Niero Condrieu Chery 2018

Niero Condrieu Chery is 100 percent Viognier.

Truly aromatic explosive expression, this wonderful vintage makes one appreciate both its richness and complexity. 
its full and savory taste in the mouth together with a beautiful mineraltaste drives us to a lasting and generous final taste.

Considered one of the most beautiful terroirs of the appellation, the famous hillside of Chery is composed of small terraces enjoying a Southern exposure and grown on a granite soil known as "arzelle". This magnificent cuvee is characterized by its exceptional richness, balance and minerality. Endowed with a great aromatic complexity that develops with aeration, the wine is a pure expression of a luxurious nectar.

The grapes are coming from a 0.8 hectare (2 acres) vineyard. 
The terroirs is made of decomposed granite soil on the slopes of the famous hillside of "Chéry". 
Vines are 30 years old on average.

Pair with sweetbreads cooked with morels, grilled white fish with green asparagus' risotto, veal chop, Japanese food.

Remi Niero Condrieu Heritage is made from 100% Viognier

The wine is a pure expression ot the terroir. A deep and brillant golden color, the wine is charming and well-balanced offering an enticing nose of fresh white fruits and flowers. Smooth and rich on the palate with great concentration and complex flavors supported by a hint of minerality that brings freshness and finesse to the wine. A long and elegant finish.

Vines are 30 years old on average.
Pneumatic pressing.
Alcoholic fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.
50% of the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 12 months and the other 50% is aged in stainless steel tanks.
Batonnage (stirring of the lees)
Malolactic fermentation

The wine pairs well with salmon carpaccio, scallops, foie gras, pork loin with curry sauce, delicate Asian food, goat cheese.

Review:

"Grilled peach, roasted pineapple, spice, and toasted bread notes all emerge from the 2020 Condrieu Heritage, a brilliantly balanced, medium to full-bodied Condrieu that does everything right. With both richness and freshness, it blossoms with time in the glass and offers terrific purity as well as a touch more minerality. It's terrific."

- Jeb Dunnuck (February 2022), 94 pts

Delicate and refined nose on white flesh fruits aromas followed by delicate flower notes. Very harmonious, fresh and pure on the palate. The intense and mineral touch on the finish is a genuine invitation to fondness.

Grapes come from decomposed granite soil on the slopes of the "Roncharde" , "Côte Chatillon", "La Caille", "Vergelas" and "Corbéry".
Vines are 20 years old on average.

Pneumatic pressing.
Alcoholic fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.
40% of the wine is aged in French Oak barrels for 12 months and the other 60% is aged in stainless steel tanks.
Batonnage (stirring of the lees)
Malolactic fermentation

Asparugus with mousseline sauce, pike quenelles, pourlty, lobster en bellevue, scallops, praws with curry sauce, delicate asian dishes.

 Review:

"Coconut, banana and lychee on the nose. Silky on the palate, no great extract or concentration of fruit, but there is enough to bring balance and a fresh juiciness. Acidity is low but balanced and the wine feels authentic and well-balanced overall. From 20-year-old vines on average, across five excellent lieux-dits. 40% of the wine was aged in barrel, the rest in stainless steel. Drinking Window 2022 - 2024 - Matt Walls"
- Decanter (October 2021 ), 94 pts

Seña is an authentic Chilean blend made from the finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot varieties. The Carmenere variety adds an evident Chilean personality to the wine.

COMPOSITION: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Malbec 15% Carmenere, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot WINEMAKER’S NOTES “Of a deep violet red colour, the complexity on the nose conceals its many subtleties, unfolding floral notes alongside red and black fruits, denoting its distinctive freshness. Several layers are unveiled delivering notes of cedar, tobacco, bitter chocolate and truffles. An elegant, tense and yet very attractive wine, it generously offers fresh and juicy fruit that reminds of blueberries, raspberries, some spices and Cuban cigar box notes. Above all, Seña 2018 is a truly captivating wine that accomplishes a unique balance between power and elegance. I believe we are beholding one of the greatest vintages ever crafted in the 25 years of Seña’s history.”

An iconic decision is made from the heart. Following the sign of his intuition, in 1995 Eduardo Chadwick pioneered a joint venture with Robert Mondavi to handcraft a world-class Chilean wine. Chadwick searched alongside Mondavi for four long years before finding the ideal terroir in Chile’s Valle de Aconcagua that spoke to their instincts. Seña is the culmination of their vision – an expression of consummate quality and character.

Review:

This is a very thoughtful Seña that shows unique aromas of warm earth, mushrooms and conifer, turning to dark berries and black olives. The palate is more glamorous with ultra-fine tannins that envelop your palate. Shows power and vibrancy at the end. Toned muscles. It’s a very intellectual wine that harkens back to the 2015. Blend of 55% cabernet sauvignon, 18% malbec, 15% carmenere, 7% cabernet franc and 5% merlot. - James Suckling  100 Points

When the founding fathers of the Napa Valley carved out new sub-AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in the 1980s, Soda Canyon Ranch was not yet on anyone’s map. The vineyard is neighbored to the northwest and west by the winegrowing districts of Stags Leap District and Oak Knoll District, respectively, which were among the early pioneers of California Cabernet Sauvignon to attain global fame. To the northeast and southeast—and further off the beaten path—were Atlas Peak and Coombsville, thought to be the next frontiers for the emerging wine-producing region.

With richness and depth of flavor, the 2018 Timeless Napa Valley is the embodiment of patience and attention to detail. Decades of experience at Soda Canyon Ranch allow winemaker Nate Weis and team to highlight the individual merits of each block. Combining the strongest lots from each resulted in a refined and harmonious bottling.

In 2018, the diurnal shift at Soda Canyon Ranch produced a darker, lusher fruit profile of Cabernet Sauvignon. Simultaneously, the overnight recovery periods resulted in expressive and refined Merlot, giving the wine a pleasant profile of bright, red fruit. With an extended harvest window, the signature, plush density and structure of Petit Verdot is also prevalent in the final blend. Cabernet Franc thrived in 2018 with its predilection for the cooler soils and the climate of blocks 5, 6, 16, 20 and 21—areas we call the Transition Zone and Hardpan Alley. The variety’s floral and tobacco-like aromatics are accentuated, and its more aggressive nature for back-end tannins tamed.

Once blended, the 2018 vintage rested in French oak barrels for 16 months, developing flavors of vanilla and baking spice. Velvety tannins dance across the palate of bright and lingering cassis. With a smooth finish, this is a comforting wine of elegance and depth—a sophisticated expression of the sedate summer.

Review:

This is a little old-school and shows lots of dark berry, chocolate and dried fruit. It’s full, dense and layered with fleshly sensibility. Velvety texture.

-James Suckling 93 Points

Niero Cote Rotie Eminence is a blend of 95% Syrah which gives strength and structure and 5% Viognier for roundness and aromatic complexity. 
The nose majestically unveils an explosion of delicate aromas of red and black small fruits. The charm goes on through a silky texture, full of integrity and freshness, with fat tannins and a sweet final taste. Wonderful. 

The cuvee Eminence is produced from two terroirs - one consists of micaschist soils on the steep slopes of "La Vialliere", and the second one of granite soils on the steep terraces of "Bassenon", resulting in a wine of aromatic complexity, with cassis, blackberry, violet and white pepper. On the palate it is harmonious and fleshy with silky texture, showing a beautiful maturity without any heaviness. With a deep and persistent finish, this wine reveals the typicity of this charming terroir.

Pair with lamb stew with olives, farm rabbit with black truffle, beef rib, goose with chestnuts, roast veal kidneys, squab with cloves of garlic.

Review:

"The 2015 Côte Rôtie Eminence from Niero is another brilliant 2015 that should be snatched up by readers. A blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier sourced from the Valliere and Coteau de Bassenon lieux-dits, aged in 20% new oak, it has a beautiful perfume of black raspberries, dried flowers, incense, and cured meats. Medium to full-bodied and seamless on the palate, it has an elegant, pure, yet concentrated style that’s going to continue evolving gracefully for 15 years or more."
- Jeb Dunnuck (March 27th 2019), 95 pts