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Produced from 100% Chenin Blanc planted on clay and flint stones based soils.
Vinification: aged in stainless steel tanks with temperature controlled fermentation. Aged on the lees for 4 months. 
Kieselguhr filtration.
This sparking wine is fresh and fruity. Rich and easy to drink, which makes it a wonderful aperitif. For the aficionados this is an excellent food friendly wine. Its quality makes it a great alternative to Champagne.

"The two sparkling wines should not be missed. They’re both terrific examples of how good sparkling Vouvray can be. Both are 100% Chenin Blanc cuvees, with the non-vintage Chateau Gaudrelle Vouvray Brut showing lots of effervescence and plenty of flowery brioche, buttered citrus, melon and dried apricot notes. It is crisp, fresh, and ideal for drinking over the next several years."
-Wine Advocate 90 pts

"Just off-dry, this almond- and apple-flavored wine achieves a fine balance of crispness and richness. There is just a touch of honey, intertwined with delicious citrusy acidity."
- Wine Enthusiast , 90 pts

Chateau Gaudrelle Vouvray Reserve Personelle 2009 is 100 percent Chenin Blanc

Fine Chenin Blanc typicity, with aromas of ripe apples and honeyed notes. Rich, smooth, rounded palate with great structure and weight. Has the acidity to support ageing for 10 years.

Made from 50% chenin blanc and 50% chardonnay

It is an interesting experience as a sparkling wine for people who want to have a fine and elegant wine comparable to Champagne for a very good price.

This methode traditionnelle sparkling wine is aged for minimum 18-24 months in cave before disgorging. The dosage is 12 g/l residual sugar and the wine is aged for minimum 3 months after disgorging .

Review:

"The two sparkling wines should not be missed. They're both terrific examples of how good sparkling Vouvray can be. Both are 100% Chenin Blanc cuvees. Even better is the slightly richer, more honey and lemon-scented and flavored non-vintage Cremant de Loire. A blend of equal parts Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay aged for a minimum of 18 to 24 months in their cellars before disgorgement, this is a real beauty and a superb wine. Unfortunately, just under 100 cases are imported to the United States." -Wine Advocate 92 pts

Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge is made from 30% each Grenache and Mourvèdre, with 10% each Counoise and Syrah, plus 20% other permitted varieties, including a healthy proportion of white grapes.

The story :
Château de Beaucastel has long been considered one of the great wines of France. It is unanimously renowned for its balance, elegance and ageing potential. Beaucastel has an extraordinary terroir at the Northern end of the appellation with heavy exposure to the Mistral. All 13 varieties of the appellation have been organically grown here since the sixties.

 Location :

Châteauneuf du Pape, between Orange and Avignon, Château de Beaucastel red is a 70-hectare vineyard.

Terroir :
Château de Beaucastel is 110 hectares, with one single plot at the north of the appellation. The terroir is archetypal of the best terroirs in Châteauneuf: rolled pebbles on the surface, sand, clay and limestone deeper down. The vines are old and have been organically grown for 50 years, which has allowed the roots to grow exceptionally deep.
Beaucastel grows all thirteen grape varieties authorised by the appellation.

Ageing :
Each variety is harvested manually and separately. Vinification is completed in truncated oak barrels for the reductive grapes (Mourvèdre and Syrah) and in traditional tiled cement tanks for the oxidative grapes (such as Grenache). After the malolactic fermentations, the family blends the different varieties and then the wine ages in oak Foudres for a year before bottling.

 Review:

deep, quite herbal expression, with liquorice and crushed blueberries to the cassis fruit. Full-bodied, powerfully fruited, dense and deep. Really mouthcoating, intense fruit. The tannins are ripe, fine and plentiful, all saturated in blackberry juice on a long finish. Certainly one of the more successful Châteauneufs this year. Will age well. A Mourvèdre-led expression of Beaucastel - it contains more than usual, at least 35% and probably more. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudre. (MW)  (9/2022)

-Decanter 96 Points

Gaudrelle Monmousseau Clos le Vigneau Vouvray is made from 100% Chenin Blanc

Clos Le Vigneau is a single vineyard from an area known as "les Gués d'Amant" or "Lover's Gap". Most of the vines were planted in 1929. 

Off dry in style with honey, earth and apricot notes. Wines from the town of Vouvray have been known to age well for 40 years. This particular bottling should hold for at least 5-7 years. 

Chateau Batailley Grand Cru is made from 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot & 1% Cabernet Franc.

Château Batailley is a winery in the Pauillac appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced at the estate was classified as one of eighteen Cinquièmes Crus (Fifth Growths) in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.

Garnet-purple colour. Rich and expressive nose, fruity with notes of spices, smoke and vanilla. On the palate, this wine is supple, round, well balanced, with good acidity, a nice fruitiness and nice notes of leather and cedar. Long elegant finish.

Review:

The 2010 Batailley repeated its magnificent showing when poured at the chateau. It has a detailed bouquet of blackberry and cedar, quite backward and seemingly having advanced lite since | tasted in in April 2016. The palate remains full of tension and brimming with energy, delivering classic cedar and tobacco notes toward the persistent finish. Batailley can produce wines that live many decades, and this is clearly one of them. Tasted at the property. Drink 2020-2050

- Neal Martin Vinous 95 Points

Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux is made from 95% Grenache, 5% Syrah.

Château de Saint Cosme is the leading estate of Gigondas and produces the benchmark wines of the appellation. The property has been in the hands of the Barruol family since 1490. Louis Barruol took over from his father in 1992 making a dramatic shift to quality and converting to biodynamics in 2010.

Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux is the estate’s oldest vineyard and sits near the entrance to the winery. “It was first planted in 1870 following phylloxera. My uncles thought it wasn’t producing enough fruit and planned to uproot it in 1914,” says Louis Barruol, but “World War I interrupted that plan.”

The 1.8-hectare Le Claux—meaning “Clos” in old French—is a field blend of predominately Grenache. Louis Barruol believes 10% of the vineyard is from the original 1870 planting. Vines are replaced by massal selection and the average vine age is 60-years. The wine is made with whole cluster fermentation from indigenous yeasts, is aged in 20% new 228-liter barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration.

Tasting Notes

Brilliant violet color. Displays pungent, mineral- and spice-accented cherry, black raspberry, potpourri and licorice aromas, along with hints of savory herbs, vanillo and incense. Chewy and tightly focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry, dark berry and Moroccan spice flavors that unfurl slowly through the back half. It closes with firm tension, chewy tannins and excellent tenacity, leaving resonating cherry and floral notes behind. All barriques, a third of them new.

-Vinous 95-97 Points

Chateau Rauzan-Segla is made from 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc.

Ségla is the second wine of the prestigious Château Rauzan Ségla and a Craft + Estate exclusive. The history of Château Rauzan-Ségla dates back to 1661 when Pierre de Rauzan acquired the estate. Rauzan-Ségla grew in reputation in a remarkable way and produced some of the most highly rated wines in Bordeaux. They delighted many well-known dignitaries, most notably Thomas Jefferson who came across this wine during his visit to Bordeaux in 1787, subsequently placing an order for several cases in 1790. Some decades later, the historic 1855 Bordeaux Classification ranked Château Rauzan-Ségla as a 2nd Growth. Today, the property is owned by the Wertheimer family of the fashion house Chanel and managed by Nicolas Audebert.

About half of the 126 acres (51 hectares) of vineyard are around the château, but there are additional parcels near Château Margaux and Brane-Cantenac. The vines are comprised of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, with an average vine age of 30 years and a vine density of 2,670 to 4,050 plants per acre (6,600 to 10,000 vines/ha). Soils at Rauzan-Ségla are composed of deep, fine gravel, which makes for natural irrigation.

More accessible than the first wine, the aim for Ségla is to produce a wine of extremely good quality and value reflecting all the elements of Margaux and giving a true insight to the quality of the Grand Vin. The estate puts the same amount of effort and care into the production of Ségla as it does the first wine, making it a true and authentic introduction to the château.

Review

This is a full-bodied wine, from one of the leading estates in Margaux. It is ripe with juicy blackberry and black-currant fruits. This fruit contrasts with the dark tannins and powerful structure. It is going to develop slowly and impressively to be ready to drink from 2025.

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

Marchesi Di Gresy Barbaresco Martinenga Camp Gros Riserva is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. 

Review:

Gorgeous scents of cherry, raspberry, rose hip and white pepper are augmented by leather, tobacco and chalky, mineral flavors in this detailed, complex red, which starts out fresh and inviting, before the dense matrix of tannins puts a lock on the finish. Nonetheless, this has length, harmony and stellar potential. Best from 2025 through 2043. 663 cases made, 50 cases imported.

-Wine Spectator 96 Points

Convento Oreja Ribera del Duero Roble is made from 100% Tempranillo

Deep black plum color with violet tones. Ripe fruit on the nose, mostly blackberries and raspberries, intermingled with hints of spice and leather. On the palate, it is warm, fresh and pleasant with a long finish.

Age of the vines: betwxeen 6 and 16 years old.

Vineyards' location: Comarca de Peñafiel.

Vinification is made in large 20,000-liter stainless steel tanks (200 hectoliters) with automated temperature control.
Fermentation lasted 5 days at 22°C temperature.
Total time for maceration lasted 9 days. 
Malolactic Fermentación was completed during the month of November.
Wine was aged in French Oak barrels for a minimum of 4 months.

Review:

"Thoroughly Ribera del Duero in its power and austerity, this wine’s floral rose scents shade into blackness, lasting cleanly within a structure that’s both open and intense. There’s a hint of greenness from its time in American and French oak barrels, an edge that will tame grilled meats."

- Wine & Spirits (June 2022), 91 pts

Gaudrelle Clos de la Huppe Vouvray is made from 100% Chenin Blanc.

Gaudrelle Vouvray Clos de la Huppe is coming from a very specific vineyard called "Clos de la Huppe". 
all the plowing and the work in the vineyard is done by hand with the help of a horse. 

This wine is named after the Eurasian hoopoe, a bird species that enjoys our vineyards again since we got into more natural farming. Draft horse, manual harvesting, fermentation with indigenous yeasts and an 18-month aging on the lees make for a characterful and mineral wine.

Pierinvaletta Arneis Langhe Hills is made from 100% Arneis

No oak. Aged on the lees for 4 months in Stainless Steel Tan

Fresh, fruity, mineral.
Pierin Valetta is one of the ancestor of the Family and these wines are dedicated to him as we would like to thank him for giving us vineyards that reach up to 70 years old.

Made from 20 years old vines planted on Limestone soils. 
No Oak. The wine was aged on the lees for 4 months in Stainless Steel Tanks. 
Wine was slightly filtered before bottling.

Aalto P.S. Pagos Seleccionados Tinto  is made from 100 percent Tempranillo.

Climatic conditions

The farming year began with a mild autumn and little precipitation. A very dry winter started with -9ºC reaching at the end higher temperatures than normal for that time of the year. Spring and summer characterized by little rain, only some rain showers in July and late August avoided the hydric stress of the vines. The vegetative cycle of the vine developed with big variations of temperatures, alternating warm and atypical low temperatures of 4ºC for mid-June. The ripening of the grapes happened under very good conditions and the harvest started on 24th September 2019.  

Grape origin

100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) primarily from very old vines – 60 to 90 years old – from selected plots in La Horra and La Aguilera. The harvest was done by hand, in small boxes of 15 kilos that are thoroughly inspected, bunch by bunch, on the selection table.  

Tasting notes

Review:

Color: dark cherry, Aroma: toasty, spicy, fine cocoa, black fruit, Mouth: tasty, toasty, fine bitterness, ripe tannins

Guia Penin 94 Points

Appasionata Andante Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

Inspired by the three movements of Beethoven’s ground-breaking “Appassionata” Piano Sonata, there are three Appassionata Pinot Noirs, released at different tempos.

The second movement, Andante (gently, unhurried), is held longer in our cellar after bottling and released five years after the vintage. Made with the same patience and restraint, this bottling is selected to emphasize elegance and refinement, a style reflected in Beethoven’s own performancedirection for this movement: “Piano e Dolce” (softly and sweetly). The 2017 Andante exhibits great aromatic and textural finesse, with delicately pretty fruit and a silky, harmonious texture. The hint of extract sweetness that emerges on the finish is exactly what we are looking for as a Pinot Noir matures.

Review:

Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot Toscana IGT is made from Merlot.

Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot has an explosive olfactory impact. The wide aromatic bouquet ranges from cherry and plum jam to notes of black tea, rhubarb and graphite, with small final notes of fermented tobacco. The entrance is bursting. The palate is invested by the imposing and typical structure of Tuscan Merlot, enveloping and warm. Tastefully in symbiosis with the olfactory notes, the dense and linear tannin accompanies hints of coconut and black pepper in retrolfaction.

Review:

James Suckling 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

Le Poste’s cool microclimate and limestone soil make it one of Saint Cosme’s most structured, aromatic, and mineral intense wines of the estate. This wine always walks a knife's edge of power and finesse thanks to its deep fruit and precise structure. The wine features aromas and flavors of iodine, violet, pepper, and ash.

Grenache is the pale-colored, red-fruited, and potpourri-scented red grape variety of the southern Rhône and can be paired with both rustic and sophisticated dishes. Full-bodied Grenache-based wines are ideal with stews, braises, and grilled meats, while lighter versions can work well with dark fish and tomato-based dishes such as ratatouille.

Review:

Deep magenta. Expansive, spice- and mineral-tinged black raspberry, kirsch and boysenberry aromas are complicated by suggestions of incense, lavender and smoky minerals. Alluringly sweet and focused in the mouth, offering densely packed red and blue fruit preserve, floral pastille and exotic spice flavors that smoothly balance weight and finesse. This wine shows superb finishing clarity and mineral lift on the penetrating and impressively long finish, which features polished tannins and resonating fruit, floral and mineral notes.

-Vinous 95-97 Points

Louis Barruol describes the microclimate of the vineyard Malleval as “very cold” which allows the grapes to retain acidity and showcase the floral aromas of the local Sérine variety. Aromas and flavors of blackberries and wild strawberries are accented by notes of peppercorns, tobacco, peonies, and violets.

Syrah, with its deep flavors and firm tannins, is a natural match for grilled or smoked meat and dishes featuring herbs, roasted mushrooms, and onions. Seared venison or beef with black pepper and thyme or a Moroccan tagine of pigeon or chicken are complimented by the spicy characteristic of Syrah. 

Review:

Stacks of dark forest berries plus notes of smoke, pepper and tar make this a very expressive St.-Joseph. Impressive depth and ripeness for the 2021 vintage on the front and mid-palates, then the stony minerality kicks in giving it more power at the sleek and structured finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2024.

-James Suckling 93 Points

Far Niente Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon  is made from 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc .

An elegant perfume of mixed berries, baking spice, dried lavender and thyme open onto a full palate layered with expansive mixed berry, black tea, toasted oak and spice flavors. Focused and fresh, fine grained tannins support the wine throughout, while the finish is silky, long and lifted.

The wine combines select vineyards in Rutherford, Calistoga and St. Helena that complement our home in Oakville and embody our long-established house style. Cabernet has been a hallmark of Far Niente’s winemaking program beginning with its very first vintage in 1982. The marriage of these diverse vineyard sites has allowed us to craft our finest expression of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine exemplifies our nearly four decades of mastery in growing and making Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Review:

 With a slight nose of reduction, this wine offers grippy tannin and sizable oak. Blueberry, currant, cedar and sage give it an elegance and classic structure of understated power, finishing in notes of tobacco and clove. Enjoy from 2029–2039. Cellar Selection

-Wine Enthusiast 96 Points

Hickinbotham Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2019 Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon possesses aromas of mulberry, Asian spices, tapenade, espresso beans and rose petals. The flavours evolve on the palate, with notes of bittersweet chocolate framed by vibrant acidity that gives way to a luxurious mid-palate and persistent finish.

Review:

Dark as night, packed with concentrated aromas of menthol, bay leaf, tobacco, cedar, vanilla and cassis, the 2019 Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich, powerful Cabernet with notable herbal overtones. Full-bodied, ripe and velvety in texture, it finishes with hints of dark chocolate and scorched coffee. Long and structured, with dusty tannins on the finish, it should age well for at least 10–15 years.

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 94 Points

-James Suckling 94 Points

Joseph Phelps Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is made from  94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec.

A classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with inviting violet, dark fruit, tobacco, subtle baking spice and earthy dried herb aromatics. The palate is filled with expressive black cherry, blackberry and dark plum, hints of spice box and sweet vanilla bean. A focused, concentrated wine with youthful energy and freshness nimbly balanced by supple tannin structure and finesse.

Review:

This wine is lovely in juicy red fruit, dried herb and hints of allspice, the tannin structure firm and giving. Offering refinement and structure, it shows nuances of black currant, cherry and toasted oak. This will do well in the cellar.
Wine Enthusiast Cellar Selection 94 Points