Alexandre M Vouvray Brut Methode Traditionnelle is made from 100% Chenin Blanc.
Tasting: Nose lime tree flower and brioche.
Mouth: complex and very expressive, so fresh and balanced with a smooth touch in mouth, bubbles so small who just tease the tang, light and good length.
ZERO DOSAGE !
Aperitif, seafood, oysters, light hard sheeses, and just for fun
Alexandre M Vouvray La Serpette Tendre is made from 100% Chenin Blanc.
Nose of coconut and slightly vanilla. The very "Caribbean" mouth of nutmeg brown sugar, white rum and candied citrus fruits. Like a sweet wine, without the sugar.
La Serpette (pruning knife) is one of the most important vintner's tool. This is the symbol of the work made by hand, just to express the very important part of hand making in wine which reflect the terroir. Wine is not "made" in the cellar as everything stars in the vineyards, from the vineplant.
Asian cuisine as well as exotic food. Well pair with spices. Nice with the classic foie gras and with matured cheeses.
Alexandre M Vouvray La Serpette Tendre is made from 100% Chenin Blanc.
Nose of coconut and slightly vanilla. The very "Caribbean" mouth of nutmeg brown sugar, white rum and candied citrus fruits. Like a sweet wine, without the sugar.
La Serpette (pruning knife) is one of the most important vintner's tool. This is the symbol of the work made by hand, just to express the very important part of hand making in wine which reflect the terroir. Wine is not "made" in the cellar as everything stars in the vineyards, from the vineplant.
Asian cuisine as well as exotic food. Well pair with spices. Nice with the classic foie gras and with matured cheeses.
Alleme Getariako Txakolina is 100% Hondarribi Zuri
A very fruity, persistent and clean Txakoli. It reminds the white exotic fruits, such as lichy. It has a straw yellow color, without the slightest tone of rust and a faint natural gas pearl crown, due to the grape juice fermentation. In the mouth, it is greasy and unctuous, with a good balance of structure and acidity. In order to get such a Txakoli, we have combined the most traditional and the most innovative production methods to create it. Thanks to the batonnage (stirring of the lees), we have attained the characteristic unctuosity of this Txakoli.
After harvesting and pressing, the must is left to ferment in stainless steel tanks. Traditionally, and until recently, this was done in oak or chestnut barrels, called kupels, in Basque. Fermentation lasts 20–25 days and then the txacolí is left to lie on its lees. The CO2 prevents oxidation and dissolves the sediments and gives the wine its sparkling characteristic. The wines is not racked so it does not lose its sparkle and is clarified by natural sedimentation by gravity in the tank or barrel. Traditionally, the wine is tasted on the feast of San Antonio on 17 January, which is known as Txacolí Day (Txacoli Eguna, in Basque).
This vineyard is situated at over 3,000 feet in altitude in Valle de Uco, and the vines are over seventy years old. This light soil is sandy with some silt, is very permeable and has boulders and a broken layer of limestone at a depth of 2.5 feet. Traditional irrigation is fed by water from the Andes Mountains. Temis has the coldest climate of all Alta Vista’s terroirs. Nights are quite cool and days are warm and soft, with constant breezes that help to keep the vines and grapes healthy. The grapes have a slow, gradual cycle of ripeness that is balanced and ideal. Planted in 1942, the selection massale vines are characterized by small clusters with small, compact grapes.
Review:
There’s a touch of bark, grilled Mediterranean spice savoriness to the rich but fresh blackberries, salted black plums and graphite notes. Pretty saline and flavorful on the palate. The tannins are powerful yet fine-grained. A structured and characterful malbec from old vines in El Cepillo.
-James Suckling 94 Points
Ancien Pinot Noir Russian River Jouissance is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Jouissance is sourced from the single vineyard established and farmed by Mark Lingenfelder at his home estate. Mark’s decades of experience as a vineyard manager and consulting viticulturalist have provided him the depth of experience to reach the pinnacle at his own property. Having worked with storied wineries over the years, we are grateful our paths have crossed enabling us to work with him for our Russian River designate. He tends the vines himself while relying on neighbor Lee Martinelli to provide additional help at the peak times. We work with a mix of Pommard and Dijon 667 vines from his oldest and youngest blocks – aged wisdom combines with youthful vigor!
The 2021 growing season was a welcome success after a more varied and challenging 2020. The vines came on with aplomb, demonstrating the rich fruit concentration we expect – even if the crop was meager. The ongoing drought in California served to further accentuate the character and concentration of the fruit. While warmer conditions have prevailed in other areas, the coastal areas of California continue to benefit from the maritime influence and moderating influence that it brings.
We fermented in our one ton, open-top tanks after filling by gravity. A warm fermentation with a combination of native and isolated Burgundian yeasts produced excellent and focused flavor extraction, complemented with traditional punch-downs by hand. The wine was aged entirely in Francois Freres cooperage, 40% new, and racked once, gently, prior to bottling. Grapes, must, and wines were moved using gravity through to the barrel and using inert gas through racking and bottling. 151 cases produced.
Bright fruit notes dominate the aromas with bright cherry, plum, and boysenberry underlaid by allspice and clove. On the palate the wine is liquid velvet, it’s silkiness segueing into a burst of fruit and spice that rides high on the palate while gradually opening to deeper berry, tea, and baking spices. It is a refreshing and lively Pinot Noir in its youth that will continue to fill out in depth and complexity over the next 2-5 years.
Wachau Riesling is dry and often defined by high levels of dry extract (due to a lengthy ripening period) and a pleasing freshness (due to dramatic temperature swings between day and night). Sedimentary soils of sand and stone give Kirchweg Riesling a dense mineral texture and fine fruity flavors.
Review:
I love the deep and delicate, peachy nose of this extremely attractive Wachau dry riesling. Wonderful fresh fruit with a touch of mint and lemon balm on the ripe but rather sleek and very precise palate. The power and concentration show themselves first at the stunningly long and pristine finish.
-James Suckling 96 Points
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.