Green & Social Rueda Organic Tempranillo is made from 100 percent Tempranillo.
The launch of green & social is a step forward in pursuit of the sustainability by Cuatro Rayas and the starting point of new environmental initiatives in support of the social economy that the Cooperative launched. Lightweight recycled glass to reduce emissions. Aluminum capsule free of plastics and 100% recyclable. Sugar cane cap with zero carbon footprint. The Green and Social Organic Tempranillo has a bright and clean, mid-depth ruby red color and purple hue. Intense aroma with hints of ripe berries. Soft and velvety on the plate, perfect balance between tannins and acidity, round and long finish.
Guillemot-Michel Vire-Clesse Charleston is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
This cuvée is produced from hundred-year old vines that the great-grandfather planted after he returned from World War I. The family wanted to honor his memory and vinify these vines the same way he did, in old demi-muids.
Charleston is a deep and complex wine that gently express itself in the glass, offering juicy white fruit flavors and a lengthy finish.
Charleston is vinified and aged for one year in demi-muids of over 10 years old. During the following harvest, the wine is racked and placed in vats for another 6 months of aging before bottling.
Fish in white sauce, poultry in creamy sauce, hard cheeses.
Review:
The 2020 Viré-Clessé Charleston is the most structured, concentrated wine in the range, mingling notions of crisp orchard and stone fruit with scents of clear honey, white flowers, beeswax and mint in an inviting bouquet. Medium to full-bodied ample and satiny, it's layered and multidimensional, with impressive depth at the core, racy acids and chalky grip. Derived from the Guillemot family's oldest parcel of vines (dating back to 1918), it's built to age.
-Wine Advocate 94 Points
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
Hugl Gemischter Satz is made from 50% Grüner Veltliner, 40% Gelber Muskateller and 10% Riesling.
Gemischter Satz" has a long history in Austria. It is a field blend where different grape varieties are picked at the same time and vinified together:
In Vienna, the tradition of planting different and complementary grape varieties together in a vineyard – then harvesting and fermenting them together as well – has survived to the present day as Gemischter Satz. Thanks to the dynamic efforts of ambitious winegrowers, this traditional rarity has grown in stature and recognition to become the calling card of viticulture in Austria’s capital city.
Gemischter Satz is very popular in Vienna’s Heurigen (the Viennese term for wine taverns). Historically, Heurigen were simple places, where vineyard owners would open their doors during wine season to serve glasses of this years wine and juices to guests. At most, a plate of cold meats and cheese could be served along with the delicious wine.
For the traditional wines of Wiener Gemischter Satz - the planting of different grape varieties together in one vineyard - a unique style profile has been developed; a style that reflects the wine's origin-typical aromas and flavours. The regulation for the Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC requires that at least three white quality wine varieties must be planted together in one vineyard that is listed in the Viennese vineyard register as Wiener Gemischter Satz. The highest portion of one grape variety must be no more than 50%; the third highest portion must be at least 10%. Wines without vineyard indication must be dry and without any prominent wood flavour. The Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC can be marketed with an indication of vineyard site also. Single vineyard wines do not necessarily have to correspond with the “dry” taste indication, and they cannot be released for sale prior to March 1st of the year following the harvest. Minimum alcohol % of 12.5%.
Adds an enthusiastic Herbert Schilling, head of Vienna's Regional Wine Committee: “With the Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC, we've achieved a milestone in the consistent, years-long quality policy for wine growing in Vienna. The new regulations sharpen the origin profile of Wiener Gemischter Satz and, at the same time, reflect Vienna´s diversity in the glass.”
Despite its relative youth, Zweigelt is actually an Austrian classic. This variety was created in 1922, when Dr. Fritz Zweigelt crossed two grapes - St Laurent and Blaufränkisch. Originally, it was intended for the new variety to be called Rotburger, referring to the place where it was born, Klosterneuburg. But this name never took hold, and instead, Zweigelt was named after the man who was the key in its development.
Today, Zweigelt is the most widely planted red variety in Austria, growing in nearly 9% of this country's vineyards. It is a robust grape, highly resistant to dryness, frost and various diseases.
The wine boasts a pale rosé color, it has plenty of fruity aromas, with red cherry and wild strawberry flavors. It is medium-bodied, but it still have a nice long and pleasant finish with a light cinnamon type of spice to it.
Only the best grapes are harvested with a lot of experience and know-how and further processed. The grapes are fermented directly gently pressed and cooled. The fermentation takes place exclusively in stainless steel tanks.
Perfectly at home on any picnic, delicious with fried chicken, and tames the heat when paired with spicy dishes. There is also a slight watermelon note that makes it perfect for spring and summer. A great pairing with barbecued shrimp.
Imperial Stag Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.
Intense and bright ruby red color. Aromas of ripe fruit with spicy notes of eucalyptus and licorice. Vanilla and tobacco aromas contributed by the ageing in French oak barrels. Good volume on the palate, balanced, intense with great concentration, sweet flavors, with rotund tannins polished with elegance and sophistication.
Perfect companion for red and game meats, pasta, stews, rice and a variety of winter cuisine dishes.
The Jeio line is inspired by the influential Desiderio Bisol, whose wife lovingly referred to him as Jeio. The father of the current generation of Bisol, Desiderio was dedicated to product quality, acquiring only the steepest plots. While considerably more difficult to work, these plots are ideal for vine cultivation. As a result of his vision, the Glera cultivated in these vineyards is especially rich in malic acid, making the final wine more dynamic and evolved. Glera sourced for the Prosecco Brut comes from vineyards in the DOC area just outside Valdobbiadene, taking advantage of the altitude and unique character.
Review:
A fresh and lively Prosecco with lots of lemon and lime character, as well as spiced pears. Medium body, lovely fruit and a fresh finish. Bottled in 2018. Drink now.
-James Suckling 91 Points
Johann Michel Cornas is 100% Syrah
This Cornas is a blend from 2 different vineyard sites:
- 60% of the final blend is from vineyards located on a hillside (20 year old vines on the "coteau"), planted on sandy soils, decomposed granite and some rocks, giving the structure, spiciness and licorice flavors to the blend.
- the other 40% of the final blend comes from the bottom of the slope (45 years old vines on the "pied de coteau"), planted on sandy soils, bringing acidity and balance to the wine.
Expressive, deep, rich, silky and juicy. Well structured and round, it displays red fruit, leather, black cherry, liquorice and black berry aromas.
Review:
"Ripe black and blue fruits, violets, sappy herbs, and iron notes all emerge from the 2022 Cornas, a pretty, pure, medium to full-bodied Cornas offering fine, ripe tannins, a balanced, layered mouthfeel, and a great finish. The 2022 was completely destemmed and spent 12 months in oak."
- Jeb Dunnuck (Importer Highlight: Fran Kysela ; July 2024), 93 pts
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
Joseph Phelps Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, 1% Malbec.
A classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with inviting violet, dark fruit, tobacco, subtle baking spice and earthy dried herb aromatics. The palate is filled with expressive black cherry, blackberry and dark plum, hints of spice box and sweet vanilla bean. A focused, concentrated wine with youthful energy and freshness nimbly balanced by supple tannin structure and finesse.
Review:
This wine is lovely in juicy red fruit, dried herb and hints of allspice, the tannin structure firm and giving. Offering refinement and structure, it shows nuances of black currant, cherry and toasted oak. This will do well in the cellar.
Wine Enthusiast Cellar Selection 94 Points
Joseph Phelps Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot, 1% Malbec.
A classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with inviting violet, dark fruit, tobacco, subtle baking spice and earthy dried herb aromatics. The palate is filled with expressive black cherry, blackberry and dark plum, hints of spice box and sweet vanilla bean. A focused, concentrated wine with youthful energy and freshness nimbly balanced by supple tannin structure and finesse.
Review:
Blackcurrants, spiced cedar and dark spices with bark undertones. Full-bodied with very fine, velvety tannins. Textured and compact with a firm, lingering finish. Tight at the end. Needs time to open.
-James Suckling 94 Points
Inviting aromas of mint, marshmallow and Asian pear pull you into this drink. Surprisingly dry, this Nigori (cloudy) style sake has a rich, chewy texture. The intriguing mid palate features mint, white chocolate, and tart cherries. The finish belies our expectations with an elegant, softness of minerals that settles in a dry finish.
Pair with roast duck, dry-rub ribs, full flavored country pate, and fruit and nut desserts of light sweetness.
Mildly ripe Coulommiers or Brie, Italian Raschera.
Klipsun Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain is made from 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 7% Syrah.
Fruit aroma of blackberry, mulberry and boysenberry, interlaced with a spicy oak note. As the wine ages in the bottle the oak and fruit aromas will meld into a complex medley of cedar and cigar box. Rich blackberry and a hint of wild sage normally found. Pleasant acidity and a rich, balanced mouthfeel followed by a well-developed mid palate. The result is a tannin structure that is evident but seamless. The finish is smooth and lingering.
Review:
Blended with 7% Merlot and 7% Syrah, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain starts with a bold, generous and dark-fruited nose with a rich and robust expression that boasts a seductive oaky essence. Full-bodied, the palate is still tight and will benefit from additional aging in bottle, yet I can see it has good bones now that will allow it to age gracefully for about two decades. Gobs of dark red and black fruits sway with a delightful mineral tension before concluding with a long, winding and spicy finish. The wine rested for 20 months in all new French oak before being bottled and left to rest for more than a year prior to release.
-Wine Advocate 95 Points
La Grande Cuvee du Chateau Vermont Blanc is made from 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Gris.
Traditional blend of "Grand Vin Blanc de Bordeaux", a beautiful wine vinified and matured in barrels. Fine wine, elegant and well-balanced; dominated by Sauvignon (fruitiness), with vanilla notes coming from the oak aging. This wine has beautiful structure and very long-lasting aromas and flavors, providing great aging potential.
Perfect with dish of fish in sauce, scallops, langoustine, and cheeses.
Review:
Some passion fruit, green apple and green mango on the nose, following through to a pure but creamy palate with chalky acidity and elegant citrus and stone-fruit flavors. Drink now."
100% single block Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 20 months in 100% new French oak.
Place
This beautiful block sits on the lower section of the Red Mountain side of the vineyard. Featuring a perfect southwest aspect, it gets the maximum sun exposure for depth and concentration. The land itself is wind-blown loess covering an alluvial floodplain, dotted with indigenous sage.
Winemaker's Notes
Explosively and exotically nuanced aromas of crème de cassis, Himalayan blackberry, black roses, dried violets, pencil shavings, crushed volcanic rock, and liquefied river minerals. While extremely dense and concentrated, this wine has a lot of grace and poise on the palate. The finish of inky deep black fruits, richly refined oak tones, and exotic floral notes, is utterly bewitching. Leave it for 5-7 years if you can or decant well before drinking. This is a 30-year wine in the making.
Review:
Lastly, and a wine that stopped me in my tracks, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Block 47 might be the wine of the vintage. Revealing a dense purple hue as well as incredible aromatics of caramelized red and blue fruits, classy oak, lead pencil shavings, and a Latour-like sense of minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, building tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a great, great finish. I love its balance and purity, but I suspect it’s going to demand bottle age.
-Jeb Dunnuck 97-99 Points
100% single block Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 20 months in 100% new French oak.
Place
This beautiful block sits on the lower section of the Red Mountain side of the vineyard. Featuring a perfect southwest aspect, it gets the maximum sun exposure for depth and concentration. The land itself is wind-blown loess covering an alluvial floodplain, dotted with indigenous sage.
Winemaker's Notes
Explosively and exotically nuanced aromas of crème de cassis, Himalayan blackberry, black roses, dried violets, pencil shavings, crushed volcanic rock, and liquefied river minerals. While extremely dense and concentrated, this wine has a lot of grace and poise on the palate. The finish of inky deep black fruits, richly refined oak tones, and exotic floral notes, is utterly bewitching. Leave it for 5-7 years if you can or decant well before drinking. This is a 30-year wine in the making.
Liminal Syrah High Canyon Block is made from 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier.
WeatherEye Vineyard - steep slope of High Canyon block.
Dark ruby/purple.
Ethereal aromas of black fruits threaded with violets, aniseed, cacao nibs, bee pollen.
Bass notes of Syrah - blackberry compote, fresh ink - in sublime counterpoint with Viognier’s floral lift glide through to the long finish.
Review:
"More black and blue fruits, iron, lavender, and some background meaty notes emerge from Liminal’s 2020 Syrah WeatherEye Vineyard High Canyon, a blend of 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier that spent 16 months in used barrels. With medium to full-bodied richness, a silky, elegant mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and flawless balance, it’s one of the true gems in the vintage. Give bottles 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following decade or more."
- Jeb Dunnuck" 97 points
Lingua Franca Bunker Hill is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Pale yellow-green color with a predominantly mineral aroma of flint, river stone, green apples, and green olives, later fresh herbs, lemon zest and yellow flowers emerge. On the palate it is precise and taught, with wet stone and saline notes, crisp green apples and thyme. The finish is persistent and firm, with a mouthwatering mineral quality. This is a vintage with finely chiseled features at Bunker Hill. Our Bunker Hill Estate Vineyard in the South Salem Hills and is the oldest source of fruit for any of our wines, having been planted in 1995 to CH76. It is among the earliest of the Dijon-clone plantings in Oregon, situated on the remnant of a pioneer farm.
Review:
Estate bottled, the 2022 Chardonnay Bunker Hill is the counterpart to the Chardonnay Estate. It pours a bright pale yellow with a tinge of green and has a lovely incense of delicate toast lifting from the glass, followed by notes of white flowers, fresh green pear, and pleasing reduction. This wine comes from a site where the grapes get thicker skins from the wind, leading to firmer structure, and on the palate, this wine is medium to full-bodied, with a pithy, chalky texture. Drink 2024-2034.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
Floral notes leap out of the glass of the 100% Estate-grown Chardonnay 2022, with notes of jasmine, gardenia and lemon blossom. The contribution of low-yielding CH548 blocks seem to impress their character on the late vintage. The palate is round and fresh, entering with green apple and creamy lemon, which develop into chamomile and sea salt, with a round-textured, long finish of floral and saline notes.
The Estate Chardonnay will be an excellent accompaniment to rich and subtle dishes such as halibut with chanterelle sauce, plank smoked copper river xalmon with dill mayonnaise, Lobster Newberg, Quenelles de Brochet avec sauce a l’Armoricain, black cod with shellfish sauce. It is equally delightful with more casual dining options featuring béchamel sauces or cheese-rich dishes, such as a fondue, pasticcio or even lasagna.
Revieww:
The medium yellow/straw-colored 2022 Chardonnay Estate has a forward feel in the glass, with a great nose offering notes of bright flinty reduction, green apples, lime zest, and white flowers. Medium-bodied and long on the palate, it has persistent drive, with a pure savory feel and a graceful saline finish with a note of lime pith. It will drink well over the next 10 years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
Luis Canas Rioja Blanco is made from 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia (60+ years old vines)
Barrel fermented for 3.5 months in new French oak barrels.
Alcohol: 13,5º
Total acidity: 6,5 g./l.
Volatile acidity: 0,25 g./l.
PH: 3,40
Free SO2: 25 mg./l.
Grapes harvested in small boxes to be selected manually on the table, bunch by bunch.
Beautiful golden yellow, with bright lemony highly-luminous reflections. The nose is fine, with great elegance, combined with floral and fruity tones.
The palate is dry with a crisp acidity that gives its freshness and vivacity, a structured and tasty finish of ripe fruit.
We recommend that you taste it at 8°C.
It is appropriate to accompany shellfish, crustaceans and grilled white fish or fish stews. It also blends elegantly with rice, soft cheeses, blue cheeses, all kinds of mushrooms and fresh fruit.
Maionnette Mediterranee Blanc is made from 30% Rolle, 30% Viognier, 20% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc.
Domaine de la Maïonnette is produced from grapes benefiting from an ideal location next to the river and planted on a clay-limestone based soil with a silty character, which brings suppleness, roundness and lightness to the wines.
La Maionnette is a brilliant straw yellow colored white offering delicate aromas of citrus fruits, and fresh notes of pear and apricot. Rich and round on the palate, and a good balance.
Charles Heidsieck Vintage Brut is made from 57% Pinot Noir, 43% Chardonnay.
A beautiful golden robe offers glints of green accentuated by a delicate, dynamic effervescence. The initial nose introduces intense toasted and smoky notes along with ripe fruit. When swirled in the glass, the nose takes on a heartier dimension with touches of apricot and vineyard peaches. The aromatic concentration, due to a heat wave of several weeks, is reminiscent of the summer sun. The attack is taut and decisive. the creamy texture, the crisp fruitiness and spiced notes of cinnamon, licorice and pepper are the hallmark of the House style.
Review:
Aged for eight years on the lees before disgorgement, the Champagne is deliciously toasty with acidity and fine dryness.
-Wine Enthusiast 96 Points
Disgorged in January of 2023, the 2013 Champagne Millésime Brut was the last vintage from the cellar master for Heidsieck prior to Cyril Brun. The 2013 Champagne Millésime Brut is a bright straw yellow color and is based on the crus of Les Mesnil, Avize, Averney, and Aÿ. It’s fresh with aromas of wet stones, fresh quince, and fresh jasmine flowers. It has a chalky and focused texture, with ripeness to balance it out, and a long, graceful finish. At this stage, it feels more forward with 57% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay. A more mineral-tinged expression, it has a lot of charm and the promise of longevity over the coming two decades. Drink 2024-2044. It will be interesting to see how the Pinot shows itself over time. 8 grams per liter dosage.
-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
Bavencoff Bourgogne Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Color of medium intensity, purplish in its youth at present, changing to ruby then garnet, after several years in the bottle.
The nose offers intense aromas of cherries, kirsch and fresh strawberry. The palate is the perfectly balanced between round tannins and an elegant freshness. It is harmonious and medium-bodied with a silky and elegant texture and a delicious lingering finish.
Alcoholic fermentation in stainless tanks for 3 weeks. Malolactic fermentation : 80% in stainless tank and 20% in one year old casks (Allier).Manual harvest.
Produced from 100% Pinot Noir planted on clay and limestone soils.
Grilled or boiled red meats, roasts, mild game, soft cheeses like Camembert and Brie.