Ca Momi Chardonnay 2014

WEEKEND ONLY SALE! 

Marcassin Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

The 2014 Chardonnay from the Marcassin Vineyard could be described as a letdown after two perfect wines, but of course, it’s not. It shares the great intensity of its predecessors, doesn’t seem to have quite the complexity and profound depth of either the 2012 or 2013, but since it’s younger, that may appear with more time in the bottle. Certainly the tangerine oil, caramelized citrus, honeysuckle and lemon blossom are all present in this wine of impressive fruit purity, equilibrium and length. Like the 2013 and 2012, it has at least 10-15 years of aging potential.. -Wine Advocate 96 Points

What an extraordinary tasting this was at the Marcassin winery just north of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County. Just when you think the duo of Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer can’t make greater wines, they bowl over the taster with an array of exquisite quality that really must be tasted to be believed. Marcassin was probably California’s greatest Chardonnay after the famous Chalone winery fell from the pinnacle and onto hard times in the 1980s (and it has yet to rebound). Moreover, Marcassin set the bar for great Pinot Noir as well. And while both their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have many competitors these days (from the likes of Harford Court, Mark Aubert, Kistler, Kongsgaard, DuMol, Thomas Brown, Peter Michael, Martinelli and Luc Morlet, to name a few), John Wetlaufer and Helen Turley remain the reigning geniuses of these two varietals in California. Certainly, their meticulous attention to detail in both the vineyard and in the winemaking and élevage account for the quality, but they were among the pioneers who saw the unlimited potential from the Sonoma Coast, now a relatively crowded neighborhood. This was a remarkable tasting that simply blew me away, and I have been following their wines since the first Marcassins were made in the early 1990s. By the way, any doubts about aging potential should be crushed immediately, as even in the most challenging vintages in California, Marcassin Chardonnays and Pinots have aged as well as, if not better than just about any grand cru white Burgundy. For example, 1995 and 1996 Chardonnays, particularly those from the Lorenzo Vineyard, are incredibly youthful and dynamic, and the Marcassin Estate Pinot Noir, even from vintages such as 1998, is simply amazing. The three Chardonnays tasted include two perfect wines. Perhaps the closest comparison is not to anything made in California, but a Corton-Charlemagne in a top vintage from the famous Jean François Coche-Dury.

Casir dos Santos Gran Corte Red Blend  is made from 80% Malbec and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon

Presents an intense red color with glints of bordeaux. Great aromatic intensity. It expresses red ripe fruits and vanilla. In the mouth it´s balance, with round and sweet tannins, rich and persistent.

Coming from a sustainable 50-year old plot, grapes are crushed, destemmed and go through pre-fermentative maceration at 11ºC for 24 hours. Alcoholic fermentation in tanks. 4 weeks of maceration with must. At this point we blend the varietals for them to be aged together in French oak barrels for 12 months, Malolactic fermentation in contact with fine lees.

Pairs with Red meet, pasta, lamb, cheese.

Review:

"The 2014 Gran Corte is a blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipú that fermented separately before being blended and put in barrel to mature for 12 months after malolactic in contact with the lees. It's a classical well-oaked and generous red, with plenty of ripe fruit, smoke and spices and a full-bodied palate with abundant, slightly astringent tannins in the style of the late 1990s. For fans of the style. It was bottled in December 2016. 6,000 bottles produced. - Luis Gutiérrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #237, June 2018), 90 pts

Capitain Gagnerot Clos Vougeot Grand Cru is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.

SOILSChalky soil with fossils from the Bajocian era mixed with red clay and laves. Heavy earth containing iron.

VINIFICATION / MATURING

Harvested by hand, sorted and destemed.

Alcoholic fermentation in open vats, for about 15 days with 2 punch-down a day at the beginning.

Maturation in oak barrels (10% new barrels) for 12 to 15 months.

ALCOHOL

13,5°

TASTING NOTES

Colour : Deep garnet red.

Nose : Black fruits aromas (blackcurrant, blueberry).

Mouth : Strong structure and powerfull tannins. After 10 to 15 years of ageing, it turns to crystallized fruits aromas with a long finish.

FOOD PARING

Game in a sauce, Burgundy cheese (Citeaux)

Aged in French oak barrels for 8 months in our cellar. Lovely deep red color, with ripe blackberry fruit. The spiciness of the nose is echoed on the palate and combines well with juicy red fruit flavors. Well integrated oak and fine tannins ensures a long and classic finish.

Coming from a sustainable 50-year old plot, grapes are crushed, destemmed and go through pre-fermentative maceration at 11ºC for 24 hours. Alcoholic fermentation in tanks. 4 weeks of maceration with must. Aged in French oak barrels for 8 months, Malolactic fermentation in contact with fine lees.

Review:

"Serious ripeness and structure as well as a good freshness for the vintage. An impressive Cabernet. The balance of generous tannins, fullish body and black cherry fruit is very convincing. Drink now or hold."
- James Suckling (April 2018), 92 pts

Made from 78% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, aged in French oak barrels for 12 months, this is an elegant medium to full-bodied wine with ripe red fruits, sweet spices combined with toasty notes. The tannins provide texture and roundness and the finish is long and intense.

The 2014 vintage was marked by a very early start to the cycle. In April, the vineyards at Pago de Carraovejas already showed signs of activity, which is highly unusual. It was a very hot spring leading into a summer that was cooler than usual and enhanced by an unbeatable end to the cycle with a September that was more like summer than Autumn. The slow, careful grape-picking began on 26 September and ended on 18 October with the picking of the Cabernet Sauvignon. The rain around the time of the grape-picking lengthened the process but the quality and health parameters remained intact for such a peculiar—as regards weather—and promising vintage due to its quality.

We make our Reserva using selected grapes from vineyards with a greater potential for performance, in other words, with a fruit concentration and, at the same time, appropriate levels of acidity and firm, ripe tannins. Our process respects the fruit and we work slowly and meticulously: we pick our grapes by hand and we transport them in crates. Depending on the plot of land they come from and the time they arrive at the winery, the grape may be put into cold rooms to prevent oxidation and preserve their aroma.
We then perform a second selection process at the winery, rejecting any grapes that do not meet our criteria, using a selection table. The grapes are brought into the cellar and are allowed to settle naturally.
The vats are filled slowly and gently. Depending on the characteristics that we detect during the tasting, we ferment the grapes in stainless steel vats or French oak.
For this fermentation, we use our own yeast, from our vineyard and is isolated by our team. This concept is partially responsible for the character of Carraovejas. During fermentation, a relatively low temperature is maintained, using dry ice if necessary. After the alcoholic fermentation, the undergo spontaneous malolactic fermentation, which takes place in stainless steel or oak, depending on the characteristics of the wines. The barrel ageing is marked by respect for the character of the wine. Most of it was aged in extra-fine-grain, French oak barrels for a minimum of 12 months – the time it remains in the cellar before being put on the market, bottled and sealed with selected natural cork.

A great match with red meat, game, pastas, ham and hard cheeses.

A magical wine, the 2014 Reserva from winemaker Almudena Calvo is largely Tempranillo blend with 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot, all aged in French oak for a year. Deep and powerful, with beautiful concentration, it’s nevertheless incredibly elegant and seamless on the palate, and shows terrific complexity in its blackcurrants, graphite, white flowers, and vanilla bean aromas and flavors. A wine of great intensity as well as purity, it builds with time in the glass and has a fabulous finish that won’t quit. It’s not for those craving lightweight aromas and flavors, but it’s a thrilling wine. Drink it any time over the coming 10-15 years. - Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points