Tamlyn Currin in Jancis Robinson.com (March 2026)
Circle of Life Red, WO Stellenbosch 2023: Juniper and damson. Biltong and peppercorns. Wild raspberry. A gorgeous tug and tussle and tousle of tannins, which seem to gain in confidence along the length of the wine and as it sits in the glass, accentuated by a back note of cigar. Flooded with juice and then the finish fills with perfume of peonies. No sign of Mourvèdre’s gruff, grumpy, gamey side! 17pts Tamlyn Currin in Jancis Robinson.com (March 2026)
Waterkloof Syrah, WO Stellenbosch 2023: Amazing pepperiness and delicate intensity. Jasmine, wild strawberries, tendrils of tannins. Nutmeg. Delicate smokiness. Really long. This is gorgeous. Such a floral spine – it seems to float! And yet it has hidden power. Wow, this is incredibly beautiful and elegant. Syrah with a Pinot soul. This must be a very special vineyard. 17.5pts Tamlyn Currin in Jancis Robinson.com (March 2026)
Circumstance Cabernet Franc, WO Stellenbosch 2022: Molle and blackberry on the nose, curing-tobacco leaf adding a rustle of savoury herbaceousness, and then redcurrant notes following with flute-like grace. Everything about this wine is fluent, even the minerality is cursive. It is so essentially Cabernet Franc in character, but also so distinctive that you know, instantly, that the story of the vineyard is encoded in the DNA of every liquid molecule. 17.5pts Tamlyn Currin in Jancis Robinson.com (March 2026)
Circumstance Merlot, WO Stellenbosch 2021:Very, very pretty nose! Raspberries and rosemary. Lovely concentration of fruit and then a deft weave of tannins, tight but supple and not even remotely drying. Great punctuation. Spicy, wide-open finish. A wine that has me hankering for roast lamb. 17pts Tamlyn Currin in Jancis Robinson.com (March 2026)
Circumstance Mourvèdre, WO Stellenbosch 2023: Cranberry and black cherry and peonies, pomegranate. Soaring fruit, full-bodied tannins. A gorgeous burly burl of life and fruit. Deep vibrant glow. It’s young and raring to go. I just love the energy packed into every molecule of this wine. 17.5Pts Tamlyn Currin in Jancis Robinson.com (March 2026)
Waterkloof Boreas, WO Stellenbosch 2020: Ink and violets, redcurrant and plum. A fine, intricate line of tarragon and rosemary and chocolate mint. Incredible tannic mesh – it feels as if the tannins have been crocheted to the wine. It’s in a beautiful place for drinking right now (although it feels as if it will hold itself right there for a while to come). (TC) 17.5pts Jancis Robinson (March 2026)
Ontañón Rioja Blanco, DOCa Rioja 2023: Unusually floral for Viura. Then more cedary/herbal on the palate. Crisp, clean-cut, with a very slight grip in the texture. (JH) 16.5pts Jancis Robinson (April 2026)
Gómez Cruzado Pancrudo Selección Terroir, DOCa Rioja 2023: Light, bright crimson. More lifted and lively than the El Arca Garnacha. Beautifully fragrant, perfumed with sweet-and-sour red cherry. Super-smooth, even sweeter on the palate than the El Arca. Gentler, beautifully balanced. Opens to a touch of pepper and more sweet red fruit, wild strawberry and red cherry. Tannins are like velvet. A real beauty with great persistence. (JH) 17.5pts Jancis Robinson (April 2026)
Giornata Il Campo Rosso, Paso Robles AVA 2023: From Giornata comes this Italian varietal blend of Sangiovese, Aglianico, and Barbera, bursting with plums and strawberries, accented by a hint of dried herbs. The palate is juicy, bright, and fruit-layered, lifted by a touch of carbonic freshness. Utterly versatile, it’s equally at home with pizza, pasta, or nothing at all. 92pts Decanter (April 2026)
Castel Serranova Susumaniello Rosé, Salento IGP 2024: As far as indigenous Italian deep cuts go, Susmaniello would leave a pretty decent scar. This ancient Salento native, once on the brink of extinction, now thrives on the Serranova estate. Rather like Tizer in apperance – or shall we say pink with orange hues – it’s vibrant and fresh with constant nods to darker, plusher fruit. There’s some salinity and minerality on the finish too. Great value. The Wine Merchant Magazine (January 2026)
Château Mercian Koshu, Iwasaki 2024: Such a well-poised Koshu, in terms of its balance of varietal fruit and oak influence. Intensity and depth of pears, apples, lemon and grapefruit with a subtle supporting spice and very gentle roasted-sesame note. The palate, too, has a light spice and creaminess to the texture, but the pinpoint freshness zips in and out so nicely alongside taut, concentrated citrus flavours. Depths of flavour on the persistent, bright finish. (OC) 17pts Jancis Robinson (April 2026)
Château Mercian Koshu Gris de Gris, Fuefuki 2023: A very slight orangey-pink hue to this. This smells of oranges, red grapefruit, dried peonies and with an allspice edge. Gentle tea notes, too. An elegant ‘orange’ wine that has refreshment and restraint without losing complexity and character. (OC) 16.5pts Jancis Robinson (April 2026)
El Escocés Volante, Garnacha Gris 2024: Robertson’s vineyard was planted in 2021. Using plant material sourced from Girona and the Vitis Navarra nursery, he planted just under one hectare on the El Bautista plot in Villarroya de la Sierra (Zaragoza), at 920 metres elevation. This is therefore the first vintage to be released. The grapes were whole-bunch pressed in January, after which the wine was fermented and aged in 500-litre French oak barrels for 11 months. The result is a golden-hued white wine with generous stone fruit aromas, notes of orange peel and a touch of toast. It shows excellent acidity, steering clear of the rounded, often opulent character of Garnacha Blanca. It is a wine to watch. 93pts Amaya Ververa, SpanishWineLover.com (April 2026)
