Elegant and spicy all at once, a glass of Rousseau’s 2001 Clos St Jacques is a stunner now, but will certainly age sublimely for another decade. It all depends on if you can wait, or whether you simply have to open that bottle.

The 1990 is a near perfect wine, in fact scoring 100 points from more than one reviewer. It’s in its prime and is touted as being a wine to immerse yourself in. Expect layers of red fruit, licorice, leather, herbs and cloves. It is hauntingly complex.

Described as being a blockbuster yet having no rough edges, the 2012 Scarecrow is a voluptuous wine showing cassis, toasty oak, floral notes and a hint of Rutherford dust. An outstanding example of Scarecrow if ever there was one.

The 1999 Grange was the third one to be made up completely of Shiraz. It’s dense and packed with aroma and flavor and made to go the distance. Smoke, licorice, blackberry and roasted meats are delightfully mixed and balanced by the wine’s sweet tannins. The finish goes on for ages and when it does end the sheer complexity of it demands another sip… and another.

Having a classic Barolo on hand is always a good thing and Giuseppe’s 2008 Barolo Cannubi S. Lorenzo Ravera is just that - and just hitting its stride. It should drink handsomely until 2038.