C340-ON by Opimian2

340

ORDER OCT 21 - NOV 23, 2026

New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Burgundy

• GILES COOKE MW — FROM THISTLEDOWN, HIS HALLIDAY WINE OF THE YEAR WINERY IN AUSTRALIA, TO EARTHSONG, HIS NEW SINGLE-VINEYARD MARLBOROUGH PROJECT REIMAGINING NEW ZEALAND SAUVIGNON BLANC AND PINOT NOIR. • BURGUNDY, OFF THE BEATEN PATH — MICHAEL PALIJ MW VENTURES PAST THE CLASSICS INTO THE HAUTES-CÔTES DE NUITS AND THE MÂCONNAIS, WITH A STOP IN CHABLIS AT LAMBLIN & FILS. • TAPIHUE, CHILE — NEW TO OPIMIAN: PREMIUM CARMENÈRE AND CABERNET SAUVIGNON FROM COLCHAGUA AND MAIPO, AT PRICES THAT MAKE PREMIUM CHILE LOOK ALMOST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

Giles Cooke There are shades of David Hohnen’s Tasman traverse in Giles Cooke’s new Earthsong project, and that isn’t piggybacking. The successful Margaret River producer jumped ship to Marlborough in 1985 and went stratospheric with Cloudy Bay, assisted by adopted Kiwi, Kevin Judd. Marlborough may now be the path welltrodden in commercial terms, but the geographic area is still changing, and Southern Valleys in at the forefront of a quiet revolution. Demand has maxed out, land prices have dropped, and the opportunity is there for quality-conscious producers like Giles to do something innovative. Back in South Australia, he wasn’t playing around. Grenache, his original baby, has long struggled for reputational cred and yet, since establishing Thistledown in 2010, he has racked up more awards than a grizzly at a strongman contest:

• Real Review Top Winery of Australia • Halliday's full 5 red-star rating • Halliday overall Wine of the Year If that is his success rate with lonesome Grenache, what can he do with Sauvignon Blanc (and Pinot noir) in a region where everything is geared up to go? We caught up with Giles last month, and this was his take on his new project: “One of my earliest wine memories is opening a bottle of Cloudy Bay at our family Christmas table. My family were interested onlookers at best — but the look of surprise and genuine glee when that first sip landed is something I've never forgotten. Back then, the best Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was a glorious caricature of itself — gooseberry, guava, passionfruit, cat's pee and nettles in brilliant abundance — and it genuinely excited a new generation of wine drinkers.” He finished by saying: “Grenache needed to rediscover its identity — its best old-vine sites in the Barossa and McLaren Vale — before people could truly value it again. The same is true of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The path back to greatness runs through the sub-regions and vineyards that made it extraordinary in the first place.”

PRESS REVIEWS

We are super-excited to see Earthsong join the ranks of Opimian stalwarts. These are wines brimming with brio and ready for immediate enjoyment.–michael palij, mw.

PRESS REVIEWS

CELLAR 340 — CANADA

“GRENACHE NEEDED TO REDISCOVER ITS IDENTITY — ITS BEST OLDVINE SITES IN THE BAROSSA AND MCLAREN VALE — BEFORE PEOPLE COULD TRULY VALUE IT AGAIN."

NEW ZEALAND

LEARN MORE ABOUT EARTHSONG

NEW

6357 EARTHSONG LEGATO, SINGLE VINEYARD DILLONS POINT RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC, MARLBOROUGH, 2025 Water white with textbook notes of green bean, passion fruit, gooseberry, lime zest and tangerine. In the mouth, this has a hint of phenolic rasp, with a scented and refreshing finish that showcases vibrant citrus and herbaceous notes. Drink now – it's peaking well. 2027-2028–mp. Sauvignon Blanc. 13%, [2.00]. $50

NEW

6358 EARTHSONG SOUTHERN VALLEYS SINGLE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR, MARLBOROUGH, 2025 Pale purple hue. Reduced, with notes of baking spice, beetroot, cinnamon, tar and leather. For all its young reticence, the palate is refreshing and vibrant, with juicy acidity and red fruit including red currant, strawberry, rhubarb, and cranberry. Textured acidity complements the bright red fruit. Enjoy this in its youth. 2027-2029– mp. Pinot Noir. 13%. $50

NEW

6356 EARTHSONG SINGLE VINEYARD DILLONS POINT SAUVIGNON BLANC, MARLBOROUGH, 2026 Medium lemon hue. Complex nose with clove, cinnamon, coconut, red apple, gooseberry and toffee. At this young age, this is oak-forward; give it time, and it will flourish into a structured and gastronomic Sauvignon Blanc that offers a good amount of intrigue. 2027-2029–mp. Sauvignon Blanc. 13%, [3.00]. $40

— NEW ZEALAND EARTHSONG

EDITORIAL

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: Burgundy Off the Beaten Path By Michael Palij MW

Driving to Beaune this August, after a rather splendid stop-off at Lamblin, where Alexandre Lamblin's cousins, Anastasia and Clément, gave me an Opimian hero's welcome ( just for tasting through their comprehensive range of excellent Opimian stalwarts), the region seems all present and correct despite baking in the extreme summer heat. Mirroring Champagne (although, arguably, with a smidgen less extravagance), Burgundy's viticultural centres are islands of well-heeled harmony. Certainly, for Ray O'Connor MW (who joins the tasting panel for this Cellar), Burgundy is not short of "headline-grabbing wines" that have, no doubt, contributed heavily to an impressively prosperous stretch.

Table of Contents NEW ZEALAND.............................................................................................. P3 Earthsong.......................................................................................................... P3 COUPS DE COEUR...........................................................................P5

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CELLAR 340 — EDITORIAL

It wasn't ever thus. The double whammy of postwar depression and frequent, savage spring frosts saw Chablis on its knees. In 1957, total production may have been just a few hundred bottles. As Ray goes on to relate, there is considerable joy in departing from the yellow brick road to discover the less vaunted appellations. These include Hautes Côtes de Nuits, which is our pick of the northern upstarts, or, in the south, the Mâconnais — long a source of mineral-driven and sun-drenched Chardonnay that complements Chablis' steely offer. Those who keep their heads buried in wine books as much as I do will know that Burgundy produces a limited amount of Sauvignon Blanc. However, I am enlightened enough to understand the popularity of Kiwi Sauvignon and am therefore thrilled to introduce Earthsong, a new project by Giles Cooke MW (he of Thistledown fame). Working exclusively with single vineyards in the Marlborough region, Giles brings his lightness of touch to bear gracefully on the tropical and gooseberry flavours of this region. Jostling for position on these pages are his own Australian wines, including a juicy Clare Valley Riesling, and those from Geoff Hardy. Both men are natural leaders who have helped change public perception of Australian wine. Geoff Hardy's long-term winemaker, Shane Harris (three-time winner of Winestate Magazine's "Australian Winemaker of the Year" award), has been enjoying himself with some particularly off-piste varieties of late, including Durif, Tannat, and Montepulciano. Find these in the mixed case offer — they are big, beautiful, and rather un-Australian — until now.

AUSTRALIA........................................................................................................P6 Thistledown Wines.....................................................................................P6 Wines by Geoff Hardy.............................................................................P10 EVERYDAY WINES.........................................................................P16 CHILE.................................................................................................................. P22 Tapihue............................................................................................................. P22

FRANCE............................................................................................................P24 White Burgundy........................................................................................P24 Red Burgundy.............................................................................................P28 Lamblin & Fils...............................................................................................P30 COLLECTOR’S CORNER.............................................................P34

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COUPS DE COEUR

OUR MASTERS OF WINE'S FAVOURITE WINES IN THIS CELLAR Natasha Hughes MW is an internationally respected Master of Wine, awarded the title in 2014 with four prizes, including the Outstanding Achievement Award. A former Decanter deputy editor, she is now a freelance journalist, author of The Wines of Beaujolais (2025), an international wine judge, consultant, educator, and a Council member of the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Opimian's new Master of Wine Ray O’Connor MW is an Irish Master of Wine based in the U.K. His experience in the wine industry includes sommelier for

NATASHA'S COUPS DE COEUR

GORGEOUS SHIRAZ, OLD VINE SMALL BATCH HANDMADE NO. 4, RIVERLAND, 2025, LOT 6363, P7

PETIT CHABLIS, AOC, 2025, LOT 6391, P31

ROC DES BOUTIRES, POUILLY-FUISSÉ CASE: 3 BOTTLES EACH: VIEILLES VIGNES AND 1ER CRU AUX CHAILLOUX, LOT 6420, P35

Gordon Ramsay, Commercial Manager for the International Wine Challenge, and Wine Director for Naked Wines, where he oversaw the product development and quality control programmes. He consults to wineries and regional bodies in Italy and Spain, and he is the UK Ambassador for Vins de Provence. As well as serving as Panel Chair for the International Wine Challenge, he lectures on wine quality and style to all students, from introductory to Master of Wine level. In addition, he makes wine in Spain and Italy.

RAY'S COUPS DE COEUR

THISTLEDOWN CUNNING PLAN SHIRAZ, MCLAREN VALE, 2024, LOT 6362, P7

DOMAINE THEVENOT-LE BRUN BOURGOGNE HAUTES-CÔTESDE-NUITS, ROUGE, "CLOS DU VIGNON", MONOPOLE, AOP, 2025, LOT 6415, P28

ROC DES BOUTIRES, POUILLY-FUISSÉ CASE: 3 BOTTLES EACH: VIEILLES VIGNES AND 1ER CRU AUX CHAILLOUX, LOT 6420, P35

— CELLAR 340 COUPS DE COEUR

AUSTRALIA PRODUCER FOR THIS CELLAR

Thistledown Wines My fellow MW, Giles Cooke, is probably not the kind of man most people have in mind when they think of Australian wine producers. To begin with, he’s not Australian – he’s a Brit. He’s also a quiet, thoughtful, softly spoken man who spent much of his career heading up one of the UK’s foremost wine importers before jumping ship a few years back to focus on his own label, Thistledown Wines. Thistledown was born in 2010 and has rapidly made a name for itself as the source of some truly exquisite, elegant South Australian wines, particularly those made from the state’s hero grapes, Grenache and Shiraz. In a few years, Thistledown has gone from a new enterprise to an award-winning winery; it is not only listed among the top 100 Australian producers in the famed Halliday guide, but one of Giles’s wines – the 2024 Single Vineyard Clarendon Grenache – was named wine of the year in the Halliday Wine Companion Awards.–nh

LEARN MORE ABOUT THISTLEDOWN WINES

6360 BY THISTLEDOWN THE COURTESAN RIESLING, CLARE VALLEY, 2025 6359 GORGEOUS GRENACHE, OLD VINE SMALL BATCH HANDMADE NO. 1, RIVERLAND, MCLAREN VALE, 2025 Mid ruby hue. A bright and vibrant red-cherried Grenache, complemented by wild herbs from the vineyard. There is some crunchy red fruit freshness to the wine, but it is always effortlessly drinkable. 2027-2030–roc. Grenache. 14.5%. $35

CELLAR 340 — CANADA

Pale lemon hue. A soft, approachable take on Riesling. If you thought all wines made from the grape were steely and tense, try this supple, juicy take instead. Very easy going. 2027-2030–nh. Riesling. 12%, [2.00]. $40

NEW

6363 GORGEOUS SHIRAZ, OLD VINE SMALL BATCH HANDMADE NO. 4, RIVERLAND, 2025

6361 THISTLEDOWN GREAT ESCAPE CHARDONNAY, ADELAIDE HILLS, 2025

Medium ruby hue. Atypical expression of South Australian Shiraz, with the focus on freshness and perfumed lift rather than on density and ripeness. Unusual but very appealing. 2027-2030–nh. $35 Shiraz. 14.5%.

Medium lemon hue. The initial focus here is on zippy but well-integrated acidity, with the rounded, creamy mid-palate texture coming into play later. Fruit is subtle and restrained, offering a measured delivery. 20272031–nh. Chardonnay. 13%, [2.00]. $60

6364 THISTLEDOWN THE VAGABOND OLD VINE GRENACHE, BLEWITT SPRINGS, MCLAREN VALE, 2025

6362 THISTLEDOWN CUNNING PLAN SHIRAZ, MCLAREN VALE, 2024 Deep ruby hue. A generous, ripe and silky-smooth Australian Shiraz, full of plush red and black fruits with a touch of peppery spice. The palate is rounded and approachable, with soft tannins, good freshness and an easy, flowing texture that gives the wine broad appeal. 2027-2032–roc. $60 Shiraz. 14.5%.

Pale purple, with an attractive nose showing strawberry jam, red currant, red cherry and white pepper. The palate is juicy and sappy, reflecting a lighter extraction and brighter acidity. There are notes of cherry cough drops, menthol, tinned strawberry and red currant jelly, with length and enough structure to balance the fruit. 20272031–mp. Grenache. 14.5%. $75

— AUSTRALIA THISTLEDOWN WINES

6367 BY THISTLEDOWN THE OPPORTUNIST SHIRAZ, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 2025 Medium ruby hue. Juicy, easy drinking and very attractive in its youth. This is not a wine to cellar for years – enjoy it in the short term, with or without food. 20272029–nh. Shiraz. 14%. $35

6365 GORGEOUS GRENACHE BLANC, OLD VINE SMALL BATCH HANDMADE, RIVERLAND, 2026 Pale lemon hue. A vibrant and zesty Grenache Blanc focusing very much on youthful fruits and pleasant mouthfeel. With time, it will be less fruitfocused and more textural. 2027-2030–roc. Grenache Blanc. 13.5%, [2.00]. $35

6366 BY THISTLEDOWN THE PUGILIST CABERNET SAUVIGNON, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 2025 Medium ruby hue. A slightly lighter, fresher take on Cabernet Sauvignon, although the tannins exert a little grip on the finish. Not complex but full of fruit. 2027-2030–nh. Cabernet Sauvignon. 13%. $35

CELLAR 340 — CANADA

THE SAME EXACTING HAND BEHIND GILES COOKE'S AWARD-WINNING THISTLEDOWN.

OPIMIAN’S SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAMS However you drink, there's a case built for you.

THE MASTERS CASE

EVERYTHING BUT RED

FOUNDERS CHOICE

The ultimate regional discovery.

Refreshing on any occasion.

Reveal the remarkable.

Six bottles, three wines, chosen by Opimian's Masters of Wine. One producer, three expressions — depth, contrast, and craftsmanship in every case. The strongest starting point for new members.

A full case of crisp whites, rosés, and sparkling wines for members who reach past red. Fresh, versatile, and made for easy enjoyment.

Six bottles of one standout red, chosen for balance, structure, and aging potential. Depth over variety, for members who want to go deeper on a single wine.

Featuring Tapihue Wines (Chile).

Featuring Thistledown Wine Company (Australia).

Featuring Tapihue Wines (Chile).

READY TO JOIN? Update your payment details and pick your program(s) at your dashboard on opimian.ca. Questions? Reach Member Service at memberservice@opimian.ca.

AUSTRALIA

6369 K1 BY GEOFF HARDY CABERNET SAUVIGNON, ADELAIDE HILLS, 2023 Medium ruby hue. Lovely purity of fruit here and supple, chalky tannins that exert a subtle grip on the finish. Fresh, well balanced and long. Very Australian and very appealing. 2027-2034–nh. Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5%. $50

Wines by Geoff Hardy Geoff Hardy is a fifth-generation descendant of Thomas Hardy, one of the founding names of South Australian wine. Having left the family company in 1980, he built his own independent path, establishing vineyards and labels that combine Hardy family heritage with a more personal, estate-driven vision. His K1 vineyard at Kuitpo was among the first substantial plantings in this cool, elevated corner of the Adelaide Hills, giving the white wines natural drive and precision. At the same time, broader South Australian sourcing brings supple fruit and generosity to the reds. Winemaker Shane Harris is central to the quality: a three-time Winestate Australian Winemaker of the Year, he has a gift for translating sites into clean, expressive wines without overworking them. This selection shows admirable breadth, from Grüner Veltliner, Chardonnay and Riesling through to plush Shiraz, Cabernet and an adventurous red blend. The thread throughout is bright fruit, polish and excellent drinkability.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WINES BY GEOFF HARDY

CELLAR 340 — CANADA

6370 K1 BY GEOFF HARDY GRÜNER VELTLINER KUITPO SINGLE VINEYARD, ADELAIDE HILLS, 2025 Pale lemon hue. An example of the experimentation with unusual grape varieties going on in the Adelaide Hills, this is a lovely, juicy wine with a combination of ripe fruit flavours and the grape's typical vegetal, spicy notes. 2027-2030–nh. Grüner Veltliner. 13%, [2.00]. $45

6371 K1 BY GEOFF HARDY CHARDONNAY, ADELAIDE HILLS, 2024 Mid gold hue. An unashamedly beautifully ripe, full-bodied oaked Chardonnay. However, it has great definition, with a crisp line of acidity providing freshness and drinkability. 2027-2032–roc. Chardonnay. 13%, [2.00]. $65

6372 K1 BY GEOFF HARDY TEMPRANILLO KUITPO SINGLE VINEYARD, ADELAIDE HILLS, 2025 Deep ruby hue. A very impressive Tempranillo from a country that is slowly realizing it has more in common with Mediterranean varieties than its original shiraz. This is a full, rounded and slightly spiced Tempranillo that does not let the Spanish reputation down. 20272034–roc. Tempranillo. 13.5%. $55

6374 K1 BY GEOFF HARDY PINOT NOIR, ADELAIDE HILLS, 2023 Pale ruby hue. A beautifully refined, red-berried, fruited Pinot Noir, all silky smooth and full of pleasure. Well-refined tannins make the whole mouthfeel supple and effortless. Bright and lively, expressing the finest qualities of this region. 2027-2030–roc. Pinot Noir. 13.5%. $75

6373 K1 BY GEOFF HARDY MIDDLE HILL SHIRAZ KUITPO SINGLE VINEYARD, ADELAIDE HILLS, 2024 Medium ruby hue. Lower in alcohol than many Aussie Shirazes, this wine also has a lithe, linear palate and a lighter body than most. The palate blends red and black fruits, with a twist of spice, while the tannins are $55 sinewy. 2027-2030–nh. Shiraz. 14.5%.

photo — Wines by Geoff Hardy celebrates 40 years of the Kuitpo Vineyard, a site that has grown from a former dairy farm into the heart of the acclaimed K1 range.

— AUSTRALIA WINES BY GEOFF HARDY

THE GMH RANGE IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS A MIXED CASE, LOT 6380: WINES BY GEOFF HARDY CASE: 2 BOTTLES EACH: GMH SELECTION RED BLEND, GMH SHIRAZ, GMH CABERNET SAUVIGNON.

CELLAR 340 — CANADA

6375 GMH SHIRAZ, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 2025

6376 GMH CABERNET SAUVIGNON, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 2025

6377 GMH FAMILY SELECTION RED BLEND, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 2024

Crimson red hue. Fullbodied and powerful Shiraz which epitomizes the quality and style people have grown to love from this country. It is dense with fruit and stays fresh, with a nice pepper-spice finish. 2027-2036–roc. Shiraz. 14.5%. $35

Deep ruby hue. Fullbodied, deep and lush Cabernet with lovely Australian typicity of lifted eucalyptus notes. It has great ripeness, giving a generous and rounded palate. Not for the faint-hearted. 2027-2034–roc. Cabernet Sauvignon. 14%. $35

Medium ruby hue. A mystery blend (to me, at least) of exotic grape varieties that rather impresses. Very juicy and fresh, with oodles of red and black fruit including bramble, red plum and cherry. The tannins are supple and ripe, and the acidity is bright. Nicely balanced, delivering a lot of bang for the buck. 20272031–nh. Dolcetto, Petit $35 Verdot, Shiraz. 14.5%.

FINAL VINTAGE — LAST CHANCE GEOFF HARDY'S LAST MERITAGE EVER. NO MORE BOTTLES ONCE THIS SELLS OUT.

6381 GMH MERITAGE CASE: 3 BOTTLES EACH 2022 & 2024 GMH MERITAGE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 2022 Be still my beating heart! You need to know that the only reason these two vintages are in a mixed 6-pack is that I couldn't decide which one I preferred. It's a bit Cary Grant v The Rock in that this is lithe, sculpted, and very light on its feet whereas the 2024 is all about raw power. But there is room in the cellar for both, and this is an essay in quiet, deft maturation, with a long finish, silky tannins and enough complexity to send a second growth scurrying for cover. 20292035–mp. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot. 14%.

GMH MERITAGE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 2024 Deep ruby and seductive as hell. The nose is a feast for the senses, with ink, hospital bandages, tar, cooked plum, blackberry – I think I involuntarily reached for a knife and fork. The best thing about Geoff's Meritage blend is that for all the hustle and bustle on the nose, the palate is still keenly linear and structured. There's focussed acidity, grippy tannins and then the fruit wallop on the finish hits you like flooring a Tesla for the first time. I cannot believe this is the swansong vintage of this Aussie stalwart. Chapeau, Geoff. 20282032–mp. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot. 14.5%. $35

— AUSTRALIA WINES BY GEOFF HARDY

ARTICLE

FROM SHIRAZ TO GRENACHE The Many Faces of South Australian Wine By Natasha Hughes MW

When it comes to wine, you could argue – with good reason – that the state of South Australia packs quite a punch. This, for most oenophiles, is the beating heart of Aussie wine production, and regions like the Barossa and Coonawarra have a towering reputation on the world stage, largely for their opulent Shirazes and their long-lived Cabernet Sauvignons respectively. But there’s far more to South Australia than the Barossa and Coonawarra. While the latter lies several hundred kilometres to the south east of the state capital, Adelaide, the Barossa is just one of three major contiguous wine regions that flank the city. The Barossa is the most northerly of these, and its inland location creates the warm conditions that give rise to those rich, ripe red wines for which it’s best known. At the other end of the chain lies McLaren Vale, a region whose coastal location helps to temper the South Australian heat with cooling maritime breezes. Like the Barossa, McLaren Vale is a region best known for its red wines (although some wonderful white wines are produced there too). The two regions also have a long history of wine production in common, and one of the unexpected legacies of this viticultural longevity is that vineyards in both areas have a treasure trove of venerable old vines. Some of the oldest of these have even surpassed their 100th birthday! Another thing the two regions share in common is that the most widely planted red grape variety is Shiraz. Like the Barossa, McLaren Vale’s Shiraz is riper and more generous than the style made in cooler climates, but in comparison to the better-known Barossa wines, those from the coastal region – like this one – have a distinctively Mediterranean cast to them, and often show

CELLAR 340 — ARTICLE

savoury notes of olive tapenade and woody herbs, along with more fruit brightness, than those originating further north. For many, though, McLaren Vale’s signature variety is Grenache. The region has been at the forefront of a stylistic reinvention of a grape that was once used to create rather heavy, one-dimensional wines. The new wave of lighter, fresher, more perfumed Grenaches are referred to by many Aussies as ‘blue collar Pinot’. Thistledown has been one of the producers leading the charge for this change of direction, and its Grenache cuvées have been turning heads and winning awards for quite some time. This bottling is a blend of fruit from a number of the Vale’s sub-regions and provides a great introduction to the Thistledown range. The Adelaide Hills region is the land bridge that links McLaren Vale to the Barossa, by way of the Mount Lofty Ranges – which, despite the name, is really a chain of hills with attitude rather than a true mountain range. It’s this series of hills that gives the region its name, and also the elevation that imbues the wines made in the area with their typical freshness. A relative newcomer on the Aussie wine scene, the Hills only really began to gain recognition in the 1970s, when its vineyards were planted with Chardonnay, much of which was used to create vibrant sparkling wines. Plantings in the area have not only picked up pace over the years, they have also diversified wildly, and the Adelaide Hills has acquired a reputation as the source of a rich portfolio of grape varieties and winemaking styles. Nevertheless, old favourites such as Shiraz and Riesling retain not only a toehold in the hills but also a place in the hearts – and the wine cellars – of aficionados of Australian wines. Both of the Geoff Hardy cuvées come from the K1 vineyard in Kuitpo, which is located in the southern part of the Adelaide Hills, close to the border with McLaren Vale. The warmth of the region is tempered by the coastal breezes that sweep in from the gulf and also from altitudes that average out at around 350 metres above sea level, and the resulting diurnal shifts (the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures) helps to preserve acidity in the grapes and balance in the wines they create. The result is a linear, fresh Shiraz that has a distinctive note of black pepper, a characteristic associated with cooler climates, while the Riesling shows a joyous pop of lime and peach fruits.

NEW

6378 HAND CRAFTED BY GEOFF HARDY RIESLING, ADELAIDE HILLS, 2024 Pale lemon hue. Nice typicity of South Australian Riesling, which is a benchmark style. It's taut and linear, with an electric citrus profile running through it. 20272035–roc. Riesling. 12.5%, [1.20]. $50

6379 HAND CRAFTED BY GEOFF HARDY CASE: 2 BOTTLES EACH: MONTEPULCIANO, TANNAT, DURIF Australia is probably best known for its superb Chardonnays and Cabernets, as well as its Rhône grapes, but did you know that there’s been a growing movement towards planting lesser-known grape varieties in the country? So much so that there’s now an Alternative Varieties competition in the country, an event which celebrates and rewards producers working with a vast diversity of grapes. This case provides an introduction to three of the varieties that are turning heads. Montepulciano, which hails from southern Italy, makes hearty, robust wines. Tannat and Durif – both French in origin – are not shy or delicate grapes either, with the former offering dense, chocolate-tinged fruit. At the same time, the latter is notable for its hallmark pepperiness.

HAND CRAFTED BY GEOFF HARDY DURIF, ADELAIDE HILLS, 2024 Deep ruby hue. Lots of dense dark fruit and spice, particularly cracked black pepper, and a twist of licorice. The zesty acidity provides a focus for the fruit, while the tannins – which can often be quite firm in Durif – are supple and ripe. 20272032–nh. Durif. 14.5%.

HAND CRAFTED BY GEOFF HARDY MONTEPULCIANO, LIMESTONE COAST, 2024 Deep ruby hue. Full and rounded wine with lifted herbal notes of eucalyptus that offer a welcome freshness. It is packed with lovely dark fruits. 2027-2033–roc. Montepulciano. 14%.

HAND CRAFTED BY GEOFF HARDY TANNAT, ADELAIDE HILLS, 2022 Medium ruby hue. A big, bold, robust wine with plenty of fruit, plenty of tannins, plenty of acidity – more is most definitely more here. It's not subtle, but it is delicious and well balanced. 20272032–nh. Tannat. 15%. $55

— AUSTRALIA WINES BY GEOFF HARDY

WINES TO SAVOUR ANY DAY OF THE WEEK 6382 FAMILLE LAMBLIN ROSÉ, IGP PAYS D'OC, 2025 Pale salmon hue. A light and easydrinking rosé. Restrained fruit of wild strawberry to the fore, accompanied by other red berry fruits. 2027-2028–roc. Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault. 13%, [0.50]. $22

6383 FAMILLE LAMBLIN SAUVIGNON BLANC, IGP PAYS D'OC, 2025 Mid lemon hue. Despite the snap of acidity, it's clear this is a warmclimate take on Sauvignon Blanc, with a mix of tropical fruit and less ripe notes of gooseberry and elderflower. Tangy and bright – mix with soda water for a refreshing summer spritzer. 2027-2028–nh. Sauvignon Blanc. 12.50%, [0.50]. $22

CELLAR 340 — EVERYDAY WINES

6384 FAMILLE LAMBLIN CHARDONNAY, IGP PAYS D'OC, 2025

6385 FAMILLE LAMBLIN PINOT NOIR, IGP PAYS D'OC, 2025

Pale lemon hue. A mixed fruit salad of tropical fruits that gives a party wine of a Chardonnay, rather than seeking something more complex. 2027-2028–roc. Chardonnay. 13%, [0.50].

Deep ruby hue. A simple Pinot noir which carries the heat of Languedoc, coupled with oak spice, which would safely appeal to those that like bigger Pinot noirs. 2027-2028–roc. Pinot Noir. 13.5%.

$22

6398 ALBAMAR ESTATE SERIES CASE: 6 BOTTLES EACH - SAUVIGNON BLANC AND CHARDONNAY NEW

ALBAMAR ESTATE SERIES SAUVIGNON BLANC, CASABLANCA VALLEY, 2026 Pale lemon hue. An unashamed crowd-pleaser, this shows gooseberry, greengage, yellow plum and nettle. The palate has a zesty streak of lime juice and passion fruit which drive a rounded finish. 2027-2029–mp. Sauvignon Blanc. 13.5%, [3.00]. NEW

ALBAMAR ESTATE SERIES CHARDONNAY, CASABLANCA VALLEY, 2025 Pale lemon hue. Surprisingly complex for a white at this price, with white peach, nectarine, dried honey and hazelnut. The faintest hint of oak props up the fruit on the palate and drives a simple yet endearing finish with notes of pear, apple and coconut. 20272029–mp. Chardonnay. 13.5%, [3.00]. $19

6386 FAMILLE LAMBLIN MERLOTCABERNET, IGP PAYS D'OC, 2025 Pronounced, ripe, plummy black fruit with notes of damson, Victoria plum, black pepper and liquorice. The Cab starts kicking in on the palate, with ripe yet firm tannins, blackcurrant, blackberry and even a note of cinnamon. The balance between the fruit and tannin is superb, and the finish rolls on just like a Petit Chateau Claret. Lots to like here, including the price. 2027-2029–mp. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon. 14%. $22

— NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA, CHILE, BURGUNDY EVERYDAY WINES

A NOTE FROM OPIMIAN’S MANAGING DIRECTOR GREG RINEHART If I could, I would be having this conversation with you in person — a chair for each of us, and a bottle open on the table between us. I am, instead, writing late into the evening from the outdoor patio at Cinciano, in Tuscany, with the hills now dark and a glass beside me that I have been nursing longer than I should admit. My parents are here with me. Italy was the trip they dreamed about their whole lives and never quite got to, and tonight they are sitting a few feet away, still talking long after the plates have been cleared. For the first time in ten years, the four of us are vacationing together, with nothing on the schedule. Tomorrow, we see Carlo Zucchetto, and from there Canoso and Monte Castelon. Growers, in other words. Their names are on bottles in these pages; their hands did the work behind them. One more thing about this trip, and I went back and forth over whether to share it. It is funded out of my own pocket, in the middle of high season, no less. I mention it not for credit but because it says what I would otherwise struggle to: given the choice of where my own money should go, I spent it among the people who make our wine, with my parents at the table. You are not footing the bill for my summer; I am simply where I want to be. Which makes this the right chair to write from, because it is where the whole thing starts — a grower, a hillside, and someone deciding it was worth the trouble. I am the one typing, but what follows comes from all four of us, and from everyone behind us. We spent most of 2026 on the road, in nearly every market we serve, and it changed how we think about this business. Restaurants, wine shops, rented halls, hotel function rooms, tasting nights that ran long, and more airport coffee than any of us needed. The point was never to tell. It was to listen, and you obliged us generously. You told us what you loved. You also told us (sometimes rather bluntly!) what was wearing your patience thin. That second

Anthony

part was the useful part, and this letter is our account of what we did with it. Let me deal with the hardest thing first, because you earned the straight version. Over the past two years, we pulled apart and rebuilt the way wine gets from a grower's cellar to your hands — carriers, routes, warehousing, the whole supply chain. It is the most comprehensive overhaul this company has undertaken, and we did not get all of it right. Some of you waited longer than you should have. What struck us was how you handled it: with patience, with humour, and with a loyalty we do not treat as a given. That was noticed, and it is appreciated more than a paragraph can convey.

“OUR AMBITION IS STRAIGHTFORWARD AND SLIGHTLY AUDACIOUS: TO OFFER THE BEST VALUE WINE IN THIS COUNTRY." The work is now largely behind us, and delivery windows are coming down — quickly. I won't promise perfection, because wine is heavy and Canada is enormous and every province has its own opinion about how this should work. But the direction is no longer in doubt. Getting the wine closer to your door is the natural next question. Members in British Columbia, rural Saskatchewan and Ontario now have it delivered, and the reaction is about what you would expect from people who no longer drive across town on a Saturday. We want to extend it further in 2027. The honest caveat is that home delivery carries very different economics than pick-up, and we would rather solve that properly than withdraw it quietly a year later. You were also clear about the catalogue, and we listened. It has been revamped rather than retired, and it is here to stay. What has changed is what sits behind it.

Bruce

CELLAR 340 — A NOTE FROM OPIMIAN’S MANAGING DIRECTOR GREG RINEHART

Michael

We have been building the website into something worth your time — deeper notes, better search, more of the story behind the people who made what you are about to open. We have also kept testing ways to put wine in your glass closer to home before you commit to a case; the liquor boards make that difficult, and we keep pushing at the parts we can control. On the Ambassador program, you were blunt, and rightly so. It drifted after COVID. We have spent the year rebuilding it quietly, and a phased relaunch begins in 2027 — phased deliberately, because we would rather get each stage right than announce something grand and spend the next eighteen months apologizing for it. A word on the business itself, because you are members rather than customers, and that entitles you to the truth. The past couple of years have been financially challenging. We were rebuilding a company in the middle of a slowing economy and a worldwide shift in how much people drink — not a combination anyone would choose. The encouraging news is that performance has improved measurably year to date. We are not declaring anything. We are telling you the trend has turned, and we would have told you if it hadn't. All of that, though, is plumbing. It matters only because of what it carries. Our ambition is straightforward and slightly audacious: to offer the best value wine in this country. Not the cheapest — the best value, which is a different thing, and much harder. That applies equally to a Tuesday night bottle that drinks well above what you paid, and to one you lay down and rediscover in twenty years as something remarkable. Our overhaul has anchored us more deeply in France, Italy and Spain, the three countries Opimian was built on, while we seek out renowned partners in every country we work in. Depth where our roots are, ambition everywhere else. Here is the part we do not say out loud nearly enough. Opimian works with the largest group of Masters of Wine

Greg

assembled on behalf of any wine club in the world, and that is not decoration on a letterhead. As Michael puts it, it is easy to buy expensive wine — you just need money. What is hard, and what takes decades of palate and relationships and actual mud on your boots, is finding great wine from vineyards you have never heard of, made by people who mastered the craft and never got around to marketing it. That is Opimian's secret sauce, and our promise for the coming year is to push even harder — further off the beaten track, deeper into the corners nobody has mapped, with your glass as the only judge that counts. There is a Canadian chapter to this now. Recent legislative change has opened a door shut to us for the better part of fifty years, and we are walking through it: a Canadian wine project in development for every member, coast to coast. On the question of America, we do not have an answer yet, and we will not invent one. But we know precisely what it means to be Canadian, and that is exactly why this project sits where it does on our list. If you would rather taste the source than read about it, our 2027 overseas travel is set: Champagne, Burgundy and Tuscany, in the company of Michael Palij MW. I can tell you from this chair that Tuscany earns every word written about it. Anyone who has walked a vineyard with a Master of Wine who knows the grower by name, and the grower's father before him, understands why we keep doing this. Anyone who hasn't — this is your year. And for those staying closer to home, we will be back on the road in the spring and again in the fall, with the same intention: less talking from us, more listening … and perhaps fewer tickets, car accidents, cancelled flights, and broken bottles! Which brings us to where we stand. We are closing in on fifty-five years as Canada's wine club. That is not a marketing number; it is five decades of Canadians deciding, one case at a time, that this was a table worth sitting at. And lately you have been saying so out loud — we have just come off one of the most successful Refer a Friend campaigns in memory, members bringing in their own people because they believe in what is here. There is no endorsement that means more to us, and no momentum we are more determined to build. Thank you for your patience this year, for your candour, your friendship, and for your membership. The candle on this table has burned down and my glass is empty, which in Italy is considered a problem worth solving. So, I will leave you the way I would if you were sitting across from me: let's open another bottle.

2027 CELLAR CALENDAR At the time of your order, the wines are still with the producers. Orders are placed directly with our independent winemakers, who carefully bottle your wines and prepare your cases. C340: New Zealand, Australia, Burgundy, and Chile

C345: Bordeaux, Cognac, Austria

Opens: October 21, 2026

Opens: April 28, 2027

Order deadline: November 23, 2026

Order deadline: May 31, 2027

Estimated delivery: Spring 2027 C341: South Africa, Tuscany, Veneto, and Sicily Opens: November 25, 2026 Order deadline: January 4, 2027 Estimated delivery: Summer 2027 C342: Argentina, Chile, Alsace Opens: January 6, 2027 Order deadline: February 8, 2027 Estimated delivery: Summer 2027 C343: Rhône, Champagne Opens: February 17, 2027 Order deadline: March 22, 2027 Estimated delivery: Fall 2027 C344: Italy, South Africa, Germany Opens: March 24, 2027 Order deadline: April 26, 2027 Estimated delivery: Fall 2027

Estimated delivery: Fall 2027 C346: Italy and Germany Opens: June 2, 2027 Order deadline: July 5, 2027 Estimated delivery: Winter 2028 C347: Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Provence, Beaujolais Opens: July 7, 2027 Order deadline: August 9, 2027 Estimated delivery: Spring 2028 C348: Spain, Portugal, South Africa, Bordeaux, and Austria Opens: August 11, 2027 Order deadline: September 13, 2027 Estimated delivery: Spring 2028 C349: Italy and Germany Opens: September 15, 2027 Order deadline: October 18, 2027 Estimated delivery: Spring 2028

Producers and regions may occasionally shift after this calendar is published -- when that happens, we choose replacements that reflect the same quality and character you've come to expect.

ANTHONY, BRUCE, MICHAEL AND GREG AND THE ENTIRE OPIMIAN TEAM

— CELLAR 340 2027 CELLAR CALENDAR

EVENTS & TRAVEL Tour Details Canada Tour 1: Canada West & Prairies May 15 — Calgary — Wine Tasting May 16 — Calgary — Exclusive Dinner May 17 — Saskatoon — Wine Tasting May 18 — Winnipeg — Wine Tasting May 19 — Edmonton — Wine Tasting May 20 — Edmonton — Exclusive Dinner May 21 — Victoria — Wine Tasting May 22 — Vancouver — Exclusive Dinner

OPIMIAN CANADA TOUR 2027 Join us in 2027 as we travel across the country for an exclusive series of events where you'll meet Opimian's Masters of Wine and leadership team, connect with fellow members, and taste some truly exceptional wines. Each stop offers an intimate tasting experience featuring a curated selection of Opimian wines, chosen for their elegance, rarity, and character. Come spend an evening in the company of fellow members and wine lovers, with plenty of discovery and conversation along the way. At these events, you'll: • Explore Cellar-Worthy and Drink Now wines from distinguished producers • Enjoy a guided tasting with Master of Wine Michael Palij MW • Discover the stories behind each bottle We look forward to raising a glass with you and celebrating Opimian’s exceptional wines. Spaces are limited, so be sure to reserve your seat early.

Canada Tour 2: Canada East & Atlantic September 18 — Toronto — Exclusive Dinner September 19 — Hamilton — Wine Tasting September 20 — Ottawa — Wine Tasting September 21 — Montreal — Exclusive Dinner September 22 — St. John's — Exclusive Dinner September 23 — Moncton — Wine Tasting September 24 — Halifax — Wine Tasting

OPIMIAN TRAVEL In 2027, Opimian Travels will visit Europe twice — first through Champagne and Burgundy this spring, then through Tuscany this fall. Each trip goes beyond the wine itself, into the culture and history behind it. Every itinerary brings travellers behind cellar doors, to harvest tables, and face-to-face with the winemakers themselves. Exclusive visits to Opimian producers, private tastings, and vineyard walks are part of every stop. Michael Palij MW will lead both trips, sharing his knowledge of European wine along the way.

SAVE THE DATE Trip 1 — France Champagne, Chablis, Burgundy (Côte d'Or), Beaujolais May 2–8, 2027

Trip 2 — Italy Tuscany (Chianti Classico, Montalcino, Bolgheri) October 17–23, 2027

CELLAR 340 — EVENTS & TRAVEL

REFER A FRIEND. SHARE THE TABLE. Some of the best discoveries are the ones you pass on.

Once they complete their qualifying purchase within 90 days of joining, we'll send a complimentary case of wine to you both.

If you know someone who'd appreciate thoughtfully selected wines, direct access to producers, and the insight of eight Masters of Wine, invite them to join Opimian.

Prefer credit instead of a case? Either of you can let member service know, and we'll apply a $150 wine credit to your account instead.

When they complete their qualifying purchase (a case of wine or spirits), you'll both receive a complimentary case of wine — or, if you'd prefer, a $150 wine credit instead. HOW IT WORKS

There's no limit to how many friends you can refer. Every new member helps grow a club built on sharing great wine, trusted producers, and over 50 years of expertise.e. REFER A FRIEND TODAY

Refer a friend and have them join Opimian.

Questions? Contact member service anytime at memberservice@opimian.ca.

When they sign up, they let us know who referred them.

A qualifying purchase is a case of wine or spirits.

CHILE

NEW

6400 WILLIAM COLE GRAND RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON, MAIPO VALLEY, 2023

NEW PRODUCER

Classic Maipo nose bursting from the glass with black currant, cassis, black currant leaf, black plum, black cherry, cinnamon and coconut, with layers of fruit piled up on firm tannins and crunchy acidity. The finish rolls on like a Rush drum solo, and there is everything one could want from New World Cabernet in this affordable and delicious glass of red. 2027-2031–mp. Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.5%. $40

Tapihue Casablanca is pretty much a household name now, celebrated for its cool climate verve, but it wasn't always thus. Chile's stock-in-trade had always been its southern-hemisphere ability to ripen all kinds of soft fruits when California couldn't. Grapes were nothing special: just another cash crop. Casablanca was far too cold for strawberries and avocados, so had been overlooked until, in the early 1980s, Concha y Toro's Pablo Morandé thought that the ice-cold Humboldt current's cooling breezes might make for some interesting white wines. The first vineyards went in at Tapihue and in 1994 Casablanca was granted protected geographical status for viticulture. New to Opimian this year, these wines combine exceptional varietal purity, fresh acidity and modest prices that are almost too good to be true - particularly the Albamar Estate series. The posh stuff (William Cole label) are ambitious and accomplished wines from prime sites in Colchagua and Maipo, renowned for Carmenère and Cabernet Sauvignon respectively. Here, they have gone to work on creating something special to rival Chile’s flagship estates – and boy, are they cooking up something. Premium Chile has never looked quite so affordable.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TAPIHUE

CELLAR 340 — CANADA

NEW

6399 WILLIAM COLE GRAND RESERVE CARMENERE, COLCHAGUA VALLEY, 2025 Deep ruby hue. This digs deep and comes up with an astonishingly complex nose blending menthol, liquorice, black cherry, plum, cardamom, clove and layers of plum fruit with integrated tannins. Here the fruit is allowed to sing, supported with some well-judged oak that adds another note to the lingering finish. Fabulous discovery for members. 2027-2030–mp. Carmenère. 13.5%. $40

NEW

6402 BILL SIGNATURE BLEND, LIMITED EDITION, MAIPO VALLEY, 2023

PRODUCER FOR THIS CELLAR

NEW

Deep purple hue. Youthful colour and nose, with clearly delineated fruit including black cherry, black currant, blueberry, clove, cinnamon and liquorice. This is still young, with firm tannins and plenty of primary character. The acidity is there, too, and it will unfurl nicely with some time in the cellar. It needs another few years to knit together and develop more aromatic complexity. 2029-2032–mp. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Syrah, Malbec, Petite $75 Sirah. 13.5%.

6401 WILLIAM COLE GRAND RESERVE WINEMAKER'S COLLECTION, NV Deep garnet hue. This N.V. blend of grapes, regions and vintages allows the team to fashion a vintage-consistent blend according to the best of what Mother Nature gives them. If this wine is anything to go by, She has been rather generous! The nose opens with a blast of tertiary notes including liquorice, tar, cooked blueberry and sandalwood before revealing blackberry, boysenberry, and black pepper. The balance is just perfect, and the fact that it is now ready to drink is a distinct bonus, with the melded tannins and complex fruit creating a lingering, harmonious finish. 2027-2029–mp. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Syrah, Malbec. 13.5%. $40

photo — Maria Ximena Klein Echeverríais the chief winemaker at Tapihue Wines, where she has overseen production since 2015.

— CHILE TAPIHUE

FRANCE

6407 DOMAINE DE LA PIERRE DES DAMES, MÂCON-LA-ROCHEVINEUSE AOP, "LES CONDEMINES", 2024

White Burgundy

Pale lemon hue. Despite its weight and ripeness, there's a burst of freshness on the finish here that lends balance to the wine. The fruit is rich and tropical in character, with a real generosity. Needs food, preferably something equally rich. I'd drink this with a glazed ham. 2027-2031–nh. Chardonnay. $50 13%, [1.00].

White Burgundy is often spoken of as a single idea, but this flight shows just how many faces Chardonnay can wear in its home region. At regional level, Côteaux Bourguignons and Bourgogne Blanc offer immediate charm and clarity; in the Mâconnais, Mâcon-Prissé, Mâcon-La-Roche-Vineuse and Saint-Véran bring riper orchard fruit, rounder texture and the sunny generosity of the south. Move north into the Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Côte de Nuits-Villages, and the mood changes again, with cooler tension, citrus lift and a more stony, savoury edge. These are not grand cru labels, but they speak to Burgundy’s genius: small shifts in slope, altitude and limestone can turn the same grape into wines of freshness, breadth, finesse and quiet complexity.

SMALL-PARCEL MÂCONNAIS CHARDONNAY, CRAFTED WITH TRUE BURGUNDY PRECISION.

6405 DOMAINE DE LA PIERRE DES DAMES, COTEAUX BOURGUIGNONS AOP, 2025 Pale gold hue. A bright and zesty Chardonnay from the outskirts of Burgundy that delivers genuine expression from the region – depth of fruit, moderated acidity and some positive stone fruit character that gives the wine both tension and pleasure. 2027-2029–roc. Chardonnay. 12.5%, [1.00]. $45

CELLAR 340 — CANADA

NEW

6406 DOMAINE DE LA PIERRE DES DAMES, MÂCONPRISSÉ AOP, 2025 Pale lemon hue. Brisk and crisp for Mâcon, reflective of its appellation. Positive linearity to the wine – expressing grapefruit with young pineapple. 20272030–roc. Chardonnay. 13%, [1.00]. $45

6410 DOMAINE DESERTAUXFERRAND, BOURGOGNE BLANC, AOP, 2025 Pale lemon hue. Subtly oaked, slightly under-ripe with a tinge of greenness, but there are good levels of acidity and some stony minerality. This would work well with light summer meals, particularly those with a focus on salads and white fish. 2027-2029–nh. Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay. 12.5%, [0.00]. $60

NEW

6408 DOMAINE G. THOMAS, AOP SAINTVÉRAN, 2025 Pale lemon hue. Ripe fruit and tangy acidity are well matched here. There's a saltiness on the brisk, bright finish. Simple, fruitdriven style. 2027-2029– nh. Chardonnay. $60 13%, [0.00].

6413 DOMAINE THEVENOT-LE BRUN BOURGOGNE HAUTES CÔTES DE BEAUNE, BLANC, AOP, 2025 Pale lemon hue. A very zesty and vibrant expression that appeals to those who like a brisker, crunchier Chardonnay. Well-made and true to type for this higher altitude. 2027-2032–roc. Chardonnay. 13%, [0.00]. $60

— FRANCE WHITE BURGUNDY

6411 DOMAINE DESERTAUX-FERRAND, CÔTE DE NUITS-VILLAGES, BLANC, AOP, 2025 Mid gold hue. A traditional winemaking approach, which results in a very ripe and oak-influenced Chardonnay that delivers on weight, concentration and buttery notes that are a taste to be adored or avoided, depending on the drinker. 2027-2033–roc. Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc. 13%, [0.30]. $80

CELLAR 340 — CANADA

NEW

6419 DOMAINE LA JOLIVODE, AOC BOURGOGNE HAUTES CÔTES DE BEAUNE "LE CLOS DES CHAGNOTS", 2023 Mid lemon hue. Balanced and well-judged, with good levels of fresh acidity as well as a concentrated, rounded palate. Definitely deserves food – pair with chicken or roast pork rather than more delicate fish. 2027-2031–nh. Chardonnay. 13%, [2.00]. $75

ARTICLE

FROM MÂCON TO POMMARD

Building a Burgundy Cellar with 2025 By Ray O'Connor MW

Burgundy has always rewarded the curious collector. Its greatest names command the headlines, but the real pleasure of a good cellar often lies in understanding the region’s full ladder of appellations: the generous whites of the Mâconnais, the mineral village wines of the southern Côte d’Or, the serious reds of Pommard and Aloxe-Corton, and the increasingly compelling wines from once-overlooked addresses such as the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. My own personal full immersion into the region was on an Association of Wine Educators trip back in 2009, where we moved from Chablis in the north all the way through to Mâcon in the South. It was eye opening and most-importantly, unforgettable, so that even now today I can fully understand and appreciate what each sub region has to offer. The 2025 vintage demands our attention from the off. Early reports point to a smaller-than-hoped-for crop, but one with real promise: balanced juices, encouraging concentration and, for the reds, attractive depth of colour. In Burgundy, where supply is always limited and demand rarely softens, that makes early cellar selection especially important. White Burgundy is Chardonnay interpreted through limestone, slope, altitude and grower choice. In the Mâconnais, the grape often speaks with immediate generosity: ripe orchard fruit, citrus, white peach and a roundness that makes the wines delicious in youth. Mâcon is one of the best routes into white Burgundy because it offers openness and charm without losing regional identity. Saint-Véran, surrounding the famous villages of PouillyFuissé, typically brings a little more tension and mineral definition, with a fresh, stony line beneath its peach and floral notes. Pouilly-Fuissé sits at the more powerful end of the Mâconnais spectrum: broader, deeper and often more ageworthy, particularly from the best growers and premier cru sites. These are wines that can move from bright citrus and stone fruit in youth towards hazelnut, cream, honey and flint with a few years in bottle. The case for cellaring white Burgundy is not simply about longevity; it is about transformation. A young Chardonnay from Mâcon or Saint-Véran can be all freshness and fruit, while the

same bottle after three to five years may reveal a more layered, textural side. Pouilly-Fuissé, with its greater concentration, can reward longer patience, developing the savoury complexity that makes mature Burgundy so compelling at table. For members building a balanced cellar, these appellations provide the rare combination of drinkability, recognisable prestige and value relative to the Côte de Beaune’s most famous names. Red Burgundy is more delicate in colour and body than many great red wines of the world, yet its ability to gain nuance with age is extraordinary. Pinot Noir is the principal grape here, and the featured appellations show its breadth beautifully. Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, grown on higher, cooler slopes above the Côte de Nuits, is often one of the most exciting sources for fresh, fragrant, modern red Burgundy. These wines can show red cherry, raspberry, violet and spice, with a line of acidity that gives energy and lift. Côte de Nuits-Villages steps closer to the classical heartland, offering more structure and depth while still remaining approachable. It is a smart cellar choice because it can deliver a true Côte de Nuits signature without the price of the most famous village names. Further south, Aloxe-Corton and Pommard show Pinot Noir in a more muscular register. Aloxe-Corton, at the foot of the Corton hill, often combines firmness, dark fruit, earthy spice and a robust but refined frame. It benefits from time, as its tannins soften and its savoury detail comes forward. Pommard is one of the great names of the Côte de Beaune for red wine: structured, serious and often darker-fruited than neighbouring Volnay. In youth it can be firm, even brooding, but with patience it develops an impressive combination of power, polish and aromatic complexity. These are bottles to put away with confidence, especially in a vintage where the reds appear to have colour and concentration. Gamay also deserves its place in this Burgundy story. Long overshadowed by Pinot Noir, it brings a different kind of pleasure: juicy red fruit, floral lift, gentle tannin and refreshing immediacy. In Mâcon and regional Bourgogne styles, Gamay can be immensely useful in the cellar, not necessarily for decades of ageing, but for the short to medium term, when members want something expressive, versatile and ready before the more structured Pinot Noirs have reached their stride. It adds brightness and breadth to a Burgundy selection. The smartest Burgundy cellars are not built only on trophy bottles. They are built on range: whites to drink young and whites to follow as they gain texture; reds for early charm and reds that need time; appellations that show both the famous and the quietly ascendant sides of the region. The 2025 vintage looks set to offer exactly that kind of opportunity. For members, the reason to cellar these wines is clear: Burgundy remains one of the world’s most transparent expressions of place, and the pleasure lies in watching that place unfold, bottle by bottle, over time.

— CELLAR 340 ARTICLE

FRANCE

Red Burgundy Red Burgundy is Pinot Noir at its most transparent, but this selection reminds us that Burgundy is not one style or one price point. The regional and Hautes Côtes wines offer bright cherry fruit, perfume and a lighter, more lifted frame; Côte Chalonnaise and Givry add flesh, spice and an appealing rustic polish; Côte de Nuits-Villages

brings a darker, more savoury register; and Pommard, from the Côte de Beaune, is traditionally the more structured, muscular expression. There is even a Côteaux Bourguignons made from Gamay, a useful reminder that Burgundy’s everyday reds can be joyful, supple and immediate. Across the flight, the pleasure lies in texture as much as flavour: fine tannins, fresh acidity, red-fruit purity and the subtle earthy detail that makes Burgundy so compelling.

6414 DOMAINE THEVENOT-LE BRUN BOURGOGNE HAUTES CÔTES DE NUITS, ROUGE, AOP, 2025 Medium ruby hue. This is as close to a bargain as you'll find in Burgundy these days. Oodles of juicy red fruits on the palate, nicely balanced by refreshing acidity and supple tannins. Plenty of pleasure in the short to medium term. 2027-2030–nh. Pinot Noir. 13%. $60 6415 DOMAINE THEVENOT-LE BRUN BOURGOGNE HAUTES-CÔTESDE-NUITS, ROUGE, "CLOS DU VIGNON", MONOPOLE, AOP, 2025 Pale ruby hue. Elegant, poised, refined. This is exactly what Burgundy should deliver – unique character, coupled with pleasure. Fine-grained tannins interweave with just ripe red berry fruits. There is a subtle herbal note that maintains freshness throughout the wine. 2027-2036 –roc. Pinot Noir. 13%. $70

CELLAR 340 — CANADA

ELEGANT, POISED PINOT NOIR — EXACTLY WHAT BURGUNDY SHOULD DELIVER.

6416 DOMAINE GOUBARD BOURGOGNE CÔTE CHALONNAISE, MONT-AVRIL, AOP, 20% FÛT DE CHÊNE, 2025

6417 DOMAINE GOUBARD GIVRY AOP, ROUGE, 2025 Deep ruby hue. A deep and generous Pinot noir full of beautiful ripe black fruit expression. It balances softness with depth and brings in the joy of pure Pinot fruit. 2027-2032–roc. Pinot Noir. 13%. $70

Deep ruby hue. A dark-fruited and relatively full-bodied Pinot noir that delivers upfront fruit and doesn't seek to offer complexity. Rather, it is a perfect accompaniment to a hearty French stew. 2027-2030–roc. Pinot Noir. 13.5%. $60

6409 TANGUY CHEVALIER, AOP COTEAUX BOURGUIGNONS ROUGE, 2024 Medium garnet hue. Simple, juicy, fruity, easy to drink and totally enjoyable. Chill this lightly in summer for the perfect alternative to rosé (far more personality and fruit!). Enjoy as an apéritif wine or with al fresco meals. 2027-2029–nh. Gamay. 13%. $35

6412 DOMAINE DESERTAUXFERRAND, CÔTE DE NUITS-VILLAGES LES PERRIÈRES, AOP, 2024 Pale ruby hue. Delicate body and subtle fruit expression but very pure and precise. Lovely, fine-grained tannins, supple mouthfeel and elegant freshness. 2027-2035–roc. Pinot Noir. 13%. $80

6418 DOMAINE LA JOLIVODE POMMARD AOC, EARL CHRISTIAN ET PASCAL MENAUT, 2023 Pale ruby hue. Classic Burgundian Pinot, with medium body, layered with crunchy red fruits such as cherries and strawberries. The chalky tannins give a positive structure and enable a long length. 20272033–roc. Pinot Noir. 13%. $125

— FRANCE RED BURGUNDY

FRANCE

6389 BOURGOGNE ALIGOTÉ, AOC, 2025 Pale lemon hue. A classic Aligoté, showing both subtlety of fruit and quality of expression. It has a fresh, lithe mid-palate of stone fruits (peach) and a clean, gentle finish. 2027-2028–roc. $40 Aligoté. 12.5%, [0.50].

Lamblin & Fils Lamblin & Fils is a long-established Burgundy house based in Maligny, just north of Chablis, and this selection captures both its Chablis heartland and its broader regional reach. The Blanc de Blancs opens the range with bright, refreshing bubbles, before Saint-Bris introduces one of Burgundy’s rare exceptions: Sauvignon Blanc, full of citrus lift, leafy freshness and mineral snap. The Mâcon-Villages brings a rounder, sunnier expression of Chardonnay, while Petit Chablis and Chablis return us to the cool, limestone-driven precision of the Yonne, where freshness, oystershell minerality and purity define the style. The Côtes du Rhône adds generous southern fruit and spice, offering contrast. At the same time, AloxeCorton brings a more serious Côte de Beaune dimension: structured, savoury Pinot Noir with the depth and poise to reward cellaring.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LAMBLIN & FILS

6387 LAMBLIN BLANC DE BLANCS, MÉTHODE TRADITIONNELLE BRUT, NV Medium gold hue. An attractive, vibrant, zesty aroma coupled with ripe pineapple. Fresh, precise, vibrant palate, generous in fruit expression and offering ripe pineapple and salad fruits. 2027-2028–roc. Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay. 12%, [12.00]. $50

CELLAR 340 — CANADA

photo — Alexandre and Clément Lamblin of Lamblin & Fils, the family's Burgundy house based in Maligny, just north of Chablis.

6388 SAINT-BRIS SAUVIGNON, AOC, 2025 Pale lemon hue. Coolclimate Sauvignon Blanc with notes of asparagus and nettles as a counterpoint to citrus fruit. Brisk acidity and a creamy mid-palate. 2027-2028–nh. Sauvignon Blanc. 13%, [0.50]. $40

6390 MÂCONVILLAGES, AOC, 2024 Pale lemon hue. Bright, juicy fruit with a lovely natural spice typical of Macon running through the wine. Generous body and lovely fleshy, textured mouthfeel of pure, delicious Chardonnay fruit. 20272030–roc. Chardonnay. 12.5%, [0.50]. $45

CHABLIS, AOC, 2025 6392 (375 ML.)

$30

6393 (750 ML.)

$60

Pale lemon hue. A lovely Chablis with generous mouthfeel and texture. It is extremely wellbalanced and shows excellent typicity of the region with its mineral and stone fruit profile, and crisp acidity. 20272033–roc. Chardonnay. 12.5%, [0.50].

6391 PETIT CHABLIS, AOC, 2025 6394 CÔTES DU RHÔNE, AOC, 2025 Medium ruby hue. An approachable Côtes du Rhône with jammy red fruits, tinged with a little pepper and dried herbs. The tannins are rustic and chewy. Made for cozy evenings in and hearty meals. 2027-2028–nh. Syrah, Grenache.14%. $30

Mid lemon hue. Bright, tangy, attractive Chardonnay. While it doesn't scream 'Chablis', this delivers a lot of wine for not too much money. Great value and absolutely delicious! 20272029–nh. Chardonnay. 12%, [0.50]. $60

— FRANCE LAMBLIN & FILS

6395 ALOXE CORTON, AOC (WOOD CASE), 2025 Medium ruby hue. At this stage the wine is very young, and the tannins and oak still need further time to integrate, but there's a promising amount of fruit and freshness on the palate. The tannins, for that, are fine-grained and welljudged. 2028-2035–nh. Pinot Noir. 13%. $160

CELLAR 340 — CANADA

6396 CHABLIS PREMIER CRU CASE - 2 BOTTLES EACH: VAILLON, FOURCHAUME, BEAUROY (WOOD CASE) Chablis is a region that barely needs to be introduced to wine lovers. We’re all familiar with the region’s combination of delicate fruit and steely tension. After a run of mostly warm vintages, 2025 saw a return to a fresher, more acid-driven style – although that’s not to say that any of the three 1er Cru wines that you’ll find in this stylish wooden case lack concentration or length—a celebration of classic elegance.

CHABLIS PREMIER CRU, FOURCHAUMES, AOC CHABLIS 1ER CRU, 2025 Pale lemon hue. Delicate but juicy white fruits and a little bit of floral perfume point to a classic Chablis. There's a bit of breadth on the midpalate that may point to the use of some old oak barrels for ageing. 2027-2032–nh. Chardonnay. 13%, [0.50].

THREE PREMIER CRU TERROIRS, ONE COLLECTOR'S CASE OF CLASSIC CHABLIS.

CHABLIS PREMIER CRU, VAILLON, AOC CHABLIS 1ER CRU, 2025

CHABLIS PREMIER CRU, BEAUROY, AOC CHABLIS 1ER CRU, 2025

Pale lemon hue. Fantastic depth of fruit, showing juicy ripe pineapple, yet still with its classic citrus character of lemon. There is more depth than many Chablis show at 1er Cru level, genuine length, and ripples of wet stone. Very appealing. 20272035–roc. Chardonnay. 13%, [0.50].

Pale lemon hue. Linear and restrained, with salty minerality and subtle citrusand apple-tinged flavours. Despite the delicacy, the finish has some length. For those who like their Chablis classic and rather buttoned up. 2027-2032–nh. Chardonnay. 13%, [0.50]. $100

— FRANCE LAMBLIN & FILS

6397 CHABLIS GRAND CRU CASE - 1 BOTTLE EACH: VAUDÉSIR AND BOUGROS (WOOD CASE) Lamblin & Fils brings reassuring Chablis pedigree to this Collector's Corner mixed case. Based in Maligny, the family has been associated with the Grands Vins de Chablis since 1690, and its style sits firmly in the classical register: Chardonnay shaped by Kimmeridgian limestone, cool northern light and a saline, mineral spine. The two Grand Cru climats show different shades of that greatness. Bougros, on the north-western side of the Grand Cru slope, is often the broader, more powerful wine: sun-filled, structured and intensely mineral, with the scale to age. Vaudésir tends towards a more refined perfume, bringing white flowers, citrus, honeyed nuance and a graceful, rounded palate. Together they offer a concise study in Grand Cru Chablis: purity, authority and quiet grandeur.

CHABLIS GRAND CRU, BOUGROS, AOC CHABLIS GRAND CRU, 2025 Pale lemon hue. Generous, complex and concentrated – for Chablis. This is standout and benchmark quality. The wine is layered and multidimensional in character, expressing purity of fresh citrus fruits alongside naturally stony elements only witnessed from the best sites in Chablis. 2027-2028–roc. Chardonnay. 13%, [0.50]. CHABLIS GRAND CRU, VAUDÉSIR, AOC CHABLIS GRAND CRU, 2025 Pale lemon hue. This is a zesty and electric dimension of Chablis Grand Cru. There is so much intensity to what the soil has naturally expressed and delivered through the winemaking. It is poised, precise and vibrant. A fantastic expression of what can be achieved with Chardonnay on perfect sites such as this Grand Cru. 2027-2030–roc. Chardonnay. 13%, [0.50].

$185

CHABLIS GRAND CRU: PURITY, AUTHORITY, QUIET GRANDEUR.

CELLAR 334340 —— 34 34 CELLAR CANADA COLLECTOR’S CORNER

COLLECTOR’S CORNER

RARE WINES TO ENHANCE YOUR CELLAR

NEW

ROC DES BOUTIRES, POUILLY-FUISSÉ AOP VIEILLES VIGNES, 2023 6420 ROC DES BOUTIRES, POUILLY-FUISSÉ CASE: 3 BOTTLES EACH: VIEILLES VIGNES AND 1ER CRU AUX CHAILLOUX Edouard Parinet’s Château du Moulin-à-Vent is a notable player in the revival of fortunes in the granitestrewn vineyards of northern Beaujolais. Still, few people are aware that his family also own a property in the Mâconnais. The 4.2-hectare Domaine des Roc des Boutires lies only 15 kilometres away from the Château, but here the limestone-rich soils favour the growing of Chardonnay rather than Gamay. In the hands of Brice Laffond, a talented winemaker, the grape is coaxed and moulded into wines of great sophistication and elegance, whose complexity and poise are reminiscent of the prestigious bottlings of the Côte d’Or, albeit at a far more reasonable price. Winemaking is thoughtful and considered, with subtle use of oak designed to enhance and frame the fruit rather than overwhelm it. $125

Pale lemon hue. Real density of fruit, with plenty of complexity and elegance to match. It's not just the flavour complexity that's striking here, it's the complexity of texture -- all creamy, slippery silk. Precise and long. 2027-2034– nh . Chardonnay. 13%, [0.00].

NEW

ROC DES BOUTIRES, POUILLY-FUISSÉ 1ER CRU AUX CHAILLOUX AOP, 2024 Pale lemon hue. This is the epitome of premium white Burgundy but from an appellation where it becomes (relatively) affordable. The wine shows great depth and breadth, coating the entire palate in its outstanding range of fruits and spices, from roasted pineapple to nutmeg. The acidity provides an electric pulse that not only delivers persistence on the palate today but also promises years of ageing. 2027-2040–roc. Chardonnay. 13%, [0.00].

— CELLAR 340 COLLECTOR’S CORNER

! p u Pop WEB

Meet Markus Molitor, “Mr. 300 Points” Germany’s most awarded winemaker

In 2015, three of his wines from the 2013 vintage received a rating of 100 points from The Wine Advocate; thus his nickname, “Mr. 300 points” (Herr 300 Punkte in German). We are pleased to announce that Opimian has secured a small allocation of these outstanding wines from this brilliant winemaker. Don’t miss this opportunity to get your hands on these top-scoring wines, as they usually sell out in record time! Only at Opimian.ca beginning February 27. To everyone who LIMITED has already TIME expressed interest: thank you. We're currently – LIMITED QUANTITIES – WEBreviewing ONLY all applications and will be reaching out to candidates directly in the fourth quarter of this year.

300-2170 RENÉ-LÉVESQUE WEST MONTREAL QC H3H 2T8 OPIMIAN.CA