Our first wine in working with the vineyards owned by the Leonardini family of Whitehall Lane. A tribute to them and, more crucially, the numerous Leos—by both name and astrological sign—in our life.
Our most quintessential Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, exhibiting brilliant purity, profound depth of fruit, focused acidity and fine tannin structure. This is Rutherford in full flight as soaring black fruits push forth over subtle earth notes that all dazzle on an invigorating, lively palate structure. While each of Argot’s three Napa Valley wines offer their own distinct take on the variety and terroir, it is the Cuvee Leo’s that is the most classic and exemplary.
Argot Chardonnay Sonoma County is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Pouring a green-tinted gold, our Sonoma County Chardonnay is a beautiful wine from word go. Radiating from within, a blast of apple/pear fruit informs this wine both aromatically, and on the palate. As flavors unfurl, a progression of orange blossom, pineapple, white peach, and hazlenut are followed by a finish dominated by ginger, baked apple, with a trailing kiss of mint’s freshness. A stunning wine — wholly informed by the perfection of 2018’s growing season — defined by its dichotomy of massively intense flavors, and superb acidity and freshness.
Raised by minimalistic methods, often associated with the classic Chardonnay winemaking techniques of Meursault. With a focus on the coolest Chardonnay region in Sonoma County, 2018’s long, even growing season favored our vineyards’ moderate climate, old vines and deep volcanic soils. These grapes were allowed an extended ripening period on the vine, resulting in perfect balance and concentrated flavors.
Argot Le Rayon Vert Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
"Le Rayon Vert", the phenomenon which occurs as the sun dips below the horizon, and a brilliant green flash occurs when sunlight prisms through Earth's atmosphere. Jules Verne wrote "a green which no artist could ever obtain on his palette”, akin to the ethereal, green halo all truly pedigreed Chardonnays radiate from the glass.
Wafting from the glass like a freshly opened stick of Wrigley's gum. Both intense and vibrant, the full-bodied palate delivers Granny Smith apple and stone fruits; confections of custard and sticky vanilla bean; animated by bursts of spearmint and pine forest.
Review:
The 2019 Chardonnay Le Rayon Vert comes from fruit grown on Sonoma Mountain. It slides out of the glass with graceful notes of lemon tart, lime leaves, and fresh grapefruit, leading to suggestions of almond croissant, sea spray, honeysuckle, and aniseed. The medium-bodied palate is fantastically tight-knit with gorgeous tension and layer upon layer of citrus and mineral flavors, finishing very long and chalky. This is amazing.
-The Wine Independent 97 Points
Argot Mosaic Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Sourced from both high-elevation and valley floor vineyards, located in the cool-climate AVAs of Sonoma Mountain, Bennett Valley and Petaluma Gap. A drama-free growing season allowed for a leisurely harvest of perfectly ripe, healthy fruit. Low-stress, clean ferments, led to an exceptionally pure Pinot Noir, laden with fruit, earth and spice.
Argyle Reserve Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Pinot Noir thrives in Willamette Valley's long growing seasons with cool autumn breezes and sunny days. This culmination of extra time on the vine yields aromatics of crunchy dried leaves, pomegranate molasses, black tea leaves, and tart cherries. Earthy undertones and great textured tannins that continue to smooth out with time - adding to the body and longevity.
Review:
Rich and polished, this Pinot offers multilayered raspberry and blueberry flavors. Shows dusky spice and fresh forest floor accents while building structure toward refined tannins.
-Wine Spectator 93 Points
Avennia Gravura Red Blend is made from 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc
Gravura is our ode to the Graves AOC of Bordeaux, emphasizing a harmony of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The name is a play on an artisan printing technique, and on the Bordeaux region of Graves, which features similar blends. Featuring more Merlot and with the addition of Red Mountain fruit, this wine is designed to be more generous and voluptuous in style, while still remaining complex and balanced.
Gravura Tasting Notes: Beautiful nose of red and black fruits, some savory leaf notes, mocha, pencil shavings. The palate is elegant and balanced, almost pretty: raspberry, black and red currants, milk chocolate and caressing tannins. Finish medium-long and ethereal.
Babylons Peak Cinsault is made from 100 percent Cinsault.
Medium to light bodied. Fruit driven with spicy undertones. Soft tannins and fine complexity. A fruit driven wine with lively light palate and lingering mouthfeel.
Review:
"Savory aromas of black olives, grilled meat, thyme, peppercorns and dark fruit. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and a flavorful, succulent and peppery palate. Drink now."
- James Suckling (December 2021), 90 pts
Bertrand Bachelet Maranges Blanc 1er Cru La Fussiere is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The Maranges appellation is the youngest of the Côte de Beaune family, making its debut in May 1989. It spans three villages, namely Dezize-lès-Maranges, Cheilly-les-Maranges and Sampigny-les-Maranges. Several hills and slopes make up this appellation, all south/south-east-facing, at an altitude of between 200 and 400 metres. The Maranges 1ers Crus are spread over seven distinct villages.
'La Fussière' is the main village of the Maranges appellation and is located in the Cheilly and Dezize-les-Maranges areas.
This wine has a pale gold robe, with plenty of sparkle. At first, the nose evokes notes of white flowers, like acacias, then the second nose delivers a flinty, slightly buttery aspect. Plenty of versatility and subtlety on the palate, with floral notes.
A good accompaniment to a cold starter or fish. Try with a slightly sharp hard cheese, such as Cantal or Gouda, to draw out its natural vivacity.
Bertrand Bachelet Maranges Rouge is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The Maranges appellation is the youngest of the Côte de Beaune family, making its debut in May 1989. It spans three villages, namely Dezize-lès-Maranges, Cheilly-les-Maranges and Sampigny-les-Maranges. Several hills and slopes make up this appellation, all south/south-east-facing, at an altitude of between 200 and 400 metres. The Maranges 1ers Crus are spread over seven distinct villages.
'La Fussière' is the main village of the Maranges appellation and is located in the Cheilly and Dezize-les-Maranges areas.
When young, ideal with meat such as a rib of beef or filet mignon; when aged, it pairs wonderfully with dishes in spicy sauces.
Le Bihan Touraine Chenonceaux Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.
Touraine Chenonceaux "Revelation" is a limpid and brilliant colored wine with pale gold highlights. The nose is intense and expressive, full of floral aromas. It is dry and harmonious on the palate, with a tangy edge and a lively finish.
To drink as Aperitif, or with white meat, Loire asparagus and seafood.
Bihan Le Touraine Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.
Pale, lemon green color, with pronounced citrus intensity. The nose is dominated by lychee, grapefruit and peach aromas; rich and well-rounded in the mouth, showing a pleasant acidity length.
To drink as an Aperitif or with food, such as white meat, seafood, crottin de Chavignol goat cheese.
The Black Oak Cabernet Sauvignon is garnet red in color, refreshing and inviting to the palate. The wine’s aromas are layered with rich plum notes and a warm cedar component. The ripe, dark cherry flavors, are reminiscent of decadent blackberries with a nice sprinkling of dried herbs. With a mellow tannin structure, this medium-bodied wine is delicious and well-integrated.
There are wonderful aromas of summer-ripe peaches with tropical fruits and flowers. The silky-smooth flavors are reminiscent of baked apples and toasty vanilla bean. The lively acidity makes this an extremely well-balanced Chardonnay. The finish is long and fruity, with an interesting hint of hazelnuts. This wine’s overall taste profiles is creamy with apricots and lemons.
Black Stallion Napa Valley Limited Release Red.
The winery takes its name from a major equestrian area that once occupied the grounds. Its calling card is Cabernet Sauvignon, made in a classic Napa Valley style that offers richness and finesse. While single-vineyard wines are occasionally bottled, most Black Stallion wines are made from small lots cherry-picked from the valley’s disparate winegrowing zones. These are then painstakingly blended to create luxurious, unforgettable wines that capture the depth and brilliance of Napa Valley’s diverse growing regions.
Review:
This blend is softly layered in dense, rich tones of plum and cherry, with a rounded approachability and well-integrated tannin and oak. Chocolate, leather and clove accent the finish.
-Wine Enthusiast 90 Points
Boeira Tawny 50 Year Port is produced from Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cao.
Brownish color with strong coppery reflections. Toasted almonds and dried fruit stand out on the nose, with a delicate sweetness. Intense flavors on the plate, but a refinement and elegance that reflects its level of ageing. A very long evolving finish.
Boeira 50 Years Old Port is excellent as a digestive.
pH : 3.57TA : 9.48 g/L
RS : 152g/L
Then, it is aged for 50 years in 550 liter French oak barrels.
Traditional Porto winemaking with skin contact maceration and short alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks followed by fortification.
Golden red color.
On the nose, aromas of red fruits with the complexity of dried fruits.
In the mouth, its freshness is combined with a natural sweetness and a slight touch of wood.
RS: 134 g/Liter
TA: 3.3 g/Liter
pH: 3.6
Dark amber color. Notes of dried fruit and honey balanced with rich aromas of dried fruit and torrefaction. In the mouth, subtle flavors of crystallized fruit (cherry, dates and raisins), nuts and coffee. Elegant finish.
RS: 133g/Liter
TA: 3.3g/Liter
Pairings: Digestive: Cheeses and conventual sweets (portuguese pastries).
Boizel Grand Vintage Brut is made from 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir.
BACKGROUND
In 1834 the Boizel House was established in Épernay, the heart of Champagne, by a family passionate about the wines of its region. Intimate knowledge of the Champagne region, passed on through the generations, and access to grapes from the finest cru sites, are the essential elements behind the Boizels’ elegant portfolio. Working with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sourced only from Champagne’s most coveted Grands and Premiers Crus blended with the best crus of Pinot Meunier, Boizel’s intimate knowledge of each village and hillside coupled with longstanding grower relationships allows them the ability to select the finest quality grapes for their Champagnes.
TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes for the production of the Grand Vintage wines are sourced from Grands and Premiers Cru vineyards within the villages of La Montagne de Reims (Pinot Noir) and the Côte des Blancs (Chardonnay). Pinot Meunier is sourced from the best sites within the Vallée de la Marne.
All wines are aged sur lie in Boizel’s historic chalk cellars beneath the Avenue de Champagne for a minimum of 3 years, climbing to 15 years and above for the best vintages.
WINEMAKING & AGEING
A unique expression of the vintage, the Grand Vintage is only produced in the best years. This cuvée is a blend of 50% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs (Mesnil sur Oger, Oger, Avize, Vertus) and 50% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims (Mailly, Bisseuil, Chigny les Roses).
The wine was aged 8 months in stainless steel vats. Post second fermentation, the wine was aged for 8 years on its lees.
TASTING NOTES
Due to the long lees aging, almond, frangipane, candied orange and brioche aromas are rich and balanced. The palate is complex and mature, with the silky perlage supplying acidity and lift. Elegant pastry notes rounds out the finish.
Review:
Disgorged in October 2014, this smooth, now mature, wine has flavors of yeasty toastiness and a tight, mineral structure. Sliced apple and lemon zest still give freshness. Behind the fruit, crisp texture and a steely edge await. It is beautifully balanced, rich while dry and ready to drink. ROGER VOSS
-Wine Enthusiast 94 Points
Villero is undoubtedly one of the most important vineyards in Castiglione Falletto in terms of quality and exposure.
The soil is clayey and calcareous, with a south and southwest exposure. The combination of exposure and soil give us a structured and powerful Barolo, with a deep aromatic profile. The tannins are smooth and soft, thanks to long maceration.
Barolo Villero is a long-lasting wine, capable of reaching its full potential even many years after the harvest.
Wine Production
Villero is distinguished by a careful selection of grapes, perfect destemming, long macerations with submerged cap.
Tasting Notes
Clear bright ruby colour with very light garnet red reflections; intense and persistent aroma of red fruit with notes of plum and cherry. A pleasant aroma of wood is noticeable after the fruity aroma, anticipating the full taste of a great wine suitable for long lasting life. A succulent, rich, full-bodied and pleasant taste emerges after the woody one, with the presence of slightly ripe red fruit
Food Pairing
Thanks to its viscosity and body, Barolo is the ideal wine to combine with elaborate dishes such as truffle dishes, meat dishes, pasta with porcini mushrooms, game, and aged cheeses. Villero is also perfect with dry pastries or chocolate.
Review:
This Villero shows sterness and class at the same time. The nose is focused on cherrystone aromas, Parma violets, pomegranates and slightly earthy notes. The attack is dry and austere, with firm, dusty tannins soaked in licorice and tar, enhanced by a bright, juicy and polished blood-orange finish. This is a Barolo to discover over the years, even though it’s ready to drink now.
-James Suckling 95 Points
Boussey Monthelie Blanc is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The name Monthelie comes from Mont Lyoei, mountain of Bacchus.
The Boussey Monthelie Blanc has a nice pale yellow color with green reflections. Aromas of white flowers, fresh almonds, lemon and minerality. The finish is long with a very good balance between the acidity and the ripeness.
Goes well with poultry, fish and crab cakes.
Boussey Monthelie Rouge Les Hauts Brins is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The vineyard for this wine is located in the North-Esat corner of the appellation (not too far away from Volnay) and it has a perfect South sun exposure.
Boussey Monthelie Rouge shows a beautiful light garnet color.
It displays classic aromas for the appellation with dark fruit and peony.
Excellent with beef and grilled vegatables.
Paul Hobbs George Menini Estate Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Located on the southwestern edge of the Russian River Valley appellation in an area known as the Sebastopol Hills, this Chardonnay from George Menini Estate displays pale straw in color and boasts an elixir of white and yellow florals, tart yellow apple, bartlett pear, and baking spice. A precise yet supple wine with notes of juicy Gravenstein apple, vibrant sea salt, and crushed rock, complemented by a cool-climate zing of acidity. An impressive level of complexity for a young vineyard.
Review:
Lots of pears and pear blossom with lemon rind undertones. Medium body with plenty of fruit and energetic acidity with a pumice undertone. Some terra-cotta, too. Flavorful finish. Salty, too. Complex. Lots going on here. Drink or hold.
-James Suckling 97 Points
Boroli Cerequio is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo.
The Boroli family is a family of entrepreneurs, with roots in Piedmont dating back to 1831. The family started their winemaking business in1997, when Silvano and Elena Boroli felt an ardent desire to step away from the pressures of their publishing business and reconnect to nature. Silvano and Elena grew the company until their son, Achille, stepped in to run the wine-growing and production business in 2012.
With the 2012 grape harvest Achille decided to radically change the methods used in vineyards and wineries, aiming for the highest quality in Barolo and its crus. He cut production levels, updated the winemaking technology, and focused on low intervention methods to raise the quality of the Boroli wines be on par with the finest Barolo wines.
About the Vineyard
The Cerequio cru lies just across the valley from the Boroli winery in the commune of La Morra and is considered one of the most prestigious sites in the Barolo DOCG zone. It is known to produce Nebbiolo wine of enormous elegance and finesse.
Wine Production
Cerequio is distinguished by a careful selection of grapes, precise destemming, and a long maceration with submerged cap.
Tasting Notes
A clear bright ruby color with very light garnet red reflections; intense and persistent aroma of red fruit with notes of plum and cherry. A pleasant aroma of wood is noticeable after the fruity aroma, anticipating the full taste of a great wine suitable for long lasting life. A succulent, rich, full-bodied and pleasant taste emerges after the woody one, with the presence of slightly ripe red fruit.
Food Pairing
Thanks to its viscosity and body, Barolo is the ideal wine to pair with elaborate dishes and dishes like truffle dishes, meat dishes, pasta with porcini mushrooms, game, and aged cheeses. Cerequio is also perfect with dry pastries or chocolate.
Review:
Precise and essential, it displays notes of lavender, hibiscus, violet, white pepper, lime, jasmine flowers, and elderberry. Medium body, perfectly ripe, fine-grained tannins, and a juicy finish that displays smoothness and relaxation. Beautiful right away, it will only improve from 2024 onwards. One of the best Barolos tasted in the 2019 vintage.
-WineCritics.com 96 Points