Clos Saint-Jean is a 41-hectare estate in Châteauneuf-du-Pape run by brothers Vincent and Pascal Maurel. Considered by many critics and wine-writers as the preeminent estate espousing the modern style of winemaking in Châteauneuf, this cellar is one of the oldest in the region, having been founded in 1900 by the greatgreat-grandfather of Vincent and Pascal, Edmund Tacussel. A short time after its founding and well before the AOP of Chateauneuf-du-Pape was created in 1923, Edmund began bottling estate wines in 1910.
The farming at Clos Saint-Jean is fully sustainable due to the warm and dry climate, which prevents the need for chemical inputs. Instead, Vincent and Pascal employ organic methods for pest control, mainly pheromones, to prevent pests from taking up residence in their vines, a process called amusingly enough in French, confusion sexuelle. The vines tended manually, and harvest is conducted in several passes entirely by hand.
Combe des Fous literally means, the hill of the fool. The hill, in this case, is located in the far southern reach of Le Crau which was left barren for many centuries because the layer of galets was so exceedingly deep that everyone assumed vines could never survive there. The fool in this situation is Edmund Tacussel, the great-great-grandfather of Vincent and Pascal Maruel who planted a Grenache vineyard on this site in 1905. That old-vine Grenache form the heart of this cuvée with a small amount of Syrah, Cinsault and Vaccarèse. La Combe des Fous is only made in the best vintages.
Review:
This has good concentration and energy to the dense core of dark fruit and bitter cherry, with great poise and elegance despite its ripeness (an impressive feat for the vintage). Guided by finely crushed mineral accents and tannins, this reveals pretty high-toned floral notes and leafy tobacco. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Vaccarese and Muscardin. Drink now through 2032. 900 cases made.
-Wine Spectator 95 Points
Corinne Perchaud Chablis Premier Cru Fourneaux is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
This is the south facing portion of the slope and very hot, heavy "Fourneaux" or "oven" effect.
The wine is expressive and vivacious with beautiful aromas.
Well-balanced, round and fruity wine with a fine minerality on the finish.
1er Cru Fourneaux is located on the Fleys village and faces the field. the plots are very steep and exposed full south on soil type Kimmeridgian consists of marl clay-limestone with shallow ground and a very stony ground. After a slight settling, the juice starts its fermentation in tank, then ¼ of juice is racked in barrels. Both wines perform their alcoholic fermentation and malolactic and their aging on the lees, separately. The two cuvées are blended six months after harvesting. The wine is then filtered and is bottled 15 months after harvesting. 2013 Conditions and Harvest The relatively high temperatures at the end of winter allowed an early bud vines in early March. With a hot, dry spring flower took place in good conditions. In July, a hailstorm located did some damage to our Fourchaume plot. July and early August, rainy and stormy brought the water needed by the vineyards. The dry and sunny weather of the second half of August brought the grapes to maturity. The harvest began on September 2 under cloudy skies.
Coquille St. Jacques (scallops) with leeks and cream.
Corinne Perchaud Chablis Premier Cru Vaucoupin is 100 percent Chardonnay.
The vineyard The plots are on the Vaucoupin Chichée village. They are very steep and facing south, their average age is 40 years. The total area is 1.45 hectares. The vines are planted on soil Kimmeridgian marl consisting clay and limestone with dominant clay. Winemaking After a slight settling, the juice is put in to achieve its fermentation tank alcoholic and malolactic. It follows a long aging on lees to bring a maximum of complexity of aromas and flavors. If necessary, we make a collage to bentonite to remove proteins and a passing cold which eliminates tartar crystals. Then we perform a tangential filtration is the filtration method most friendly to wine.
The wine will be bottled 16 months after harvest. The relatively high temperatures at the end of winter allowed an early bud vines in early March. With a hot, dry spring flower took place in good conditions. In July, a hailstorm located did some damage to our Fourchaume plot. July and early August, rainy and stormy brought the water needed for the vineyards. The dry and sunny weather of the second half of August brought the grapes to maturity. The harvest began on September 2 under clement skies.
Pairs well with seafood, shellfish.
Destroyer North Coast Red is made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon 20% Merlot 10% Zinfandel 5% Syrah
DESTROYER Red Wine Blend is a whimsical blend of North Coast varieties. We start with Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, and then add Merlot 20%, Zinfandel 10% and finish with Syrah 5%. 65% is grown in Lake County in the Red Hills AVA, the balance is Napa Valley. This wine is aged in French oak for 10 months.
DESTROYER is rich and flavorful. Red and dark fruits are apparent in the nose with Plum, Cherry and Blueberry tones. The aroma is elegant and shows subtle signs of oak nuance. The pallet explodes with deep deliciousness! The finish lingers and invites a second glass or two. Invite your favorite friends to try, and share with your hottest date.
Domaine Nico le Paradis Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The cool climate vineyard that belongs to Laura and her sister Adrianna Catena feels like paradise itself to Laura. It is lined by trees and fruit orchards, with majestic views of the Andes. Inside the 12 Hectare vineyard, there is a little house with two tiny bedrooms and a kitchen, where Laura dreams of spending a whole month reading books-Laura's version of paradise. The little house is affectionately named Chateau Laura. About the Vineyard The tiny parcel where Le Paradis is grown was planted in 2011 with Dijon 667 Clones over two acres. Wine Production The grapes from this small parcel were elaborated in 15 separate microvinifications.
All the microvinifications were fermented with indigenous yeast. 20% of the microvinifications were fermented with 100% whole clusters in oak roll-fermentor of 600L and low temp (22 Celcius degrees). 40% were fermented with 20% whole cluster in small vats of 800L and 40% fermented in small vats of 800L without sulfites until 4%V/V of alcohol.
Review:
From soils rich in calcium carbonate and sand, in a vineyard 1,600 meters above sea level, this wine comes from a selection of 2.7 hectares that produced very little fruit in 2016, just barely enough to fill 800 bottles. But watch out for this white, with its edge, its minerality, those saline notes that are so characteristic of chardonnay from the chalky Gualtallary soils. The wine was aged for a year in used barrels, and it has some of the toast, but here it’s the deep minerality that dominates.
Patricio Tapia - Descorchados 96 Points
Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Merlot, 2.5% Malbec, 2.5% Petit Verdot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc.
Beautiful aromas of dark plum, red cherry, licorice and warm baking spices open onto a plush and silky palate layered with plum, spiced cherry and cassis. A classic Napa Valley Cabernet, fine-grained tannins and lively acidity support the wine throughout, while the finish is refined and polished.
Review:
Very precisely polished and focused wine with aromas of black cherries, blue berries and violets followed by green bell pepper, black ink and gravel. Underlying umami notes, too. Full-bodied, firm yet finely grained juicy tannins with bright acidity that balances out the palate. Beautifully integrated toasty notes and baking spices on the mid-palate and in the finish. Flourishing and artful wine that will age gracefully.
-James Suckling 96 Points
Filippino Elio Barbaresco San Cristoforo Riserva 10 Anni is made from 100% Nebbiolo.
This Riserva 100% Nebbiolo is produced on the hillsides of the San Cristoforo vineyard in Neive. A beautiful wine, full of fruity aromas, violet and raspberries, along with spicy hints of cinnamon, tobacco and vanilla. Full-bodied and elegant with intense flavors.
The best grapes are delicately pressed and the stalks are removed. The must ferments in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature of 26°C with a maceration of 25 days. After racking, the new wine is put into 15-25 hl Slavonian oak casks for long months. Next, it is bottled and left to age for at least 7 years. The tenth year the wine is ready for the market.
Pazo de Senorans Seleccion de Anada Albarino is made from 100 percent Albarino.
Straw yellow with greenish tints, vivid and brilliant. High intensity and very expressive. Profusion of aromas with traces of mineral. Great volume and ample body leaving a lasting impression from beginning to end.
Reviews:
The 2015 Albariño Selección de Añada is nothing short of phenomenal. For some reason, I hadn't tasted the young 2015 Albariño at the time it was released. It comes from the Los Bancales vineyard planted some 50 years ago and fermented with indigenous yeasts but without malolactic fermentation. It has a bright, almost fluorescent color and a complex, subtle and nuanced, elegant and expressive nose, with notes of sea shells and sea breeze, grass and white flowers. It's very clean, and the palate shows great balance and even feels a bit young. It has remarkable acidity and freshness (seven grams of tartaric acid) with good ripeness and 13% alcohol. This matured in tank with lees for over 30 months and was bottled in June 2024. It feels more serious and less exotic than earlier vintages. 18,000 bottles produced. This is the finest vintage that I can remember. Bravo!
-Wine Advocate 97 Points
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