Guillemot-Michel Vire Clesse is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Beautifully expressive, with yellow fruits, orange blossom, smoke & flint. Thick and saline on entry, then seriously deep in the mid-palate, with suggestions of exotic fruits perfectly countered by strong minerality. This wine strikes a perfect balance between sweet and salty elements, and it shows vibrant acidity. It boasts a thickness that few other northern Mâconnais can match.
Enjoy with fish (such as sole meuniere), seafood, roasted chicken, goat cheese.
Review:
"The 2018 Viré-Clessé Quintaine is showing beautifully, wafting from the glass with a lovely bouquet of honeyed citrus fruit, fresh pastry and orange blossom. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and supple, it's elegantly textural and refined, with a fragrant core of fruit and a long, penetrating finish. Even though it will reward a bit of bottle age, it's slightly finer-boned than the more concentrated, muscular 2017, so I would opt to drink this immensely charming wine before its older sibling. – William Kelley"
- The Wine Advocate (Issue 249, June 30th 2020), 93 pts
Guillemot-Michel Vire Clesse is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Beautifully expressive, with yellow fruits, orange blossom, smoke & flint. Thick and saline on entry, then seriously deep in the mid-palate, with suggestions of exotic fruits perfectly countered by strong minerality. This wine strikes a perfect balance between sweet and salty elements, and it shows vibrant acidity. It boasts a thickness that few other northern Mâconnais can match.
Enjoy with fish (such as sole meuniere), seafood, roasted chicken, goat cheese.
Hahn Estate Lucienne Chardonnay Lone Oak Vineyard is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Reviews:
Lemon blossom, grapefruit rind, pastry flake and a hint of ash show on the nose of this single-vineyard expression from the Hahn family. It's suave and broad on the palate at first, then it chisels down to pinpoint acidity, delivering flavors of apricot, lime zest and chalk before the slightly nutty finish. Matt Kettmann
-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Bramble Hill Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Hamilton Russell Vineyards in South Africa has developed an international reputation over 40 vintages for unusually restrained, classically styled Pinot noir, with deep structure and spice balancing fruit opulence. Hamilton Russell Oregon aims to express this stylistic philosophy with the very best Willamette Valley fruit - showcasing the restrained, structured classicism of great European Pinot noir and the bright purity of Oregon fruit. The celebrated Bramble Hill vineyard in Ribbon Ridge, delivers a particularly bright, pure, lively minerality to complement the complex lifted fruit the best Oregon Pinot noir is known for.
Review:
Limpid ruby-red. Fresh red berries, blood orange, floral and baking spice qualities on the incisive nose. Juicy, focused and lithe on the palate, offering subtly sweet raspberry and cherry flavors and building spicecake and cola nuances. Closes long and nervy, with discreet tannins framing repeating floral and spice notes.
-Vinous 93 Points
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Hartford Court Sevens Bench Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
True to its Carneros roots, the 2018 Sevens Bench Chardonnay carries the hallmark of the region – fruit intensity balanced by and good acidity. The aromas are driven by classic lemon drop, Meyer lemon, and lemongrass. That fruit style follows in the flavors, with the citrus focus carrying through with candied lemon drop balanced by the mineral and flint characters inherent to the region and the clonal selections. Barrel fermentation notes in the background add even more complexity to this elegant wine.
Review:
I always seem to find a tropical slant in Chardonnay from Carneros, and the 2018 Chardonnay Sevens Bench Vineyard has it in spades, with ample pineapple, honeyed peach, pear, and toasted spice-like aromas and flavors. This is another balanced, rich, medium to full-bodied Chardonnay from this estate that's loaded with character. Drink it over the coming 5-7 years
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
Single vineyard Pinot Noir with a dark red brick color. Lots of ripe raspberries, wild strawberries, forest floor, cedar and a salty whiff of pine on the nose. The palate adds both herbal and peppery components as well as roasted coffee notes with a bit of caraway seed. Recommended to serve it slightly chilled in a round glass.
Braised beef with dumplings, lamb crown and brussels sprouts, roasted veal liver with pumpkin squash or tagliatelle with blue cheese.
Review:
"Deep crimson red with a purple hue, a subtle brightening on the rim. Candied violets, a hint of cassis, raspberries, black cherries, subtle notes of vanilla, a floral touch. Juicy, elegant, red cherries, a fresh acidity, a mineral-salty finish, red berry notes in the aftertaste, fresh and mineral, already drinking well, wonderful length, with ageing potential. - Peter MOSER"
- Falstaff (June 24th 2024), 95 pts
The characteristics of Haut-Marbuzet are mostly defined by its wine-producing methods.
The grapes are harvested once they are very ripe, then destalked. The maceration time is very long. Owner Henri Duboscq remains committed to using traditional materials, like concrete vats. They preserve the natural yeasts of past wines. Henri Duboscq says that he likes the idea that each year, the new yeasts revive the old ones, and the old influence the new.
The Duboscq were among the first to harvest overripe grapes. The wine is then matured in new oak barrels. Here, too, Haut-Marbuzet was among the first to use this production technique. All of these practices complete the characteristics of the terroir. They influence the color of the wine, its structure, its body, and finish.
Henri Duboscq often speaks of his love of unctuous wines, feminine wines that have fine, woody scents, with soft and ripe tannins. From this point of view, the wine of Haut-Marbuzet clearly stands apart from the classical wine of Saint Estèphe which is more virile, austere and astringent.
Tasting notes
Haut-Marbuzet shows a dark and intense color and a delicous bouquet of red and black fruit aromas, violet, pepper and coconut nuances. On the palate, the wine is rich and unctuous, with fine and peppery tannins that support the solid and fresh texture.
Review:
"Black and blue fruit, walnuts, gravy, vanilla, praline and cigar box on the nose. Full-bodied with fine tannins. Balanced, layered and polished with a fleshy texture. Harmonious, with elegance and intensity. Beautiful finish. Wow. Drink from 2025."
- James Suckling (January 2022), 96 pts
Dark crimson in color, with deep garnet hues. A concentrated array of aromas of mulberry, blackberry and dark plum indicate the richness to come, while savory and complex notes of charcuterie, cedar, sage and five spice tease the senses. Plush and velvety on the palate, the wine has intense fruit concentration with plum, red currant, blackberry and anise flavors, yet an enchantingly elegant and refined structure. Layers of silky tannins reveal the impressive depth of the wine before giving way to an incredibly long finish.
Review:
This has a very complex nose, offering so many facets of spices and fragrance with florals and orange peel, as well as crushed stones, ripe black cherries, blackberries and dark cherries, earth, chocolate and more. The intensity and power here is very tightly held and it has a build of such precise tannins, which carry very intense and assertively ripe blackberries, dark cherries, ripe plums and blueberries. So much on offer here. This has a very bold, intense feel. Exceptional vintage. One of their finest. Try from 2028.
-James Suckling 100 Points
The Cabernet Sauvignon Casey’s Lakeview is similarly inky bluish/purple to the rim. Tasting like blood, this wine is dense and rich with lots of chocolate, espresso, earth and spice. It is deep, full-bodied, and again, a masculine style of wine that needs at least 4-5 years of cellaring and should keep for 25 or more years.
Lakeview Vineyard is the winery’s mid-block vineyard planted to a combination of clone 6 & 337 Cabernet Sauvignon on 101-14 rootstock. Excellent drainage from the rocky and chalky soils plus plenty of sunlight throughout the day produces wines of bold character with mouth filling flavors.
Organic farming methods are used to produce this Cabernet Sauvignon Casey's Lakeview vineyard. Vines are 17 years old. Ageing in French oak barrels (85% new) for 20 months, then 12 months in bottle prior to release. Non-filtered.
Review:
"The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Casey's Lakeview Vineyard is the most overt of these wines. Superripe black cherry, plum, chocolate and licorice add to an impression of flamboyance that sits on the edge of being too much. The effects of the drought are felt in the wine's slightly roasted profile. - Antonio Galloni"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2016), 91 pts
Pulled from a Gentleman's cellar, all wines from this cellar have been purchased by the owner either from the importer or direct from winery. They stayed in his cellar until being moved to the Timeless Wines warehouse.
Ptit Paysan Chardonnay Jackss Hill is made from 100% Chardonnay
Oak: Combination of neutral oak (2% new French) and stainless tanks
This wine comes from a few vineyards at the base of Jack's Hill, planted on the distinct iron oxide granite that dominates the east side of Salinas Valley, directly east of Sleepy Hollow North.
Bright, crisp and clean with orchard fruit giving way to an intense minerality.
Le P'tit Paysan Le Ptit Pape is made from 62% Grenache, 19% Syrah, 14% Mourvedre, 3% Counoise, 2% Cinsault
Oak: Mixture of one and twice used barrels for 11 months and puncheons
Playful interpretaion of a domestic, baby, Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Cherry blossoms, dusty road, red plums, herb de Provence. Rosewater and red cherry on the palate, nimble with medium body. Grippy finish with firm Grenache tannins and hints of olive and sagebrush.
Fermented in several lots ranging from 0-50% whole cluster. Fermeted to dryness on skins.
Aged in neutral barrels for 11 months. From limestone rich soils
Paysan Sauvignon Blanc Zabala Vineyard is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
Paysan Sauvignon Blanc comes from Zabala Vineyard - located on a large holding on the Arroyo Seco floodplains that was part of land granted to the Zabala family before California’s statehood. It was first planted in the 1970s and has grown to encompass over 1000 acres. Zabala Vineyard is one of the rockiest vineyard I Brand works with, full of what is locally known as ‘Greenfield Potatoes’, which are the rather inedible round river stones that dominate the soil and have been collected into piles and walls at every property in the basin. This vineyard is located directly in the path of the daily Salinas Valley winds, which control sugar development and retain natural acidity. Certified organic grapes.
Tasting Notes: Light-bodied. Aromatic explosion on the nose. Lime, gooseberry, green melon, grapefruit, white peach, passion fruit. Crisp, tart, clean with bright acidity on the palate. Neutral oak ageing provides subtle creaminess, while still exhibiting trademark green notes.
Imperial Stag Reserva Iconic Red Mendoza is made from 55% Malbec and 45% Syrah.
This is a single vineyard planted with Malbec and Syrah with low yields (2.5 ton per acre for the Malbec and 3.5 ton per acre for the Syrah).
Bright and intense, full bodied red wine with violet hues at the lips. Elegant and savory, with silky persistence. Captivating aromas of currants, raspberries and other red fruits. Distinct tobacco and chocolate aroma melded with honey and amalgamated notes of pepper and nuts from its passage through French oak barrels.
Pair with venison of course ! but also duck, lamb and strong cheeses.
Jean Arthaud Bourgogne Blanc is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The AOC Bourgogne Chardonnay extends over the departments of Yonne, Côte d'Or and Saône et Loire. Bourgogne Chardonnay is a regional AOC, which means that the wines can be produced in all of the Burgundy region. This AOC represents half of the local production and covers almost 2,000 hectares of area with strict criteria of vinification and elaboration, offering wines of high quality (yields/terroirs/production methods and local know-how). The ideal location of the vineyards provide the best terroir for Chardonnay and give the wines of Burgundy a unique identity.
Jean Arthaud Bourgogne Blanc offers citrus and peach aromas with hints of floral notes. On the palate, the wine is supple and round, with well balanced freshness and generous length.
Jean Arthaud Bourgogne Blanc is made from 100% Chardonnay.
Located in the south of the Mâconnais region, the Pouilly Fuissé AOP covers four communes Its patchwork of Climats produces white wines that are well suited to fine cuisine. Our Pouilly Fuissé comes from vines nestling between the Roche de Solutré and the Roche de Vergisson. It combines the firm crispness created by the limestone soils with the smoothness derived from the more clay rich soils to produce a well rounded wine.
Fruity aromas of peaches, lemons and Granny Smith apples interwoven with lighter notes of jasmine and acacia Mineral and buttery overtones subtly round off the bouquet.
Jean-Michel Sorbe Quincy Blanc is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.
The first nose is expressive and opens up to notes of acacia, citrus (lemon, grapefruit). Full on the palate with lovely freshness. This wine boasts nice balance and good length.
The vines are 15 to 20 years old and are located on the left bank of the Cher River, southwest of Quincy. This vineyard enjoys good exposure to the sun and overlies hillocks composed of sandy alluvial deposits and gravel dating back to the Quaternary Period. Each terroir is managed with minimal intervention in an environmentally friendly approach. Vinification: Slow pressing. Fermentation took place under controlled temperatures (18°C).The wine was aged on fine lees for a minimum of 4 months. It was filtered only once before being bottled.
Pair with crustaceans, asparagus, or goat's cheeses.
After pouring, allow the wine to breathe for a few moments in the glass before enjoying so that it may fully release all of its aromas.
Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz-Cabernet is made from 55% Shiraz, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon
The Jip Jip vineyard is planted in some of the world’s oldest mineral rich soils and in the most temperate of maritime climates. It consistently produces excellent fruit quality from low yielding vines. Great attention to detail with the integration of fruit flavors and fine oak barrels helps produce classic handcrafted wine styles.
Deep purple. Boysenberry and mulberry aromas with a hint of cedar and pepper. Similar berry fruits show through on the opulent, textured palate, with a lingering finish.
Johann Michel Cornas Cuvee Mere Michel is made from 100 percent Syrah.
Cuvee Mère Michel was first introduced in 2016 and is not produced every year. This wine is a tribute to Johann Michel' wife, Emmanuelle, and a nod to the French song, La Mere Michel. This wines comes from Selection Massale (replanting new vineyards with cuttings from exceptional old vines from the same property) cuttings of Serine off the 1947 Yves Cuilleron vineyard at Chavanay. The vineyards are located in the lieu-dit "Les Cotes" at an altitude of 230 meters and benefiting from a southern sun exposure.
Review:
"Only made in top vintages, the 2018 Cornas Mère Michel is a tribute to Johann's wife and a play on the French song "La Mere Michelle." Brought up in a new demi-muid, it's a richer, broader wine compared to the Cuvée Jana yet still has incredible Cornas style in its red, black, and blue fruits as well as notes of toasted spice, roasted meat, chocolate, and wild herbs. Rich, full-bodied, and opulent, it has a touch more upfront appeal and should be drinkable in just 4-5 years yet also evolve for two decades." -
Jeb Dunnuck (Northern Rhône: The 2018s and 2019s, November 19th 2020), 98 pts
Johann Michel Cuvee Grain Noir is made from 100 percent Syrah
This is delicious. Expressive, deep, rich, silky and juicy.
Well structured and round, it displays red fruit, leather, black cherry, liquorice and black berry aromas.
This Cornas is a blend from 2 different vineyard sites:
- 60% of the final blend is coming from vineyards located on the hillside (16 year old vines on the "coteau") which is planted on sandy soils, decomposed granite and some roicks, giving the strucutre, the spiciness and the licorice type of flavors to the blend.
- the other 40% of the final blend is coming from the bottom of the slope (40 years old vines on the "pied de coteau") which is planted on sandy soils, bringing acidity and balance to the wine.
Manual harvest, selection of the grapes, 100% destemming, fermentation in tanks for 3 weeks, daily remontage and pigeage.
Malolactic fermentation in oak barrels and aging on the lees for 12-18 months in barrels (2 to 4 year old barrels)
Ossian Capitel Verdejo is made from 100% Verdejo.
Ossian Capital represents a particular expression of very old Verdejo vines, taking its potential far finesse, elegance and longevity. It is made in selected years with a selection of extraordinary grapes.
Color: Old golden yellow color with greenish reflections.
Aromas: Surprisingly nuanced and profound.
Flavors: Fresh, full and very light.
Review:
"The 2020 Capitel is pure Verdejo from the oldest vines from the Peña Aguda vineyard in the village of Nieva on slate soils. This is the last vineyard to be bottled and has higher alcohol (14%) than the rest of the vineyards despite now harvesting earlier. The wine has a different aromatic profile but getting closer to the style of Ossian, less opulent than in the past, with more energy, quite fruit-driven with some exotic notes reminiscent of banana skin. The whole clusters were pressed and the juice put to ferment in barrel where the wine matured with the lees and, starting this year, without bâtonnage, because they feel the wines have enough volume and stirring the lees can bring more oxidation to the wine. 2,500 bottles produced. - Luis GUTIERREZ"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (January 31st 2023), 93+ pts
Holocene The Black Square Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
There is something ethereal about Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the cobblestone soils of the Walla Walla Valley. This region offers aromatic exuberance, elegance, finesse, a polished texture, layered complexity, and remarkable length. It is a place where one can craft a singular, stand-alone example of this varietal—unique not only in the United States but worldwide—while still echoing some of our favorite wines from Bordeaux.
In 2022, Winemaker Todd Alexander embarked on a new (yet familiar) journey that he had been patiently awaiting the perfect moment to explore. The Black Square is in its inaugural vintage, and this 2022 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Oregon, which is part of the Walla Walla Valley.
The Black Square embodies elegance and grace framed by great structure, supple texture, and acidity to ensure longevity. It shows ample fruit with complex savory notes. This is not a heavy wine that is monolithic and dull—there are already plenty of those available. This wine offers a unique expression of Cabernet; it may be the most delicious wine Todd Alexander has ever crafted, venturing into new territory for Rocks District Cabernet Sauvignon.
Review:
As black as squid ink, The Black Square is balance personified. A concentrated blackberry aroma seems as dark as the wine's name, with equally dark espresso, olive and charred steak notes joining it in the abyss. A dark plum and ripe boysenberry flavor combo is accompanied by traces of salty Mission olives, wet slate and silky smooth tannins. The one bright feature illuminating the way is the wine's amped-up acidity. None so black
-Wine Enthusiast 98 Points Number 5 in the Top 100