Baron Aime Cremant de Bourgogne Brut is made from 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Aligote.
Light yellow with bright reflections. The nose is fresh and lemony with subtle floral aromas, apple and citrus fruits. The mouth is fresh, delicate, tight and precise with fine bubbles that stimulate the palate nicely.
A delicious aperitif and a great match with shellfish.
Review:
Golden straw color. Aromas and flavors of brioche, green and yellow apple, dried pineapple, and lemon oil with a supple, vibrant, finely carbonated, dry medium body and a smooth, engaging, medium-long finish displaying impressions of croissant with salted butter and tart pear jam, white tea, and grapefruit peel with no oak flavor. A lovely and racy apéritif that will pair splendidly with a cheese and bread course."
- Beverage Testing Institute 93 pts - GOLD MEDAL - BEST BUY
Baron Aime Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Rose NV is made from 85% Pinot Noir & 15% Chardonnay.
Light pink color with coppery shades. The citrus notes blend subtly with aromas of strawberry, forming a fresh and delicate bouquet. The palate is lively, with notes of grapefruit and fresh bread. Together they form a rich, fresh and vibrant wine.
Review:
"Steely amber color. Aromas and flavors of strawberry, green apple, toasted oats, and creme fraiche with a satiny, lively, finely carbonated, dry light-to-medium body and a tingling, intricate, medium-length finish that presents overtones of slightly under ripe wild strawberries, apricot, warm bread dough, and lemon zest. Lively and bright for a perfect apéritif yet with just enough richness and body to carry you in seamlessly to the first course."
- Beverage Testing Institute (November 2022), 94 pts - GOLD MEDAL - BEST BUY
Bass Phillips Estate Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
For this reviewer's money, BP's Estate Pinot offers the best bang for buck. While still a special occasion wine, it's almost as gorgeous as its elder siblings, and crafted for drinking younger. Ironically, it's also the one that takes longest to open up. But when it does, it billows aromas of dried cranberry, cherry preserves, umami-like mushrooms, cocktail bitters and potpourri. The palate is silky with a lift of crystalline acidity, wound ultra fine, talc-like tannins. An iron fist in a velvet glove, this is long and elegant, able to age another 5-7 years but drinking beautifully right now.
-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points
Bastgen Blauschiefer Riesling is 100 percent Riesling.
Bright, clean, fresh and zesty. Grapefruit like flavors. Fruity aromas and a nice minerality, typical of the Riesling grape grown on blue slate soil. Round, rich and a very long finish.
They meticulously tend 4.5 ha (11.11 acres) of which 80% is Riesling. The soil is made of slate. Their vineyards are located in Kesten and Brauneberg, on a steep terrace, and planted to 50-year old vines. Fortunately for Bastgen, they own part of the famous Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr. The vines produce very small, ripe berries that are very tasty.
Review:
"Very enticing nose of ripe pear with some white peach and floral aromas! All the elegance and delicacy we expect from high-quality Mosel riesling, but this light-bodied and dry beauty is only an entry-level wine! Long, refreshing and delicate finish. This will be a bargain in all the markets it reaches. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. Screw cap. "
- James Sucking (November 2023), 92 pts
Bastgen Blauschiefer Riesling is 100 percent Riesling.
Bright, clean, fresh and zesty. Grapefruit like flavors. Fruity aromas and a nice minerality, typical of the Riesling grape grown on blue slate soil. Round, rich and a very long finish.
They meticulously tend 4.5 ha (11.11 acres) of which 80% is Riesling. The soil is made of slate. Their vineyards are located in Kesten and Brauneberg, on a steep terrace, and planted to 50-year old vines. Fortunately for Bastgen, they own part of the famous Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr. The vines produce very small, ripe berries that are very tasty. Excellent with oysters, seafood and deliciously refreshing on it's own.
The word "Balade" is French for wandering. This is a fitting term for our annual exploration of single-vineyard Pinot Noir & Chardonnay blocks on the west coast. Each vintage, we will bottle only the most compelling and nuanced expression of pinot noir from a single selected vineyard and release it as a limited bottling.
Tasting Notes
Beautiful golden hue with enticing aromas of honeyed almond, vanilla custard, ripe pear, and hints of lemon zest. On the palate, lush notes of apricot, crisp green apple, and a touch of toasted hazelnut come forward. This wine has a well-balanced mouthfeel that dances on the palate with bright, lively acidity and subtle minerality, offering a stunning
expression of a coastal driven Chardonnay.
Review:
Creamy, desirous notes of lemon curd bathed in toffee nougat reach a peak as it settles across the mouth thanks to a fine acid structure. Baked pear smooths out on mid-palate, with buttered croissant on the elegant, lengthy finish - The Tasting Panel, May/June 2025
-Tasting Panel 95 Points
Belle Glos Clark and Telephone Vineyard Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The Clark & Telephone Vineyard was established in 1972 and planted with “own root” Martini clone vines. Located just 13 miles from the ocean and situated on a west-facing slope, this vineyard experiences weather patterns that pull from west to east to bring cool fog and coastal breezes inland until August when Santa Ana winds begin.
We harvested early in the morning so the fruit would arrive at the winery while the grapes were still cool to preserve their vineyard-fresh flavors. After destemming (but not crushing) the berries, we cold-soaked the must for 14 days to soften the skins and allow for ideal extraction. During fermentation in a combination of closed and open-top stainless steel fermenters, we used both punch-down and pump-over techniques to extract color and phenolics. We aged the wine in 100% French oak (60% new) for up to 12 months. After the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, we racked it twice before bottling.
Deep ruby red in color with lush aromas of ripe cherry, nutmeg, dark chocolate and holiday baking spices. Bold and complex flavors of black plum, crushed raspberry and blueberry pie linger on the palate. The texture is rich and lively, and leads into a warm and structured finish.
Review:
Burnished black raspberry and graphite form a bond on a foundation of dark chocolate and sweet tobacco. White pepper outlines rose petal on the well-structured palate before perky acidity and a creamy weightiness highlight the lengthy finish.
-Tasting Panel 95 Points
Dark plum in color with abundant aromas of dark chocolate, black cherry, and sun-ripened blackberry with a hint of cedar. Layered flavors of blackberry and raspberry pie filling, accompanied by notes of cinnamon, chocolate, and nutmeg play on the palate. Smooth and focused with refined tannins and a medium finish.
Review:
-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
-Tasting Panel 94 Points
Belle Glos Las Alturas Vineyard Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Deep garnet in color with an aromatic medley of black cherry, marionberry, ripe plum and a hint of anise. Dark fruit on the palate with flavors of wild berries, caramelized oak and cacao nibs complemented by subtle notes of vanilla, cedar and a hint of lavender and forest floor. Rich and unrestrained, this wine’s abundant fruit is beautifully balanced by firm acidity and layers of red and black fruit.
Review:
Deep and dark aromas of black cherry, sandalwood and incense make for a heady nose on this bottling. The palate is big and bold, loaded with ripe black cherry and boysenberry flavors, as peppery, incense-like spices add complexity and the texture stays lusciously creamy.
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
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
Benjamin Romeo Predicador Tinto is made from 96 percent Tempranillo, 2 percent Garnacha, 1 percent Graciano and 1 percent Mazuelo.
Predicador, or “Preacher,” named after Clint Eastwood’s everyman character in the 1985 film Pale Rider, is composed of 96 percent Tempranillo, 2 percent Garnacha, 1 percent Graciano and 1 percent Mazuelo. The grapes are sourced from 15 different plots within San Vicente and Briones in Rioja Alta which on average yield less than 2 kg per vine. The wine is fermented in oak and stainless steel with a two-day cold maceration and aged for sixteen months in new French oak. The wine was filtered but not fined. This vintage some La Cueva del Contador, Contador and La Vina de Andres were added for concentration and balance.
The aromatics open up with crushed red cherries, balsamic notes and the sweet baking spices of cinnamon and clove. The fruity and spicy characteristics found in the nose follow through on the palate, along with dried cranberry, black cherry and elegant fine-grained tannin supporting the tart red fruit and adding to its length and depth.
Review:
The red 2021 Predicador has notes of ripe black fruit and dark spices and is a little earthy, powerful, concentrated and generously oaked but balanced and integrated. A modern, powerful red Rioja produced with Tempranillo and complemented with 3% each Graciano and Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha, it has a juicy palate with plenty of power and abundant, fine-grained tannins. It's ripe without excess at 14.7% alcohol. 90,000 bottles produced. It was bottled after spending 19 months in used French oak barrels.
-Robert Parker 93 Points
Colour ,cherry, purple rim. Aroma ,fruit expression, floral, spicy, red berry notes, black fruit, complex. Flavour ,flavourful, fruity, good acidity, long.
-Guia Penin 93 Points
Black Oak Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The Black Oak Pinot Noir is a glowing example of what they do best in Puglia, make great wine. Deep ruby in color with a lovely bouquet of sweet spices, even a dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg. The flavors are flowing with ripe black cherry. This medium-bodied wine with its fresh acidity will complement many meal selections.
Black Stallion Napa Valley Limited Release Red.
The winery takes its name from a major equestrian area that once occupied the grounds. Its calling card is Cabernet Sauvignon, made in a classic Napa Valley style that offers richness and finesse. While single-vineyard wines are occasionally bottled, most Black Stallion wines are made from small lots cherry-picked from the valley’s disparate winegrowing zones. These are then painstakingly blended to create luxurious, unforgettable wines that capture the depth and brilliance of Napa Valley’s diverse growing regions.
Review:
This blend is softly layered in dense, rich tones of plum and cherry, with a rounded approachability and well-integrated tannin and oak. Chocolate, leather and clove accent the finish.
-Wine Enthusiast 90 Points
Varietal-100% Bonarda
Vineyard- El Mirador Vineyard in Rivadavia, 2,132 ft. Elevation. Soil composed of mostly sand.
Ageing & Vinification- Wild Yeasts with 25 days maceration , 12 Months ageing in 100-year-old foudre.
Tech Data- 13.5% ABV, Acidity 6.1, pH-3.7
Review:
Sour cherries, blueberries and spice box on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with firm tannins. Savory and fleshy on the palate with some structure, leading to a flavorful and fruity finish. One of the best bonardas out there. Try after 2023.
-James Suckling 94 Points
Golden red color.
On the nose, aromas of red fruits with the complexity of dried fruits.
In the mouth, its freshness is combined with a natural sweetness and a slight touch of wood.
RS: 134 g/Liter
TA: 3.3 g/Liter
pH: 3.6
Boussey Monthelie Rouge Les Hauts Brins is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The vineyard for this wine is located in the North-Esat corner of the appellation (not too far away from Volnay) and it has a perfect South sun exposure.
Boussey Monthelie Rouge shows a beautiful light garnet color.
It displays classic aromas for the appellation with dark fruit and peony.
Excellent with beef and grilled vegatables.
Burgo Viejo Rioja Crianza is made from 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano.
Red ruby colored wine with violet tones; well-balanced, black fruit, vanilla and coconut flavors. Powerful, complex and silky smooth...classic old style Rioja at a bargain price.
This wine is our tribute to the flagship grape variety of Rioja Baja. Garnacha has been grown in Alfaro for many
centuries in perfect balance with the local soils and climate which result in our intensely fruity wines,
full-bodied and with velvety soft tannins. Deep and brilliant cherry color; red wild berries, violet and subtle
spice on the nose; the taste sensation is rich, long, and very smooth.
Excellent when combined with red meat, pasta dishes and even chocolate desserts.
SALE!
Burgo Viejo Rioja Reserva is made from 85% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha & 5% Carignan.
Burgo Viejo Rioja Reserva presents with red ruby color; black pepper and vanilla flavors and some mature black fruit taste too. Well-balanced, well-structured and elegant in mouth displaying some splendid taste of fruit and bouquet too.
Burgo Viejo Reserva Wine vinification has occurred blending different grape varieties to produce an aged wine that will surely keep maturity and fullness from the vineyard until the very moment of uncorking.
VINIFICATION: Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature; aged in American and French oak barrels -50% each- for 18 months.
Enjoy it with red meat and game.
Review:
"(raised in a 50/50 combination of new and used French and American oak barrels for 18 months) Vivid ruby-red. An expansive, highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruits, cola, incense and toasty oak, with a sexy floral overtone. Silky and broad on the palate, offering concentrated black raspberry, cherry-vanilla and coconut flavors that become spicier with aeration. In an emphatically fruity style, showing solid closing thrust, strong persistence and gently gripping tannins. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antionio Galloni's Vinous (February 2019), 91 pts
"A ripe, fruity red with plum, berry and some orange peel and bark. It’s medium-to full-bodied with round tannins and a juicy finish. Drink now."
- James Suckling (October 2020), 91 pts
Busi Chianti Rufina Riserva is made from 100% Sangiovese
Vineyards: Travignoli, a name which literally means “Tra Vignoli” (between the vineyards) is located in the middle of Frescobaldi’s Nipozzano vineyard in the heart of the Rufina zone. There is documented evidence that wine was first produced there in the 5th C BC by the Etruscans who called it “Nectar of the Gods”. The Church acquired the land and constructed the cellars in 1100.
Count Busi and his family acquired the estate in the 1800’s. Overall, 91
hectares belong to the estate. The 60 hectares of vineyards are excellently
position on the slopes with a southerly exposure at an elevation between 270 to 370 meters. Clay, marl and calcareous soil with a large percentage of rocks and stones for good drainage. Vines are an average of 10–25 years old.
Harvest: October– by hand.
Yield per hectare: 40 Quintals per hectare
Vinification: Fermentation in stainless steel at controlled temperatures for 7 to 8 days with an additional 7 to 8 days on the skins. The wine is then racked and goes through malolactic. It is then racked again and stays another 3 months in stainless steel.
Aging: 25 to 30 hectoliter barrels of Slavonian oak for 18 months and 3 months in Allier barriques. There is a period of refinement of 4 to 5 months in the bottle.
Alcohol: 13% by vol.
Color: Ruby red with garnet reflections.
Bouquet: Intense, ethereal bouquet with hints of leather, tar and ripe cherry fruit.
Taste: The flavor is full of mature fruit with nuances of leather and liquorice. The taste is complex and round and rich with character. The finish is persistent and satisfying.
Foods: Grilled, braised or roasted meats, dishes flavored with mushrooms, or rosemary. Excellent with polenta dishes.
Total Production: 3,300 cases
Enologist: Mauro Orsoni
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Boroli Cerequio is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.
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.
About the Vineyard
The Cerequio cru lies just across the valley from the Boroli winery in the commune of La Morra and is considered one of the most prestigious sites in the Barolo DOCG zone. It is known to produce Nebbiolo wine of enormous elegance and finesse.
Wine Production
Cerequio is distinguished by a careful selection of grapes, precise destemming, and a long maceration with submerged cap.
Tasting Notes
A clear bright ruby color with very light garnet red reflections; intense and persistent aroma of red fruit with notes of plum and cherry. A pleasant aroma of wood is noticeable after the fruity aroma, anticipating the full taste of a great wine suitable for long lasting life. A succulent, rich, full-bodied and pleasant taste emerges after the woody one, with the presence of slightly ripe red fruit.
Food Pairing
Thanks to its viscosity and body, Barolo is the ideal wine to pair with elaborate dishes and dishes like truffle dishes, meat dishes, pasta with porcini mushrooms, game, and aged cheeses. Cerequio is also perfect with dry pastries or chocolate.
Review:
Precise and essential, it displays notes of lavender, hibiscus, violet, white pepper, lime, jasmine flowers, and elderberry. Medium body, perfectly ripe, fine-grained tannins, and a juicy finish that displays smoothness and relaxation. Beautiful right away, it will only improve from 2024 onwards. One of the best Barolos tasted in the 2019 vintage.
-WineCritics.com 96 Points