Mas Sinen La Vall Priorat is made from 57% Garnacha, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cariñena (Carignan), 9% Syrah.

This wine has a highly intense, lively vermilion red color, complex yet direct aromas with predominant ripe black and red fruits, notes of minerals and forest herbs. Flavors are strong, full and layered with round, fresh and delicate tannins.

Pairs with meat, sausage, cheese.

Mordoree Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Reine des Bois is made from 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, 2.5% Vaccarese, 2.5% Counoise.
Aged in 50% oak barrels.
Deep ruby red color, red fruits aromas leading to leather, black truffles and coffee notes. Fat and concentrated on the palate, with liquorice and dark fruit flavors.
Pairs well with game and red meats, cheeses.

60 year-old vines

Review:

"The flagship is the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Reine Des Bois and it’s 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties. Aged 20% in old barrels (this was raised in new barrels in the past) and the rest in stainless steel, it’s more backward and closed compared to the Voyageuse release and has ample blackcurrants, smoked earth, graphite, and peppery garrigue aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, and textured on the palate, it has solid underlying structure yet still plays in the balanced, charming, elegant style of the vintage. It’s beautifully done and certainly up with the top wines. It should drink nicely for 10-15 years."

- Jeb Dunnuck (October 2020), 95 pts

"Warm and inviting, with a richly layered core of steeped plum, blackberry and cherry fruit. Hints of alder and mesquite check in, along with twinges of chestnut and brick dust. Offers a nice mix of modern and old school. Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. Best from 2023 through 2036. —James MOLESWORTH"

- Wine Spectator (Insider, February 17th 2021), 94 pts

 Nickel & Nickel DeCarle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Polished and approachable, the 2018 vintage offers an alluring floral-berry perfume and pops of dark, wild berry and clove flavors. There’s serious volume on the palate, supported by firm tannins and dusty-earth accents that are hallmarks of the Rutherford Bench. Balanced acidity lifts the finish while subtle notes of clove and baking spice linger with each sip.

The 2018 growing season kicked off in late February and eased into a mild spring that gave us extended flowering and uniform clusters throughout the vineyard. Summer continued with an even trend, with consistent temperatures allowing fruit to have beautiful, extended hang time. With no heat spikes we were able to wait patiently for every cluster to achieve perfect phenolic maturity. A no rush approach to harvest allowed fruit to develop beautifully on the vine and the Cabernet came into the winery with mature tannins, great acidity and perfect ripeness. This vintage was “near picture-perfect,” and the resulting wines are generous yet structured and expand on the palate.

Tenacity, innovation and a single-minded commitment to “vineyard and varietal” have established Nickel & Nickel as the leader in single-vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Every Cabernet offers the purest expression of its vineyard. No two vineyards are alike. And, as the release of the new 2018 Nickel & Nickel Cabernets can attest, neither are any two vintages. Taste the pure, powerful expressions of unparalleled Napa Valley vineyards. The 2018 Nickel & Nickel Single-Vineyard Cabernets are crafted with excellence and made to be savored.

Review:

Sleek and focused, with cassis and cherry puree notes leading the way, backed by a melted red licorice detail and a floral accent on the finish. Toast is judicious too, letting a subtle mineral hint peek in at the very end. Drink now through 2030. 4,157 cases made. 

-Wine Spectator 92 Point

Sale

Sale price good on website only and wine must be shipped to your home.

Siegel Reserve Red Blend 1234 is made from 50% Syrah, 30% Carmenère, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot.

Deep ruby color. Intense aromas of black fruits, white pepper, spices and a hint of clove. The blend of four varieties gives a complex, deep wine with juicy tannins, good volume and very balanced.

Pre-fermenting cold maceration for five days, alcoholic fermentation at 26-28 C to obtain color and structure. Post fermentation maceration of two to three weeks according wine tasting and then the wine is separated from the skins. The wine ends its malolactic fermentation in tank. Harvest: by hand (30 day harvest window)

Paella, Confit de Canard (duck confit) and pastas.

The Grade Cellar Kingly Project Cabernet Sauvignon is made from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. 

"This is a noble expression of Cabernet Sauvignon"  in full regalia, with decadent aromas and a mouthfeel viscous and sleek. "This vintage of the Kingly Project Cabernet Sauvignon enters the scene"  -- Thomas Rivers Brown

Review:

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Kingly Vineyard is endowed with tremendous richness and concentration. It emerges from the best spots within Block 5, which is a bit more protected from the elements. The 2018 is a bit closed today, but it has a lot of promise. Time in the glass brings out layers of inky dark fruit and the savory, minerally notes that are such signatures. This potent Calistoga Cabernet needs time to shine, but it is impressive today just the same.

-Vinous 96 Points

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

Alain Jaume Rasteau Les Valats is made from 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre planted on clay and stones based soil.

Located in the northern part of the Vaucluse, the soils are mostly on slopes with limestone and rocks, at medium altitude (until 350 meters).

Grapes usually ripeness in late September. The soils are poor and the Mediterranean climate allows to produce concentrated and well balanced grapes. The place is well-known for producing wines with strong identity.
From the Cotes du Rhone Villages classification, RASTEAU has been upgraded to Cru level since the 2009 vintage.

The wine shows a deep red garnet color and a nose of fresh red berries. On the palate, the richness of the fruit and tannins harmonizes with the roundness of the wine. The finish is long, with spicy and mineral notes. Complete and authentic.

Review:

"A blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah, the 2017 Rasteau Les Valats is a classic example of this terroir and offers a darker, smoky, earthy, and chocolaty vibe as well as a rich, mouthfilling style on the palate. Nicely balanced, with a fleshy, expansive mid-palate and great tannins, it’s total charmer to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years."
- Jeb Dunnuck (October 2020), 90 pts

"Very open red-fruit aromas and a rather cool, slightly minty personality make this a good introduction to this underrated Southern Rhone appellation. Good harmony and rather lively for its age at the clean finish. Drink now."
-  James Suckling (February 2022), 90 pts

“1752” is the name of the Damilano Barolo Cannubi Riserva, in honor of the year in which the historic bottle was first marked “Cannubi”. It still exists today perfectly conserved by the Manzone family in Bra, close to Barolo. The bottle is clearly marked as being of “1752” vintage, indicating that Cannubi historically precedes Barolo. 

About the Vineyard:

The Cannubi Cru is in found within one of the 6 core zones which comprise a UNESCO heritage site in Italy. A mixture of Tortonian and Helvetian calcareous marl gives the grapes intense aromas of cherry, plum and tobacco, rose and violet in sequence. Its low potassium and high calcium/magnesium content offer the wine a fine and polished touch. The vineyard is located at about 270 m. a.s.l. and has a south-east sun exposure. Barolo Riserva Cannubi 1752  It is a small plot of about 2 hectares of Nebbiolo vines, currently between 30 and 50 years of age.

Tasting Notes:

Garnet ruby red in color, the bouquet is intense and balanced, with notes of violet, red fruit, cherry and plum, spices,  liquorice, cocoa, leather and tobacco. Dry, robust, full-bodied, very persistent, rich and velvety

 Food Pairing:

This wine is excellent with typical piedmontes pasta (tajarin, ravioli); perfect with red meat, braised and roast meat, game and absolutely ideal with all types of cheeses.

Review:

Pure 100% cabernet Sauvignon, this vineyard continually astonishes. Loads of loamy soil notes followed by blue and black fruits give this cabernet massive depth and beautiful integrated tannins. Milk chocolate, crème de cassis and tobacco give this massive wine the depth you come to expect with Napa cabs, but it is all Sonoma County, all from our magnificent little private valley which sees sun all day! We buy no fruit; we sell no fruit.

Jersey Boys Vineyard (Kevin Kinsella is the largest individual investor in the hit Broadway show "Jersey Boys")

Jersey Boys is a six-acre vineyard that was replanted in 2008 with four different clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, handpicked by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown.

“While it was the third consecutive year marked by limited rainfall, the 2014 vintage offered a perfectly temperate growing season characterized by long, moderate days and cool, clear nights. We began the year with warm spring conditions that gave way to an early budbreak and the consistent, dry weather afforded an optimal fruit set of small berries with incredible concentration. Crop yields were down a bit from 2013, but the quality was magnificent. It was a textbook growing season, every winemaker’s dream.”
- Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown

Any vegetable or meat in the grill. Delicious with Chocolate as well.

Review:

"There are 645 cases of the 100% Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Jersey Boys Vineyard (named after the fact that the Broadway Musical “Jersey Boys” was brought to the stage and screen by the owner of Kinsella). This wine and its siblings will do a lot to establish Dry Creek as more than another viticulture area better known for Zinfandel than Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a killer Cabernet Sauvignon with dazzling fruit levels and loads of loamy soil notes intermixed with black raspberry, blueberry and blackcurrant. The superripe and pure fruit hits the palate with a full-bodied crescendo. The wine offers up notes of underbrush, unsmoked cigar tobacco, pen ink and plenty of crème de cassis and blackberry, Drink it over the next 20-25 years. - RP"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #227, October 2016), 95 pts

La Jota Vineyard Merlot Howell Mountain is made from 100 percent Merlot. 

Sourced from vineyards with pedigrees dating back to the 1800s, this wine continues to carry the torch of Howell Mountain’s greatness. e aromatics are lifted with plum, huckleberry and minerality leading the way. Bittersweet chocolate and dried herbs add the punctuation to an incredibly long balanced finish.

-Wine Spectator 95 Points

In general, 2018 was a great vintage for this variety, and the deep purple-hued 2018 Merlot is stunning stuff. Lots of cassis, candied violets, scorched earth, and graphite notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, elegant 2018 with polished tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It’s going to evolve for 15 years or more.

- Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points

- James Suckling 95 Points

La Ronciere Licanten Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Franc.

 Intense aromas of black fruits, notes of dark chocolate, and roasted coffee. The palate is round with polished, juicy tannins and a finish that leaves a lasting impression.

Hand-harvested and field-sorted. An additional sorting occurs at the winery before the grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled micro-fermentation tanks. Aged in French oak for 10-12 months. : Diverse soils derived from metamorphic rock. Includes Licorellas (same as Priorat) and Lutitas rock complemented with a series of alluvial and granitic soils. Quartz and mica are both abundant in the soil profile.

Review:

Married with 8% Syrah and 7% Cabernet Franc, this very well-priced Cabernet Sauvignon uses grapes from three different soil types - granite, schist and sandstone. Mint and mountain herb aromas are a prelude to a fresh, elegant, grassy palate with stony intensity, sinewy tannins and layers of bramble and blackcurrant leaf. 2025-35

-Tim Atkins, MW 94 Points

Rioja Oriental is blessed with a warm, dry Mediterranean-influenced climate (unlike Rioja’s west, where the climate is more continental). The soils, formed by carbonate sedimentation with diverse colluviums containing deposits of volcanic ophite, quartz, and sandstone, covered with carbonate clay, sand, and silt. At varying depths, there is a poor, cold horizon containing petrocalcic calcium (calcium carbonate) with a distinctive white color—this is prized by many for its ability to impart a mineral-driven finesse to the wine.

Rioja’s eastern-most district is often described as flatter than its western counterpart but make no mistake—there is significant elevation here. The grapes for Propiedad represent the pinnacle expressions of Palacios Remondo’s terroir and come from three estate vineyards: Las Mulgas, Valviejo and Corral Serrano Viejo.

The soils between 0.5 and 2 meters thick are from the Quaternary Period, formed by carbonate sedimentation with colluviums of very diverse origin, containing volcanic ophite, quartz, sandstone, etc. covered with carbonate clay, sand, and silt. The exposure is east/northeast on the Yerga Mountain slopes with vineyard heights reaching between 400-640 meters (1,321-2,099 feet) above sea level with a vine age of 30-94 years old. The grapes were harvested between Sept. 28th and Oct. 6th.

The grapes were destemmed, crushed, and fermented with native yeasts in wooden vats with gentle cap immersion. Maceration took place over 35 days followed by spontaneous malolactic fermentation in barrel. Aging was 10 months in fudres and bocoyes (wooden cask) followed by fining but no filtration.

Propiedad is quite elegant but has remarkable concentration. Dried herbs, strawberry, blueberry, and baking spices ripple over subtle earthy notes and fine-grained tannins. The palate is seamless and beautifully balanced, sporting a mineral verve and seductive mouthfeel. Will age beautifully for a decade or longer.

Review:

Nose: red fruit, ripe fruit, expressive, dried herbs, wild herbs. Mouth: tasty, full, good acidity. , aromatic, varietal

-Guia Penin 95 Points

A blend that is unique in Rioja, this combines mostly Garnacha with around 7% of Tinto Velasco, Graciano and Bobal, all sourced from a six-hectare parcel on the Monte Yerga. Rich, dense and concentrated, with remarkable intensity, focus and balance, nuanced oak and a fine,    refreshing    finish.    2020-28

-Tim Atkin 95 Points

The old-vine Garnacha 2017 Propiedad was produced with grapes coming from organically farmed vineyards in Las Mulgas, Valfrío, Valviejo and Corral de Serrano in Alfaro, vineyards that are organically farmed. The destemmed and crushed grapes fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts and the wine matured in larger oak vats (mostly 5,000-liter) for 12 months. It has the Mediterranean profile of the vintage with some jovial notes of orange peel and red cherries intermixed with aromatic herbs. The palate reveals fine-grained, slightly dusty tannins. The palate has more freshness than what you expect from the notes on the nose. This wine has a good evolution in bottle even in warmer years like this or 2015.

-Wine Advocate 94 Points

A super elegant and silky Rioja with delicate red fruit and milk chocolate aromas, rather than the blueberry and bitter chocolate of so many modern wines from here. Lingering, filigree finish that draws you back to the glass.

-James Suckling 94 Points

Riley's Rows 3x3 Red Blend is made from 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Syrah, 29% Merlot

Riley’s Rows "Three by Three" Proprietary Red Blend North Coast is a great wine from some of the winery's favorite North Coast vineyard sites. The Merlot is from their Brandt ranch in Lake County…which, is one of the best vineyards in Lake County. The Cabernet and Syrah are both from great Sonoma County sites.

Riley’s Rows 3 x 3 displays a nose of ripe plum and Bing cherries with a hint of cocoa. The palate opens with ripe red berries. The mid-palate offers a delicious melange of blackberry, Rainer Cherry, and nutmeg. The wine has a long finish, very balanced acidity, and soft tannins. The wine is approachable now but will age nicely for many years to come!

SALE!

Lodi, American Viticulture Area (AVA) – The Lodi AVA is located in the northern end of the San Joaquin Valley, Central Valley California, east of the San Francisco Bay. Lodi has warm days and cool nights, similar to the Mediterranean climate. The lower temperatures that occur in Lodi result in fruit with good acidity. A wide range of soils are found in the Lodi AVA, but they generally are deep, loamy, sandy, rocky soils similar to that found in southern Rhone valley.

The Lodi appellation totals almost one half million acres, and the approximately eight hundred growers farm roughly 90,000 acres. Lodi produces more Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Zinfandel than any other wine region in California, but it is probably best known for its old vine Zinfandel. The vines are often head trained giving them a classic old world appearance.

Zinfandel – The Zinfandel grape is a hearty variety that produces grapes with high sugar levels, often resulting in wines with a high alcohol content. Thought to be a relative of Primitivo that is found in southeast of Italy (the boot heel), Zinfandel can be made into a wide range of wine styles, including White Zinfandel, light or full bodied red wines, and even late harvest desert style wine. However Zinfandel, especially Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi, is usually made into a full bodied, spicy red wine with characteristics of red fruit, raspberry, and cherry.

Produced in the heart of Lodi AVA.

Rubus Zinfandel Lodi is made from 98% Zinfandel + 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
Bottled after aging in French and American oak for 9 months.

Rubus Zinfandel Lodi presents with ruby red in color, with red fruit, raspberry, and spice on the nose. This wine is medium in body, with notes of ripe cherry, cedar box, cinnamon, anise, black pepper, and hint of smoke on the palate. It has a long, silky finish.

Selected by Fran Kysela MS.

Rubus Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc. 

The Rubus Project was created by Fran Kysela as a way to source & sell incredible wines at value prices. All wines in this international project are hand-selected by Fran Kysela. Rubus wines are fruit driven, true-to-type values that over deliver - a true representation of quality for the consumer at an excellent price.

Aromas of gooseberry, lemongrass, boxwood, fresh celery and bready notes on the nose. The palate is dry to taste with juicy gooseberry and citrus flavors forming a light, refreshing medium bodied wine with a tart yet soft lingering finish.

Grapes are gently pressed, settled and racked to fermentation. Juice is cool fermented in stainless steel tanks for 21 days and left on the lees for 2 months prior to blending, light fining, filtering and bottling.

The perfect accompaniment to vegetable or light seafood dishes or to enjoy before a meal.

Rubus Special Edition Barossa Shiraz is made from 100 percent 

The Rubus Project was created by Fran Kysela as a way to source & sell incredible wines at value prices. All wines in this international project are hand-selected by Fran Kysela. Rubus wines are fruit driven, true-to-type values that over deliver - a true representation of quality for the consumer at an excellent price.

Deep red with a slight purple hue on release. The wine has a rich mix of dark chocolate infused with coffee bean and black liquorice, then scents of tar, aniseed, raw (pure) soy and black olive on the nose. The palate is expansive, and yet balanced and finessed. An amalgam of dark berried flavors and textural sensations. The 100% new oak is completely absorbed, meshed with ripe tannins, completing a palate of impressive length and youthfulness.

Sourced from Thorn-Clarke’s St Kitts vineyard (Block 7) in the far north of the Barossa, the Rubus Reserve demonstrates both the strengths of the region and the unique characters of the vineyard. 

A thin layer of topsoil over weathered marble, schist and shale mean the vines work hard to source water and nutrients. The result is naturally low yields concentrating the power and density of the fruit.  Diurnal temperature variation is another important aspect of St. Kitts.  Warm daytime temperatures are followed by cool nights with variations of up to 30°C (55°F) from the peak during the day into the cool night minimums.

Review:

“Earthy detail develops in this sleek and juicy shiraz, a tarry streak under fresh plum and bruised strawberry. The tannins have gravity and precision, their bracing intensity and concentration integrated into what panelist David Hawkins described as “a big, powerful wine with great liveliness.” While suited to aging, this is accessible now if you’re grilling meats to serve with it.”
- Wine & Spirits (February 2023), 94 pts

"Made by Thorn-Clarke for the US market, this has a rich and vivid nose with blueberry, violet, dark plum and subtle oak spice in play. The palate has a succulent feel with plenty of rich, open-knit blackberry and blueberry flavor. Smoothly delivered tannins carry long and even. Drink over the next decade."
- James Suckling (November 2021), 94 pts

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:

"Aromas of flowers, berries and sandalwood follow through to a medium body, fine tannins and a creamy, polished finish. So fine and pretty now. Why wait? Drink now."

- James Suckling (August 2022), 93 pts

Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port. 

This great wine with identity and power is born in the Fundo Idahue vineyard, located 25 km from the Pacific Ocean, in the town of Licantén.

Its vinification process was carried out in micro-fermentation tanks and later it was aged for 10 months in French oak barrels.

Surprising for its aromatic complexity. Uninhibited, it reveals aromas of fruits such as cherries, strawberries, plums and dried figs. On the palate it is juicy, fresh, tasty and round, with a balanced natural acidity. Notes of nuts such as walnuts and hazelnuts add elegance and style to a different and tasty wine with great aging potential.

-Review

Decanter 95 Points

It is hard to imagine with the Lithology range receiving 298 points out of 300 for the three single-vineyard wines, that there could possibly be a wine above them. But there is, and it is our Estate wine. Blended several times very intently by masters of their craft Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, this is the ultimate expression of our house’s work. Positive, full-bodied, and quite powerful, there’s the expected crème de cassis and blackberry from St. Helena Cabernets, with mineral, herb, subtle tobacco and vanilla, plum skins, and pie crust, purple flowers, forest-conifer notes, and very fine tannic structure. It is a magnificent, and magnificently elegant expression of this house, and when asked recently, Monsieur Rolland stated plainly to me, “oh yes indeed – this is the best one, the best yet…”

Review:

The flagship 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Alejandro Bulgheroni comes from a selection made by winemakers Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, mostly from Rutherford and Oakville fruit. Aged 20 months in 78% new French oak, it has incredible aromatics of black and blue fruits, spring flowers, and graphite to go with a massive, full-bodied, concentrated style on the palate that somehow stays graceful, weightless, and elegant. This tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is guaranteed to put a smile on your face over the coming 20-25+ years.

-Jeb Dunnuck 99 Points

Avennia Justine Red Blend 56% Grenache, 31% Mourvèdre, 13% Syrah 

Justine reflects our belief that Washington is capable of producing world class blends of grape varieties traditional to the Southern Rhone region of France. The name is inspired by one of the great heroines of recent literature, who also sprung from the imagination of the Mediterranean. Dark, seductive, complex, with a chasm of depth: The Justine is a great reflection of Avennia's mission of expression, and Washington's generous terroir.

 Tasting Note: Big black cherry, blackberry, hints of orange peel, fresh herbs and loam on the nose. Plush and round on the palate. Dark earthy fruits from the Mourvedre, along with citrus high notes, mountain flowers, jasmine, and savory herbs. Balanced and complex without forgetting its hedonistic roots in the Southern Rhone.

Review:

A blend of 56% Grenache, 31% Mourvèdre, 13% Syrah brought up all in older oak, the 2016 Justine offers a great core of black fruits as well as lots of peppery herbs, earth, and classic meatiness. It looks to be a great vintage for this cuvée."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2018), 92-94 pts