Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Merlot, 2.5% Malbec, 2.5% Petit Verdot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc.
Beautiful aromas of dark plum, red cherry, licorice and warm baking spices open onto a plush and silky palate layered with plum, spiced cherry and cassis. A classic Napa Valley Cabernet, fine-grained tannins and lively acidity support the wine throughout, while the finish is refined and polished.
Review:
Very precisely polished and focused wine with aromas of black cherries, blue berries and violets followed by green bell pepper, black ink and gravel. Underlying umami notes, too. Full-bodied, firm yet finely grained juicy tannins with bright acidity that balances out the palate. Beautifully integrated toasty notes and baking spices on the mid-palate and in the finish. Flourishing and artful wine that will age gracefully.
-James Suckling 96 Points
Farnio Chianti Montalbano Riserva is made from 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo and 5% Colorino.
Brilliant ruby red with plain ruby shades, fairly clear. Blackberry and violet notes emerge on the nose with spiced and vegetal tones, leading to a leathery and pencil lead finish. Elegant, pleasant, pure and intense aromas but vigorous and round. Slightly tannic and fresh, balanced and full-bodied.
Wild boar in sauce, grilled meat, casseroles, game and mature pecorino cheese.
COLOR: Deep ruby red
NOSE: Intense bouquet with hints of ripe fruit
TASTE: Full, balanced taste
Flaunt Russian River Valley Sparkling Brut is made from 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir.
This Brut is absolutely lovely. It is drier than the previous versions with only 1.5 grams of residual sugar. It is powerful and brisk with well integrated bubbles. There is an immediate hit of lemon zest with touches of nectarine and plum. Mid palate you notice the warm notes of brioche and a slight kick of white pepper on the finish.
This Russian River Valley Brut is a blend of wine from two vineyards in the Russian River Valley. It is approximately equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These two grapes work wonderfully in Sonoma County’s maritime climate where the long, cool growing season allows for adequate ripeness of both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay while maintaining superb levels of natural acidity. Dianna Novy always loved the Russian River Valley for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, first as still wines, and now as Sparkling Wine.
Review:
"This crisp Brut offers fresh aromas and flavors of ripe pear and apple with a leesy fresh bread note. It is mouth filling with fresh acidity and has a sense of refinement, finishing long and chalky. Try it with oysters. A blend of 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir with 3 years en tirage."
- I-winereview.com (December 2022), 92 pts
Force Majeure Parvata is made from 69% Mourvedre, 21% Syrah, 10% Grenache (2016) / 43% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache, 23% Syrah, 4% Cinsault, 5% Counoise
Parvata means “mountain” in sanskrit, and is the name for this southern Rhône-inspired blend, grown mostly in the sandy, loamy soils of the lower section of the Red Mountain vineyard, which bring to the wine a good degree of finesse and high-toned aromatic notes, white pepper, dried herbs and grapefruit peel.
Review:
"Based on 57% Mourvèdre, 25% Syrah, and the rest Grenache, the 2018 Parvata has a wonderfully earthy, complex, classic Mourvèdre nose of ripe red and blue fruits, gamey meat, cracked pepper, violets, and tree bark. This carries to a plush, up-front, incredibly sexy 2018 with notable purity, full-bodied richness, integrated tannins, and a great, great finish. It's slightly more up-front and supple than I expected from barrel, but this incredible wine just begs to be drunk. Nevertheless, I still think a year of bottle age is warranted and it should drink well for 10-15."
- Jeb Dunnuck (May 2021), 96 pts
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Gentilhommes Vire-Clesse is made from 100% Chardonnay.
A gentilhomme is a gentleman characterized by his delicacy, thoughtfulness, and courtesy. "Les Gentilhommes" was created by brothers Richard and Stephane Martin as brand embodying the gentleman's character combined with Burgundian know-how.
From the work in the vineyard to the vinification in barrel, they are inspired to share these noble values. Quality, authenticity and long family tradition are the foundation of these wines.
This single-vineyard Chardonnay is produced in the village of Clessé, in the heart of the Mâconnais region in Burgundy, from 45 year-old vines planted on the limestone based soils of the Mount Epin.
Brillant robe with golden reflections. A nose with pear and white peach notes. Fresh, ample and full-bodied, a great balance in the mouth, with tension and subtle wooden notes. The elegance of this pure wine lingers on the palate.
Harvest is made by machine on non-irrigated vineyard. The wine has been aged on fine lees for 10 months with the major part in a stainless steel vat and the remaining in new oak barrels made out of French oak of a high quality.
No use of sulfites during harvest and vinification.
Fresh, ample and full-bodied on the palate, the wine is perfect by itself as an aperitif and delicious during the meal with grilled fish tacos or a Pad Thaï.
Georges Cartier Champagne Brut Tradition NV is made from 65% Pinot Meunier, 25% Pinot Noir, and 10% Chardonnay.
This champagne was made to reflect the potential of each grape growing areas of the Champagne region.
The grapes for Georges Cartier Brut Tradition have been carefully selected from the 3 emblematic areas of Champagne. Chardonnay is sourced from the Côte des Blancs, Pinot Noir from Montagne de Reims and Pinot Meunier from the Marne Valley.
Each grape variety brings its own character and specific quality to the wine: Pinot Meunier brings fruit and roundness, Pinot Noir brings character, power, structure and balance, while Chardonnay contributes to the finesse, minerality and elegance of the result wine.
The blend in 2022 will be 70% 2018 vintage and 30% of reserve wines (consisting of 2014, 2015 and 2016 vintages).
It will be RD (meaning "Recently Disgorged") to keep freshness, fruitiness, minerality and elegance.
Review:
"A blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. Lemon drop and buttercup combine with lime sorbet. Bubbles burst with ease and the wine’s mineral tone keeps the palate cleansed."
- The Tasting Panel (May/June 20022), 93 pts
Gessinger Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese St. Josef is made from 100 percent Riesling.
The Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese St. Josef - formerly know as Josefsberg- was produced from fruit harvested from 120-year-old vines in a prime Rothlay part of the vineyard known locally as Josefsberg, next to the cross of St. Josef - the patron of vineyard growers. Here grow old, ungrafted Riesling vines whose particular small and loose grapes develop a lot of aroma.
It was made from fruit picked at the end of the harvest and was fermented down to sweet levels of residual sugar. It offers a backward nose made of white peach, melon, smoke, herbs, and minerals. On the pleasant racy palate and the wine leaves a beautiful feel of ripe fruits packed into zesty minerals in the finish. The featherlight side of this Spätlese paired with its flavor intensity are simply a thing of beauty. However, during the years this wine will reveal all its facets.
Perfect match to Asian cuisine as well as spicy food.
Grace Town Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi is amde from 98% Old VIne Zinfandel + 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Ruby red in color, with red fruit, raspberry, and spice on the nose. This wine is medium in body, with notes of ripe cherry, cedar box, cinnamon, anise, black pepper, and hint of smoke on the palate. It has a long, silky finish.
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Green & Social Rueda Organic Tempranillo is made from 100 percent Tempranillo.
The launch of green & social is a step forward in pursuit of the sustainability by Cuatro Rayas and the starting point of new environmental initiatives in support of the social economy that the Cooperative launched. Lightweight recycled glass to reduce emissions. Aluminum capsule free of plastics and 100% recyclable. Sugar cane cap with zero carbon footprint. The Green and Social Organic Tempranillo has a bright and clean, mid-depth ruby red color and purple hue. Intense aroma with hints of ripe berries. Soft and velvety on the plate, perfect balance between tannins and acidity, round and long finish.
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collector’s cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Guillemot-Michel Vire-Clesse Charleston is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
This cuvée is produced from hundred-year old vines that the great-grandfather planted after he returned from World War I. The family wanted to honor his memory and vinify these vines the same way he did, in old demi-muids.
Charleston is a deep and complex wine that gently express itself in the glass, offering juicy white fruit flavors and a lengthy finish.
Charleston is vinified and aged for one year in demi-muids of over 10 years old. During the following harvest, the wine is racked and placed in vats for another 6 months of aging before bottling.
Fish in white sauce, poultry in creamy sauce, hard cheeses.
Review:
The 2020 Viré-Clessé Charleston is the most structured, concentrated wine in the range, mingling notions of crisp orchard and stone fruit with scents of clear honey, white flowers, beeswax and mint in an inviting bouquet. Medium to full-bodied ample and satiny, it's layered and multidimensional, with impressive depth at the core, racy acids and chalky grip. Derived from the Guillemot family's oldest parcel of vines (dating back to 1918), it's built to age.
-Wine Advocate 94 Points
Guillemot-Michel Vire-Clesse Retour a la Terre is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
This cuvée is produced from grapes planted in the "Champ-Rond" vineyard and vinified in 800-liter amphoras.
The wine displays the estate's typical exotic fruit aromas and ripe citrus fruits with an extra dimension of expression due to the amphora's breathing. Ample and generous in the mouth with fine acidity and fantastic purity.
Guillemot-Michel Vire-Clesse Retour a la Terre is aged in 800-liter amphoras. The small grapes ripen beautifully without a high degree of alcohol - they are picked on the last day of the harvest, and the aging in amphora gives the wine a great purity.
The vines are grafted on "Riparia Gloire de Montpellier" - an old root-stock that was obtained in 1880 - producing very low yields with magnificent small grapes of a deep gold color.
Halter Ranch Vineyard Ancestor Estate Reserve is made from 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Malbec, 17% Petit Verdot,
Their flagship wine, Ancestor is their Bordeaux-style reserve blend, and an homage to the Ancestor Tree, the largest Coast Live Oak on record. The 2019 Ancestor showcases aromas of red currant and dark chocolate along with subtle hints of cinnamon and clove. The entry is soft and rich with layered flavors of blueberry, blackberry, and dark cherry. The mid- palate is thick and mouth coating with balanced acid. The finish is framed by integrated tannins and delicate flavors of caramel and truffle.
Pair with roasted meats, reduction sauces, and hearty stews.
Review:
Cabernet is more than half of this wine, with Petit Verdot and Malbec making up the rest. Rich and ripe with deep black plums and plenty of Christmas spice with just a touch of evergreen tips freshness. The palate is lushly fruited, rich with blackberry jam, chocolate and cherries and a touch of smoky cedar to finish. Rich, redolent fruits and dusty cocoa powder mark the finish deep and long-lasting. (CP)
-Decanter 91 Points
Medium garnet with crimson hues. Intense and evocative aromas of briary black currant, blackberry, blueberry, Satsuma plum, with lifted notes of sage, bay leaf, crushed flowering herbs, black pepper, anise and hints of cedar. The palate is rich and complex with well-defined blackberry, mulberry, red plum and black currant fruit, layered with sage, black pepper and bay leaf, and carried by fine-grained, mature, velvety tannins for an almost endless finish.
Pair with Lamb Loin.
Review:
A juicy and savory red with plum, chocolate, hazelnut, and walnut aromas and flavors. Medium to full body and creamy tannins. Juicy and balanced. Meat and chocolate. Molé-like. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 96 Points
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Made from 50% Marsanne and 50% Roussanne
The wine is aromatic with white flowers such as acacia and honeysuckle. In the mouth, you will find some lanolin flavors as well as apricot and yellow ripe peach.
The finish is long, delicate and balanced.
It is waxy and very White Burgundy like.
Average age of the vines is 15 years old.
Johann Michel owns 0.5 hectare (1.24 acre) of Saint Peray.
The Saint Peray AOC is smaller in size, covering just 90 hectares (222 acres). In the past, Saint Peray was famous for producing mostly sparkling wine, made from Roussanne and Marsanne. 90% of the wines were sparkling and only 10% were still wines. Today, it is the opposite: 90% of the AOC is producing still wines and only 10% is turned into sparkling wine. There are about 35 vignerons making Saint Peray.
Johann Michel Saint Peray Blanc has a shining golden yellow color. The wine is aromatic with white flowers such as acacia and honeysuckle. In the mouth, you will find some lanolin flavors as well as apricot and yellow ripe peach. The finish is long, delicate and balanced. Reminiscent of White Burgundy.
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Kershaw Smugglers Boot Pinot Noir is made from 100% Pinot Noir made from French clones PN667, PN115 and PN113.
The name derives from the time of trade embargoes in South Africa when growers & winemakers smuggled grapevine material into the country by hiding the cuttings in Wellington boots. The Smuggler’s Boot range celebrates that ingenuity.
Attractive strawberry, savory and star anise spice linger on the nose. Juicy and sumptuous on the mid palate with breadth of flavor offset by a nimbleness of fresh acidity, friable tannins and sinuous mouthfeel, this Pinot unwraps to earthy, fennel, chocolate and a hint of incense to a long supple finish.
Handpicked grapes were first bunch sorted on a conveyor before the stems were removed and the destemmed berries sorted to remove jacks and substandard berries. After a 3-day maceration in 500kg open-topped fermenters, the uncrushed grapes began a spontaneous fermentation. A gentle pigeage program was charted and the grapes remained on skins for 10-16 days.
The free-run wine was racked to a combination of 50% French oak barrels (10% new) and 50% breathable plastic eggs with the remaining pomace basket-pressed. Malolactic then proceeded followed by a light sulphuring after which the wine was racked off Malolactic lees and returned to cleaned barrels for an 11-month maturation. No finings, simply racked and light filtration prior to bottling.
Richard Kershaw’s personal suggestions for dishes include charcuterie, its salt and fat being complemented by the delicate spicy notes and fruit; Pork loin with honey, pepper, and lemon-zest glaze; Carpaccio; duck cassoulet; ovenroasted monkfish with garlic mashed potatoes; seared tuna; wild mushroom risotto; a simple beet salad with some hazelnuts and ricotta cheese; a slice of Brie or Gorgonzola dolce.
Winery Notes:
Each year, we set aside the best barrels of our Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley to produce Special Selection. Distinguished by extremely fine, velvety tannins and enjoyable upon release or with aging. A wine of structure with intense concentration of supple flavors and dark fruits. Special Selection is the only wine in the world honored twice as Wine Spectator magazine’s “Wine of the Year.”
Castelmaure Col des Vents Corbieres is made from 50% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 5% Cinsault.
"Col des Vents" means "Windy Mountain Pass" as it is quite windy and located at the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains.
Originally, the label was a replicate of a Max Savy's painting.
Brambly berry, cherry and raspberry, spices, black pepper ... all are present in this authentic French country wine. There are also some aromas of Garrigue (Rosemary, thyme and lavender) giving a minty, herbal notes, that are quite refreshing as well.