Charles Thomas Cotes du Rhone Blanc 70% Grenache Blanc, 15% Roussanne, 10% Marsanne, 5% Viognier
Bright yellow in color. The nose has a nice aromatic expression with white peach, apricot, candied lemon and lime notes. The palate is tasty and has a great generosity, a nice sweep on the attack and a crispy and acidulous finish.
Traditional vinification. The grapes are pressed upon their arrival in the winery. Low temperature fermentation in thermo-regulated stainless steel. Each grape variety is vinified separately and then assembled before ageing.
Excellent wine for an aperitif. It pairs perfectly with grilled fish, platters of seafood and shellfish. It also goes well with simple dishes: pizzas, salads, tabbouleh or steamed vegetables. Cheeses: Goat cheese, Blue cheese and hard cheese such Comté.
Chateau de Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone Les Deux Albions is made from 50% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, 15% Carignan, 5% Clairette.
Les Deux Albions is one of the outstanding wines of Louis Barruol’s collection and highlights the exceptional value that can still be found in the Côtes-du-Rhône category. The wine combines depth, structure, and finesse with aromas and flavors of roasted game, mesquite, and olive, crushed plum, and black currants.
Syrah, with its deep flavors and firm tannins, is a natural match for grilled or smoked meat and dishes featuring herbs, roasted mushrooms, and onions. Seared venison or beef with black pepper and thyme or a Moroccan tagine of pigeon or chicken are complimented by the spicy characteristic of Syrah.
Ripe and polished yet fresh, this red seduces with ripe, generous anise, vanilla-laced blackberry and cherry flavors, then turns dark and brooding on the palate, with smoldering iron, garrigue, menthol, black pepper and dark earth framed by fine-grained tannins. Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre and Clairette.
-Wine Spectator 92 Point
Convento Oreja Ribera del Duero Crianza is made from 100 percent Tempranillo.
Bright cherry color. On the nose you will find plenty of fruit aromas, well balanced as well as some reminiscences of spices that are appreciable. The oak presence gives elegant hints of black chocolate and vanilla. On the palate, the wine is very smooth and well balanced with the right amount of acidity. Fresh, long lasting and elegant.
The wine went through malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged 12 Months in French Oak barrels. Before bottling, the wine was slightly filtered.
Convento Oreja Ribera del Duero Crianza is made from 100 percent Tempranillo.
Bright cherry color. On the nose you will find plenty of fruit aromas, well balanced as well as some reminiscences of spices that are appreciable. The oak presence gives elegant hints of black chocolate and vanilla. On the palate, the wine is very smooth and well balanced with the right amount of acidity. Fresh, long lasting and elegant.
The wine went through malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged 12 Months in French Oak barrels. Before bottling, the wine was slightly filtered.
Review:
A bouquet of Luxardo cherry, blackberry preserves and lavender wafts from the glass. Surprisingly juicy on entry, this wine has flavors of pomegranate, ripe cherry, orange zest, dried thyme, dark chocolate and violet. Opulent tannins build in volume and then recede into a finish that is filled with bright fruit notes. — Mike DeSimone
- Wine Enthusiast (June/July 2023), 94 pts
Convento Oreja Ribera del Duero Roble is made from 100% Tempranillo
Deep black plum color with violet tones. Ripe fruit on the nose, mostly blackberries and raspberries, intermingled with hints of spice and leather. On the palate, it is warm, fresh and pleasant with a long finish.
Age of the vines: betwxeen 6 and 16 years old.
Vineyards' location: Comarca de Peñafiel.
Vinification is made in large 20,000-liter stainless steel tanks (200 hectoliters) with automated temperature control.
Fermentation lasted 5 days at 22°C temperature.
Total time for maceration lasted 9 days.
Malolactic Fermentación was completed during the month of November.
Wine was aged in French Oak barrels for a minimum of 4 months.
Review:
"Thoroughly Ribera del Duero in its power and austerity, this wine’s floral rose scents shade into blackness, lasting cleanly within a structure that’s both open and intense. There’s a hint of greenness from its time in American and French oak barrels, an edge that will tame grilled meats."
- Wine & Spirits (June 2022), 91 pts
Corne Loup Cotes du Rhone Blanc is made from 50% Grenache Blanc, 20% Clairette, 15% Roussanne and 15% Viognier.
The wine has a pale straw color with brilliant reflection. In the nose, it displays great aromatics, mainly citrus fruit. The palate is well balanced, with a lot of finesse and persistence.
Delicious when paired with seafood (seashell and fish). It is also great by itself as an aperitif.
Corne Loup Cotes du Rhone Rouge is made from 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre.
Color: dark red ruby.
Aromas: red berries, truffles and spices.
Flavors: complex and rich. It shows red and black fruits, with an herbal spice type of aromas coming from the surrounding vegetation (Garrigue).
The average age of the vines is 40 years. (The oldest vines are 80 years old). Yield: 40 hl/ha The soil is mainly sandy marl and small pebble stones.
Lamb, duck, turkey, red meat, game and cheese.
Corne Loup Lirac Rouge Cuvee du Gouverneur is made from 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah.
The name of the Cuvee comes from Geraldine's ancestor (7th generation), who was mayor of Tavel in the 1800's and was nicknamed the "governor" (Le Gouverneur in French).
This is a very small cuvée, all aged in oak barrels that makes a sexy, international style of Lirac, with tons of spice and fruit.
Corne Loup Tavel Rose is made from 60% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, 15% mix of Mourvèdre, Clairette & Carignan
Elegant, refreshing, food-friendly and versatile, this Tavel offers mouth-watering aromas of strawberry and berry pie.
Corne Loup Tavel represents the pinnacle of the rose pyramid quality wise that can be achieved in the Southern Rhone. The town of Tavel has been famous for its rose wine since the time of the Popes in Avignon (1300's). Tavel is about 2,300 acres in size and produces about 500,000 cases yearly of 9 liter cases, plus can age for 2-3 years, unlike many other roses. Produced from a blend of Grenache, Cinsualt, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Carignan, the wine comes from a famous sub-parcel called the Plateau de Vallongue between Tavel and Lirac AOC's.
The 20 hectare-vineyards are located in the hamlets of Oliver, Campet, Vestides and Vallongue. The Tavel from this producer is a blend of all 3 soils types you can find in the AOC:
Dry and lively, it is an ideal wine for barbecues as it makes a wonderful sipper that's also capable of matching with a wide variety of summer foods, including grilled chicken, seafood and summer salads
Review:
"Almost garnet-hued in the glass, this plum-scented, Grenache-dominant blend offers all the blackberry and blueberry richness of a red wine with the freshness and thirst-quenching quaffability of a rosé. Accented by spikes of burnt caramel, granite and smoke, it's an elegant, satisfying and dry wine that drinks well anytime of the year. - ANNA LEE C. IIJIMA"
- Wine Enthusiast (September 2021), 91 pts
Corne Loup Tavel Rose is made from 60% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, 15% mix of Mourvèdre, Clairette & Carignan
Elegant, refreshing, food-friendly and versatile, this Tavel offers mouth-watering aromas of strawberry and berry pie.
Corne Loup Tavel represents the pinnacle of the rose pyramid quality wise that can be achieved in the Southern Rhone. The town of Tavel has been famous for its rose wine since the time of the Popes in Avignon (1300's). Tavel is about 2,300 acres in size and produces about 500,000 cases yearly of 9 liter cases, plus can age for 2-3 years, unlike many other roses. Produced from a blend of Grenache, Cinsualt, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Carignan, the wine comes from a famous sub-parcel called the Plateau de Vallongue between Tavel and Lirac AOC's.
The 20 hectare-vineyards are located in the hamlets of Oliver, Campet, Vestides and Vallongue. The Tavel from this producer is a blend of all 3 soils types you can find in the AOC:
Dry and lively, it is an ideal wine for barbecues as it makes a wonderful sipper that's also capable of matching with a wide variety of summer foods, including grilled chicken, seafood and summer salads
Domaine du Colombier Hermitage Rouge is made from 100 percent Syrah.
Perfect with beef ribs, grilled meats and cheese.
Manually harvested with destemmed grapes and fermented for about 2 to 3 weeks in temperature controlled vats, with an ageing period of 12 months, 65% in oak barrels and 35% in concrete tanks.
Review:
Brought up in 30% new demi-muids, with the balance in used barrels, the 2017 Hermitage is beautifully pure and layered, with smoking good notes of crème de cassis, white flowers, crushed rocks, and violets. Deep, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has plenty of tannins and is going to need 5-7 years of bottle age. This is a sensational Hermitage from Colombier that will drink well for 25+ years.
These wines are made by the talented Florent Viale and shine for their purity as well as character. While the winemaking here is traditional, with the wines destemmed and brought up mostly in used demi-muids, the purity of fruit can give the impression that wines are more modern styled than they are. They will all benefit from short-term cellaring.
-Jeb Dunnuck 96+ Points
Échezeaux is loyal to its appellation through the finesse of its attack on the palate and its overall balance. But it's also a wine with pronounced acidity, which gives it freshness and structure and bestows upon it a sometimes austere finish.
Florence Cholet Auxey-Duresses Rouge is made from 100 Pinot Noir 60 year old vines.
Auxey-Duresses exhibits intense and juicy aromas of cherries, raspberries, and spices. This is a charming wine that has harmonious and delicate tannins, and a fine texture in the mouth. Medium-bodied, elegant and complex with great concentration and structure.
Florence Cholet Auxey-Duresses Rouge Premier Cru Les Ecussaux is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The nose expresses a nice bouquet of black fruits, cherry and violet. The mouth provides a rich and supple wine with a good tannin structure.
Grand Veneur Cotes Du Rhone Blanc Reserve is made from 50% Roussanne, 40% Viognier, 10% Clairette
Pale yellow colour, brilliant with a gold tinge. Primary aroma of flowers and stone fruit. On the palate, the fruit is immediately present with touches of almond and white peach. A slight liveliness appears in the finish, which creates a perfect balance for the natural generosity of this wine.
To consume young in order to preserve the fruitness typicity. Could age 2-3 years
Direct press, fermentation in temperature controlled stainless-steel vats. Early bottling 6 months after harvest.
Excellent with fish, seafood.
Grand Veneur Cotes Du Rhone Viognier Blanc is made from 100% Viognier.
Soil: clay/sand with limestone.
Yield: 38 Hl / hectare
Hand-picked harvest. Vinification in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature of 18°C.
Bottled early, 6 months after the harvest.
The color is clear and brilliant. A very intense nose of flowers, white peach and pear. On the palate, aromas are expressed with balance and an amazing freshness. A great example of Rhone white, single grape "Viognier".
To be enjoyed young, but can age for 3-5 years.
Soil types
Located next to the single vineyard “Les Champauvins”, nearby the Domaine Grand Veneur. Soils are made of clay and sand with limestone.
Winemaking & aging
Hand-picked harvest. Fermentation in temperature-controled vats. Early bottling, 6 months after harvest.
This mountain grown wine shows expresses ripe fruits of the warm days and the acid balance from the cool nights. Vibrant fruit aromas of blueberry, raspberry, and plum are the hallmarks of the aromatics along with a subtle cedar/cigar box note. These aromatics lead into voluptuous flavors of berries and spice in this structured, yet lively Pinot Noir.
In the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County the local residents speak an obscure dialect of English known as Boontling, developed in the late 1800s. The “Muldune Trail” was a term used in Anderson Valley lore o¬en describing the road traversing the ridge to Ukiah. There are other definitions of hitting the “Muldune Trail” that we will leave to the drinker to discover!
Review:
Pouring a deep ruby, the 2021 Pinot Noir Muldune Trail is more extracted with kirsch, polished leather, lavender, and pine. Full-bodied, this is the most powerful wine in this lineup, while having a luxurious feel, a velvety texture, and plushness throughout. Offering notes of turned soil and wooded earth, with meaty berry fruit and black tea, it’s a substantial wine but is well-made. Drink 2025-2040.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
Jean Arthaud Morgon Cote du Py is made from 100 percent Gamay.
In the heart of the Crus area of Beaujolais, wines of “Morgon” AOC are often described as best representing the character of their terroir. The appellation is dominated by a hill called Mont du Py. Its soil of decomposed schist gives typical aromas to the wines. French winemakers usually describe this particularity in a verb: “morgonner”, be like a Morgon. This Morgon Côte du Py is produced on this hill peaking at 300m above sea-level. The selected parcels are very sunny, on south-oriented steep slopes.
Deep ruby in color, this wine offers a complex nose, mineral and fruity. It mingles aromas of ripe raspberry, black and morello cherries with hints of flint, ink, clove and black pepper. The highly vibrant palate has a sound underlying structure which is powerful yet velvety, thanks to tannins which, despite mellowing, are still very perceptible. This is a stylish wine bearing the hallmarks of its terroir with a long and spicy finish.
This wine has also a very good ageing potential and will start to develop some secondary aromas after 5 or 6 years if kept properly in a wine cellar.
Slight filtration before bottling, no fining. 85% of the wine was aged in cement tank, and 15% of the wine was aged during 6 months in 2-year-old French Oak 228-liter barrels.
Malolactic fermentation.
Temperature controlled skin contact maceration for 12-14 days.
The wine is a blend of 50% full cluster fermentation and 50% destemmed.
Soil is decomposed schist and very old volcanic rocks.
Average age of the vines is 55 years old.
Kershaw Chardonnay GPS Series Lower Dulvenhoks is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
During the year, I have the opportunity to visit a number of areas outside of Elgin. Occasionally, I come across something so fascinating that it deserves a closer look.
In 2016, I discovered a small parcel of Chardonnay grapes growing on limestone soils – a rarity in the Western Cape. With limestone often touted as beneficial for Chardonnay grapes, it made sense to grasp this opportunity with both hands. The GPS Series is testament to these special places and celebrates them.
Restraint, minerality, freshness of fruit and a chiselled edge reflect limestone’s soil properties. This 2017 vintage reveals clean, bright aromas of lemon blossom, wet chalk and powdered stones. Penetrating intensity, animated acidity with a rich mid palate weight, this wine has purity of fruit (orange peel, yellow cling peaches and grapefruit peel) lemon cream biscuits and crème fraiche textures with a long finish.
Winemaking:
Grapes were hand-picked in the early morning, placed into small lug baskets and tipped directly into a press before being gently whole-bunch pressed up to a maximum of 0.6 bar or until a low juice recovery of 590 litres per ton was
obtained. The juice gravity-flowed directly to barrel (no pumps were used at all) without settling. The unclarified juice had no enzymes or yeast added to it and therefore underwent spontaneous fermentation until dry, with malolactic discouraged. The wine rested in barrel for 4 months prior to judicious sulphuring and a further 7 months’ maturation in barrel before racking, blending and bottling.
Review:
"The 2017 GPS Chardonnay has a killer bouquet, just like the 2016, the mineral-rich aromatics soaring from the glass with fantastic delineation that actually reminds me of Domaine Leflaive. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, and a little more saline than the previous vintage, although maybe not quite as persistent. Still, this is an outstanding Chardonnay from Kershaw and it will give 12 to 15 years of drinking pleasure. - Neal Martin"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (November 2019), 93 pts
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."
Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose Petal Jacket NV is made Pinot Noir from 10 crus in the Montagne de Reims
After the “Signature”, “Constellation”, “Safari”, “Butterfly” and “Bamboo” robes, Laurent‑Perrier unveils “Petals”. A robe of light where Dalhia or Strelitzia petals are subtly woven in iridescent Pop colours. A harmony of colours in shades of red and pink with highlights of orange or blue, recalling all of the fresh, crisp nuances of the red and black fruit palette of this great rosé champagne.
Laurent‑Perrier has been designing a reusable metal case with its clasp since 2017, to enhance the quality of the wine, matching the generously shaped Cuvée Rosé bottle.
The Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier is the most recognized rosé champagne in the world. The house uses its proprietary maceration technique and the wine is crafted for a fragrance and not mixed for a color. Held in an elegant bottle inspired by King Henri IV, it has been widely acknowledged for its consistent high quality for more than 40 years, and it is the benchmark for rosé champagne around the world.
Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé is truly remarkable for its highly expressive bouquet, stemming from very careful preservation of fresh fruit aromas during the wine making. Made with 100% Pinot Noir from 10 different "crus " (or villages), from the North and South areas of the Montagne de Reims, as well as the famous village of Bouzy. Grapes from carefully selected plots are meticulously sorted and de-stemmed before going into the vats, and the controlled maceration helps with the color extraction and the development of the full aromatic richness of the Pinot Noir.
Intensely fruity flavors, clean and slightly sharp, the wine opens to the sensation of freshly picked red berries: strawberries, Morello cherries, black currants and raspberries. The finish is supple and rounded.
Its aromatic depth makes it ideal for pairing with marinated raw fish, grilled prawns, exotic dishes, Parma ham and red fruit desserts. Those who are more daring will try it with Asian or Indian cuisine.
Review:
Ethereal floral and raspberry nose. A vinous palate with a mild mousse, the soft texture all wrapped in spice, nuts, smoke and a superior berry tincture. Very long and easy to enjoy.
-Decanter 95 Points
Vintage Notes: A cool summer and early fall allowed a longer ripening season, helping benefit this years Cabernet Franc, as its natural spice was allowed to mature and become better defined.
Pearmund Cellars Cabernet Franc is made from100% Cabernet Franc. Known primarily as a blending grape in Bordeaux’s left bank. Its ability to grow and mature in Virginia makes it one of the States finest varietals.
Tasting Notes: A nose of cherries, raspberries and fennel. Peppery spice continues on the palate with notes of cocoa and sweet cedar wood, allowing for easy drinking. A hint of pepper will linger on the finish.