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Mordoree Lirac Blanc Reine des Bois 2023

Mordoree Lirac Blanc Reine des Bois is made from Grapes : Grenache 35 % Clairette 25 % Viognier 10 % Roussanne 15 % Marsanne 10 % Picpoul 5%>

Color : green gold
Aromas : white fruits, peach, apricot, pear, violet.
Palate : rounded, long finish, highly flavoured.
Ageing Potential : 4-5 years.

Surface : 4 Ha. Yield : 35 Hl./Ha. Vineyard age : 30 years Terroir : Clay / chalk with pebble stones. Harvest : by hand Vinification : skin maceration and direct pressing with temperature control. Fermentation : oak barrel fermentation for 25% of the total volume

Pairs well with appetizers, fish, seafood.

 


Mordoree Lirac Rouge Reine des Bois 2020 (magnum)

Mordoree Lirac Rouge Reine des Bois equal parts Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre

Color : deep dark red, with blueish hints.
Aromas : highly fruity ( raspberry, billberry, blackberry ), floral (violet) and intense with a grilled touch ( coffee ).
Palate : melted and concentrated tannins, full bodied, very long fresh finish.
Ageing potential : 8 to 10 years

Grilled meats, sauce meats, game birds, game rabbits and semi-mature cheeses.


Review:

"Blackberries, dark berries, dried thyme and sweet spices on the nose follow through to a medium body with fine tannins. Round, fruity and juicy with a transparent character. Precise and well-balanced with a flavorful finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.."

- James Suckling (June 2023), 91 pts

 




Morlet Family Vineyards Billet Doux Late Harvest Semillon 2012 (half-bottle)

Morlet Family Vineyards Billet Doux Late Harvest Semillon 2012 (half-bottle) is made from Sémillon (65%) Sauvignon Blanc (31%) Muscat à Petits Grains (4%)

rowing in the gravelly soil of an ancient riverbed in the beautiful Alexander Valley, the old vines benefit from hot afternoons and cool, foggy mornings, favorable for the development of Botrytis (Noble Rot). Extremely small yields in the Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat vineyards lead to the immensely concentrated fruit. Just as one receives a note from one’s sweetheart, we present this wine as a precious ‘Love Note’ or ‘Billet Doux.’

Deep crystal clear gold. Intense and complex bouquet of dry apricot, pêche de vigne and Reine Claude yellow plum intermixed with notes of quince, honey, Muscat and a hint of sweet vanilla. Full bodied, the palate is reminiscent of the nose, with a creamy sweet texture and a great intensity. The large amount of sugar and glycerin creates a highlighted viscosity. Along with the wine’s great concentration, richness and opulence, the classical aromatic complexity reveals a flamboyant yet harmonious ensemble, leading to a very long, complex and smooth finish.


Proprietary name ‘Billet Doux’

Name meaning Love Note 

Type of wine Late harvest white wine

Appellation Alexander Valley

Vineyard singularity 25-60 year old vines Loamy and gravelly soils from an ancient river bed One cluster per shoot ‘de rigueur’

Typical harvest date November Picking Manual, small lugs, refrigerated truck

Sorting Cluster by cluster

Fermentation In barrel through native yeast

Upbringing 16 months French Oak from selected artisan Coopers

Bottling Unfined, filtered to prevent Malolactic

Cellaring time Decades

Serving Chilled and decanted

Review:

Produced from 65% Sémillon, 31% Sauvignon Blanc and 4% Muscat, the 2012 Billet Doux has a medium golden color and profoundly scented nose of beeswax, honeyed nuts, orange marmalade, Manuka honey and preserved lemons. Full-bodied, full-on sweet, rich, concentrated and oh-so-unctuous, it delivers powerful flavor layers and epic length. 175 cases were made.

-Wine Advocate 97 Points

 Wine Advocate: 97
Mt Brave Malbec 2016

Mt Brave Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.

On the Palate of the 2016 Mt. Brave Malbec killer spice overlays rich boysenberry and black currants. A pop of fruit carries across to the finish which is clearly mountain structure based.

Review:

The 2016 Malbec Mt. Veeder is another fabulous wine from winemaker Chris Carpenter. It offers a vibrant, focused, savory style in its blue fruits, graphite, and lead pencil aromatics, and has a concentrated, layered style on the palate. It’s a complex, age-worthy Malbec that will evolve for over a decade.
-Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points

The 2016 Malbec Mt. Veeder (100% Malbec) is very deep purple-black in color and reveals stunning black and red cherries, black plums and violets with wafts of unsmoked cigars and mossy bark. Full, concentrated and seductive in the mouth, it has a solid line of fine-grained tannins and loads of bold, perfumed fruit, finishing long. 484 cases produced.

-Wine Advocate 95 Points

This shows a vivid boysenberry and blackberry fruit profile, laced with licorice, roasted apple wood and violet notes, all backed by a solidly grippy structure and a late zing of minerality. Best from 2021 through 2038. 6,441 cases made. 

-Wine Spectator 94 Points

 Wine Advocate: 95 Wine Spectator: 94 96 Points
Mt. Monster Chardonnay 2016

Mt Monster Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 


Gentle pressing and free run juices create the base of this wine. 


Traditionally Mt Monster Chardonnay is 100% fermented and matured in stainless steel, this receives some lees contact to add texture and complexity to the palate, but essentially this wine is pure Chardonnay fruit.


Review & Tasting notes:

Bright straw color, with hints of lime green. Fresh figs and melon, with vibrant lemon citrus fruit. The nose also shows some yeast complexity from extended lees contact. Fresh tangy melon fruit flavors, & a clean acid finish. Although it may benefit from up to 2 years maturation in bottle, this wine is best consumed when young and fresh.

- Australian Wine Showcase (December 2016), 94 pts

 94 Points
Neyers Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Neyers Ranch 2017

Neyers Cabernet Sauvignon Neyers Ranch is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 

"We harvested the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon crop from our Conn Valley Ranch in the first week of October, a week later than we picked the same vineyard the prior year. The size of the crop was about 20% smaller in 2017 as well, mostly due to the cold, wet weather we experienced in spring during flowering. Grapevines are self-pollinating, and cold, windy or damp weather interferes with this process, a problem known the French call coulure. Ironically, the harsh spring weather of 2017 had a huge impact on the size of our crop. Still, this smaller crop ripened fully and evenly, and at harvest time we picked beautiful, dark-colored clusters under near-perfect conditions. The finished wine was immediately remarkable for its flavor and complexity, and the wine looks to be one that will improve for many years. During my career in the Napa Valley wine business, I’ve learned to expect the best wines from cold years like 2017. These are vintages that are viewed initially with lowered expectations, but my experience has been just the opposite. Going back to my first Napa Valley harvest in 1971, these ‘colder years’ invariably result in wines with brighter, more attractive flavors, and the wines age longer and more gracefully.


Following harvest, the wine was fermented using wild, native yeast in an temperature-controlled stainless steel tank. After 45 days or so, the tank was drained and the pomace pressed, and the wine transferred to 60-gallon French oak barrels, 25% of them new. During the first year, we racked the wine off of the yeast lees three times, and by May 2019 it had been sufficiently clarified to bottle without fining or filtration. I am especially impressed by its bright ruby hue, a color so commanding it reminded me of the 1995 red Bordeaux wines I tasted from barrel during my trip to France in the Spring of 1996. It’s loaded with flavors that range from wild cherry to chocolate, enhanced by the lovely hint of tobacco leaf and mint. Each aromatic component has its own individual fascination, but all of them together provide a remarkable experience. Here’s a complete Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that we expect it to improve for 20 years.  It's a from a very small crop that will provide decades of pleasure." - Bruce Neyers

Review:

Earthy, tannic and young, this wine brims in black fruit, cedar and tobacco that are accented by black olive and crushed rock. With substantial midpalate weight, it takes time to integrate, finding a cohesive conclusion on the long finish.

-Wine Enthusiast 92 Points

 Wine Enthusiast: 92
Pago de los Capellanes Crianza 2020


Crianza is the essential wine. Balance and integrity. It displays the fine manners of experience and the grace of plethoric vine. Juicy black fruit on the palate inviting you to eat well and feel good.

But there is more. Crianza maintains an invisible pact with the landscape. An imperceptible force that brings us closer to the truth of the place. And instantly turns extreme climate vineyards into the most welcoming place in the world.


Prepared with Tempranillo grapes (100%), this wine has a very bright, intense maraschino cherry colour that fades to a Cardinal red rim.

It has a very marked aroma with a good balance of fruit and wood, where tones of vanilla intermingle with well-ripened fruit, black berries and wild fruits. There are also noticeable hints of leather and liquorice, resulting from the mingling of the French oak and the aromas inherent in this variety of grape. 

In the mouth, the wine has a smooth texture but fills the palate with balanced flavours, including fine tannins, which help extend the life of the wine. The finish and aftertaste are both long and elegant.

Vineyard: 

Pago de los Capellanes, Pedrosa de Duero. 

Variety composition: 

100% Tempranillo.

Type of soil: 

Clayey and chalky. 

Aging: 

12 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.

Selected harvest with yields limited to 5000 kg per hectare. The harvest begins in early October, starting with the most mature parcels. Once the grapes are brought into the winery, the tanks are seeded with indigenous yeast (start culture) and the alcoholic fermentation begins. During the barrelling period, which lasts 30 days, the wine is crushed and pumped over daily, all the while controlling the density, temperature and evolution of the yeast. At the end of this fermentation, the tanks are emptied and the wine taken for malolactic fermentation.

The malolactic fermentation begins without the addition of bacteria. The temperature is held steady at 20ºC for period of 22 days, during which we monitor the levels of malic and lactic acids. When the malic acid content is less than 0.1 grams per litre, the wine is decanted to separate the lees and is transferred directly to the barrels without undergoing any type of filtration, clarification or cold treatment.

The wine is aged for twelve months in new and semi-new French oak barrels (no more than three years old). At the end of this period, it is taken to the tank for homogenisation, where it undergoes light filtration through cartridges (open pore) and is then bottled.

 

 Review:

Colour: very deep cherry;Aroma: roasted coffee, aromatic coffee, powerful, ripe fruit, black fruit;Flavour: smoky aftertaste, great length, round tannins;

-Guia Penin 92 Points

 92 Points
Pago de los Capellanes Crianza 2021


Crianza is the essential wine. Balance and integrity. It displays the fine manners of experience and the grace of plethoric vine. Juicy black fruit on the palate inviting you to eat well and feel good.

But there is more. Crianza maintains an invisible pact with the landscape. An imperceptible force that brings us closer to the truth of the place. And instantly turns extreme climate vineyards into the most welcoming place in the world.


Prepared with Tempranillo grapes (100%), this wine has a very bright, intense maraschino cherry colour that fades to a Cardinal red rim.

It has a very marked aroma with a good balance of fruit and wood, where tones of vanilla intermingle with well-ripened fruit, black berries and wild fruits. There are also noticeable hints of leather and liquorice, resulting from the mingling of the French oak and the aromas inherent in this variety of grape. 

In the mouth, the wine has a smooth texture but fills the palate with balanced flavours, including fine tannins, which help extend the life of the wine. The finish and aftertaste are both long and elegant.

Vineyard: 

Pago de los Capellanes, Pedrosa de Duero. 

Variety composition: 

100% Tempranillo.

Type of soil: 

Clayey and chalky. 

Aging: 

12 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.

Selected harvest with yields limited to 5000 kg per hectare. The harvest begins in early October, starting with the most mature parcels. Once the grapes are brought into the winery, the tanks are seeded with indigenous yeast (start culture) and the alcoholic fermentation begins. During the barrelling period, which lasts 30 days, the wine is crushed and pumped over daily, all the while controlling the density, temperature and evolution of the yeast. At the end of this fermentation, the tanks are emptied and the wine taken for malolactic fermentation.

The malolactic fermentation begins without the addition of bacteria. The temperature is held steady at 20ºC for period of 22 days, during which we monitor the levels of malic and lactic acids. When the malic acid content is less than 0.1 grams per litre, the wine is decanted to separate the lees and is transferred directly to the barrels without undergoing any type of filtration, clarification or cold treatment.

The wine is aged for twelve months in new and semi-new French oak barrels (no more than three years old). At the end of this period, it is taken to the tank for homogenisation, where it undergoes light filtration through cartridges (open pore) and is then bottled.

 

Pazo de Senorans Seleccion de Anada Albarino 2013

Pazo de Senorans Seleccion de Anada Albarino is made from 100 percent Albarino. 

Straw yellow with greenish tints, vivid and brilliant. High intensity and very expressive. Profusion of aromas with traces of mineral. Great volume and ample body leaving a lasting impression from beginning to end.

Reviews:

Style, defined aromas, taut, crisp, original. Colour, bright straw. Aroma, scrubland, fine lees, complex, varietal. Flavour, full of life, flavourful, complex.

-Guia Penin 98 Points


Tech:

ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH:
13 % proof


PRODUCTION:
16,000 bottles


TYPE OF WINE:
Aged on lees


FERMENTATION:
Stainless steel


PERIOD OF AGING IN VAT:
More than 30 month on lees


ORIGINAL VINEYARD:
Los Bancales


TYPE OF PLANTATION:
Pergola system (vines)


AVERAGE AGE OF VINEYARDS:
More than 45 years


HARVESTING METHOD:
Manual


DATE OF HARVESTING:
September


YIELD PER HECTAR:
5.000 kg/ha


MACERATION:
Pellicular (in presses)


ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION:
Controlled at 18º


MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION:
No


OPTIMAL PERIOD OF CONSUMPTION:
5 years



 98 Points
Poggio San Polo Podernovi Brunello di Montalcino 2016

Poggio San Polo Podernovi Brunello di Montalcino is made from 100 percent Sangiovese.

Podernovi, San Polo’s new single vineyard Brunello, makes its debut with the extraordinary 2015 vintage. Crafted with Sangiovese grapes grown in the vineyard synonymous with the wine, it is among the most beautiful and archetypal of Montalcino. Podernovi is an elegant and poignant Brunello.

The winter was not particularly cold, and spring arrived slightly earlier than usual, with temperatures slightly above average, giving the vines’ shoots the opportunity to uniformly develop. The following weeks saw frequent rainfall, which allowed the land to build water reserves, alternating with periods of dry weather, enabling the vines to continue growing without any problems. The damp conditions during flowering led to the formation of bunches that were slightly more sparse than usual and with rather small berries, ideal preconditions for reaching harvest time with perfectly ripe and healthy grapes. However, the feature that will make vintage 2016 particularly memorable is the excellent temperature range that characterized the months of July, August and September, with sunny days and cool, breezy nights. We therefore reached the beginning of October with grapes that exhibited a superb combination of maturity, acidity and aromatic potential, perfect conditions for the production of wines with a distinct personality and a great balance of concentration, elegance and longevity; a perfect reflection of the production philosophy of San Polo.

Review:

A mix of wild herb, Tuscan scrub, rose, cherry and earth flavors mark this sleek red, which tiptoes between elegance and power, with a layer of chalky tannins underlying it all. With air, the ripe cherry and plum fruit comes forward. Best from 2025 through 2047. 100 cases imported.

 -Wine Spectator 95 Points


Aromas of forest floor, grilled herb, camphor and pipe tobacco mingle on the nose of this full-bodied red. The firm, elegantly structured palate offers juicy Marasca cherry, red currant, licorice and coffee bean. Tightly wound, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity grip the close and lend an ageworthy structure. Drink 2026–2041.

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points Cellar Selection 

Delicately perfumed and finessed, the San Polo 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Podernovi is very floral and lifted in personality. This vintage is very different than the inaugural 2015 vintage. I remember the previous release for its darker and blacker quality of fruit. This cooler vintage is more lithe and lighthearted, with building aromatic intensity that unfolds with caution and care. Once you've had the wine in your glass, it reveals a succession of sour cherry, wild rose and fresh lavender bud. There are light mineral dustings as well, and the wine is ultimately quite solid and structured. This bodes well for its aging evolution. Fruit comes from a two-hectare parcel in a cool and high position some 450 meters above sea level. The soils are clayey with schistous Galestro. Production is 13,000 bottles.

-Wine Advocate 95+ Points


A mix of wild herb, Tuscan scrub, rose, cherry and earth flavors mark this sleek red, which tiptoes between elegance and power, with a layer of chalky tannins underlying it all. With air, the ripe cherry and plum fruit comes forward. Best from 2025 through 2047. 100 cases imported. –BS

-James Suckling 95 Points


This is a phenomenal new red from San Polo with superb depth and intensity with plum, wet earth and black truffle. Full body. Chewy and ripe tannins and a long and flavorful finish. The depth and beautiful is gorgeous. Needs three or four years to come together. Better after 2022.

-Flastaff 95 Points



 Wine Advocate: 95 Wine Enthusiast: 95 Wine Spectator: 95 95 Points
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Since the founding in 1978, Quilceda Creek has dedicated itself to one thing: producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Director of Winemaking Paul Golitzin believes that the winery’s greatest assets are the vineyards of the Columbia Valley. Through vineyard ownership and control, and through precision farming, they are able to grow and produce the highest caliber Cabernet Sauvignon. In award of their relentless pursuit of producing perfect Cabernet Sauvignon, Quilceda Creek has received seven 100 Point ratings from Wine Advocate, three 100 Point ratings from Owen Bargreen, two 100 Point ratings from Decanter and three Top Ten Wines of the Year from Wine Spectator.
 

The 2021 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine for the ages. Potent aromas jump out of the glass, showing framboise candy, black tea, and a strong classic note of sandalwood. Savory cumin, sage, and garrigue round out this powerful nose. The palate is sweet and velvety, leading to an amazing crescendo of power and refinement.

 

 Review:

With 90% of the grapes from Champoux Vineyard and 10% from Mach One Vineyard, this blend could have been labeled Horse Heaven Hills and is certainly no less a standout than the vineyard-designate bottlings. Mint, black fruit, cinnamon, sandalwood, blueberry and floral notes form a seamless whole, wrapped in beautifully integrated, fine tannins.

-James Suckling 98 Points



 98 Points
Romariz, Vintage Port 1997 (half-bottle)

Romariz, Vintage Port 1997 has been pulled from a Gentleman's cellar, all wines from this cellar have been purchased by the owner either from the importer or direct from winery. They stayed in his cellar until being moved to the Timeless Wines warehouse. 

Rombauer Chardonnay Proprietor's Selection 2022

Rombauer Vineyards Proprietor Selection Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 

Proprietor Selection is a reserve Chardonnay produced only in exceptional vintages by blending the best barrels from the finest lots. The 2022 represents the 16th vintage in 44 years. Like all of our Chardonnays, this wine comes from Carneros where the cool climate and clay soils offer ideal growing conditions for the varietal.

This wine comes from elite vineyards in the Carneros region owned by the Rombauer family and select growers including the Sangiacomo family, long-term grower partners who have farmed this land for three generations

Expressive and concentrated aromas of grapefruit and lime sorbet with hints of clove are present in the glass. It is rich and intense on the palate with sweet peach, clove, and freshly baked pastry flavors. There is a bright refreshing acidity that gives way to more stone fruit flavors that continue to build on the very long and concentrated finish.

Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino Vertical 2013 2015 2016

This is a 6 pack with 2 bottles each from vintages from 2013, 2015, and 2016. 


***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2016:

The 2016 Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino is the most brooding of the lineup from Val di Suga and is sourced from the southwest of the region on sandy soils. There are aromatics of black raspberry, licorice, menthol, sage, cinnamon, and iron-rich earth. Its Mediterranean influence is felt on the palate with ripe black cherry, dried herbs, and sun-baked earth. This is the fullest bodied and most savory of the Val di Suga lineup, with more roundness and grip. Its structure will benefit from cellaring for several years and will be great drinking over the next 20 years or more. 2026-2040.

-Jeb Dunnuck 96 Points


***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2015:

The 2015 Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino is more introverted on first opening, with notes of black plum, licorice, dried Mediterranean herb, and sun-baked earth. On the palate, it offers a tart dried fruit character, with a building tannin structure that finishes with tomato leaf, and bitter herbs. The most rustic and burly of the wines in the lineup of the 2015 Val di Suga vintage, it will benefit from allowing some time in cellar to see how this matures and its tarriness develops. Drink 2026-2036

-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points


***Tenimenti Angelini Val di Suga Vigna Spuntali Brunello di Montalcino 2013:

Plenty of spices and fresh herbs on the nose, such as dried rosemary and nutmeg, to match the underlying dried redcurrants and cranberries. Full-bodied with plenty of concentration, but still shows a very sturdy, tannin backbone and punchy acidity, to drive this through to a long finish. Drink in 2021.

-James Suckling 94 Points

The Prisoner Cabernet Sauvignon Special Select 2021

From the most recognized Napa Valley red blend comes a distinct, new wine. Made in the same iconic style as The Prisoner Red Blend, we proudly introduce The Prisoner Cabernet Sauvignon. Redefining taste once again.

On the nose, blackberry, currant, and plum are layered with dried, crushed herbs and licorice. On the palate, cedar, vanilla, nutmeg, and toasted coconut lead as plum and dried blackberries culminate in a lush, full mouthfeel and a lengthy, balanced finish.

Chef Brett recommends pairing The Prisoner Cabernet with Grilled Ribeye or Aged Gouda Cheese.



The Prisoner Wine Company The Prisoner Chardonnay 2021

The Prisoner Wine Company The Prisoner Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay. 


From the most recognized Napa Valley red blend comes a distinct, new wine. Made in the same iconic style as The Prisoner Red Blend, we proudly introduce The Prisoner Chardonnay. Redefining taste once again.

The Prisoner Chardonnay has aromas of vanilla, apple pie and pineapple. On the palate, baked apple, crème brûlée and toasted oak.

Chef Brett recommends pairing The Prisoner Chardonnay with a Grilled Cheese Sandwich or Halibut with Browned Butter, Lemon, and Capers.

Torello Corpinnat Special Edition Brut Reserve 2016

Torello Corpinnat Special Edition Brut Reserve is made from 44% Xarel.lo, 37% Macabeo, 11% Chardonnay, 8% Parellada.


The estate soils have been formed from sediments from the Garraf Massis, deposited thousands of years ago. One of the most characteristic features of the estate’s soils is the presence of accumulations of calcium carbonate. The movement of water through the soil dissolves the carbonates and takes them to a certain depth. The continuous repetition of this process has ended up producing the accumulation of these deposits. When these become massive, after thousands of years, they bind together and form a hard stratum called a petrocalcic horizon. This hard stratum limits the availability of water to the vine and the production, but is a factor that gives the grape quality

The wine offers a straw yellow color, clean, transparent, fine, and persistent bubbles with a rosary formation. In the nose fresh pear aromas stand out along with delicious notes of pastry cream, white flowers, and candied fruits. On the palate, good balance and acidity. Powerful and flavorful with white flowers and notes of brioche, almond and great length.

Special Edition is very versatile and matches with many different kinds of dishes; pasta, pork, chicken, fish, seafood, rice, cold cuts, desserts.

Weingut Prager Achleiten Riesling Smaragd 2020

Weingut Prager Achleiten Riesling Smaragd is made from 100 percent Riesling. 


Franz Prager, co-founder of the Vinea Wachau, had already earned a reputation for his wines when Toni Bodenstein married into the family. Bodenstein’s passion for biodiversity and old terraces, coupled with brilliant winemaking, places Prager in the highest echelon of Austrian producers.

Smaragd is a designation of ripeness for dry wines used exclusively by members of the Vinea Wachau. The wines must have a minimum alcohol of 12.5%. The grapes are hand-harvested, typically in October and November, and are sent directly to press where they spontaneously ferment in stainless-steel tanks.

Achleiten sits east of Weißenkirchen and is one of the most famous vineyards in the Wachau. The steeply-terraced vineyard existed in Roman times. Some sections have just 40 cm of topsoil over the bedrock of Gföler Gneiss, amphibolitic stone, and slate. “Destroyed soil,” as Toni Bodenstein likes to say.


Tasting Notes:

Austrian Riesling is often defined by elevated levels of dry extract thanks to a lengthy ripening period and freshness due to dramatic temperature swings between day and night. Wines from Achleiten’s highly complex soils are famously marked by a mineral note of flint or gun smoke, are intensely flavored, and reliably long-lived.


Food Pairing:

Riesling’s high acidity makes it one of the most versatile wines at the table. Riesling can be used to cut the fattiness of foods such as pork or sausages and can tame some saltiness. Conversely, it can highlight foods such as fish or vegetables in the same way a squeeze of lemon or a vinaigrette might.

Review:

The 2020 Ried Achleiten Riesling Smaragd offers a well-concentrated, fleshy and spicy stone fruit aroma with crunchy and flinty notes. It needs some time to get rid of the stewed fruit flavors, though. Full-bodied, fresh and crystalline, this is an elegant, complex and finely tannic Riesling that needs some years rather than a carafe to polymerize the tannins and gain some finesse. Tasted at the domain in June 2021.

At Prager, I could not determine that 2020 would be inferior to the 2019 vintage; on the contrary, the 2020 Smaragd wines fascinated me enormously in their clear, cool, terroir-tinged way. A 38% loss had occurred mainly because of the hail on August 22, although predominantly in the Federspiel or Riesling vineyards. There was no damage in the top vineyards such as Ried Klaus, Achleiten or Zwerithaler. "Interestingly, the vines are in agony for about two weeks after the hail. There was no more growth, no development of ripeness and sugar," reports Toni Bondenstein. The Veltliner then recovered earlier, while even picking a Riesling Federspiel in October was still a struggle. "Why Riesling reacted more intensively to the hail, I don't know myself either," says Bodenstein. Whole clusters were pressed to preserve acidity and to compensate for the lower extract, and compared to 2019, the 2020s were left on their lees longer. In June, however, the 20s in particular showed outstanding early shape.

-Wine Advocate 94 Points

Light yellow-green, silver reflections. Yellow stone fruit nuances with a mineral underlay, notes of peach and mango, a hint of tangerine zest, mineral touch. Juicy, elegant, white fruit, acidity structure rich in finesse, lemony-salty finish, sure aging potential.

-Falstaff 95 Points

 Wine Advocate: 94 95 Points
Clos Du Val Yettalil 2019

Clos Du Val Yettalil is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec

The 2019 Yettalil opens with aromas of fresh blackberry, ripe plum, and racy cassis layered with hints of violet, bay leaf, and thyme. Beautifully balanced and elegant on the palate, vibrant acidity and polished tannins give way to a concentrated core of black cherry, vanilla, and cedar. The texture is velvety and plush with a backbone of graphite and dark chocolate that lingers through a long finish.


Review:

The 2019 Yettalil is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out with energetic notes of crushed black and red currants, warm black plums, and black raspberries, plus suggestions of cedar, violets, and Indian spice with a waft of tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively and well-structured, featuring firm, ripe tannins to frame the muscular fruits, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note.

-Wine Independent 95 Points

 95 Points
Le Big Boss Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Made from 60 years old Cabernet Sauvignon vines in organic farming conversion, the cuvee Big Boss is also a tribute to all the winegrowers who are dedicated with love and passion to their wines and terroirs. This is a very charming wine with notes of red fruits and blackcurrant.

 



Le Roi des Pierres les Monts Damnes Sancerre Blanc 2021


Super-concentrated and mineral. Release always trails the regular Sancerre Blanc by a year so it has extra time in both tank and bottle.

An understated charm on the nose, revealing elegant aromas of yellow fruits like apricot and mirabelle plum, along with hints of anise and marzipan. A touch of green pepper adds a light and airy quality. On the palate, it offers a crisp and delightful experience, with flavors of plum and orange wedge, culminating in a chalky, saline finish.

VINEYARDS: The vineyards are planted in Terroir of Kimmeridgian marls (calcareous clay with encrustation of oyster and mussel fossils) from the Jurassic time. Trellised vines are averaged around 30 years old and have a planting density of 8000 vines/ha. Tillage takes place in the rows until the bud burst, the rest of the year to natural grass covers. The Côte des Monts Damnés is located in Chavignol. Steep hillsides (declivity up to 70%), facing south, with an altitude that ranges from 650 to 980 feet.

VINTAGE: The grapes matured in cooler temperatures than in recent years, so the 2021 vintage is in line with other vintages that conform to the temperate climate of the Centre-Loire wine region.

VINIFICATION AND MATURATION: The grapes were handpicked and had a light cold static settling to eliminate the coarsest lees. Fermentation and aging took place in stainless steel tanks (88%) and 10 years old wooden vats (12%). After, the wine was aged on fine fermentation lees for 9 months.


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