Avennia Red Willow Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Red Willow Cabernet is a true blockbuster.
Coming from one specific block of 30 year old vines at this iconic vineyard, then strictly barrel selected, this is the essence of powerful, old vine Washington Cabernet. After all of our efforts promoting the idea of the Bordeaux blend, it would take a pretty compelling argument to suspend that idea and make a 100% varietal Cabernet. In 2016 Red Willow provided us with just that. Each time we tasted it in the barrel, the belief grew that this was something special. Something we can't make every year. In the end we were won over, and decided to make a limited amount of this wine. But don't be fooled, as this too is a blend and a selection. Each year as we are tasting the grapes as harvest approaches, we notice that the vines near the bottom of this long, steep west-facing slope, are a little different. The vines at the bottom are in a little richer soil, and get a little more water, so we pick them separately, sometimes even a week or ten days apart, and keep them separate in barrel.
This wine is all from the top of the vineyard, with its lower yield and poorer soils giving more concentration and interest. Then further, nearly every combination of new and used French oak barrels were trialed to find the best blend. It's not enough just to use the four best barrels, but to trial each combination to see how they complement each other. For a wine with this much mass, 100% new French oak was used for the first time at Avennia. It is a wine that needs a little cellaring to start, but should last a very long time.
Review:
Made from 100% Red Willow Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Willow is another gem from this great winemaker. Deep purple-colored, with a huge perfume of blackberries, crème de cassis, cedarwood, pencil lead, and graphite, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness and depth, nicely integrated acidity, and building, ripe tannins. Give bottles 3-4 years and it too will cruise for 15-20 years or more.
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2019), 95 Points
Bursting from the glass with impeccable precision, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Willow Vineyard is the real McCoy, boasting a focused frame of fruit on the nose that shows depth and breadth in layers of aromas—blackberry, dark cherry, licorice and clove-laced spices flutter over a bed of roses. I can't stop smelling this wine! Full-bodied, the wine unfolds and expands across the palate with complexity, tight structure and beautifully managed tannins, ending with a thought-provoking and long-lingering finish. The wine has a still-tight expression that will age beautifully for years to come. It will serve you well to seek out a bottle of this world-class wine. Only 140 cases were made.
- Wine Advocate 95 Points
Avatar Malbec is 100% Malbec.
Aged in 100% French Oak barrels for 4 months and then 6 months in the bottle beofre release
Presents a vibrant red color with glints of bordeaux. Great aromatic intensity. It expresses in a very fresh way, with red fruits and a remarkable sweetness. In the mouth it’s balanced with round and sweet tannins, rich and with a marked acidity.
Coming from Agrelo district.
Average of the vines is 25 years old.
Soil type: Alluvial and sandy soils with a big amount of rocks just besides the Mendoza river. This is one of the most prestigious terroirs in Argentina.
Winemaking: Crushing, destemming and maceration pre-fermentative at 11ºC for 24 hours. Alcoholic fermentation in tanks. 4 weeks of skin contact maceration. Aged in French oak barrels for 4 months, Malolactic fermentation in contact with fine lees.
Wine was slightly filtered before bottling.
Austin Hope wines are the standard bearer of luxury Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. Austin Hope saw the future of Paso Robles when he created his namesake Cabernet Sauvignon starting in 2017. This wine was the culmination of years of exploration, and it immediately made its mark by becoming one of the region’s most decorated wines. Today, Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon is synonymous with our personal quest to elevate Paso Robles on the world stage.
Review:
There's a significant spice of oak that comes through on the nose of this bottling, with solid blackberry fruit as well. The palate combines black cherry and blackberry syrup with root beer spices, as the finish lingers atop tannins amid vanilla, nutmeg and oak spices.
-Wine Enthusiast 92 Points
Arzuaga Ribera del Duero Reserva is made from 95% Tempranillo, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Merlot.
Clean and bright ruby red with purple reflections. Great aromatic intensity, complex and elegant, where the compote of red fruits dominates. The palate is structured with silky, sweet tannins and a lingering finish.
The harvest was done manually at the optimum point of maturity, and carried out separately for each of the more than 20 different plots used to make this wine. After the selection tables, a pre-fermentation maceration at low temperature and subsequent alcoholic fermentation at 28º is carried out, giving way to malolactic fermentation and aging in new French oak barrels for 26 months.
Ideal with red meats (big game), roasted white meat, and blue cheese.
Arzuaga Ladera del Norte Ribera del Duero is made from 100% Tempranillo.
The grapes come from organic crops and are harvested from the "Valdesardon" farm, owned by the Arzuaga Navarro family, which is the westernmost vineyard of the Ribera del Duero DO, located at an altitude of 800 meters in the village of Olivares de Duero. Clay-limestone soil on a hillside that will mark the characteristics of the wine.
The wine is of medium high intensity in color, a clear and bright cherry with purple flashes. An array of red fruits such as raspberry and cherry predominates with a high aromatic intensity, combining with balsamic tones, coffee and roasted notes coming from the aging in oak barrels without being overwhelming. This is a fresh and elegant wine, with an easy and balanced entry into the mouth followed by juicy and chewy sensations. Slightly sweet and toasted notes, and a pleasant and balanced aftertaste that is reminiscent of the fruity aromas on the nose.
Ideal companion for red meat, white meat, game and game, roasted or in sauce. Blue fish and soft cheeses.
Review:
"Intense cherry color. Aromas of dried herbs, creamy oak, black fruits and lactic notes. In the mouth, ripe fruits, spices, fine tannins, full-bodied."
- Penin 2022, 92 pts
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Arzuaga Ribera del Duero Crianza 95% Tempranillo and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Dark cherry color with purple highlights. Powerful nose and high aromatic diversity of ripe red and black fruits, spicy and balsamic notes, and a roasted finish. Soft and mellow in the mouth with a great fruitiness and length.
Argyle Reserve Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Pinot Noir thrives in Willamette Valley's long growing seasons with cool autumn breezes and sunny days. This culmination of extra time on the vine yields aromatics of crunchy dried leaves, pomegranate molasses, black tea leaves, and tart cherries. Earthy undertones and great textured tannins that continue to smooth out with time - adding to the body and longevity.
Review:
Rich and polished, this Pinot offers multilayered raspberry and blueberry flavors. Shows dusky spice and fresh forest floor accents while building structure toward refined tannins.
-Wine Spectator 93 Points
Argot Simpatico Ranch Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Powerful aromas of key-lime, white flowers, orange blossoms and a fierce, flinty, sauvage note define a wildly complex nose. Once in the mouth, gracefully pronounced textures coat the palate delivering an exotic interpretation of cool-climate Chardonnay character — lime peel, orange blossom, ginger and clove —lingerings deep into a vibrant finish.
Planted 1978. Shallow volcanic soils on the gently-sloped, south-facing foothills of Bennett Peak on Bennett Valley’s floor. One of California’s coolest Chardonnay vineyards. In the final year of 3-year draught cycle, Simpatico Ranch saw its earliest ever harvest and smallest crop, exposing a reserve of exoticism and minerality previously untapped. A watershed vintage for both the vineyard, and appellation. Night harvested by hand on 9/16, whole-cluster pressed direct to barrel; no settling to ensure maximum lees contact. Barrel fermented on heavy lees. Malolactic fermentation. 16 months in French oak, 50% new. Finished 2 months in steel tank, low Sulphur during barrel elevage.
Review:
The 2021 Chardonnay Simpatico Ranch needs a lot of swirling before it shoots from the glass with notes of lemon tart, orange blossoms, candied ginger, and fresh nectarines with hints of crushed rocks, struck flint, and nutmeg. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers amazing tension, with tight-knit citrus and spice layers and a fantastically well woven satiny texture, finishing long and layered. "We only get about 1.5 tons per acre here," said owner/winemaker Justin Harmon. "This comes from old vines on AXR rootstock."
-Wine Independent 97 Points
Argot Simpatico Ranch Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Powerful aromas of key-lime, white flowers, orange blossoms and a fierce, flinty, sauvage note define a wildly complex nose. Once in the mouth, gracefully pronounced textures coat the palate delivering an exotic interpretation of cool-climate Chardonnay character — lime peel, orange blossom, ginger and clove —lingerings deep into a vibrant finish.
Planted 1978. Shallow volcanic soils on the gently-sloped, south-facing foothills of Bennett Peak on Bennett Valley’s floor. One of California’s coolest Chardonnay vineyards. In the final year of 3-year draught cycle, Simpatico Ranch saw its earliest ever harvest and smallest crop, exposing a reserve of exoticism and minerality previously untapped. A watershed vintage for both the vineyard, and appellation. Night harvested by hand on 9/16, whole-cluster pressed direct to barrel; no settling to ensure maximum lees contact. Barrel fermented on heavy lees. Malolactic fermentation. 16 months in French oak, 50% new. Finished 2 months in steel tank, low Sulphur during barrel elevage.
Review:
There are 225 cases of the 2019 Chardonnay Simpatico Ranch, which is from a cooler, higher elevation site in Sonoma. Lots of peach, tangerine, honeyed minerality, and toasted hazelnuts all emerge from the glass, and while I don't think it matches the 2018, it's a brilliant Chardonnay offering medium to full-bodied richness, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. It's beautifully balanced and is going to keep for at least 5-7 years."
- Jeb Dunnuck (September 2021), 94 pts
Argot Pinot Noir Sonoma County is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Everything you have come to expect from an Argot Pinot Noir, shone through the filter of a textbook-perfect vintage. We simply can not get over the quality of fruit this wine displays! Intense, yet fresh; fruity, yet spicy; brambly, yet juicy; immediate, yet lingering. A Pinot Noir that displays the variety’s natural come-hither attitude, while succinctly capturing its intriguing nature. There are not enough superlatives to describe this wine. Almost too easy to love!
VINEYARD Multiple vineyards throughout Sonoma County, including both valley floor and high-elevation hillside sites
PRODUCTION 600 cases
VARIETAL 100% Pinot Noir
CRUSH Night harvested by hand beginning in mid-September, concluding at our coolest sit on October 13. Cluster and berry sorted by hand, de-stemmed, no crushing
FERMENT 7-day cold soaks, followed by native fermentation in open-top containers, with the grapes fermenting on their skins for an average time of 14 days.
AGING 16 months, French oak barrels, 7% new, remainder once-used. Never racked prior to bottling. Bottled un-fined, unfiltered.
NOTES Singularly great. 2018 was an all-time vintage for California’s North Coast, achieving rarely before experienced heights. A mild summer gave way to Autumnal perfection, allowing cooler areas the opportunity to ripen their crop while chemistries remained perfect. What arrives in bottle is nothing short of a pinnacle representation of Sonoma County Pinot Noir — profound depth of pure, red Pinot Noir fruits, caressing textures balanced by deep minerality and a quenching acidity.
A dramatic, ridgetop landscape — rising 1500 feet above Lake Hennessey, staring west over Pritchard Hill — persistently influenced by a push/pull draw between The Valley’s floor and Lake Berryessa. This wild, untamed, eastern frontier of Napa Valley, produces singular, terroir-driven wines of captivating beauty, power and lift. An unseasonably wet and cool springtime produced significant shatter at Sage Ridge in 2019, reducing our yields by 50%, leading to a particularly flamboyant edition of this wine.
An incomparable expression of Cabernet Sauvignon — massively pure red fruit character, delivered on a ribbon of ultra-suave tannins and gorgeously seductive high tones. The palate never relents its come-hither posture. Aromatically, puts forth an intriguing botanical complexity that is unmistakably site-specific. As our experience with this one-of-a-kind terroir deepens, we remain endlessly excited for the potential of these unique ridgetop vineyards. Get your hands on a bottle and pull the cork…a wine built for immense near-term gratification.
Review:
"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Sage Ridge Vineyard opens with open-knit notes of plum preserves, baked blackberries and boysenberry jam, leading to a core of crème de cassis, mocha, camphor and Indian spices with a touch of unsmoked cigars. The palate is full-bodied, concentrated and dense with black fruit preserves, framed by soft tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and very spicy. Only 75 cases were made. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (November 2021), 95 pts
Argot Le Rayon Vert Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
"Le Rayon Vert", the phenomenon which occurs as the sun dips below the horizon, and a brilliant green flash occurs when sunlight prisms through Earth's atmosphere. Jules Verne wrote "a green which no artist could ever obtain on his palette”, akin to the ethereal, green halo all truly pedigreed Chardonnays radiate from the glass.
Wafting from the glass like a freshly opened stick of Wrigley's gum. Both intense and vibrant, the full-bodied palate delivers Granny Smith apple and stone fruits; confections of custard and sticky vanilla bean; animated by bursts of spearmint and pine forest.
Review:
The 2020 Le Rayon-Vert comes bounding out of the glass with bold notions of lemon meringue pie, fresh apricots, and sea spray, giving way to nuances of struck flint, wet pebbles, and Marcona almonds, plus wafts of lime leaves and mandarin peel. The medium to full-bodied is simply electric, delivering super-intense citrus and mineral layers with a crisp backbone and a very long, chalky finish.
-The Wine Independent 96 Points
Belle Glos Balade Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Tasting Notes
he word "Balade", French for "Wandering," is a fitting term for Belle Glos' annual exploration of single-vineyard pinot noir tracts on the west coast. As such, each vintage is very limited.
This Pinot Noir opens with aromas of blackberry, cherry, and delicate floral notes mingling with hints of cedar and baking spice. On the palate, you’ll experience layers of dark plum, juicy black raspberry, and subtle undertones of cocoa and vanilla, all wrapped in a plush, silky texture. Soft tannins and a balanced acidity contribute to a smooth, lingering finish, making it a perfect match for grilled meats, roasted vegetables, or simply as a luxurious glass to enjoy on its own.
Review:
This appellation is an ideal place to produce this brand's bold style of Pinot Noir, as elegance persists with power. In this bottling, aromas of black plum, blackberry and mahogany lead into a rich, creamy palate layered in wild mint, pepper and dark fruit. A searing acidity leads into a candied vanilla finish.
— Matt Kettmann Wine Enthusiast: 94 Points
Castelmaure Col des Vents Corbieres is made from 50% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 5% Cinsault.
"Col des Vents" means "Windy Mountain Pass" as it is quite windy and located at the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains.
Originally, the label was a replicate of a Max Savy's painting.
Brambly berry, cherry and raspberry, spices, black pepper ... all are present in this authentic French country wine. There are also some aromas of Garrigue (Rosemary, thyme and lavender) giving a minty, herbal notes, that are quite refreshing as well.