Certified organic, ungrafted vines over 130 years old; a "grand cru" site of Paso Robles. Transcendent. Lovely sweet red fruits, loads of spice and pepper, violets, chalk, even a hint of pineapple grass on the nose. White stones and wild strawberries in a lovely pas de deux on the palate, with vibrant energy and finesse. What a knockout.
Review:
Broad-shouldered and powerfully structured yet detailed and stylish, with deep flavors of blackberry and cherry accented by bittersweet chocolate, orange peel and fruitcake spices that gather tension and richness on the slightly firm finish.
-Wine Spectator 95 Points
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Venancio da Costa Lima Palmela Reserva is made from 100% Castelao (also known as Periquita)
Intense garnet color, complex nose with touches of ripe fruit, jam and spices, full-bodied flavor and a very balanced finish.
100% Castelao (also known as "Periquita" and "Joao de Santarem". As the most widely-grown red grape variety in Portugal it is still often referred to in Portuguese as Periquita, although that name is legally owned by José Maria da Fonseca in the Setúbal Peninsula outside of Lisbon. It is highly adaptable to different climatic conditions and its remarkable versatility enables winemakers to make a range of wines – from the easy drinking and quaffable reds and rosados to the powerful and intense reds perfectly suited to lengthy cellaring. Castelão comes into its own and is most expressive in the Sétubal Peninsula, where it makes meaty and intense wines with aromas of red berries and blue flowers that marry well with the deft use of oak.
Made from 45 year old vines.
Classic vinification at controlled temperature (25 °C) with prolonged maceration for phenolic extraction. Wine went through malolactic fermentation.
Wine was slightly fitered before bottling to avoid sedimentation in the bottle and to ensure stability.
Pasta, Cheese, red meat and game.
Verite La Joie Red is made from 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, .
The 2018 La Joie displays a brilliant violet core with a thin rim of bright ruby. Generous fruit-for- ward aromas of ripe black currant and black cherry are followed by earthy notes of fresh conifer, dried mushroom, black olive, dusty clay, anise and clove. The palate is rich and structured; possessing similar flavors of the nose, refined tannins, well-balanced acidity and a complex, luscious finish.
Review:
A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2019 La Joie is deep garnet-purple in color. It has a wonderfully flashy and flamboyant nose of blackcurrant cordial, redcurrant jelly, plum preserves, and potpourri with hints of chocolate mint, tilled soil, chalk dust, and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate is very taut and muscular with tons of bright, crunchy black fruits and wonderful tension, finishing with tons of earthy nuances. 2,500 cases were made.
-The Wine Independent 100 Points
The 2019 La Joie is an elegant expression that offers power, freshness and expressive, floral character. A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, it has a deep ruby color and opens slowly from black cherries and blueberries to accents of violets, ground coffee and licorice. The full-bodied palate has generous, grainy tannins, detailed, perfumed flavors and bright acidity, finishing with an alluring iron character.
Robert Parker 99 Points
Deep color of violet and black tones. On the nose, it shows aromas of black tea, violets, blueberries and dark berries. It presents freshness, fine grain tannins and minerality on the palate.
The grapes come from the property owned vineyards in the municipality of Grávalos, south of Monte Yerga at the foothills of the “Cordillera Ibérica” at an altitude between 700–800 meters above sea level. A very high located area where you obtain fresh wines with little alcohol content and with very fine and elegant aromas.
The Pinot Noir variety originating in Burgundy is one of the three most important varieties in Champagne. Harvested around the second and third week of September. The collection of the grapes is done manually, selecting the grapes, preventing any deteriorated grapes from reaching the press or not complying with the quality required to elaborate our cavas.
Raspberry pink with steely glare. Fine bubble that forms a small rosary of slow evolution. Fruity aromas of strawberry, raspberry and flowers (rose petals). Pleasant and potent in the mouth with light acidity and a bubble very well integrated. Persistent and elegan
Review:
Wine Enthusiast Magazine (December 2023), 94 pts
Long Shadows Chester Kidder is made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Syrah and 15% Petit Verdot
Allen Shoup named this wine in honor of his mother, Elizabeth Chester, and his grandmother, Maggie Kidder. He selected Long Shadows' director of winemaking and viticulture, Gilles Nicault, to craft this New World blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and other classic Bordeaux varieties.
Select Cabernet Sauvignon lots underwent an extended maceration of 40 days to produce supple yet firm tannins that stand up to 30 months of barrel aging in tight-grained French oak barrels (85% new). The extra time in barrel helped to integrate the fruit, enhance the mid-palate with an extra layer of complexity, and provide an appealing earthiness to the finish.
Review:
The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated 2017 Chester Kidder is another more closed, reserved wine that's loaded with potential. Cassis, toasted spices, violets, and leafy herb notes give way to a rich, full-bodied red that has ripe, velvety tannins, a rounded, mouth-filling texture, and one heck of a great finish. Give bottles 3-5 years if you can and it should be very long lived.
-Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points
Michel Thomas Sancerre Blanc is 100% Sauvignon Blanc (40% Caillottes, 40% Grosses Terres, 20% Silex)
The wine displays an exotic nose with a touch of smoke and licorice. On the palate, peach and watermelon dominate with citrus zest and chalk notes.
Aged on the lees for a few months (no oak). It goes well with seafood, fish, goats cheese.