A ruby red garnet color, ripe fruit aromas, dried fruits, hints of licorice and scents of vanilla. Robust and harmonious in the mouth, a rich texture. The wine is only produced in the best vintages.
The grapes are coming from a vineyard planted at 400 meters above sea level. The soil is mainly marl and limestone.
The density of vines per hectare is 5,000 plants, which is equivalent to 2,000 vines per acre.
The pruning technique used is cordon
The grapes used are 100% Sangiovese grosso
Alcoholic fermentation was done in tank, while the Malo-Lactic fermentation was carried in oak barrels.
Wine was then aged for one year in big French oak barrels and 3 years in Slavonian oak barrels.
Review:
Rich and very slender in the sensory profile alternating notes of black prunes, blackberries, sandalwood, incense, camphor, withered white flowers and vetiver. Hints of woodland undergrowth animate the secondary scene giving it a dark character. Full bodied, soft tannins and a solidly performing finale. Better from 2024.
Raffaele Vecchione - WinesCritic.com 93 Points
Potensac Medoc is made from 44% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
The estate's Grand Vin's vineyards are located west of the village of Ordonnac where the vines grow on gravelly-clay soiils. They produce a very fine wine with tight texture, richness and wonderful freshness. On the palate, the wine is pure and powerful, with great concentration, dense and spicy tannins, and mineral tension. Fresh and full-flavored with ripe black fruits, and a finish of great depth. Thanks to these qualities, Château Potensac is often considered to represent the "pure Medoc style". It should be noted that Potensac was the only "Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel" of its appellation, and certainly one of the most persistent ever produced at this stage.
Praia Aveleda Vinho Verde NV is made from 40% Loureiro, 20% Trajadura, 20% Arinto, 20% Azal.
Praia, which means "beach" in Portuguese, is a smooth and fresh wine with delicate and lovely fruity flavors. Slightly spritzy, it is well balanced and very refreshing.
The region is typical for its unique wines that are fresh and light, combined with a very well balanced acidity. These characteristics result from the region's unique soil and climate, with a strong Atlantic influence that you will identify when you taste it.
The wine is ideal as an aperitif or throughout a meal, especially with fish, seafood, white meat and salads. Due to it freshness, it is particularly pleasant in a relaxed and informal ambiance.
Quails Gate Chardonnay Okanagan Valley is made from 100% Chardonnay.
Quails’Gate Winery takes great pride in our portfolio of Chardonnays. As one of the original wineries in the Okanagan, our first Chardonnay clone was planted more than 30 years ago, and we have cultivated some of the oldest and most sought-after Chardonnay blocks in the region. The Estate Chardonnay is crafted to be bright, fresh, vivid and celebrated by all who drink it.
Tasting notes:
Fragrances of lemon, yellow flower, peach are accompanied by subtle hints of beeswax and vanilla. A bright-entry on the palate with medium acidity leads t o vibrant tastings of pear, lemon meringue crust and lime zest ending with a long and creamy finish.
This is a wonderfully versatile food wine. Try pairing with lemon roasted chicken, rich seafood risotto or creamy butternut squash soup.
Quintessa Red 2022 is made from 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carménère, 1% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot.
The 2022 Quintessa is a charming wine, opening with intense aromas of black cherry and cassis that are complemented by notes of tobacco, bay laurel, cedar, and dark chocolate. Plush and inviting on entry, this wine’s flavors align with its aromas. The palate reveals dark fruits and an undertone of crushed rocks, tar, and graphite. On the finish, this vintage displays the signature fine-grained tannin of their Quintessa terroir, backed by voluminous texture and fruit.
Review:
Such an incredible wine here - one of the stars of the September releases. Smells amazing, cooling blueberries with fragrant blackcurrants, edges of florality - totally inviting scents. Full and filling in the mouth, this is ample with such a layered effect, super vertical and elongated. Tight and a little tense but it really works - such balance between black fruit, dried herbs, high acidity and a profound structure. Refined and beautifully presented. So much life, so much energy - this is pure class. A wine you don't want to put down. Feels hands off despite such concentration and power. Ends salty with sticky liquorice, mint and cooling wet stones. You could definitely drink this now but it will age too! 1% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot complete the blend. One of the final few vintages with Rodrigo Soto at the helm - he stepped down last year to concentrate on his family project Far Mountain in Sonoma Valley which is worth following. Winemaker Rebekah Wineburg.
-Decanter 99 Points
Rebuli Prosecco is a noble wine with a bright straw color, made from a selection of Prosecco grapes, which highlights the flavors and perfumes of the area. It is ideal for important occasions and as an aperitif. It is also excellent with risotto and noble meat.
"Pretty silvery straw color. Orange, juicy lemon, peach aromas with a crisp, lightly effervescent, fruity-yet-dry medium body and a long, tangy mineral, starfruit and spice accented finish. Exceptional flavorful, balanced and stylish. A perfect aperitif."
World Wine Championship Award: GOLD MEDAL
Beverage Testing Institute - May 9th 2011 - 91 points (Exceptional)
"Toasty, which makes this a little more champagnelike and perhaps more familiar to consumers. Nice balance; quite refreshing."
- Washington Post (Dec 08) - VERY GOOD
"This wine is so much fun that it seems vaguely illegal. Lightly floral in aroma, it shows fresh but restrained fruit flavors. The effervescence is abundant but soft, yet the wine remains structural and refreshing thanks to crisp acidity. Clearly the top pop for parties." - Washington Post (2006)
"Very pale straw. Very fine mousse. Nice elegant bead. Aromas of fresh bread dough, pear, touch of marzipan. Light attack. Semi-dry. Licorice note on palate. Soft, light. Simple, light pear flavors."
- International Wine Review (Dec 08)
This large Spumante estate with just over 100 acres of vines produces high-quality Prosecco. The non-vintage Rebuli Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Extra Dry is light-bodied and flowery with plenty of white peach, orange and pineapple notes in its exotic aromatics and flavors. It is off-dry, but most consumers would consider it to be a dry sparkling wine. Drink it over the next 12-18 months.-Robert Parker 90 Points
Renato Ratti Rocche dell'Annunziata Barolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo. Grapes handpicked in the month of October, de-stemmed and pressed. The alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel containers. Contact with the skins lasts approximately three to four weeks and includes fermentation and subsequent post-fermentation maceration with the traditional submerged cap system. The malolactic fermentation takes place in steel containers.
The Rocche dell'Annunziata vineyard is historically known as one of the most important in the Barolo zone. In his Barolo Chart, Renato Ratti had already underscored this by entering it in the 1st Category class. Situated at about 300 meters above sea level and with a south-east exposure, it extends over approximately 1 hectare. Rich with typical blue marl interspersed between veins of sand, the earth confers an extraordinary elegance and depth, combined with fine and persistent scents of roses and licorice. A prestigious subzone engenders a Barolo that holds within it suggestions of a radiant future. Warm, persistent, rich: in a word, sumptuous.
The label bears the coat of arms of the local noble family, with a black hawk against a gilt backdrop. The Latin inscription “Probasti me et cogniusti me” means “You tried me, you knew me.”
The Bottle: The Albeisa – named after the city of Alba – is the iconic bottle created by Renato Ratti in 1973, desired as a way of identifying the uniqueness of a territory and its wines.
A garnet red. Delicate and persistent fragrance with trace scents of licorice, rose and violet. Full-flavored, warm, with extremely elegant tannins offering long persistence. A great wine for important dishes, red meats roasted on a spit or grilled, game, dishes of gourmet white and red meats and ripe cheeses.
Review:
Lots of dried flowers here give a perfumed nature to it with berries and citrus. Hibiscus water, too. Full-bodied and chewy with lots of tannins and vivid acidity. Subtle plum and strawberry character. Muscular and formed..
-James Suckling 97 Points
Ricudda IGT Toscana Canaiolo is made from 100% Canaiolo.
Intense ruby red with purple tints. Aromas of flowers and berries accompanied by sweet spices. Fresh and easy to drink, with intense fruity notes.
Wine is vinified in French oak barrels for 2 months. Then it is aged in concrete tanks for another 2 months.
After bottling, the wine is kept in bottle for an extra 3 months before it is release to the consumer.
The wine is produced with grapes from organic viticulture and is clarified without the use of products of animal origin.
To be combined with first and second courses based on meat, cold cuts, vegetables and fresh cheeses.
First courses with game, grilled meats, fresh and aged cheeses such as pecorino.
SALE!
Rinaldi Joyful NV is made from 85 % Barbera, 10 % Cortese and 5 % Moscato
Straw yellow color, fruity with hints of apple and mint.
Joyful is a modern sparkling wine made using the method charmat process with the secondary fermentation made in a stainless steel tank.
Zone of production: Ricaldone’s territory on the hills called "Bricco Rioglio" and "Valmorana" and Celle.
Average altitude: 280 m above sea level, calcareous soil with tufa layers.
Training system: guyot with a cultivation density of about 3500 vines per hectare.
Vinification: manual harvest into crates, usually in September. Soft pressing. Settling in steel vats to have a natural clearing of musts. Further temperature and pressure controlled fermentation.
Joyful is great as an aperitif but also pairs very well with seafood.
Review:
"Golden yellow color. Aromas and flavors of hazelnut, cocoa, and vanilla, dried cherry multi grain bread, valencia orange, and over ripe melon with a satiny, bright, effervescent, dry light-to-medium body and a stimulating, medium-length finish with notes of fruit and nut multigrain biscuit with dried red fruits, toasted hazelnut, watermelon rind, and lime zest. Citrus forward and bright with a subtle hint of salinity makes this sparkling completely crushable yet sophisticated enough to bring to dinner."
- Beverage Testing Institute 93 pts - Gold Medal
Rinaldi Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco Tasting notes: Frizzante style, with hints of black pepper, cherries and red fruit notes. A frothy, & slightly sweet aperitif…
Vines are planted on limestone soils. Only 63 hectares exist of this very small DOC of Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco. Grape varietal is Malvasia di Schierano.
Pairs well with dessert and Asian food.
Rinaldi Moscato d'Asti Bug Juice is made from 100 percent Moscato.
Straw-yellow color. The bouquet is delicate and intense with aromas of fruit (apple, peach) and spices (sage). The palate is sweet and smooth with lingering aromatic persistence. A refreshing and pleasant wine, perfect for brunch, picnics or poolside.
The training system used is Guyot with a density of 2500-3000 vines per hectare Manual harvest into crates. Soft pressing. Settling in steel vats to allow natural clearing of musts. Racking, increase in temperature. Temperature and pressure controlled fermentation until bottling.
Dessert, ideal with hazelnut cake. Original with "strong" cheese such as Robiola of Roccaverano and Gorgonzola.
Rinaldi Red Dream is made from 100% Malvasia
this wine is obtained with a cold maceration (13° C) for 48 hours. We work in this way just to extract the color and the wine scent from the peels.
Then we soft press the grapes and we separate the solid part from the liquid part and we have the juice.
Then we keep the wine at 0 degree Celcius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) temperature and we have a natural cleaning of the must.
When we decide to bottle it the temperature increased at about 17 degrees Celcius, and when we reach 5.5% Alcohol by Volume and the desired atmospheric pressure is obtained, about 2 atmospheres, we block the fermentation with the cold and we filter it again and
finally, we put it in bottle.
The wine is ruby red but not too deep, fruity and pleasant. It's a dessert wine, it is possible to appreciate it at his best if you serve it chilled.
This frothy and fruity red wine delivers flavors of honeysuckle and black pepper. Light, fun and exciting; it’s great for parties and light fare. 100 % Malvasia Nera.
"The non-vintage Rinaldi Red Dream, which comes from 100% Malvasia Nera, has about 7% alcohol, so it is slightly more potent than its two siblings. Gorgeously fresh and frothy, with loads of cherry, honeysuckle, spice box and spring flowers, this is an exciting party wine that is brilliantly packaged, and I doubt a person can be found who would dislike it. However, these wines are meant to be drunk in their exuberant youth, so this one as well as the following two efforts should be consumed over the next 6-12 months."
- Wine Advocate (Issue 201, June 2012), 90 pts
"This Wine is a bit heavier than a bracchetto, but it shares the sweetness, effervescence and low alcohol that make it a delicious dessert wine. The added weight suggests pairing it with desserts that include ice cream."
- Washington Post (February 8th 2012), **
Robert Mondavi The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard is made from 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot.
The story of Robert Mondavi Winery begins here, with the To Kalon Reserve. This tier represents the pinnacle of the wines produced by the winery. The 2021 vintage offers fresh black fruit with dark chocolate, dried herbs, and hints of vanilla and violet. Flavors of black plum and blackberry with red fruit and a hint of graphite on the finish. Elegant and plush with sweet, beautifully integrated tannins and a lengthy finish.
Review:
2021 Robert Mondavi The Reserve To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautifully crafted wine with impressive intensity, depth, and a balanced structure that carries the day. From the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, the portion owned by Constellation, comes this blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Pure blackberry fruit, cassis, graphite, and violet aromas leap from the glass, nuanced by fragrant, toasty new cedar wood. Full-bodied, framed by an array of plush dark black fruit notes, currants, crème de cassis, and polished tannins that are firm and elongated, with ironstone mineral accents. Dynamic in its length and texture, it is utterly intriguing, with a beckoning quality that lingers after each sip. You want to know precisely where this wine is going—demanding your attention.
- Decanter 98 Points
Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec.
The 2022 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon shows notes of plum, blackberry, licorice, chocolate, violet, and warm spice. Dark plum and black fruit carry through to the palate. Fresh and lively with plush tannins and a polished structure.
Review:
"A solid representation of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine sources fruit from St. Helena down to Carneros, with the bulk of the blend coming from the Wappo Hill property in Stags Leap. All five Bordeaux varieties are included in the blend. Fermentation begins with a cold soak in stainless steel, followed by 26 days on skins, and 18 months of ageing in 31% new French oak. The wine opens with powerful Kirsch aromatics, lifted by bright Bing cherry, warm baking spices, new wood cedar, and white pepper. It is plush and layered on the palate, with black-toned fruit and robust, lingering tannins that carry through a long finish of dark red and black fruit, warming spices, and mineral tension. A balanced expression of power and fruit-forward ripeness, this vintage showcases both depth and structure, making for a bold yet polished Napa Cabernet."
- Jonathan Cristaldi, February 2025 Pts. Decanter
A very good introduction to Napa Valley cabernet for drinkers who are unfamiliar. This offers ripe, generous red and black fruit on a velvety texture of fine-grained tannins. Black cherries, dark plums and blackberries come up in the aroma and then go deeper on the palate. Contains 7% petit verdot, 8% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% malbec. Aged in all French barrels, 31% new, which add accents of cinnamon and cedar. Drink now or hold.
-James Suckling 92 Points
Robert Mondavi Winery Napa Red Blend is made from 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot.
Robert Mondavi’s vision was to elevate Napa to the world stage. In celebration of his achievement, our Napa Tier wines are sourced from distinctive vineyards throughout the Napa Valley and truly emulate a classic Napa Valley style.
Nearly half of this year’s blend is sourced from the deep, well-drained soils of Oakville, which provides gorgeously dark, supple wines with fine tannins. Stags Leap District, Oak Knoll, Yountville, and Rutherford also find their place in the bottle, with the varying mesoclimates and soils of these vineyards integrating seamlessly into a 100% Napa Valley blend.
Review:
"Dominated by 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller percentages of the other Bordeaux red grapes, this wine speaks of heritage and prestige. Broad, silky, and powerful, the graceful liquid is enhanced by dark chocolate, white pepper, black plum, violets, and sweet earth."
-Meridith May, Tasting Panel, January/February 2023 Pts. Tasting Panel
Robert Mondavi Winery The Estates Red Blend is made from 49% Cabernet Franc, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot.
Robert Mondavi’s vision was to elevate Napa to the world stage. In celebration of his achievement, our Napa Tier wines are sourced from distinctive vineyards throughout the Napa Valley and truly emulate a classic Napa Valley style.
Aromas of blackberry, cherry, toasted almond, bay leaf and mocha. Luscious ripe cherry and cassis, with savory notes of dried herbs and toast. Rich, weighty, and mouth-coating, with classic fine To Kalon tannins.
Review:
This has a pretty fragrance of violets, green peppercorns, salted olives, blackcurrants and black raspberries. Creamy, salted dark chocolate and praline to follow. Medium-to full-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Delicious and superbly balanced. 50% cabernet franc, 47% cabernet sauvignon and 3% petit verdot.
-James Sucking 94 Points
The 2019 Red Blend Estate comes all from the To Kalon Vineyard and is close to an even split of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a clear step up over the base Red Blend and offers terrific, full-bodied aromas and flavors of darker fruits, dark chocolate, violets, and a kiss of spring flowers. With silky tannins, terrific balance, and outstanding length, it's going to evolve for 15 years or so.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points
Romariz 20 Years Old Tawny is rich, warm and well balanced. Concentrated, firm tannins. Aromas of hazelnuts and walnuts, raisin, honey, caramel and dark chocolate notes. Excellent with desserts, cheese or by itself at the end of a meal.
Flowering in the Duoro occurred in the last 10 days of May. The weather conditions provided for a perfect flowering season. The Romariz Vintage Port 2003 yielded wines of great color and supple tannins, with a vintage stamp being evident in most wines. Production: 8,000 cases. "Another bright and fruity young Vintage Port with plum, grape and blackberry aromas with just a hint of stems. Serious nose here. Full-bodied, with soft, round tannins and a long, caressing finish. A beauty."
- J.S., Wine Spectator, 89-91 pts
"Bright dark ruby. Deep, perfumed aromas of cassis, licorice, violet and minerals. Lush and high-toned in the mouth but with very good vinosity and spine. Lovely fruit-driven flavors of black cherry, blackberry and dark chocolate. Little sign of the roasted side of 2003. Not hugely concentrated but suave, supple, minerally and sweet. Finishes with ripe tannins and very good spicy persistence. A very good showing. Accessible already but balanced for medium-term aging."
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 89 pts
"Opaque ruby. A complex, beautifully structured wine from Europe’s hot summer of 2003. Lively spicy, toasted aromas and a ripe and generous palate with layers of rich, dense flavors of dark fruit, chocolate, tobacco, spice box and a hint of marmalade. Finishes dry and long with still firm tannins. A delicious Port that should be paired with Roquefort and other blue cheeses."
- International Wine Review (Succulent Sweet Wines for the Holidays: The Best of 2018), 92 pts
Big, bold and racy, this Cabernet Sauvignon has a dense purple, almost opaque hue and offers up an electrifying bouquet dark red, blue and black fruits with notes of tobacco leaf, graphite and spicy oak. Opulent and layered it flexes its power but is framed by refreshing acidity with silky, sweet tannins. The 2021 displays loads of potential for being enjoyed in its youth, while also rewarding patience over the following decade. For bang for your buck, you can’t find better, or as Robb Report states, “Royal Prince is making the best wines you can buy for your money right now.”
Review:
Made by Maayan Koschitzky (of Atelier Philippe Melka), the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is all varietal brought up in French oak. Its deeper ruby/plum hue is followed by a classic Cabernet Sauvignon nose of cassis and black cherries supported by plenty of sappy herbs, graphite, and obvious minerality. This medium-bodied, lively, elegant Cabernet has ripe, building tannins, a good spine of acidity, and outstanding length. Drink this classic, impeccably made 2021 over the coming 10–12 years, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it evolve longer. (Jeb Dunnuck)
-Jeb Dunnuck 93+ Points
Wachau Riesling is dry and often defined by high levels of dry extract (due to a lengthy ripening period) and a pleasing freshness (due to dramatic temperature swings between day and night). Sedimentary soils of sand and stone give Kirchweg Riesling a dense mineral texture and fine fruity flavors.
Review:
Welcome to the dark side of Wachau dry riesling! Deep and delicately spicy nose that’s full of mystery. Incredible concentration and massive wet stone character on the very precise medium-bodied palate. Radical mineral energy and garden herb freshness at the enormously long and tightly-focused finish.
-James Suckling 98 Points
Marco Capra Langhe Nascetta is made from 100% Nascetta - 15 years old - 1.73 acres
Aged 6 months in stainless steel vats
The name "CONNA" is a sweet nickname after his wife Monica.
Bright straw yellow with greenish hues, with an intense and interesting perfume of grapefruit, apple and aromatic herbs. Floral, fresh, focused, good acidity. Refreshing and bright, full bodied with an aromatic persistence, it is savory and tasty on the palate with a smoothness that enhances the rich character of the wine
Altitude: 400 m above sea level.
Soil composition: lime and sand.
Plant density: 5000 vines / hectare.
Cultivation system: traditional Guyot.
Yield per hectare: 6 tons.
After a short period of maceration on skins, the grapes are soft pressed. The clear must obtained ferments slowly in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature of 16-17°C. The wine spends a long period of time on the fine lees, with frequent “batonnage”
Ideal with apetizers, shellfish and other fish dishes.
Boussey Savigny les Beaune is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The grapes for this wine arecoming from 3 different parcels of Savigny les Beaune loctaed in these 3 different lieux-dits: Les Saucours, les Petits Liards and Les Fourches.
The wine shows aromas of Red fruits with floral notes. It is elegant with a very pleasant long finish.