Xavier Vignon Cotes du Rhone Rouge Vieilles Vignes is made from 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 15% Syrah
Grenaches are almost hundred years old, Mourvèdres more than 60 years old and Syrahs are 45 years old in average.
There's a spicy, green peppercorn edge to the Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes. It's medium to full-bodied, with svelte, supple tannins and plenty of plummy fruit that exhibits more savory notes and spice on the long finish.
Review:
"The deep black-cherry and ripe-blackberry fruit, plus the full, soft body push this to the edge of sweetness on the palate. However, the gentle dry tannins at the velvety finish just keep it on track. A style that now seems a bit dated, but plenty of wine drinkers love this. Drink now."
- James Suckling (March 2022), 90 pts
Xavier Vignon Extra white Côtes-du-Rhône NV is 40% Clairette, 30% Grenache Blanc, 20% Roussanne and 10% Picpoul.
Traditional vinification. A very long fermentation lasting several months (6 to 8 months) to allow the yeasts to release more aromatic compounds, followed by immersion in Vinarium®.
Aged in Vinarium® for 24 months: a truncated wooden vat designed to hold and immerse 5 barrels. In this way, the CO2 produced by the Intra becomes the natural preservative for the Extra.
Pale and clear yellow.
Subtly oaked with hints of toasted bread, notes of honey mixed with pear.
Fresh and lively attack, well-balanced acidity and long lemony finish on the palate.
Pairs well with fresh cheese., sushi and pesto pastas.
Xavier Vignon Gigondas Rouge is made from 85% Grenache and 15% Mourvèdre.
A purple color with violet tints. On the nose, the beautiful ripeness offers everything an array of black fruits (cherries, blackberries) and toasted spices.
On the palate, fine and concentrated tannins are balanced by a nice salinity. Delicious peppery notes complete the long finish.
Pairs with grilled lamb - Roasted Quails with raisins -Venison with cranberries - Risotto with mushrooms.
Review:
"Swirls of black raspberry ice cream and dark chocolate combine in Vignon's 2019 Gigondas, a blend of 95% Grenache and 5% Mourvèdre from numerous small parcels dotted around the appellation. Matured in a large wooden vat, there's no apparent oak aromas or flavors, just the purity of old-vine fruit, creamy tannins, ample concentration and a bright, vibrant—and long—finish. With its combination of intensity and tension, it should drink well for a decade or more. - Joe Czerwinski"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2020), 93 pts
Xavier Vignon Lirac Rouge is made from 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah.
Ripe fruit, ranging from raspberries and cherries to hints of stone fruit. Yet, it's not over the top or simply fruity. This full-bodied wine adds hints of leather, garrigue and licorice along the way, evolving from creamy to velvety on the palate and through the lasting finish.
Pairs with lamb Tagine with dry fruits - Duck breast fillet with green pepper sauce - BBQ Prime rib of beef.
Review:
A focused, dense and serious Lirac red. It has notes of dark berries, dried herbs, bay leaves and baking spices on the nose, following through to a full body with plush tannins. Dense, intense core of sweet berries and spices and a focused finish. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 91 Points
Xavier Vignon Ventoux Rouge is made from 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah.
Deep dark ruby color with crimson reflects, the wine offers on the nose some hints of black fruits, Provencal spices and garrigue. The mouth is ample with a great freshness yet some concentration. Medium finish with hints of red and black fruits.
The rest of the blend was aged in concrete to preserve the fruit purity.Some grapes (Grenache & Syrah) are co-fermented for more complexity. A small batch of extremely old Syrah has been aged in barrel.
Most of the time, Ventoux offers superb climatic conditions especially in the higher altitude parcels. In 2016 for instance, grapes were harvested in a perfect sanitary state. Both technological and polyphenolic ripeness were close to perfect.
Spicy Pork ribs - Satay chicken skewers - Valencian style Paella - Steamed sea eel with black soya and garlic
Double Diamond Oakville Proprietary Red is made from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 25% Cabernet Franc.
"The inaugural release of the 2021 Proprietary Red Wine upholds the level of excellence expected from winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. It expresses a fragrant perfume of ripe red cherry, blueberry, and pomegranate, mingled with bell pepper, iron, and vanilla bean. On the palate, generous red and blue fruits are complemented by blackberry compote, dark chocolate, and espresso. The wine has silky tannins, food-friendly acidity, and a lingering finish. It is ready to drink upon release but will cellar well for years to come."
Freemark Abbey 'Sycamore' Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc.
Located on the southern end of the Rutherford Bench, Sycamore Vineyard’s proximity to the Mayacamas Mountains provides the perfect climate for growing a rich, textured Cabernet. The wine is intense in aromatic complexity, reminiscent of blackberry, pomegranate syrup, black tea, and forest floor. The palate is rich and textured with flavors of forest fruits, dark chocolate, bay leaf, and warm oak spices. The ‘Rutherford dust’ is evident in the tannin structure, giving it textures that are bold but integrated, making it lovely to drink now with the capability to age in the cellar for decades.
Primary Vineyard: Sycamore Vineyard—Rutherford (100%): Small 24-acre vineyard located about 1.2 miles south of Bosche, right up against the Mayacamas Range, this vineyard has a rich clay loam. Sycamore Vineyard produces small berries reminiscent of mountain fruit berries, with intense extract of color and flavor. The color is very dark early in the fermentation, with flavors of black currant and black berry with a forest floor complexity.
Review:
Even better, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyard is jaw-dropping stuff and does everything right. More structured and tannic compared to the Bosche, it has loads of red and black fruits as well as sandalwood, camphor, bay leaf, and bouquet garni-like aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, deep, layered, and concentrated, yet still with this wonderful sense of elegance, it needs 3-5 years of bottle age and will evolve for 20-25 years as well.
-Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points