In 1849, French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote “plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose,” – the more things change, the more they stay the same. Pete Schell has been quietly chipping away at the Barossa coalface for a quarter of a century now, constantly extracting all manner of vinous gems.

Given that Domaine Alain Graillot has stood at the summit of the Crozes-Hermitage appellation for over 40 years—with Maxime Graillot present for half of those vintages—you might assume Maxime is part of the establishment. Far from it. He is one of the most thoughtful and engaging growers we work with, constantly pushing boundaries while eking out every last ounce of quality from his wines. His Syrahs are the epitome of impeccably made Northern Rhône wine: a place where old school values meet cutting-edge technique.

The combination of exceptional terroir, a marginal climate and progressive vineyard management—not to mention quietly understated winemaking—produces mesmerising wines. That is exactly what Pyramid Valley is delivering.

I wonder if there is a smarter buy in Burgundy these days than Dureuil-Janthial? Vincent Dureuil is a superstar, albeit a very quiet one; he works his vines and keeps his head down. He does not talk much. Whenever his name comes up in conversation with other great growers, everyone nods and talks about how remarkable his wines are and how much they love them. Remember that old Coche quote?

For a traditional, old-school grower keen to avoid the limelight, Cavallotto are not doing a great job staying out of the headlines. Off the back of a run of stellar vintages, Barolo specialist Kerin O’Keefe awarded Cavallotto her Barolo Winery of 2025 accolade this year. O’Keefe’s peers at Vinous and The Wine Advocate have been equally effusive.

Our first tranche of 2024 white Burgundies are starting to arrive. The headline news is that 2024 heralds a return to a more classic model of white Burgundy: delicious wines of modest alcohol, bright acidity and cool fruit flavours.