This wine is floral, exuberant, with lengthy smooth tannins, and metallic notes.
This cuvée takes its name from a small parcel of the Adrianna Vineyard that is completely covered with oval white stones and was the site of an ancient riverbed. The abundant stones provide optimal drainage and extreme temperatures. They absorb heat and moderate the nights, but also function like ice cubes after a very cold night. Stony soil Malbecs tend to be extremely aromatic, rich and luxurious, just like the River Malbec from Adrianna. This wine can be enjoyed young or aged for decades.
Pair with grilled meats.
Review:
Wild blackberries, pine cones, bark, chili chocolate, cracked pepper, cloves, iodine and crushed stones on the nose. Full-bodied with firm, creamy tannins. Lovely coolness and minerality to the dark fruit. Powerful, too. Try in 2026.
-James Suckling 98 Points
Charles Heidsieck Vintage Brut is made from 57% Pinot Noir, 43% Chardonnay.
A beautiful golden robe offers glints of green accentuated by a delicate, dynamic effervescence. The initial nose introduces intense toasted and smoky notes along with ripe fruit. When swirled in the glass, the nose takes on a heartier dimension with touches of apricot and vineyard peaches. The aromatic concentration, due to a heat wave of several weeks, is reminiscent of the summer sun. The attack is taut and decisive. the creamy texture, the crisp fruitiness and spiced notes of cinnamon, licorice and pepper are the hallmark of the House style.
Review:
Aged for eight years on the lees before disgorgement, the Champagne is deliciously toasty with acidity and fine dryness.
-Wine Enthusiast 96 Points
Disgorged in January of 2023, the 2013 Champagne Millésime Brut was the last vintage from the cellar master for Heidsieck prior to Cyril Brun. The 2013 Champagne Millésime Brut is a bright straw yellow color and is based on the crus of Les Mesnil, Avize, Averney, and Aÿ. It’s fresh with aromas of wet stones, fresh quince, and fresh jasmine flowers. It has a chalky and focused texture, with ripeness to balance it out, and a long, graceful finish. At this stage, it feels more forward with 57% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay. A more mineral-tinged expression, it has a lot of charm and the promise of longevity over the coming two decades. Drink 2024-2044. It will be interesting to see how the Pinot shows itself over time. 8 grams per liter dosage.
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas is made from 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 14% Syrah, 1% Cinsaut.
The wine shows intense blackberry and fig fruit with licorice, violets, and charcoal on the finish. It is remarkably fresh and finessed given the sun and warmth of the southern Rhône. The unique micro-climate combined with 60-year-old vines and traditional winemaking make Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas the benchmark wine of the appellation.
Review:
Leading off the Gigondas, the base 2020 Gigondas has lots of black raspberry, ground pepper, and violets notes as well as a round, supple, silky style on the palate. It should be approachable on release, yet it has plenty of mid-palate depth as well as tannins, and I have no doubt it will evolve for 20 years if properly stored.
-Jeb Dunnuck 91-93 Points
Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge is made from Grenache 39%, Mourvédre 33%, Syrah 25%, Cinsault 2%, Others 1%.
Château La Nerthe is one of the oldest estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and dates from 1560. Château La Nerthe has 227 acres of vineyards that surround the château and top the renowned La Crau plateau. The terroir is typical of the region. Vineyards run along a slope and grow in sandy-clay soils. The ground is covered by a layer of ‘galets’ – large, round, well-worn stones that were carried down from the Alps by glaciers during the last ice age. All the 13 permitted primary varietals are planted here. Grenache dominates 62% of the vineyards and the average vine age is over 40 years old. The grapes are hand harvested and sorted on tables. The grapes are then put into vats for almost 4 weeks with regular pump overs and punch downs. The must is tasted every day during fermentation to ensure the best extraction of the berry compounds. At the end, the wines are racked into oak vats for malolactic fermentation. The cuvée is then aged in large French oak casks and barrels for 12 months before blending. Bottling takes place 6 months later.
The dark, deep, inky color of the wine shows immediately, stemming from the concentration of the vintage. Nose of blackcurrants, black tea and dried flowers stands out. The mouth is rich, fruity and velvety with an incredibly layered tannic structure. The wine is balanced and pure with strong intense and incredibly long aging potential.
Review:
A focused expression, this wine delivers pure red and black fruits unfolding against a delicate rose-petal backdrop. Silky yet chewy tannins gradually reveal layers of red cherry, pomegranate, spice, violets, and a hint of clove. Its elegance is underscored by fine tannins, suggesting a wine that, while quiet now, holds the promise of revealing its full beauty with time in the bottle. Cellaring through 2028+ before revisiting should prove to be rewarding.
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
DAOU Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Petit Verdot.
The 2021 DAOU Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is emblematic of Paso Robles as a world-class region for Bordeaux-style wines. Intense purple-red hues foreshadow deep aromas of black fruit, pomegranate, tobacco, mocha, and bay leaf. Trailing notes of clove, nutmeg, and vanilla emerge as the wine opens up in the glass. Opulent textures expand across the palate with flavors of red fruit, blueberry, and chocolate-covered raspberry. The overall experience is fresh and rich, concluding with velvety tannins and impressive length.
Review:
Dark and focused aromas of cherry, clove and caramel meet with creamy milk chocolate and mahogany on the layered nose of this bottling. Showing a deft mastery of tannins, which is the Daou hallmark, the palate is silky and yet structured, offering rich fruit and lightly bitter walnut flavors.
-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points
Domaine Jean Grivot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Domaine Jean Grivot is among the great names in Burgundian wine. Étienne Grivot and his wife Marielle took over from Étienne’s father Jean Grivot in 1987. The vineyards are densely planted and farmed organically “sans certification” while the aim in the cellar is for balance and clear expression of terroir.
Jean Grivot’s 38.3 acres spread across 22 appellations with vineyards in the communes of Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Besides the three grand crus, there are 8 premier crus including the much lauded Les Beaux Monts and Suchots in Vosne-Romanée. The grapes are completely de-stemmed and fermentation is spontaneous.
About the Vineyard:
Clos de Vougeot grand cru was acquired by Étienne’s grandfather, Gaston Grivot, in 1919. The total holding is 4.6 acres from the middle of the vineyard to the lower wall and the average vine age is 40 years old. A good Clos de Vougeot should be a complete wine without any one feature standing out. It is a perfect balance of power, aroma, and flavor.
Wine Production:
The grapes are destemmed and maceration à froid usually lasts just a day or two. The alcoholic fermentation is spontaneous and malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel. Depending on the vintage, the proportion of new oak is around 40-70% percent for the grands crus.
Tasting Notes:
The wine shows aromas and flavors of red berries, herbs, and purple flowers. The palate is rich with ripe fruit and medium weight with bright acidity and fine tannins. Aging in 40-70% new Burgundian pièce brings notes of vanilla, toast, and baking spices.
Food Pairing:
Red Burgundy might be the world’s most flexible food wine. The wine’s high acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, and low tannins make it very food-friendly. Red Burgundy, with its earthy and sometimes gamey character, is a classic partner to roasted game birds, grilled duck breast, and dishes that feature mushrooms, black truffles, or are rich in umami.
Review:
This round version is packed with ripe black cherry, violet, graphite and tobacco flavors. The silky texture and vibrant acidity work in tandem, while refined tannins provide support without getting in the way. There are a few edges to be worked out, yet this is long and concentrated.
-Wine Spectator 95 Points
Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz is made from 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Shiraz.
Encompassing everything the Hill-Smith family stands for and the perfect representation of Yalumba’s history and ethos, The Signature is a sentimental favorite. A classic Australian blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, the first vintage release of The Signature was in 1962. Since then, this outstanding wine has acknowledged more than 57 Signatories; people who have enhanced the traditions and culture of Yalumba.
Seductive and alluring florals, cool mints, red pomegranate with fine blackberry fruits and dark cherry aromas. The palate is delightfully generous with dark red cherry fruit that merges into ironstone tannins. A medium to full bodied wine with a long, flowing tannin profile.
Review:
The 2018 The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz (the 48th vintage) is named for Nick Waterman (managing director and CEO of Yalumba 2015 - 2022). The 2018 vintage in South Australia (and specifically here, Barossa) was an excellent one: ripe/warm, even and long and produced wines with density, energy and gravitas. This is exactly that: plush and powerful. The fruit forms a perfect dovetail: the enveloping, mouth-filling abundance of the Shiraz, neatly wedged into the folds of the structuring and shapely Cabernet. Very impressive. This is one of the more impressive Signatures in recent times. It will cellar with grace and ease.
-Robert Parker 96 Points
Since its first release in 1962, The Signature has been Yalumba's deep dive into the classic Australian blend from the Barossa and one that honors the people who have enhanced the traditions and culture of Yalumba. There is a resonance and depth to this release that I really like. Wonderfully pure and concentrated blackberry and plum fruits, layered with spice, dark chocolate, earth, cedar and oak nuance. Succulent and sinewy in the mouth, it flexes considerable muscle, yet remains purely fruited and approachable even at this stage of its evolution. Rich and balanced with fine, ripe tannin and plenty of energy for such depth of fruit. Lovely.
- Australian Wine Companion 96 Points
Silver Oak Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 81.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.8% Merlot, 1.8% Petit Verdot, 1.4% Cabernet Franc, 0.4% Malbec.
Ruby in color, the 2020 Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a harmony of black and blue fruit notes that dance delicately on the palate. Plum and blueberry intertwine with whispers of baking spices, creating a tapestry of flavors that unfold in layers of complexity. On the palate, it is a study in elegance—smooth and effortlessly refined. Silky tannins provide structure without imposing, ensuring a seamless journey from the first sip to the last.
Review:
A super creamy, delicious and detailed red with oodles of red fruit, silky tannins and a full body. It tastes pure, fresh, almost delicate, offering raspberries, cherry cream, blueberries, cafe au lait and subtle oak toast on the palate. A gentle, layered, pretty wine that seems not at all affected by the wildfire smoke that year.
-James Suckling 95 Points