" We don't sell the wine without touching the vine "
Belle Glos 'Balade' Chardonnay 2023
No longer available.
| Country: | United States |
| Region: | California |
| Winery: | Belle Glos |
| Grape Type: | Chardonnay |
| Organic: | Yes |
| Vintage: | 2023 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
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Belle Glos Balade Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Tasting Notes
he word "Balade", French for "Wandering," is a fitting term for Belle Glos' annual exploration of single-vineyard pinot noir tracts on the west coast. As such, each vintage is very limited.
This Pinot Noir opens with aromas of blackberry, cherry, and delicate floral notes mingling with hints of cedar and baking spice. On the palate, you’ll experience layers of dark plum, juicy black raspberry, and subtle undertones of cocoa and vanilla, all wrapped in a plush, silky texture. Soft tannins and a balanced acidity contribute to a smooth, lingering finish, making it a perfect match for grilled meats, roasted vegetables, or simply as a luxurious glass to enjoy on its own.
Review:
This appellation is an ideal place to produce this brand's bold style of Pinot Noir, as elegance persists with power. In this bottling, aromas of black plum, blackberry and mahogany lead into a rich, creamy palate layered in wild mint, pepper and dark fruit. A searing acidity leads into a candied vanilla finish.
-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
The word "Balade" is French for wandering. This is a fitting term for our annual exploration of single-vineyard Pinot Noir & Chardonnay blocks on the west coast. Each vintage, we will bottle only the most compelling and nuanced expression of pinot noir from a single selected vineyard and release it as a limited bottling.
Tasting Notes
Beautiful golden hue with enticing aromas of honeyed almond, vanilla custard, ripe pear, and hints of lemon zest. On the palate, lush notes of apricot, crisp green apple, and a touch of toasted hazelnut come forward. This wine has a well-balanced mouthfeel that dances on the palate with bright, lively acidity and subtle minerality, offering a stunning
expression of a coastal driven Chardonnay.
Belle Glos 25th Anniversary Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
A one-time commemorative bottling from Joseph Wagner marking 25 years of Belle Glos, blending the three flagship coastal vineyards: 38% Las Alturas (Santa Lucia Highlands) for power and intensity, 32% Clark & Telephone (Santa Maria Valley) for spice-driven elegance from rare self-rooted Martini clones, and 30% Dairyman (Russian River Valley) for silky brightness off the Pacific.
Cherries, cranberries and raspberries on the nose with baking spice and a hint of nutmeg. A big, juicy wave of red and blue fruit on the attack, energetic yet restrained, carried by remarkably silky, graceful tannins into a long, seductive finish. Dark cherries soaked in chocolate, sweet tobacco, molasses and hibiscus fill out a suede-like mouthfeel.
96 Points, The Tasting Panel
Belle Glos Clark and Telephone Vineyard Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The Clark & Telephone Vineyard was established in 1972 and planted with “own root” Martini clone vines. Located just 13 miles from the ocean and situated on a west-facing slope, this vineyard experiences weather patterns that pull from west to east to bring cool fog and coastal breezes inland until August when Santa Ana winds begin.
We harvested early in the morning so the fruit would arrive at the winery while the grapes were still cool to preserve their vineyard-fresh flavors. After destemming (but not crushing) the berries, we cold-soaked the must for 14 days to soften the skins and allow for ideal extraction. During fermentation in a combination of closed and open-top stainless steel fermenters, we used both punch-down and pump-over techniques to extract color and phenolics. We aged the wine in 100% French oak (60% new) for up to 12 months. After the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, we racked it twice before bottling.
Deep ruby red in color with lush aromas of ripe cherry, nutmeg, dark chocolate and holiday baking spices. Bold and complex flavors of black plum, crushed raspberry and blueberry pie linger on the palate. The texture is rich and lively, and leads into a warm and structured finish.
Belle Glos Las Alturas Vineyard Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
“Las Alturas” is Spanish for “the heights,” a fitting name for a vineyard sitting on one of the highest grape-growing benches in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, at up to 1,200 feet. Nestled between the Santa Lucia Mountains and the western side of the Salinas Valley, the site takes in early morning fog off Monterey Bay and gusty afternoon winds that moderate temperature and stretch out one of the longest growing seasons in California. Those winds also produce smaller berries with thicker skins, which is where the vineyard’s signature color and concentration come from. Pinot Noir clones were matched to individual slopes and soil types across the bench, and yields are kept deliberately low to preserve fruit intensity.
The result is the boldest and most structured wine in the Belle Glos lineup: robust, expressive and full-bodied, balanced by the firm acidity this cool coastal region is known for.
Copper Cane Wine & Spirits proudly introduces two new additions to its Belle Glos collection: Sparkling Blanc de Blanc and Sparkling Rosé. Crafted by fifth-generation winemaker Joe Wagner, these sparkling wines represent a bold expansion into the world of traditional method sparkling wines. The release marks a pivotal moment for Belle Glos, a brand known for its meticulous craftsmanship, as it explores the refined, celebratory nature of sparkling varietals.
Zero Dosage Sparkling Wines Reflect Terroir, Tradition, and Russian River Valley Purity
Rooted in the Russian River Valley’s unique microclimate, these wines are made in a zero-dosage style—meaning no added sugar after fermentation. This style highlights the vineyard’s terroir and natural acidity without relying on sweetness to balance the profile. Through traditional methods, including aging in French oak barrels, malolactic fermentation, and multi-vintage blending, Wagner crafts wines that exhibit purity, depth, and complexity, while maintaining a youthful brightness and firm minerality.
Review:
This clean and focused zero dosage Blanc de Blancs brings aromas of bright lemon, green apple, citrus blossom and grapefruit pith on the nose. The palate is dry, acidic and lively, with flavors of pithy lime, toasted hazelnut, green apple and lemon balm mingling across the finish. It's oyster time, people!
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
Product Description
The word "Balade" is French for wandering. This is a fitting term for our annual exploration of single-vineyard Pinot Noir & Chardonnay blocks on the west coast. Each vintage, we will bottle only the most compelling and nuanced expression of pinot noir from a single selected vineyard and release it as a limited bottling.
Tasting Notes
Beautiful golden hue with enticing aromas of honeyed almond, vanilla custard, ripe pear, and hints of lemon zest. On the palate, lush notes of apricot, crisp green apple, and a touch of toasted hazelnut come forward. This wine has a well-balanced mouthfeel that dances on the palate with bright, lively acidity and subtle minerality, offering a stunning
expression of a coastal driven Chardonnay.
Review:
Creamy, desirous notes of lemon curd bathed in toffee nougat reach a peak as it settles across the mouth thanks to a fine acid structure. Baked pear smooths out on mid-palate, with buttered croissant on the elegant, lengthy finish - The Tasting Panel, May/June 2025
-Tasting Panel 95 Points
Winery: Belle Glos
Belle Glos showcases distinctive Pinot Noirs produced from California’s most noteworthy coastal wine-growing regions.
While each vineyard location lies near the Pacific Ocean, the climate differences are significant, varying with the amount of fog, wind, sunlight, and soil type at each site. Each Vineyard Designate is crafted to distill the purest essence of the locale into elegant expressions of California Pinot Noir.
Owner/winemaker, Joe Wagner chose the name Belle Glos (pronounced “BELL GLOSS”) to honor his grandmother, Lorna Belle Glos Wagner. Lorna was a co-founder of Caymus Vineyards, an inspirational figure to Joseph and an avid lover of Pinot Noir.
JOE WAGNER OWNER/WINEMAKER As a fifth generation Napa Valley winemaker, Joe learned his way around a vineyard long before he was able to drink wine. By the time he was 19 he knew that he would continue his family’s winemaking legacy, working alongside his father at Caymus Vineyards. In 2001, he created Belle Glos, with a focus on vineyard-designated Pinot Noirs from throughout California’s best coastal regions. More recently, he has launched a number of new brands under Copper Cane Wines & Provisions. Joe has a keen interest in contributing to the evolution of the wine industry, by discovering new wine growing locations and through experimentation in the cellar. Joe lives in Napa Valley, has six children, and maintains a healthy balance between his family life and a passionate dedication to his business.
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Reviews:
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-Wine Spectator 93 Points
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Review:
The outstanding 2023 ‘Apocrypha’ was aged for 9 months in 25% new French oak and saw100% whole cluster fermentation. This is lush, round and rich on the mouth with serious texture, tannin and mouthfeel. Dense red and dark fruits collide with salty minerals and volcanic stony accents on the palate. A stunning wine that is already drinking well, enjoy over the next fifteen plus years to come.
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Owen Bargreen 94 Points
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The Wine
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Serving Tip
Give it the famous "Mollydooker Shake": pour off a small splash, re-cap the bottle and gently tip it a few times to release the winemaking nitrogen. The wine opens up richer, softer and more expressive in the glass.
Winery Info
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Review:
Notes of star anise, red licorice and sarsaparilla add a wonderfully spicy thread that complements the core of cherry, including dried and kirschlike flavors. The dense tannins show a firming side that’s reminiscent of strong, malty Assam black tea and unsweetened chocolate.
Wine Spectator 93 Points
Cassis, blackberry and cherry. White pepper, ground herbs and the strong floral perfume of crushed violets. Light and elegant, but structured with fresh acidity.
40% Whole bunch ferment in small open vats. 60% destemmed and fermented in a 5000 ltr wooden fermenter with gentle pigeage (punch down of the cap) throughout. Pressed in a traditonal wooden basket press and racked into a 3000 litre oak vat for 9 months.
Revview:
"The 2020 Syrah starts with a firm, fresh, rustic frame with subtly spiced mineral essence. Notes of dusty purple flowers, savory wild herbs and plum blossom are expressed before seductive cherry aromas sway from the glass. Medium-bodied, the Syrah is fresh, focused and delightfully expressive, showing a succulent and youthful frame with balanced tannins and energetic acidity. The wine will continue to deliver pleasure for years to come. - Anthony Mueller"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (December 29th 2023), 94 pts
-Antonio Galloni 92 Points
Review:
The 2020 Syrah starts with a firm, fresh, rustic frame with subtly spiced mineral essence. Notes of dusty purple flowers, savory wild herbs and plum blossom are expressed before seductive cherry aromas sway from the glass. Medium-bodied, the Syrah is fresh, focused and delightfully expressive, showing a succulent and youthful frame with balanced tannins and energetic acidity. The wine will continue to deliver pleasure for years to come.
-Anthony Mueller (Robert Parker) 94 Points
Cassis, blackberry and cherry. White pepper, ground herbs and the strong floral perfume of crushed violets. Light and elegant, but structured with fresh acidity. 40% Whole bunch ferment in small open vats. 60% destemmed and fermented in a 5000 ltr wooden fermenter with gentle pigeage (punch down of the cap) throughout. Pressed in a traditonal wooden basket press and racked into a 3000 litre oak vat for 9 months. Revview: "The 2020 Syrah starts with a firm, fresh, rustic frame with subtly spiced mineral essence. Notes of dusty purple flowers, savory wild herbs and plum blossom are expressed before seductive cherry aromas sway from the glass. Medium-bodied, the Syrah is fresh, focused and delightfully expressive, showing a succulent and youthful frame with balanced tannins and energetic acidity. The wine will continue to deliver pleasure for years to come. - Anthony Mueller
-Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 94 Points
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-Antonio Galloni 92 Points
Inviting aromas of crushed red cherries, plums, wild herbs, grated nutmeg and...
-James Suckling 92 Points
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-Neal Martin (Vinous) 92 Points
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Wine Made in the Soil
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Delightful with warm curries which lift the aromatics or a traditional pairing of smoked salmon highlighting the fresh acidity.
Review:
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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:
A perfumed and floral wine with hints of fresh tea and strawberries....
-James Suckling 94 Points
Cristom Pinot Noir Louise Vineyard 2022 is made from 100% Pinot Noir.
Cristom Vineyards was founded in 1992 by the Gerrie family in the Eola-Amity Hills of Oregon's Willamette Valley, farming their east-facing volcanic hillside biodynamically and organically. Their single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, each named for a woman in the family, are Willamette benchmarks.
Louise Vineyard, planted by the Gerrie family in 1993, sits on the slopes immediately around the winery. It gives a woodsy, higher-toned expression of Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir — mossy earth, red fruit and Asian spice over a chiseled, age-worthy frame — from the balanced, classically cool 2022 season.
Review:
From a vineyard the Gerrie family planted in 1993 that sits around the winery, the 2022 Pinot Noir Louise Vineyard reveals a beautiful woodsy profile, with notes of mossy earth and higher-toned red fruit shining through, with cranberries, darker red fruits, and Asian spices. It has a chiseled structure, with fine compact tannins, a refreshing lift, and notes of tea leaf on its long finish. It's going to age with grace over the coming 20 years.
Jeb Dunnuck, 96 points
Review:
From a vineyard the Gerrie family planted in 1993 that sits around the winery, the 2022 Pinot Noir Louise Vineyard reveals a beautiful woodsy profile, with notes of mossy earth and higher-toned red fruit shining through, with cranberries, darker red fruits, and Asian spices. It has a chiseled structure, with fine compact tannins, a refreshing lift, and notes of tea leaf on its long finish. It’s going to age with grace over the coming 20 years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points
Dark, broad and full, with ample black fruit, good structure and concentration. Brings warmth with its red cherry, dark plum and light smoke character. Moderate tannins, good acidity and nice breadth in the mouthfeel. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 95 Points
Most diverse soils on the property the Louise is the only site without 100% volcanic soils. The warmest site on the property, protected from the Van Duzer winds from a horseshoe of forest is about radiance of warmth for winemaker Estrin. This site can get big fast, so he picks them a bit earlier than the others and has to pay attention to the extraction, exotic spice aromatics, Chinese five spice and Oolong tea. This is a bit more broad-shouldered and the tannins intimate that this will go the distance. The palate leans into savoury spice, with black tea, wild anise blackberries and mint. Brooding and elegant.
-Decanter World Wine Awards 95 Points
Classic to the core, the 2022 Pinot Noir Louise Vineyard seduces with a blend of violets, lavender and cola, giving way to crushed blackberries and a dusting of cinnamon. This impresses with its round textures and joyously ripe red and blue-toned fruits as a tactile staining of minerality provides a lovely grip toward the close. A cascade of rosy florals resonates over a bed of fine-grained tannins as the 2022 finishes long and beautifully balanced. The oak integration (33% new) is perfectly executed here.
-Eric Guido (Vinous) 94 Points
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