ER3 is the very essence of balance and delicacy – the intensity of Côte des Blancs grand crus and the complexity of its perpetual reserve are combined with immense finesse.
ER3 reveals an extremely delicate, blush pink hue. The nose is superb, with a beautifully complex and delicate aromatic palette that offers up aromas of white flowers, redcurrant, and wild strawberry, before unveiling slightly smoky notes. With a particularly fine and ethereal effervescence, the mouth is fresh and vibrant with superb white fruit and citrus evolving into more complex notes of candied fruit, soft spices, and toasted almonds. The finish is incredibly persistent, underpinned by a magnificent chalky minerality.
The wine is aged on lees in the dark in our cellars for three years.
Chardonnay 75% – Pinot Noir 25% / This edition has been made from a base of the 2018 vintage. / Disgorged in May 2022. / Dosage: 4.5 G/L.
Review:
"This graceful rosé Champagne layers a rich base of roasted almond, toast and smoke accents with nectarine and pureed raspberry fruit, oyster shell, blood orange zest and chalk notes. Fresh and fluid on the palate, with a creamy mousse consisting of fine, pinprick-sized bubbles. Long, rich finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Drink now through 2030. 750 cases made."
-Wine Spectator 95 Points
Morande Black Series Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Malleco represents the exploration of one of the most extreme valleys in Chile for wine production. A new wine frontier, an ideal terroir to produce high-end Chardonnay in Chile, with a different style from other outstanding origins such as Limarí –which offers wines with marked minerality– or Aconcagua Costa –which delivers sharp acidity and great power. The Traiguen area in the Malleco valley produces wines of great tension and fruity austerity, as well as complexity, balance and finesse. A very typical style of Chardonnay marked by elegance, verticality on the palate and subtlety on the nose and mouth.
The wine offers a bright pale yellow color, intense and elegant aromas of citrus fruits and green apples as well as hints of nuts, such as hazelnuts and roasted chestnuts. A tense and fresh acidity on the palate, and a vertical structure in the mouth. Very fine and complex, its long persistence highlights the austere character of its fruit and a delicate minerality.
Shellfish and fish of intense flavor, such as smoked salmon, swordfish, giant perch, and white meats, poultry.
Review:
"Fresh and pure on the nose with green fruits and lots of star fruit, a hint of flint and a slight creamy edge. Subtle and bright with a tense mid-palate that creates a creamy but fresh mouthfeel. Medium- to full-bodied and long. Drink now."
- James Suckling (February 2023), 94 pts
Morande Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc
The grapes for this wine come from Morande's estate located in Casablanca, a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. This valley is well-known for its cool climate that allows to obtain small clusters and grapes that develop colors, aromas, and flavors that are characteristic of a slow ripening process. Of limited production, the vineyard is trellised to the vertical shoot position and grows on clayey, granitic soils of low fertility that give life to remarkable wines.
Bright straw-yellow color, delicate aromas with fresh herbs, honey and orange-blossom, combined with white fruit and citrus fruit. The palate shows complex flavors, with edgy, mineral freshness and outstanding citrusy notes of grapefruit, herbs and white peaches. It is persistent, elegant and with a structure that makes for good aging potential.
The grapes were picked by hand in 10-kilo boxes. A large percentage was whole-bunch pressed and the rest underwent a cold maceration for eight hours in the press. The must fermented mainly in French oak foudres, but a part also in cement eggs. The wine was kept in both its containers during six months before bottling.
Pair with white meat, fish and seafood, fresh cheese.
Ormes de Pez Saint Estephe is made from 54% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot.
Château Ormes de Pez 2020 displays deep garnet-purple color with notes of plum preserves and dark berries, plus hints of graphite. Nice chewiness to the texture and lovely freshness, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note.
Ossian Capitel Verdejo is made from 100% Verdejo.
Ossian Capital represents a particular expression of very old Verdejo vines, taking its potential far finesse, elegance and longevity. It is made in selected years with a selection of extraordinary grapes.
Color: Old golden yellow color with greenish reflections.
Aromas: Surprisingly nuanced and profound.
Flavors: Fresh, full and very light.
Review:
"The 2020 Capitel is pure Verdejo from the oldest vines from the Peña Aguda vineyard in the village of Nieva on slate soils. This is the last vineyard to be bottled and has higher alcohol (14%) than the rest of the vineyards despite now harvesting earlier. The wine has a different aromatic profile but getting closer to the style of Ossian, less opulent than in the past, with more energy, quite fruit-driven with some exotic notes reminiscent of banana skin. The whole clusters were pressed and the juice put to ferment in barrel where the wine matured with the lees and, starting this year, without bâtonnage, because they feel the wines have enough volume and stirring the lees can bring more oxidation to the wine. 2,500 bottles produced. - Luis GUTIERREZ"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (January 31st 2023), 93+ pts
Ossian Capitel Verdejo is made from 100% Verdejo.
Ossian Capital represents a particular expression of very old Verdejo vines, taking its potential far finesse, elegance and longevity. It is made in selected years with a selection of extraordinary grapes.
Color: Old golden yellow color with greenish reflections.
Aromas: Surprisingly nuanced and profound.
Flavors: Fresh, full and very light.
Review:
Color: bright yellow. Aroma: ripe fruit, spicy, white fruit, citrus fruit. Flavour: balanced, fresh. Style: taut. Color: bright yellow. Aroma: powerful, creamy oak, ripe fruit, spicy. Flavour: rich, good structure, long, toasty, fine bitter notes.
-Guia Penin 96 Points
Since the founding in 1978, Quilceda Creek has dedicated itself to one thing: producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Director of Winemaking Paul Golitzin believes that the winery’s greatest assets are the vineyards of the Columbia Valley. Through vineyard ownership and control, and through precision farming, they are able to grow and produce the highest caliber Cabernet Sauvignon. In award of their relentless pursuit of producing perfect Cabernet Sauvignon, Quilceda Creek has received seven 100 Point ratings from Wine Advocate, three 100 Point ratings from Owen Bargreen, two 100 Point ratings from Decanter and three Top Ten Wines of the Year from Wine Spectator.
The 2021 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine for the ages. Potent aromas jump out of the glass, showing framboise candy, black tea, and a strong classic note of sandalwood. Savory cumin, sage, and garrigue round out this powerful nose. The palate is sweet and velvety, leading to an amazing crescendo of power and refinement.
Review:
The flagship 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (90% from Champoux Vineyard and 10% from Mach One Vineyard) raised all in new barrels. It's slightly deeper hued than the CVR and has a stunning nose of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, toasted spices, and graphite with a beautiful varietal, herbal undertone that comes through with time in the glass. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and velvety textured, this thrilling Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve for two decades. This is unquestionably up with the greatest vintages of this cuvée ever made.
-Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points
The 2021 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Quilceda Creek is once again another monumental release. It begins to impress with its striking perfumed aromas of ripe blackberries and dark currants, which are joined together with crushed violets, graphite, tobacco, and hints of licorice all developing in the glass. On the palate this possesses a gorgeous full body that is impeccably structured with beautifully polished tannins that result in an utterly seamless texture. This continues to impress with its excellent balance and concentration combined with remarkable overall power and finesse. There is a lovely touch of underlying acidity that ties it all together and provides a wonderful sense of freshness that carries it into the lavish finish. While this is already stunning in its youth, it is ultimately an age worthy wine which will go on to evolve for decades. Quilceda Creek sets the benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon in Washington, and this is a clear example of why they have earned that reputation.
Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.
WHAT IS THE CARNIVAL OF LOVE?
This is as life should be – a Carnival of Love. A place where everyone wants to be, and no one wants to leave.
TASTING NOTES:
Intense in colour, flavour and aroma, our 2021 Carnival of Love Shiraz captivates the palate from the first sip. Powerful yet delicate, lifted aromas of red cherry, blackberry and turkish delight evolve, while subtle hints of mocha linger. Infectious chocolate cherry, fresh plum and liquorice add to the complexity, while creating a seamless structure and lingering finish.
TECHNICAL NOTES:
The grapes were grown on the Gateway vineyard in McLaren Vale. Barrel fermented and matured in 100% American oak, using 100% new barrels. The required Marquis Fruit Weight™ for the Love Series is 85% – 95%. The Actual Fruit Weight for 2021 Carnival of Love 88%.
Alcohol: 16.5%
pH: 3.66
Reviews:
Another sensational edition of the Mollydooker ‘Carnival of Love’ Shiraz from 2021 — and I am not the least surprised. I’ve had every edition of this wine for more than a decade. This bottling was as usual aged in all new American oak. On the nose this takes on dense black currant jelly, cigar box and shades of creosote with Arabica bean. The palate is soft and inviting with its plush texture and seamless mouthfeel as this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. A joy to drink now so young, this will easily cellar for another ten years and potentially more. But why wait?
- Owen Bargreen 96 Points