Johann Michel Cornas Cuvee Mere Michel 2017

Johann Michel Cornas Cuvee Jana is 100% Syrah.

Black raspberry aromas, licorice, sizzled bacon and smoke. Elegant and pure with depth and well-integrated tannins.

Jana is the name of Johann and Emmanuelle's daughter.

Manual harvest, selection of the grapes from the "Chaillot" parcel, full clusters, fermentation in tanks for 3 weeks, daily remontage and pigeage. Malolactic fermentation in oak barrels and aging on the lees for 12-18 months in barrels (new old barrels) The average age of the vines is 11 years. Yield: 25 hl/ha

Review:

There are two special cuvées from this estate. Looking first at the 2018 Cornas Cuvée Jana, it tastes like the essence of Cornas with its meaty, bloody aromas and flavors of scorched earth, ground pepper, rare steak, iron, cedar, and dark, almost blue fruits. Tight, tannic, and concentrated on the palate, this full-bodied effort packs incredible intensity and power yet stays lively, elegant, and weightless. It's a brilliant, brilliant Cornas, yet certainly not for those seeking instant gratification. It actually reminds me slightly of the incredibly age-worthy wines from Domaine Clape, and I suspect it will have a similar evolution. Hide bottles for 7-8 years and enjoy over the following two decades."
- Jeb Dunnuck (Northern Rhône: The 2018s and 2019s, November 19th 2020), 99 pts

Pinea 17 is made from 100 percent Tempranillo

A 100% Tempranillo red wine, elegant and with a long and persistent finish. The personality of the Ribera del Duero and the passion of its craftsmen are reflected in every sip of 17.

The vines selected for the production of this wine are more than 30 years old and belong to some vineyards that are located in the highest areas of ​​the Ribera del Duero, around 3,050 feet elevation.

The weather and the altitude of the area make our grape productions smaller than in the rest of the region, but the grapes we obtain are of higher quality and with a more concentrated flavor. These are the characteristics that demand the grape to give its best, helping us to produce a wine that reflects the personality of the Ribera del Duero.

17 celebrates the year 2017, a very important year in the life of our winery due to the major events that took place then, including the commercial debut of our flagship wine, PINEA. reflects the careful attention to detail in viticulture that characterizes our winery; by aging in American and French oak barrels for 18 months, the Tempranillo grapes express a sense of origin that is a worthy reflection of the Ribera del Duero

"17" by Pinea captures the elusive combination of intense concentration and lifted, complex aromatics that distinguishes the best Ribera del Duero wines. The lifted aromatics and elegant, supple body of "17" by Pinea is particularly appealing and a departure from the more aggressive, heavily extracted style typically found in wines from the region. To enhance the perfumed aromatics, decant for about 30 minutes before serving at a cool 60 degrees and use a Burgundy stem. Enjoy now and in the next 10-15 years with hearty dishes like lamb-chops, any kind of steak and game food and as stated by Master Sommelier Ian Cauble: "celebrate getting in on the ground floor of one of Spain's most exciting new wine ventures."

Appereance: The wine displays an opaque garnet-red core with hints of light purple at the rim.

Nose: The nose is regal and highly perfumed, expressing the classic fruit profile of Tempranillo with its own unique finesse very reminiscent of fine Burgundy. Black forest fruits, plum, and blueberry dominate with hints of light accents of vanilla, cacao nibs and cedar playing a supporting, background role.

Palate: The palate broods with fresh plum and berry compote laced with high-toned red fruits. The wine has broad shoulders, but also soft edges with chalky tannins and a lively mineral acidity driving a long and supple finish.

The estate Cabernet Sauvignon is grown primarily along the southwest ridge of the vineyard. The vines produce small berries with bountiful flavor, concentration and intensity, but also a good degree of finesse, excellent structure and layers of complexity that will continue to develop during extended bottle aging for those who want to cellar and age their wines. The wine is powerful, elegant, full-bodied.

Bottled unfined and unfiltered.100% free run
Pumpovers and punch-downs, up to 45 day macerations
Native yeast, 5 day cold soaks
22 months in 75% new French oak barrels
Fermented in concrete and stainless closed top tanks.

Review:

"The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain Estate is a thrilling effort from winemaker Todd Alexander that rates with some of the most monumental wines to come out of Washington State. Based on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from their estate vineyard on Red Mountain, brought up in mostly new barrels, it reveals a saturated purple color that's followed by a rich, primordial bouquet of crème de cassis, espresso roast, crushed rock, and graphite. It needs considerable air to start to show its potential yet is a full-bodied, powerful wine that has subtle oak, plenty of sweet tannins, and a huge, layered finish that won't quit. It's the tannin management that's truly spectacular. This brilliant wine needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will keep for 2-3 decades."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2019), 99 pts

Roland Champion Champagne Brut Rose Grand Cru NV is the blend of 20% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Meunier, 40% Pinot Noir. 

Small red fruits (strawberry, raspberry, cherry), characteristic of Pinot Noir with some brioche, toasted aromas coming from the Pinot Meunier. Clear and vinous. Development of red fruit aromas (blackcurrant) on a spice backdrop (cinnamon) and a nice fresh cut apple, grapefruit flavor. A fresh, lively and delicate flavor. Ideal balance between Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir.
 
dosage : 8 grams per liter
ageing : 3.5 years on laths
Even if it doesn't say on the label, 100% of the production is RD (Recently Disgorged)
Total Production for this Cuvée : between 150 cases and 330 cases (9 liter equivalent) per year


"A delicate, subtle Champagne, delivering aromatic notes of mulling spices and yeast that accent the flavors of kirsch, bread dough, candied lemon zest and rose petal. This is finely tuned, with lively acidity and a minerally finish. 330 cases made. –AN"
- Wine Spectator , 91 pts

"Bright orange. Aromas of blood orange, dried rose, allspice and minerals, with a subtle note of anise. Juicy and precise, with very good depth to its spicy red berry and citrus pith flavors. Finishes smooth and long, with excellent clarity and lingering spiciness."
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar , 91 pts


"Champion is a small grower in Chouilly, in the Cotes des Blancs, an area known for fantastic chardonnay. This rosé — of which he makes only about 330 cases — includes 10 percent red wines (pinot noir, pinot meunier) to give it a pale, salmonlike color and a beguiling palate of cranberries, strawberries and currants. Wow. And yum."
-  Washington Post, ***

"Eye of the partridge color. With a bouquet that evokes leesy hints of red cherry and berry with a touch of stone fruit, this is a finely sculpted wine, beautifully balanced with rich flavors of cherry, shortbread,and a hint of honeyed apricot. A rosé Champagne that’s complex and dry with good palate depth and length. A blend of 20% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, and 40% Pinot Meunier; 7-85% of the juice is red wine (Pinot Noir) from 2013 vintage of Coteaux Champenois Rouge from the village of Verneuil. 3+ years on the lees."

- I-WineReview (Champagne: Diversity and Change, January 2020), 92 pts

Roland Champion Champagne Blanc de Blancs NV is aged for minimum 30 months (the minimum for NV is 15 months). This cuvee is made from 100% Chardonnay and is produced from the free run juice only. The current release is the result of the blend of the 2005, the 2006 and the 2007 vintage.
Fresh and delicate, its fine bubbles and wide range of aromas will be perfect as an aperitif. This Champagne will also match very well with seafood and shellfish.

dosage : 8 grams per liter
ageing : 30 months on laths
Even if it doesn't say on the label, 100% of the production is RD (Recently Disgorged)
Total Production for this Cuvée : 1,500 cases (9 liter equivalent) per year
 

Reviews:

"(L40): Light yellow-gold. Musky pear and peach pit aromas are enlivened by notes of lemon zest and chalk. Weighty but energetic, offering powerful orchard fruit flavors and hints of candied fig and lemon curd. The pear skin quality comes back strong on the clinging finish. This powerful Champagne is definitely better suited for duty at the table than for serving by itself. - Josh Raynolds" - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (Dec 2012), 91 pts

- Roger VOSS"

Wine Enthusiast (December 1st 2019), 92 pts

"Golden yellow color. Lively, fruity, toasty leesy aromas of honeyed brioche and apple tart with a satiny, tangy, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a sleek, interesting, snappy lemon curd, nougat, and chalk finish with silky, soft, fruit tannins. A classic example of blanc de blanc champagne, delicious."
- Beverage Testing institute , 93 pts

"Spiced with ground anise and ginger accents, this offers notes of poached pear, lemon meringue pie, hazelnut and stony mineral. Very elegant and well-meshed throughout, with a silky finish.  Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 1,500 cases made. –AN"
- Wine Spectator  92 pts

"This cuvée made from 100% Chardonnay offers a fresh aromatic nose of light toast, dried yellow fruit and nuances of yeast. On the palate it has a creamy mouth feel of toasted nuts and rich autolytic notes. This is a beautiful wine, rich and complex."
International Wine review  92+ pts

"Small grower. Autumn fruits dominate the aromas of this wine, which is blatantly more like a wine than we normally expect a champagne to be. Some may find that unexpected and even off-putting, while others will find it intriguingly delicious."
- Washington Post  - EXCELLENT

"Roland Champion is a small family-owned producer, now with the fourth generation, in the village of Chouilly (”shoo-ee”), which has only Grand Cru vineyards. Made from 100 percent chardonnay grapes, this Champagne offers ethereal grace and poise and harmony; if I were fighting a duel tonight, I would ask for this Champagne as my last beverage. The nose here is about the richness of warm biscuits and hazelnuts, dried fruit and spice, like a Platonic, ineffably light fruitcake; in the mouth, however, it’s about a structure that encompasses an incredible marriage of power and elegance, like the delicacy and strength of the finest bone china. And there’s something porcelain-like about this Champagne, in its notable crisp, lively character, its transparency and its slightly chalky, shale-like mineral elements. Forget the Champagnes that come on with heavy toasty, caramel qualities; here, instead, is a wealth of subtlety and nuance touched with a racy, dynamic edge. Exceptional."
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