Ancien Pinot Noir Carmel Valley River Ranch is made from 100% Pinot Noir.
River Ranch Vineyard from suitcase clone of famous vineyard, mother block to the Pisoni clone as well.
Spice, tea, and plum and blackberry aromas dance atop currants and boysenberry pie. The opulence continues with secondary notes of chocolate and black tea that lead to satisfying elegant finish revealing jasmine. The finish is mouthwatering and long with presenting umami, soy, and Asian spice. Planted to the same special cuttings as our block at the Toyon Farm in Carneros, they are a joy tasting side by side, illustrating the profound influence of terroir.
Pair with Asian, pork with hoisin sauce, savory foods.
Review:
"Sourced from a vineyard of imported Burgundian cuttings planted back in 1982, this is a complex Pinot Noir, offering concentrated aromas of blueberry, palo santo and warm vanilla on the nose. The palate is joyous in cherry and baking-spice flavors, then picks up an herbaceous eucalyptus leaf kick before dropping into a spicy, Sichuan peppercorn-laced finish. - M.K."
- Wine Enthusiast (February/March 2024), 95 points + Editor's Choice
Resonance Decouverte Vineyard Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The wine reflects a beautiful and brilliant garnet color, with an expressive and complex nose of strawberry, plum, wild cherry, almond and licorice. The wine reveals an elegant palate, vibrant and complex, with delicate notes of noble wood, and very long and mineral finale.
Review:
James Suckling 93 Points
Ruffino Romitorio di Santedame Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG is made from 90% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino.
Romitorio di Santedame, a limited-production Gran Selezione from Castellina in Chianti, pays homage to a rich history while embracing a bright future. It originates from a single vineyard within the Chianti Classico's "golden basin" (Conca d'Oro) and is crafted from an exclusive blend of Sangiovese and Colorino. The latter is a native Tuscan grape variety that was nearly extinct but has experienced a revival through dedicated research and promotion efforts.
Fruity aromas typical of Sangiovese, including black cherry and ripe plum, with violet and complex chocolate and black pepper notes. The palate offers sweet tobacco and balsamic hints, while its balanced structure with refined tannins and lively acidity makes it suitable for extended aging.
Review:
You feel the oak here, suggesting vanilla and clove character, but it’s very well complemented by the dark fruit, ranging from blackberries to mulberries to dark cherries. Full-bodied, dense and decadent with a regal structure and muscular tannin backbone. The acidity cuts nicely through on the long finish and provides freshness. Drink from 2024.
-James Suckling 94 Points
Elvio Cogno Cascina Nuova Barolo 2017
Born to satisfy the curiosity of consumers keen to have a more immediate understanding of Barolo, the wine is bright garnet red in color with orange tints. Pleasing and immediate, it offers scents of flowers and light, delicate spices. The mouth is agreeably rounded, juicy and fresh, with just the right balance between pleasantness and elegance. The aftertaste is very harmonious with a mineral, aromatic finish.
Review:
Attractive dried strawberry with cherry and tar on the nose. Full-bodied with powerful tannins that are dusty and intense. Very flavorful and long. Solid as a rock. Needs at least three or four years to soften and come together.
-James Suckling 95 Points
Ancien Pinot Noir is 100% Pinot Noir.
The Mink Vineyard is located next door to the winery, in the Coombsville Viticultural Area of Napa Valley. Open to the same morning fogs and afternoon breezes that cool Carneros to the west, Coombsville is consistently one of the coolest pockets in Napa. Mink sits inside a small “bowl”, allowing cooler air to settle during the evenings, and making Mink’s mesoclimate a couple degrees cooler, even, than the surrounding hills. But the real secret to Mink’s explosive flavors, smooth, mouth-coating minerality, comes from the soil. Underneath is a layer of compressed volcanic ash, called tufa. The tufa drains the topsoil, storing moisture in its porous structure. The vines are able, with some work, to grow roots into the tufa layer, accessing moisture during the long, dry growing season.
The Mink Pinot Noir exhibits bright and refreshing notes of pomegranate, cherry, and fresh herbs. It gradually opens to deeper and darker berry fruit, blueberry and plum. This vintage is on the more structured side of the spectrum and will continue to evolve over time. Its enchanting mouthwatering minerality invite sip after sip together with bite after bite. A lively wine at release but it will continue to improve over the next 4 - 7 years and can age well beyond a decade as shown by its 20+ year track record.
Review:
"Ripe in flavor and luxurious in texture, this wine is difficult to put down. It is saturated in black cherry, black currant and black fig while staying light on the palate. It's a wonderful indulgence to enjoy by itself or with a roast pheasant or duck breast. — Jim GORDON"
- Wine Enthusiast (April 1st 2024), 95 pts
Saint Pierre Saint Julien is made from 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot.
Chateau Saint-Pierre Saint-Julien 4th Grand Cru Classé boasts a rich and brilliant purple color, a complex aromatic expression marked by beautiful ripe fruits combined with soft spices, chocolate and licorice nuances. Well-balanced and a good texture, the palate is round and subtle, supported by velvety tannins that enhance the elegant and pure character of this Saint Julien.
Review:
"Very pretty and typical for the appellation with aromas of blackcurrants, violets and sandalwood that follow through to a full body with layers of polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Lasts a long time on the palate. Classic structure. Drink after 2027."
- James Suckling (January 2022), 96 pts
A pale, straw-colored wine with a green hue that is sure to transport you to the sea with its salty succulence and crushed oyster shell notes. Acacia flowers, white pepper, and pear are highlights of an intensely floral expression. Crisp flavors of lime and stone fruit ensure a delightfully light-on-it’s-feet mouthfeel with electric acidity and a long finish.
Reviews:
Creamy in texture yet vibrant in racy acidity, this medium-bodied wine is balanced to a tee and ready to enjoy now or saved for the short term. Offers tangy lemon zest, crisp green apple and delicate lactic accents along with mild oak spices.
-James Suckling 93 Points
The 2021 Chardonnay Old Stones has inviting aromas of baked apples, quince paste, dried acacia, matchstick and gravel dust. The light-bodied palate is most notable for its concentrated fruit and luxurious, mouth-coating texture. Its generosity is balanced by vibrant acidity, and it has a long, honey-nut finish.
-Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 93 Points