Hansen Lauer Sekt Riesling Brut 2016

Hansen Lauer Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling is a nice Mosel-Riesling with a lot of minerality and a hint of stewed apple, cantalope and dried orange flavors. The finish is long and clean, which make it very easy to drink.

This is coming from grapes grown on 100% Devonian slate soils. After harvest, the grapes are sorted in order to keep only the best quality. It is then aged on the lees for more than 6 months, giving the wine richness and depth.

The Hansen Lauer Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling goes well with turkey and seafood

Inglenook Rubicon  is made from 93% Cabernet Sauvignon 7% Cabernet Franc.

Since its inaugural vintage in 1978, Rubicon has been the Estate's premier red wine, reflecting the soul of the property and expressing Francis Coppola's wish to create a Bordeaux-styled grand wine, that is, "a wine that can please contemporary taste, but with a historical aspect [that defines] our vineyards at their zenith."

Rubicon was named after the small river crossed by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C., declaring his intention to gain control of Rome, thereby launching a civil war among opposing factions. Over time the phrase "crossing the Rubicon" has come to signify any irreversible action with revolutionary intent or the outcome of which holds great risk. True to its uncommon depth, Inglenook's Rubicon continues to be a testament to the finely tuned rendering of a risk well-taken.

2016:

After four years of drought, a winter with average rainfall was welcome, as it provided ample soil moisture for a strong start to the 2016 growing season. Average late-spring temperatures and limited precipitation minimized the risk of frost during mid-May bloom, ensuring average yields. June closed with a heat spell, slowing vine canopy growth at the ideal time. Harvest of the blocks contributing to the 2016 Inglenook Rubicon blend occurred under optimum conditions from September 6th through September 27th.

Ideal harvest conditions endowed the 2016 Rubicon with the three elements associated with a truly great wine from the Rutherford appellation: complexity, balance, and elegance. The aromas are intense and focused with top notes of creamy, sweet vanilla, and black licorice wound around a core of exquisitely ripe black cherry and crème de cassis. This refinement extends directly to the palate, where the wine is both broad and deep with sensuous, silky tannins. Supremely balanced in terms of both opulence and complexity, ripe black fruits and an ultra-smooth texture provide an impressive crescendo to a very long finish.

Review:

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Rubicon is a wine of total precision and class. Translucent and energetic, with distinctly mid-weight structure, the 2016 is a wine of reserve, tension and breeding. Shy at first, the 2016 has a lot to offer, but it needs a number of years in bottle to be at its most expressive. Cedar, tobacco, licorice and wild cherry add the closing nuances.

- Antonio Galloni 97 Points

Torello Corpinnat Finca Can Marti Brut 32% Chardonnay, 32% Xarel.lo, 22% Macabeo and 14% Parellada.

The Can Martí estate soils have been formed from sediments from the Garraf Massis, deposited thousands of years ago. One of the most characteristic features of the estate’s soils is the presence of accumulations of calcium carbonate.The movement of water through the soil dissolves the carbonates present and takes them to a certain depth. The continuous repetition of this process has ended up producing the accumulation of these deposits.When these become massive, after thousands of years, they bind together and and form a hard stratum called a petrocalcic horizon. This hard stratum limits the availbility of water to the vine and the production, but is a factor that gives the grape quality.

Straw yellow color, fine and constant bubbles, clean and bright, with golden reflections. The nose reveals a subtle aromatic intensity with fresh and sweet aromas. Honey flowers, citrus notes, white fruit, and balsamic herbs such as fennel.

In the mouth the acidity is well balanced, with delicate bitter notes to the finish and a set of ripe fruits and balsamic nuances.

Torello Corpinnat Special Edition Brut Reserve is made from 44% Xarel.lo, 37% Macabeo, 11% Chardonnay, 8% Parellada.

The estate soils have been formed from sediments from the Garraf Massis, deposited thousands of years ago. One of the most characteristic features of the estate’s soils is the presence of accumulations of calcium carbonate. The movement of water through the soil dissolves the carbonates and takes them to a certain depth. The continuous repetition of this process has ended up producing the accumulation of these deposits. When these become massive, after thousands of years, they bind together and form a hard stratum called a petrocalcic horizon. This hard stratum limits the availability of water to the vine and the production, but is a factor that gives the grape quality

The wine offers a straw yellow color, clean, transparent, fine, and persistent bubbles with a rosary formation. In the nose fresh pear aromas stand out along with delicious notes of pastry cream, white flowers, and candied fruits. On the palate, good balance and acidity. Powerful and flavorful with white flowers and notes of brioche, almond and great length.

Special Edition is very versatile and matches with many different kinds of dishes; pasta, pork, chicken, fish, seafood, rice, cold cuts, desserts.

Honeyed style, rich minerality and luscious creaminess. Flavors of baked pineapple and pear. Fresh and juicy on the finish.

From the famous Erbacher Honigberg vineyard. Average of the vines is 20 years old. 

Cool fermentation, matured on the lees for 2 months before bottling, with a slight filtration.

Riesling Rheingau Erbacher Honigberg Spatlese goes well with Indian Curry and blue Cheese

Georges Cartier Champagne Brut Tradition NV is made from 65% Pinot Meunier, 25% Pinot Noir, and 10% Chardonnay.

This champagne was made to reflect the potential of each grape growing areas of the Champagne region.

The grapes for Georges Cartier Brut Tradition have been carefully selected from the 3 emblematic areas of Champagne. Chardonnay is sourced from the Côte des Blancs, Pinot Noir from Montagne de Reims and Pinot Meunier from the Marne Valley.

Each grape variety brings its own character and specific quality to the wine: Pinot Meunier brings fruit and roundness, Pinot Noir brings character, power, structure and balance, while Chardonnay contributes to the finesse, minerality and elegance of the result wine.

The blend in 2022 will be 70% 2018 vintage and 30% of reserve wines (consisting of 2014, 2015 and 2016 vintages).

It will be RD (meaning "Recently Disgorged") to keep freshness, fruitiness, minerality and elegance. 

Review:

"A blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. Lemon drop and buttercup combine with lime sorbet. Bubbles burst with ease and the wine’s mineral tone keeps the palate cleansed."

- The Tasting Panel (May/June 20022), 93 pts