Products meeting the search criteria

Ptit Paysan Cabernet Sauvignon  is made from 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petite Verdot, 3% Cabernet Pfeffer.

Oak: 11 months on lees in neutral barrels

The Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from a vineyard at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains west of Morgan Hill, which grows in a mix of granitic and volcanic soils, and a 25-year-old vineyard east of Gilroy, which grows in deep, extremely sandy soils against the foothills of the Diablo Range. The Petite Verdot is sourced from the Paicines AVA and grows in rocky alluvial deposits above the Tres Piños Arroyo. All three vineyards experience the warm days and cold nights typical of the Central Coast, allowing these late ripening Bordeaux varieties to be picked at high acidity and moderate sugars.

Le P'tit Paysan offers intense blackberry, dark cherry aromas, chocolate, herbaceous and toasty notes on the palate. Medium-bodied, well-balanced with moderate and integrated tannins that give structure and liveliness to the wine.

Pairs well with steak, duck, game, hearty stews, ribs, and dark, rich sauces.

I Brand Melon de Bourgogne Chalone  is made from Melon de Bourgogne.

The Graff Family began working in Chalone in the early 60s, with Dick Graff as the driving force behind the Chalone Vineyard, building, with the support of his brothers and a gaggle of stockholders, the original 1919 planting to international fame. After selling the Chalone group and Dick’s untimely death in a plane crash, the family’s land holdings have shrunk progressively to just this 160 acre parcel, owned by Dave Graff and his children. On those 160 acres is a small 3 acre vineyard planted in 1989 to Syrah, Mourvédre and Melon de Bourgogne. The site has depleted, granitic soils. The Melon de Bourgogne in Chalone was originally thought to be Pinot Blanc. Dick Graff distributed cuttings of these vines as far as Oregon. In the 1970s, a visiting ampelographer correctly identified the vines as Melon de Bourgogne. These vines were selected from the older ‘Pinot Blanc’ planting and can legally be labeled as either (but we like accuracy).

The wine comes from a tiny parcel of 30+ year old Melon planted on depleted granitic soils. The warm days and cold nights of the Chalone AVA produce a perfect balance of concentration and acidity, which Ian Brand amplifies with a few days of skin contact. The pure aromas of light peach, pear and gardenia are slightly toasty on the nose. The palate is defined by lemon-skin and grapefruit-pith grip, with a touch of baked apple in the midpalate.

Inglenook Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc.

Stunningly deep ruby in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with heady aromas of brambly black cherry, vanilla, warm brioche, and crème de cassis. As the wine warms on the palate, notes of red cherry, graphite and fennel emerge, as very polished, refined tannins carry the wine into a long, fragrant finish. Layered flavors, good tension, and a perfect integration of wine and oak interact to create this classic expression of Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon.

Review:

  This shows notes of ripe blackberries and blackcurrants with hints of licorice, cloves, walnuts and chocolate. It has full body and a velvety tannin structure. Juicy and vibrant fruit on the palate with a touch of earthiness. Smooth and delicious. Long, fruity finish. Very pure fruit. Try after 2024.

-James Suckling 95 points

Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz-Cabernet is made from 55% Shiraz, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon

The Jip Jip vineyard is planted in some of the world’s oldest mineral rich soils and in the most temperate of maritime climates. It consistently produces excellent fruit quality from low yielding vines. Great attention to detail with the integration of fruit flavors and fine oak barrels helps produce classic handcrafted wine styles.

Deep purple. Boysenberry and mulberry aromas with a hint of cedar and pepper. Similar berry fruits show through on the opulent, textured palate, with a lingering finish.

Johann Michel Cornas is 100% Syrah

This Cornas is a blend from 2 different vineyard sites: 
- 60% of the final blend is from vineyards located on a hillside (20 year old vines on the "coteau"), planted on sandy soils, decomposed granite and some rocks, giving the structure, spiciness and licorice flavors to the blend.
- the other 40% of the final blend comes from the bottom of the slope (45 years old vines on the "pied de coteau"), planted on sandy soils, bringing acidity and balance to the wine.

Expressive, deep, rich, silky and juicy. Well structured and round, it displays red fruit, leather, black cherry, liquorice and black berry aromas.

Review:

 "Ripe black and blue fruits, violets, sappy herbs, and iron notes all emerge from the 2022 Cornas, a pretty, pure, medium to full-bodied Cornas offering fine, ripe tannins, a balanced, layered mouthfeel, and a great finish. The 2022 was completely destemmed and spent 12 months in oak."

- Jeb Dunnuck (Importer Highlight: Fran Kysela ; July 2024), 93 pts

Johann Michel Cuvee Grain Noir is made from 100 percent Syrah

This is delicious. Expressive, deep, rich, silky and juicy.
Well structured and round, it displays red fruit, leather, black cherry, liquorice and black berry aromas.

This Cornas is a blend from 2 different vineyard sites: 
- 60% of the final blend is coming from vineyards located on the hillside (16 year old vines on the "coteau") which is planted on sandy soils, decomposed granite and some roicks, giving the strucutre, the spiciness and the licorice type of flavors to the blend.
- the other 40% of the final blend is coming from the bottom of the slope (40 years old vines on the "pied de coteau") which is planted on sandy soils, bringing acidity and balance to the wine.

Manual harvest, selection of the grapes, 100% destemming, 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 (2 to 4 year old barrels)