• 100% pure Sauvignon Blanc, crafted from grapes grown in the most notable and warmer regions of California’s coastal hills. Each block contributes a distinct element to the blend, resulting in a layered and complex style.
• The harvest dates were determined by physiological maturity, which varied widely in the 2023 vintage due to the wet winter leading to a cool summer. Nevertheless, the extended hang time reduced grapes with low sugar, firm acid, minimal pyrazines, and intense flavor expressions.
• Upon arrival at the winery, the whole clusters underwent a gentle pressing, and the juice underwent a cold settling process for two days. Subsequently, it was racked off the heavy lees into stainless steel tanks, where it underwent a chill fermentation with native yeast – which contributed to the balanced mouthfeel, set against a backdrop of minerality and acidity.
• Following fermentation, the wines remained in tank, with the lees being stirred weekly for nearly four months before the final blend was assembled. No malolactic fermentation was allowed, preserving the vibrant fruit and floral notes, alongside the natural tension characteristics of this blend.
Color:
Medium yellow straw hue.
Aroma:
Asian pear, honeysuckle, passionfruit,
green melon, and a citrus bouquet.
Palate:
Refreshing stone fruit, grapefruit, and tropical flower. This wine has a well-balanced mouthfeel with bright and lively acidity.
Food Pairing:
Oysters on the half shell with mignonette sauce,
niçoise salad, a blue cheese pear tart and crab cakes.
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.
Roland Champion Champagne Blanc de Blancs NV is aged for minimum 30 months (the minimum for NV is 15 months). This cuvee is made from 100% Chardonnay and is produced from the free run juice only. The current release is the result of the blend of the 2005, the 2006 and the 2007 vintage.
Fresh and delicate, its fine bubbles and wide range of aromas will be perfect as an aperitif. This Champagne will also match very well with seafood and shellfish.
dosage : 8 grams per liter
ageing : 30 months on laths
Even if it doesn't say on the label, 100% of the production is RD (Recently Disgorged)
Total Production for this Cuvée : 1,500 cases (9 liter equivalent) per year
Reviews:
"(L40): Light yellow-gold. Musky pear and peach pit aromas are enlivened by notes of lemon zest and chalk. Weighty but energetic, offering powerful orchard fruit flavors and hints of candied fig and lemon curd. The pear skin quality comes back strong on the clinging finish. This powerful Champagne is definitely better suited for duty at the table than for serving by itself. - Josh Raynolds" - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (Dec 2012), 91 pts
- Roger VOSS"
Wine Enthusiast (December 1st 2019), 92 pts
"Golden yellow color. Lively, fruity, toasty leesy aromas of honeyed brioche and apple tart with a satiny, tangy, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a sleek, interesting, snappy lemon curd, nougat, and chalk finish with silky, soft, fruit tannins. A classic example of blanc de blanc champagne, delicious."
- Beverage Testing institute , 93 pts
"Spiced with ground anise and ginger accents, this offers notes of poached pear, lemon meringue pie, hazelnut and stony mineral. Very elegant and well-meshed throughout, with a silky finish. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 1,500 cases made. –AN"
- Wine Spectator 92 pts
"This cuvée made from 100% Chardonnay offers a fresh aromatic nose of light toast, dried yellow fruit and nuances of yeast. On the palate it has a creamy mouth feel of toasted nuts and rich autolytic notes. This is a beautiful wine, rich and complex."
International Wine review 92+ pts
"Small grower. Autumn fruits dominate the aromas of this wine, which is blatantly more like a wine than we normally expect a champagne to be. Some may find that unexpected and even off-putting, while others will find it intriguingly delicious."
- Washington Post - EXCELLENT
"Roland Champion is a small family-owned producer, now with the fourth generation, in the village of Chouilly (”shoo-ee”), which has only Grand Cru vineyards. Made from 100 percent chardonnay grapes, this Champagne offers ethereal grace and poise and harmony; if I were fighting a duel tonight, I would ask for this Champagne as my last beverage. The nose here is about the richness of warm biscuits and hazelnuts, dried fruit and spice, like a Platonic, ineffably light fruitcake; in the mouth, however, it’s about a structure that encompasses an incredible marriage of power and elegance, like the delicacy and strength of the finest bone china. And there’s something porcelain-like about this Champagne, in its notable crisp, lively character, its transparency and its slightly chalky, shale-like mineral elements. Forget the Champagnes that come on with heavy toasty, caramel qualities; here, instead, is a wealth of subtlety and nuance touched with a racy, dynamic edge. Exceptional."
Biggerthanyourhead.net
Romariz Pink Port is from a blend of red grapes port is the beautiful deep pink color extracted. Then rose postage, like white port, vinified without the skins. Despite Romariz not the Fonseca label bears, this port by a team led by David Guimaraens. The grapes after pressing 7 days sur lie cold fermented. This slow fermentation, which lasts twice as long as usual, brings a delicious berry hurry up and crisp, bright and airy style that is so characteristic of Romariz Pink Rose Port.
Aromatic fruit aromas of raspberries and currants with floral tones. Full, fruity taste with ripe cherries and raspberries and notes of honey and of course grapes. Modern, bright and airy style.
Romariz Pink Rose Port is a delicious appetizer with a lump of ice, but can also be combined well with fruit desserts. Furthermore, this port is an interesting combination as long drink with tonic and a slice of lemon.
This Junmai Daiginjo has a beautiful nose full of banana, melon and star anise. The all natural brewing process gives this sake a bright fresh palate of plum, lime and minerality with a clean dry finish. A very food friendly sake, and is thought to be best after the meal with a light, smooth, rich cow's milk cheese.
POLISHING RATIO: 40%
ALCOHOL: 16-17%
SMV +/-: +1.0
ACIDITY: 1.2
RICE KOJI: HATTANISHIKI
RICE KAKE: HATTANISHIKI
YEAST STRAIN: PROPRIETARY YEAST
FOOD PAIRINGS: Poached Lobster, Seared Scallops, Tofu, Steamed Dumplings
CHEESE PAIRINGS: Brillat Savarin, Cambozola, Dulce Latte Gorgonzola, Mimolette
Dry and lean in the nose with hints of celery, pear puree and anise. On the palate this junmai is soft and creamy on the palate with rich, savory flavors of mocha, hazelnut, spicy vanilla, ending with crisp acidity.
POLISHING RATIO: 80%
ALCOHOL: 16-17%
SMV +/-: +2.0%
ACIDITY: 2.10%
RICE KOJI: Yamadanishiki
RICE KAKE: Yamadanishiki
YEAST STRAIN: Koshi Ibuki
FOOD PAIRINGS: Ideal with rustic Italian food, cheese and tomato centric or creamy pasta dishes
CHEESE PAIRINGS: Italian Raschera, Pecoria Reggiano
Tanzanite Brut Method Cap Classique is made from 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir.
Fruity, flinty, nutty, honey and creamy notes and beautiful brioche tones are coming through on the nose. It’s dry, lingering and well structured. The Pinot noir gives the wine good backbone, structure and longevity and the Chardonnay gives flintiness which develops in creamy, elegant notes in the wine with ageing. Beautiful creamy mousse.
Tanzanite Wines Yearly source their grapes from Robertson in the Western Cape, famous for its specific areas with chalk in the soil. After sourcing these spots winemaker Melanie van der Merwe asked farmer Ernst Bruwer, from the Farm Mont Blois, to plant Chardonnay and Pinot noir grapes on these spots. After years of trials she realized that year after year the base wines made from these plots compared to base wines made from any other areas tends to mature much slower and gives beautiful complexity in the end product. At around 18.5 to 19 degrees balm hand picking of the grapes are done in small 18kg baskets. This is transported to a press house, which she rents during harvest time. She does whole bunch pressing on every 5 Ton of grapes. Yields are around 480- 500 liters of juice per ton of grapes. Juice is inoculated with Prise de Mousse yeast a specific French yeast strain she uses. Fermentation at cool temperatures for 8-10 days takes place and this is followed by Malolactic fermentation on all base wines. After MLF wines are blended. Secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle and wines are left on the lees to mature and tasted every few months to monitor the ageing on the lees. Minimum time spent on the lees will be 24 months.
It’s the only area in the Western Cape where you will find Chalk in our soil.
Age of the vines is around 8-15 years old.
Enjoy as an aperitif or with fresh seafood, oysters, smoked venison Carpaccio, creamy chicken, apple crumble and even Cape Malay curry.
Review:
"This is a richly flavored sparkler showing complex notes of brioche, apple, and a hint of clementine. It’s bone dry on the finish with lingering toasty lees notes. A blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir aged 24+ months on the lees. The winemaker is Stellenbosch enology grad Melanie van der Merwe who made sparkling wine for 11 years at Distell before starting her own brand."
- International Wine Review (Champagnes & Sparkling Wines for the Holidays: The Best of 2018), 90 pts
"A blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, the NV Brut begins with biscuity aromas followed by green apple, citrus blossoms and lees. The palate is focused with precision and finesse and shows that the winemaker has taken a lot of time and effort to create this wine. Bright, energetic acidity livens up the mid-palate, and the mousse is firm with a soft nuttiness from the autolytic characteristic. The finish is long and subtly spicy with and lingers with notes of sweet brioche and cashew butter, as the wine spent two years on the lees. - Anthony Mueller" - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (March 2020), 90 pts
Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay is made from 100% Chardonnay
Appellation 100% Virginia
Winemaking Notes The grapes are handpicked in small baskets late August and are gently pressed as whole clusters. After a settling of 24 hours, the juice is inoculated with selected Champagne yeast and ferments in stainless steel tanks at low temperature. Once the fermentation is over, the wine ages on the fine lees until the spring of the following year. The blend is then put together and cold-stabilized prior to bottling. The bottling occurs in the spring when the cellar temperature is conducive to a second fermentation in the bottle. The now sparkling wine will age on the yeast for over 24 months. At disgorging, a small amount of dosage liquor is added in order to balance the natural acidity.
Clean, crisp and refreshing! With scents of white flowers, apples and pears. This sparkling wine is elegant and complex with vibrant aromas, and fine active streamers. The depth of complexity is elegant and the intricate nuances of the terroir fill the nose and stimulate the palate. It’s full of youthful, bright and alert acidity.
J Lohr Signature Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon 6% Cabernet Franc 6% Saint Macaire 4% Petit Verdot 4% Malbec.
J. Lohr Signature Cabernet Sauvignon was first produced to honor the 80th birthday of founder Jerry Lohr. This limited release was specially selected and blended from the exceptional 2016 vintage in Paso Robles. It is both a tribute to Jerry's pioneering efforts in the region and our red wine portfolio's ultimate expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. VINEYARDS & CELLAR Beck Vineyard, in the Creston District of Paso Robles, is a unique, high elevation site that sits at 1,700 feet above the early morning fog line. Its calcareous soils and cooling afternoon winds are perfect for growing Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet from this vineyard ripens early with excellent color, purity of fruit, and phenolic maturity. Incorporation of Cabernet Franc brings freshness to the blend, while the rare Bordeaux variety, Saint Macaire, brings density and a savory character. Petit Verdot and Malbec add structure, color, and a component of bright fruit. The hand-harvested grapes were held separate at harvest and berry-sorted into six-ton open top tanks for fermentation. Maceration took place on the skins for five days, before early pressing to achieve ideal tannin extraction. Aged 19 months in 100% new French oak from coopers Nadalie and Sylvain.
Review:
Almost opaque in the glass, this luxury bottling entices with intense aromas of black currant and blackberry sauce on the nose, with savory hints of dark olive and caramel spice. It's quite dry on the palate, where licorice, violet and cassis flavors linger amidst the polished tannins
-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points
Ruttenstock Gruner Veltliner is made from 100 percent Gruner Veltliner.
Very fruity and light Gruner Veltliner with fresh aromas of citrus and green apples. Crisp on the palate with lively acidity structure.
Pair with cold appetizers, soup, fish, vegetables, salad.