SonVida Malbec 2013
SonVida Malbec 2014 is made from 95% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
The most challenging of years yielded a great harvest, and a magnificent wine. Frost in September, just as our Malbec was in budbreak. Then a fierce Zonda wind in early November, just as the vineyard was flowering. The result? Yields low, BUT quality high.
SonVida Malbec 2013 celebrates intense fruit, plum, blackberry, even dark chocolate notes, with the optimal acidity and smooth tannins that are so typical of the award-winning Altamira district in the Uco Valley of Mendoza. Above all, this latest Malbec from the Alegira vineyard boasts rare balance - a hint of the Old World in the best of the New World.
Review:
Decanter World Wine Awards 2017, 90 pts
Our Cabernet Sauvignon is always the last to ripen on the Alegria vineyard in the foothills of the Andes. And this year the Cabernet Sauvignon enjoyed high heat in January, followed by a cooler than usual countdown to harvest during February and March. The consequence was a crop of perfect clusters, exemplary concentration, enhanced flavors, and optimal, natural acidity. The result is a Cabernet Sauvignon of rare finesse.
SonVida Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 boasts classic varietal notes, blackcurrant, ripe red cherry, cassis. But what distinguishes this vintage is the excellent body and structure, the soft, round tannins and minerality so characteristic of the award-winning Altamira district, and the bright balance of its finish.
Once again, we selected whole clusters by hand as we harvested relatively late, in the third week of April, with low yields of 75 hl/ha. There was then a double selection: first, by bunches, then grape by grape. Total maceration took 20 days, starting with cold soaking for four days, alcoholic fermentation 12 days, then four days additional. The Syrah came from our vineyard – as always, SonVida represents the single vineyard wine.
Yes, this is a Cabernet Sauvignon to be enjoyed with a quality steak, or cut of beef. But also it can be enjoyed on its own, its smooth balance and finesse lending ideally to a relaxed evening in good company. It will age well, as have earlier SonVida Cabernets, adding complexity and richness.
Review:
"A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah co-fermented, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon was aged in a combination of American and French oak for 18 months. This is a soft, juicy, deep, full-bodied wine with cedar wood, forest floor, blackcurrants and herbs. Drink it over the next 4-5 years."
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (March 2016), 90 pts - Excellent Wine Values for Under $25
SALE!
60% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah.
We named our vineyard in the Andes of Argentina after our daughter Alegría. When we first saw the land, she was a baby in our arms. Now, as she goes to college, this wine celebrates her journey.
From a single vineyards, 1,029 meters (3,000 feet) above sea level near Paraje Altamira, Mendoza.
Age of the vines is 13 years (planted in 2002).
Aged 15 months in French and American Oak Barrel
Red meat, pork, grilled chicken.
Review:
93 PTS - Silver Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards
Vintage Closeout Sale
SonVida Malbec 2013 is made from 95% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
The most challenging of years yielded a great harvest, and a magnificent wine. Frost in September, just as our Malbec was in budbreak. Then a fierce Zonda wind in early November, just as the vineyard was flowering. The result? Yields low, BUT quality high.
SonVida Malbec 2013 celebrates intense fruit, plum, blackberry, even dark chocolate notes, with the optimal acidity and smooth tannins that are so typical of the award-winning Altamira district in the Uco Valley of Mendoza. Above all, this latest Malbec from the Alegira vineyard boasts rare balance - a hint of the Old World in the best of the New World.
Review:
"Sonia and David Smith, a British couple that settled in Mendoza, began producing wine in 2007 in Altamira, in the Uco Valley. Their 2013 shows the most refreshing and fruity side of malbec, the crisp red fruit flavor and violet notes lifted by its effusive energy. Firm acidity and prickly tannins suggest a match with venison."
- Wine & Spirits Magazine (February 2016), 92 pts
Sonvida Estate
Almost 20 years ago, Sonia and David went back-packing in the wine country of Northern California and fell in love with the idea of owning a vineyard.
SonVida is Sonia's life and David's dream. After an international career in television news for the BBC, ITN and CNN, Sonia began her adventure in wine. She is a Certified Sommelier of the Court of Master Sommeliers, and is studying for an international Wine MBA at the Bordeaux Ecole de Management, a grand ecole in France.
After a career as a foreign correspondent for Reuters and ITN, David is now a diplomat with the United Nations. David is also a Certified Sommelier of the Court of Master Sommeliers, and holds an Advanced Certificate from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) of London.
SonVida is in the heart of Malbec country, the Valle de Uco, in a small area known as Altamira, close to the village of La Consulta. Their neighbors are Chandon, Catena, and Achaval Ferrer. Close by, sharing the valley, are O.Fournier, Clos de los Siete, Finca La Celia, and Lurton.
Their terroir is defined by the Andes. They are at 1,029 meters above sea level. Snow melts high in the mountains, and waters the vines. The earth is strewn with rounded pebbles, carried down the Andes over millennia, by streams and glaciers. The sun shines brightly 330 days a year. The cooling nighttime breezes help the grapes keep their freshness and mature with full flavors.
Made from 100% Barbera.
Vineyards: The vineyard are located in the village of Novello ; WEST exposure with medium slope.
Average density of vines: 5500 vines per hectare
Method of cultivation: classical Guyot method with medium-short pruning; the vineyard are three, two with west exposure and one south with medium slope. Green harvest in two different times with reduction of grapes with a production per hectare around 5500 kg .
Winemaking: The grapes are harvested very ripe with a meticulous selection; the fermentation took place in stainless steel vats with temperature controlled. The fermentation is around 30°C with 8-10 days of maceration ; malolattic fermentation took place spontaneously in stainless steel vats.
Refinement: After malolattic fermentation the wine stay for 18 month in new French barriques; then the wine is bottled and refined for 12 month.
Bottle production: 3000 circa
Tasting Notes: This Barbera offers ripe dark fruit, spice and earthy sensations, as well as hints of black pepper and anisette. Heavy and brooding on the palate, but refreshing acidity will make this very food friendly. It would work well with pasta topped with porcini mushrooms or grilled meats.
SALE
White gold color with silver or greenish reflections , shiny and soft. Aromas suggest broom, acacia, green apple, lemongrass, citruses. A fresh, dry and fruity, nervous with a good balance.
The grapes for this wine is coming from 3 famous part of the Maconnais' region: Chaintré, Pierreclos and Ozenay.
The wine went through malolactic fermentation. It has been gently filtered before bottling.
Very easy to associate with his very complete balance : grilled fish, creamy risottos, antipasti, salads, sushis, very pleasant at the aperitif.
Made from 50% chenin blanc and 50% chardonnay
It is an interesting experience as a sparkling wine for people who want to have a fine and elegant wine comparable to Champagne for a very good price.
This methode traditionnelle sparkling wine is aged for minimum 18-24 months in cave before disgorging. The dosage is 12 g/l residual sugar and the wine is aged for minimum 3 months after disgorging .
The latest step in the project is Valsacro Dioro. The earlier Valsacros were made from a field selection of the older vineyards. Now, thanks to the new facility Amador has been able to build an upmarket version of Valsacro with a four-stage selection process that includes an initial field selection of the fruit followed by a second table selection as the grapes come into the winery. After fermentation wine from selected tanks is transferred to new French oak barrels for 12-14 months of barrel age. Finally, the best barrels are set aside for Dioro and the remainder used to "upgrade" the normal Valsacro.
Review:
"(aged in new French oak): Glass-staining ruby. Extremely perfumed, oak-accented nose displays cherry-vanilla and blackberry preserves, with a sexy floral note and building spiciness. Full-bodied and velvety, offering palate-coating flavors of macerated cherry, dark berries and vanilla bean. Finishes very long and sweet, with persistent spiciness and a hint of smoke. An extremely attractive and balanced example of the modern style."
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Sept/Oct 2011), 92 pts
"The 2005 Dioro was produced from a stricter selection and was aged in new French oak for 12-14 months. A saturated purple color, it displays a brooding bouquet of wood smoke, pencil lead, espresso, truffle, and blackberry. Dense and loaded on the palate, it has gobs of ripe black fruit, excellent balance, and a lengthy, pure finish. It will continue to blossom over the next 3-4 years and have a drinking window extending from 2014 to 2025."
- Wine Advocate (April 2010), 92 pts
COMMENTS
Lifted aromas of spicy dark cherries with a hint of cedary oak. A medium to full bodied wine; the palate is a maze of spice, pepper and dark fruits, the finish is bright and refreshingly clean.
VINIFICATION NOTES
Picked during the cool of night. An intentional minimalistic approach to winemaking to ensure the vineyard character sings. Fermented with a small percentage of stalks and whole berries, in small open fermenters and hand worked twice daily. Warm fermentation is followed by maturation in French oak barrels for 12-16 months (depending on parcel). Minimal fining and filtration prior to bottling.
BLEND
Shiraz
CELLARING
Medium - Long term
Review:
'Mouthfilling shiraz with peppermint, boysenberry, clove and blackberry flavours rollicking from start to finish. Freshness of flavour is a key feature; it's juicy, lively and eager-to-please, but not at the expense of discipline. Winsome style.' JAMES HALLIDAY, WINE COMPANION 2016 93 Points
SILVER AT 2015 SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITION
SILVER AT 2015 DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS
SILVER AT 2015 INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE
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What this vineyard captures, more so than any other Pinot Noir site that I have tasted, is both power and elegance. Bright and forceful Bing cherries and dark berries along with the slightest hue of roasted coffee bean on the nose. Immediate and broad textured tannins cover the palate as flavors of black raspberries, licorice and black tea leaves unravel. Oak-inspired overtones of crispy charred marshmellows and fall spice with balance acids elongate a finish that reverbs for hours.
What this vineyard captures, more so than any other Pinot Noir site that I have tasted, is both power and elegance. Bright and forceful Bing cherries and dark berries along with the slightest hue of roasted coffee bean on the nose. Immediate and broad textured tannins cover the palate as flavors of black raspberries, licorice and black tea leaves unravel. Oak-inspired overtones of crispy charred marshmellows and fall spice with balance acids elongate a finish that reverbs for hours.
The Soberanes Vineyard is the latest exciting joint venture between the Pisoni and Franscioni Families. The site features tightly spaced vines and is planted to 33 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah and sits on the Santa Lucia Highlands Bench adjacent to the Garys' Vineyard. The clonal material planted in the loamy, rocky soil is very diverse and features over a dozen of the most renowned heritage selections from California and Burgundy in pursuit of the finest wine quality.
Review:
The vineyard is famous for producing ripe, luscious Pinots stuffed with massive fruit. Many wineries have dipped into it over the years. Krutz’s rendition is dry, balanced and full-bodied, with relatively high alcohol framing raspberry, cherry, cola, red plum, exotic spice and sandalwood flavors. It should age well through 2020–2022.
- Wine Enthusiast 92 Points
Marcassin Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The 2013 Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard may be even better. Notes of caramelized citrus, hazelnut, apple blossom, lemon oil and orange marmalade are all present in this wine of dazzling aromatic and flavor dimension. It is full-bodied, again shows some wet pebbles (which I equate with minerality), vibrant acidity, and no real evidence of any oak. Much like the 2012, the finish goes on for 45+ seconds. This is another killer Chardonnay from Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer. -Wine Advocate 100 Points
What an extraordinary tasting this was at the Marcassin winery just north of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County. Just when you think the duo of Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer can’t make greater wines, they bowl over the taster with an array of exquisite quality that really must be tasted to be believed. Marcassin was probably California’s greatest Chardonnay after the famous Chalone winery fell from the pinnacle and onto hard times in the 1980s (and it has yet to rebound). Moreover, Marcassin set the bar for great Pinot Noir as well. And while both their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have many competitors these days (from the likes of Harford Court, Mark Aubert, Kistler, Kongsgaard, DuMol, Thomas Brown, Peter Michael, Martinelli and Luc Morlet, to name a few), John Wetlaufer and Helen Turley remain the reigning geniuses of these two varietals in California. Certainly, their meticulous attention to detail in both the vineyard and in the winemaking and élevage account for the quality, but they were among the pioneers who saw the unlimited potential from the Sonoma Coast, now a relatively crowded neighborhood. This was a remarkable tasting that simply blew me away, and I have been following their wines since the first Marcassins were made in the early 1990s. By the way, any doubts about aging potential should be crushed immediately, as even in the most challenging vintages in California, Marcassin Chardonnays and Pinots have aged as well as, if not better than just about any grand cru white Burgundy. For example, 1995 and 1996 Chardonnays, particularly those from the Lorenzo Vineyard, are incredibly youthful and dynamic, and the Marcassin Estate Pinot Noir, even from vintages such as 1998, is simply amazing.
The three Chardonnays tasted include two perfect wines. Perhaps the closest comparison is not to anything made in California, but a Corton-Charlemagne in a top vintage from the famous Jean François Coche-Dury.
