Schwarz Nitschke Block Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.
This Bethany vineyard was planted by Jason Schwarz's parents in 1968 and has been tended to by the hands of his family ever since. The vines are dry-grown and produce small crops of intensely flavored fruit.
A display of the purest blood-plum and black cherry, with cracked black peppercorn and streaky bacon over some seriously fine oak. Some subtle herbaceous qualities, nettle and thyme bring life to an otherwise immense nose. Very juicy on the palate, deeply flavorsome, long and with mouth-coating tannin for a very textured, very focused Barossa classic.
Slow cooked beef ribs, grilled meats, wild game and grilled vegetables.
Review:
"All the good stuff: dry-grown and fermented under the aegis of wild yeast; a smattering of whole-bunch seasoning (25%), French oak (20% new), conferring poise, freshness and authority. As far as Barossa shiraz goes, this is benchmark. Plush but nicely taut. A stream of boysenberry fruit and violet scents sashay to a samba of thyme, tapenade and smoked meats, nicely avoiding any sense of reduction, or clunky jam. This is smart. Very. - Ned Goodwin"
- Halliday Wine Companion (August 2020), 96 pts
Schwarz The Schiller Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.
The Schiller Shiraz is a wine rich in both flavor and history. The 400 Shiraz vines planted by Carl August Otto Schiller in 1881 are something to be treasured. Earmarked for bulldozers in 2006, a last minute reprieve would see these Ancestor vines remain in the ground. The grapes are hand-picked from the sixth generation Schiller family vineyard at Hallett Valley in the Barossa. Jason first made this wine in 2008, and since then it has been his flagship wine.
Opens quickly to luxe fruits, black plum & fruits of the forest, building in layers of toasty smoked bacon, tobacco leaf and Mediterranean herbs with nuances of spice and earthy tones. A luxurious palate of old vine fruits, savory overtones and fine slippery tannins. A long harmonious finish.
Review:
Segries Cotes du Rhone Rouge is made from 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 10% Carignan
The wine is ripe, rich and round, with black raspberry, white pepper and spice flavors. True Cotes du Rhone in a Bistro style.
Segries Tavel Rose is made from 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 15% Clairette, 5% Syrah.
The age of the vines is 30 years. Traditional vinification at low temperature, "vin de saignée" with a maceration during one night in cement vat.
This is large for a Rose...structured and focused, with the color of dark ruby. The nose is loaded up with fresh fruit. Strawberry, blackcurrant, and raspberry beam from the glass. On the palate, the mouth-feel is ripe and succulent. It has strength, but maintains its fresh and crisp expression. The finish is filled with Asian spice and slight hints of smoke. Drink this juice now or over the next year or two.
Sei Solo Ribera del Duero Tempranillo is made from 100 percent Tempranillo.
Named after Bach's six solos for violin, Sei Solo represents Javier Zaccagnini's vision of elegant, high-toned Ribera del Duero from the powerful, mineral soils of La Horra and the top vineyards of Barroso and Acos that are planted with old vines of 60 to 90 years old.
Displaying wonderful clarity of fruit and excellent transparency to the multi-layered flavors, there is no new oak influence on this at all, resulting in a wine that has nothing to hide behind. Deft tannins support a taut, mineral, dark fruited wine that, while tight knit and brooding is tremendously refined and vital and not at all tiring to drink. A Ribera built on elegance, refinement and nuance that promises great things for the future. A star is born.
Fermented in stainless steel tanks of small capacity, adapted to the size of every vineyard, allowing to do individual fermentation for every different plot.
Short and careful pumping over, never reaching high temperatures to respect the fruit and avoid over extraction of the tannins, gaining the full potential of elegance and finesse of the old vines. After alcoholic fermentation the wines are racked to two-year-old French barrels to undergo malolactic at low temperature ( less than 14 degrees C) . This process takes several months. When malolactic is finished, the wines are racked to 600 liter big barrels of French oak, which are not new to avoid a loss of balance and style of the wines. Aging in barrels for 20 months.
Review:
Made with Tempranillo from 60- to 100-year-old vines, this wine has a bouquet of purple plum, black currant and a hint of cedar. Plush tannins and striking acidity provide a backdrop to black cherry, Mission fig, caramel, milk chocolate and juniper-berry flavors. I did not want this wine to end; it is a gorgeous pour on its own, but to get the most out of it enjoy it alongside a Porterhouse or Tomahawk steak. Drink through 2034. — Mike DeSimone
- Wine Enthusiast (May 2024), 97 pts & Cellar Selection
Ti Cuntu… means “I will tell you a story…” in Sicilian dialect and it refers to the ability of the wines made from these native grapes to tell the story of their terroir and of their history. The label shows the dry stone walls and the wild myrtle which characterize their territory.
Frappato is a rare native grape of Vittoria and is almost exclusively grown in Eastern Sicily. The vineyards lie on the sides of Mont Iblei at 300 meters above sea level on a south-west exposure. The relatively infertile terrain encourages the concentrated structure with a light color and beautiful aromatics. Irrigation is generally avoided. There are 4,000 plants per hectare. Agriculture is sustainable and no herbicides or pesticides are used and wild herbs fill the vineyard rows.
Color: Light cherry red with garnet reflections.
Bouquet: A ripe strawberry, black cherry, roses and violets fill the bouquet along with notes of blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.
Taste: Fresh and berry-filled with an intriguing root beer note. The tannins are refined and the acidity lively. The finish is notable and long.
Excellent with cold meats and salamis, seafood and light pasta dishes.
Double Diamond by Schrader Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon offers concentration, lively acidity, and refined tannins that have become the hallmark of the 2022 vintage. The nose holds notes of black raspberry, toasted cedar, juicy plum, and pennyroyal mint—a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon signature. The palate is mouthwatering with intricately woven layers of blackberry compote, dark chocolate shavings, oolong tea, and flint. The dynamic flavors carry across the mid-palate in vivid harmony into a long, floral finish. This wine is ready to drink upon release but will cellar well for years to come.
The 2022 Proprietary Red Wine maintains the exceptional quality and prestige synonymous with winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown and the Double Diamond portfolio. This wine is fragrant with mixed berry compote, crushed ivy, iron, and vanilla bean. Full in body and generously concentrated with notes of ripe black fruits, spice, dark chocolate, and espresso framed with silky tannins, food-friendly acidity, and a lingering finish. It is ready to drink upon release but will cellar well for years to come.
Barrels: 54% new French oak, 46% second-use Schrader Darnajou French Oak
Collier Creek Big Rooster Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Teroldego.
Nestled in the heart of the Lodi Appellation, where farmland ran as far as the eye could see, Collier Creek is a place that reminds us of simpler times. With notes of dark fruit, vanilla and full bodied, we're cocky about how good this Cabernet is. The Big Rooster lands in dry and fruit forward on the finish.
RS: 4.3 g/L
TA: 6.8 g/L
Pair with red meat and stews, or hard cheeses like cheddar.