Opus One is made from 78% cabernet sauvignon, 8% merlot, 7% petit verdot, 6% cabernet franc and 1% malbec .
The Opus One is remarkably elegant and bright offering sumptuous aromas of fresh red and blue fruit, baking spices and vanilla, and a delicate fragrance of spring florals. The initial bouquet is augmented by more nuanced notes of sage, rosemary, and black olive. Juicy flavors of black cherry, blackberry and cassis flood the palate and creamy, fine-grained tannins deliver a delightfully round structure. Harmonious and lively, the flavors linger to create an enduring finish with touches of dark chocolate and espresso.
Of the great European wine families, the Rothschilds are perhaps the best known. And Baron Philippe de Rothschild is perhaps the best known of this great family. At the age of 20, Baron Philippe took on the management of Château Mouton Rothschild from his father Baron Henri. Philippe’s vision changed the world of wine: he invented Château bottling, commissioned great artists to illustrate his wine labels – and, in partnership with Robert Mondavi in 1979, created Opus One.In the 1980s, after her father’s death, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild left a stage career that included the Comédie Française and the Renault-Barrault Theatre Company, bringing her own exquisite style and creativity to the design, construction, and operation of Opus One.Among great New World wine pioneers, Robert Mondavi is an international icon. Bringing a passion for excellence to everything he did, Robert Mondavi led a renaissance in California fine wine for over six decades. Among other accomplishments, he introduced temperature-controlled fermentation, French oak barrel aging, and high-density viticulture to a fledgling American wine industry. But life was not only wine for Robert Mondavi: he broadened the American cultural palate by marrying fine wine to food, music, and the arts. One of few Americans to have received the French medal of the Legion of Honor, Robert Mondavi showed extraordinary vision as co-founder of Opus One.
Review:
The purity of fruit is really something else here, with currants and fresh flowers, such as violets and roses. Flower stems as well. Fantastic length and structure to the wine, with tightness and focus. Wonderful fruit. Graceful. A blend of 78% cabernet sauvignon, 8% merlot, 7% petit verdot, 6% cabernet franc and 1% malbec. Try after 2028.
-James Suckling 99 Points
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
This Cabernet Franc is black cherry red in color with aromas of blueberry jam and white pepper spiciness. With wonderful ripeness we were able to make one of our best Cabernet Francs. The wine is very lush across the palate with a silky softness and sweet impression of ripe blueberry fruit. Tannins are very moderate with a nice light texture in the mid palate. This is an easy drinking Cabernet Franc, rich and complete and very enjoyable.
Paradigm Cabernet Franc is made from 85% Cabernet Franc & 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
20 months in French oak (only about a third of that is new oak) and for 20 more months in bottle before release
Our winemaking "style" is solely determined by this place or terrior we call "Paradigm." Winemaking is agriculture when you own your vineyards and are able to farm them to promote the very best Earth will give you. All of our selections of wines are made from five varietals on the estate. Every wine is 100% farmed and grown by us.
Complexity in our wines supported by luscious fruit and acidity is our hallmark. Our efforts during harvest and barrel cellaring concentrate on maintaining the freshness from the first day we handpicked each vineyard block. Simple winemaking protocols are employed while crucial “timing” oriented winemaking decisions rule each day.
The 2015 vintage produced delicious concentrated wines in smaller quantity than normal. This black raspberry colored Cabernet has lovely open aromatics of black cherry, berry, and plum layered with a perfect balance of new and used French Oak.
Reviews:
"Owned and managed by the Harris family, Paradigm winery produced its first vintage in 1991 in Oakville with winemaker Heidi Barrett. A self-contained winery estate with 50 acres of vineyards, Paradigm maintains a hands-on approach to all winemaking and vineyard operations. The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon consists of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, and is aged in both new and used French oak for 20 months, then aged a further 20 months in bottle before release. The total production for this vintage was 5,544 bottles." Blind tasted by Dave Allen, Stephen Brook, Terry Kandylis (at Decanter Magazine's December 2019 Californian Cabernet 2015 Panel Tasting, London, 17 Sep 2019) - Decanter 95 Points
My First comment tasting this wine is "wow!" It's delicious; our flagship wine at Paradigm and it delivers. Dense, deep, ripe aromas of black berry and black cherry-like fruit layered with caramel and toastiness from a nice mix of French Oak barrels. Flavors coat the palate with matching notes in a classic Cabernet Sauvignon presentation. One of our best Cabs to date!
Paradigm Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot , 1% Petit Verdot
Review:
"Owned and managed by the Harris family, Paradigm winery produced its first vintage in 1991 in Oakville with winemaker Heidi Barrett. A self-contained winery estate with 50 acres of vineyards, Paradigm maintains a hands-on approach to all winemaking and vineyard operations. The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon consists of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, and is aged in both new and used French oak for 20 months, then aged a further 20 months in bottle before release. The total production for this vintage was 5,544 bottles." Blind tasted by Dave Allen, Stephen Brook, Terry Kandylis (at Decanter Magazine's December 2019 Californian Cabernet 2015 Panel Tasting, London, 17 Sep 2019)
- Decanter 95 Points
Paradigm Merlot is made from 98% Merlot - 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Deep ruby color with aromas of black cherry and plum, a hint of cedar and soft touch of toasty French oak. Seamless and silky across the palate with a nice mouthcoating texture and nicely balanced acidity for many food pairings. Flavors are similar to the aromas, dark plums and cherries, pomegranate, spice and complimentary sweet vanilla toasty oak. Flavors linger making you want another sip.
Patton Valley Petillant Naturel Riesling is made from 100 percent Riesling.
Good friends and good wine make this funny world go ‘round, right? Without those friends letting us buy some of their precious Riesling, we couldn’t make this delicious wine. Even if we did have to beg. A little.
We are using some really great vineyard sites to make this wine, and they are as diverse as they are excellent. Preserving the inherent “riesling-ness” is as important here as making this sparkle, so we’ve been extra careful to be clean, true, and simple with this. Native yeast ferments and minimal handling with fastidious cleanliness make this an absolute natural wonder. A small dosage of organic sugar kicks off the bottle ferment to make it sparkle.
This smells like apples, pears, apricot, and the sea. Not kidding. The palate is fizzy, fun, and fresh with an appley bite and pear - almond lushness. All angles and elbows, the lees and sediment widen the palate with pleasing breadth.
VINEYARDS:
25% Norris McKinley, Ribbon Ridge AVA - LIVE
50% Windridge, Chehalem Mountains AVA - LIVE
25% Wascher, Dundee Hills AVA - USDA Organic
pH: 3.04
Paul Hobbs George Menini Estate Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Located on the southwestern edge of the Russian River Valley appellation in an area known as the Sebastopol Hills, this Chardonnay from George Menini Estate displays pale straw in color and boasts an elixir of white and yellow florals, tart yellow apple, bartlett pear, and baking spice. A precise yet supple wine with notes of juicy Gravenstein apple, vibrant sea salt, and crushed rock, complemented by a cool-climate zing of acidity. An impressive level of complexity for a young vineyard.
Review:
The 2022 Chardonnay George Menini Estate comes from the Sebastopol Hills, where this vineyard was once an old apple farm. In the glass, it pours a bright silver/yellow color and is lifted and fresh on the nose, opening to notes of wet stone, dewy citrus blossoms, almonds, and fresh pear. Elegant and medium-bodied, it’s long on the palate, with delicate floral notes and hints of lemon curd through the finish. Drink 2025-2037. 675 cases were produced.
Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points
The unique volcanic soil composition of this site is exhibited in this Cabernet’s mineral texture and intensely structured palate. This latest release from the exceptional 2018 vintage presents a deep purple rim surrounding an opaque garnet core with an abundance of aromas emerging from bakers’ chocolate and dark cherry to crème de cassis to tapenade. Both graceful and bold on the palate, the broad tannins are balanced by pulsing acidity that brings tension and freshness throughout. Notes of boysenberry are interspersed with accents of sweet thyme against a backdrop of crush rock minerality, adding to the long finish and layers of complexity.
Pernot Belicard Batard Montrachet Grand Cru is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Aromas of white peach, white apple, with a beautiful minerality. Also lighty salty, chalky aromas and some bread and brioche flavors and a hint of vanilla.
Poultry with cream based sauces, French cheese, like camembert, but not too strong, also seafood and fish.
Pernot Belicard Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru Champ Canet is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Thee grapes come from the Premier Cru Champ Canet in Puligny Montrachet, from a small parcel of .55 acre.
The wine exhibits a rich and complex nose of floral notes and ripe fruit aromas. The mouth is ample, elegant and mineral, balanced and complex with a great length.
Fresh truffle pasta, Seafood Risotto, Raspberry Panacotta
Pernot Belicard Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru Perrieres is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The grapes come from Puligny Montrachet, from a small parcel of 1.28 acre.
The wine offers an intense and expressive nose of white flowers and stone fruits. A precise and elegant palate, beautiful concentration and a stony mineral character that echoes the typical Puligny Montrachet terroir. Citrus and orchard fruit flavors, a fresh and long finish.
Pair with lobster Soufflé. Grilled mullet fish with hazelnut biscuits and asparagus, Turbot Filet with vegetables …
Pernot Belicard Puligny-Montrachet is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The grapes come from the village of Puligny Montrachet, from a small parcel of 3.7 acres.
An expressive nose showing floral aromas, butter and woody notes. The mouth is round and suave with fruity notes and great minerality.
Pair with Sole Meunière, Bresse Poultry with morels, Livarot cheese.
Pernot Belicard Puligny-Montrachet is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The grapes come from the village of Puligny Montrachet, from a small parcel of 3.7 acres.
An expressive nose showing floral aromas, butter and woody notes. The mouth is round and suave with fruity notes and great minerality.
Pair with Sole Meunière, Bresse Poultry with morels, Livarot cheese.
Pike Road Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Tasting Notes
Rich and complex, black cherry, confectionary strawberry and dusty rose waft up from the glass. An expressive palate follows with juicy black cherry and pomegranate alongside notes of tropical mango and coconut in a slightly gamey, smoky finish.
About Shea Vineyard
Shea Vineyard sits in the heart of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and is farmed by our friends Dick & Deirdre Shea. This is arguably the most famous vineyard for Oregon Pinot Noir because of the many well-known wineries that make a Single Vineyard Shea wine, including our sister brand Elk Cove Vineyards and neighbors Ken Wright, Bergstrom, Penner-Ash and others. It's worth checking out the Shea Vineyard website to learn more about this unique vineyard. Wines from Shea vineyard are earthy with a black cherry kick
Review:
This balanced wine has one of my favorite aromas of all time—the caramel and brioche-like cookie scents of a Stroopwafel cookie. These divine scents are joined by red cherries and chalkboard dust. Raspberry, dark chocolate and espresso flavors are supported by velvety tannins and slightly elevated acidity
- Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
Dominique Piron Morgon Cote du Py is made from 100 percent Gamay.
The Morgon Cru is based in the heart of Northern Beaujolais. Côte du Py is the heart of Morgon, a little hill of very old blue stone rocks - the oldest soils of Beaujolais (around 430 millions years old), with a typical blue color.
Côte du Py has been known for centuries for being the best terroir of the village, producing long lived wines with strong structure and flavors.
Wines of the Côte du Py are very dark, profound and dense. Classic aromas of red berries, cherry, kirsh. Fruity, structured and mineral in the mouth with graphite flavors and spicy notes of black and white pepper. Wine can age up to 10 years.
Hand picked grapes are sorted manually and destemmed for 50 to 70%. Fermentation starts in concrete tanks and lasts for 18-25 days with remontages and pigeages. Then after pressurage starts the aging, for 2/3 in concrete tanks, and 1/3 in recent French oak barrels with batonages on fine lies only. After 10 month we do the blending, keeping only the best cuvees and best barrels, and do the bottling.
Pairs well with red meat like beef, duck and game (Hare, Dear, Wild Pork,…), cheses.
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Poggio Nardone Brunello di Montalcino is made from 100 percent Sangiovese Grosso.
The rich nose displays scents of spices combined with aromas of small red ripe fruits, blackberry and blueberry.
Well structured, determined and elegant, with round and silky tannins. Very nice finish.
Alcoholic fermentation was done in tank, maloactic fermentation in oak barrels. Wine was then aged for 3 years in French oak barrels.
Review:
Noble and decidedly balsamic in the primary profile alternating notes of peppermint, eucalyptus, green tea leaves and guaranà. A lot of very delicate dried cherries are housed in the background giving brilliance and crunchiness. Medium bodied, well extracted mature tannins and a finale which squeezes from the centre palate onwards. Better from 2025.
- WinesCritic.com 93 Points
Poggio Nardone Brunello di Montalcino is made from 100 percent Sangiovese Grosso.
The rich nose displays scents of spices combined with aromas of small red ripe fruits, blackberry and blueberry.
Well structured, determined and elegant, with round and silky tannins. Very nice finish.
Alcoholic fermentation was done in tank, malolactic fermentation in oak barrels. Wine was then aged for 3 years in French oak barrels.
Review:
Powerful and classic, it alternates in the best way the floral features of magnolias, gardenias and hawthorn with fruity notes reminiscent of plums, pressed blueberries and lemon juice. Medium-full body, smooth and relaxed in the sip, it closes harmonious and balanced. How beautiful! Better from 2024.
Raffaele Vecchione - WinesCritic.com 94 Points
A ruby red garnet color, ripe fruit aromas, dried fruits, hints of licorice and scents of vanilla. Robust and harmonious in the mouth, a rich texture. The wine is only produced in the best vintages.
The grapes are coming from a vineyard planted at 400 meters above sea level. The soil is mainly marl and limestone.
The density of vines per hectare is 5,000 plants, which is equivalent to 2,000 vines per acre.
The pruning technique used is cordon
The grapes used are 100% Sangiovese grosso
Alcoholic fermentation was done in tank, while the Malo-Lactic fermentation was carried in oak barrels.
Wine was then aged for one year in big French oak barrels and 3 years in Slavonian oak barrels.
Review:
Rich and very slender in the sensory profile alternating notes of black prunes, blackberries, sandalwood, incense, camphor, withered white flowers and vetiver. Hints of woodland undergrowth animate the secondary scene giving it a dark character. Full bodied, soft tannins and a solidly performing finale. Better from 2024.
Raffaele Vecchione - WinesCritic.com 93 Points
Poggio Nardone Rosso di Montalcino is 100 percent Sangiovese Grosso.
Intense ruby red color with garnet tints.
Intense and delicate aromas of fresh fruits with notes of cherry.
Dry red wine with a good strength and freshness, along with a nice aromatic persistence.
The 5 hectares of specialized vineyards in Montalcino are at an altitude of 350 meters above sea level and are surrounded by woodlands of ilex, oak and arbutus which are characteristic of Montalcino’s hillside habitat. The soil is predominantly composed of marl and limestone which renders this terrain particularly rich in mineral salts.
Pairs well with pasta prepared with meat sauces, mushrooms or truffles; complex rice, main courses of pork or veal with sauces.
Review:
"Aromas of red fruit, rosemary and white smoke. Medium-bodied with bright acidity. Pleasant, savory herbs on the palate. Wet-stone finish. Drink now."
- James Suckling (September 2021), 90 points
Domaine Jean Grivot Echezeaux Grand Cru is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Domaine Jean Grivot is among the great names in Burgundian wine. Étienne Grivot and his wife Marielle took over from Étienne’s father Jean Grivot in 1987. The vineyards are densely planted and farmed organically “sans certification” while the aim in the cellar is for balance and clear expression of terroir.
Jean Grivot’s 15.5 hectares spread across 22 appellations with vineyards in the communes of Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. Besides the three grand crus, there are 8 premier crus including the much lauded Les Beaux Monts and Suchots in Vosne-Romanée. The grapes are completely de-stemmed and fermentation is spontaneous.
About the Vineyard:
Echézeaux grand cru is a large vineyard of 38 hectares divided into 11 individual climats. Grivot’s parcel is in the climat of Les Cruots and lies at the southern end of Echézeaux near the premier cru of Les Suchots. A good Echézeaux should have rich fruit, considerable earthiness, and be very complete on the palate.
Tasting Notes:
The wine shows aromas and flavors of red berries, herbs, and purple flowers. The palate is rich with ripe fruit and medium weight with bright acidity and fine tannins. Aging in 40-70% new Burgundian pièce brings notes of vanilla, toast, and baking spices.
Food Pairing:
Red Burgundy might be the world’s most flexible food wine. The wine’s high acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, and low tannins make it very food-friendly. Red Burgundy, with its earthy and sometimes gamey character, is a classic partner to roasted game birds, grilled duck breast, and dishes that feature mushrooms, black truffles, or are rich in umami.
Review:
A very elegant expression of Echezeaux, with a velvety black plum and rose petal fruit. There is a lovely freshness and so much finesse that the tannin and structure might surprise you at the end. This has the substance to age for decades. Produced from a 0.84ha parcel in Cruots next to Comte Liger-Belair. The vines were planted in 1954 and the destemmed fruit was gently fermented.
This is pure, racy and enticing, hosting aromas and flavors of black currant, blackberry, violet and iron. This is about finesse, grace and precision balance, with saturated fruit flavors persisting on the superlong aftertaste. Needs a decade in the cellar.
-Wine Spectator 97 Points
A deep powerful Gran Reserva from one of Rioja Alavesa’s most enduring family run wineries. The hillside terraced vineyards are sheltered by the Sierra Cantabria Mountains to the north from harsh weather extremes. Small plot production is utilized in this region of infertile chalky clay soil to produce clusters of excellent quality. Almost 900 plots are needed to complete the approximately 400 hectares of estate-owned or cellar-controlled vineyards, some with vines more than 100 years in age.
Tasting notes
Ruby red color with earthy tones. The wine shows finesse, elegance and complexity with good concentration of black fruit, thyme and rosemary with secondary aromas of leather and tobacco leaves. In the palate it is polished and rounded, making it pleasant and easy to drink. Fleshy with both elegance and power. It has touches of black fruit jam and liquorice. A long, delicious and persistent finish.
Suitable for pairing with a long, copious meal where it can accommodate braised vegetables, cold cuts, peppers stuffed with hake and shrimp, mushroom omelettes, cod Rioja style, both red and white meat... and so on.