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| Winery: | Riebeek Cellars |
| Vintage: | 2022 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Daydreamer Red Blend is made from 60% Pinotage, 20% Shiraz and 20% Grenache.
Bright red and black berry fruit with pink pepper and a hint of violets on a silky palate with fine tannins, that offer weight and length on a fresh, juicy finish.
The Riebeek Cellars Estate
Riebeek Cellars was established in 1941 and is situated in Riebeek Kasteel at the foot of Bothma's Kloof Pass. This medium-sized winery on the western coast of the Cape Province of South Africa sources its grapes from the fertile Riebeek Valley and the slopes of the mountain where the climate is very similar to the Mediterranean. Through the years as vineyard practices developed, cultivars were planted in soil and at slopes best suited to them. These well-tended vineyards enable the production of high quality wines which makes Riebeek Cellars the choice of wine buyers internationally. Well-known both in South Africa and abroad, Riebeek Cellars manages a variety of brands for various countries.
Heritage
Corporal Pieter Cruythoff, a scout of Jan van Riebeeck, founded the Riebeek Valley in 1661. Impressed by the single standing mountain, he called it Kasteelberg (“Castle Mountain”) commemorating the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town, the fortress of Commander Jan van Riebeeck. The twin towns, Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West, established at the foot of Kasteelberg, are therefore also suitably named after Van Riebeeck.
The Riebeek Valley is a mecca of wonderful wines, exceptional food and exquisite art where tourists and locals alike are forever tempted into spending more time than allowed. The serene valley falls in the bigger Swartland region which is called the 'bread basket' of South Africa for its grain production, while it is further internationally acclaimed for its high quality olive products. With various hotels and fine-dining restaurants as well as true country hospitality, the Riebeek Valley has become a very popular tourist destination. The ultimate charm of Riebeek is however in its people and their commitment and passion for wine.
"Located in the Western Cape region of South Africa, this winery was established in 1941, which makes it relatively old compared to all the new wineries that have sprung up in this area. Among the first Pinotages I can recommend, it’s also a good value. Pinotage, which is, of course, ubiquitous in South Africa, was first made in 1941, when the Cinsault grape (primarily grown in southern France and the Rhone Valley) was crossed with Pinot Noir." - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue 201, June 2012).
Avennia Justine Red Blend 61% Grenache, 21% Mourvèdre, and 18% Syrah.
Justine reflects our belief that Washington is capable of producing world class blends of grape varieties traditional to the Southern Rhone region of France. The name is inspired by one of the great heroines of recent literature, who also sprung from the imagination of the Mediterranean. Dark, seductive, complex, with a chasm of depth: The Justine is a great reflection of Avennia's mission of expression, and Washington's generous terroir.
Tasting Note: Big black cherry, blackberry, hints of orange peel, fresh herbs and loam on the nose. Plush and round on the palate. Dark earthy fruits from the Mourvedre, along with citrus high notes, mountain flowers, jasmine, and savory herbs. Balanced and complex without forgetting its hedonistic roots in the Southern Rhone.
Review:
-Owen Bargreen 95 Points
The Tempest was one of the first wines, and the first Proprietary Blend, we produced. At the time, it seemed almost uncanny that we were able to access three grape varietals at the same time from the same vineyard; it was blind luck or perhaps the proverbial “perfect storm.” The resulting wine reflected a fierce determination to brave the storm as well as a new desire to realize the possibilities of Merlot. The Tempest is still made with outstanding grapes, from vineyards such as Blair in Calistoga and cooler sites like Farella and Orchard. Predominantly Merlot with lesser amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon depending on vintage, The Tempest is a roiling cauldron of fresh red and blue fruit and silky tannins – a wine that shows what Merlot can be in the right hands, from the right vineyards.
Red fruit; silky tannins; more approachable in its youth
Review:
The 2022 The Tempest is a blend of 67% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 23% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheery notes of black raspberries, mulberries, and kirsch, leading to hints of lavender, wild sage, and aniseed. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers bright, crunchy fruit with firm, fine-grained tannins and great tension, finishing on a lingering peppery note. This was bottled in March 2024.
Avennia Valery Red Blend is made from 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc
Valery is named for the patron saint of wine in the St. Emilion region that inspired it.
We started with old vine Merlot from a stony block in the heart of the Yakima Valley and added complex, aromatic Cabernet Franc from the Horse Heaven Hills. The result is a balanced, complex wine with the elegance and ethereal perfume that this blend of two of Washington’s best varietals are known for.
The nose on this wine is very perfumed, almost exotic with notes of fresh violets, red plum, winter mint, fresh herbs and crushed limestone qualities. The palate is poised and balanced, with red fruits and mocha powder encapsulated in limestone. The finish lingers delicately, with the Cabernet Franc asserting a light tobacco and herb note, giving depth. A compelling wine that will continue to unwind for 7-10 years in the cellar.
Review:
"This Merlot dominant blend is made in the style of Bordeaux's Right Bank. Still, it offers a brilliant complexity sourced from two of Washington's most important sites, with old-vine Merlot that comes from a rocky section of Boushey Vineyard and Cabernet Franc from the Horse Heaven Hills standard bearer Champoux Vineyard. The resulting wine is dazzling, complex and refined. Elegance in the floral tones of dark violets and dried lavender mingle with smoky clove and a savoury saline pique. The palate offers intensity, rich red fruits, savoury dried anise and hints of wild desert sage. There's a core of dark chocolate and a streak of pencil lead into the finish."
- Decanter 96 Points
Hailing from 1937, these certified organic vines are some of the most unique we’ve ever seen. Just a mile and a half from the Napa border on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas, located in what is the new Moon Mountain AVA, the vines are planted along steep, contoured terraces. Finding old vineyards is rare enough, but ancient hillside head-trained vines located 1000 feet up? Downright extraordinary.
Review:
"The 2022 Zinfandel Fredericks Vineyard is medium to deep ruby in the glass. It opens slowly but steadily with multifaceted aromas of peach skin, dried red berries, dark spices, wafts of cooling botanicals and a lifted, vibrant floral perfume. The full-bodied palate is suave, concentrated and polished, hiding rustic but gentle tannins and seamless, mineral-tinged acidity with its long, perfumed finish. As with much of the 2022 Turley Zinfandels, this should unwind and come into itself after 3-5 years in bottle and provide more than a decade of enjoyment in the cellar."
- 94 Points Robert Parker
Quintessa Red 2022 is made from 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carménère, 1% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot.
The 2022 Quintessa is a charming wine, opening with intense aromas of black cherry and cassis that are complemented by notes of tobacco, bay laurel, cedar, and dark chocolate. Plush and inviting on entry, this wine’s flavors align with its aromas. The palate reveals dark fruits and an undertone of crushed rocks, tar, and graphite. On the finish, this vintage displays the signature fine-grained tannin of their Quintessa terroir, backed by voluminous texture and fruit.
Review:
Such an incredible wine here - one of the stars of the September releases. Smells amazing, cooling blueberries with fragrant blackcurrants, edges of florality - totally inviting scents. Full and filling in the mouth, this is ample with such a layered effect, super vertical and elongated. Tight and a little tense but it really works - such balance between black fruit, dried herbs, high acidity and a profound structure. Refined and beautifully presented. So much life, so much energy - this is pure class. A wine you don't want to put down. Feels hands off despite such concentration and power. Ends salty with sticky liquorice, mint and cooling wet stones. You could definitely drink this now but it will age too! 1% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot complete the blend. One of the final few vintages with Rodrigo Soto at the helm - he stepped down last year to concentrate on his family project Far Mountain in Sonoma Valley which is worth following. Winemaker Rebekah Wineburg.
-Decanter 99 Points
Avennia Gravura Red Blend is made from 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc
Gravura is our ode to the Graves AOC of Bordeaux, emphasizing a harmony of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The name is a play on an artisan printing technique, and on the Bordeaux region of Graves, which features similar blends. Featuring more Merlot and with the addition of Red Mountain fruit, this wine is designed to be more generous and voluptuous in style, while still remaining complex and balanced.
Gravura Tasting Notes: Beautiful nose of red and black fruits, some savory leaf notes, mocha, pencil shavings. The palate is elegant and balanced, almost pretty: raspberry, black and red currants, milk chocolate and caressing tannins. Finish medium-long and ethereal.
Thus, the first Édition of Krug Rosé, a singular Champagne achieving an astonishing balancing act between finesse and substance, came to be.
The story of Krug Rosé dates back to 1983. With Joseph’s non-conformist spirit at heart, the 5th generation of the Krug family gave birth to a new composition, a bold rosé inspired by the House’s reputed art of blending, to be re-created each year.
Krug Rosé is an unexpected rosé Champagne combining elegance and boldness – inspired by the dream of the fifth generation of the House of Krug to conceive a rosé Champagne that did not exist, a rosé Champagne that could be re-created every year.
Krug Rosé 27ème Édition is a blend of 38 wines from 9 different years, the youngest of which is from 2015, while the oldest dates back to 2005. ▪ It was completed with 10% traditionally macerated Pinot Noir of the year blended from plots in Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, to add a unique spiciness, colour and structure. Its final composition is 57% Pinot Noir, 23% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier. ▪ A stay of around seven years in Krug’s cellars gives Krug Rosé 27ème Édition its unique expression and elegance.
At first sight, its subtle pale pink colour holds a promise of elegance. On the nose, aromas of rose hips, cured ham, mulberries, redcurrant, peony, pepper and pink grapefruit. On the palate, delicate flavours of honey, citrus and dried fruit with a long finish, enhanced by its fine bubbles complete the experience.
Review:
Thirty-eight wines from nine vintages spanning 2005 to 2015 - 55% of them reserve - went into this blend of 57% Pinot Noir, 23% Chardonnay, and 20% Meunier; a nonpareil of shimmering depth. On the pure, precise nose, raspberries and roses mingle with suggestions of woodsiness, honey-cured ham, and parmesan rind before vibrating with white peach and red currant, honeyed cashew, and a soupcon of tobacco leaf and cucumber on the palate - where the tension between its almost ethereal refinement, thanks not least to the unending mousse, and the luxuriance of its finish is simply (or not so simply) delicious.
-Tasting Panel 99 Points
Dominique Piron Morgon Cote du Py is made from 100 percent Gamay.
The Morgon Cru is based in the heart of Northern Beaujolais. Côte du Py is the heart of Morgon, a little hill of very old blue stone rocks - the oldest soils of Beaujolais (around 430 millions years old), with a typical blue color.
Côte du Py has been known for centuries for being the best terroir of the village, producing long lived wines with strong structure and flavors.
Wines of the Côte du Py are very dark, profound and dense. Classic aromas of red berries, cherry, kirsh. Fruity, structured and mineral in the mouth with graphite flavors and spicy notes of black and white pepper. Wine can age up to 10 years.
Hand picked grapes are sorted manually and destemmed for 50 to 70%. Fermentation starts in concrete tanks and lasts for 18-25 days with remontages and pigeages. Then after pressurage starts the aging, for 2/3 in concrete tanks, and 1/3 in recent French oak barrels with batonages on fine lies only. After 10 month we do the blending, keeping only the best cuvees and best barrels, and do the bottling.
Pairs well with red meat like beef, duck and game (Hare, Dear, Wild Pork,…), cheses.