Hamilton Russell Vineyards Bramble Hill Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Hamilton Russell Vineyards in South Africa has developed an international reputation over 40 vintages for unusually restrained, classically styled Pinot noir, with deep structure and spice balancing fruit opulence. Hamilton Russell Oregon aims to express this stylistic philosophy with the very best Willamette Valley fruit - showcasing the restrained, structured classicism of great European Pinot noir and the bright purity of Oregon fruit. The celebrated Bramble Hill vineyard in Ribbon Ridge, delivers a particularly bright, pure, lively minerality to complement the complex lifted fruit the best Oregon Pinot noir is known for.
Review:
Limpid ruby-red. Fresh red berries, blood orange, floral and baking spice qualities on the incisive nose. Juicy, focused and lithe on the palate, offering subtly sweet raspberry and cherry flavors and building spicecake and cola nuances. Closes long and nervy, with discreet tannins framing repeating floral and spice notes.
-Vinous 93 Points
Hansen Lauer Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling is a nice Mosel-Riesling with a lot of minerality and a hint of stewed apple, cantalope and dried orange flavors. The finish is long and clean, which make it very easy to drink.
This is coming from grapes grown on 100% Devonian slate soils. After harvest, the grapes are sorted in order to keep only the best quality. It is then aged on the lees for more than 6 months, giving the wine richness and depth.
The Hansen Lauer Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling goes well with turkey and seafood
Hartl Rotgipfler Gumpoldskirchen Thermenregion DAC is made from 100% Rotgipfler.
The ancient Rotgipfler grape is packed with subtle fruit aromas of ripe peaches, juicy apricot and fresh pineapple. The inviting fruit aromas on the nose are complemented on the palate by orange zest, tangerine, vanilla and white pepper. Salty minerality supports a delicate structure with refined acidity.
The Rotgipfler grape has its name from the young shoots and veins of its leaves, which show a reddish (rot=red) color. It is indigenous to the Thermenregion and has become a rare variety, planted on about 120 ha only.
Acidity: 5.2 g/l
RS: 2.0 g/l
Excellent with intense spice (curry, chili, ginger, lemongrass) which can be found in Asian, Mexican and Italian cuisine.
Also counters its creamy texture with hollandaise and bechamel sauces, white meats, firm fish, poultry, Waldorff Salad or Eggs Benedict. A compliment also for mature cheeses, fig mustard and roasted nuts. Try Baked Camembert with honey, garlic and rosemary with a fresh baguette and salted butter.
Review:
"Pale golden yellow colour with silver reflections. Fresh yellow pears, delicate notes of meadow herbs and mango with fresh zest in the background. Medium body, fine nuances of white stone fruits, some melon, fine acidity, a lively food wine. - Peter MOSER"
- Falstaff (June 24th 2024), 92 pts
Henschke Henry's Seven Red Blend is made from 72% Shiraz, 13% Grenache, 12% Mataro, 3% Viognier.
20th ANNIVERSARY VINTAGE
Deep ruby with violet hues. Lifted raspberry, red currant, mulberry and Satsuma plum, with floral notes of violets, lavender, crushed flowering herbs and anise, pepper and mace spice. A rich and intense palate of well defined, concentrated red fruits; red currant, cut plum and spicy wild berries, give way to crunchy mid palate, firm-edged velvety tannins and excellent length.
Review:
Aromas of black fruit and green tobacco with bark and wet-earth undertones, following through to a medium to full body, creamy tannins and a juicy, savory finish. Intense and balanced.
-James Suckling 95 Points
Hoopes Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
“Made with the same care and thoughtfulness of our single vineyard series, the Hoopes Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of fruit from a rich variety of sites. The synthesis of these vineyards, which represent the complex tapestry of Napa terroir, results in sublime balance, intense aromas and luscious textures that bring the diverse valley into harmony in a glass. Born out of curiosity, this Cabernet Sauvignon has matured into a stunning wine, which over delivers in intensity and richness. We are proud of this beautiful example of what the Napa Valley can do.”
This wine has a very pretty fruit-forward nose filled with plummy sweet tarts, cherry compote, cocoa nibs, hard candy, cedar box, and allspice. The entry is fresh and clean with a core of delicious generous fruit. It has a lovely elegant texture, weighty middle and resolves into a mocha filled finish.
Hoopes Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
“Our flagship wine is, and always has been, the soul of our farm. Crafted from our ten-acre vineyard in the heart of Oakville, planted in 1983, it was previously a fruit source for a number of famous estates until we started winemaking ourselves. The soil is dense in geologic composition, featuring four different types of soil. One, volcanic, is unheard of in the Oakville sub-appellation, with the exception of To Kalon, and is rarely, if ever present, in valley floor vineyards. We harvest this vineyard in fourteen small batches, despite the small size, to ensure the perfect balance of acid, flavor, and tannins. "
This wine's deep garnet hue invites you to dive into the nose as it opens with soft fruity-floral aromas of lilac and rose petals then moving into red fruits, pencil shavings, honey and plum. The aromas are deceptively delicate and refined with an ethereal quality. The mouth is more concentrated leaning towards ripe, rich black fruits. Juicy blueberry and sweet licorice flavors carry into the mid-palate with an open, spacious and inviting character. Lush, elegant, tannins support a mouthwatering finish with a savory aspect and notes of black tea bringing the wine to a balanced and layered close.
Review:
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville brings more elegance and finesse. Coming all from Oakville and aged 28 months in 50% new barrels, it has perfumed red and black fruits, lots of spicy oak, medium body, and just a seamless, pretty, elegant profile that's going to evolve nicely for 10-15 years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port.
On the palate, the wine has beautifully ripe tannins, which integrate perfectly into the mid-palate, providing both structure and volume, and then break out on the finish with a firm wiry, grip. The palate closes with a powerful tide of fresh, complex fruit flowing endlessly through the finish. In the 2018, the Taylor traits of fine fruit and inner power combine seamlessly with the ripeness and depth typical of the vintage.
Ambre de Maltus Bordeaux Blanc is made from 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Sémillion.
Malolactic fermentation.
The wine was aged in French Oak barrels for a few month (between 6 and 8 months depending on the barrel's toastiness and cooper)
Delicious with grilled fish or grilled vegetables