This Concord sweet red wine is a tribute to the Concord grapes grown in the Ozark Highlands along Missouri’s Historic Route 66 for over 115 years.
When Italian immigrants settled in the St. James area, they planted vineyards. By the 1930s, over 1,000 acres of grapes dotted the landscape. When Prohibition started, grape vines across the state were ripped from the ground. The Italians in the Ozark Highlands region approached the situation differently and were key to keeping Missouri’s wine industry alive.
“Instead of destroying their vineyards during Prohibition like others in Missouri, the farmers formed a fruit grower’s association in order to keep growing and selling grapes, along with other fruit, to stores in St. Louis,” said Peter Hofherr, St. James Winery chairman and CEO. “During WWII, a long-term contract with a prestigious juice, jam and jelly company helped make the local Concord grapes famous. The farmers even negotiated to be allowed to sell small quantities or quarts of fruit to individuals. They set up grape stands and sold grapes to those traveling along the highways.”
Every year during harvest, Italian descendants from the St. James area still carry on this tradition by setting up Concord grape stands along Historic Route 66 to sell their fruit to travelers.
The Concord wine is juicy and sweet, with an intense grape jam flavor and light finish. Serve it at refrigerator temperature, over ice or mixed with a club soda to create a light, grape spritzer
Pair with peanut butter cookies, soft cheeses, or roasted pork chops.
Tamarack Chardonnay is made from 100% Chardonnay.
Bright aromas of ruby red grapefruit, mango and stone fruit are found in the bouquet while on the palate, the bright acidity of this wine showcases flavors of guava, crisp Granny Smith apples and Asian pears. Combing the best of both cooperage techniques, the combination of aging in stainless steel highlights the fruit while the aging in neutral French oak provides an added complexity to the wine.
Aged 60% in neutral premier French oak and 3% in new premier French Oak 37% stainless steel.Dropped by gravity straight to the press, the juice is pumped directly to barrel or tank and chilled, inoculated with Chardonnay 3079 yeast, primary fermentation started and finished, secondary fermentation started but completed to preferred taste, typically around 50% completion. All fermentation is done in a 58 degree Fahrenheit barrel room.
Walla Walla Valley Appellation: Alderbanks Vineyard
Columbia Valley Appellation: Bacchus and Gamache Brothers Vineyards
Yakima Valley Appellation: Olsen Brothers and French Creek Vineyards
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Intense ruby red color. Aromas characterized by hints of ripe red fruits, and hints of spices. On the palate it is warm, soft, and full with strong but velvety integrated tannins. Good persistence.
Pairs with meat, cheese, and game.
From the most recognized Napa Valley red blend comes a distinct, new wine. Made in the same iconic style as The Prisoner Red Blend, we proudly introduce The Prisoner Cabernet Sauvignon. Redefining taste once again.
On the nose, blackberry, currant, and plum are layered with dried, crushed herbs and licorice. On the palate, cedar, vanilla, nutmeg, and toasted coconut lead as plum and dried blackberries culminate in a lush, full mouthfeel and a lengthy, balanced finish.
Chef Brett recommends pairing The Prisoner Cabernet with Grilled Ribeye or Aged Gouda Cheese.
The Prisoner Wine Company The Prisoner Red Blend is made from a blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Charbono.
Bright aromas of ripe raspberry, vanilla, and coconut give way to flavors of fresh and dried blackberry, pomegranate, and vanilla, which linger harmoniously for a smooth and luscious finish.The Prisoner Red Blend was inspired by the wines first made by the Italian immigrants who originally settled in Napa Valley. The Prisoner is now the most recognized red blend, leading the resurgence of interesting blends by incorporating Zinfandel with the unlikely mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Charbono.
On the nose, dried blackberry, dried açai berries, and hints of cedar and tobacco leaf are accented by sweet spices of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Flavors of ripe dark cherry, blackberry coulis, and hints of anise linger harmoniously for a soft, vibrant finish balanced by ripe tannins.
Chef Brett recommends pairing The Prisoner Red Blend with Kalbi Short Ribs or Chicken Mole Tostada.
Vineyards: When you outgrow winemaking tradition, you must forge your own path. And we did. The Prisoner exists because of the collaboration with our growers, many of which have been with us since the very beginning—from the Solari Family Vineyard in Calistoga, where old school sensibilities meet new techniques, to the Korte Ranch in St. Helena, a vineyard whose diligence outlasted the Prohibition and has sustained four generations.
The Walls Curiositas Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Walls Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a variety of vineyards in the Red Mountain AVA providing structure and power on the nose and palate. Extremely aromatic and super silky tannins – loads of freshness, energy, full spectrum and super complex, with that great combination of weightlessness but great texture and length.
Review:
Coming from Red Mountain and 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Cabernet Franc brought up in 80% new French oak, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Curiositas offers more red and black fruits to go with classic Red Mountain minerality, notes of graphite and tobacco, full-bodied richness, and building, firm, yet ripe tannins. It's going to need 3-5 years of bottle age, but it’s a classic expression of this terroir.
- Jeb Dunnuck 94-96 Points
Chavy-Chouet Bourgogne Rouge La Taupe is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Chavy-Chouet's Pinot Noir is classified as humble Bourgogne Rouge, but the fruit for it comes from an excellent single-vineyard site near Pommard. La Taupe's parcel was once part of the Pommard AOC.
The wine is juicy with a great mouthfeel. It has classic Bourgogne Rouge aromas, with a candied cherry character as well as strawberry, raspberry and spice, yet the structure and length of finish reminds one of a Pommard - ripe & rich with a bigger body.
Average age of the vines: 70 years old.
Density of planting: 10,000 vines per hectare.
Soil: clay
100% distemmed.
Very little intervention. Less pigeage (punch down of the cap) but some remontage (pump-over)
Verite Le Desir Red is made from 83% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, 5% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon.
2019 Le Désir has a rich violet hue, ringed by a slender rim of incandescent purple-ruby color. Beautifully characteristic of Cabernet Franc, the aromatics of this wine are expressive and exotic, showing fresh rose petal perfume, fresh cherry blossom, California bay laurel, crushed pomegranate, blackberry coulis, and well-integrated French oak aromas of ground cinnamon, and brown buttered toast. On the palate, a robust structure defined by powdery tannins and lively acidity delivers a very fine balance, with an exceptionally long finish.
Review:
Sublime cabernet franc aromas of currants, flowers and citrus. Full-bodied with incredible purity of fruit and length. You don’t feel the tannins, but they are there. The acidity gives you dynamic reality and perfect length. A truly great wine. 83% cabernet franc, 8% merlot, 5% malbec, and 4% cabernet sauvignon. Best from 2026.
-James Suckling 100 Points
The 2019 Le Désir is just as stunning as the first time I tasted it from bottle. It's pure and layered, with alluring scents of Morello cherries, dried mushrooms, cigars, sage and aniseed wafting from the glass. The palate strikes a fine balance of concentrated fruit, loads of powdery tannins, and energetic bursts of fresh acidity. It has a deep core of concentrated, perfumed fruit with the first faint touches of umami character and a long finish driven by floral and iron tones. I can't get enough of this wine!
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 100 Points