El Grifo Lias Malvasia Volcanica is made from 100% Malvasia Volcanica.
Color: Straw yellow, with light golden hues. Clear and bright.
Aroma: Medium-high intensity of a wine in evolution. Fresh, citrus (orange peel) and tropical (passion fruit and mango) fruits. Flowers (orange blossom, jasmine, violets), fennel, and complex aromas such as silex or flint (phosphorus). Yeast autolysis is reminiscent of the aromas of baked goods and yeast. Bottle ageing brings out hints of dried fruits, honey and caramel.
Taste: Full-bodied, with a lengthy and unctuous texture, very strong natural acidity, citrus freshness, mineral notes and saltiness. Persistent finish.
Residual Sugar 0.5 g/L
Total Acidity 6.02 g/L
pH 3.36
Total SO2 91 mg/L
Guilhem Tournier Bandol Rouge Cuvee Luisa Jeanne is made from 95% Mourvedre and 5% Syrah.
The wine takes its name from a goddess, Luisa Jeanne. It has a deep red color with dark brick hues, a very intense and complex nose with strong sensations of dark fruit, compote, spice, earth and garrigue, with a minty touch. Palate intense, complex and silky, full and opulent with olfactive sensations and a slightly mineral saline aftertaste accompanied by rich but ripe tannins wrapped in a fruity robe. Approachable, long, harmonious, elegant.
Late manual harvesting of left grapes, their selection according to ripeness, harvesting parcel by parcel, variety by variety, separate vinification. Long fermentation with natural yeasts to oxygenate the must, gentle extraction of color and tannins, decanting and dipping of the matoline cap to absorb the tannins and make the wine silky and expressive. Aged for 18 months in old foudres.
A gastronomic wine for major occasions, ideal for red meat, game, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate and Provençal cuisine.
Review:
- Wine Enthusiast (July 2022), 93 pts
Hall Wines The Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 96% Cabernet, 4% Merlot.
The 2017 Kathryn Hall is deep, dark ruby in color and elegantly balanced with layered aromas of concentrated blackberry, freshly turned earth, and a hint of warm, spicy oak. The palate is fruit-forward with underlying notes of rich cocoa and leather. Layers of black fruit, nutmeg, cassis and brooding earthy notes are abundant. Supple, seamless tannin abounds, and the wine finishes with an incredible dark fruit feed-back that lasts several minutes.
Review:
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Hall is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot, brought up mostly in new barrels. It’s a killer bottle of wine offering lots of ripe black fruits intermixed with savory herbs, melted chocolate, and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shows the lush, round, velvety style of the 2019 vintage and is already impossible to resist. It’s going to evolve for 15+ years if well stored.
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
Halter Ranch Vineyard Ancestor Estate Reserve is made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Malbec, 17% Petit Verdot,
Their flagship wine, Ancestor is their Bordeaux-style reserve blend, and an homage to the Ancestor Tree, the largest Coast Live Oak on record. The 2019 Ancestor showcases aromas of red currant and dark chocolate along with subtle hints of cinnamon and clove. The entry is soft and rich with layered flavors of blueberry, blackberry, and dark cherry. The mid- palate is thick and mouth coating with balanced acid. The finish is framed by integrated tannins and delicate flavors of caramel and truffle.
Pair with roasted meats, reduction sauces, and hearty stews.
Review:
Cabernet is more than half of this wine, with Petit Verdot and Malbec making up the rest. Rich and ripe with deep black plums and plenty of Christmas spice with just a touch of evergreen tips freshness. The palate is lushly fruited, rich with blackberry jam, chocolate and cherries and a touch of smoky cedar to finish. Rich, redolent fruits and dusty cocoa powder mark the finish deep and long-lasting. (CP)
-Decanter 91 Points
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Bramble Hill Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Hamilton Russell Vineyards in South Africa has developed an international reputation over 40 vintages for unusually restrained, classically styled Pinot noir, with deep structure and spice balancing fruit opulence. Hamilton Russell Oregon aims to express this stylistic philosophy with the very best Willamette Valley fruit - showcasing the restrained, structured classicism of great European Pinot noir and the bright purity of Oregon fruit. The celebrated Bramble Hill vineyard in Ribbon Ridge, delivers a particularly bright, pure, lively minerality to complement the complex lifted fruit the best Oregon Pinot noir is known for.
Review:
Limpid ruby-red. Fresh red berries, blood orange, floral and baking spice qualities on the incisive nose. Juicy, focused and lithe on the palate, offering subtly sweet raspberry and cherry flavors and building spicecake and cola nuances. Closes long and nervy, with discreet tannins framing repeating floral and spice notes.
-Vinous 93 Points
Harney Lane Old Vine Zinfandel Lizzy James Vineyard is made from 100 percent Zinfandel.
Unabashedly ripe, but keeping true to it’s vineyard driven Zinfandel fruit notes of dark morello cherry, blackberry and pomegranate jelly. This full-bodied wine is deep with concentration, supple and polished with a careful measure of sweet oak that supports the generous fruit flavors.
Lizzy James Vineyard is registered as a Historical Vineyard by the Historical Vineyard Society; The vineyard name is the middle names of our children which were given to them in honor of grandparents.
Sub-appellation : Mokelumne River
T.A. : 6.5 g/L
pH : 3.8
R.S. : 0.4 %
Domaine Jean Grivot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Domaine Jean Grivot is among the great names in Burgundian wine. Étienne Grivot and his wife Marielle took over from Étienne’s father Jean Grivot in 1987. The vineyards are densely planted and farmed organically “sans certification” while the aim in the cellar is for balance and clear expression of terroir.
Jean Grivot’s 38.3 acres spread across 22 appellations with vineyards in the communes of Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Besides the three grand crus, there are 8 premier crus including the much lauded Les Beaux Monts and Suchots in Vosne-Romanée. The grapes are completely de-stemmed and fermentation is spontaneous.
About the Vineyard:
Clos de Vougeot grand cru was acquired by Étienne’s grandfather, Gaston Grivot, in 1919. The total holding is 4.6 acres from the middle of the vineyard to the lower wall and the average vine age is 40 years old. A good Clos de Vougeot should be a complete wine without any one feature standing out. It is a perfect balance of power, aroma, and flavor.
Wine Production:
The grapes are destemmed and maceration à froid usually lasts just a day or two. The alcoholic fermentation is spontaneous and malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel. Depending on the vintage, the proportion of new oak is around 40-70% percent for the grands crus.
Tasting Notes:
The wine shows aromas and flavors of red berries, herbs, and purple flowers. The palate is rich with ripe fruit and medium weight with bright acidity and fine tannins. Aging in 40-70% new Burgundian pièce brings notes of vanilla, toast, and baking spices.
Food Pairing:
Red Burgundy might be the world’s most flexible food wine. The wine’s high acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, and low tannins make it very food-friendly. Red Burgundy, with its earthy and sometimes gamey character, is a classic partner to roasted game birds, grilled duck breast, and dishes that feature mushrooms, black truffles, or are rich in umami.
Review:
This round version is packed with ripe black cherry, violet, graphite and tobacco flavors. The silky texture and vibrant acidity work in tandem, while refined tannins provide support without getting in the way. There are a few edges to be worked out, yet this is long and concentrated.
-Wine Spectator 95 Points
Lima Xisto (Schist) Vinho Verde is made from 100 percent Loureiro.
his special project from the Adega Ponte de Lima highlights the diverse soils of the Vinho Verde region. Made from 100% Loureiro grapes, both the Granite and Schist varieties boast a crisp acidity and expressive minerality.
Lima Schist Vinho Verde displays subtle yet more complex aromas. Full bodied, persistent and engaging.
Sushi, fish, seafood, cheeses and salads.