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Alain Jaume Domaine du Clos de Sixte Lirac  is made from 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre

An intense red garnet color. On the nose, aromas of red and black ripe fruit (kirsch and wild blackberry). The mouth is full, with aromas of blackcurrant liqueur and spice. Tannins are both harmonious and elegant thanks to the fleshiness of the wine. Hints of licorice and vanilla on the finish, which gives the wine length and complexity.

Soil type LIRAC vineyard is facing Chateauneuf du Pape, opposite side of the Rhône river. As showed by the picture and following geologist George Truc, soils are almost similar in both side. They are marked by the violence wrought by the Rhone river. It consists of a layer of marine molasses of the Miocene period covered by alpine alluvium. The presence of a great number of rounded stones known as "galets" in the earth is evidence of the time when the Rhone, then a torrent, tore fragments of rock from the Alps and deposited them on the plain. LIRAC is one of the up-coming best area from the southern Rhône valley, as it delivers outstanding wines. Winemaking & ageing Traditional wine-making in stainless still vats. Hand sorted bunches, crushed and destemmed grapes. Fermentation temperature : 30°C. 18 days of vatting with pigeages.

Review:

"The 2016 Lirac Domaine du Clos de Sixte is a terrific wine, easily the rival to many Châteauneufs from across the river, starting with its alluring aromas of flowering garrigue and ripe cherries. A blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 15% Mourvèdre, this full-bodied wine is lush and concentrated on the palate, then turns velvety on the long finish. I'd treat it like a Châteauneuf du Pape in terms of cellaring: hold it for a few years, then drink it over the next 15. - Joe Czerwinski"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue 233, October 2017), 93+ pts

Domaine Jean Grivot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.

Domaine Jean Grivot is among the great names in Burgundian wine. Étienne Grivot and his wife Marielle took over from Étienne’s father Jean Grivot in 1987. The vineyards are densely planted and farmed organically “sans certification” while the aim in the cellar is for balance and clear expression of terroir.

Jean Grivot’s 38.3 acres spread across 22 appellations with vineyards in the communes of Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Besides the three grand crus, there are 8 premier crus including the much lauded Les Beaux Monts and Suchots in Vosne-Romanée. The grapes are completely de-stemmed and fermentation is spontaneous.

About the Vineyard:

Clos de Vougeot grand cru was acquired by Étienne’s grandfather, Gaston Grivot, in 1919. The total holding is 4.6 acres from the middle of the vineyard to the lower wall and the average vine age is 40 years old. A good Clos de Vougeot should be a complete wine without any one feature standing out. It is a perfect balance of power, aroma, and flavor.

Wine Production:

The grapes are destemmed and maceration à froid usually lasts just a day or two. The alcoholic fermentation is spontaneous and malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel. Depending on the vintage, the proportion of new oak is around 40-70% percent for the grands crus.

Tasting Notes:

The wine shows aromas and flavors of red berries, herbs, and purple flowers. The palate is rich with ripe fruit and medium weight with bright acidity and fine tannins. Aging in 40-70% new Burgundian pièce brings notes of vanilla, toast, and baking spices.

Food Pairing:

Red Burgundy might be the world’s most flexible food wine. The wine’s high acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, and low tannins make it very food-friendly. Red Burgundy, with its earthy and sometimes gamey character, is a classic partner to roasted game birds, grilled duck breast, and dishes that feature mushrooms, black truffles, or are rich in umami.

Review:

This round version is packed with ripe black cherry, violet, graphite and tobacco flavors. The silky texture and vibrant acidity work in tandem, while refined tannins provide support without getting in the way. There are a few edges to be worked out, yet this is long and concentrated.

-Wine Spectator 95 Points

Poggio San Polo Podernovi Brunello di Montalcino is made from 100 percent Sangiovese.

Podernovi, San Polo’s new single vineyard Brunello, makes its debut with the extraordinary 2015 vintage. Crafted with Sangiovese grapes grown in the vineyard synonymous with the wine, it is among the most beautiful and archetypal of Montalcino. Podernovi is an elegant and poignant Brunello.

The winter was not particularly cold, and spring arrived slightly earlier than usual, with temperatures slightly above average, giving the vines’ shoots the opportunity to uniformly develop. The following weeks saw frequent rainfall, which allowed the land to build water reserves, alternating with periods of dry weather, enabling the vines to continue growing without any problems. The damp conditions during flowering led to the formation of bunches that were slightly more sparse than usual and with rather small berries, ideal preconditions for reaching harvest time with perfectly ripe and healthy grapes. However, the feature that will make vintage 2016 particularly memorable is the excellent temperature range that characterized the months of July, August and September, with sunny days and cool, breezy nights. We therefore reached the beginning of October with grapes that exhibited a superb combination of maturity, acidity and aromatic potential, perfect conditions for the production of wines with a distinct personality and a great balance of concentration, elegance and longevity; a perfect reflection of the production philosophy of San Polo.

Review:

A mix of wild herb, Tuscan scrub, rose, cherry and earth flavors mark this sleek red, which tiptoes between elegance and power, with a layer of chalky tannins underlying it all. With air, the ripe cherry and plum fruit comes forward. Best from 2025 through 2047. 100 cases imported.

 -Wine Spectator 95 Points

Aromas of forest floor, grilled herb, camphor and pipe tobacco mingle on the nose of this full-bodied red. The firm, elegantly structured palate offers juicy Marasca cherry, red currant, licorice and coffee bean. Tightly wound, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity grip the close and lend an ageworthy structure. Drink 2026–2041.

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points Cellar Selection 

Delicately perfumed and finessed, the San Polo 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Podernovi is very floral and lifted in personality. This vintage is very different than the inaugural 2015 vintage. I remember the previous release for its darker and blacker quality of fruit. This cooler vintage is more lithe and lighthearted, with building aromatic intensity that unfolds with caution and care. Once you've had the wine in your glass, it reveals a succession of sour cherry, wild rose and fresh lavender bud. There are light mineral dustings as well, and the wine is ultimately quite solid and structured. This bodes well for its aging evolution. Fruit comes from a two-hectare parcel in a cool and high position some 450 meters above sea level. The soils are clayey with schistous Galestro. Production is 13,000 bottles.

-Wine Advocate 95+ Points

A mix of wild herb, Tuscan scrub, rose, cherry and earth flavors mark this sleek red, which tiptoes between elegance and power, with a layer of chalky tannins underlying it all. With air, the ripe cherry and plum fruit comes forward. Best from 2025 through 2047. 100 cases imported. –BS

-James Suckling 95 Points

This is a phenomenal new red from San Polo with superb depth and intensity with plum, wet earth and black truffle. Full body. Chewy and ripe tannins and a long and flavorful finish. The depth and beautiful is gorgeous. Needs three or four years to come together. Better after 2022.

-Flastaff 95 Points

Alain Jaume Cotes Du Rhone Rouge Haut de Brun is made from 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Cinsault

The colour is purple-tinged garnet.The aromatic range of the nose goes from fresh berries (wild raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry) to spices.The palate is big and full-flavoured, with silky-smooth tannins and aromas of the fruit already mentioned. The finish introduces touches of liquorice and pepper. A Côtes du Rhône with great complexity for an every day drinking.

A classic Rhône to drink between 1 and 4 years. Best poured at 17°C.

Traditional wine making and ageing is performed in vats only. Bottling after 10-12 months.

Ideal throughout the meal, but particularly with poultry and other white meats, as well as mild cheeses.

Domaine de Beaurenard Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is made from Clairette blanche & Rose, Grenache Blanc & Gris, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Picpoul and Picardan.

Gold bright green color. Expressive nose with pear and stone fruits aromas (peach, apricot) with jasmine and roasted almonds notes. The mouth is smooth and fleshy like stone fruit we can smell, with a long a nice finish.

Review:

Bright golden yellow, silver reflections. Delicate herbal spices, a hint of chamomile and mandarin zest, pears and blossom honey are underneath. Juicy, elegant, white peach, delicate honeydew melon, mineral and harmonious, fine fruit sweetness, good ripening potential.

-Falstaff 92 Points

A bright, high-pitched style, with makrut lime, green apple and green melon flavors laced with a jasmine note. A subtle mineral edge provides balance on the finish. Drink now through 2024

-Wine Spectator 91 Points

The nose is a basket of fruits with yellow and white flesh, where peach and exotic fruits dominate. A few notes of vanilla and brioche add a touch of extra fat. The richness of its mouth unfolds in a long sarabande of persistent aromas.

This blend is an ideal companion to a serving of Fillet of St. Pierre fish cooked on the skin.

Review:

Moving to the whites, the 2021 Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc is close to an even split of Clairette, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc. It has a layered, medium to full-bodied style offering classic aromatics of white peach, acacia flowers, and honeyed minerality. Fresh, pure, and vibrant, it brings plenty of richness and depth. Drink it over the coming 3-5 years or. It will keep longer, if you're so inclined. Best after 2022.

-Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points

Domaine Nico le Paradis Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

The cool climate vineyard that belongs to Laura and her sister Adrianna Catena feels like paradise itself to Laura. It is lined by trees and fruit orchards, with majestic views of the Andes. Inside the 12 Hectare vineyard, there is a little house with two tiny bedrooms and a kitchen, where Laura dreams of spending a whole month reading books-Laura's version of paradise. The little house is affectionately named Chateau Laura. About the Vineyard The tiny parcel where Le Paradis is grown was planted in 2011 with Dijon 667 Clones over two acres. Wine Production The grapes from this small parcel were elaborated in 15 separate microvinifications.

All the microvinifications were fermented with indigenous yeast. 20% of the microvinifications were fermented with 100% whole clusters in oak roll-fermentor of 600L and low temp (22 Celcius degrees). 40% were fermented with 20% whole cluster in small vats of 800L and 40% fermented in small vats of 800L without sulfites until 4%V/V of alcohol.

Review:

From soils rich in calcium carbonate and sand, in a vineyard 1,600 meters above sea level, this wine comes from a selection of 2.7 hectares that produced very little fruit in 2016, just barely enough to fill 800 bottles. But watch out for this white, with its edge, its minerality, those saline notes that are so characteristic of chardonnay from the chalky Gualtallary soils. The wine was aged for a year in used barrels, and it has some of the toast, but here it’s the deep minerality that dominates.

Patricio Tapia - Descorchados 96 Points

This fresh and vibrant Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is brimming with aromas of blackberry, mulberry, cassis, and violet. On the palate, bright flavors of cranberry, red plum, cherry, and lavender are intertwined with supple tannins, balanced acidity, and a long, smooth finish.

Review:

Seductive oak spices and a plush mouthfeel come with abundant red and black fruits in this full-bodied, appropriately tannic wine that needs time to reach its full potential. Pine and rosemary accents merge nicely with the blackberries and blueberries. Best from 2028–2038.

-Wine Enthusiast 94 Point

Domaine de Beaurenard Chateauneuf-du-Pape is made from  65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre.

Domaine de Beaurenard’s flagship wine is a quintessential blend, reflecting all the diversity of the terroir and the perfect synergy that exists between the soils and the grapes. It offers a supple and refined texture associated with a delicate aromatic palette that is the result of a constant quest for freshness.

Review:

Checking in as a blend of 65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and the rest a handful of varieties, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape was brought up in a mix of foudre and older barrels. This deep ruby/purple-hued effort has a pure, vibrant, incredibly seamless, medium to full-bodied style that carries classic notes of black raspberry and black cherry fruits as well as peppery herbs, violets, spring flowers, and sous bois. This straight-up gorgeous, seamless, ultra-fine 2019 should be snatched up by readers. It has a rare mix of elegance, purity, and power, and it’s going to have two decades of prime drinking.

-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points

Freemark Abbey Sycamore Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

Wine Profile: Opaque dark ruby describes the color of this Rutherford wine. Black currant and Boysenberry notes dominate the aroma, with dark chocolate truffle, cocoa powder,  Worcestershire sauce, cremini mushrooms and forest floor adding to the complexity. The oak adds the ideal amount of complexity with aromatic cedar, cinnamon and clove. The wine has great depth of black fruit flavor, with a strong expression of sweet black cherry. This full-bodied cabernet sauvignon has resolved tannins yet firm structure, with good acidity. Lovely long finish!

Primary Vineyard: Sycamore Vineyard—Rutherford (100%): Small 24-acre vineyard located about 1.2 miles south of Bosche, right up against the Mayacamas Range, this vineyard has a rich clay loam. Sycamore Vineyard produces small berries reminiscent of mountain fruit berries, with intense extract of color and flavor. The color is very dark early in the fermentation, with flavors of black currant and black berry with a forest floor complexity.

Review:

From a vineyard closer to the Mayacamas Mountains and first made in 1980, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyards checks in as 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It spent 27 months in 66% new French. It offers more black fruits, earth, tobacco, cedar, and gravelly minerality as well as a touch more burly, masculine style on the palate. Nevertheless, it's still beautifully balanced, has considerable elegance, and a great finish.

-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyards gives up powerful crème de cassis, dark chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and baked plums scents with hints of lavender, camphor, pencil shavings and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with rich, black fruits plus a beautiful perfumed undercurrent, framed by finely grained tannins and lovely freshness, finishing with a mineral lift. 1,989 cases were made.

-Wine Advocate 95 Points

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

Kershaw Chardonnay GPS Series Lower Dulvenhoks is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
During the year, I have the opportunity to visit a number of areas outside of Elgin. Occasionally, I come across something so fascinating that it deserves a closer look.

In 2016, I discovered a small parcel of Chardonnay grapes growing on limestone soils – a rarity in the Western Cape. With limestone often touted as beneficial for Chardonnay grapes, it made sense to grasp this opportunity with both hands. The GPS Series is testament to these special places and celebrates them.

Restraint, minerality, freshness of fruit and a chiselled edge reflect limestone’s soil properties. This 2017 vintage reveals clean, bright aromas of lemon blossom, wet chalk and powdered stones. Penetrating intensity, animated acidity with a rich mid palate weight, this wine has purity of fruit (orange peel, yellow cling peaches and grapefruit peel) lemon cream biscuits and crème fraiche textures with a long finish.

Winemaking: 
Grapes were hand-picked in the early morning, placed into small lug baskets and tipped directly into a press before being gently whole-bunch pressed up to a maximum of 0.6 bar or until a low juice recovery of 590 litres per ton was
obtained. The juice gravity-flowed directly to barrel (no pumps were used at all) without settling. The unclarified juice had no enzymes or yeast added to it and therefore underwent spontaneous fermentation until dry, with malolactic discouraged. The wine rested in barrel for 4 months prior to judicious sulphuring and a further 7 months’ maturation in barrel before racking, blending and bottling.

Review:

"The 2017 GPS Chardonnay has a killer bouquet, just like the 2016, the mineral-rich aromatics soaring from the glass with fantastic delineation that actually reminds me of Domaine Leflaive. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, and a little more saline than the previous vintage, although maybe not quite as persistent. Still, this is an outstanding Chardonnay from Kershaw and it will give 12 to 15 years of drinking pleasure. - Neal Martin"

- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (November 2019), 93 pts

Delas Freres Cote Rotie La Landonne Rouge is made from 100 percent Syrah.

Tasting Notes: The wine‘s deep color is underscored by plummy hues. A complex nose shows deep, fruity aromas with hints of licorice and roasted coffee. Endowed with a dense and silky tannic structure, this is a full, fleshy wine that provides an ample and generous palate. Its lasting finish speaks of considerable ageing potential.

Reviews:

Deep in color, the espresso, licorice, smoke and flint, paired with layers of juicy, ripe fresh, red fruits show up with ease. On the palate, the wine offers richness, density, purity of fruit, herbs, crushed stones and a wall of ripe, lushly textured, dark red berries. This will age quite nicely.T

-Wine Cellar Insider 97 Points

Sun-baked garrigue and smoky notes of iron and earth accent intensely ripe black cherry and cassis in this wine. Made from 100% Syrah, it's a hulking powerhouse of black-fruit flavors but finessed by firm acidity and fine, integrated tannins. Stunning already it should improve through 2036 and hold further 

-Wine Enthusiast 97 Points

Bright purple. Powerful cherry, cassis, potpourri, exotic spice and olive qualities on the highly perfumed, complex nose. Sweet and energetic on the palate, offering impressively concentrated black and blue fruit preserve, floral pastille and spicecake flavors that unfold steadily with aeration. In a powerful but energetic style and quite primary now. Aeration brings up smoky bacon and floral pastille qualities that carry through the strikingly long, youthfully tannic finish, which leaves behind sweet dark and floral notes.

-Vinous 95 Points

Alluring, with warm fruitcake and black tea aromatics leading off for a lush and warm core of crushed plum, cherry reduction and blackberry pâte de fruit flavors. Despite the showy fruit detail, there's a solid iron underpinning, with pretty floral notes and bright energy throughout. Best from 2023 through 2038. 300 cases made, 188 cases imported. 

 -Wine Spectator 96 Points

DuMOL Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker’s Notes:

Our 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet is a classically built wine typical of this wonderful Napa vintage: deep fruit, enveloping texture, mineral freshness and long supple structure. It’s a harmonious interweaving of four distinct vineyards that intricately balances power and finesse.

With its exceptional farming and rocky volcanic soil, Meteor Vineyard is one of the finest sites in Coombsville. Its fruit dominates the blend and ensures both intensity and delicacy, with soaring aromatics followed by succulent dark fruit. 

True Dog Knoll serves as a new focal point in this vintage, its world-renowned west Oakville deep gravel soils bringing deep texture and mineral focus. 

Layering in a small amount of Petit Verdot from our Roach Estate in St. Helena provides an element of blue fruit and refinement that balances beautifully with the darker brooding power of Ballard Vineyard’s mountaintop muscle and structure.

With its harmonious layers and textures, this wine reminds me of the 2012 Napa Valley vintage. Dark, inky and opaque, it presents aromas of plum, violets and graphite. Beautiful fruit cascades almost immediately to more savory flavors: crushed rock dustiness, cocoa and cedar. A good, firm mineral spine runs through to the long, bittersweet finish. Ever-evolving in the glass, this wine is poised now and will age beautifully over the next 10+ years.

Review:

A ripe, friendly style, with a creamy-textured core of cassis and cherry preserve flavors underscored by anise and apple wood notes that stay nicely

melded with the fruit on the finish. There’s a lingering cast iron note keeping this grounded.

-Wine Spectator 93 Points

The Grade Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard is made from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

“2016 produced wines that are very giving, round, coating and streamlined. Year after this year, this bottling aims to highlight the best attributes of the Winfield Vineyard, and also creates a wine that possesses qualities that allow it to age well in the cellar and evolve over many years.

“This wine expresses a focused balancing act of dark, rich black fruit, and a fine tannin structure, illuminated through the core with a laser-like acidity. The wine displays a deep purple-red hue with a cranberry halo. Aromas of cassis, cinnamon, citrus oil, roasted meat, and lilac swell from the glass.

“The palate is marked by a wave of jet-black brambly fruit up front, followed by an exotic spice mid-palate and a long, complex finish that lasts and lasts expressing notes of flowering jasmine, and oolong tea. The silky tannins hold everything together and will certainly allow this wine to evolve in the cellar for at least 7-10 years.”  - Thomas River Brown

Review:

Coming from the Winfield Vineyard in Calistoga, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is another brilliant wine from the hands of winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. This deep purple-colored effort boasts tons of blueberry and jammy blackberry fruits as well a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet elegant style on the palate. It has the purity of fruit that’s the hallmark of the vintage, ripe, sweet tannins, and no hard edges, and is already hard to resist.

-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points

The Grade Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard is made from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

“2016 produced wines that are very giving, round, coating and streamlined. Year after this year, this bottling aims to highlight the best attributes of the Winfield Vineyard, and also creates a wine that possesses qualities that allow it to age well in the cellar and evolve over many years.

“This wine expresses a focused balancing act of dark, rich black fruit, and a fine tannin structure, illuminated through the core with a laser-like acidity. The wine displays a deep purple-red hue with a cranberry halo. Aromas of cassis, cinnamon, citrus oil, roasted meat, and lilac swell from the glass.

“The palate is marked by a wave of jet-black brambly fruit up front, followed by an exotic spice mid-palate and a long, complex finish that lasts and lasts expressing notes of flowering jasmine, and oolong tea. The silky tannins hold everything together and will certainly allow this wine to evolve in the cellar for at least 7-10 years.”  - Thomas River Brown

Review:

Coming from the Winfield Vineyard in Calistoga, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is another brilliant wine from the hands of winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. This deep purple-colored effort boasts tons of blueberry and jammy blackberry fruits as well a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet elegant style on the palate. It has the purity of fruit that’s the hallmark of the vintage, ripe, sweet tannins, and no hard edges, and is already hard to resist.

-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points

Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is made from 80% Roussanne, 10% Grenache Blanc and Clairette, 10% Piquepoul Blanc, Picardan and Bourboulenc

The story :
The production of white wine at Beaucastel is limited as we only have 7 hectares of white vines planted. The main variety is Roussanne, representing 80% of the blend.

The vintage :
The 2020 vintage in Southern Rhône was favoured by very good weather conditions, it is a generous vintage, both in terms of quality and quantity. Not as hot as in 2019, this year was very windy, throughout the growing cycle, with light rainfalls. After a fairly mild winter (one single episode of frost was noted during the night of March 24, but only the early ripening plots were very slightly affected). The spring was radiant, quite warm and very windy, which allowed the soils to preserve their freshness. Flowering began on May 18, under very healthy conditions. The good weather continued in June, July and August, with plenty heat but lower temperatures than in 2019, cool and humid nights and wind which continued to blow, preserving the freshness of the vines and maintaining perfect sanitary conditions for the grapes. The harvest, which was fairly early, therefore began under these very good conditions on August 26 with the white Côtes-du-Rhône and continued until the end of September with the Mourvèdre. September was warm at the beginning of the month and then more temperate, offering idyllic harvest conditions and allowed each plot to be harvested at perfect maturity. The harvest was very healthy with beautiful juicy and very ripe grapes, reasonable alcohol levels, good acidity and already a great balance. Yields are slightly higher than 2019 and the first tastings predict a very nice vintage.

Location :
Château de Beaucastel has 7 hectares of white varieties.

Terroir :
Molasse seabed of the Miocene period covered by diluvial alpine deposits (rolled pebbles).

Ageing :
Handpicked in small cases, sorting of the grapes, pneumatic pressing, settling of the juice, fermentation (30% in oak barrels, 70% in tanks) for 8 months. Bottling after 8 months.

Review:

Honeycomb oak on the nose, then quite a broad and generous palate. Sappy acidity, although not as high as some white Châteauneufs this year, and a long finish. This has a good sense of lightness, drinkability and balance. The oak is quite forthright for now, so give this some time to come together. 80% Roussanne, 10% Grenache and Clairette, plus 10% of Piquepoul Blanc, Picardan and Bourboulenc. Part of the blend was matured in two- and three-year-old barriques for a year.

-Decanter 96 Points

Clos Du Val Yettalil is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec

The 2019 Yettalil opens with aromas of fresh blackberry, ripe plum, and racy cassis layered with hints of violet, bay leaf, and thyme. Beautifully balanced and elegant on the palate, vibrant acidity and polished tannins give way to a concentrated core of black cherry, vanilla, and cedar. The texture is velvety and plush with a backbone of graphite and dark chocolate that lingers through a long finish.

Review:

The 2019 Yettalil is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out with energetic notes of crushed black and red currants, warm black plums, and black raspberries, plus suggestions of cedar, violets, and Indian spice with a waft of tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively and well-structured, featuring firm, ripe tannins to frame the muscular fruits, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note.

-Wine Independent 95 Points

Corne Loup Lirac Rouge Cuvee du Gouverneur is made from 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah.

The name of the Cuvee comes from Geraldine's ancestor (7th generation), who was mayor of Tavel in the 1800's and was nicknamed the "governor" (Le Gouverneur in French). 

This is a very small cuvée, all aged in oak barrels that makes a sexy, international style of Lirac, with tons of spice and fruit. 

Domaine Sipp Mack Alsace Pinot Gris Grand Cru Rosacker is made from 100 percent Grand Cru Pinot Gris. 

Rigor and diligence were the key words for this emotional 2016 vintage!

The year starts with heavy rainfall and low temperatures, severely delaying the growing cycle. The month of May sees temperatures increase and the tropical atmosphere favors the development of mildew. Finally, the dry and sunny summer allowed our heavy soils to avoid maturity blockages linked to water stress. The 2016 harvest started in early September and ended 7 weeks later, a record!
In the cellar, the sanitary condition was very good, the wines developed freshness, complexity and fine, ripe acidity.

SITUATION

Fresh notes of mango and peach, enhanced by a sweet sensation, dominate the palate. The finish is long thanks to a lively acidity. It will go perfectly with white meats, firm fish and cheeses with character.

Review:

Ripe, pristine notes of yellow pear on this wine's nose come with notions of creamy banana and vanilla. The palate carries rich, concentrated fruit, but in a precise fashion that channels the rounded ripeness into smooth generosity. A vein of freshness and smidge of sweetness give the fruit staying power and verve. Together they present an off-dry wine with immense potential and elegance. Drink by 2045.

-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points

G.D. Vajra Bricco Delle Viole Barolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. 

The Barolo Bricco delle Viole shows the signature verticality of its vineyard. The wine is beautifully layered and - while restrained as it’s always the case in the youth of Bricco delle Viole - it also shows a complexity of layers with purple flowers, sweet spices and mineral tones. The palate is noble, with a refined acid spine and profound tannins that promise a long aging potential.

Among the historical vineyards of Barolo, Bricco delle Viole is the highest and the closest to the Alps. It rises from 400 to 480 meters above sea level, on the Western ridge of the village. Its name, “Hill of Violets”, originates from the flowers that blossom early here due to the perfect south exposure. Up above the fogs, Bricco delle Viole enjoys the earliest sunrise and the last sunset every day. Thanks to its vines dating back to 1949 and -now- 1931, a dramatic diuturnal temperature range and this pure light, Bricco delle Viole generates a sophisticated and profound Barolo DOCG of bright aromatics, chiseled tannins and subtle minerality. 2018 is a vintage that shows many nuances of Bricco delle Viole: beyond the signature verticality of this site, the wine offers high tones laced with mineral nuances and plenty of energy and youth.

 Review:

The 2018 Barolo Bricco delle Viole is not super intense, but it is balanced in its own way. The wine is subdued but complete with softly yielding tannins to support an elegantly streamlined mouthfeel. Bricco delle Viole is a high and cool growing site in Barolo at 400 to 480 meters in elevation with characteristic Sant'Agata marl soils with fossils. The wine represents a selection of fruit from over seven hectares. With fermentation in steel tank and aging in large Slavonian oak, you are invited to a silky, lifted and beautifully delicate experience with an accessible personality.

-Wine Advocate 95 Points

- Wine Spectator 95 Points

Kershaw Chardonnay Deconstructed Groenland Shale CY548 is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.

The inspiration for this Chardonnay stems from my belief that the Elgin region has both a signature grape as well as particular terroirs within its demarcated boundary that reflect regional credentials. This Chardonnay was selected from a sub-region of Elgin from a specific vineyard and an individual clone (CY548).

Tasting Notes:

Sourced from the foothills of the Groenland Mountain in Northern Elgin this clone has been taken from Corton Charlemagne cuttings. It produces wines that have aromatics oscillating between lemon blossom, white flowers, petrichor and struck stone. Full in body they exude concentration with white stone fruit yet reinforced with an austere texture and robustness that makes for excellent aging potential. The Bokkeveld Shales adds structure and concentration to the flavor.

Vineyards: 

Sourced from the foothills of the Groenland Mountain in Northern Elgin this clone has been taken from Corton Charlemagne cuttings.

Winemaking: 

Grapes were hand-picked in the early autumnal mornings, placed into small lug baskets and tipped directly into a press before being gently whole-bunch pressed up to a maximum of 0.6 bar or until a low juice recovery of 580 liters per ton was obtained. The juice gravity-flowed directly to barrel (no pumps were used at all) without settling. The unclarified juice had no enzymes or yeast added to it and therefore underwent spontaneous fermentation until dry, with malolactic discouraged. The wine rested in barrel for 4 months prior to judicious sulfuring and a further 7 months’ maturation in barrel before racking and bottling.

Barrel: Selection: A small number of artisanal coopers are selected from mostly Burgundy, with only French oak was chosen. Up to 40% of the oak is new with the remainder split into 2nd and 3rd fill barrels of predominantly 228 litres.

Look at pairing this with textured fish, straightforward chicken dishes, pan-fried or grilled pork dishes, soft-rind cheeses, cream or creamy dishes be it with pasta or the aforementioned fish, chicken or pork, to allow the complexity of the wine to shine through. If using mustard, preferably use Dijon mustard as it uses verjus (soured grape juice) and not vinegar. Also look to delicate herbs (tarragon, dill, basil, parsley) rather than hard stalked herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc). Avoid smoked meats or fish as well as highly spiced dishes as this can overwhelm the wine and clash with the oak. I would try oysters; Lobster grilled or boiled but not thermidor as it is too rich; turbot, dover sole, sea bass, yellowtail with a shellfish sauce; fish pie; roasted free-range chicken with tarragon; roast loin of pork with garlic and ginger; truffle risotto; pasta in a clam sauce; slice of brie de meaux.

Review:

"Perfume of flowers, minerals and citrus zest. The palate is dense and focused, almost chewy with an opulent mandarin mid palate and long, savory finish. Matured in 50% new oak that is seamlessly integrated with the wine."

- International Wine Review (Richard Kershaw Lifts Elgin To New Heights, February 2019), 94 pts