Products meeting the search criteria

Justin Vineyards & Winery Isosceles Reserve is made from 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot

Dark, ruby/purple core with a medium intensity rim and moderately stained tears. Complex and very aromatic with black cherry, cassis, toasty vanilla, cinnamon, cedar, graphite, oak, dusty leaf notes, star anise and red licorice. Full bodied, with ripe black fruit of cherry, currant and berry with baking spice on entry. The mid-palate features sustained fruit with sweet tobacco, leather, vanilla and licorice, and mouth coating tannins that balance its full fruit character through a very long, fresh and beautifully balanced finish that evolves with a complex mix of fruit, spice and savory elements.

The 2016 ISOSCELES Reserve is a bold, but balanced wine that pairs nicely with rich meat dishes like slow cooked stews and braises, but shines beautifully with a simple grilled ribeye steak.

Review:

Clean lines of blackberry jam, charred toast and crushed slate make for a focused nose in this reserve blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. It is very dense and thick on the palate, where mocha, caramel, loamy earth and dark berry flavors align into an lusciously rich yet elegantly dry experience.

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

Long Shadows Pirouette Meritage is made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 13% Malbec.

Philippe Melka, named one of the top nine winemakers in the world by Robert Parker, used small lots from Washington State's finest vineyards to craft this enticing red blend.

A variety of fermentation methods were used to enhance complexity and richness in this classic Bordeaux blend. Hand-harvested Cabernet was fermented in 400L French oak barrels that were gently rolled throughout fermentation to integrate the oak with refined, dark fruit flavors and give the wine its silky mouthfeel. All other varieties were fermented in traditional stainless steel tanks, with select lots enjoying longer skin contact to enhance the wine's dark color and mid-palate. The finished wine was aged 22 months in French oak barrels (75% new) before bottling unfiltered and unfined.

Review:

"The 2018 Pirouette checks in as 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot aged 22 months in 85% new French oak. Deep purple-hued, it's a young, unevolved yet incredibly promising red with smoking good notes of ripe black and blue fruits as well as tobacco, graphite, and chocolate. Dense, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it needs 3-5 years of bottle age but has the depth, balance, and class to evolve for 15-20 years or more."

- Jeb Dunnuck (May 2021), 95+ pts

"The 2018 Red Wine Pirouette blends 68% Cabernet Sauvignon with 22% Stone Tree Vineyard Merlot, and 10% Dionysus Vineyard Petit Verdot. The wine was aged 22 months in 85% new French oak prior to bottling. Aromatically beautiful, you are greeted to black rose petals and blackberry compote tones that mingle with wintergreen and chocolate covered espresso bean accents. Deep and concentrated in the mouth, with fantastic flavor density and tension, this finishes long with black fruits, loamy soils and minerals. Enjoy this texturally-beautiful Left Bank inspired Washington wine over the next twenty years to come. - Owen Bargreen"

- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (March 2022), 95 pts

Luis Canas Reserva Seleccion de la Familia Rioja is made from 85% Tempranillo and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon

Aged for 20 months in new oak barrels - 50% French 50% American.

45 years old vines
Alcohol: 14,5º
Total acidity: 5,73 g./l.
Volatile acidity: 0,73 g./l.
PH: 3,53
Free SO2: 28 mg./l.
Reducing sugars: 1,3 g./l.

The “family reserve” from one of Rioja Alavesa’s most enduring family-run wineries. Wines destined to be the Reserva de la Familia label are made from a selection of grapes from old vines, those which combine a series of characteristics such as good orientation and exposure to the sun, and a poor soil which ensures low yields.

This wine is one of very few Rioja wines to blend Cabernet Sauvignon with Tempranillo. Bodegas Luis Cañas was granted permission by the D.O.Ca. to plant this variety as an experiment in the early 1980s.

Tasting notes
A brilliant garnet color with cherry hints on the edges.
The nose offers a complex variety of aromas that combine to bring an intense and sophisticated wine. Initially we can find very ripe berry fruits, smoky notes, raisins and liquor. After a certain amount of aeration, the cinnamon and jam notes appear and, with a little more time, the roasted and spiced aromas are noticed more clearly.

The palate is full, with a good presence of tannins, although these are offset by the glycerine like character, resulting in a fleshy sensation. Long lasting and lingering finish.

Winemaking and aging:
The grapes were cold macerated for 72 hours upon arrival at the winery. They underwent fermentation at 26º C in sealed cement tanks under constant thermal control, with the must pumped over daily. With the paste devatted by gravity, spontaneous malolactic fermentation took place after 45 days.
The wine was aged for 20 months in 50% medium toasted American and 50% French oak barrels. The barrel ageing not only adds tannins from the wood, but stabilizes the wine naturally. After the final racking, it was clarified in tanks with a small amount of natural egg white, decanted after 30 days and bottled directly without any type of filtration. Because this wine’s evolutionary cycle is quite slow, only corks of the highest quality available were used to ensure that it could be prolonged for several years. 

 Mordoree Cotes du Rhone Dame Rousse Rose is made from 40% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 5% Carignan, 5% Mourvèdre

Color : rosé, slightly orange (mordorée colour).

Aromas : crystallized oranges and cherries, slightly aniseed.

Palate : very rounded, fresh and long finish.

Ageing potential : 2 to 3 years

Surface : 14 Ha. Yield : 45 Hl./Ha. Vineyard age : 20 years Terroir : clay / chalk,clay / limestone and sandy with pebble stones. Harvest : by hand. Vinification : vat bleeding, temperature control. Estate bottled.

Food pairing: cold meats and delicatessen, fowl, white meats, grilled lamb with Provence herbs, fish soup, fried fish, pastas, pizzas and all Asian dishes.

Mordoree Lirac Rouge Dame Rousse is made from 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah

Color: Deep Red
Nose : Red fruits (raspberry, black-current) and flowers (violet).
Palate : Full, rich and ample, long finish, nice concentration.
Aging potential : 7 to 9 years

Surface : 22 Ha. Yield : 40 Hl./Ha. Vineyard age : 40 years Terroir : Clay / chalk, clay / limestone and sandy with pebble stones. Harvest : by hand Vinification : 100% destemmed , long 30 days maceration with a maximum of 34°C temperature

Pairs well with red meats, grilled meats, game and cheeses.

Review:

A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre brought up in tank, the 2019 Côtes Du Rhône La Dame Rousse is a big, rich, powerful Côtes du Rhône loaded with notions of smoked black cherries, licorice, scorched earth, and ample minerality. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied Southern Rhône that has terrific purity of fruit, ripe, present tannins, and a great finish. I love its balance and it’s going to deliver ample pleasure over the coming 4-6 years.

-Jeb Dunnuck 90-92 Points

"For this appellation this is a remarkably restrained and rather elegant red with complex red-fruit, baking-spice and terra-cotta aromas. The self-confidently dry tannins build gently and keep the alcohol well in check until right at the end, when you do feel a touch of warmth. A blend of grenache and syrah. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold."

- James Suckling (February 2022), 92 pts

Morlet Family Vineyards Coteaux Nobles Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. 

Very intense raspberry and kirsch flavors with earthy notes (graphite), rich, round and seamless with a very fruity lingering finish. Will age gracefully for a decade.

Located on the Sonoma Coast, on the Eastern slope of the second ridge from the Pacific Ocean, this unique hillside vineyard benefits from both the cool maritime breeze and the mild and sunny mountain climate. Handcrafted by using classical Burgundian techniques, it is the ‘Noble Hillsides’ or ‘Côteaux Nobles.’

Reviews:

 
The Coteaux Nobles Pinot Noir comes from 28-year-old vines planted at the Nobles Ranch vineyard in Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. A barrel sample, the pale to medium ruby-purple colored 2019 Pinot Noir Coteaux Nobles slips sensuously out of the glass with a provocative perfume of red currant jelly, raspberry preserves and rhubarb crumble with suggestions of violets and fallen leaves plus a waft of mossy tree bark. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with juicy red berry layers, supported by plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering earthy note

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 94-96 Points

Morlet Family Vineyards Mon Chevalier Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 94% Cabernet Sauvignon 6% Cabernet Franc .

Located on the hillsides of Knights Valley, near Calistoga, this vineyard benefits from its proximity to Mount St. Helena, whose warm and windy climate is ideal for the long ripening of the Bordeaux red varietals. Handcrafted by using classical winemaking techniques, this special wine is dedicated to our son, Paul Morlet.

Dark red with a hue of purple. Intense and complex bouquet of red, black and blue berries intermixed with notes of blueberries, minerals (graphite, wet river rocks) licorice, fresh blond tobacco and a hint of lavender. Full bodied, the palate is reminiscent of the nose, with a richly tannic yet round frame and a great intensity. The hillside tannins and the classical aromatic complexity create a harmonious ensemble, leading to a very long and elegant finish. Built to age for decades, this collectible wine opens up after a few years of cellaring and is particularly representative of this special vineyard from the hillside of Knights Valley. Mon Chevalier features the interaction of the loamy, well drained and rocky volcanic soil, the typical sunny mountain climate and the low-interventionistic Morlet winemaking approach.

Propietary Name Mon Chevalier

Name Meaning My Knight Named after our son, Paul Morlet

Type of wine Vineyard designated

Appellation Knights Valley

Vineyard singularity Morlet Family Estate Hillside 1100-1200 feet elevation Rhyolitic, loam & volcanic ash

Typical harvest date End of October

Picking Manual, small lugs, refer truck

Sorting Cluster by cluster, berry per berry

Fermentation Through native yeast Tank and Puncheons

Upbringing 16 months French oak from artisan coopers

Bottling Unfiltered

Cellaring time Decades

Serving Room temperature

Decanting recommended

Review: 

The 2017 'Mon Chevalier' is rich, deep and unctuous, with all the character that makes wines from this site so exciting. Graphite, inky blue/purplish fruit, spice and lavender infuse the 2017 with tremendous complexity. In the glass, the 2017 is savory, rich and expansive, not to mention hugely appealing.

-Vinous 96 Points

The 2020 Oakville Winery Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits aromas of cherry and raspberry with notes of fresh roses, vanilla, dust, and pencil shaving. The rhythmic structure between the granular tannings and the vibrant acidity allows the sensation of a long, refreshing finish. This Cabernet Sauvignon can be aged for a decade bringing all the earthy components of a classic Napa Cab.

A New York strip steak with butter, mushrooms, and herbs will melt when you pair it with this wine.

Piper-Heidsieck Rare Brut Champagne  is made from 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir.

The effervescence of Rare Millésime 2013 is tinged with an intensely bright, light golden color. The nose, at first subtle and clean, emerges in two stages combining tonicity and elegance. It all begins with the delicacy of white flowers, a hint of black tea and touches of citrus, kiwi and kumquat. Then, notes of lime blossom, green tea and fern give way to aromas of white fruits such as greengage plums. Touches of chestnut honey, sweet spices, vanilla and marzipan round off the wine's rich bouquet. The two facets of Rare Millésime 2013 are confirmed in the mouth: smooth and vibrant, indulgent and dynamic. After hints of meringue, whipped cream and marzipan, kumquat, blood orange and kiwi then provide a refreshing tonicity. On the finish, the comforting texture of Rare Millésime 2013 appears as an aromatic and smoky indulgence punctuated by a freshness and a subtle bitterness. Rare Champagne's iconic signature of tropic minerality is expressed differently in Rare Millésime 2013, extended by a plump and prolonged aftertaste.

Reviews:

Such a pleasingly elegant and multifaceted Champagne with salty, creamy and toasty elements all wound together. Plenty of apricot pastries, pears, brown butter, fennel and salted almonds, with some iodine. It’s silky on the palate, with soft and supple bubbles, while remaining fresh and on edge. 70% chardonnay and 30% pinot noir, from 11 cru villages mostly in Montagne de Reims with Cotes de Blancs.

-James Suckling 96 Points

The nose opens with an initial whiff of creaminess, followed by hints of creamy polenta and tart yet aromatic citrus and chalk. The palate is immediately striking with saltiness and savouriness. The foam is rich and tiny bubbles burst, releasing the citric charm of lemon and white grapefruit. There is something driven, vertical and precise on the taut body, softened by that creamy generosity and subtle oyster shell appeal of the mousse. The finish holds a delicious frisson of white pepper and grapefruit zest spice. A very straight-laced wine for now that will unfold in its long future.

-Decanter 96 Points

Rinaldi Brachetto d' Acqui is made from 100% Brachetto d'Acqui

The skin gives the wine its particular scent and flavor. 

Light ruby red color. The bouquet is musky and delicate with scents of ripe red fruit (strawberry, blackberry) and roses. Sweet and smooth flavors with lingering aromatic persistence. There is a good balance between the sweetness and the freshness, which makes this wine very pleasant.

The training system used is Guyot with a density of 2500-3000 vines per hectare. Manual harvest. Temperature controlled maceration for approximately seven days with mechanic plunging of the cap and pumping over to increase extraction of substances from the skins. This is the most important part of the vinification. Soft pressing.

Robert Mondavi Winery The Estates Red Blend is made from 49% Cabernet Franc, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot.

Robert Mondavi’s vision was to elevate Napa to the world stage. In celebration of his achievement, our Napa Tier wines are sourced from distinctive vineyards throughout the Napa Valley and truly emulate a classic Napa Valley style.

 Aromas of blackberry, cherry, toasted almond, bay leaf and mocha. Luscious ripe cherry and cassis, with savory notes of dried herbs and toast. Rich, weighty, and mouth-coating, with classic fine To Kalon tannins.

Review:

This has a pretty fragrance of violets, green peppercorns, salted olives, blackcurrants and black raspberries. Creamy, salted dark chocolate and praline to follow. Medium-to full-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Delicious and superbly balanced. 50% cabernet franc, 47% cabernet sauvignon and 3% petit verdot.

-James Sucking 94 Points

The 2019 Red Blend Estate comes all from the To Kalon Vineyard and is close to an even split of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a clear step up over the base Red Blend and offers terrific, full-bodied aromas and flavors of darker fruits, dark chocolate, violets, and a kiss of spring flowers. With silky tannins, terrific balance, and outstanding length, it's going to evolve for 15 years or so.

-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points

This limited release wine is created from the fusion of two exceptional parcels of 70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. This classic blend is matured in the finest oak crafting an intriguing unison that captures the essence of the vineyard and highlights its unique varietal expression.

Vintage Overview
2013 was a very good season with predominantly mild, dry days. Yields were generally low and this did result in some excellent parcels of fruit being harvested. Vine-balance was carefully monitored, resulting in fruit that demonstrates the vibrancy and fruit-derived characters that we strive for in our wines. By all accounts it was a textbook vintage.

Tasting Notes
Deep inky purple in color. Aromas of blackberry, mocha, mint and spices. Lush, ripe palate dominated by black fruits, cherry and chocolate. An expansive palate with black fruits and nicely balanced by oak.

Made with the greatest dedication and care, select parcels were matured in new and seasoned French and American oak for up to 20 months prior to being selected for this blend. Individual barrels from our family estate that best demonstrate the intensity of our fruit, balanced by integrated oak were selected for the final blend, which was then bottled with minimal filtration.

Pairs well with venison, ribeye steak, lamb.

Review:

70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruit and oak combine here to produce a powerful, full-bodied red with coffee, toast, blackberry and rick plum flavours pouring through the palate. Tannin taps gently at the brakes: peppercorn and pine notes add lift: creaminess to the texture keeps everything running smoothly. Screwcap. 14.5% alc.

Halliday Wine Companion 2020 94 Points

The Grade Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard is made from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

“2016 produced wines that are very giving, round, coating and streamlined. Year after this year, this bottling aims to highlight the best attributes of the Winfield Vineyard, and also creates a wine that possesses qualities that allow it to age well in the cellar and evolve over many years.

“This wine expresses a focused balancing act of dark, rich black fruit, and a fine tannin structure, illuminated through the core with a laser-like acidity. The wine displays a deep purple-red hue with a cranberry halo. Aromas of cassis, cinnamon, citrus oil, roasted meat, and lilac swell from the glass.

“The palate is marked by a wave of jet-black brambly fruit up front, followed by an exotic spice mid-palate and a long, complex finish that lasts and lasts expressing notes of flowering jasmine, and oolong tea. The silky tannins hold everything together and will certainly allow this wine to evolve in the cellar for at least 7-10 years.”  - Thomas River Brown

Review:

Coming from the Winfield Vineyard in Calistoga, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is another brilliant wine from the hands of winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. This deep purple-colored effort boasts tons of blueberry and jammy blackberry fruits as well a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet elegant style on the palate. It has the purity of fruit that’s the hallmark of the vintage, ripe, sweet tannins, and no hard edges, and is already hard to resist.

-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points

The Grade Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Winfield Vineyard is made from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

“2016 produced wines that are very giving, round, coating and streamlined. Year after this year, this bottling aims to highlight the best attributes of the Winfield Vineyard, and also creates a wine that possesses qualities that allow it to age well in the cellar and evolve over many years.

“This wine expresses a focused balancing act of dark, rich black fruit, and a fine tannin structure, illuminated through the core with a laser-like acidity. The wine displays a deep purple-red hue with a cranberry halo. Aromas of cassis, cinnamon, citrus oil, roasted meat, and lilac swell from the glass.

“The palate is marked by a wave of jet-black brambly fruit up front, followed by an exotic spice mid-palate and a long, complex finish that lasts and lasts expressing notes of flowering jasmine, and oolong tea. The silky tannins hold everything together and will certainly allow this wine to evolve in the cellar for at least 7-10 years.”  - Thomas River Brown

Review:

Coming from the Winfield Vineyard in Calistoga, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is another brilliant wine from the hands of winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. This deep purple-colored effort boasts tons of blueberry and jammy blackberry fruits as well a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet elegant style on the palate. It has the purity of fruit that’s the hallmark of the vintage, ripe, sweet tannins, and no hard edges, and is already hard to resist.

-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points

The Factor is predominantly from the Gomersal and Marananga sub-regions of the Barossa, providing dense texture and richness to the palate with subtle notes of olive tapenade, saddle leather and minerals. Ripe aromas of plum and wild blackberries, olive, pepper and spice are all supported by a dark core of espresso roast, ripe blackberries and saltbush. Brooding and densely packed, this lavish wine has ample generosity to cellar for many years, where it will slowly unravel.

Review:

Made with fruit off vines from 30-130 years of age, this 2020 Shiraz The Factor has a strong Cornas feel. It is richly endowed with black olive, dried olive leaf, chocolate, and cocoa aromas with fantastic focus. A muscular core of spicy, dark berry fruits follows, punchy with impact. There is also some serious density and structure that will keep this wine in pristine condition for many years to come.

-Vinous 96 Points

The 2020 The Factor is 100% Shiraz and made up of fruit from Gomersal, Krondorf, Marananga and Ebenezer in the Barossa Valley. The wine was matured for 24 months in a combination of new (40%) and seasoned French oak barriques. In the glass, the wine verges on black, and the nose echoes this abyss-like shade. Blackberry, blood plum, black cherry, licorice, campfire embers, cocoa dust, clove, iodine, vanilla pod and red dirt—this is the core of the wine, the beating heart. The tannins, like a skeleton that protects it, are velvety, plush and structural. Like a skeleton, the tannins are entrenched in the fruit, concealed by a skin of flavor. This is a sybaritic, superstar wine that reflects the warm, concentrated, dry, low-yielding vintage from whence it came. This is classic, polished, midnight Torbreck here.

-Wine Advocate 96 Points

Shiraz from the parishes of Gomersal, Krondorf, Marananga and Ebenezer matured in French oak (40% new) for 24 months. This year's Factor sports an inky, graphite-led intensity of fruit and a sense of purity. Compression, too, with deep satsuma plum, blackberry and black cherry fruits initially feeling compact and tight before exploding onto the palate with substantial tannin heft and layers of dark spice, cedar, licorice and dark chocolate. While you could happily tuck into this tonight, it will cellar like a champion.

- Australian Wine Companion 96 Points

J. Christopher Appassionata Fortissimo Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.

Inspired by the three movements of Beethoven’s “Appassionata” Piano Sonata, there are three Appassionata Pinot Noirs, released at different tempos.

The finale of the Appassionata Pinot Sonata is Fortissimo (dynamically forceful). Selected for ultimate expressivity and longevity, it is not released until 10 years after the vintage. This is the epitome of expressive excellence that we are seeking in Willamette Valley Pinot Noir – a wine that combines brooding intensity with lilting grace and can stand alongside the classic wines of the world. The 2012 Fortissimo is muscular and full-bodied, with a deep color and seamless structure. In this phase of maturation, tertiary aromas begin to show a profound complexity and subtle earthiness that only develops with bottle age and cannot be accelerated

Review:

Loosen Bros. and J. Christopher Wines just released the Fortissimo and it is showing great acidity and fine-grained tannins. Its aromas and flavors of sweet red cherries, roasted pork shoulder and orange-pekoe tea are alive and kicking. Enjoy 2023–2032.

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

Avennia Red Willow Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Red Willow Cabernet is a true blockbuster.
Coming from one specific block of 30 year old vines at this iconic vineyard, then strictly barrel selected, this is the essence of powerful, old vine Washington Cabernet. After all of our efforts promoting the idea of the Bordeaux blend, it would take a pretty compelling argument to suspend that idea and make a 100% varietal Cabernet. In 2016 Red Willow provided us with just that. Each time we tasted it in the barrel, the belief grew that this was something special. Something we can't make every year. In the end we were won over, and decided to make a limited amount of this wine. But don't be fooled, as this too is a blend and a selection. Each year as we are tasting the grapes as harvest approaches, we notice that the vines near the bottom of this long, steep west-facing slope, are a little different. The vines at the bottom are in a little richer soil, and get a little more water, so we pick them separately, sometimes even a week or ten days apart, and keep them separate in barrel.

This wine is all from the top of the vineyard, with its lower yield and poorer soils giving more concentration and interest. Then further, nearly every combination of new and used French oak barrels were trialed to find the best blend. It's not enough just to use the four best barrels, but to trial each combination to see how they complement each other. For a wine with this much mass, 100% new French oak was used for the first time at Avennia. It is a wine that needs a little cellaring to start, but should last a very long time.

Review:

"The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Willow Vineyard is 100% Red Willow Cabernet Sauvignon that will spend roughly 20 months in close to 100% new French oak. Blackcurrants, smoked herbs, chocolate, and graphite notes all give way to a full-bodied, plump, rich, concentrated effort that's going to be better with short-term cellaring and keep for two decades."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2018), 94-96 pts

Bertani Valpantena Amarone  is made from 80% Corvina Veronese, 20% Rondinella.

The best grapes are selected so that only the healthiest and ripest bunches are sent to the drying rooms in the historic winery at Grezzana, where they are laid out in single-layer crates. In mid- January, the grapes are destemmed and crushed, then fermentation starts, at first at a temperature of 39°F- 41°F, which then reaches 72°F in the final stages.

WINEMAKING

The vines are vertical-trellised and Guyot-trained, with a planting density of 2024 plants per acre. Hand harvest is carried out in the middle of September.

This amarone is produced in the Valpantena hills, north of Verona. The soils are calcareous-marl in the east and calcareous-clay in the west, rich in iron.

TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES

Bertani’s impact on Veneto wine making, particularly in Amarone production, is so considerable that ‘Bertani’ and ‘Amarone’ are nearly synonymous. Their 150+ year history is dotted with groundbreaking initiatives and royal accreditation. While respectful of their past, Bertani strives towards innovation, using progressive techniques and equipment allied with extensive experience and a deeply felt respect for tradition to provide wines of uncompromising quality.

On the nose, marked and intense aromas of very ripe cherries, sour cherries, spicy and nutty notes typical of the Valpantena. Good follow-through of red fruits on the palate, with supple tannins to give depth. This full bodied wine pairs well with rich dishes, mature cheeses and strong-flavored meats.

Betz Family Besoleil is made from 55% Grenache, 23% Mourvèdre, 11% Syrah and the rest Cinsault,

Grenache speaks loudly in the Bésoleil with notes of pomegranate, red raspberry, and strawberry leaf. The Counoise and Cinsualt bring bing cherry fruit and blueberry notes to the table, complicated by pepper and garrique. Mourvedre donates a wild meatiness to the blend, and a purple hue. Syrah rounds things out, adding texture, and flesh to the palate.

Review:

"Attractively complex aromas of cherries, kirsch, white pepper, spice, potpourri and licorice, it's medium to full-bodied, sappy and succulent, with velvety structuring tannins and bright acids." 94 pts - Robert Parkers Wine Advocate 

"Bright raspberry and red-plum fruits with attractive depth and freshness. This has all you want in a Rhône-style blend. Good depth of flavor and focused structure." 93 pts - James Suckling

"Moving more and more from Olsen Vineyard, which is 20 miles northwest of Red Mountain (where they love working with the grower, who is proactive and responsive), the medium ruby/purple-colored 2016 Besoleil is 55% Grenache, 23% Mourvèdre, 11% Syrah and the rest Cinsault, all aged in a mix of neutral barrels. It offers beautiful notes of red plums, blueberries, white and black pepper and herbs de Provence, medium to full-bodied richness, a silky, elegant style, and integrated acidity. It's another beautiful vintage of this wine that will keep for a decade."  92 pts. - Jeb Dunnuck

Bodegas Alto Moncayo Aquilon Garnacha is made from 100% Garnacha.

The wines of Alto Moncayo are crafted to express the unique terroir of windswept high elevation Campo de Borja DO; and to serve as a benchmark for world class Old Vine Garnacha.

Aquilón is "The jewel in the Crown" a selection of the best barrels from the best lots. The vines are 60-100 years old.

Review:

This garnet-colored wine offers aromas of black currant, black raspberry and black licorice, with just a touch of charcuterie. The fruit flavors shine through with subtle notes of crushed violet. It has soft tannic structure, with a pleasant bit of grippiness in the post palate as it leads up to the long, long, finish.

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

About the Vineyard

Vineyards in Tabuenca and Borja, planted with indegenous clones of Garnacha starting in the 1920s.

Wine Production

The selected highest quality grapes are placed into small stainless-steel tanks of 7 tons capacity. The must is basket pressed and fermentation is finished in new French and American oak where it complets the malolactic fermentation. Wine is aged in the barrels for 24 months before bottling.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Very deep red, scarlet rim

Aroma: Minerals and vanilla. Hints of raisins and dark Chocolate

Palate: As typical of the vintage, power and intensity with disarming elegance.

Food Pairing:

Goes well with beef, pork, game based stews and rice dishes.

A new wine for the new century: BriO de Cantenac Brown was born in 2001.

Through the style of its label, but also through the quality of our work from the selection of the lots to the bottling, it aims at expressing the modernity of our Château.
The lots supposed to be the main part of BriO are pre-selected because of their evolution all through the year, which means that we focus on each different lot of the winery, from the budburst through the flowering to the ripeness control.

A meticulous attention

The lots for BriO often need more work: more leaf pruning, some green harvest, for example on the young vines, to help them to deal with the weather conditions.

Our two labels are made from vines located on a beautiful terroir where you find gravelly soils, and we want the vinification of BriO to lead to an elegant wine with lots of flavours, a compromise between strength and finesse.
So, if you like the fruits, you can start to drink it from 2 to 5 years after the harvest.

The blend between Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot is different for each vintage but the Merlot percentage is usually more important than the one in the Château Cantenac Brown.

The 12 months-long ageing in 20% to 25% new oak barrels is traditional; we rack it every 3 months. Before the bottling, we do the fining with egg whites.

It is on purpose if the bottles of BriO are different from the ones of Cantenac Brown: we want BriO to become a brand on its own, and it’s true that we talk much more about “BriO” than about “BriO de Cantenac Brown”.

We want BriO to be a wine you drink before, during and after a meal; just for your pleasure.