Opus One 2016

Opus One 2014 is made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec.

Of the great European wine families, the Rothschilds are perhaps the best known. And Baron Philippe de Rothschild is perhaps the best known of this great family. At the age of 20, Baron Philippe took on the management of Château Mouton Rothschild from his father Baron Henri. Philippe’s vision changed the world of wine: he invented Château bottling, commissioned great artists to illustrate his wine labels – and, in partnership with Robert Mondavi in 1979, created Opus One.In the 1980s, after her father’s death, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild left a stage career that included the Comédie Française and the Renault-Barrault Theatre Company, bringing her own exquisite style and creativity to the design, construction, and operation of Opus One.Among great New World wine pioneers, Robert Mondavi is an international icon. Bringing a passion for excellence to everything he did, Robert Mondavi led a renaissance in California fine wine for over six decades. Among other accomplishments, he introduced temperature-controlled fermentation, French oak barrel aging, and high-density viticulture to a fledgling American wine industry. But life was not only wine for Robert Mondavi: he broadened the American cultural palate by marrying fine wine to food, music, and the arts. One of few Americans to have received the French medal of the Legion of Honor, Robert Mondavi showed extraordinary vision as co-founder of Opus One.

Reviews:

Trione Cabernet Sauvignon Block 21 is made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc.

Aged 18 Months in French oak barrels (45% new)

Our Block 21 Cabernet is a single vineyard selection from the Trione Cloverdale Ranch, located on the western flank of the Mayacamas Mountains, in the northern portion of Alexander Valley. The vines, planted in 2001 with Bordeaux clone 337, grow in clay and sandy loam soils underlain with a high percentage of gravel. Cabernet Sauvignon grown in this ideal terroir develops deep, concentrated flavors and fine, smooth tannins.

Aromatic entry filled with hints of clove, allspice and nutmeg. The impression on the palate is soft, with silky tannins and lingering hints of mocha and cedar cigar box. Also present are the fruit profiles of plum, currant, blueberries and boysenberry. The finish is long and persistent which shows the beautiful balance of tannin/acidity/oak in the structure. This wine is showing the benefit of barrel and bottle age and is drinking perfectly now and will age gracefully for the next 5-10 years.

Review:

"The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Block 21 has a medium ruby color and ripe red and black fruits on the nose accented by vanilla, tobacco, dried herbs and pencil shavings. The medium-bodied palate has well-managed ripeness and mineral-laced fruits in a grainy, fresh frame and with a long finish. This is a fresh style that's approachable right out of the gate. - Erin Brooks"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (August 2020), 91 pts

Trione Pinot Noir River Road Ranch is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.

River Road Ranch encompasses 115 acres in the heart of the Russian River Valley appellation. Located on the western bench of the Santa Rosa Plain, the vineyard thrives in well-drained soils. The region's fog-cooled nights are ideal for this varietal.

This Pinot Noir presents aromas of dark cherry, exotic spice, green tea and a slight earthiness we call forest floor. The wine is silky on the palate, beautifully balanced, with a long finish. The Pinot Noir's firm structure suggests excellent aging potential, 10-15 years.

We made this Pinot Noir in small lots, using traditional techniques —fermenting in open-top tanks and hand-plunging the caps during primary fermentation. To accentuate the outstanding fruit flavors, we added 20% whole clusters to the each fermenter. The Pinot Noir aged twelve months in French oak barrels (40% new) from coopers Meyrieux Traditional House and Remond. 

Review:

"I loved the nose on the 2016 Pinot Noir River Road Ranch. This is a complex, nuanced Pinot Noir with plenty of spiced red fruits as well as subtle bay leaf, bouquet garni, spice, and new leather aromas a and flavors. With a very Côte de Beaune-like vibe, drink this medium-bodied, elegant, incredible satisfying Pinot Noir over the coming 7-8 years."
- Jeb Dunnuck (May 2020), 91 pts

Xavier Vignon Cotes du Rhone Rouge Cuvee Vieilles Vignes Organic is made from 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah and 5% Cinsault.

The diversity of terroirs used in this blend allows this wine to combine freshness and balance.

We used Clay and limestone plots located on the hillside where old Grenache naturally express roasted hints. We could obtain in this wine empyreumatical hints without the use of barrels. These plots particular soils and orientation allowed grapes to reach an optimal level of ripeness while conserving a good acidity level.

We also integrated grapes coming from plots located on red rocky clay soils also named “garrigues”. These big red stone are restituting heat coming from the sun at night and bring power and structure to the wine.
Also the blend features vines coming from sandy clays, which are light and rather fresh soils: this allowed the wine to maintain a freshness and vivacity.

Bouquet of cassis, blueberries, lavender, cured meats, and graphite. It's deep, rich, medium to full-bodied, and has a great finish. The Mourvèdre keeps this tight and fresh.

Pairs with grilled beef rib - Veal Columbo - Pork ribs slightly spiced

Review:

"A blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre and the rest Cinsault and Syrah, the 2016 Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Vieilles Vignes offers a gorgeous bouquet of cassis, blueberries, lavender, cured meats, and graphite. It's deep, rich, medium to full-bodied, and has a great finish. The Mourvèdre keeps this tight and fresh, and I suspect it will age beautifully."
- Jeb Dunnuck (February 15th 2018), 92+ pts

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.

Pairs with grilled lamb ribs - braised beef - spicy pork chops.

Review:

"The older vine cuvee of the estate is the 2016 Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes and it is primarily Grenache blended with 15% each of Mourvèdre and Syrah. In this case, the Mourvèdre vines are 60 years in age and the Grenache vines are 45 years in age. Aged 12 months in 80% concrete tanks and 20% in barrel, its vibrant purple color gives way to a concentrated, medium to full-bodied 2016 that’s much more reserved and tight compared to the other Côtes du Rhône releases, yet offers beautiful purity in its blueberry and blackberry fruit, as well as subtle notes of violets, charcoal, and pepper. With integrated acidity and fine, polished tannin, this is a serious Côtes du Rhône that’s going to benefit from a year or two of bottle age and keep for a decade." - Jeb Dunnuck (February 15th 2018), 92+ pts

This Chardonnay features bright, concentrated citrus, pear, green apple and nectarine fruit, with just a touch of oak to add richness to the palate. The wine lingers on the palate, and has the structure and acidity to provide for good longevity.

fter whole-cluster pressing, the Chardonnay juice was barrel-fermented in French oak barrels and aged sur lie for 8 months. During this period, the barrels were routinely stirred to increase yeast contact and add richness; 30% of the wine underwent secondary malo-lactic fermentation. One- and two-year-old French oak barrels were used. Prior to bottling, the wine received minimal filtration and fining to preserve the fresh fruit flavors.