Trus Ribera del Duero Crianza is made from 100 percent Tempranillo.
Trus - an acronym for T-tierra (soil), R-roble (oak), U-uva (grape), S-sol (sun) - aims to reflect the uniqueness of each vintage, the aging potential of the wine in the bottle over the years.
Trus takes its roots in Palacios Vinos de Finca, the estate that was founded in 1999, then purchased by Javier Palacios who decided to focus on producing wines that express the purity and typicity of the Ribera terroirs.
The estate vineyards are located in Piñel de abajo, Pesquera de Duero, Quintanilla de Arriba. The winery also partners with winegrowers in Moradillo, Roa, Nava, Peñaranda or Baños de Valdearados. The clay-limestone soils of the high-altitude vineyards define the intense and complex personality of the wines. That is why Trus wines can be defined as classic, because an avant-garde look is the one that is directed towards the soil, preserving a typicity that is marked from its deepest roots.
Trus Crianza reveals a clean and bright cherry color with Burgundian tones at the rim. The nose is very intense and complex, offering ripe black fruits and liquorice aromas, toasty and vanilla nuances, spices and balsamic notes. The wine is tasty and unctuous on the palate, a perfect harmony between acidity and alcohol. Fresh and friendly mouthfeel, the ripe and soft tannins provide structure and great length. Long finish, ripe fruit aftertaste with a smoky and spicy finish.
Review:
"A plush and fabulous expression of variety and provenance with well-integrated alcohol, tannin and acidity. Will continue for several years and mellow. Be warned – one glass will be quickly followed by the next."
- Decanter World Wine Awards 2021, 96 points - GOLD MEDAL
Tua Rita Giusto di Notri is made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.
The word "Giusto" refers to the name of the Patron Saint of Suvereto (the hilltop Tuscan town where Tua Rita is located) and "Notri" is the name of the winery's exact location.
Giusto di Notri is a Bordeaux-inspired blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, selectively harvested in September. After a gentle pressing, the juice and skins macerate for a lengthy period of 25-30 days to add concentration and depth to the final wine. The wine is then aged for 18-20 months in French oak barrels and refined six months in bottle before release.
Deep purple in color, Giusto di Notri offers abundant aromas of blackberry, plum and currants with underpinnings of coriander, violet and a touch of vanilla. Full-bodied, with ripe, fine tannins, and a silky texture, this is a stunning wine with great aging potential.
Ideal for barbecued ribs, steaks, grilled meats and medium-aged cheeses.
Review:
Lots of incense to the aromas with sandalwood and lavender. Currants, blackberries. and fresh herbs, too. Full-bodied and very rich, with a powerful, structured mid-palate and a long, longfinish. A wine for the future. Needs four to five years to soften. Best after 2026.
-James Suckling 97 Points
Turley Kirschenmann Vineyard Zinfandel is made from 100 percent Zinfandel.
Organically farmed, own-rooted, head-trained and dry-farmed vines planted in 1915 in the silica-rich sandy soils of the east side of the Mokelumne River AVA. Marking the 10th vintage of this wine, bright ripe red fruits, raspberry preserves, and white pepper burst forth from the glass. Precise on the palate like a perfectly seasoned piece of meat, with more red berries and a sumptuously complex texture.
Review:
Irresistible ripened plums and opulent dusty blackberries lift the senses, alluring the nose to tertiary notes of delicate florals and intriguing mineral edges. Balance is the defining quality of this wine; even in its youth, 2021 Black Label is resolutely complete from beginning to end. Every element is in place, as dimpled yet silky tannins unfold with grace and finesse, revealing a core of power and depth. Broad strokes of black mulberries, crème de cassis, and juniper accelerate through the mid-palate with captivating width and focus. This thrilling dance culminates in a stunning finish of opulent and elegant dark fruits that persist with each sip, leaving an indelible impression of the near-perfect growing season that shaped the Fortuna Vineyard—full of power and sinue—and Leopoldina Vineyard—full of poise and intention—in the 2021 vintage.
"Stunning stuff, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label offers a full-bodied, deep, majestic style as well as beautiful aromatics of cr me de cassis, violets, flowers, and nicely integrated background oak. It has ultra-fine tannins, flawless balance, and a regal, age-worthy style that has so much to love. It, however, is not going to be for the instant gratification crowd and this actually shut down pretty quickly with air. I would hide bottle for 4-6 years and it s going to cruise over the following two decades in cold cellars."
- 97 Points Jeb Dunnuck
Valle del Cua Bierzo Mencia is made from 100% Mencia.
A black cherry color with intense violet hues. Aromas are dominated by ripe red fruits, minerals and blue flowers. Fine, concentrated and exquisite on the palate, it is fleshy, fragrant, and full bodied.
Average age of the vines: 45-55 years
Vineyard's altitude: 450-480 meters above sea level
Pre-fermentation maceration: 3-5 days at 4-6 degres celcius
Alcoholic fermentation: 6-10 days
Maceration: 4-10 days
Malolactic fermentation: 5-9 days
Ageing: 2 months in stainless steel tank and then 2 months in the bottle.
Valle del Cua Bierzo Mencia is made from 100% Mencia.
A black cherry color with intense violet hues. Aromas are dominated by ripe red fruits, minerals and blue flowers. Fine, concentrated and exquisite on the palate, it is fleshy, fragrant, and full bodied.
Average age of the vines: 45-55 years
Vineyard's altitude: 450-480 meters above sea level
Pre-fermentation maceration: 3-5 days at 4-6 degres celcius
Alcoholic fermentation: 6-10 days
Maceration: 4-10 days
Malolactic fermentation: 5-9 days
Ageing: 2 months in stainless steel tank and then 2 months in the bottle.
Ottella Lugana DOC Le Creete is made from 100% Turbiano (clonal type of Trebbiano di Lugana)
PRODUCTION AREA: S. Benedetto di Lugana. The grapes are harvested exclusively from our own vineyards; harvesting is strictly manual in small 17kg-crates
TRAINING METHOD: Guyot, double arc
Golden, warm, intense straw yellow. Immediate exotic notes.
It develops in a very pleasant fashion, good mineral impression Rich, succulent and well balanced for a truly
satisfactory mouthfeel. Mineral on the finish with just enough acidity to
provide lift and depth.
FOOD: Sea or lake fish to bring out its outstanding features; goes well with white meat and soup, and has quite a surprising affinity with tasty cheese
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 13% vol
SERVING TEMPERATURE: 10-12 degrees Celcius
Thorn Clarke Shotfire Shiraz is made from 100% Shiraz.
Striking deep red-purple in color. A rich, voluptuous wine with aromas of blackcurrant and mulberries accompanied by notes of smokey oak and hints of cloves. The palate is filled with dark fruits and chocolate backed up by taut tannins and lingering oak.
Story:
When the Clarke forebearers discovered gold in 1870 at the Lady Alice mine in the Barossa goldfields, so began a family dynasty intrigued by geology. A fine legacy that is reflected today in the terroir of our vineyards. The Shotfire range immortalizes the Shotfirer's hazardous job of setting and lighting the charges in the mines.
Fran shares his story on how he discovered Thorn-Clarke:
"It was October 2001 and I was searching for and sourcing for Australian wines, as it was clear that Australia was going to become the "next big thing." After tasting about 100 assorted wines, I decided I liked the style of Barossa, Shiraz best - chocolate, cherries, mint and eucalyptus - so I started focusing on Barossa growers (years later, Barossa Shiraz would develop its reputation as the Icon Shiraz for Australia).
Late on a Thursday afternoon, the carrier delivered a beat-up box of 12 bottles from Australia, 10 of which were leaking. The box was from a guy named Steve Machin, who had just left Hardy's and was beginning work with the Clarke family on setting up a possible new brand. The samples were sticky and messy, but I popped the corks anyway ..... and I was glad that I did. The wine inside tasted like Christmas - mint, eucalyptus, camphor, and evergreen aromas. Great acidity, color, flavor and length of finish - very tasty. These samples were so good and so exciting, especially compared to what I had tasted prior, that I immediately called the number on the card. I didn't realize that it was a Perth number (Western Australia) and it was actually 3:00 in the morning. It turned out I was calling the residence of David and Cheryl Clarke, where a sleepy Cheryl answered the phone. I told her, you don't know who I am, but we are going to be doing business together very soon, and lots of it! After a few months of talking, faxing (yes, faxing) and sorting out the details, I began importing their wines.
That super-star wine from the busted box of samples is the wine we know today as Shotfire Shiraz. It was originally called Stone Jar, but fortunately we came up with a better name. Many years and vintages later, I'm still glad to be importing Shotfire Shiraz and other Thorn-Clarke selections .... and I'm still glad that Cheryl Clarke woke up for that phone call."