Valsacro Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This 100% Chardonnay blend is made from Tête de Cuvée, or first pressing of the grapes, considered superior in quality, with a high percentage of reserve wines for extra complexity, depth and richness, and a low added dosage to preserve purity and freshness. 

 

Bernardins Beaumes de Venise Rouge Cru Cotes du Rhone is made from 65% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Grenache Blanc.

Bright ruby color with cherry tinges. Complex black fruit aromas on the nose enhanced by spicy notes. Rounded palate with good length.

The wine is drinking well right now and can be kept for another 10 years.

Situation
Spreads out over the south-east side of the Dentelles de Montmirail hills, in Beaumes de Venise in the southern part of the Rhone valley.

Terroir
 On a poor sandy, hungry and arid soil consisting of tender limestone and gritty zones of sandy mollasse.

In the vineyard
The vineyards and their terroir are the essence of our wines. This is where everything starts and where we focus our efforts throughout the year. You can’t make great wine without great grapes.

The viticulture is essentially done by hand. Five people work full-time in the vineyards. They are supplemented by seasonal employees who work during bunch thinning and the harvest in order to bring out the very best in our vines. Working by hand and the attention each vine gets are fundamental. Pruning, de-budding, trellising, leaf removal and picking are thus carried out by hand with the utmost care.

We prepare the soil by using good old-fashioned ploughing. Organic compost is made from grape marc (the discarded stalks and skins).

As a way of protecting the plants, we only use phytosanitary products when necessary and within strict guidelines by staggering the treatments appropriately, to minimise the amount of chemicals used. We prefer to use as much as possible manual and organic techniques . Leaving natural grass cover, removing buds and leaves from the vines, preserving biodiversity around the vineyard: olive, almond and cypress trees, wild rosemary and capers.

Winemaking
We make two red wines at the estate. Terroir wines shaped by the two classic Côtes du Rhône varieties: Grenache and Syrah. We don’t follow any winemaking recipe but are constantly searching for the perfect expression of terroir and each vintage’s particular characteristics. We don’t go for overripe grapes and over-extraction, as we think the wine has to stay refreshing and balanced.

Leaving the wine for 15 days in concrete vats, we try to gently extract the tannins and anthocyanins essential for the wine’s structure and colour. The wine doesn’t come into any contact with wood during ageing. This way the characteristics of our terroir can fully express

Serve with a meal especially red meat, game and cheese.

Lyrarakis Assyrtiko Voila  is made from 100% Assyrtiko.

Description: Our family discovered the quality potential of East Crete since the 70's. Originally on the “Vóila” plain and subsequently in the extended surroundings, we discover exceptional vineyards where the great grape variety Assyrtiko thrives.

Tasting notes: Bright platinum color. Pure floral aromas with ginger spices and delicate notes of ripe citrus. Marvelously ripe grapes have given this wine a crispy and rich mouthfeel with a mineral and chalky character.

Alcohol: 13.5% ABV
Acidity: 7 g/L
pH: 3.2
RS: 3.43 g/L

Region: Voila area, Sitia, east part of Crete
Soil: Loam
Sun Exposure: Northeast
Pruning Technique: Head trained, spur pruned
Altitude: 580m above sea level
Irrigation: Not irrigated
Yield: 7tn/ha
Varieties: Assyrtiko 100%

Winemaking: The harvest was performed by hand seeking to obtain a proper fruit maturity. Skin contact was carried out at 12°C for 16 hours. Fermented in a stainless steel tank, this wine had a slow fermentation rate that lasted for more than 15 days.

Food pairing: All seafood, grilled fish, as well as white meat cooked with lemon.

Meridia Primitivo is 100% Primitivo

Dense ruby red with violet reflections.
Bouquet: A warm, spicy bouquet filled with bright, ripe plum aromas. 
Taste: It is rich, full and round with a delicate spiciness on the finish. 
Foods: Excellent with lamb, grilled and barbecued meats, dishes with olives or capers and seasoned cheeses.

Vineyard: High density vineyards located in the Salento in southwestern Apulia. Vines are trained on “alberello” (bush vines). The soil is a mixture of limestone and clay.
Harvest: October – by hand
The grapes are soft pressed and the juice is placed in stainless steel along with the skins for a maceration of 8 to 10 days with daily pumping over of the juice to extract more color and sweet tannins. The must is then racked and lightly filtered. Fermentation then takes place with selected yeast under controlled temperatures. The finished wine is placed in stainless steel holding tanks and bottled on order.
Aging: 3-4 months in bottle.

Pairs well with lamb, grilled and barbecued meats, dishes with olives or capers and seasoned cheeses.

Meridia Primitivo is 100% Primitivo

Dense ruby red with violet reflections.
Bouquet: A warm, spicy bouquet filled with bright, ripe plum aromas. 
Taste: It is rich, full and round with a delicate spiciness on the finish. 
Foods: Excellent with lamb, grilled and barbecued meats, dishes with olives or capers and seasoned cheeses.

Vineyard: High density vineyards located in the Salento in southwestern Apulia. Vines are trained on “alberello” (bush vines). The soil is a mixture of limestone and clay.
Harvest: October – by hand
The grapes are soft pressed and the juice is placed in stainless steel along with the skins for a maceration of 8 to 10 days with daily pumping over of the juice to extract more color and sweet tannins. The must is then racked and lightly filtered. Fermentation then takes place with selected yeast under controlled temperatures. The finished wine is placed in stainless steel holding tanks and bottled on order.
Aging: 3-4 months in bottle.

Pairs well with lamb, grilled and barbecued meats, dishes with olives or capers and seasoned cheeses.

Rebuli Brut Rose is made of 90% Glera (formerly known as Prosecco) + 10% of 2 other red grape varietals (to be named later this week)

Its pale rose color hides its considerable freshness and intensity and persistent perlage. It has a fruity aroma with a noticeable perfume of Golden Delicious apple and strawberry. It is an excellent aperitif and can accompany appetizers in general. It is also suitable for the whole meal and is ideal for drinking with nuts and dry fruit.

This large Spumante estate with just over 100 acres of vines produces high-quality Prosecco. The non-vintage Rosé Vino Spumante Extra Dry is a blend of 90% Glera and 10% Pinot Noir and Schiava. Crisp and dry with plenty of strawberry and cranberry fruit intermixed with a floral component, light body and delicate, well-formed, persistent bubbles, it can be enjoyed over the next year.- Robert Parker 89 Points