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Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot 2016 (magnum)

Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot 2016 is made from 75% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot.

Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world's top wineries, teamed with Washington State wine visionary Allen Shoup to produce this limited release wine.

With its intense color and inviting aromas of dark berries, licorice, baking spice and a hint of smoke, the Pedestal is a bold wine that leaves a lasting impression. Dark fruit flavors integrated with sweetness from the barrel and richness from the tannins come together seamlessly, lingering across a structured mid-palate and lengthy finish.

Winemaking: Hand-harvested grapes were double-sorted to remove green material that might impart harsh tannins, then most of the lots were cold soaked to build richness and flavor before undergoing whole-berry fermentation in 55L upright French wood tanks. This, combined with gentle pump-overs throughout fermentation, enhanced the wine’s color, texture and mouthfeel. The finished wine was aged 22 months in 85% new French oak barrels.

Review:


"The 2016 Pedestal from Michel Rolland checks in as a blend of 75% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot that spent 22 months in 85% new French oak. It has a rocking bouquet of smoked black fruits, espresso, chocolate, and tobacco that gives way to a full-bodied, plump, incredibly sexy red that does everything right. It's one serious mouthful of Merlot and should keep for 10-12 years." - Jeb Dunnuck (April 2019), 95 pts



"The 2016 Pedestal Merlot has a precise nose of dusty plum, red flowers and soft oak tones with an elegant aroma of pencil lead fluttering about. The medium to full-bodied palate is clean and correct, with plush dark red fruit, dusty tannins, purple flowers and soft oak spices of vanilla, cardamom and nutmeg. The wine ends with a long, thoughtful, well-balanced finish that delivers complexity and pleasure simultaneously. Michel Rolland made this beauty of a bottle. - Anthony Mueller"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #246, December 2019), 94 pts 


 95 Points
Milsetentayseis 1076 Ribera del Duero Tinto 2020

Milsetentayseis 1076 Ribera del Duero Tinto is made with 95% Tempranillo and 5% other native varieties.

TASTING NOTES: A product of its unique landscape, extreme altitude and mineral-rich soil, 1076 Tinto is a bold wine with a distinct character designed to evolve over time. Its freshness and intensely fruity expression are representative of a modern style, moving away from excess, in search of the elegance, smoothness and balance found in the great wines of the world.

TERROIR: A recently restored vineyard situated at over 3,280 feet of altitude where ancestral vines over 100 years old grow harmoniously together with new, indigenous plantings in varied soil comprised of red clay, sand and mineral deposits of quartz, mica, and feldspar.

WINEMAKING: Hand-harvested from a selection of the best plots in the vineyard then separated into concrete, oak or stainless steel fermentation vats depending on the characteristics of the grape and the soil where it was grown. Its production is defined by the team´s constant vigilance throughout the process and their in-depth knowledge of the region, the soil and the native varieties that thrive there.

 

Pair with spit-Fire Roasted Suckling Pig.

 





Pine Ridge Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Pine Ridge Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 7% Petite Sirah, 5% Malbec.

While admiring the cranberry red hue, forward fruit aromatics of black cherry and cassis begin to make your mouth water before the first sip! On the palate, juicy notes of blueberry compote and cherry cordial meld seamlessly with hints of cinnamon and cream soda. The wine methodically transitions from the bright, round entry through the viscous midpalate and onto a broad-shouldered finish. This is where hints of clove, graham cracker and toasted marshmallow are juxtaposed with those of dark roast coffee and Bing cherry. This wine can be enjoyed now but will benefit from another 10 to 20 years of bottle age.


It pairs beautifully with a vegetarian chili and cornbread slathered in a generous helping of sweet cream butter.


Review:

Alluring nuances of rose petal, tobacco and cinnamon lead into a ripe, chocolaty palate of black cherries, cocoa and raspberries as a soft, velvety texture achieves a very smooth mouthfeel.

-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points

 Wine Enthusiast: 93
Poggio San Polo Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2015

Poggio San Polo Podernovi Brunello di Montalcino is made from Sangiovese. 


Intense ruby red in color with garnet hues, clear and glossy. The bouquet exhibits typical aromas of violets and small red berries. Subtle nuances of forest undergrowth, aromatic wood, a touch of vanilla and jammy mixed fruit then give way to subtle hints of coffee. This Brunello is intense, persistent, broad and heady. Full-bodied and warm on the palate, with a densely-woven texture and robust body, it has a persistent finish with well-rounded tannins. The particular features of the terroir at San Polo produce a Brunello with a capacity for lengthy aging, while patient cellaring enhances the wine during ageing in the bottle.

Review:

Lovely purity of fruit with ultra fine tannins and depth, finesse and complexity. Black cherries, cedar and some flowers. It’s full-bodied with very fine tannins that drive the finish. Give it a year or two to open more, but already so enticing. Drink or hold.

-James Suckling 96 Points

The San Polo 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva (with 8,000 bottles produced) is a textured wine with hearty fruit and touches of smoked meat and spice. At its core, the wine offers dark fruit, blackberry and ripe plum. The rich fruitiness of the wine cedes to campfire ash, mahogany and furniture wax. These results are sultry and even a bit flashy, with distant background tones of teriyaki and plum sauce. The wine is fermented in cylindrical oak fermenters and aged in oak for three years. We'll see this bottle hitting the market sometime after February 2021.

-Wine Advocate 95 Points


 Wine Advocate: 95 96 Points
Raats MR Mvemve Raats de Compostella 2016

Raats MR Mvemve Raats de Compostella is made from 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 12% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot

The name de Compostella (meaning “field of stars” or “compilation of stars”) was chosen to reflect the fact that each component is crafted to stand alone as a world class varietal wine. The wine exhibits a deep, dark ruby color. Blackcurrant and black cherry fruit with hints of violets, cedar and cinnamon are revealed on the nose. The palate is rich and complex with mineral, blackberry fruit and dark chocolate on the finish. The five Bordeaux varietals harmoniously convene in this consistent, linear flavor profile that is polished with a well-defined finish.



Review:

he 2020 De Compostella is composed of 30% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 16% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Beginning with a focused, juicy and complex nose of dark red fruits, the wine has impeccable balance between oak, fruit and earthy floral tones. Full-bodied and with succulent acidity, the palette offers a firm frame of fine-grained tannins, while the fruit profile makes way for elegant earth and notes of crème de cassis sway with subtle flavors of sage and spiced plum. The red blend continues to somersault and reveal its complexities over the long-lingering and ever-evolving finish. Be patient with this exceptional wine

-Wine Advocate 95 Points



 Vinous Antonio Galloni: 94 Wine Advocate: 95 Wine Enthusiast: 94
Trapiche Terroir Series Finca Orellana 2015

Trapiche Terroir Series Finca Orellana is made from 100 percent Malbec.

The history of Trapiche begins in 1883, in a small vineyard called El Trapiche, in the district of Godoy Cruz, Mendoza, where the grapes for the first fine wines were grown. With more than 130 years of experience, Trapiche has earned its place as a pioneering brand in the introduction of French vines, the production of varietal wines, the import of French oak barrels and the use of stainless steel tanks. True to its origins, today Trapiche is in a continuous quest for the latest best practices .Led by Daniel Pi, Director of Winemaking, Trapiche's winemaking team permanently strives to improve winemaking practices by exchanging experience and knowledge with winemakers from other wine producing countries such as France, the US, Australia and New Zealand.


With a deep garnet red color, this Malbec expresses aromas of red fruits such as cherries and currants, and intense balsamic notes with hints of fresh herbs. In the mouth, it is sweet and broad with a great concentration of fruit and soft, ripe tannins. It has a long, persistent and elegant finish.

Review:

El Peral may not be on the radar of many Argentine Malbec lovers. But if you take a look at Descorchados, you will realize that here we are fans of this area, a place of gentle hills, streams and trees. This vineyard was planted in 1946, and today it delivers deliciously liquefied fruit, with hints of cherries and cassis, but above all violets and blackberries in a long and deep body. Give it at least ten years in the bottle.

-Patricio Tapia - Descorchados 95 Points

-Tim Atkin 95 Points


 95 Points
Bodegas Emilio Moro Malleolus de Valderramiro 2018

Deep cherry red in color with a garnet rim. On the nose, it is intense and elegant, with a base of ripe fruits that blends with the subtle tertiary aromas of sweet spices and cocoa. On the palate, it is balanced, full-bodied but with sweet and pleasant tannins, with a long and very persistent aftertaste.

Review:

This dark-violet-red-colored wine gives off aromas of raspberry, orange zest and cocoa powder. Brilliant acidity washes across and then remains on the palate, joined by plush tannins and flavors of black cherry, pomegranate, milk chocolate, fennel pollen and lavender. Drink through 2047.

-Wine Enthusiast Cellar Selection 98 Points




 Wine Enthusiast: 98
Chateau Brule Secaille Grande Reserve Cotes de Bourg Rouge 2016

Chateau Brule Secaille Grande Reserve Cotes de Bourg Rouge  is made from 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec.

The color is deep dark ruby. limpid and brilliant. The nose is intense and complex with hints of blackberries, sweet spicies, noble plain chocolate and Vanilla. The palate is full bodied, very long with well integrated tannins. The finish is very fresh and luscious with toasted notes in the background.

Average age of the vines is 30 years.
Manual harvest from September 21th to October 7th 2015.
Upon arrival at the winery, only the best grapes were selected using a sorting table.
Skin contact maceration during 2 weeks in temperature controlled vats.
Aged 12 months in Oak barrels. (1/3 new oak, 1/3 1 year old and 1/3 two year old barrels). They use 60% French Oak and 40% American Oak.

Served with red meat (beef filet, sirloin),  pork tenderloin, roasted duck breast with honey&orange sauce, roasted lamb with thyme, poultry and fine cheese.

Review:

  "A purple-colored, young wine dominated by Merlot, this is rich, structured and full of blackberries. With a good balance between the fruit and the tannins already in place, it shows excellent potential. Drink this already delicious but still firm wine from 2022. - ROGER VOSS"
- Wine Enthusiast (December 2018, Best of Year 2018 Issue), 90 pts

 Wine Enthusiast: 90
Delas Freres Cote Rotie La Landonne Rouge 2019

Delas Freres Cote Rotie La Landonne Rouge is made from 100 percent Syrah.

This very ancient region dates back to the Roman Era and is located on the right bank of the Rhône. It is said that during the Middle Ages, “The Seigneur de Maugiron” gave a hillside to each of his two daughters - one was brunette and the other fair - thus, were born the names of “Côte Brune” and “Côte Blonde.” Wines from the Côte Blonde tend to be more delicate and lighter in character than the fuller wines of the Côte Brune. Together, they make a wine of style and substance. This cuvée is a vineyard plot selection. The grapes come exclusively from a plot within the named slope of “La Landonne.”

This cuvée‘s first vintage was 1997. The wine is only made in the very best years. Its highly limited production never exceeds 2,500 bottles per year.


The steep, terraced hillsides along the river produce wines that are among the "biggest" reds of France. The Delas Côte-Rôtie is primarily Syrah with an addition of up to 10 to 20% of Viognier grapes in the crop. The soils of the northern part of the Côte Brune vineyard consists of extremely steep, terraced slopes of ferruginous mica schists which are covered with schist sand (arzel). The Côte Blonde has a varied geology with gneiss and granite predominating at the most southern side of the appellation. The area has dry, hot summers with regular rainfalls during other seasons. The grapes for the “La Landonne” cuvée are picked by hand at maximum maturity. Fermentation takes place in traditional open-topped concrete tanks, following three days of pre-fermentation cold maceration. Before fermentation, the maceration process continues under controlled temperatures of 82°F to 86°F. Daily cap pushing down and pumping over are carried out for about 10 days with total vatting time of up to 20 days. The wine is aged for 14 to 16 months in new or one year old oak casks. The barrels are topped up regularly.
Food Pairing: This wine pairs wonderfully with fine meats, roasted beef, water games, truffles and spicy stews. The bottle should be opened 1 to 3 hours before drinking. This wine needs at least 3 years cellaring before it can open up its complexity. In such case it is strongly recommended to decant before serving.

Tasting Notes: The wine‘s deep color is underscored by plummy hues. A complex nose shows deep, fruity aromas with hints of licorice and roasted coffee. Endowed with a dense and silky tannic structure, this is a full, fleshy wine that provides an ample and generous palate. Its lasting finish speaks of considerable ageing potential.


Reviews:

This is dark and still a bit reticent, with a cast iron cloak around the core of dark currant, plum and blackberry paste flavors, showing lots of sweet bay leaf, anise and singed apple wood notes in the background. There's serious grip through the finish. For the cellar.

-Wine Spectator 96 Points

Very open, spicy and fresh on the nose, you could almost open this now. Struck flint notes assist in teasing out notes of leaf tea, tobacco, rosemary and rose. Very full-bodied, generous but powerful on the palate, tense and mineral. Mouthcoating ripe, sweet tannin and robust amounts of sweet baking spices, along with more tobacco and black fruit on the palate. Has depth, length, power and impressive balance despite the high alcohol. Drink from now into 2022, or from 2031 to 2040. Lieu-dit La Landonne, from the Brune side (mica schist bedrock). Matured in new and one-year-old barrels for 14 months.

-Decanter 96 Points

The 2019 Côte Rôtie La Landonne comes from one of the greatest sites for Syrah in the world, the La Landonne lieu-dit located close to the center of the appellation, on the Côte Brune side. It reveals a deeper purple hue (it's slightly more opaque than the Seigneur de Maugiron) and offers a brilliant nose of ripe cassis, black raspberries, scorched earth, smoked herbs, and seared meat. Full-bodied and powerful on the palate, this is a deep, spicy, concentrated Côte Rôtie with a plush, layered mouthfeel, sweet tannins, beautiful balance, and a great, great finish. This puppy brings the fruit, opulence, and texture of the vintage yet still has a classic Côte Rôtie character.
-Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points

Fresh aromatic layers of mint sit atop crushed red cherries and wild strawberries, with light clove and thyme on the nose. The palate is rich and enticing with black cherries, plums, rhubarb, pomegranate seeds, black olives and freshly picked rosemary leaves. Tremendous texture, structure, and refreshing acidity carry this wine to a robust finish of orange zest and black tea leaves. Maisons Marques & Domaines USA.

- Wine Enthusiast 96 Points

Overview

This very ancient region dates back to the Roman Era and is located on the right bank of the Rhône. It is said that during the Middle Ages, “The Seigneur de Maugiron” gave a hillside to each of his two daughters - one was brunette and the other fair - thus, were born the names of “Côte Brune” and “Côte Blonde.” Wines from the Côte Blonde tend to be more delicate and lighter in character than the fuller wines of the Côte Brune. Together, they make a wine of style and substance. This cuvée is a vineyard plot selection. The grapes come exclusively from a plot within the named slope of “La Landonne.”

This cuvée‘s first vintage was 1997. The wine is only made in the very best years. Its highly limited production never exceeds 2,500 bottles per year.


Winemaking

The steep, terraced hillsides along the river produce wines that are among the "biggest" reds of France. The Delas Côte-Rôtie is primarily Syrah with an addition of up to 10 to 20% of Viognier grapes in the crop. The soils of the northern part of the Côte Brune vineyard consists of extremely steep, terraced slopes of ferruginous mica schists which are covered with schist sand (arzel). The Côte Blonde has a varied geology with gneiss and granite predominating at the most southern side of the appellation. The area has dry, hot summers with regular rainfalls during other seasons. The grapes for the “La Landonne” cuvée are picked by hand at maximum maturity. Fermentation takes place in traditional open-topped concrete tanks, following three days of pre-fermentation cold maceration. Before fermentation, the maceration process continues under controlled temperatures of 82°F to 86°F. Daily cap pushing down and pumping over are carried out for about 10 days with total vatting time of up to 20 days. The wine is aged for 14 to 16 months in new or one year old oak casks. The barrels are topped up regularly.

Tasting Notes

The wine‘s deep color is underscored by plummy hues. A complex nose shows deep, fruity aromas with hints of licorice and roasted coffee. Endowed with a dense and silky tannic structure, this is a full, fleshy wine that provides an ample and generous palate. Its lasting finish speaks of considerable ageing potential.

Food Pairing

This wine pairs wonderfully with fine meats, roasted beef, water games, truffles and spicy stews. The bottle should be opened 1 to 3 hours before drinking. This wine needs at least 3 years cellaring before it can open up its complexity. In such case it is strongly recommended to decant before serving.

 Wine Enthusiast: 96 Wine Spectator: 96 96 Points
Delas Hermitage Les Grandes Vignes Ligne de Crete 2019

Delas Hermitage Les Grandes Vignes Ligne de Crete is made from Syrah. 

The nose discloses aromas of spice and leather intertwined with deep berry aromas (blackberry, redcurrant) and heady floral notes, liquorice and incense. Its richness, complexity and elegance are by no means a contradiction. The finest granite soils of the Hermitage hillside are to thank for this wine's incredible minerality and finesse. The wine is rich and dense on entry to the palate, where it shows an elegant, broad and flavorsome character. The ripe, smooth and well-integrated tannins contribute to the wine's powerful yet harmonious structure. The palate reveals the same aromas as those found on the nose with nuances of blueberry, raspberry, violet and bitter chocolate. Ligne de Crête is characterized by its exceptional structure, harmony and balance.

This remarkably smooth and elegant wine makes the perfect partner for a pigeon pie, beef tartare ravioli or a roast fillet of deviled duckling with cranberries. It also makes an excellent choice for woodcock, hare "à la Royale" or even a roast rack of lamb in a herb crust.

Review:

Whiffs of espresso, ore and charred meat mingle into thunderous flavors of crème de cassis and roasted plums in this wine. A single-site expression of Les Grandes Vignes from a ripe yet fresh vintage, it's a showstopping Syrah marked with a creamy texture and ripe tannins. Hermitage is not known for youthful pleasures but this rare bottling embraces the hedonism of adolescence along with its potential to gain power and complexity far beyond 2050. Anna Lee C. Iijima

-Wine Enthusiast 97 Points

Inky ruby color. Expansive, smoke- and mineral-accented black and blue fruits, licorice, smoky bacon, mocha, violet and licorice on the highly perfumed nose. Appealingly sweet, mineral-accented cassis, boysenberry, fruitcake, floral pastille and vanilla flavors show superb depth and become spicier with aeration. Shows superb detail and mineral lift on the youthfully tannic, extremely persistent and incisive finish, which features resonating floral and exotic spice notes.

-Vinous 97 Points

 Vinous Antonio Galloni: 97 Wine Enthusiast: 97
Maltus Lalande de Pomerol 2020

 

Maltus Lalande de Pomerol is made from 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.


This is the newest project from Nicolas Lassagne (Chateau des Landes). 
He acquired this 2.5 ha (6.17 acres) parcel in 2015.

Beautiful sustained deep purple color
The Bouquet is rich, generous, complex and reveals notes of black fruits.
The palate is round and powerful with some good integrated tannins. The finish is long and structured.

Origin of the name: 
History tells us that the origin of the Château Maltus goes back to the Middle Ages, in the time of the crusades. The Order of Malt, well implanted on the land named Lalande de Pomerol, cultivated for the first time vines on the grounds of the Château Maltus.

 

Review:

 "A ripe, spicy and black-fruited wine, this has some dense tannins as well as fine blackberry flavors. The wine's acidity is muted at this stage, masked by the wine's powerful Merlot fruit flavors. Drink the wine from 2025. - Roger VOSS."

 - Wine Enthusiast (December 2022), 90 pts



Pago de los Capellanes Reserva 2019
Pago de los Capellanes Reserva is made from 100% Tempranillo.

After carefully monitoring the vineyards, we determine the date of the harvest based on the maturity of the grapes. The varieties are collected and fermented separately in 20,000 litre tanks.

In 2007, production was just less than 5000 kg per hectare. This wine is prepared with Tempranillo 100% grapes from our vineyards.

The grapes are initially subjected to a six-day pre-fermentation cold maceration below 14ºC. They then undergo 30 days of alcoholic fermentation at a controlled temperature of 28ºC, after which the wine is removed from the tanks without pressing the grape skins. The malolactic fermentation is slow and relaxed at a temperature of 20 ºC for 28 days without the addition of bacteria.

The wine is aged for18 months in new French oak barrels and is decanted into new barrels every six months. At the end of this period, the wine is blended and bottled without undergoing any type of filtration, clarification or cold treatment.

Prepared with Tempranillo grapes (100%), this wine has a ruby red colour with very pure, intense garnet tones.

Its bouquet has fine complexity with tones of ripened fruit, especially cherries, blue berries and black currants, which are in harmony with tones of good wood, spices (vanilla and coconut) and a liquorice undertone.

In the mouth, this wine displays great balance, proving pleasing to the taste, sweet due to the maturity of its tannins and exuberant on account of its pleasant level of acidity.

Vineyard: 

Pago de los Capellanes, Pedrosa de Duero. 

Variety composition: 

100% Tempranillo.

Type of soil: 

Clayey and chalky. 

Aging: 

18 months in barrel and remainder on rack.

Type of oak: 

100% French oak, medium toast.

Serving: 

Uncork and decant one hour before serving at a temperature of 16-18 ºC.

 


Antica Vigna Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva 2015

Antica Vigna Amarone della Valpolicella Riserva is made from 65% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 10% Corvinone, 5% Merlot.

Amarone DOCG has maintained unchanged its typicality, so that “the essence of the territory” of Valle di Mezzane and Cazzano di Tramigna powerfully emerges. Rich in color, firmly structured but with fresh notes. 

WINEMAKING AND AGING:

Manual harvest early October with selection of the best bunches.
Drying: natural drying in fruit cellar for 3/4 months with a sharp drop in weight of around 30%.
Vinification: soft crushing of destemmed grapes in the months of January and February.
Fermentation: at a controlled temperature of 18/21°C. Fermentation time: about 30 days
Aging:· 80% in oak barrels for 30 months of which 2/3 in American and French barriques, half of which are used for the second and third time, 1/3 in large


THE TERRITORY:
Geographical location: Tenuta di Mezzane, Tenuta di Cazzano di Tramigna
Height: 350/400 meters asl
Exposure: south
Soil type: limestone
Vineyard training system: guyot and pergola
Vine planting year: from 1972 to 2009
Vine density: 4,000 to 5,400 vines per hectare Vineyard management: sustainable agriculture and great attention to natural
cycles

Pairs well with grilled and roasted meats, as well as cheese.

Timeless Notes:

Dark cherry in color, firm on the palate with a vibrant acidity underbelly.  Thought lush on the palate the flavors are complex and elegant from entry to mid-palate with hints of currant and wild berries. The finish brings in a touch of tobacco and leather notes ,classic examples of this region, with more ripe fruit flavors that linger on long strain tannin finish.   Complex with depth and elegance on the palate.  This one is drinking now, but can handle more time in the cellar with ease. An excellent value in the Riserva category.






Babylons Peak Paardeberg Shiraz 2019

Babylons Peak Paardeberg Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz. 

Babylon's Peak winery, situated on the highest weathered granite slopes of the Paardeberg Mountain, is privately owned by the Basson family who has passed down the tradition, passion and art of winemaking over four generations. Predominantly low-yield dryland bushvines are selected to produce these excellent wines with distinctive character.

A classic Shiraz with dark fruit, violets and white pepper. An elegant wine with ripe tannins and a lingering aftertaste.

The grapes were harvested by hand. The grapes were destalked only, no crushing was done. Cold maceration was done before fermentation started in open fermenters. The grapes fermented between 24-26°C for 5-7 days, after which the wine was taken to barrels where it went through malolactic fermentation. After malolactic fermentation was completed, the wine spent 14 months in 225 litre French oak barrels until bottling.

Pairs with rich and creamy meat dishes eg. oxtail and venison.

 

Benjamin Romeo La Cueva del Contador 2014

Benjamin Romeo La Cueva del Contador is made from 91% Tempranillo, 9% Garnacha.

Named after the centuries-old caves or “cuevas” carved out of the hillside below the castle of San Vicente in Sonsierra north of the Ebro, this wine is composed of 91 percent Tempranillo and 9 percent Garnacha. The fruit is sourced from eight different plots that yield about 1.2 kg per vine. Fermentation begins after a three-day cold maceration and the wine is aged for nineteen months in 100 percent new French oak and bottled without fining or filtration.

The palate offers flavors of blackberry coulis, Damson plums, Rosemary and well-integrated tannins; this wine is well balanced and youthful with a long powerful finish. Both red and black fruit are pronounced in the nose, but there are also mineral and herbal notes of gravel and lavender.

Review:

Appearance Intense garnet red dress of great luminosity and elegance. Aroma Slightly candied fruit tones, toasted from a good barrel, intense. Palate Powerful and marked on the palate, velvety, round, tasty and balanced.

Guia Repsol 95 Points

Youthful purple. A complex, oak-spiced bouquet displays ripe boysenberry and cherry, candied violet, cola and mocha scents lifted by a vibrant mineral flourish. Deeply concentrated yet lively as well, offering intense dark fruit preserve, cola and spicecake flavors that show excellent delineation and floral lift. Manages to be rich as well as lively and finishes very long and alluringly sweet, leaving allspice and vanilla notes behind.

-Vinous 93 Points

 Vinous Antonio Galloni: 93 95 Points
Benjamin Romeo La Cueva del Contador 2019

Benjamin Romeo La Cueva del Contador is made from 91% Tempranillo, 9% Garnacha.

Named after the centuries-old caves or “cuevas” carved out of the hillside below the castle of San Vicente in Sonsierra north of the Ebro, this wine is composed of 91 percent Tempranillo and 9 percent Garnacha. The fruit is sourced from eight different plots that yield about 1.2 kg per vine. Fermentation begins after a three-day cold maceration and the wine is aged for nineteen months in 100 percent new French oak and bottled without fining or filtration.

The palate offers flavors of blackberry coulis, Damson plums, Rosemary and well-integrated tannins; this wine is well balanced and youthful with a long powerful finish. Both red and black fruit are pronounced in the nose, but there are also mineral and herbal notes of gravel and lavender.

Review:

 I found cleaner aromas and a fresher quality and finer tannins in the 2019 La Cueva del Contador, a quite complete wine with elegance and finesse combined with power and concentration. The oak is still noticeable after 18 months in new barriques, and I'd wait a little longer before pulling the cork. It has the perfume of La Cueva in the background. It should resurface with a little more time in bottle. 10,000 bottles produced.

-Wine Advocate 95 Points

 Wine Advocate: 95
Bernardins Beaumes de Venise Rouge Cru 2022

Bernardins Beaumes de Venise Rouge Cru Cotes du Rhone is made from 65% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Grenache Blanc.

Bright ruby color with cherry tinges. Complex black fruit aromas on the nose enhanced by spicy notes. Rounded palate with good length.

The wine is drinking well right now and can be kept for another 10 years.

Situation
Spreads out over the south-east side of the Dentelles de Montmirail hills, in Beaumes de Venise in the southern part of the Rhone valley.

Terroir
 On a poor sandy, hungry and arid soil consisting of tender limestone and gritty zones of sandy mollasse.

In the vineyard
The vineyards and their terroir are the essence of our wines. This is where everything starts and where we focus our efforts throughout the year. You can’t make great wine without great grapes.

The viticulture is essentially done by hand. Five people work full-time in the vineyards. They are supplemented by seasonal employees who work during bunch thinning and the harvest in order to bring out the very best in our vines. Working by hand and the attention each vine gets are fundamental. Pruning, de-budding, trellising, leaf removal and picking are thus carried out by hand with the utmost care.

We prepare the soil by using good old-fashioned ploughing. Organic compost is made from grape marc (the discarded stalks and skins).

As a way of protecting the plants, we only use phytosanitary products when necessary and within strict guidelines by staggering the treatments appropriately, to minimise the amount of chemicals used. We prefer to use as much as possible manual and organic techniques . Leaving natural grass cover, removing buds and leaves from the vines, preserving biodiversity around the vineyard: olive, almond and cypress trees, wild rosemary and capers.

Winemaking
We make two red wines at the estate. Terroir wines shaped by the two classic Côtes du Rhône varieties: Grenache and Syrah. We don’t follow any winemaking recipe but are constantly searching for the perfect expression of terroir and each vintage’s particular characteristics. We don’t go for overripe grapes and over-extraction, as we think the wine has to stay refreshing and balanced.

Leaving the wine for 15 days in concrete vats, we try to gently extract the tannins and anthocyanins essential for the wine’s structure and colour. The wine doesn’t come into any contact with wood during ageing. This way the characteristics of our terroir can fully express

Serve with a meal especially red meat, game and cheese.

 





Bernardins Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Hommage (500ml)

Bernardins Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Hommage is made from 75% Muscat petits grains blancs, 25% Muscat petits grains noirs.

The wine shows a golden hue with orangy highlights. Endearing nose of grape, orange peel and a honeyed accent. Mild at point of entry, spendid aromatic intensity, sultana, candied orange, rose petal and refined spice. Our Muscat de Beaumes de Venise has a great age ability.

For every vintage of our Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, the grapes are picked by hand. We press them straightaway to ferment the juice without skins. We don’t add any yeasts and keep the alcoholic fermentation in check by temperature control. Vin Doux Naturel winemaking involves stopping fermentation to preserve the grapes’ natural sweetness. During vinification, we watch the vats day and night and add 95% grape spirit just at the right moment. At this stage, the wine’s final balance is at stake. For the Hommage, we blend different vintages, aged in stain steel vats, to create the complexity of a long lasting wine.

The Hommage is a versatile companion to many deserts. Most expressive with dry biscuits and dry fruits, it retains all its character served with a fruit tart, puff paestry and chocolate or coffe desserts. To appreciate as well with duck breasts and figs. Served with a roquefort or a silton, it is marvellous. Simply as an aperitif with some dry fruit or grilled almonds. It's also a good compagnion for a classy cigars.

Betz Family Domaine de Pierres Syrah 2019

Betz Family Domaine de Pierres Syrah is made from 100% Syrah.

With our long history of making single site syrah's in Washington, it made sense for us to venture into the Rocks District of Milton Freewater in the Walla Walla Valley to bring you our newest syrah, "Domaine de Pierres."

The Rocks AVA produces syrah that shows a distinct character, separating it from any other site in Washington State. One thing in particular that has drawn people here is the gallet stones present throughout the valley. They are very similar to the pudding stones that are found in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and can be anywhere from golf ball size, to softball size or larger. Since we purchased the vineyard in 2014 we have been tilling the earth multiple times every season to expose these rocks. The gallet stones act like a heat sink, giving a little extra push to help ripen syrah in an area with marginal heat accumulation. 

In the glass, Domaine de Pierres stands out from our other syrah's because of its incredibly savory profile. Notes of roasted meat, fresh herbs, olive tapenade, tobacco and graphite are supported by dark fruit, espresso, and lavendar. The wine has a lower acidity and higher PH than our other wines, which contributes to a velvety, full bodied mouthfeel. Even in the cellar, we immediately noticed a difference in the color, aromatics and flavor that these syrah grapes were able to express. 

The other big reason that we are so excited about the wine from this particular AVA, is that the history of the Rocks is happening right now! Our vineyard, “Ancient Stones,” has only been planted there since 2007, and the beginning of the Rocks as a wine growing region only really started in the 1990's. There is a lot of energy and exploration going on, and it has been a fun experience for our team to be a part of it.  We still have so much to learn about this region and it is very exciting to feel like we are on the upward swing!

 

Review:

"This red offers a steely core of crushed rock and vibrant acidity framed by handsome blackberry, cherry, green olive and licorice flavors that build tension toward medium-grained tannins. The name of this wine—French for "Field of Stones"—is apt. Drink now through 2032. - Tim FISH."

- Wine Spectator's Insider (July 6th 2022), 94 pts

 Wine Spectator: 94
Bodegas Monte Aman Tempranillo 5 Meses en Barrica Roble 1996


All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.




Boroli Barolo Brunella 2015

Boroli Barolo Brunella is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.

A clear ruby red color, with very light orange reflections. A net aroma in which liquorice stands out at first, immediately followed by a fruity scent; the aroma makes you scent it again and again to discover different and pleasant facets. The fruity aroma magnificently prevails after a few minutes in the glass. A very enveloping, fresh and harmonious taste, with a delicate and tasty presence of wood. A long lasting taste that invites to sip it slowly again and again.


Tasting Notes

Brunella is distinguished by a careful selection of grapes, perfect destemming, long macerations with submerged cap. The barrels for Brunella are specifically chosen by the winemaker.


Wine Production

Brunella is one of the most historic single vineyard sites of all of Castiglione Falletto, however it hasn’t ever been bottled singularly under the Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva BRUNELLA until 2013. The Brunella vineyard occupies the western crest of the Villero hillside and complete surrounds the Boroli winery.  The vineyard is a monopole—owned entirely by Boroli and is the most prestigious wine in the lineup.  As it occupies the best exposed section of the Villero hillside, La Brunella expresses power, drive, complexity, and extraordinary length and ageability.


About the Vineyard

The Boroli family is a family of entrepreneurs, with roots in Piedmont dating back to 1831.  The family started their winemaking business in1997, when Silvano and Elena Boroli felt an ardent desire to step away from the pressures of their publishing business and reconnect to nature. Silvano and Elena grew the company until their son, Achille, stepped in to run the wine-growing and production business in 2012.

With the 2012 grape harvest Achille decided to radically change the methods used in vineyards and wineries, aiming for the highest quality in Barolo and its crus. He cut production levels, updated the winemaking technology, and focused on low intervention methods to raise the quality of the Boroli wines be on par with the finest Barolo wines. 

Review:

Ripe red cherries and blood oranges, as well as herbs and roses on the nose, leading to a juicy and flavorful palate that has a swathe of bright, juicy red-fruit flavor. Drinking well now.

-James Suckling 93 Points

 93 Points
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