Mordoree Tavel Rose Reine des Bois is made from Grenache
Nose: Steady rose, brilliant and cristal clear.
Aromas : very complex : from flowers, white fruits and red fruits (strawberries, pomegranate, rapsberry). Slightly mentho-lated
Palate : fresh, classy, elegant, very long.
Aging capacity : 8 to 10 years.
This wine comes from a parcel planted on a pebbled soil covered with stones, whose geology is typical of the grands crus from the Rhone Valley (a base made of marine molasse from the Miocene period covered with an alpine diluvium from the Villafranchian period). 100 % destemming, cold maceration during 48 h., pneumatic pressing, fermentation at 18° C.
To pair with: roasted and or spicy chicken, duck, goose, fish soup, white meat, seafood and a lot of fishes (tuna, John Dorry, red mulet, etc...).Quite all Asian cuisine. Dishes with garlic, dishes with tomatoes.
Review:
"A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault and 10% Clairette, the 2022 Tavel La Reine des Bois is a touch darker in hue than its stablemate, the La Dame Rousse, but it's still not among the darkest of Tavels in the glass. That's perfectly okay, as the aromas and flavors are textbook for the appellation: crushed stone, flowering garrigue, ripe cherries and mouthwatering strawberries, all capped off by refreshing citrus-zest notes on the lengthy finish. Full-bodied and full-flavored, it's one of the candidates for top Tavel this year. - Joe Czerwinski"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (May 2023), 93 pts
Morlet Family Vineyards La Proportion Doree is made from made from Sémillon (65%), Sauvignon Blanc (33%) and Muscadelle (2%).
A harmonious blend of the three classic white Bordeaux varietals grown in the Golden State’s Sonoma County, this unique cuvée was handcrafted using classical winemaking techniques inspired from Pessac-Léognan. As in architectural arts, it is ‘The Golden Ratio’ or ‘La Proportion Dorée.’ Bright yellow. Intense bouquet of candied lemon, muscat, and honeysuckle flavors intermixed with sweet notes of ripened apricot and fresh quince. Full-bodied, seamless, refined and complex.
Review:
Luc Morlet has 100 Muscadelle vines, planted in 1953, which he co-ferments with the Sauvignon Blanc to produce this Semillon-based wine. Composed of 69% Semillon, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, and 1% Muscadelle, the 2020 Proportion Doree is a tad closed - it was only bottled in March this year. It soon reveals notes of ripe peaches, gooseberries, and white currants, with hints of white pepper, coriander seed, and oyster shell. Full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully viscous and racy with intense citrus and apple flavors, finishing long and chalky. 800 cases were made.
-Wine Independent 98 Points
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
In our exploration of the North Coast wine region, we found the sandy loam soils of the Russian River AVA to offer the best Pinots with balanced, natural acidity and richness on the palate. Our Outerbound Pinot Noir opens with layered aromas of ripe red cherry, pomegranate and cola fruits on the nose, with flavors of juicy strawberry and rhubarb pie carried through the wine’s lingering dusty tannic finish.
Review:
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
Opus One is made from 78% cabernet sauvignon, 8% merlot, 7% petit verdot, 6% cabernet franc and 1% malbec .
The Opus One is remarkably elegant and bright offering sumptuous aromas of fresh red and blue fruit, baking spices and vanilla, and a delicate fragrance of spring florals. The initial bouquet is augmented by more nuanced notes of sage, rosemary, and black olive. Juicy flavors of black cherry, blackberry and cassis flood the palate and creamy, fine-grained tannins deliver a delightfully round structure. Harmonious and lively, the flavors linger to create an enduring finish with touches of dark chocolate and espresso.
Of the great European wine families, the Rothschilds are perhaps the best known. And Baron Philippe de Rothschild is perhaps the best known of this great family. At the age of 20, Baron Philippe took on the management of Château Mouton Rothschild from his father Baron Henri. Philippe’s vision changed the world of wine: he invented Château bottling, commissioned great artists to illustrate his wine labels – and, in partnership with Robert Mondavi in 1979, created Opus One.In the 1980s, after her father’s death, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild left a stage career that included the Comédie Française and the Renault-Barrault Theatre Company, bringing her own exquisite style and creativity to the design, construction, and operation of Opus One.Among great New World wine pioneers, Robert Mondavi is an international icon. Bringing a passion for excellence to everything he did, Robert Mondavi led a renaissance in California fine wine for over six decades. Among other accomplishments, he introduced temperature-controlled fermentation, French oak barrel aging, and high-density viticulture to a fledgling American wine industry. But life was not only wine for Robert Mondavi: he broadened the American cultural palate by marrying fine wine to food, music, and the arts. One of few Americans to have received the French medal of the Legion of Honor, Robert Mondavi showed extraordinary vision as co-founder of Opus One.
Review:
The purity of fruit is really something else here, with currants and fresh flowers, such as violets and roses. Flower stems as well. Fantastic length and structure to the wine, with tightness and focus. Wonderful fruit. Graceful. A blend of 78% cabernet sauvignon, 8% merlot, 7% petit verdot, 6% cabernet franc and 1% malbec. Try after 2028.
-James Suckling 99 Points
Orin Swift 'Slander' Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Staying humble and letting the grapes do the talking is how we get better at winemaking every vintage. Pinot Noir requires even more humility, especially in the vineyards – when the grapes are ready, they’re ready. Requiring a gentler approach with punchdowns rather than pumpovers, Pinot Noir expresses itself when it is lead manipulated. Slander is the union of California Pinot Noir made in the Orin Swift signature style delivering a bold and expressive wine.
There are several fantastic growing regions in California bes t suited to Pinot Noir—from down in Santa Barbara County to up north in the Anderson Valley to everywhere in between. We’ve been fortunate to source Pinot Noir from across the state in many of these ideal locales for years . Finnick y, sensitive and with lots of personality, the varietal requires a long growing season and relatively mild weather to ripen and develop its beautiful flavors , all while retaining its brightness . Sourced from the Rancho Real, Annapolis, Del Rio, Laguna and a few other vineyards, this vintage of Slander is an example of the sum being greater than its parts. WINEMAKER’S NOT
The 2022 Slander delivers a medium ruby core with a lucid rim that-s almost translucent. Aromatically, Bing cherry, briar fruit and some raspberry give way to ripe strawberry and associated red fruits. Bright and enveloping on the entry, notes of fresh strawberry, watermelon, thyme and a hint of funk come through. Spicy on the finish, the wine closes with a flash of blue fruits and lift.
Scattered Peaks Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
The wine displays amazingly deep dark color. Aromas include dark, ripe cherries with a touch of cassis, licorice and brambly sage. The new French oak adds a bit of mocha toastiness. On the palate the wine is very powerful with firm but approachable tannins, great complexity and a long finish.
Review:
Celebrated winemaker Joel Aiken is at his best with this masterfully crafted red sourced from both Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford and Ridge Vineyard on Howell Mountain. Concentrated notes of cedar, slate, and a slathering of grainy-textured dark chocolate meld with black cherry and plum. Sophisticated and regally structured.
- Tasting Panel 96 Points
Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz.
Jip Jip Rocks wine is synonymous with premium wines from South Australia’s Padthaway wine region. The vineyard is planted in some of the world’s oldest mineral rich soils and in the most temperate of maritime climates. The Jip Jip Rocks vineyard consistently produces excellent fruit quality from low yielding vines.
Only the best parcels of fruit are carefully selected throughout the vineyard and utilized in the Jip Jip Rocks label. Great attention to detail with the integration of fruit flavors and fine oak barrels helps produce classic handcrafted wine styles.
Lifted spice and ripe mulberry/blackberry aromas are complimented with chocolate, cedar and cinnamon on the nose. Well-integrated oak tannin provides flavors of clove and supple texture, which supports the rich plum, blackberry and mocha. The overall structure is supple and generous with fine-grained tannin and a lingering finish.
Pairs well with venison, ribeye steak, lamb.