Produced from 100% Chenin Blanc planted on clay and flint stones based soils.
Vinification: aged in stainless steel tanks with temperature controlled fermentation. Aged on the lees for 4 months.
Kieselguhr filtration.
This sparking wine is fresh and fruity. Rich and easy to drink, which makes it a wonderful aperitif. For the aficionados this is an excellent food friendly wine. Its quality makes it a great alternative to Champagne.
"The two sparkling wines should not be missed. They’re both terrific examples of how good sparkling Vouvray can be. Both are 100% Chenin Blanc cuvees, with the non-vintage Chateau Gaudrelle Vouvray Brut showing lots of effervescence and plenty of flowery brioche, buttered citrus, melon and dried apricot notes. It is crisp, fresh, and ideal for drinking over the next several years."
-Wine Advocate 90 pts
"Just off-dry, this almond- and apple-flavored wine achieves a fine balance of crispness and richness. There is just a touch of honey, intertwined with delicious citrusy acidity."
- Wine Enthusiast , 90 pts
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Chateau Talbot Saint-Julien Grand Cru Classe is made from 69 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 26 % Merlot, 5 % Petit Verdot.
The wine presents a delicate and captivating nose of black fruits, fresh tobacco, peppermint and floral nuances. Ripe and juicy fruit flavors of black currants on the palate with well integrated velvety tannins and a beautiful refreshing acidity to the long finish.
For the 2018 vintage, a special packaging with a unique silkscreen printing bottle was created to mark the 100th anniversary of the Cordier Family's acquisition of Chateau Talbot
Pair with red meat, roast pork, game meat, poultry, hard cheeses, poached pear.
"Well-built and rather refined for the vintage, with a deep well of red and black currant paste and plum reduction flavors supported by a deeply inlaid iron note, all of which run the length of the wine. Offers subtle savory, tobacco and singed cedar notes that add range, with a savory echo that leaves a mouthwatering feel in the end. Built to cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2040. - James Molesworth"
- Wine Spectator (March 2022), 95 pts
Chavy-Chouet Volnay 1er Cru Sous La Chapelle is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Total acreage for this wine: 0.1 hectare (0.25 acres)Planting density: 10 000 vines per hectares
Age of the vines: 10 years
At the bottom of the slope in the heart of Volnay, this plot lies on clay-sand soil.
Volnay is located on the steep sloping hill of Chaignot in the Côte de Beaune, where the southeast facing vines have been valued for centuries. These vineyards have been valued and exploited for centuries. Long before the French Revolution, the harvests of Volnay went to the Knights of Malta, the Abbeys of Saint-Andoche d’Autun and Maizières, or to the Dukes of Bourgogne and their successors, the Kings of France.
Volnay has a reputation for being among the most delicate, feminine of the Bourgogne wines. Limestone soil dominates the area, with deeper, gravelly soils at the foot of the slope, where Chavy Chouet’s vines are located.
This Volnay is full of character; broad and fruity. Smooth and elegant tannins make it a feminine wine, marked by aromas of black berries and leather.
Vintners Dennis O’Neil and Steph Martin began development of Checkerboard Vineyards in 1999 and retained winemaker Martha McClellan to create a portfolio of wines reflecting the mountainside. The estate includes four vineyard sites of different elevation, exposure and soil composition, providing the foundation for a portfolio that includes Checkerboard Aurora Vineyard, Checkerboard Coyote Ridge Vineyard, Checkerboard Nash Creek Vineyard, Checkerboard Kings Row, Checkerboard Sauvignon Blanc, and Checkerboard Rose. Grapes are harvested at dawn in micro-lots and delivered steps away to the winery where clusters are sorted, discarding any blemished ones. Individual berries are hand-selected for vinification and transferred for fermentation, by hand, to Taransaud wooden tanks, stainless tanks, and individual wooden barrels.
Farming is based on long-term sustainability and includes water conservation and monitoring, permanent cover crops planted in alternating rows, and the use of entomology for pest control and the development of soils with good organic matter and microbiology. Checkerboard Vineyards is a member of Fish Friendly Farming which promotes environmentally-friendly land practices and water quality management. Aurora Vineyard is located in a small valley midway up Diamond Mountain and on a large knoll at an elevation of 1,200 feet. The knoll bulges outward, giving the vineyard full Southern exposure and open light from the East and West and protection from Napa Valley’s summer fog. Six acres are planted in the knoll’s rich, volcanic soils that are riddled with basalt cobble in a loamy red clay. The remaining six acres are planted in a deep gravely mix of volcanic ash and chips of decomposed Rhyolite that were washed down from the steep, rocky crags of Diamond Mountain above.
There's a fresh, sweet aroma to the 2016 Checkerboard Aurora Vineyard that builds excitement and anticipation for what's to come. On approach, the palate is juicy and expansive and explodes with flavors of blackberry, mulberry, dark cherry, caramel, leaf tobacco and green olive. The wine continues with a voluptuousness that's linear and constant yet lifted by natural acidity. The finish is showy, long and lingering with finely polished tannins. An exceptional vintage.
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
Mt Monster Shiraz is 100 percent Shiraz
Deep purple in color. Ripe cassis and black plum fruits on the nose with violets. Varietal fruit-driven palate, with cassis and dark berryfruit and spice flavors. Soft tannins compliment the fruit with mouth-filling generous finish.
French & American oak has been used sparingly to ensure maximum fruit expression is retained in the final wine.
Our Shiraz is fermented in static fermenters at controlled temperatures to retain the varietal aromatics. Once complete the wine is left for 7–10 days on skins to aide in the extraction of soft fleshy tannins and build wine structure.