The 2023 Far Niente Chardonnay enchants with a bouquet of citrus, white floral, and hints of honeydew melon and nectarine. Its silky texture and bright, refreshing palate dance with flavors of lemon/lime zest and lemon verbena, culminating in a long, juicy finish that leaves the palate yearning for more.
Review:
Pure aromas of lemon confit, poached Asian pears, pastry and lanolin. The palate is medium-bodied with focused acidity and a creamy texture, giving notes of lime curd, orange blossoms, yellow apples and flint. Very well constructed and polished.
-James Suckling 93 Points
Fefinanes Albarino de 1583 Albarino is made from 100% Albarino.
Aged for 5 months in oak barrels (a combination of fine-grained American and French Allier barrels).
1583 is the birth date of the Viscount of Fefinanes, Gonzalo Sarmiento Valladares, builder of the Castle of Fefinanes, in Cambados.
They wanted to pay tribute to their ancestor with this wine that managed to reach a perfect harmony between the fruitiness of the Albarino grape and the complexity brought by the oak aging.
Lovely straw yellow color, clean and bright. The nose is reminiscent of ripe crystallized fruit and spices. The palate is elegant, round and well balanced, with a silky texture.
Excellent with shellfish, grilled or stewed fish, white meats, poultry.
Fefinanes Albarino de 1583 Albarino is made from 100% Albarino.
Aged for 5 months in oak barrels (a combination of fine-grained American and French Allier barrels).
1583 is the birth date of the Viscount of Fefinanes, Gonzalo Sarmiento Valladares, builder of the Castle of Fefinanes, in Cambados.
They wanted to pay tribute to their ancestor with this wine that managed to reach a perfect harmony between the fruitiness of the Albarino grape and the complexity brought by the oak aging.
Lovely straw yellow color, clean and bright. The nose is reminiscent of ripe crystallized fruit and spices. The palate is elegant, round and well balanced, with a silky texture.
Excellent with shellfish, grilled or stewed fish, white meats, poultry.
Palacio de Fefinanes Albarino "III Ano" is made from 100 percent Albarino
The III Año shows all the expressiveness of the Albariño grape, with full nose of mature fruit and a mineral character. Complex and meaty with firm structure in the mouth, it promises a splendid evolution which will favor a long life for this elegant wine with personality.
Aged for 3 years on the lees in stainless steel tanks.
Wine is aged for a total of 6 months: 4 months in French and American Oak barrels. No new oak, only 1, 2 and 3 year old barriques. During these 4 months, wine is aged on the fine lees with frequent Batonnage (stirring of the lees) in order to get the most expressive notes from the Albarino varietal. Then, it is transfered into a stainless steel tank, which allows the oak aromas to be assimilated and integrated.
1583 is the birth date of the Viscount of Fefinanes, Gonzalo Sarmiento Valladares, builder of the Castle of Fefinanes, in Cambados. They wanted to pay tribute to their ancestor with this wine that managed to reach a perfect harmony between the fruitiness of the Albarino grape and the complexity brought by the oak aging.
Excellent with shellfish, grilled or stewed fish, white meats, poultry
Ferme Blanche Cassis Blanc Excellence is made from 50% Marsanne and 50% Clairette.
On the nose, white fruits, citrus zest, hint of vanilla. Velvety well balanced mouth of ripe fruits and minerality.
Pair with trout, Scallop, or better yet lobster would complement this wine perfectly.
Ferme Blanche Cassis Blanc Excellence is made from 50% Marsanne and 50% Clairette.
On the nose, white fruits, citrus zest, hint of vanilla. Velvety well balanced mouth of ripe fruits and minerality.
Pair with trout, Scallop, or better yet lobster would complement this wine perfectly.
Ferme Blanche Cassis Blanc Excellence is made from 50% Marsanne and 50% Clairette.
On the nose, white fruits, citrus zest, hint of vanilla. Velvety well balanced mouth of ripe fruits and minerality.
Pair with trout, Scallop, or better yet lobster would complement this wine perfectly.
Ferrata Ceneris Etna Bianco is made from 80% Carricante and 20% Catarratto.
Straw-yellow with greenish nuance. Hints of green apple,white peach and aromatic herbs. Pleasant flavor and freshness.
Ideal with shellfish, raw fish or preparations with more intense flavors, fresh and semi-aged cheeses.
Ferren Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The Sonoma Coast bottling is a blend of barrels from Ferren's single vineyard offerings; Lancel Creek, Silver Eagle, Volpert, and Frei Road Vineyards. The wine is always somewhat more approachable early in its life as less new oak is used in the blend. Pure and translucent fruit is the hallmark of this cuvée. Citrus, quince, sea spray, and minerals are buoyed by refreshing acidity and a seamless finish.
Ferren Chardonnay Sonoma Coast is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The Sonoma Coast bottling is a blend of barrels from Ferren's single vineyard offerings; Lancel Creek, Silver Eagle, Volpert, and Frei Road Vineyards. The wine is always somewhat more approachable early in its life as less new oak is used in the blend. Pure and translucent fruit is the hallmark of this cuvée. Citrus, quince, sea spray, and minerals are buoyed by refreshing acidity and a seamless finish.
This 100% Cortese white offers fruity aromas intertwined with hints of daisy and acacia flowers. Fresh and elegant on the palate with charming citrus notes.
Flanagan Russian River Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Grapes for this wine are sourced from several top Russian River Chardonnay sites including Platt Vineyard, Ritchie Vineyard and Bacigalupi Vineyard.
A typical day in Russian River begins with cool fog that fades by mid-morning as the warm sun transforms the vineyard into a warm, welcoming place buzzing with bees. In the late afternoon the ocean air sweeps in from the west cooling the vineyard down. Soils of clay and volcanic rock, carved into rolling hills by the Russian River, are the bass line to the melody played by the sun, wind and fog.
Flanagan Chardonnay RRV has an expressive nose that is typical of the Wente Clone of Chardonnay. The palate has an elegant mélange of stone fruit and ripe citrus flavors supported by understated barrel notes. The key to the wine is the bright acidity that ties everything together. This is a great example of what top Russian River Chardonnay sites can produce when wine making is focused on balance.
Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Dark cherry, raspberry, and elderberry intertwine with intriguing hints of fresh basil, and pomegranate. Decadent fruit flavors unfold, showcasing remarkable acidity with dynamic structure and an enduring finish.
Our Appellation Series wines embody our unwavering commitment to exploration and the artistry of crafting soulful, thought-provoking wines that pay homage to the world’s extraordinary terroirs.
The Sonoma Coast is the largest appellation in Sonoma County, strongly influenced by its proximity to the ocean and heavy rainfall—producing more than twice the annual amount of its inland neighbors.
Our Sonoma Coast vineyards span the northern true coastal zone and the southern edge of the appellation. This distinctive blend is made from 11 different clones, fermented in predominantly stainless steel, and aged for 16 months in 38% new oak. The resulting wine has an energetic acidity with cascading layers of black cherry and elderberry, followed by a lasting finish.
Fact of Note: This Sonoma Coast blend was the longest to ferment in stainless steel from our Appellation Series.
Thorn Clarke Shotfire Shiraz is made from 100% Shiraz.
Striking deep red-purple in color. A rich, voluptuous wine with aromas of blackcurrant and mulberries accompanied by notes of smokey oak and hints of cloves. The palate is filled with dark fruits and chocolate backed up by taut tannins and lingering oak.
Story:
When the Clarke forebearers discovered gold in 1870 at the Lady Alice mine in the Barossa goldfields, so began a family dynasty intrigued by geology. A fine legacy that is reflected today in the terroir of our vineyards. The Shotfire range immortalizes the Shotfirer's hazardous job of setting and lighting the charges in the mines.
Fran shares his story on how he discovered Thorn-Clarke:
"It was October 2001 and I was searching for and sourcing for Australian wines, as it was clear that Australia was going to become the "next big thing." After tasting about 100 assorted wines, I decided I liked the style of Barossa, Shiraz best - chocolate, cherries, mint and eucalyptus - so I started focusing on Barossa growers (years later, Barossa Shiraz would develop its reputation as the Icon Shiraz for Australia).
Late on a Thursday afternoon, the carrier delivered a beat-up box of 12 bottles from Australia, 10 of which were leaking. The box was from a guy named Steve Machin, who had just left Hardy's and was beginning work with the Clarke family on setting up a possible new brand. The samples were sticky and messy, but I popped the corks anyway ..... and I was glad that I did. The wine inside tasted like Christmas - mint, eucalyptus, camphor, and evergreen aromas. Great acidity, color, flavor and length of finish - very tasty. These samples were so good and so exciting, especially compared to what I had tasted prior, that I immediately called the number on the card. I didn't realize that it was a Perth number (Western Australia) and it was actually 3:00 in the morning. It turned out I was calling the residence of David and Cheryl Clarke, where a sleepy Cheryl answered the phone. I told her, you don't know who I am, but we are going to be doing business together very soon, and lots of it! After a few months of talking, faxing (yes, faxing) and sorting out the details, I began importing their wines.
That super-star wine from the busted box of samples is the wine we know today as Shotfire Shiraz. It was originally called Stone Jar, but fortunately we came up with a better name. Many years and vintages later, I'm still glad to be importing Shotfire Shiraz and other Thorn-Clarke selections .... and I'm still glad that Cheryl Clarke woke up for that phone call."