Deep color of violet and black tones. On the nose, it shows aromas of black tea, violets, blueberries and dark berries. It presents freshness, fine grain tannins and minerality on the palate.
Ayni Malbec Paraje Altamira is made from 100 percent Malbec.
Deep ruby-red in color with violet hints. Complex and intense bouquet, features blackberries, cherries and plums, with delicate floral notes and spices. Balanced and fresh mouth, full-bodied with good length of spices.
The grapes come from the fantastic area of Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley, Mendoza.
Irrigation: Drip
Harvest: Manual
Maceration: 4 days cold soaking below 10°C in stainless steel tanks
Alcoholic fermentation: 80% of the wine in stainless steel tanks for 15 days with wild yeasts, 20% of the wine in 225-liter closed French oak barrels
Malolactic fermentation: Yes
Pairs well with grilled meats and stews.
Review:
Very perfumed floral nuances scented with some fresh herbaceous notes, slightly tangy mineral nose too. Lovely freshness and chalky tannins, nice follow through and well-textured. Great fruit purity, attractive use of oak.”
- Decanter World Wine Awards 2020, 97 points/Platinum Medal
Lexicon Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.
Classic Malbec aromas of blackberry, cherry and chocolate lift from opaque juice. The juice is heavy with soft tannin and high acidity allowing for a layered and structure mouth-feel. Dark berry and cherry flavors converge on the slightly peppered finish.
When the founding fathers of the Napa Valley carved out new sub-AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in the 1980s, Soda Canyon Ranch was not yet on anyone’s map. The vineyard is neighbored to the northwest and west by the winegrowing districts of Stags Leap District and Oak Knoll District, respectively, which were among the early pioneers of California Cabernet Sauvignon to attain global fame. To the northeast and southeast—and further off the beaten path—were Atlas Peak and Coombsville, thought to be the next frontiers for the emerging wine-producing region.
With richness and depth of flavor, the 2018 Timeless Napa Valley is the embodiment of patience and attention to detail. Decades of experience at Soda Canyon Ranch allow winemaker Nate Weis and team to highlight the individual merits of each block. Combining the strongest lots from each resulted in a refined and harmonious bottling.
In 2018, the diurnal shift at Soda Canyon Ranch produced a darker, lusher fruit profile of Cabernet Sauvignon. Simultaneously, the overnight recovery periods resulted in expressive and refined Merlot, giving the wine a pleasant profile of bright, red fruit. With an extended harvest window, the signature, plush density and structure of Petit Verdot is also prevalent in the final blend. Cabernet Franc thrived in 2018 with its predilection for the cooler soils and the climate of blocks 5, 6, 16, 20 and 21—areas we call the Transition Zone and Hardpan Alley. The variety’s floral and tobacco-like aromatics are accentuated, and its more aggressive nature for back-end tannins tamed.
Once blended, the 2018 vintage rested in French oak barrels for 16 months, developing flavors of vanilla and baking spice. Velvety tannins dance across the palate of bright and lingering cassis. With a smooth finish, this is a comforting wine of elegance and depth—a sophisticated expression of the sedate summer.
Review:
This is a little old-school and shows lots of dark berry, chocolate and dried fruit. It’s full, dense and layered with fleshly sensibility. Velvety texture.
-James Suckling 93 Points
Vina Mein O Pequeno Blanco is made from Treixadura, Godello, Albariño and Torrontes.
Grapes are coming from 12 small plots across just 40 acres of land with varying slopes and aspects that allow the grapes to benefit from different sun exposures and that thrive in the ´´Sábrego´´ soil: unique to this region and comprised of decomposed granite, sand and clay.
An aromatic, vibrant and intense white with a pleasant finish. Precise and careful viticulture and a unique blend of native varieties, Treixadura, Godello, Albariño and Torrontés, express the diversity and richness of Ribeiro – one of the most prolific winemaking regions in Spain since the 11th century.
Review:
"Peach, sliced apple, lemon pith and white pepper on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Juicy and fruity. Drink now."
- James Suckling (October 2021), 90 pts
Vina Mein Ribeiro Blanco is made from 75% Treixadura, 10% Godello, 5% Loureira, 5% Albariño, 3% Torrontés, 1% Lado and 1% Albilla.
Nuanced layers upon layers of bay leaf, white stone fruits, moss, and wild fennel unfold.
Incredibly complex, this medium-bodied white has nervy acid to balance fleshy fruit and structure.
Review:
"The grand vin 2019 O Gran Mein is a blend of different varieties and vineyards that represents the best they have in white, fermenting each variety by plot, which gives them a lot of lots to make a blend. The idea is to achieve something that is complex but delicate rather than intense. It achieved 13% alcohol while it kept a pH of 3.34 and 6.29 grams of acidity, blending wines that fermented in stainless steel, concrete, foudre and 600-liter barrel and matured in tank for 14 months. It has aromatic complexity and depth and is elegant and nuanced, with herbal, balsamic and spicy aromas and the inland, river character. The palate is really balanced, and the mouthfeel is terribly stony, with a drying finish. Here they are again looking for potential to create this blend; they talk about wines for 30 years, guided by the first vintages in the 1990s. 25,000 bottles, 3,000 magnums and some larger formats were produced. It was bottled in December 2020.. - Luis GUTIERREZ"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue 259, February 28th 2022), 93 pts
Cobos Marchiori seduces with its extraordinary aromatic richness, it is an intense and elegant wine, in which its great freshness stands out. It shows an intense red color with violet tones. We find red fruit, cassis, plum, spices, blond tobacco, coconut, white pepper, chocolate and subtle notes of cardamom. The richness on the nose is repeated in the mouth in an exquisite way. It is long and sweet, with soft tannins. A meaty and complex wine, with a long finish on the palate.
Review:
Incredible purity of fruit in the nose, offering crushed, perfectly ripe blackberries and currants with raspberries and citrus. Some black licorice, too. It’s full-bodied with density, precision and gorgeously fine tannins. Great length going on for minutes. A blend of mostly Chanares with some old-vine fruit from Marchiori and Sengeretti. Such precision to this. Tight now. Try after 2026
-James Suckling 99 Points
Rooted in our origins”
Viña Cobos makes wines that are authentic expressions of the terroir from which they come. Paul Hobbs, founding partner and winemaker at Viña Cobos, has worked since 1988 in the exploration of the different terroirs of Mendoza, looking for the most distinguished regions in Luján de Cuyo and the Valle de Uco, to produce wines that uniquely express their origins.
With the inaugural vintage of Cobos Malbec in 1999, Viña Cobos marked a milestone in viticulture, defying existing standards and firmly positioned Malbec and Argentina on the international wine scene. Since then, these prestigious wines have been recognized around the globe by critics and consumers alike.
REGION
Mendoza, Argentina
VINEYARDS
Estates and vineyards in Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco
TERROIRS
Luján de Cuyo — Premier growing region of Mendoza, fed by the snow-melt of the Andes through the Mendoza River. High altitudes range from 945 - 1,100 m (2,624 - 3,608 ft). The soils are alluvial, with a subsoil of clay, sand, silt and rock.
Valle de Uco — Proximity to the Andes Mountains characterizes this cool, high altitude region. Vineyards sites range from 900 - 1,400 m (2,950 - 4,600 ft) in elevation. The soils are alluvial, sandy and rocky, and in some areas, limestone.
VARIETIES
malbec, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, chardonnay
LINES
Cobos, Viña Cobos Vineyard Designate, Vinculum, Bramare Appellation, Cocodrilo, Felino
Pernot Belicard Meursault Premier Cru Perrieres is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The grapes for this wine come a tiny half-acre parcel in the Premier Cru Perrieres in Meursault.
The nose is intense and expressive with ripe white fruit and stone fruit aromas supported by oaky and toasty notes. Fresh and generous in the mouth, a mineral character and vibrant acidity across the palate, and a long lingering finish.
Pairs with scallops, Roasted Gambas, Salmon California Roll, Cantal cheese.
Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
A lovely, brilliant crimson color. A very earthy Nuits nose with some vanilla bean, too. On the palate, smoky, velvet-textured fruit without any tannin, but acids take their place, so the wine is nicely balanced. Not heavy, but a very elegant Pinot expression at the end.
Review:
Exotic scents of violet, raspberry and wild cherry mark this juicy red. Vivid and fruity, yet backed by a baseline of firm tannins. Shows fine balance and a lingering aftertaste of red berries and mineral. Best from 2022 through 2038.
-Wine Spectator 93 Points
Boussey Pommard is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Pommard has been cultivated in the area for several Centuries. The name Pommard comes from Pomone, goddess of the fruits and gardens.
The wine boasts a nice cherry red color. The nose is complex and powerful with predominant notes of fruit (Morello cherry, citrus, fresh fig), forest and spice. In the palate, it is powerful and robust with flavors of cherry and spice with well-integrated tannins. Great balance.
Perfect with beefsteak, furred or feathered game, stewed poultry and cheeses like Epoisses.