Ottavio Saglam

I'm sometimes a sucker for classic and old-school Rioja: beautifully mature, savoury and incredibly complex. Expect dried cherry, tobacco, leather, cedar, dried herbs and earthy spice, with fresh acidity and silky, fully integrated tannins. There's a reason why these wines have such a great reputation.

Great introduction to Leroux's world. Entry level bourgogne blanc from grapes sourced around Meursault. Crispy, fresh, rounded and precise.

Chenin blanc at its best. Bold, deep and textural. Take cream, toast, smoke and apple and now add floral, honey, beeswax elements to it. Drink or hold several years.

Borgnogno's No Name is a great introduction to nebbiolo. Sourced from vineyards around Barolo but released and voluntarily declassified as Langhe Nebbiolo. Serious Piedmontese character without the price or formality of Barolo.

Would definitely buy and recommend. A deep, generous Beaune 1er Cru, combining ripe cherry and dark fruit with earthy, savoury complexity. Powerful yet silky, with fine tannins and a good amount of development.

Young winemaker Carsten Saalwächter is now considered one of Germany’s most electrifying new talents, taking over his family's historic estate in Ingelheim and making great German low-intervention wines. Influenced by classic Burgundian techniques—such as long élevage, whole-cluster fermentation, and gentle infusion extractions. If you haven't tried his wines yet, do yourself a favor.

Maison Petit-Roy is one of Burgundy’s most exciting boutique producers, founded by Japanese winemaker Seiichi Saito after training at legendary estates like Armand Rousseau, Leflaive, and Mugnier. Combining Japanese precision with low-intervention, biodynamic winemaking, Saito crafts vibrant, whole-cluster fermented wines with no added sulfites during vinification.

Great price quality ratio. Very dry, vibrant, and energetic with high acidity, subtle yeasty complexity, and a clean, mineral-driven finish. Well known also for being low intervention but precise.

Always happy to drink a classic and mature riesling. Price quality is great. Weil himself calls the 2015 vintage "grandiose".

Of course I don't often drink Sancerre BUT Vincent Gaudry clearly makes some of the most interesting wines in the region. His wines combine purity and tension with a real sense of place, showing just how profound Sauvignon Blanc can be. Precise, mineral and beautifully understated

A classic-value Burgundy from Olivier Leflaive, Les Sétilles 2022 is sourced largely from Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault. Ripe white fruit, citrus and floral notes meet fine chalky minerality, with a rounded texture and refreshing finish. Serious Bourgogne Blanc at a very fair price.

Easily one of the best producers out there. Started working with him a while ago and have been in love with his wines ever since. What was a tiny garage production has now become one of the most beloved projects in Champagne.

One of the legends in Sancerre. Iconic domaine run by cousins Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique Vacheron. They farm biodynamically, use parcel-by-parcel vinification, and craft age-worthy Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir with deep flinty minerality domaine

Serve it blind to your friends. You will be so excited about the wild guesses coming after. The level is very high and thinking of this as high level burgundy wouldn#t surprise me at all.

For this price there are not many pinot noirs from France that can compete with this. High level winemaking, balanced and elegant wine now with a great development.

The type of chablis even sommeliers really enjoy drinking. Low intervention but clean and precise. In the vinification very little sulfur is used. The cuvée, made from grapes grown in the top vineyards surrounding the château, perfectly captures the unique character of Beru’s Chablis—a style that still embodies the region’s terroir so well. This is truly exceptional wine that will delight anyone.

I might be rather classic for some things and truth to be told I'm a huge fan of late harvest rieslings. J.J. Prüm is a cult winery, producing some of the most ageworthy wines. It's the type of wine can be drunk now or if patient enough, you can easily wait 15 years. This Spätlese is so pristine, level is high and texture makes for a smooth and delicate feel on the ripe palate.

Another big and bold chardonnay worth saving. I served it last week blind to a very successful restaurateur and great wine enthusiast: His first thoughts were "chardo between Auxey-Duresses blanc, Saint Romain and Meursault." And I don't blame him at all. Germany's high-level wine production is still somehow disregarded, especially compared to Burgundy. But please do yourself a favor and give it a try.

Amazing small production Chardonnay matured in small barrels. Around 1200 bottles produced and usually released late, single vintage. Vineyards were planted at the end of the '60s. Price quality is amazing. Vinous character, richness and depth.

Second wine of Cos D'Estournel with some age on its back and at a great price. Cabernet Sauvignon-forward and already showing really well. This 2013 is an elegant, well-structured wine that opens up with aeration. Thanks to elegant and silky tannins, it's quite smooth and silky on the palate. Be quick if you like to drink Bordeaux wines with age.

Dennis is still flying a bit under the radar but trust me, his wines are gaining more and more recognition amongst wine lovers. I know you probably haven't tried this before and you might be skeptical but do me a favour and give it a go. Price quality is great.

Flagship wine from one of the best cooperative of producers in Piemonte. Classic and bold.

Absolutely not your typical sancerre. This is a sauvignon most sommeliers would also love to drink. One of the greatest and most respected growers in the area. Silex soils, top lieu-dit, long barrel aging. You won't be disappointed. Also 17 is starting to show really really well right now.

A consultant for many great wineries (Domaine Leflaive anyone?) turned winemaker. The wines got great reviews from his first vintage on (2021). Modern wines made with a steady but gentle hand. Experimentation in the cellar with different barrel sizes and amphoras. This estate already shows tremendous potential and will be part of the super-league of great wine producers.

Great price-quality biodynamic chenin from Anjou. Made partly in steel and partly in foudre. Salty, bright and smoky.

Bourgogne blanc punching much above it's level. Lovely tension, a nice touch of new oak. Drink now or enjoy later.

Do you like grower champagne but are you fed up with the increasing prices? This is exactly what you need. 62% Pinot Noir, 38% Chardonnay, spontaneously fermented in wooden barrels. Traditional bottle fermentation. 60 months on the lees. No wonder James Suckling gave it 97 points.Vintage: Based on 2018 with reserve wines from 2015, 2016, and 2017

Big wine for a very sexy price. This has pretty much everything you would expect from a big meursault. Body, concentration and very positive flinty, matchstick- like reduction. Serve it blind and expect the wildest guesses. Thank me later.

Great wine from a high level producer, for a great price and with a little bit of age. I wouldn't sleep on this. Darker, richer style of pinot noir. 40 % new oak, now well integrated.