Saumaize-Michelin Macon Vergisson Cru Sur La Roche is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Harmonious, fresh and clean aromas of fresh apple, lemon, orange blossom, white flower. Pure, crisp, silky and fine texture. Ripe fruit flavors and good acidity.
Saumaize Michelin Pouilly Fuisse Marechaude is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
A beautiful Pouilly-Fuisse from "La Marechaude" parcel that Saumaize-Michelin acquired in 2013. Planted on clay and limestone slopes and hand harvested, this Chardonnay offers fresh and elegant notes of white flowers, crisp, citrus and exotic fruits. Powerful and mineral on the palate with a fantastic balance, finesse and freshness. The exceptional terroir brings minerality and juicy flavors of stone fruits, peach and melon supported by subtle toasty notes.
It is now a Premier Cru.
Saumaize-Michelin Pouilly-Fuisse Premier Cru Vers Cras is made from 100 percent Chardonnay
2006 marked the purchase of part of the original sharecropping of the vines, including “Les Crays”, half of which had previously been returned to the owner.
This vintage is made up of two small plots, one 50 years old, the other 30 years old, covering 24 ares. Density: 9,000 vines per hectare
Located on the southern slope of the Vergisson rock which climbs very quickly: 320M at the bottom and 390M in altitude at the top, its situation is very sunny with a lot of wind. A blue marl soil covered by the scree of the Vergisson rock, we find some iron oxide.
Hand-picked, crushed, pneumatically pressed, full fermentation in Burgundy French oak barrels (15% new). Aged for one year on fine lees. Bottled according to the lunar calendar by us, without filtration.
Nose with aromas of ripe fruit, with mineral notes. Generous palate with beautiful body. Finish with tension and salivation. Discreet in the first year, its minerality is very fine but with a lot of depth.
It is best enjoyed at 12°C with all meats in white sauce, Burgundy snails, fine fish and even certain strong cheeses.
Saumaize-Michelin Pouilly-Fuisse “Clos sur la Roche” is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Produced from the oldest parcel of the estate dating back from 1979 and planted on the slopes of the Vergisson Rock, "Clos sur la Roche" benefits from a south sun exposure. This beautiful Chardonnay offers abundant floral and white fruit aromas, toasty and buttery notes and brioche scents. Well-balanced and concentrated on the palate with a rich structure and refreshing notes of zesty lemon and mineral purity that brings a vibrant energy to the finish.
Complex aromas of soft citrus fruits and minerals. Densely packed and fresh, with intense, complex flavors of white fruit as well as a hint of spice. The finish is very firm, long but not dry.
This site is now a Premier Cru!
The grapes for this wine come from loamy, well-drained soils on our estate vineyard. Dijon and Wente clones are fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak. This is an elegant chardonnay with a focused mid-palate and the refreshing cool climate acidity characteristic of Sea Smoke Vineyard.
Tasting Notes An elegant Chardonnay with aromas of lemon curd, star fruit, fresh cut peach and wet stone. Complemented by satsuma mandarins and a touch of hazelnut in the focused mid-palate and the refreshing cool climate acidity of our estate vineyard. Winemaking Our estate-grown Chardonnay fruit was picked and hand-sorted in the vineyard before spending the night in our cold room. Chilled grapes were softly pressed and the juice was gently pumped into a stainless steel tank and cold settled. Once the heavy solids were removed, the juice was racked to a stainless steel fermenter, then inoculated for primary fermentation. Following primary fermentation, the wine was racked to barrels, inoculated for malolactic fermentation, then periodically stirred to enhance depth and mouthfeel. The 2023 Sea Smoke Chardonnay was aged for a total of 10 months prior to bottling with no fining and no filtration.
Shenandoah University’s 150th anniversary white showcases albariño, a Spanish grape which Chrysalis Vineyards, the producer of this wine, helped bring to Virginia. Albariño is proving popular in Virginia, with its botanical aroma, bright acidity, and notes of peach and green apple. Drink on its own or with light meals such as seafood. The wine’s name recognizes the rolling hills of the university’s Shenandoah Valley home.
Sherwood Estate Riesling is made from 100 percent Riesling.
A Riesling that captures the true essence of a Waipara Valley aromatic wine. Full flavoured with delicate fruit and floral elements balanced with a smooth mouthfeel and subtle sweetness.
Grown on our Waipara Valley vineyards the grapes were harvested over a period of two weeks at varying degrees of ripeness allowing for a range of fruit flavours and complexity. This shows in the final wine with great depth of flavour throughout the palate with well-balanced acidity leaving you wanting more.
12%
Fresh seafood, cheese dishes and spicy food.
Sherwood Estate Sauvignon Blanc is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.
A fresh and zesty Sauvignon Blanc, bursting with juicy ripe flavours of gooseberry, guava and lime. The mouthwatering finish leaves you wanting more.
Only the most premium fruit was selected for this wine. Following harvest the fruit was gently pressed, allowed to settle and cool ferment for three weeks. Three months of lees contact has imparted a depth of fruit flavour. The parcels of wine were then blended before being lightly fined and filtered prior to bottling. The finished wine is delicate displaying fine fruit flavours and bright acidity.
13%
Herb crusted white fish, goat's cheese salad or fresh oysters.
100% Chardonnay aged 14 months in 30% new French oak.
Review:
“Stone fruits, buttered citrus, white flowers, and a subtle hint of green almonds all emerge from the 2021 Chardonnay Buena Tierra Vineyard, a medium to full-bodied, ripe, yet elegant Chardonnay. I love its overall balance, and it brings an impressive mix of richness and elegance.”
Jeb Dunnuck, 96 points
Shibumi Knoll Chardonnay Corazon del Rio is made from 100% Chardonnay aged 14 months in 20% new French oak.
Review:
“The 2021 Chardonnay Corazon Del Rio Vineyard is another brilliant Chardonnay (these are all made by Thomas Rivers Brown) from the Russian River Valley. Bright citrus, honeyed flowers, and subtle toasty oak notes define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, has a fresh, focused mouthfeel, terrific balance, and a great finish. I'd be thrilled with bottles in the cellar.”
-Jeb Dunnuck, 95 points
This organic natural cider from Astigarraga in the Basque Country is produced from freshly pressed juice that is fermented by native yeasts in large wooden casks (kupelas) for a minimum of 4 months. The cider is uncarbonated and unfiltered.
A typical golden color, intense, deep and fruity aromas, the cider is medium-bodied and fresh on the palate with tangy flavors and a slight fizz.
Pairs with cheese, quince paste, shellfish, grilled beef. Serve chilled.
Siegel Special Reserva Sauvignon Blanc Leyda is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc
The grapes for the Gran Reserva wines are the product of a careful selection of Siegel's best vineyards in the Colchagua Valley, harvested by hand, and revealing a strong expression of the land.
The Gran Reserva wines represent the union of tradition and innovation in two generations. The grapes are sourced through careful selection of their best vineyards in the cool coastal Leyda Valley region. Siegel Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc offers a pale yellow color with green hues and reveals intense and complex aromas of grapefruit and pear accented by mineral notes. The palate is balanced and juicy with a vibrant acidity and a soft, lingering finish.
Prager Smaragd Klaus Riesling is made from 100 percent Riesling.
Franz Prager, co-founder of the Vinea Wachau, had already earned a reputation for his wines when Toni Bodenstein married into the family. Bodenstein’s passion for biodiversity and old terraces, coupled with brilliant winemaking, places Prager in the highest echelon of Austrian producers.
Smaragd is a designation of ripeness for dry wines used exclusively by members of the Vinea Wachau. The wines must have minimum alcohol of 12.5%. The grapes are hand-harvested, typically in October and November, and are sent directly to press where they spontaneously ferment in stainless-steel tanks.
Klaus sits adjacent to Achleiten and is one of the Wachau’s most famous vineyards for Riesling. The vineyard is incredibly steep with a gradient of 77% at its steepest point. The southeast-facing terraced vineyard of dark migmatite-amphibolite and paragneiss produces a tightly wound and powerful wine. The parcel belonging to Toni Bodenstein was planted in 1952.
Tasting Notes:
Austrian Riesling is often defined by elevated levels of dry extract thanks to a lengthy ripening period and freshness due to dramatic temperature swings between day and night. “Klaus is not a charming Riesling,” says Toni Bodenstein with a wink. Klaus is Prager’s most assertive and robust Riesling.
Food Pairing
Riesling’s high acidity makes it one of the most versatile wines at the table. Riesling can be used to cut the fattiness of foods such as pork or sausages and can tame some saltiness. Conversely, it can highlight foods such as fish or vegetables in the same way a squeeze of lemon or a vinaigrette might.
Review:
What a stunning example of cool climate riesling. It’s full-bodied and deep, but so cool and delicate, packing in sleek layers of honeysuckle, apricots, lemons and grapefruit married to thyme and crushed rock. So long and seamless, with tension and focus that just keeps going. Sustainable. Try from 2025.
-James Suckling 98 Points
Intense, fresh and fruity bouquet, reminiscent of a tangy red fruit tart (wild strawberry, blueberry), slightly sweet yet underpinned by more concentrated, jammy and citrus notes. The aromatic complexity comes through after a few swirls in the glass giving us a medley of spice, warm cinnamon and peppers. Fleshy attack dominated by ripe, crunchy, plump red fruit that brings depth and creaminess. The fruity structure is gradually elongated by a chalky, mineral freshness that creates a lingering sensation of lightness and harmony on the finish.
Review:
Roederer's 2014 Brut Vintage is beautiful, offering up aromas of pear, mirabelle plum, red berries, warm biscuits and smoke. Full-bodied, layered and elegantly muscular, it's seamless and complete, with terrific mid-palate depth and amplitude. Framed by bright acids and enlivened by a pinpoint mousse, it concludes with a penetrating finish. The blend is 70% Pinot Noir, emphasizing Verzy, and pressure is a touch higher than in its more ethereal Blanc de Blancs counterpart. As I wrote of its 2013 predecessor, this is a wine that puts many prestige cuvées to shame.
95 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate