Pinea is made from 100 percent Tempranillo. 30 months, new French oak barrels
PINEA is born of the founders desire to make a wine on a par with the world’s finest. Its name is inspired by a beautiful and majestic Pinus Pinea tree, which is probably one of the oldest and tallest in the region. Surrounded by old vines, it has been witness to centuries of history.
PINEA is a hand-made, artisanal wine made with the heart. Crafted with care and respect for its origins, it also faithfully reflects the terroir and the passion of everyone involved in its creation. It is made from old vines, grown on clay-loam terrain at high altitude. Our winery is characterized by its minimal intervention approach to precision viticulture, key to ensuring that the grape is able to express itself fully.
PINEA is aged in and blended from new fine-grained French oak barrels of medium toast, which respect the fruit during the ageing process. Perfection is sought at each and every stage of winemaking, in order to successfully create a wine in which fruit plays a leading role, integrated with the complexity of oak. A unique wine. Elegant. Subtle. Perhaps one of the very best in the world.
TOTAL PRODUCTION: LESS THAN 1,000 CASES (13,000 BOTTLES)
Appearance: It is a clean and bright, deeply colored, almost opaque, ruby red wine with a garnet rim.
Nose: It is clean and balanced, and very intense in aromas. As is typical for the varietal, it is rich in black fruit aromas, predominantly blackberry. The use of new oak gives pungent aromas of bitter chocolate, coffee, cedar and smoky notes that give length and depth.
Palate: It has a powerful attack, which fills and envelops the palate from start to finish. Full-bodied, it has high tannins and considerable alcohol, although both are very well integrated. It is perfectly balanced on its passage through the mouth, leaving flavors of black forest fruits, blackberries and spices such as clove and black pepper. It leaves a long, harmonious aftertaste. It all comes together in a finish of smoky, slightly bitter notes, which give it great length and a persistence that lasts a long time after drinking. A complex, well-balanced wine that shows the full potential of oak-aged Tempranillo.
Reviews:
This is a fabulous young wine from the Ribera del Duero, one of Spain’s greatest wine regions. Dark, powerful and plush, the wine is not flamboyant or overdone. Indeed, it’s wonderfully balanced, carrying the alcohol and the “very special French oak” effortlessly and without a trace of heat or woodiness. Tightly wound, it gradually reveals its mineral-infused glory over time in the glass. It’s more savory than fruity, though there’s plenty of the latter. The tannins are barely noticeable because they are so fine and well-integrated. Paradoxically, it’s powerful, yet reticent, and finishes with a delightful hint of bitterness, which, to me, is a hallmark of a great wine. It’s one for the cellar, to be sure. But it you can’t wait and your budget allows you to buy multiple bottles, open and decant one hour before you drink it with garlic-infused roasted leg of lamb this winter.
97 Michael Apstein Dec 8, 2020
Very highly polished, international plush style. Bold, toasty oak, balanced by crunchy blue fruit. Ripe, intense, harmonious, has mile of age to last. - International Wine Challenge 95 Points(Gold Metal & named one of three best tempranillos in all of Spain)
As dense and dark as a young vintage port, but much less alcoholic, this is a concentrated and elegant Ribera del Duero that has a long, polished finish. Drink or hold. - James Suckling 93 Points
Piron Chenas Quartz is made from 100% Gamay - 60+ years old .
The Chenas Cru is the smallest Beaujolais Cru, not bigger than Côte Rôtie. This is a rare wine. The estate's unique parcel spreads over 22.2 acres of vines on a very steep slope facing East, situated between 310 and 380 meters above sea level. Granitic soils are covered with Quartz crystals and give the wine its own personality.
The vineyard is co-owned by Domnique Piron and Christian Lameloise, whose family owned Lameloise restaurant in Burgundy (3*** Michelin). Decanter classified the wine in the 3 best best bottles of Crus Beaujolais in 2015 (vintage 2013).
Hand harvest, sorting table, part destemming. A first stage of semi carbonic maceration during few days is followed by a more classic Burgundy maceration with « remontages » and « pigeages », for a total of 18-20 days, depending on the vintage.
30% of the wine are aged in recent French oak foundre and oak barrels (no new oak) during 12 months to bring roundness and complexity to the final assemblage.
Pairs well with complex dishes, meats, leaver, and why not a little pigeon with peas and diced bacon.
Review:
"Beautifully attractive violets and red flowers here, carrying a very fresh impression, as well as an exciting and vibrant yet elegant finish. Exceptionally pure and focused. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (February 2019), 93 pts
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.
Podere Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore is made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Sangiovese.
#12 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022
The olfactory impact is of considerable aromatic intensity: it expands with notes of small, fully ripe red fruits, accompanied by clear balsamic and Mediterranean hints. In progression, typical mineral notes develop. The gustatory impact is austere, of remarkable freshness and of large volume. It develops in a balanced fusion between the broad minerality and the fine and enveloping tannins. Everything is found in the long final persistence that foreshadows a long life ahead.
Goes well with game, as e.g. local preparations of wild boar, roast, braised and stewed red meats, and medium aged cheese.
Review:
Dense and smooth, featuring black cherry, blackberry, plum, iron, licorice and menthol aromas and flavors. Fresh and featuring a spine of tannins, this finishes on the compact side for now. Shows balance, so be patient. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese. Best from 2025.
-Wine Spectator 97 Points
The 2019 Bolgheri Superiore Grattamacco (a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 15% Sangiovese) is a real beauty and shows very nicely today based on advancing vine age alone. Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah vines show great results after seven years, whereas Merlot and Sangiovese vines need a few more years before they start to show that extra degree of complexity, the winemaking team tells me. This is a complete and beautifully balanced wine that shows soft extraction and especially sweet tannins. It fermented in truncated conical oak vats and finished in barrique for 18 months.
-Wine Advocate 97 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, 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
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.
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
Bright and glossy ruby red in colour. On the nose it reveals aromas of small fresh berries and a trace of sour cherry, melded with hints of blackberries and black cherries, followed by a hint of vanilla. A fragrant wine with satisfying intensity. On the palate it is warm, smooth and a medium-bodied with finely-balanced tannins. Dry and sinewy yet fresh with a persistent, aromatic finish.
Reviews:
#72 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2023
Bright and glossy ruby red in colour. On the nose it reveals aromas of small fresh berries and a trace of sour cherry, melded with hints of blackberries and black cherries, followed by a hint of vanilla. A fragrant wine with satisfying intensity. On the palate it is warm, smooth and a medium-bodied with finely-balanced tannins. Dry and sinewy yet fresh with a persistent, aromatic finish.
-James Suckling 91 Points
The color is a brilliant straw yellow with a fresh fruit perfumes, especially apple and pear, and floral notes such as elder and bloom. The taste is very fresh and light, with a very interesting acidity. There is an important presence of mineral salts due to the volcanic origin of the soil.
Open pergola Vinification: Destemming, maceration of the grapes in the must for 12 hours, racking and long fermentation at 18 °C
Ideal as aperitif, light main courses such as pasta and risotto, shell fish and fish, soups and vegetables.
Review:
Brilliant emerald straw color. Aromas and flavors of brazil nuts, creme fraiche, and kiwi and starfruit with a silky, lively, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and an effortless, engaging, medium-length watermelon, yellow apple, and clementine finish. A delicious, artfully balanced soave with a great range of fruit flavors. 91 Point Beverage Tasting Institue
The color is a brilliant straw yellow with a fresh fruit perfumes, especially apple and pear, and floral notes such as elder and bloom. The taste is very fresh and light, with a very interesting acidity. There is an important presence of mineral salts due to the volcanic origin of the soil.
Open pergola Vinification: Destemming, maceration of the grapes in the must for 12 hours, racking and long fermentation at 18 °C
Ideal as aperitif, light main courses such as pasta and risotto, shell fish and fish, soups and vegetables.
Review:
Brilliant emerald straw color. Aromas and flavors of brazil nuts, creme fraiche, and kiwi and starfruit with a silky, lively, dry-yet-fruity light-to-medium body and an effortless, engaging, medium-length watermelon, yellow apple, and clementine finish. A delicious, artfully balanced soave with a great range of fruit flavors. 91 Point Beverage Tasting Institue
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:
Some wines are made for casual occasions that convey not a single place and time, but an ethos unto itself. This is where the idea of THREADCOUNT was born. Throughout California's most noteworthy coastal growing regions, vines from young to old, we were able to select from a broad array of terroirs giving us the luxury of blending a red that defies the norms.
As THREADCOUNT is commonly known, it is the sum of the threads and weft of a fabric, denoting its texture. With this red wine, we have taken an approach that takes the sum of the phenols against the natural acidity to create the most balanced and enjoyable red wine. This inaugural blend is handcrafted by Joe Wagner, a fifth-generation Napa Valley winemaker with a dedicated passion for farming grapes and making luxury wine.
Joe began in the wine business in 2001 at age nineteen. His passion and natural talent for winemaking quickly became apparent after he started his own award-winning single vineyard Pinot Noir label, Belle Glos. Joe went on to create Napa Valley Quilt which quickly became a top 10 luxury wine in just five vintages. THREADCOUNT is an extension of the Quilt winemaking style translated for more casual occasions.
WINEMAKER NOTES The grapes were harvested early in the morning so the fruit would arrive at the winery while still cool to preserve the vineyard-fresh flavors. Within this wine, we blend a combination of Zinfandel, Syrah, Petit Sirah and Merlot from Mendocino, Sonoma and Lodi. After de-stemming the berries, the fruit was cryo-extracted and then cold-soaked to soften the skins and allow for ideal extraction. During fermentation, punch-downs and pump-overs were performed in a combination of closed and open-top stainless steel fermenters in order to extract color and tannins; during this process, temperatures were kept low to build mouthfeel and maximize flavors. Finally, the wines are aged in 50% new French oak for between 12-16 months. After the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, it was racked every 6 months before the final blend was complete.
TASTING NOTES
COLOR: Dark cherry with scarlet red highlights.
AROMA: Complex aromas of black raspberry, milk chocolate, and soft hints of sweet cedar. PALATE: Bold flavors of boysenberry pie, sugar cookie, and toffee lead to subtle notes of strawberry jam and baking spice. The balanced and complex tannin structure creates a long-lasting enjoyable finish. FOOD PAIRING: Tri-tip crostini, pork ribs with mashed potatoes, or pasta with a bolognese sauce.
Quinta de Fafide Reserva Branco is made from 50% Codega do Larinho, 30% Rabigato, 20% Viosinho
In this wine we look for an aromatic concentration and high acidity of the grapes from the very old traditional vineyards of high altitude in Douro Superior, about 550 meters above sea level, showing the full character of the varieties of indigenous Douro old vines, giving very mineral and creamy wines. Mineral aroma, citrus and tropical fruit, fresh and full-bodied on the palate, buttery texture and complexity provided by fermentation and ageing in barrels.
Opaque color. Very rich, dark chocolate aromas with some black cherry and mature fruit coming through. There is also a pleasing freshness to the port originating from its floral and cistus (rockrose) bouquet. The Quinta de la Rosa Vintage 2017 is a powerful wine with much potential but at the same time elegant and generous on the palate. Full of flavors, very complex with fine tannins that gives the wine a nobility and persistence. A great vintage made to give pleasure now and in the next few decades.
Review:
The 2017 Vintage Port was bottled a few weeks before tasting after spending 18 months in used tonels. It is a field blend, mostly Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, coming in with 98 grams per liter of residual sugar. Wonderfully aromatic and filled with flavor, this got plenty of aeration and didn't blink even a little. It was still vibrant and expressive. Aeration only made it more tannic. It is also delicious. This is potentially a great Port, and it seems like the best I've seen from La Rosa. This is sort of approachable in the near future, but it really needs (at least) a decade of cellaring. It has a lot of muscle and should age well.
-Wine Advocate 95 Points
Very floral in profile, with violet and lilac accents leading off, followed by a decidedly red-fruit spectrum of raspberry, cherry and red currant coulis flavors that race throughout. Has grip, but this is more reliant on acidity, showing a nearly piercing feel as the tightly focused finish zips along, leaving a mouthwatering impression. Delightfully idiosyncratic. Best from 2033 through 2050. 112 cases imported. — JM
-Wine Spectator 95 Points
This is a rounded Port, showing layers of black fruits, ripe tannins and spice. At the same time, it does have a solid structure that will allow it to age. The acidity comes through at the end. Drink from 2028.
-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points
Quinta do Vesuvio Single Quinta Vintage Port is made from 33% Touriga Nacional, 35% Touriga Franca, 15% Sousão, 12% Alicante Bouschet, 5% Other.
This is a powerful, attention-grabbing wine, with taut muscularity. It offers magnificent aromas of rockrose, mint and hints of ginger. The substantial palate is full with expressive black fruit notes lifted by peppery schist tannins (the seasoning provided by the Sousão). The long, lingering aftertaste indicates impressive ageing potential.
Review:
Deep dark ruby garnet, opaque core, violet reflections, delicate edge brightening. Delicate smoky spice, fine nougat, black berries, ripe figs, candied orange zest. Juicy, elegant, fine extract sweetness, ripe tannins, pleasant freshness, chocolaty in the finish, mineral and long-lasting, extremely elegant style, a large Vesuvio, has class.
-Falstaff 99 Points
The 2017 Vintage Port is a blend of 33% Touriga Nacional, 35% Touriga Franca, 15% Sousão and 12% Alicante Bouschet, plus miscellaneous others filling out the blend. This was bottled about a month before tasting after 18 months in seasoned vats, but the just-bottled sample was not really ready. This was instead a pre-bottling sample. It comes in with 115 grams of residual sugar.
- Wine Advocate 99 Points
Fresh with an intense fruity character. Very mineral wine with notes of apple, plums, peach, combined with a still dominant citric profile. Magnificent volume with an elegant and delicious unctuousness. Fantastic finish, long and aromatic. Very good balance between acidity and dryness/sweetness although the wine almost doesn’t have residual sugar.
Alcohol content: 12.5 % Vol.
pH: 3,41
Total Acidity: 6 g/L tartaric acid
Volatile Acidity: 0,36 g/L acetic acid
Average age of the vines is 20 years old, all planted on alluvium (stream deposit) consisting in gravelly and sandy soils.
Grapes were transported to the winery immediately after the harvest in small size boxes. They were smoothly pressed before fermentation in stainless-steel tanks, with temperature control. Selected yeasts were added for the fermentation.
Fish and seafood are strongly associated to the white wine consumption. With Reguengo de Melgaço Alvarinho wines it’s not different. They usually make wonderful pairings with fish and seafood main courses.
However, other pairings are also recommended.
Salads, fruit, white meats, are also great companions for Reguengo de Melgaço Alvarinhos. The volume, attack and intense flavour of these wines allow even more unconventional pairings for white wine, such as heavier meat plates.
Riebeek Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon,15 % Shiraz.
An exciting new world style wine with upfront blackcurrant flavors. The black fruit is well-balanced with subtle French oak for a complex nose and an elegant and lingering follow-through. An exceptional example of a lighter style Cabernet Sauvignon that can be enjoyed young. Excellent with red meat dishes or veal.
The bright, dark Riebeek Cape Ruby is a fortified wine made in the style of a ruby port. The flavors are opulent with ripe fruit, chocolate and interesting nuances of spice on the nose and a palate that follows through smoothly and with a lingering aftertaste. Made from 80% Tinta Barocca and 20% Souzau of which 50% was matured in small barrels for two years.
Review:
"This wine from South Africa’s Swartland region offers the rich aromas and flavors of a good quality Ruby Port at a very reasonable price. It offers vibrant aromas and generous, ripe flavors of dark cherry, chocolate, and tobacco complemented by savory notes. It has just the right tannic firmness and a long, rich finish. Made in the style of a Ruby Port from Touriga Nacional and Shiraz grapes, half of which was aged in barriques for 2 years."
- International Wine Review (Succulent Sweet Wines for the Holidays: The Best of 2018), 90 pts
Rinaldi Brachetto d' Acqui is made from 100% Brachetto d'Acqui
The skin gives the wine its particular scent and flavor.
Light ruby red color. The bouquet is musky and delicate with scents of ripe red fruit (strawberry, blackberry) and roses. Sweet and smooth flavors with lingering aromatic persistence. There is a good balance between the sweetness and the freshness, which makes this wine very pleasant.
The training system used is Guyot with a density of 2500-3000 vines per hectare. Manual harvest. Temperature controlled maceration for approximately seven days with mechanic plunging of the cap and pumping over to increase extraction of substances from the skins. This is the most important part of the vinification. Soft pressing.
Rinaldi Brachetto d' Acqui is made from 100% Brachetto d'Acqui
The skin gives the wine its particular scent and flavor.
Light ruby red color. The bouquet is musky and delicate with scents of ripe red fruit (strawberry, blackberry) and roses. Sweet and smooth flavors with lingering aromatic persistence. There is a good balance between the sweetness and the freshness, which makes this wine very pleasant.
The training system used is Guyot with a density of 2500-3000 vines per hectare. Manual harvest. Temperature controlled maceration for approximately seven days with mechanic plunging of the cap and pumping over to increase extraction of substances from the skins. This is the most important part of the vinification. Soft pressing.
Rinaldi Follie Pink is made from 50 % Dolcetto, 45 % Merlot, and 5 % Brachetto.
Fresh, fruity with hints of Strawberry and Cherry.
This is a great wine for Aperitif.
Review:
"Here’s a delightful aperitif wine to brighten your spirits as you prepare dinner or relax on the patio. Flavors of strawberries and raspberries throw a party in your glass and will bring a smile to your face. The blend is dolcetto and merlot, with a little brachetto. - Dave McIntyre"
- Washington Post (May 2020), Exceptional *** - Great Value
This is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with an opaque purple color and perfumed aromas of blackberry compote, orange blossom, cassis, creme brulee, and cocoa. On the palate the wine is plush and concentrated with well-integrated tannins and a vibrant finish. Lush enough to be consumed now and structured enough to hold for decades thanks to the mountain heritage of this beautiful wine.
Review:
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is an incredible wine, and it flirts with perfection. Full-bodied and concentrated, it has flawless balance and elegance as well as just textbook Howell Mountain notes of blue fruits, cassis, violets, graphite, and background oak. I love its tannins, it has remarkable purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. It has some appeal today yet deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and should have over two decades of longevity.
-Jeb Dunnuck 98+ Points
Winemaker Sean Capiaux has crafted this Howell Mountain staple for more than two decades. In 2019, he's made a knockout! Explosive aromas of ripe, black fruit, wild mountain sage, turned earth and toasty oak. Enveloping on the palate with an intricate mix of black cherry, blackberry and blueberry fruit moving quickly into more savoury notes of crushed stones, cassis, wildflowers. Finishing long and with vibrancy and lift. A powerful core of firm fine-grained tannins are nicely integrated. Great cellar potential.
-Decanter 97 Points