San Giorgio Ugolforte presents a dark core of red and black berry fruit layered with earth, leather, smoke, and herbs. Complex and elegant, the wine is full on the palate and firm in tannin structure. Refreshing acidity frames a graceful finish. Classic Brunello di Montalcino.
This red is marked by cherry, plum, thyme, sage and loam aromas and flavors. Lively and firmly structured, featuring a saline undercurrent. An open-knit version, with nice equilibrium, fine energy and a long, resonant finish.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
-Wine Spectator 94 Points
Saumaize Michelin Pouilly Fuisse Marechaude is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
A beautiful Pouilly-Fuisse from "La Marechaude" parcel that Saumaize-Michelin acquired in 2013. Planted on clay and limestone slopes and hand harvested, this Chardonnay offers fresh and elegant notes of white flowers, crisp, citrus and exotic fruits. Powerful and mineral on the palate with a fantastic balance, finesse and freshness. The exceptional terroir brings minerality and juicy flavors of stone fruits, peach and melon supported by subtle toasty notes.
It is now a Premier Cru.
Spinona Bricco Faset Barbaresco is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.
This single-vineyard Barbaresco comes from Pietro Berutti's 8 hectares of coveted vineyards on the top of the historic hill, Faset. It is 270 meters above sea level with a south, south-east exposure. The vines are an average of 35 years old. Only organic farming practices are used. The natural fertilizer comes from the 100 head of cattle that they have and no herbicides or pesticides are used.
Barbaresco shows a deep ruby red color with garnet reflections. An intense bouquet with hints of ripe cherries, wild berries and spice. White pepper, licorice and mint blend with enticing floral notes. Mouth-filling and well-structured with a full, velvety body and an austere and long finish.
HARVEST: late October. The grapes are harvested by hand in perforated baskets to allow air to pass through the bunches. The pressing is soft. Cold maceration for 24 hours at 12°C (for certain years).
WINEMAKING: Soft pressing with an initial cold maceration on the skins for 24 hours at 12C. Specially selected yeasts are used. Fermentation takes place for 12 to 14 days in stainless steel at 28-29 °C under temperature controlled conditions. There is a pumping over on the skins. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is racked and goes through a delicate pressing to obtain only the best wine.
AGING : 12-15 months in large 25 hectolitre wooden barrels of Allier and Slavonian oak.
REFINING: in the bottle for 12-15 months in a temperature-controlled environment.
Excellent with game, red meats, truffle dishes and aged cheeses.
This single-vineyard Barbaresco comes from Pietro Berutti's 8 hectares of coveted vineyards on the top of the historic hill, Faset. It is 270 meters above sea level with a south, south-east exposure. The vines are an average of 35 years old. Only organic farming practices are used. The natural fertilizer comes from the 100 head of cattle that they have and no herbicides or pesticides are used.
Barbaresco shows a deep ruby red color with garnet reflections. An intense bouquet with hints of ripe cherries, wild berries and spice. White pepper, licorice and mint blend with enticing floral notes. Mouth-filling and well-structured with a full, velvety body and an austere and long finish.
Review:
A tribute to the family patriarch, Henry Trione, this deep red wine is an artful blend of the five classic Bordeaux varieties: 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec. Cabernet Sauvignon forms the base structure and Merlot contributes fruit flavors and velvety texture; the Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot add depth, color and spice. We harvested the fully ripe grapes from select blocks on three Trione ranches in Alexander Valley, just ahead of early rains.
Winemaker Notes:
Aromas of black currants, blackberry pie and warm spices are the wine’s first impressions. On the palate Henry’s Blend is soft and supple, a seamless integration of ripe fruit, French oak and fine-grained tannins. Delicious now, the solid structure and abundant fruit suggest this wine will age well for 6–7 years with proper cellaring.
Review:
"This is a rich and flavorful red with aromas of plums, currants, mocha, cloves and burnt sage. Fleshy and textured, with a full body and polished, broad tannins. Lovely creamy texture, with a long and toasty finish. 35% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot, 13% petit verdot, 13% cabernet franc and 5% malbec. Drink now or hold."
- James SUCKLING (June 2023), 92 pts
Certified organic, ungrafted vines over 130 years old; a "grand cru" site of Paso Robles. Transcendent. Lovely sweet red fruits, loads of spice and pepper, violets, chalk, even a hint of pineapple grass on the nose. White stones and wild strawberries in a lovely pas de deux on the palate, with vibrant energy and finesse. What a knockout.
Review:
Broad-shouldered and powerfully structured yet detailed and stylish, with deep flavors of blackberry and cherry accented by bittersweet chocolate, orange peel and fruitcake spices that gather tension and richness on the slightly firm finish.
-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
Sokol Blosser Big Tree Block Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
1970 was winding down when our founders, Bill Blosser and Susan Sokol Blosser pulled their ’68 VW Camper up to an abandoned prune orchard some 30 miles southwest of Portland. These moonstruck kids had little farming experience and just a basic knowledge of winemaking. What they did have, in abundance, was a passion for growing the Pinot Noir grape and creating world-class wine. Soon after settling on this extraordinary land, they planted their first vines and cinched their place as pioneers in Oregon’s budding wine industry.
Review:
A very impressive wine for the striking sense of spice, white-pepper and briary, forest notes, across red cherries. The palate has sapid, focused style with such taut yet silky tannins holding long and true. Pure red cherries here. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 94 Points
The grapes for this wine come from loamy, well-drained soils on our estate vineyard. Dijon and Wente clones are fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak. This is an elegant chardonnay with a focused mid-palate and the refreshing cool climate acidity characteristic of Sea Smoke Vineyard.
Tasting Notes An elegant Chardonnay with aromas of lemon curd, star fruit, fresh cut peach and wet stone. Complemented by satsuma mandarins and a touch of hazelnut in the focused mid-palate and the refreshing cool climate acidity of our estate vineyard. Winemaking Our estate-grown Chardonnay fruit was picked and hand-sorted in the vineyard before spending the night in our cold room. Chilled grapes were softly pressed and the juice was gently pumped into a stainless steel tank and cold settled. Once the heavy solids were removed, the juice was racked to a stainless steel fermenter, then inoculated for primary fermentation. Following primary fermentation, the wine was racked to barrels, inoculated for malolactic fermentation, then periodically stirred to enhance depth and mouthfeel. The 2023 Sea Smoke Chardonnay was aged for a total of 10 months prior to bottling with no fining and no filtration.