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
Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 92.3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1.7% Petit Sirah, 1% Petite Verdot.
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:
Made with grapes sourced from Rutherford, Calistoga, St. Helena, and the winery's home in Oakville that aged 17 months in French oak, this impeccably balanced and complex red is as elegant as it is emotive. Blackberry and clove-spiced cedar line the mouth, erupting with graphite and espresso. Finely grained tannins adhere to dusty plum and lavender.
-Tasting Panel 97 Points
Refined and pure aromas of dark cherries, blackcurrants, violets and cedar. The palate is full-bodied with seamlessly integrated tannins and focused acidity, giving notes of Damson plums, graphite, mocha, dried herbs and potpourri. Very well balanced and polished.
-James Suckling 96 Points
Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 92.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.4% Petit Verdot
The 2023 Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon opens with vibrant aromas of black cherry, black currant, and dark plum, layered with notes of rose petal, caramel, and toasted oak. On the palate, the wine is coating and expansive, unfolding in waves of ripe blackberry, spiced cherry, and cassis. Fine-grained tannins and juicy acidity create balance and lift, while hints of bay leaf, cocoa, and sweet oak weave through the long, supple finish of juicy, spiced cherry.
Review:
"The 2023 Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon reveals a deep ruby color and an inviting nose of blackberries, black currants, purple flowers, and subtle black tea nuances. On the palate, it is brightly vibrant and fresh, with highly focused, concentrated, and penetrating black fruit flavors supported by restrained oak integration. The texture is full yet elegant, with ripe tannins providing structure without heaviness. It gains complexity and appeal with each sip, culminating in a long, lingering, and intense finish. This is a beautifully balanced, complete Cabernet Sauvignon that exemplifies the finesse possible in the 2023 vintage.”
-Kevin Vogt - Master Sommelier 97 Points
Deep, dark and spicy with aromas of black and red currants, graphite, potpourri, dried flowers, herbs and wet river stones. The palate is full-bodied, offering generous texture, fine-grained tannins and a long, mouthwatering finish. Great tension and purity matched by plenty of generosity. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 96 Points
Fefinanes Albarino de 1583 Albarino is made from 100% Albarino.
Aged for 5 months in oak barrels (a combination of fine-grained American and French Allier barrels).
1583 is the birth date of the Viscount of Fefinanes, Gonzalo Sarmiento Valladares, builder of the Castle of Fefinanes, in Cambados.
They wanted to pay tribute to their ancestor with this wine that managed to reach a perfect harmony between the fruitiness of the Albarino grape and the complexity brought by the oak aging.
Lovely straw yellow color, clean and bright. The nose is reminiscent of ripe crystallized fruit and spices. The palate is elegant, round and well balanced, with a silky texture.
Excellent with shellfish, grilled or stewed fish, white meats, poultry.
Fefinanes Albarino de 1583 Albarino is made from 100% Albarino.
Aged for 5 months in oak barrels (a combination of fine-grained American and French Allier barrels).
1583 is the birth date of the Viscount of Fefinanes, Gonzalo Sarmiento Valladares, builder of the Castle of Fefinanes, in Cambados.
They wanted to pay tribute to their ancestor with this wine that managed to reach a perfect harmony between the fruitiness of the Albarino grape and the complexity brought by the oak aging.
Lovely straw yellow color, clean and bright. The nose is reminiscent of ripe crystallized fruit and spices. The palate is elegant, round and well balanced, with a silky texture.
Excellent with shellfish, grilled or stewed fish, white meats, poultry.
Fenocchio DOCG Bussia Barolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo
The color is deep garnet red and the bouquet is fine and pleasing, with intense scents of spiced rose and licorice. The flavor is dry, warm, full bodied and balanced with pronounced tannins and a persistent aftertaste. A wine particularly adapted for aging.
Traditional method of long maceration: natural fermentation without added yeasts for 30 days in stainless steel tanks.
The Barolo Bussia, with its structure and body characteristics, pairs well with dishes of meat, game and aged cheeses, typical dishes of the local cuisine, as well as with many rich international dishes.
Review:
" Pleasant dried-cherry aromas, colored with nutty spice and dried leaves. Full-to medium-bodied with fine, firm and velvety tannins and a long finish of candied-cherry and chocolate. Give it a few years to meld together better. Best from 2025."
- James Suckling (January 2022), 93 pts
Trapiche Terroir Series Finca Orellana is made from 100 percent Malbec.
The history of Trapiche begins in 1883, in a small vineyard called El Trapiche, in the district of Godoy Cruz, Mendoza, where the grapes for the first fine wines were grown. With more than 130 years of experience, Trapiche has earned its place as a pioneering brand in the introduction of French vines, the production of varietal wines, the import of French oak barrels and the use of stainless steel tanks. True to its origins, today Trapiche is in a continuous quest for the latest best practices .Led by Daniel Pi, Director of Winemaking, Trapiche's winemaking team permanently strives to improve winemaking practices by exchanging experience and knowledge with winemakers from other wine producing countries such as France, the US, Australia and New Zealand.
With a deep garnet red color, this Malbec expresses aromas of red fruits such as cherries and currants, and intense balsamic notes with hints of fresh herbs. In the mouth, it is sweet and broad with a great concentration of fruit and soft, ripe tannins. It has a long, persistent and elegant finish.
Review:
El Peral may not be on the radar of many Argentine Malbec lovers. But if you take a look at Descorchados, you will realize that here we are fans of this area, a place of gentle hills, streams and trees. This vineyard was planted in 1946, and today it delivers deliciously liquefied fruit, with hints of cherries and cassis, but above all violets and blackberries in a long and deep body. Give it at least ten years in the bottle.
-Patricio Tapia - Descorchados 95 Points
-Tim Atkin 95 Points
The Barossa has a core of traditional growers of German Silesian descent, dating back five generations, staunchly continuing on the traditions of their forebears. Occasionally one or two parcels of fruit of overwhelming quality come over the weighbridge; this is such an example. This wine is sourced from up to 70-year-old, low-yielding shiraz vines from a selection of historical grower vineyards at Tappa Pass and Light Pass, growing in low-fertility Neoproterozoic soils more than 542 million years old, that range from red-brown earths to terra rossa. These vineyards provide shiraz fruit from both the Eden and Barossa Valleys of the Barossa zone, vinified in traditional open-top fermenters. Matured in 24% new and 76% seasoned French hogsheads for 18 months prior to blending and bottling.
Deep crimson with violet hues. Vibrant aromas of blueberry, blackberry, Satsuma plum and raspberry with hints of anise, crushed marjoram, cardamom, violets and cedar. The palate is rich, plush, and complex, with juicy blueberry and mulberry, spicy blackberry paste, and layers of fine velvety tannins creating incredible depth and length.
Review:
This was an excellent vintage in the Barossa and this exceptional wine from 70-year-old low yielding vines is a beautiful expression of the season. Dark plummy dark chocolate characters with a dry dusty complexity. The palate is sublimely integrated and balanced, exhibiting poise and style. The sweet fruit on the middle palate is complemented by the minerally oyster shell edge. Terrific wine.
-Wine Pilot 96 Points