France is the largest wine producing country in the world. The history of French wine traces back to Roman times. French wine is controlled by the AOC system, Appellation d'Origine Controlee. This system guides as to what grapes are allowed to be grown in each region. The system was created using hundreds of years of growing history and the use of terroir. Terrior is a French wine term that encapsulates all the variables that apply to a wine's tastes…such as soil, climate, and the area the grape is grown.
France is home to many grapes that have now been cloned throughout the world. Not only have France's grapes been replicated, but so have their wine making styles. Even though they are the strongest player in the wine producing world, they now have competition from the new world wine producing countries.
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.
Pomerols Beauvignac Syrah Rose is 100% Syrah
Pink colored, firm in the style of a Tavel rosé, the wine shows strawberry aromas, candy notes on the nose and cherry and pomegranate flavors on the palate. The wine is silky, elegant, crisp and refreshing.
The Syrah is bled off after 8 hours of maceration.
Pomerols Beauvignac Syrah Rose is 100% Syrah
Pink colored, firm in the style of a Tavel rosé, the wine shows strawberry aromas, candy notes on the nose and cherry and pomegranate flavors on the palate. The wine is silky, elegant, crisp and refreshing.
The Syrah is bled off after 8 hours of maceration.
Pomerols Picpoul Pinet HB Languedoc is made from 100 percent Picpoul.
Pale yellow color with green tints. Fresh and fine aromas of grapefruit and exotic fruit. Lime flavors, with typical focusing acidity, are hallmarks of Picpoul. Our best value, this wine impresses novices and hardened geeks equally.
Potensac Medoc is made from 44% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
The estate's Grand Vin's vineyards are located west of the village of Ordonnac where the vines grow on gravelly-clay soiils. They produce a very fine wine with tight texture, richness and wonderful freshness. On the palate, the wine is pure and powerful, with great concentration, dense and spicy tannins, and mineral tension. Fresh and full-flavored with ripe black fruits, and a finish of great depth. Thanks to these qualities, Château Potensac is often considered to represent the "pure Medoc style". It should be noted that Potensac was the only "Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel" of its appellation, and certainly one of the most persistent ever produced at this stage.
This is a 6 liter imperial also called a Methuselah.
Roland Champion Champagne Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru is made from 100% Grand Cru Chardonnay from the chalky soils of Chouilly.
This Champagne is full of elegance and finesse. Very complex nose, with a bouquet of aromas dominated by honey, brioche and notes of dried fruits, hazelnuts and sweets. Perfectly matured.
Manual harvest; then pressing immediately to avoid oxidation & preserve quality. Free run juice only. Aged six years on the lees.
It matches magnificently with foie gras!
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Argot Simpatico Ranch Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Powerful aromas of key-lime, white flowers, orange blossoms and a fierce, flinty, sauvage note define a wildly complex nose. Once in the mouth, gracefully pronounced textures coat the palate delivering an exotic interpretation of cool-climate Chardonnay character — lime peel, orange blossom, ginger and clove —lingerings deep into a vibrant finish.
Planted 1978. Shallow volcanic soils on the gently-sloped, south-facing foothills of Bennett Peak on Bennett Valley’s floor. One of California’s coolest Chardonnay vineyards. In the final year of 3-year draught cycle, Simpatico Ranch saw its earliest ever harvest and smallest crop, exposing a reserve of exoticism and minerality previously untapped. A watershed vintage for both the vineyard, and appellation. Night harvested by hand on 9/16, whole-cluster pressed direct to barrel; no settling to ensure maximum lees contact. Barrel fermented on heavy lees. Malolactic fermentation. 16 months in French oak, 50% new. Finished 2 months in steel tank, low Sulphur during barrel elevage.
Review:
The 2022 Chardonnay Simpatico Ranch comes bounding out with exuberant notes of juicy peaches, ripe yellow apples, and persimmons, followed by hints of fresh ginger and toasted almonds. The medium to full-bodied palate is soft spoken and savory with a creaminess to the texture and lovely freshness defining the long whispery finish.
-Wine Palate 96 Points