From a Chicago-based reputable retailer
Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2026 11:25 am
Top 2016 Vintage Ports Including 100-Point Taylor's
"There is no doubting the quality of these nascent 2016s ...
Why not treat yourself to a case or two?"
- Neal Martin, Vinous.com
Made only in the finest years and capable of drinking windows that quite literally span a lifetime, Vintage Port is a special wine that is in a class of its own. Devotees know the most esteemed Port houses (or "shippers") see their vintage-dated releases as the apogee of their portfolio. Many pieces need to be in place for a Vintage Port to be released, starting with a strict selection process in the months following the harvest. Wines are initially blended from the best grapes of each house's top vineyards, and following fermentation and fortification, only the finest lots are selected and left to age for roughly two years before bottling. During that time, the wines are repeatedly assessed for their development and future potential before a final decision is made whether to "declare" the vintage.
For any declaration to be made, the Vintage Port must be truly outstanding: formidable in its youth, with tremendous depth and structure capable of evolving in bottle for decades. Vintage Port is renowned for its longevity, and truly great declarations remain relatively rare. Vintages such as 1927, 1945, 1963, 1970 and 1977 have become legendary, while more recent benchmarks like 1994 and 2000 continue to demonstrate just how slowly the finest Ports can evolve. The 2016 vintage deserves a place in that conversation. Widely declared by the leading houses, 2016 produced an extraordinary collection of Vintage Ports and quickly established itself as one of the benchmark years of the 21st century.
Today we are pleased to offer a curated selection of 2016s greatest releases, including the towering 100-point Taylor Fladgate which was recognized by Wine Spectator as their #4 Wine of 2018. For anyone who missed these Ports on release, today's offer presents a great opportunity to revisit one of the great vintages of the new millennium with a decade of bottle age now behind it. The best 2016s combine the pedigree of the Douro's greatest estates with the extraordinary longevity that makes Vintage Port unique among the world's great wines. Please respond to this email with any interest and we will process all requests in the order they are received. Discounts for six bottle "mix & match" orders are also available as noted below. This special collection of 2016s will be arriving at TCWC later this year and available for local pickup, storage, or shipment across the US when weather permits.
“Maybe the 2016 is the new 1963 — a legendary year that was always admired for its balance and strength.”
- James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
2016 Croft
Vintage Port
$69.95 BOTTLE
$64.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 BOTTLES - MIX AND MATCH OK]
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases Arriving Later This Year
Please Respond to Email to Order
"97 out of 100...Extremely perfumed with dark-berry and currant aromas. Hints of earth and spices. Full-bodied, round and medium sweet. Hints of resin. Opulent yet restrained. Shows ripe and beautiful fruit with clarity. Try in 2025." -James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
"97 out of 100...This unfurls with mouthwatering licorice snap, fruitcake, apple wood and violet notes, followed by a wave of mouthfilling plum, blackberry and fig paste flavors. This is packed but well-defined, and the energy allows the fruit to ripple through the long finish. Best from 2035 through 2055." - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
2016 Warre's
Vintage Port
$79.95 BOTTLE
$74.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 BOTTLES - MIX AND MATCH OK]
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases Arriving Later This Year
Please Respond to Email to Order
"98 out of 100...Nearly 50% is made from old field blend vines, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca from the Douro Superior. Very pure violet aromas – already utterly charming with lovely, supple and seamless fruit. Fresh and lithe with fine-grained tannins building in the mouth leading to a peacock’s tail of a finish. A beautiful wine with real poise, definition and great finesse. Don’t be deceived by the early charm, this is a wine that will last." - Decanter
"98 out of 100...Gorgeous, with warm plum reduction and gently steeped raspberry, blackberry and boysenberry fruit flavors forming the core, all inlaid with warm ganache and smoldering tobacco accents. Very plush in feel, but has no lack of energy, as everything sails beautifully through the long finish. A late echo of anise completes the seduction." - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
2016 Cockburn
Vintage Port
$79.95 BOTTLE
$74.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 BOTTLES - MIX AND MATCH OK]
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases Arriving Later This Year
Please Respond to Email to Order
"99 out of 100...This shows fantastic graphite and dark-berry character with black-stone undertones and hints of dried roses. Full-bodied and very tight and precise. Good kick in the end. Love the polished tannins, which are totally folded into the wine. Reminds me of the 1947 Cockburn. Try in 2024." - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
2016 Quinta do Noval
Vintage Port
$89.95 BOTTLE
$84.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 BOTTLES - MIX AND MATCH OK]
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases In Stock
Please Respond to Email to Order
"98 out of 100 ... This is distinctive from the start, with a youthfully rambunctious display of dark currant, fig and blackberry fruit paste flavors liberally spiked with bramble, Turkish coffee and ganache notes. As the fruit pumps through the finish, a tarry spine adds a bristling, mouthwatering edge. Sports more obvious grip and is a touch drier in style than most of its peers." - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
"98 out of 100 ... This is a superb baby Noval that reminds me of the 1966. Chewy yet so polished. The light sweetness suggests an overall dialing back of the sugar content. Stemmy and lightly green. A truly classic Noval. Almost all from Pinhao. Buy." - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
2016 Taylor's
Vintage Port
$99.95 BOTTLE
$94.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 BOTTLES - MIX AND MATCH OK]
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases Arriving Later This Year
Please Respond to Email to Order
"100 out of 100 ... OMG. This is really the most amazing young Taylor's I have ever tasted. Full-bodied and lightly sweet with super power and intensity. So racy and focused. Yet this has such muscle and intensity. Needs at least eight years to show you everything it has to offer. Drink in 2025." - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
"98 out of 100 ... (WS #4 - Top 100 Wines of 2018) This is packed with raspberry, blackberry and blueberry fruit flavors that play off one another, melding with anise, fruitcake and ganache notes. A warm tarry edge coats the finish, revealing an echo of bramble. A seriously grippy, strapping Port, this revels in its power. Best from 2032 through 2055." - James Molesworth, WineSpectator.com
"A Stunning Vintage in Every Way Possible"
100-Point Cabernet & 98-Point Syrah from Corliss
2019 Corliss Estates
Cabernet Sauvignon | Red Mountain (Washington)
$109.95 BOTTLE
FULL CASES AVAILABLE PACKAGED AS [OWC-6]
"This is clearly one of the wines of the 2019 vintage" - Owen Bargreen
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases Arriving at TCWC in Early October
Please Respond to Email to Order
"100 out of 100 ... [Highly Recommended & Editor's Choice] The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon by Corliss is always a wine I look forward to tasting year after year and this vintage is stunning in every single way possible. 100% Cabernet fruit from Red Mountain gives up a healthy brooding purple-ruby core with a lighter purple rim as well as a more rounded, definitive, and incredibly alluring profile that carries flavors and aromas of black currants, boysenberries, cedarwood, wildflowers, toasted spice, pencil shavings, and wet earth. Full-bodied, rich, supple, and straight-up perfect on the palate, it sports plush tannins, no hard edges, and a scrumptious finish. Enjoy this one now with a heavy decant or over the next two decades. Bravo!" - Joe d'Angelo, International Wine Report
"99 out of 100...The gorgeous and heady 2019 Corliss Cabernet Sauvignon was stored in nearly all new French oak before bottling. The nose is aromatically intense and downright gorgeous with sandalwood notes alongside anise, creme de cassis, Turkish coffee and shades of graphite. The palate is seamless and intense with serious texture, verve and flavor density. Weightless throughout the drinking experience, this effortlessly glides through the mid-palate. Showing glorious length, this is really only an infant now at the five year mark. Cellar this beauty for another twenty five years. Drink 2026-2050." - Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com
"98 out of 100...The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is all varietal and comes from the Red Mountain AVA. This vivid purple beauty boasts a killer bouquet of cassis, spring flowers, graphite, and earth. More vibrant, fresh, and lively than previous vintages, it still has terrific concentration, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It's one of the finest vintages of this cuvée that I can remember. It's brilliant today yet should evolve for 20 years or more." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
2019 Corliss Estates
Syrah | Columbia Valley (Washington)
$84.95 BOTTLE
FULL CASES AVAILABLE PACKAGED AS [OWC-6]
Very Limited & Rarely Available Outside of Winery
(12) Bottles In Stock
Please Respond to Email to Order
"98 out of 100 ... [Highly Recommended & Editor's Choice] An absolutely breathtaking, joy ride of a Syrah from the winemaking team at Corliss, the 2019 Walla Walla Syrah presents a medium to dark neon purple core with a bright light purple rim. Loaded with pure black plum, aged prime beef, smoked herbs, dried lavender flowers, and shades of turned earth, olive brine, and black-peppered charcuterie flavors and aromas, this full-bodied effort is powerful and decadent on the palate, with a thrillingly seamless consistency, luminous concentration, and focus, and a blockbuster finish. Enjoy this over the next 15 years with proper cellaring." - Joe d'Angelo, International Wine Report
"98 out of 100 ... This 2019 Corliss Syrah comes from the Black Rock, Red Mountain and Stillwater Creek Vineyards. Extremely inky in the glass the wine was stored in roughly 40% new French oak for 22 months before bottling. Smoked brisket, and tar with pipe tobacco and scorched earth notes fill the nose alongside cedar and blackberry cordial. The palate is beautifully textured with serious weight and underlying verve. A total stunner, this is the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted so far. Give this a few hours in the decanter if savoring now. Drink 2025-2045" - Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com
"96 out of 100 ... The 2019 Syrah is all Columbia Valley Syrah and this glass-staining effort has textbook notes of blackberries, spring flowers, toasted spice, and peppered meats. It's pure, medium to full-bodied, has polished tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Give it 2-3 years and enjoy over the following decade or more. It's another incredible wine from Corliss in 2019. Bravo." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
The King & The Contender
Two Legendary Vintages of Haut-Bailly
2016 Château Haut-Bailly
Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé
$169.95 BOTTLE
$159.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 OR MORE]
FULL CASES AVAILABLE PACKAGED AS [OWC-12]
"Reminding me of the 2009 Haut-Bailly with its textural richness and length, [this] is another awesome wine from Véronique Sanders that’s capable of keeping for 30+ years." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
"100 out of 100 … I obviously underrated the 2016 Château Haut-Bailly on release, and it easily tops out my scale. A hypothetical blend of the 2009 and 2010, it has the opulence and sexiness of a ripe, sunny vintage (à la 2009) paired with incredible purity, concentration, structure, and elegance (à la 2010). Incredible aromatics of cassis, liquid violets, cedar pencil, flowers, and minerals give way to a full-bodied, multi-dimensional, layered Haut-Bailly offering ultra-fine tannins, flawless overall balance, nothing out of place, and the class to drink well today yet evolve for 30-40 years. Absolute perfection in wine, this is a modern-day legend from director Veronique Sanders." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (10/2023)
"100 out of 100 … To kick off the 50 year retrospective of Haut-Bailly, we began with this exceptional 2016 (we had also tried the fragrant and nuanced 2019 in the tasting room). Still concentrated and powerful, its structure and poise is a clear reminder that the vintage sets the bar as one of the greatest Haut-Baillys in recent history. Fabulous wine, with layers of black olive paste, blueberry fruit, crayon, cigar box, luscious but still reserved, will go for decades. Harvest September 26 to October 18. Denis Dubourdieu's last year as consultant, Gabriel Vialard winemaker, Véronique Sanders director, 55% new oak for ageing." - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux (6/2025)
2009 Château Haut-Bailly
Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé
$269.95 BOTTLE
$259.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 OR MORE]
FULL CASES AVAILABLE PACKAGED AS [OWC-12]
(3) Magnums Available @ $539.95 EACH
"This is pure Bordeaux magic that I wish every reader could taste. [The 2009 Haut-Bailly] has also been incredibly consistent for me, and has consistently topped out my scale every time I'm lucky enough to drink a bottle." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
"100 out of 100 ... I have had this wine now four separate times since I wrote my official review after bottling of the 2009s. It goes from strength to strength, and it is not surprising that it is now one of the perfect wines of this great, great vintage – the finest vintage of Bordeaux that I have tasted in 37 years covering that epicenter for world-class quality in wine. Much of it is attributable to winemaker Véronique Sanders and her boss, Robert Wilmers. Their incredibly draconian selection process and their enormous investments in both the viticulture and the estate as well as the winemaking facility have paid off brilliantly over the last decade. The 2009, which has an opaque ruby/purple color, an extraordinary nose of high-quality unsmoked cigar tobacco, graphite, blackcurrants and spice, hits the palate with a medium to full-bodied, saturated and rich mouthfeel, but an elegant and ethereal quality that is difficult to articulate. It is rich, complex and tastes as if it were the vinous equivalent of a remarkable haute couture creation from the late Coco Chanel. It is full-bodied yet elegant, powerful yet delicate, and remarkably velvety-textured, sumptuous and loaded with upside potential. It can be approached now, as most 2009s tend to be, given their richness of fruit, low acidity and extraordinary concentration, but the great complexity that will emerge from this fabulous terroir is at least a decade away, and this wine is set for 50 or more years of longevity. Kudos to Haut-Bailly!" - Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate (4/2015)
"100 out of 100 ... Leading off a duo of truly legendary beauties, the 2009 Château Haut-Bailly possesses that rare mix of opulence and elegance that's the hallmark of all truly great wines. Incredible notes of sweet red and black fruit, flowery incense, mint, smoked tobacco, and assorted spices give way to a full-bodied, layered, weightless 2009 with velvety tannins and a magical finish. This is pure Bordeaux magic that I wish every reader could taste. It's also been incredibly consistent for me, and this has consistently topped out my scale every time I'm lucky enough to drink a bottle." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (10/2023)
"100 out of 100 ... I continue to think the 2009 Château Haut-Bailly is the finest wine from this estate to date. It exemplifies the inherent elegance and finesse of this terroir while offering an incredible level of richness and depth, revealing a ruby/plum hue as well as a smorgasbord of black cherries, red currants, lavender, unsmoked tobacco, truffle, and flowery incense. Every bit as sensational on the palate, this full-bodied Haut-Bailly has a flawless, layered, multi-dimensional texture, beautiful mid-palate depth, and again, just off-the-charts elegance and finesse. It needs an hour in a decanter if drinking any time soon and has another 30 years of prime drinking ahead of it. Hats off to the team of Véronique Sanders for this legendary Graves." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (11/2020)
"100 out of 100 ... Deep ruby/purple-colored, with loads of red currants, smoked meats, dried flowers, Asian spices and hints of truffle-like aromatics, the 2009 Haut Bailly is full-bodied, ethereally textured, super elegant, and possesses a purity of fruit that’s off the charts. In addition to a wealth of fruit, this absolutely perfect wine glides across the palate and carries incredible intensity and richness without any sensation of weight or heaviness. It's already impossible to resist, yet will keep for another two to three decades. This is the epitome of elegance and finesse in Bordeaux!" - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (12/2017)
Our Best Cabernet Value of the Year Has Arrived
A "Truly Exceptional" Release from Frog's Leap - Under $60
2023 Frog's Leap
"Estate Grown"
Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford
$64.95 BOTTLE
$59.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6-PACK]
Vinous #5 - Top 100 Wines of 2025
Highest Ranked US Wine in Vinous Top 100
Limited Quantities Arriving at TCWC Next Week
"96 out of 100 ... After the torrid 2022 vintage, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon marks a return to a much more classic style at Frog's Leap. Aromatic, vibrant and sculpted, the 2023 dazzles from start to finish. The 2023 is wonderfully deep and so expressive. Rose petal, dried herbs, mocha, pine and a touch of Rutherford earthiness play off a core of distinctly fresh red-toned fruit. Readers who enjoy restrained, classically built wines won't find a finer value." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com
Perfectly Cellared 2005 Château Pavie
A 4x 100-Point Masterpiece from Bordeaux
2005 Château Pavie
Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé
$499.95 BOTTLE
FULL CASES AVAILABLE PACKAGED AS [OWC-12]
"100 out of 100 ... Gérard Perse believes this is the greatest Pavie he’s made to date, although certainly I would argue that list includes the 2000, as well as the 2009 and 2010, among his superstars. This wine, which I had both in the 2005 horizontal report in the Wine Advocate, and at a mini-vertical with Perse at the restaurant Maison Boulud in Montreal, looks to be a 75- to 100-year wine. Dense, opaque purple to the rim, with a gorgeously promising nose of blackberries, cassis, graphite and cedar wood just beginning to emerge, it tastes more like a three-year-old than wine that is already a decade old. This beauty is intense and full-bodied, with magnificent concentration, a majestic mouthfeel and a total seamless integration of tannin, wood, alcohol, etc. Beautifully rich, full and multidimensional, this is a tour de force in winemaking and certainly one of the top dozen or so 2005 Bordeaux. Forget it for another 3-5 years and drink it over the following 50-100 years!" - Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate (8/2015)
"100 out of 100 ... A wine I’ve been lucky enough to have many times, the 2005 Château Pavie is unquestionably one of the finest vintages from this Chateau, checking with the likes of the 2000, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, and 2020. I’d say just outside of its adolescent years, it’s still ruby/purple hued with incredible aromatics of ripe dark fruits, truffly earth, graphite, and leather. Possessing blockbuster richness, full body, velvety, seamless tannins, and no hard edges, this is quintessential Pavie all the way." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuk.com (4/2024)
"100 out of 100 ... The 2005 Pavie is deep garnet with a touch of brick. It skips out of the glass with bright, lively notes of Morello cherries, plum preserves, red roses, and candied violets followed by hints of menthol, dark chocolate, and underbrush. The full-bodied palate is so vibrant and energetic that it sparkles. Youthful red and black fruit notes comingle with mineral and floral sparks, framed by fine-grained tannins and wonderful tension, finishing with epic length and depth. This is a triumph." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent (12/2023)
"100 out of 100 ... This is monumental. Just a baby with a fresh and intense mouthfeel and density. Full-bodied, velvety and layered. Decadent and rich. A folly of a wine. Drink or hold." - James Suckling, JamseSuckling.com (3/2019)
Pinot's Best Kept Secret No Longer
The Greatest Vintage Ever From Kelley Fox
Pinot's Best Kept Secret No Longer
"Fans of Kelley Fox Will Not Want To Be Without This Glorious Vintage"
- Eric Guido, Vinous.com
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Durant Vineyard" Dundee Hills | JD 98+ | $79.95
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Canary Hill Vineyard" Eola-Amity Hills | JD 97 | $74.95
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Shafer Vineyard" Tualatin Hills | JD 97 | $74.95
Mix & Match Any (6) Wines & Save $5 Per Bottle
Please Respond to Email to Order - Not Available Online
All 2024s Arriving From the Winery In Early October
Full Reviews
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Durant Vineyard"
"98+ out of 100 ... A bright, energetic wine, the 2024 Pinot Noir Durant Vineyard resonates with remarkable purity, offering framboise, violets, sweet tea, sweet orange, and silky tannins. Sourced from old vines, it has extraordinary length, crystalline salinity, and remarkable depth despite its elegance. Nothing here feels lean. Drink over the coming 20 years or more." - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Canary Hill Vineyard"
"97 out of 100 ... The 2024 Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard pours a transparent ruby color and offers bright aromas of pomegranate, wildflowers, tiny purple flowers, and wild strawberries. Medium-bodied, it has focused tannins, bright acidity, terrific linearity, and tremendous energy and length. Kelley believes this is the finest vintage she has made from this vineyard. The House Block combines basalt with fossilized sedimentary soils containing shells and is surrounded by mature oak trees. Drink this wine over the coming 20 years." - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Shafer Vineyard"
"97 out of 100 ... From the Tualatin Hills, the 2024 Pinot Noir Shafer Vineyard is bright and vibrant, with notes of orange zest, cranberry, bright roses, dusty earth, and terrific tension. Medium-bodied, it delivers mouthwatering acidity without ever becoming severe, alongside impressive salinity and elegance. Sourced from 1973 plantings in what Kelley calls a magical place, this is a wine Oregon wine pioneer David Lett would likely have appreciated. Drink over the coming 15 years." - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com
Tuscany's Best Dollar-for-Dollar Wine
An Encore at the Best Price in the US
2023 Fattoria Le Pupille
"Saffredi"
Cabernet Blend | Toscana IGT
$109.95 BOTTLE
$99.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6-PACK CASE]
Best Price in US
Very Limited Quantities In Stock
Additional Cases Arriving at TCWC Next Month
"98 out of 100 ... The Fattoria Le Pupille 2023 Saffredi represents a classic expression from a fresh vintage that ultimately performed far better than expected despite mid-season mildew pressure. The estate continues to refine its use of wood to emphasize brightness and fruit purity, a shift that is especially evident here. The wine shows notes of dark cherry, ripe blackberry, spice and hints of creamy chocolate. While the 2022 vintage emphasized harder tannins, this vintage is defined by generosity and luscious fruit. The Cabernet Sauvignon in particular appears crunchy, youthful and fresh, giving the wine energy and forward momentum." - Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
"97 out of 100 ... A racy and focused wine with aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries, fresh rosemary, sage, thyme and lavender. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a crunchy finish. Shows excellent length. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Better in two or three years, but hard not to drink now." - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
"97 out of 100 ... The ‘rebirth’ of Saffredi in 2022 continues with this 2023; a wetter vintage which has elevated the aromatics. Herbal and ripe dark fruit scents evoke the surrounding landscape. Lifted and vibrant, it's a balanced mouthful of crunchy dark cherry, blackberry and raspberry, subtle spices, and round, silky tannins. There's a distinct floral imprint – potpourri, violets and Mediterranean herbs – along with a lick of salinity, making for a deep sip full of dynamism and juxtaposition. The future bodes well for this wine." - James Button, Decanter.com
835 N Central | Wood Dale, IL 60191 | (630) 594-2972 | www.tcwc.com | info@tcwc.com
The Chicago Wine Company | 835 N. Central | Wood Dale, IL 60191 US
"There is no doubting the quality of these nascent 2016s ...
Why not treat yourself to a case or two?"
- Neal Martin, Vinous.com
Made only in the finest years and capable of drinking windows that quite literally span a lifetime, Vintage Port is a special wine that is in a class of its own. Devotees know the most esteemed Port houses (or "shippers") see their vintage-dated releases as the apogee of their portfolio. Many pieces need to be in place for a Vintage Port to be released, starting with a strict selection process in the months following the harvest. Wines are initially blended from the best grapes of each house's top vineyards, and following fermentation and fortification, only the finest lots are selected and left to age for roughly two years before bottling. During that time, the wines are repeatedly assessed for their development and future potential before a final decision is made whether to "declare" the vintage.
For any declaration to be made, the Vintage Port must be truly outstanding: formidable in its youth, with tremendous depth and structure capable of evolving in bottle for decades. Vintage Port is renowned for its longevity, and truly great declarations remain relatively rare. Vintages such as 1927, 1945, 1963, 1970 and 1977 have become legendary, while more recent benchmarks like 1994 and 2000 continue to demonstrate just how slowly the finest Ports can evolve. The 2016 vintage deserves a place in that conversation. Widely declared by the leading houses, 2016 produced an extraordinary collection of Vintage Ports and quickly established itself as one of the benchmark years of the 21st century.
Today we are pleased to offer a curated selection of 2016s greatest releases, including the towering 100-point Taylor Fladgate which was recognized by Wine Spectator as their #4 Wine of 2018. For anyone who missed these Ports on release, today's offer presents a great opportunity to revisit one of the great vintages of the new millennium with a decade of bottle age now behind it. The best 2016s combine the pedigree of the Douro's greatest estates with the extraordinary longevity that makes Vintage Port unique among the world's great wines. Please respond to this email with any interest and we will process all requests in the order they are received. Discounts for six bottle "mix & match" orders are also available as noted below. This special collection of 2016s will be arriving at TCWC later this year and available for local pickup, storage, or shipment across the US when weather permits.
“Maybe the 2016 is the new 1963 — a legendary year that was always admired for its balance and strength.”
- James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
2016 Croft
Vintage Port
$69.95 BOTTLE
$64.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 BOTTLES - MIX AND MATCH OK]
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases Arriving Later This Year
Please Respond to Email to Order
"97 out of 100...Extremely perfumed with dark-berry and currant aromas. Hints of earth and spices. Full-bodied, round and medium sweet. Hints of resin. Opulent yet restrained. Shows ripe and beautiful fruit with clarity. Try in 2025." -James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
"97 out of 100...This unfurls with mouthwatering licorice snap, fruitcake, apple wood and violet notes, followed by a wave of mouthfilling plum, blackberry and fig paste flavors. This is packed but well-defined, and the energy allows the fruit to ripple through the long finish. Best from 2035 through 2055." - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
2016 Warre's
Vintage Port
$79.95 BOTTLE
$74.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 BOTTLES - MIX AND MATCH OK]
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases Arriving Later This Year
Please Respond to Email to Order
"98 out of 100...Nearly 50% is made from old field blend vines, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca from the Douro Superior. Very pure violet aromas – already utterly charming with lovely, supple and seamless fruit. Fresh and lithe with fine-grained tannins building in the mouth leading to a peacock’s tail of a finish. A beautiful wine with real poise, definition and great finesse. Don’t be deceived by the early charm, this is a wine that will last." - Decanter
"98 out of 100...Gorgeous, with warm plum reduction and gently steeped raspberry, blackberry and boysenberry fruit flavors forming the core, all inlaid with warm ganache and smoldering tobacco accents. Very plush in feel, but has no lack of energy, as everything sails beautifully through the long finish. A late echo of anise completes the seduction." - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
2016 Cockburn
Vintage Port
$79.95 BOTTLE
$74.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 BOTTLES - MIX AND MATCH OK]
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases Arriving Later This Year
Please Respond to Email to Order
"99 out of 100...This shows fantastic graphite and dark-berry character with black-stone undertones and hints of dried roses. Full-bodied and very tight and precise. Good kick in the end. Love the polished tannins, which are totally folded into the wine. Reminds me of the 1947 Cockburn. Try in 2024." - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
2016 Quinta do Noval
Vintage Port
$89.95 BOTTLE
$84.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 BOTTLES - MIX AND MATCH OK]
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases In Stock
Please Respond to Email to Order
"98 out of 100 ... This is distinctive from the start, with a youthfully rambunctious display of dark currant, fig and blackberry fruit paste flavors liberally spiked with bramble, Turkish coffee and ganache notes. As the fruit pumps through the finish, a tarry spine adds a bristling, mouthwatering edge. Sports more obvious grip and is a touch drier in style than most of its peers." - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
"98 out of 100 ... This is a superb baby Noval that reminds me of the 1966. Chewy yet so polished. The light sweetness suggests an overall dialing back of the sugar content. Stemmy and lightly green. A truly classic Noval. Almost all from Pinhao. Buy." - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
2016 Taylor's
Vintage Port
$99.95 BOTTLE
$94.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 BOTTLES - MIX AND MATCH OK]
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases Arriving Later This Year
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"100 out of 100 ... OMG. This is really the most amazing young Taylor's I have ever tasted. Full-bodied and lightly sweet with super power and intensity. So racy and focused. Yet this has such muscle and intensity. Needs at least eight years to show you everything it has to offer. Drink in 2025." - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
"98 out of 100 ... (WS #4 - Top 100 Wines of 2018) This is packed with raspberry, blackberry and blueberry fruit flavors that play off one another, melding with anise, fruitcake and ganache notes. A warm tarry edge coats the finish, revealing an echo of bramble. A seriously grippy, strapping Port, this revels in its power. Best from 2032 through 2055." - James Molesworth, WineSpectator.com
"A Stunning Vintage in Every Way Possible"
100-Point Cabernet & 98-Point Syrah from Corliss
2019 Corliss Estates
Cabernet Sauvignon | Red Mountain (Washington)
$109.95 BOTTLE
FULL CASES AVAILABLE PACKAGED AS [OWC-6]
"This is clearly one of the wines of the 2019 vintage" - Owen Bargreen
Bottles & 6-Pack Wood Cases Arriving at TCWC in Early October
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"100 out of 100 ... [Highly Recommended & Editor's Choice] The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon by Corliss is always a wine I look forward to tasting year after year and this vintage is stunning in every single way possible. 100% Cabernet fruit from Red Mountain gives up a healthy brooding purple-ruby core with a lighter purple rim as well as a more rounded, definitive, and incredibly alluring profile that carries flavors and aromas of black currants, boysenberries, cedarwood, wildflowers, toasted spice, pencil shavings, and wet earth. Full-bodied, rich, supple, and straight-up perfect on the palate, it sports plush tannins, no hard edges, and a scrumptious finish. Enjoy this one now with a heavy decant or over the next two decades. Bravo!" - Joe d'Angelo, International Wine Report
"99 out of 100...The gorgeous and heady 2019 Corliss Cabernet Sauvignon was stored in nearly all new French oak before bottling. The nose is aromatically intense and downright gorgeous with sandalwood notes alongside anise, creme de cassis, Turkish coffee and shades of graphite. The palate is seamless and intense with serious texture, verve and flavor density. Weightless throughout the drinking experience, this effortlessly glides through the mid-palate. Showing glorious length, this is really only an infant now at the five year mark. Cellar this beauty for another twenty five years. Drink 2026-2050." - Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com
"98 out of 100...The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is all varietal and comes from the Red Mountain AVA. This vivid purple beauty boasts a killer bouquet of cassis, spring flowers, graphite, and earth. More vibrant, fresh, and lively than previous vintages, it still has terrific concentration, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It's one of the finest vintages of this cuvée that I can remember. It's brilliant today yet should evolve for 20 years or more." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
2019 Corliss Estates
Syrah | Columbia Valley (Washington)
$84.95 BOTTLE
FULL CASES AVAILABLE PACKAGED AS [OWC-6]
Very Limited & Rarely Available Outside of Winery
(12) Bottles In Stock
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"98 out of 100 ... [Highly Recommended & Editor's Choice] An absolutely breathtaking, joy ride of a Syrah from the winemaking team at Corliss, the 2019 Walla Walla Syrah presents a medium to dark neon purple core with a bright light purple rim. Loaded with pure black plum, aged prime beef, smoked herbs, dried lavender flowers, and shades of turned earth, olive brine, and black-peppered charcuterie flavors and aromas, this full-bodied effort is powerful and decadent on the palate, with a thrillingly seamless consistency, luminous concentration, and focus, and a blockbuster finish. Enjoy this over the next 15 years with proper cellaring." - Joe d'Angelo, International Wine Report
"98 out of 100 ... This 2019 Corliss Syrah comes from the Black Rock, Red Mountain and Stillwater Creek Vineyards. Extremely inky in the glass the wine was stored in roughly 40% new French oak for 22 months before bottling. Smoked brisket, and tar with pipe tobacco and scorched earth notes fill the nose alongside cedar and blackberry cordial. The palate is beautifully textured with serious weight and underlying verve. A total stunner, this is the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted so far. Give this a few hours in the decanter if savoring now. Drink 2025-2045" - Owen Bargreen, OwenBargreen.com
"96 out of 100 ... The 2019 Syrah is all Columbia Valley Syrah and this glass-staining effort has textbook notes of blackberries, spring flowers, toasted spice, and peppered meats. It's pure, medium to full-bodied, has polished tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Give it 2-3 years and enjoy over the following decade or more. It's another incredible wine from Corliss in 2019. Bravo." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
The King & The Contender
Two Legendary Vintages of Haut-Bailly
2016 Château Haut-Bailly
Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé
$169.95 BOTTLE
$159.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 OR MORE]
FULL CASES AVAILABLE PACKAGED AS [OWC-12]
"Reminding me of the 2009 Haut-Bailly with its textural richness and length, [this] is another awesome wine from Véronique Sanders that’s capable of keeping for 30+ years." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
"100 out of 100 … I obviously underrated the 2016 Château Haut-Bailly on release, and it easily tops out my scale. A hypothetical blend of the 2009 and 2010, it has the opulence and sexiness of a ripe, sunny vintage (à la 2009) paired with incredible purity, concentration, structure, and elegance (à la 2010). Incredible aromatics of cassis, liquid violets, cedar pencil, flowers, and minerals give way to a full-bodied, multi-dimensional, layered Haut-Bailly offering ultra-fine tannins, flawless overall balance, nothing out of place, and the class to drink well today yet evolve for 30-40 years. Absolute perfection in wine, this is a modern-day legend from director Veronique Sanders." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (10/2023)
"100 out of 100 … To kick off the 50 year retrospective of Haut-Bailly, we began with this exceptional 2016 (we had also tried the fragrant and nuanced 2019 in the tasting room). Still concentrated and powerful, its structure and poise is a clear reminder that the vintage sets the bar as one of the greatest Haut-Baillys in recent history. Fabulous wine, with layers of black olive paste, blueberry fruit, crayon, cigar box, luscious but still reserved, will go for decades. Harvest September 26 to October 18. Denis Dubourdieu's last year as consultant, Gabriel Vialard winemaker, Véronique Sanders director, 55% new oak for ageing." - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux (6/2025)
2009 Château Haut-Bailly
Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé
$269.95 BOTTLE
$259.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6 OR MORE]
FULL CASES AVAILABLE PACKAGED AS [OWC-12]
(3) Magnums Available @ $539.95 EACH
"This is pure Bordeaux magic that I wish every reader could taste. [The 2009 Haut-Bailly] has also been incredibly consistent for me, and has consistently topped out my scale every time I'm lucky enough to drink a bottle." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com
"100 out of 100 ... I have had this wine now four separate times since I wrote my official review after bottling of the 2009s. It goes from strength to strength, and it is not surprising that it is now one of the perfect wines of this great, great vintage – the finest vintage of Bordeaux that I have tasted in 37 years covering that epicenter for world-class quality in wine. Much of it is attributable to winemaker Véronique Sanders and her boss, Robert Wilmers. Their incredibly draconian selection process and their enormous investments in both the viticulture and the estate as well as the winemaking facility have paid off brilliantly over the last decade. The 2009, which has an opaque ruby/purple color, an extraordinary nose of high-quality unsmoked cigar tobacco, graphite, blackcurrants and spice, hits the palate with a medium to full-bodied, saturated and rich mouthfeel, but an elegant and ethereal quality that is difficult to articulate. It is rich, complex and tastes as if it were the vinous equivalent of a remarkable haute couture creation from the late Coco Chanel. It is full-bodied yet elegant, powerful yet delicate, and remarkably velvety-textured, sumptuous and loaded with upside potential. It can be approached now, as most 2009s tend to be, given their richness of fruit, low acidity and extraordinary concentration, but the great complexity that will emerge from this fabulous terroir is at least a decade away, and this wine is set for 50 or more years of longevity. Kudos to Haut-Bailly!" - Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate (4/2015)
"100 out of 100 ... Leading off a duo of truly legendary beauties, the 2009 Château Haut-Bailly possesses that rare mix of opulence and elegance that's the hallmark of all truly great wines. Incredible notes of sweet red and black fruit, flowery incense, mint, smoked tobacco, and assorted spices give way to a full-bodied, layered, weightless 2009 with velvety tannins and a magical finish. This is pure Bordeaux magic that I wish every reader could taste. It's also been incredibly consistent for me, and this has consistently topped out my scale every time I'm lucky enough to drink a bottle." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (10/2023)
"100 out of 100 ... I continue to think the 2009 Château Haut-Bailly is the finest wine from this estate to date. It exemplifies the inherent elegance and finesse of this terroir while offering an incredible level of richness and depth, revealing a ruby/plum hue as well as a smorgasbord of black cherries, red currants, lavender, unsmoked tobacco, truffle, and flowery incense. Every bit as sensational on the palate, this full-bodied Haut-Bailly has a flawless, layered, multi-dimensional texture, beautiful mid-palate depth, and again, just off-the-charts elegance and finesse. It needs an hour in a decanter if drinking any time soon and has another 30 years of prime drinking ahead of it. Hats off to the team of Véronique Sanders for this legendary Graves." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (11/2020)
"100 out of 100 ... Deep ruby/purple-colored, with loads of red currants, smoked meats, dried flowers, Asian spices and hints of truffle-like aromatics, the 2009 Haut Bailly is full-bodied, ethereally textured, super elegant, and possesses a purity of fruit that’s off the charts. In addition to a wealth of fruit, this absolutely perfect wine glides across the palate and carries incredible intensity and richness without any sensation of weight or heaviness. It's already impossible to resist, yet will keep for another two to three decades. This is the epitome of elegance and finesse in Bordeaux!" - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (12/2017)
Our Best Cabernet Value of the Year Has Arrived
A "Truly Exceptional" Release from Frog's Leap - Under $60
2023 Frog's Leap
"Estate Grown"
Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford
$64.95 BOTTLE
$59.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6-PACK]
Vinous #5 - Top 100 Wines of 2025
Highest Ranked US Wine in Vinous Top 100
Limited Quantities Arriving at TCWC Next Week
"96 out of 100 ... After the torrid 2022 vintage, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon marks a return to a much more classic style at Frog's Leap. Aromatic, vibrant and sculpted, the 2023 dazzles from start to finish. The 2023 is wonderfully deep and so expressive. Rose petal, dried herbs, mocha, pine and a touch of Rutherford earthiness play off a core of distinctly fresh red-toned fruit. Readers who enjoy restrained, classically built wines won't find a finer value." - Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com
Perfectly Cellared 2005 Château Pavie
A 4x 100-Point Masterpiece from Bordeaux
2005 Château Pavie
Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé
$499.95 BOTTLE
FULL CASES AVAILABLE PACKAGED AS [OWC-12]
"100 out of 100 ... Gérard Perse believes this is the greatest Pavie he’s made to date, although certainly I would argue that list includes the 2000, as well as the 2009 and 2010, among his superstars. This wine, which I had both in the 2005 horizontal report in the Wine Advocate, and at a mini-vertical with Perse at the restaurant Maison Boulud in Montreal, looks to be a 75- to 100-year wine. Dense, opaque purple to the rim, with a gorgeously promising nose of blackberries, cassis, graphite and cedar wood just beginning to emerge, it tastes more like a three-year-old than wine that is already a decade old. This beauty is intense and full-bodied, with magnificent concentration, a majestic mouthfeel and a total seamless integration of tannin, wood, alcohol, etc. Beautifully rich, full and multidimensional, this is a tour de force in winemaking and certainly one of the top dozen or so 2005 Bordeaux. Forget it for another 3-5 years and drink it over the following 50-100 years!" - Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate (8/2015)
"100 out of 100 ... A wine I’ve been lucky enough to have many times, the 2005 Château Pavie is unquestionably one of the finest vintages from this Chateau, checking with the likes of the 2000, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, and 2020. I’d say just outside of its adolescent years, it’s still ruby/purple hued with incredible aromatics of ripe dark fruits, truffly earth, graphite, and leather. Possessing blockbuster richness, full body, velvety, seamless tannins, and no hard edges, this is quintessential Pavie all the way." - Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuk.com (4/2024)
"100 out of 100 ... The 2005 Pavie is deep garnet with a touch of brick. It skips out of the glass with bright, lively notes of Morello cherries, plum preserves, red roses, and candied violets followed by hints of menthol, dark chocolate, and underbrush. The full-bodied palate is so vibrant and energetic that it sparkles. Youthful red and black fruit notes comingle with mineral and floral sparks, framed by fine-grained tannins and wonderful tension, finishing with epic length and depth. This is a triumph." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent (12/2023)
"100 out of 100 ... This is monumental. Just a baby with a fresh and intense mouthfeel and density. Full-bodied, velvety and layered. Decadent and rich. A folly of a wine. Drink or hold." - James Suckling, JamseSuckling.com (3/2019)
Pinot's Best Kept Secret No Longer
The Greatest Vintage Ever From Kelley Fox
Pinot's Best Kept Secret No Longer
"Fans of Kelley Fox Will Not Want To Be Without This Glorious Vintage"
- Eric Guido, Vinous.com
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Durant Vineyard" Dundee Hills | JD 98+ | $79.95
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Canary Hill Vineyard" Eola-Amity Hills | JD 97 | $74.95
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Shafer Vineyard" Tualatin Hills | JD 97 | $74.95
Mix & Match Any (6) Wines & Save $5 Per Bottle
Please Respond to Email to Order - Not Available Online
All 2024s Arriving From the Winery In Early October
Full Reviews
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Durant Vineyard"
"98+ out of 100 ... A bright, energetic wine, the 2024 Pinot Noir Durant Vineyard resonates with remarkable purity, offering framboise, violets, sweet tea, sweet orange, and silky tannins. Sourced from old vines, it has extraordinary length, crystalline salinity, and remarkable depth despite its elegance. Nothing here feels lean. Drink over the coming 20 years or more." - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Canary Hill Vineyard"
"97 out of 100 ... The 2024 Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard pours a transparent ruby color and offers bright aromas of pomegranate, wildflowers, tiny purple flowers, and wild strawberries. Medium-bodied, it has focused tannins, bright acidity, terrific linearity, and tremendous energy and length. Kelley believes this is the finest vintage she has made from this vineyard. The House Block combines basalt with fossilized sedimentary soils containing shells and is surrounded by mature oak trees. Drink this wine over the coming 20 years." - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com
2024 Kelley Fox Pinot Noir "Shafer Vineyard"
"97 out of 100 ... From the Tualatin Hills, the 2024 Pinot Noir Shafer Vineyard is bright and vibrant, with notes of orange zest, cranberry, bright roses, dusty earth, and terrific tension. Medium-bodied, it delivers mouthwatering acidity without ever becoming severe, alongside impressive salinity and elegance. Sourced from 1973 plantings in what Kelley calls a magical place, this is a wine Oregon wine pioneer David Lett would likely have appreciated. Drink over the coming 15 years." - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com
Tuscany's Best Dollar-for-Dollar Wine
An Encore at the Best Price in the US
2023 Fattoria Le Pupille
"Saffredi"
Cabernet Blend | Toscana IGT
$109.95 BOTTLE
$99.95 BOTTLE [WITH PURCHASE OF 6-PACK CASE]
Best Price in US
Very Limited Quantities In Stock
Additional Cases Arriving at TCWC Next Month
"98 out of 100 ... The Fattoria Le Pupille 2023 Saffredi represents a classic expression from a fresh vintage that ultimately performed far better than expected despite mid-season mildew pressure. The estate continues to refine its use of wood to emphasize brightness and fruit purity, a shift that is especially evident here. The wine shows notes of dark cherry, ripe blackberry, spice and hints of creamy chocolate. While the 2022 vintage emphasized harder tannins, this vintage is defined by generosity and luscious fruit. The Cabernet Sauvignon in particular appears crunchy, youthful and fresh, giving the wine energy and forward momentum." - Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
"97 out of 100 ... A racy and focused wine with aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries, fresh rosemary, sage, thyme and lavender. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a crunchy finish. Shows excellent length. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Better in two or three years, but hard not to drink now." - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
"97 out of 100 ... The ‘rebirth’ of Saffredi in 2022 continues with this 2023; a wetter vintage which has elevated the aromatics. Herbal and ripe dark fruit scents evoke the surrounding landscape. Lifted and vibrant, it's a balanced mouthful of crunchy dark cherry, blackberry and raspberry, subtle spices, and round, silky tannins. There's a distinct floral imprint – potpourri, violets and Mediterranean herbs – along with a lick of salinity, making for a deep sip full of dynamism and juxtaposition. The future bodes well for this wine." - James Button, Decanter.com
835 N Central | Wood Dale, IL 60191 | (630) 594-2972 | www.tcwc.com | info@tcwc.com
The Chicago Wine Company | 835 N. Central | Wood Dale, IL 60191 US