Calcareous gravels deposited by the Tunuyan river in the South of Valle de Uco and by the Las Tunas river in the North of Valle de Uco have created the two most promising growing areas of Mendoza, which are only now being developed and explored, bringing a new dimension to the wines of Argentina.
Aromas of black fruit and spices blended with mineral, graphite notes and freshness typical of calcareous soils. The palate demonstrates the power of Gualtallary combined with the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. A fine finessed texture, which is tight and refreshing.
Vineyard: This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from the two outstanding subregions of Valle de Uco - the power and structure of Gualtallary with the elegance and freshness of Paraje Altamira. 20-year old vines.
Soil: Sandy with calcium carbonate-coated fine gravel up to 45 cm deep
Vinification techniques are performed in the most gentle way, avoiding the use of enzymes and must amendments. Fermentation is performed with native yeast only.
Superb with grilled red meat and grilled vegetable (Argentinean Asado).
Chakana Estate Red Mendoza is made from 70% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
Deep red color with violet hints. Dark fruits and exotic spices with tobacco and mocha hints. Elegant, well balanced, harmonious, long persistence with chocolate flavors.
Vineyard: Gualtallary in Valle de Uco.
2 days maceration on skins in temperature controlled steel vats; 12 days fermentation with selected yeasts allowed to rise to a maximum of 28°C.
Review:
"Notes of fresh blackcurrants and dark cherries with subtle hints of nutshells, cocoa and spice box. Rich and flavorful on the palate with a medium to full body and ripe, glossy tannins. Succulent, lightly spicy finish. Malbec, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Vegan. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (February 2024), 91 pts
Finca los Cedros Single Vineyard Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.
Single vineyard wine from the Finca los Cedros vineyard in Paraje Altamira (3,600 ft. elevation). Planted in high density (8,000 plants per hectare) on calcareous gravel soils, this Malbec has a fresh & easy-drinking style with a mineral character.
Intense purple color. Plum, brambly berries, spices and an iris/violet note are apparent on the nose. Intense, fruity flavors with velvety tannins.
Fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Aged 12 months in oak barrels and concrete vats.
Excellent with roasted meats, duck, salad, pasta, pizza.
Chakana Estate Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.
hakana is the name of the Southern Cross constellation. Its rotation in the sky throughout the year made it an effective agricultural calendar for the ancient Andean people.
The "yaguarete" (jaguar) on the label was known by the ancient Andean people as the "lord of the starred night"; the wildest known animal.
Chakana Estate Malbec is from Chakana's Altamira (3,200 ft elevation) and Gualtallary (5,500 ft elevation) vineyards.
The color is deep purple, very intense, typical of Malbec. Plum, brambly berries, spices and an iris/violet note are apparent on the nose. Intense, fruity flavors with velvety tannins.
Review:
- Tim Atkin (2023 Argentina Special Report), 93 pts
The "yaguarete" (jaguar) on the label was known by the ancient Andean people as the "lord of the starred night"; the wildest known animal.
Chakana is the name of the Southern Cross constellation. Its rotation in the sky throughout the year made it an effective agricultural calendar for the ancient Andean people.
Estate Torrontes is from Chakana's Gualtallary vineyard (5,300 ft elevation).
The wine shows the typical aromas of Torrontes (white flowers, lychee, peach) balanced by a refreshing acidity. Mineral texture due do the rocky soil of the vineyard. Elegant, dry and clean finish.
Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels. Aged 4 months. Pairs with crab cakes and seafood pasta.
The "yaguarete" (jaguar) on the label was known by the ancient Andean people as the "lord of the starred night"; the wildest known animal.
Chakana is the name of the Southern Cross constellation. Its rotation in the sky throughout the year made it an effective agricultural calendar for the ancient Andean people.
Estate Torrontes is from Chakana's Gualtallary vineyard (5,300 ft elevation).
The wine shows the typical aromas of Torrontes (white flowers, lychee, peach) balanced by a refreshing acidity. Mineral texture due do the rocky soil of the vineyard. Elegant, dry and clean finish.
Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels. Aged 4 months. Pairs with crab cakes and seafood pasta.
Signature Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and nearly equal portions of Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Merlot.
The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon has been a foundational wine for more than five decades. It is a benchmark for the long-lived hillside wines of the Napa Valley, full of structure and aging potential, yet seductively forward in its concentrated varietal character. The dry, rocky soils of Pritchard Hill produce small, intensely flavorful grapes. Crop thinning allows for full, even ripening and elevates flavor complexity.
Review:
Nine different Cabernet clones joined forces for the 2022 Signature, a wine designated in what the winery offers only in extraordinary vintages. The final blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, includes Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Merlot in small quantities. Luscious, as expected, a bath of puréed black cherries and milk chocolate match with teeth-coating plum skin tannins. Spiced red tea, Italian herbs, and a trace of cinnamon-cedar are left behind on the long, silky finish. - The Tasting Panel, July/August 2025
-Tasting Panel 97 Points
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
Charles Krug Family Reserve Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.
Rising 1,650 feet above the Napa Valley floor on the southwestside of Howell Mountain, the Family Reserve Howell MountainCabernet Sauvignon sits above the fog line. The distinctiveclimate, along with volcanic and iron-rich red soils, producefruit with great balance and intensity.
Review:
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Release Cold Springs is the most distinctive of the wines in this range of limited-release Cabernets from Charles Krug. Gravel, licorice, menthol and spice all develop in a Howell Mountain Cabernet endowed with tremendous class and nuance.
-Vinous 92 Points
Charles Krug Peter Mondavi Family Vintage Selection Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
Review:
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection has a deep garnet-purple color and features exuberant notes of crushed black cherries, mulberries and blackcurrant cordial with touches of unsmoked cigars, menthol, yeast extract and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, concentrated and opulent in the mouth, it has a solid line of plush tannins and plenty of backbone freshness to lift the generous fruit to a long fruity finish.
-Wine Advocate 95 Points
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Chateau Cabrieres Cotes du Rhone Rouge Vieilles Vignes is made from 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah.
Château Cabrières’ Côtes du Rhône vineyard is located south of Orange, on the edge of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The area of the vineyard is 1.53 hectares. The soil is comprised of clay-limestone mixed with pebbles.
Bright cherry red color with an expressive red fruit nose (strawberry and raspberry). Soft tannins in mouth, with freshness and spices. This CDR tastes like a baby Châteauneuf-du-Pape!
Pairs with charcuterie, pizza, pasta and mild cheeses.
Chateau Gaudrelle Vouvray Reserve Personelle 2009 is 100 percent Chenin Blanc
Fine Chenin Blanc typicity, with aromas of ripe apples and honeyed notes. Rich, smooth, rounded palate with great structure and weight. Has the acidity to support ageing for 10 years.
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
An Earth Mother, with velvet-lined blackberry, Bay leaf, graphite, and roasted coffee bean. Chalky tannins grip the teeth, with a dusty grip. From its backbone and vibrant acidity, to its notes of dried violets on the finish, we bow to its elegant nature.
- The Somm Journal, Apr/May 2025 97 Points
Precise, brilliant and engaging, a three-dimensional wine that shows itself in all its splendor. Notes of black cherries, mixed plums, mixed flowers and bergamot describe the secondary scene. Lemon peel and ginger the secondary one. Full body, perfectly extracted tannins and a vertical finish of infinite presence. Better from 2029.
-WineCritics.com 97 Points
Based on 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Château Lascombes pulls from 40% of the total production and was aged 18 months mostly in barrels (60% new) with a small portion in foudre. This inky hued beauty boasts a rich, concentrated, full-bodied, well-oaked style as well as pure cassis and darker berry fruits, some graphite, scorched earth, and licorice nuances, terrific overall balance, and a great finish.
-Jeb Dunnuck 96+ Points
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Segries Tavel Rose is made from 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 15% Clairette, 5% Syrah. The age of the vines is 30 years. Traditional vinification at low temperature, "vin de saignée" with a maceration during one night in cement vat.
This is large for a Rose...structured and focused, with the color of dark ruby. The nose is loaded up with fresh fruit. Strawberry, blackcurrant, and raspberry beam from the glass. On the palate, the mouth-feel is ripe and succulent. It has strength, but maintains its fresh and crisp expression. The finish is filled with Asian spice and slight hints of smoke. Drink this juice now or over the next year or two.
Chateau Talbot Saint-Julien Grand Cru Classe is made from 69 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 26 % Merlot, 5 % Petit Verdot.
The wine presents a delicate and captivating nose of black fruits, fresh tobacco, peppermint and floral nuances. Ripe and juicy fruit flavors of black currants on the palate with well integrated velvety tannins and a beautiful refreshing acidity to the long finish.
For the 2018 vintage, a special packaging with a unique silkscreen printing bottle was created to mark the 100th anniversary of the Cordier Family's acquisition of Chateau Talbot
Pair with red meat, roast pork, game meat, poultry, hard cheeses, poached pear.
"Rich aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, chocolate, tobacco and licorice. Oyster shell, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, well integrated tannins. Polished, silky layers with a long finish. Gorgeous ripe and bright fruit in the center palate. Best in a long time. Try from 2025."
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Chavy-Chouet Bourgogne Blanc Femelottes is made form 100 percent Chardonnay.
This is a charming, rich, focused and delightful white. Medium-bodied with a smooth texture, the wine has a fresh backbone of acidity, clean apple and citrus flavors, and an excellent balance. A most refreshing quaff and one that is great value. A delicate, expressive wine of exceptional quality.
The grapes from this wine are grown from the Puligny-Montrachet area. (either outside of the AOC limit or with younger vines).
The grapes from this wine are grown from the Puligny-Montrachet area. (either outside of the AOC limit or with younger vines).
Aged 10 months in oak barrels (10% new, the rest in 2-3 year old barrels).
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Proelio Puerto Rubio Rioja Tempranillo 2019 is 100% Tempranillo.
Sourced from a vineyard at 505 metres above sea level in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, the wine takes its name from the site it is located on. The soils are primarily composed of depleted limestone in the subsoil and pebbles on the topsoil. These types of soils offer long-ageing capacity, freshness, volume and structured wines.
Fresh, structured and complex, this wine is very aromatic, with intense aromas of wild black fruits, accompanied by deep balsamic aromas and licorice. A silky texture and mineral notes, it is round, powerful and polished on the palate with flavors of black fruits, prunes, balsamic and spice. A long and persistent finish.
Meat and game, either grilled, baked or stewed, pastes, creams and soups, all kind of meat recipes, roast lamb.
Review:
This is a spicy Rioja with aromas of mulberries, spiced cherries, cinnamon stick, licorice and dill. Turns to walnuts and roasted chestnuts. Chewy and full-bodied, with firm yet polished tannins. Well structured, deep and persistent. Drink from 2024.
-James Suckling 94 Points