Filippino Elio Barbaresco San Cristoforo Riserva
Made from 100% manual harvest Nebbiolo, the wine comes from the hillsides of San Cristoforo hill in Neive enjoying a south-southwest exposure. The fruity bouquet offers subtle notes of violet and raspberries, combining with spicy hints of cinnamon, cocoa and leather. Full, enchanting and elegant taste, intense with a good body.
The best grapes are delicately pressed and the stalks are removed. The must ferments in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature of 26°C with a maceration of 20 to 25 days. After racking, the new wine is put into 25 e 30 H Slavonian oak casks for long months. Next, it is bottled and left to age for at least an additional 24 months.
Figgins Estate Red Wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot & Merlot
Dark to the rim, with signature aromatic notes of ripe red and blue fruits, tanned leather, black olive, and lilac. The nose simply brings a smile. On the palate, if I had to describe the wine in one word it would be precision. The way the sweet fruit and dramatic length are braced by lively acidity and tannins aligns so perfectly that the wine is, quite simply, delicious.
Review:
Inviting aromas of vivid red fruit, fresh herbs and paprika. Full-bodied with juicy, fruit-soaked, fine tannins. Delightful. So much happening here. The fruit is plentiful and full of charming spice and herbal complexity. Very well balanced and long. Fresh. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot. Best after 2024 but attractive now.
-James Suckling 96 Points
Figaro Tinto Calatayud is 100% Garnacha, made from a selection of the best grapes grown in the oldest vineyards. While not truly an "oaked wine", a short stay in oak barrels provides a nice spicy flavor boost.
Tasting notes: Bright violet. Dark berry and cherry aromas show a jammy aspect. Supple and gently sweet, with good lift to its black raspberry and boysenberry flavors. Smooth and broad on the finish, leaving behind a hint of spiciness. Extremely easy to drink and an excellent value.
Ferren Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
100% native fermentation (primary and secondary), long cool fermentations often lasting up to a full year, minimal lees stirring, no additions of any kind (commercial yeast, water, acid, enzymes, etc., never any fining or filtration). Aged 18 months in 15% new French oak (Francois Freres, Vosges, Troncais Forrests)
Review:
A lovely and balanced wine that is pleasurable and complex. Spices, cherries, dried cranberries, mixed berries, bramble fruit, black truffles and forest floor. Salty minerality and orange zest in the finish. Medium body. Drink now.
-James Suckling 94 Points
The Sonoma Coast bottling is a blend of barrels from Ferren's single vineyard offerings; Lancel Creek, Silver Eagle, Volpert, and Frei Road Vineyards. The wine is always somewhat more approachable early in its life as less new oak is used in the blend. Pure and translucent fruit is the hallmark of this cuvée. Citrus, quince, sea spray, and minerals are buoyed by refreshing acidity and a seamless finish.
12 months in barrel, then 6 months in stainless steel15% new, 85% neutral
Tronçais and Vosges forests
100% 4-year air dry stave wood
100% 228 liter François Frères French oak barrels
Review:
"Succulent and fleshy, with notes of apricot pastry, grilled peach and salted butterscotch, along with fresh acidity, plus details of lemon zest, tangerine and lime sorbet. Fresh ginger and white tea linger on the long, expressive finish alongside a touch of chewy dried mango. Drink now.—M.W.” - Wine Spectator (May 2025), 93 pts
Ferren Chardonnay Volpert Vineyard is 100 percent Chardonnay.
At the end of Taylor Lane outside of the coastal village of Occidental lies Volpert Vineyard. With the Pacific Ocean in sight, this vineyard resides at the far western edge of the West Sonoma Coast AVA. As such, this may be the source of our most high-toned and mineral laden wines. Owned by the Volpert family and farmed organically by Greg Adams, these five acres of heritage clone Pinot noir and Chardonnay are at the absolute cutting edge of Sonoma Coast viticulture.
Review:
Aromatic and distinctive, with a hint of smoked sea salt up front. Offers flavors of pear, yellow apple and peach at the core, with lime zest and herbal accents of lemon verbena, lemon balm and honeysuckle, plus a touch of fresh ginger. All of the flavors reverberate with fresh acidity and cardamom details on the finish. Drink now through 2038.—M.W."
- Wine Spectator (May 2025), 95 pts
Since the founding in 1978, Quilceda Creek has dedicated itself to one thing: producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Director of Winemaking Paul Golitzin believes that the winery’s greatest assets are the vineyards of the Columbia Valley. Through vineyard ownership and control, and through precision farming, they are able to grow and produce the highest caliber Cabernet Sauvignon. In award of their relentless pursuit of producing perfect Cabernet Sauvignon, Quilceda Creek has received seven 100 Point ratings from Wine Advocate, three 100 Point ratings from Owen Bargreen, two 100 Point ratings from Decanter and three Top Ten Wines of the Year from Wine Spectator.
The 2021 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine for the ages. Potent aromas jump out of the glass, showing framboise candy, black tea, and a strong classic note of sandalwood. Savory cumin, sage, and garrigue round out this powerful nose. The palate is sweet and velvety, leading to an amazing crescendo of power and refinement.
Review:
The flagship 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (90% from Champoux Vineyard and 10% from Mach One Vineyard) raised all in new barrels. It's slightly deeper hued than the CVR and has a stunning nose of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, toasted spices, and graphite with a beautiful varietal, herbal undertone that comes through with time in the glass. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and velvety textured, this thrilling Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve for two decades. This is unquestionably up with the greatest vintages of this cuvée ever made.
-Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points
The 2021 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Quilceda Creek is once again another monumental release. It begins to impress with its striking perfumed aromas of ripe blackberries and dark currants, which are joined together with crushed violets, graphite, tobacco, and hints of licorice all developing in the glass. On the palate this possesses a gorgeous full body that is impeccably structured with beautifully polished tannins that result in an utterly seamless texture. This continues to impress with its excellent balance and concentration combined with remarkable overall power and finesse. There is a lovely touch of underlying acidity that ties it all together and provides a wonderful sense of freshness that carries it into the lavish finish. While this is already stunning in its youth, it is ultimately an age worthy wine which will go on to evolve for decades. Quilceda Creek sets the benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon in Washington, and this is a clear example of why they have earned that reputation.
Gaja Barolo Conteisa is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.
Piedmontese for "quarrel," this wine was named for the historic dispute between the communes of La Morra and Barolo for possession of the Cerequio land. This garnet-colored wine features expressive floral notes and an aroma of red berries, plum, licorice and spice. The sumptuous texture and refined character offer perfectly integrated tannins and an elegant finish.
STYLE: Full-bodied, Rich, Balanced
FLAVOR: Floral, Red Berries, Plums, Licorice, Spice
Reviews:
This is a really enticing wine with an open and vivid nature that tells you right away it is Barolo, but it’s polished and sweetly tannic. You want to taste and taste. It’s medium- to full-bodied with rounded tannins and a savory finish. Juicy and so approachable now. Better in a couple of years, but hard to resist now. Try after 2026.
James Suckling 98 Points