Had a nice lunch in the garden with Robin and Nikolai. I brought Champagne, and they stepped things up a notch with two famous Italians.

Champagne Bruno Paillard Assemblage 2009 France
50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir, 20% barrel fermented. Aged seven years on lees, then 18 months in bottle (disgorged September 2017) before release. Dosage 5 g/litre. Quite a rich style with toast, spice, apple and citrus. Lively with good precision and a nice acid line. A really nicely balanced wine, offering opulence as well as freshness. 93/100

Marchese Antinori Solaia 2010 IGT Toscana, Italy
14.5% alcohol. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Franc. Aromatic, gravelly, ashy blackcurrant fruit with some fine spiciness. Hints of tar. Quite new world in style with sleek black fruits dominating, but it’s a finessed new world style. Floral and expressive despite the ripeness. 93/100

Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino 1998 Tuscany, Italy
13.5% alcohol. So supple and fine. Detailed and elegant with some appealing spicy notes, and hints of tar, herbs and iodine. Fine spicy notes, too. Such precision to this wine. 95/100

Find these wines with wine-searcher.com