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|  | | The 2005 harvest season for Almaviva was the longest and latest ever, lasting from April 14th to May 17th. Meticulous ripeness controls and triple selection helped to obtain a very fine wine. Winter was warmer than average and marked nearly 30% less rainfall than an average year. The warm temperatures throughout the winter days, together with high temperatures in September, contribute to an early and homogenous budbreak on September 20 for the Cabernet Sauvignon, five days earlier than the average.
Dark ruby red, intense and opaque.
The nose is deep and complex, remarkably rich and concentrated, revealing fresh ripe fruits aromas, wild strawberries, black currant and blackberries nicely associated with mineral notes, spices, tobacco and coffee. The attack is powerful, ample and silky, immediately revealing a well-balanced and harmonious structure. The tannins are ripe and round, nicely enveloped by flavorful hints of vanilla, toasted orange zest, lavender, chocolate, and licorice.
The finish is long, mineral and silky, enhancing the richness of the ripe fruit and the elegance of the tannins.
A superb wine of an exceptional finesse and remarkable expression.
| | |  | | Estate-grown single-vineyard Bolgheri DOC Superiore
Guado al Tasso, meaning literally "Badger's Ford", takes its name from a common sight at the estate of Tenuta Guado al Tasso, Bolgheri, where it is produced. The vineyard is at an elevation between 44 and 58 metres (145 and 190 feet) above sea-level on stony, slightly calcareous soils. Tenuta Guado al Tasso is located 60 miles southwest of Florence, near the medieval village of Bolgheri, in an area known as the Maremma. The 900 hectares (2,223 acres) estate stretches up from the shore of the Tyrrhenian Sea to the hills, and aside from extensive vineyards, also grows wheat, corn, sunflowers, tomatoes and olive trees. Guado al Tasso was first produced in 1990.
Extraordinary intense ruby red in colour. Fruity, more of cherry than cassis, with hints of toast, coffee and dark chocolate. Finely structured and complex; balanced, with soft tannins and a lingering finish. Displays unmistakable varietal flavor while retaining strong regional character.
| | |  | | Solaia, which means the 'sunny one' in Italian, is a 10 hectares (25 acres) southwest-facing vineyard planted 351-396 metres (1,150-1,300 feet) above sea-level on stony calcareous soil of marl and friable albarese rock. It is located at Santa Cristina, contiguous to the Tignanello vineyard, which is on the same property, in the Mercatale Val di Pesa zone of Chianti Classico. Antinori first produced a single-vineyard wine from these vines with the 1978 vintage (which was a limited release only in Italy); the initial blend was 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, which was repeated in 1979. During following vintages, 20% Sangiovese was introduced and small adjustments were made (according to vintage) to the proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc used, to arrive at today's blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 20% Sangiovese.
Black pepper, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, plums and bottled fruit aromas follow each other continually in Solaia 2003. The wine is strikingly elegant with nicely blended tannins supporting the sensation of sweetness and weight. The tasting does not reveal harshness, and the balance shows distinctive sweetness from the riper grapes. Hints of liquorice and coffee return in the impressively long finish.
| | |  | | Archipel is the French word for Archipelago, a string of islands rising above the sea, and that meaning is carried over to the sourcing of fruit for the new Archipel wine, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. For this limited production wine, world acclaimed winemaker Pierre Seillan selected only those mountain peak vineyards in Napa and Sonoma that, on a foggy morning, sit above the clouds like a archipelago island sits upon the misty sea.
This wine is the essence of California Mountain fruit expressed with French undertones, epitomizing modern sophistication, both in it’s mountain structure supporting a vibrant fruit profile, as well as it’s contemporary image which appeals to those intrigued by unique wines and progressive thinking. Vibrant black fruit with floral and spice notes. Rich, round, and full bodied.
| | |  | | The Artadi estate was created in 1985 by the dynamic visionary winemaker, Juan Carlos Lopez de la Calle. His objective was to seek and nurture the concept that Tempranillo, when cultivated at high altitude, low-cropped, and from old vines, produces extraordinarily rich and profound wines. This, coupled with specific barrel treatments (with minor American oak influences) produces some of Rioja’s best wines.
| | |  | | The Artadi estate was created in 1985 by the dynamic visionary winemaker, Juan Carlos
Lopez de la Calle. His objective was to seek and nurture the concept that Tempranillo,
when cultivated at high altitude, low-cropped, and from old vines, produces
extraordinarily rich and profound wines. This, coupled with specific barrel treatments
(with minor American oak influences) produces some of Rioja’s best wines.
| | |  | | BenMarco means “son of Marcos” in Hebrew. Pedro produces his wines as an homage to his father, Marcos who taught him how to plant, tend, and love the vineyards. The row of grapevines illustrated on the label is modeled after the beautifully manicured vines that Pedro looks after on the winery’s estate vineyard.
Beautiful deep red color with perfumed aromas of ripe black cherries, strawberries and roasted cocoa beans. This wine is full-bodied and incredibly lush for a young Cabernet. It explodes on the palate with red and black fruits, then shows baking spices on its way to a mouthwatering finish. Pedro blended in some Merlot for greater complexity and to achieve better balance. Pairs well with a wide range of foods including beef, sausages, spiced or grilled pork, veal, rabbit, medium-strong cheeses, and meat-based pasta sauces.
| | |  | | With Cabernet of this quality, the winemaking team believes in taking a minimalist approach to winemaking. Vinifying the fruit from each vineyard separately, Ed and Laurie used tailored pump-over techniques for optimal extraction, and then aged the wines in hand-selected, custom-toasted barrels of new French Nevers oak. They then aged the lots separately for just under two years before selecting the blend - one of exceptional depth, complexity and elegance. The final blend has aromas of Bing cherries, cocoa, cedar, allspice and mint. Generous cherry, blackberry and plum flavors are complemented by velvety tannins, resulting in a superbly long and elegant finish.
| | |  | | Beringer’s Steinhauer Ranch, renamed in 2003 to honor the winery’s long-time vineyard manager, Bob Steinhauer, lies just northeast of the town of Angwin on Howell Mountain, at about 1800 feet elevation. Its soil is volcanic with a richly red color and the texture is friable and loose. When Beringer first planted the vineyard, Ed quickly recognized the distinctive character of the grapes, selecting its Cabernet as a regular part of the Private Reserve blend beginning in the 1993 vintage. The Steinhauer Ranch Cabernet is a graceful powerhouse featuring saturated colors, robust tannins, unctuous black fruit flavors with hints of brown spice, lavender, mint and minerality.
| | |  | | Red-black with a scarlet rim. Nose has lifted peach, spice, vanilla and chocolate notes. Dense blackberries, fruitcake and stone fruit on the palate with some red berry and confectionary freshness, providing a rich and textural mouthfeel.
| | |  | | | | |  | | A beautiful, solemn appearance, wrapped in bright, luminous Bordeaux-red colour. A very complex aroma, with a perfect combination of fruit, spice and mineral nuances. In its underlying aroma you can find lovely hints of minerals and new leather. On the palate, it has an elegant attack, proud in its evolution and tasty in its lingering aftertaste. A supple, full-bodied, complex wine with a magnificent finish.
| | |  | | | | |  | | Peter Cargasacchi owns and farms this dynamic sixteen acre site planted in the late ‘90s entirely to clone 115. Very stark soil profile of predominantly diatomaceous earth on the western edge of the appellation.
Aromas of asian spice, cured meat and wild strawberry followed by flavors of saddle leather, beets and chicory. Very savory in the mouth with broad structure.
| | |  | | This thirty acre vineyard is owned and farmed by the Pepe and Hagen families. Brewer Clifton's section is planted solely to Pommard clone on a gently sloping knoll in the center of their property that is impacted by strong maritime breezes.
Aromas of flowers, black raspberries and smoked pork followed by flavors of holiday spice, strawberries and pomegranates. Full bodied with a dry, firm texture.
| | |  | | Blended from highly regarded vineyards in the Willamette Valley. Dark opaque, unfiltered, the scents, upon opening, are of black raspberry and spice. Flavors are juicy, with big black fruit. Blackberry and a bit of black cherry are refreshing, with a racy natural acidity. Ready to drink, approachable, but balanced, this wine will age for 2-5 years. This is a unique concentrated and satisfying value wine, exceptional for the price.
| | |  | | This wine derives its name from Ca’Marcanda, the winery. Ca'Marcanda is the Piedmontese term for "house of endless negotiations" and it refers to the many hours that Angelo Gaja spent convincing the property's previous owners to sell the estate vineyard that produces this wine to him. This vineyard is from one of the stoniest sites of the Ca'Marcanda estate in Castegneto Carducci (Bolgheri). Its 100% terre bianche (white soils) are ideal for producing long-lived wines.
Color: Deep red.
Aroma: Rich in fruit and multi-layered aromas.
Taste: Complex with a firm tannic structure. Densely woven with an expressive mineral character.
| | |  | | | | |  | | The estate's newest wine and achiever of the Tre Bicchieri award for all its vintage. The three roses on the label reprsent the rose bushes once to be found in abundance around the ancient castle.
Castello del Terriccio is a blend of Syrah and Petit Verdot, and is aged 18 months in French barrique. The wine has rich balsamic, spice and violet aromas with dense, blackberry, blackcurrant and chocolate flavours on the palate with mint note. Silky tannins and a long finish make this a choice bottle for serious collectors.
| | |  | | The property is situated in the village of Capcanes and served for several years as the village cooperative. In the 1990’s, the co-op began making kosher wines for the Jewish population of Barcelona, and from that exposure in the much larger city, the property began to attract a greater level of interest. Eric Solomon approached Capcanes and asked for a custom cuvee to be made from some of the better vines of the property. This was just the beginning of a strong partnership!
Medium ruby with flecks of violet; exotic aromas of liquor like cherry, spicy cake; vanilla; toast; ripe and nicely concentrated but not over-matured; very Garnacha in character; a lot of fruit; medium finish with ripe, sweet tannins.
| | |  | | Colour : Deep purple red.
Nose : Rapsberry, a hint of violet, a touch of olive and "tapenade", of rosemary, with a dominante of spice.
Mouth : Full flavoured, elegant, very well-structured and balanced.
| | |  | | Colour : Very deep garnet, almost black in colour.
Nose : Black fruits with spicy and ink notes.
Mouth : Tannins are not only very powerful but also mellow, smokey notes, pepper, highlights wonderfully the Syrah variety on granite soils.
| | |  | | Colour : Deep red garnet with violet highlights during the first years.
Nose : Ripe fruits during the early years.
Mouth : Powerful tannins, mellow, stewed blackberries, can be kept for a considerable time.
| | |  | | Colour : Deep garnet red, with purple highlights.
Nose : Red fruit (raspberry, blackcurrant), with a hint of liquorice.
Mouth : Good attack, it is a round, elegant wine, soft and concentrated tannins, and a long aftertaste of blackcurrant and raspberry, spicy when it is young.
| | |  | | 60% grenache + 40% mourvèdre, La Crau and Valori, Aged for 24 months in two to four years old barrels. The 2005 was an out-standing vintage and the most impressive appellation. Balance! Strength! Structure! Complexity! With the entire range of magical aromas from Chateauneuf. Brandied cherries, squashed strawberries, truffle, thyme, black olive tapenade. Bottled without any filtration.
| | |  | | The 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape is a nicely structured, deep plum/garnet-colored wine with plenty of Provencal herbs, sweet black cherries, and currants, some resiny notes, and broad flavors. It is a fine 2004 to drink over the next decade.
Readers should keep in mind that the young, talented proprietor Louis Barruol produces negociant wines under the label Saint-Cosme. and all the estate wines appear under the label Chateau Saint-Cosme. In theory, the only estate wines are the three cuvees of Gigondas.
| | |  | | 60% grenache + 40% mourvèdre, La Crau and Valori, Aged for 24 months in two to four years old barrels. The 2005 was an out-standing vintage and the most impressive appellation. Balance! Strength! Structure! Complexity! With the entire range of magical aromas from Chateauneuf. Brandied cherries, squashed strawberries, truffle, thyme, black olive tapenade. Bottled without any filtration.
| | |  | | 100% Syrah, Aged for 15 months in new oak, Schistes and arènes granitiques. Elegance is the major word in 2006 which will remain as a good classical vintage. Their vine in the Cote-Blonde confirmed a quality improvement related to the drought of the last vintages... All the vines around the Viaillère developed as usual their incredible typicity: sweet texture, aromas of graphite and smoked bacon. This vintage reminds them of 1998, with more freshness. 1998 tastes very well at the moment. Cote-Rotie 2006 will age with harmony because the grape ripening went just to the right level. Squashed lead, blackcurrant, bacon, roasted coffee.
| | |  | | The famous Robert Young Vineyard is located in the north central Alexander Valley. The Chardonnay plantings are in alluvial clay soils. Robert Young saw an opportunity to custom tailor a Chardonnay clone that was best suited for his vineyard site. Using the best selection from his original plantings of the Wente clone, Robert Young had his “Robert Young Clone” certified in 1989.
Fresh aromas of yellow stone fruit, lemon zest and hints of honeysuckle and vanilla introduce the nose of this single vineyard Chardonnay. A medium-bodied entry fills the mouth with notes of melon, clove and wet stone minerality and ends with a lasting lemon oil finish. The wine has a creamy texture with bright acidity, making this an excellent food wine.
| | |  | | Planted in the early 1930's, the vineyard is about 70 years old. This vineyard is planted with the old clones of Syrah (low yielding) on their own roots, dry grown and yields about two tonnes to the acre.
The soils here are mainly clay, ironstone and gravel facing due east and fairly steep. The vineyard usually ripens early due to the low yields and extensive root systems of these old vines.
The grapes are handpicked and fermented with natural yeasts in open stainless steel tanks at temperatures up to 32 degree Celsius. All the pressings are returned to the 100% new French oak barriques and the maturation lasts for 18 months before bottling without fining or filtration.
This is always the most beautiful wine in the cellar and is the flagship of the Clarendon Hills Syrah Range.
Due to minimal intervention in the winemaking process this wine expresses the vineyard characters as it develops in the bottle for up to 30 years.
| | |  | | This vineyard was planted in 1925 in the conventional bush vine manner with no trellising.
The vineyard is very steep and faces due east, the soils contain high levels of ironstone, rock and quartz.
This is the highest part of the Blewitt Springs Vineyard and also the lowest yielding, about one tonne to the acre. The grapes are handpicked, usually quite early in the season, due to very low crops and the ability of Old Grenache to ripen.
The wine is made like all Clarendon Hills Wines, with natural yeasts and minimal intervention but sees no new oak barrels, usually 2-3 year old barrels of seasoned French barriques.
The resultant wine has a most exotic element to it reminiscent of Naomi Campbell in high heels wearing pink lipstick – wow!
| | |  | | This vineyard is planted on hard deep clay which is very important for the production of classic Merlot - blueberry, mulberry fruit and chocolate overtones. Always very rich persistent and full bodied flavour with great opulence.
| | |  | | This old vineyard consistently produces very attractive, well balanced wine with no rough edges, just perfume style and elegance. Ages very well. Aristocratic!
| | |  | | A very consistent vineyard, which always has very dark colour and black plum fruit with a gamey, leathery background. This has more to do with Cornas or Hermitage.
| | |  | | A very consistent vineyard, which always has very dark colour and black plum fruit with a gamey, leathery background. This has more to do with Cornas or Hermitage.
| | |  | | Situated in a natural ampitheatre with 360 degree aspects, this vineyard is dry grown and produces small crops of deeply concentrated Syrah with high tannin levels.
The yield here rarely exceeds two tonnes/acre and is often much lower.
This old gone ungrafted Syrah vineyard has a unique character which I describe as 'the full meal followed by the cigar'!
This wine is made in the same manner as all the Syrah vineyards and shows it's individuality purely due to vineyard influences.
This wine develops slowly and positively for a most complete tasting experience.
| | |  | | Colomé Estate is a Malbec based blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat. The signature red varietal of Argentina, Malbec excels in the warm, dry climate, producing exceptional wines with dark, spicy aromas and succulent texture. Serve with exotic game, lamb and beef. Enjoy over the next three to six years.
| | |  | | | | |  | | Domaine de la Janasse was created in 1973 by Aimé Sabon and is now run by the
exceptionally talented Christophe Sabon and his oenologist sister, Isabelle.
Christophe has introduced organic farming to the domaine and concentrated on the old
vines of the property in a way that has made this estate one of the highly sought-after
domaines of the region. The wines, whether simple Cotes du Rhones or Chateauneufdu-
Papes, are luscious, concentrated examples of what this lovely area can produce.
| | |  | | | | |  | | A wine formed from the character and the aggregate of distinct vine-growing areas with the unique grapes from centenarian Tinto Fino vineyards such as: La Mata (6 Ha), Punto Alto (at more than 1,000 metres, and the same height as the village), Cuesta Moral (2 Ha), among others which merge in Dominio de Atauta, a unique wine, the fruit of the coupage of grapes. One of the vine-growing areas which stands out because of its composition is La Solana, a vineyard of 2.5 hectares perched on the slopes of the cliff with a southern orientation and calcareous soil with two great, distinctive rocks.
| | |  | | The Dutton-Gregori vineyard continues to captivate Du Mol with its combination of aromatic fireworks and coastal fruit purity which makes this single vineyard wine such a unique offering. Harvested from the same vines as the 2004 release, yet a full month later, the cool elongated ripening conditions have amplified the wine’s blue-fruited profile and an additional two years’ vine age has deepened the palate’s texture. They made two fruit thinning passes in a growing season that was marked by a plentiful fruit set, so that by harvest the moderate crop of small-berried clusters steadily ripened to perfection under sunny warm late fall skies. The explosive aromatics which linger the entire length of the wine create tremendous energy and are a telltale sign of the vineyard’s Green Valley origins. The wine possesses great deep-flavored extract with plenty of power in reserve to allow a decade of aging potential. The supple ripe tannic frame picks up and extends the palate and is buffered by the wine’s lush seamless weight. This is a beautiful wine from a fabulous vintage for Syrah.
Purple/black color. Classic floral intensity with pungent blueberry and blackberry aromas with a sprinkling of violet and licorice. Cassis liqueur and graphite dominate the palate which is beautifully full, rich and plush, yet lively and vibrant throughout. The layers of texture build to a finish that features powerfully chewy tannins and lingering fruit sweetness. Cellar for at least two years and decant for a minimum of two hours.
| | |  | | Highly concentrated, full-bodied and generous red wine. Soft style indicating high levels of grape ripeness with juicy fruits-of-the-forest, ultra-ripe wild strawberries and blackcurrant flavors and aromas. Almost jammy fruit. The 2003 showed barely enough acidity therefore the wine impressed a certain segment of the group with it’s roundness and voluptuousness of structure. Stylistically quite different from the other wines in the line-up. The lack of acidity is substituted by a freshness offered to the palate by flavors of spearmint, tomato flesh and zesty orange peel. The fruit tannins are firm and present. The wine finishes very long. Drink 2010-2015. Additional notes: The perfect “warm-up lap”. A delicious Cabernet Sauvignon that should be offered as a lead in to a more serious vintage of Dunn.
| | |  | | The bottle of Dunn's 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a dense purple color with saturated staining of the tears and appeared positively viscous. A vibrant, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose displayed highly aromatic dark ripe plums, blackcurrant, sun-dried tomato and black-raspberry jam. A number of tasters noted a hint of reduction. Classic new oak characteristics of bitter cocoa, mocha, nutmeg & clove, espresso, menthol, rosemary and black pepper. A gravelly dark earthiness is barely detectable behind all of the dense fruit and oak; with 5 years careful cellaring these characteristics should taste more present. The tightly focused finish is very long, complex and in perfect balance with acidity, fruit ripeness and tannins. Additional notes: Almost every taster offered different descriptors leading me to believe that the wine is somewhat overwhelming. Many believed this wine to be a rogue placement ie. not a Dunn Vineyards wine. It is such a profound wine, with so much power, I’m sure that the group found its potential difficult to judge. It was described as monstrous similar in nature to Frankenstein’s creation – assessors may have been influenced by first impressions of structure and weight and found it difficult to dig deep and discover more – the wines complexity was hidden deep in the core and it needs time to emerge.
| | |  | | The 2002 is a seductive Cabernet Sauvignon with vibrant acidity. A primary style of red wine entering its adolescence. Highly aromatic nose and flavours of crème de cassis, juicy blackberry, lavender, violets and cherry-boiled sweets. Sweet vanilla, roasted espresso coffee beans, milk chocolate, cinnamon, cloves and caramelized sugar indicate the generous French oak regim which some felt needs a few years to fully integrate. Some earth characteristics of dusty cellar and dark damp smoky peat. Some creamy bacon fat “lardo” savory characters filled-out the palate. A beautifully balanced wine, which boasts fleshiness and lots of structural support to hold it all in. Plentiful fine-grained tannins. This is a complex wine that is virtually infinite – many assessors could still appreciate this wine for several minutes after tasting. A wine that will offer many years of pleasure to those who are patient. Cellar to enjoy from 2015-2025++. Additional comments: Highly polished example of Californian Cabernet Sauvignon. Extremely youthful, long life ahead. One to watch in its development over the next 10 years.
| | |  | | The 2002 is a seductive Cabernet Sauvignon with vibrant acidity. A primary style of red wine entering its adolescence. Highly aromatic nose and flavours of crème de cassis, juicy blackberry, lavender, violets and cherry-boiled sweets. Sweet vanilla, roasted espresso coffee beans, milk chocolate, cinnamon, cloves and caramelized sugar indicate the generous French oak regim which some felt needs a few years to fully integrate. Some earth characteristics of dusty cellar and dark damp smoky peat. Some creamy bacon fat “lardo” savory characters filled-out the palate. A beautifully balanced wine, which boasts fleshiness and lots of structural support to hold it all in. Plentiful fine-grained tannins. This is a complex wine that is virtually infinite – many assessors could still appreciate this wine for several minutes after tasting. A wine that will offer many years of pleasure to those who are patient. Cellar to enjoy from 2015-2025++. Additional comments: Highly polished example of Californian Cabernet Sauvignon. Extremely youthful, long life ahead. One to watch in its development over the next 10 years.
| | |  | | The bottle of Dunn's 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is a dense purple color with saturated staining of the tears and appeared positively viscous. A vibrant, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose displayed highly aromatic dark ripe plums, blackcurrant, sun-dried tomato and black-raspberry jam. A number of tasters noted a hint of reduction. Classic new oak characteristics of bitter cocoa, mocha, nutmeg & clove, espresso, menthol, rosemary and black pepper. A gravelly dark earthiness is barely detectable behind all of the dense fruit and oak; with 5 years careful cellaring these characteristics should taste more present. The tightly focused finish is very long, complex and in perfect balance with acidity, fruit ripeness and tannins. Additional notes: Almost every taster offered different descriptors leading me to believe that the wine is somewhat overwhelming. Many believed this wine to be a rogue placement ie. not a Dunn Vineyards wine. It is such a profound wine, with so much power, I’m sure that the group found its potential difficult to judge. It was described as monstrous similar in nature to Frankenstein’s creation – assessors may have been influenced by first impressions of structure and weight and found it difficult to dig deep and discover more – the wines complexity was hidden deep in the core and it needs time to emerge.
| | |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | Chocolate, smoke, blueberry, blackberry liqueur, vanilla, sandalwood, dark plum and a hint of allspice are all found on the nose of this complex Syrah. Flavors of blueberry, plum, dark chocolate, black pepper, nutmeg, black cherry and toasty oak combine on the palate to produce the bold yet surprisingly smooth experience that is, “The Big Easy”.
| | |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | This is one of Italy's great red wines and the historic flagship of the Gaja family. Produced from Nebbiolo grapes, the wine takes its name from the village of its origin.
The color is deep garnet.
The nose is almost sensual in its complexity, with aromas of forest fruits, plums, licorice, mineral and coffee scents.
The taste is long, complex finish with fine, silk-like tannins and good acidity; dense structure, full of super-ripe fruit.
| | |  | | This is one of Italy's great red wines and the historic flagship of the Gaja family. Produced from Nebbiolo grapes, the wine takes its name from the village of its origin.
The color is deep garnet.
The nose is almost sensual in its complexity, with aromas of forest fruits, plums, licorice, mineral and coffee scents.
The taste is long, complex finish with fine, silk-like tannins and good acidity; dense structure, full of super-ripe fruit.
| | |  | | This is one of Italy's great red wines and the historic flagship of the Gaja family. Produced from Nebbiolo grapes, the wine takes its name from the village of its origin.
The color is deep garnet.
The nose is almost sensual in its complexity, with aromas of forest fruits, plums, licorice, mineral and coffee scents.
The taste is long, complex finish with fine, silk-like tannins and good acidity; dense structure, full of super-ripe fruit.
| | |  | | This vineyard lies a few steps from Sori Tildin. Purchased by the Gaja family in 1967, it derives its name from the term "costa," the side of the hill that faces the sun, and "Russi," the nickname of the former owner.
The color is dark ruby/purple.
It has a captivating aroma and refined nose with well-integrated aromas of blackberries, violets and roasted coffee beans.
Elegance and crystal purity characterize this extremely complex and densely woven wine with an aging potential of decades.
| | |  | | In 1964, the Gaja family purchased this vineyard from the parish of Alba and named it after San Lorenzo, the patron saint of Alba's cathedral. "Sori" means hilltop with southern exposure.
Color: Deep red.
Aroma: Highly concentrated currant and black cherry fruit with a hint of coffee, in addition to aromas of fine herbs, minerals and exotic spices.
Taste: Almost always the most powerful and austere of Gaja's five single-vineyard wines, requiring a longer time to fully develop. A very focused, concentrated wine with a long, lingering finish and refined tannins, it has excellent aging potential.
| | |  | | The Sorì Tildìn vineyard was acquired by the Gaja family in 1967. It was first produced as a single-vineyard wine in 1970. The word "sorì" is the Piedmontese word for a hilltop with a southern exposure. "Tildìn" was the nickname of Angelo Gaja's grandmother, Clotilde Rey.
Color: Deep purple.
Aroma:Complex aromas of toast, minerals, sour cherries, cedar and spices.
Taste: Displays the roundest tasting profile of all Gaja single-vineyard wines. The rich body, subtle texture and fine, ripe tannins are typical for this wine of great finesse, the quintessential expression of the land and the Nebbiolo grape. This wine has extraordinary aging potential--more than forty years in outstanding vintages.
| | |  | | Gaja family. It comes from the Gaia & Rey vineyard, which was planted in 1979 and was one of Piedmont's first Chardonnay vineyards. It is named for Angelo's daughter, Gaia, and his grandmother, Clotilde Rey.
Color: Straw color.
Aroma: It has a rich nose, with hints of toast and vanilla as well as aromas of citrus fruit.
Taste: Full body with concentrated, ripe fruit, balanced by a lively acidity; long, lingering finish
| | |  | | The term "conteisa" is the Piedmontese word for "quarrel" and refers to the historic dispute between the communes of La Morra and Barolo for possession of the Cerequio land.
Color: Garnet.
Aroma: Expressive floral nose with notes of red berries, plums, licorice and spices.
Taste: The Nebbiolo in Conteisa reflects the essence of the Cerequio terroir: sumptuous texture and a very refined character with perfectly integrated tannins.
| | |  | | Darmagi, planted in 1978, was Piedmont's first Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in more than a century. "Darmagi," is Piedmontese for "what a pity," a comment Angelo Gaja's father, Giovanni, once uttered when he passed the vineyard as it was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1978.
The color is intense, deep red, almost black, with opulent layers of concentrated fruit.
Though very Cabernet in character, Darmagi owes its distinctive, austere personality to the unique terroir of Barbaresco. Excellent fruit with strong cassis flavors and impressive power on the palate carry through to the long finish with persistent soft tannins. Great aging potential.
| | |  | | Clos Galena is an aged wine which has developed its own character during the 12 months in French and American oak barrels. Its excellent bouquet is due to the Red Garnacha (40%), Carignane (20%), Syrah (20%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) grape varieties used.
Red intense coloured. The initial aroma is fresh with ripe black berry fruit and citrus notes, opening the way to the balsamic ones mixed with sweet species, very mineral. Intense mouth-filling, powerful and supple, very long with an elegant fresh end of tannins.
| | |  | | The 2006 Artistry is a proprietary blend of 5 Bordeaux-varietal grapes. The varietals and percentages will change from year to year, with a goal of keeping the wine consistent in quality and style.
The 2006 vintage is a dark, ruby red wine with aromas of kirsch, dark plum, raspberry, sugar cookies and nutmeg. There are also hints of herbal tea, saddle leather, and toasted walnuts. On the palate, this firmly-textured wine offers a full-mouth feel with flavors of chocolate/cherry truffles, blackberry tart and currants. The firm tannins are very well integrated, making the wine approachable at an early age. There are multiple layers to this complex blend that reveal themselves through decanting or by giving the wine time to open up in the glass.
The blend consists of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 13% Petite Verdot, 8% Malbec and 7% Merlot. 100% Napa Valley fruit coming from Oakville, Yountville and St. Helena, using a combination of hillside and valley floor vineyards. Total cases made: 5,600.
| | |  | | 6 exceptional terroirs :
Le Clos "Cote Blonde", La Garde "Cote Blonde", La Grande Plantee "Cote Blonde", La Pommiere "Cote Brune", Le Pavillon Rouge "Cote Brune", Le Moulin "Cote Brune".
Winemaking: Closed stainless steel tanks. Temperature controlled alcoholic fermentation, 4 week maceration. 38 months in new oak.
Average yield:
35 Hl/Hectare
Average annual production:
around 30.000 bottles
| | |  | | The Guigal domain was founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal in the ancient village of Ampuis, home of the wines of the Côte-Rôtie. In these vineyards of over 2400 years old you can still see the small terraced walls characteristic of the Roman period. Etienne Guigal arrived in this region in 1923 at the age of 14. He made wine over 67 vintages and, at the beginning of his career, participated in the development of the Vidal-Fleury establishment.
Despite his young age, Marcel Guigal took over from his father in 1961 when the latter was victim to a brutal illness rendering him blind. Marcel’s hard work and perseverance enabled the Guigals to buy out Vidal-Fleury in 1984, although the establishment retains its own identity and commercial autonomy. In 2000, the Guigals purchased the Jean-Louis GRIPPAT estate in Saint-Joseph and Hermitage as well as the Domaine de VALLOUIT in Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage.
| | |  | | Soil type: Limestone clay and silt soil. Sandy gravel.
Average age of vines: 40 years.
Winemaking: Temperature controlled alcoholic fermentation. 3 weeks maceration in vats. 24 months in oak barrels.
Average yield: 40 Hl / hectares.
Average annual production: 88,000 bottles.
Pair with: Small game, red meat and cheese.
| | |  | | Complex aromas and flavors of white peach, citrus blossom, Asian pear and candied lemon give way to a rich and weighty mid-palate, followed by a very long, exotic spice infused finish.
| | |  | | | | |  | | Two separate blocks, both in Atlas Peak Vineyards. Harvested October 2nd and 3rd 2006. Located in the coolest growing region of Napa Valley, the two blocks combine several variations of Chardonnay: 60% Hermann Wiemer selection (originally from Upstate New York), the other 40%, a blend of Clones 4, 15, Dijon 76 and Dijon 96. Each type of Chardonnay vine adds its own unique flavors to the finished wine.
Whole-cluster pressed, then cold settled and inoculated with the classic Montrachet yeast. The juice was immediately transferred to barrels (25% new American Oak, 20% French Oak, 20% small Stainless) for cool barrel fermentation. The wine was left sur lie for five months of barrel aging, with bi-weekly battonage, or lees stirring. The wine is entirely non-malolactic, to retain all of the natural fruit acidity.The wine was gently transferred from barrels without the use of a pump, then cold-filtered and bottled in February 2007.
The 2006 Chardonnay displays bright lime zest, delicate green apple and apple blossom, and fresh pear flavors. The palate is full of crisp bright fruit with a rich silkiness on the finish.
| | |  | | Il Borro is a deep ruby red with dark purple reflections and has an intense bouquet of ripe fruit with notes of forest underbrush and spice. It is a dry, round and well-balanced wine with soft rich tannins that are consistent creating great length of finish.
It pairs nicely with roasted meats, stews and seasonal cheeses.
| | |  | | The commune of Aloxe-Corton, located above Pernand-Vergelesses at the northern end of the Côte de Beaune, has the unusual distinction of having over half its area covered in grand cru vineyards. These occupy 298 acres divided among 19 climats which take the Corton grand cru appellation for red wines; five among these, totalling 120 acres, take the Corton-Charlemagne grand cru appellation for white wines as well as the Corton grand cru appellation for red wines. Aloxe-Corton's remaining 294 acres include nine premiers crus, covering 72 acres, and 222 acres ranked for village wines. Production of these latter vineyards is over 99 percent in red wines. Total average annual production is 4,320 hectolitres (48,000 cases).
The origin of the name "Aloxe-Corton" indicates how old this village of 200 inhabitants is. "Aloxe" is derived from "Alussa," meaning "the country of Alus," a Gallo-Roman deity. The name "Corton" is less certain: some speculate that it is taken from the Latin "cortis," a rural residence; or that the village was names for Curtis d'Othon, a Roman emperor and close ally of Nero. Vines have been planted in Aloxe since at least 775, when Charlemagne bequeathed his vines to the Abbey of Saulieu in recompense for the pillage of their monastery at the hands of the Saracens. The commune only added the name of its famous Corton vineyard to its own in 1862, becoming Aloxe-Corton.
The grand cru vineyard of Les Pougets is comprised of two parcels covering 24 acres on the upper- and mid- slope directly adjacent to the Le Charlemagne climat. It is among the five vineyards of the commune in which the variegated soils, alternating between chalk and iron-rich marl, produce both Corton-Pougets and Corton- Charlemagne. Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot is proprietor of a superb, due southerly-exposed parcel of 3.71 acres purchased in 1914. This exceptional site yields a wine of sumptuous brilliance and complexity, powerfully structured and richly fruited. The aromatic Pinot Noir bouquet and deep, layered berry and oak flavors culminate in a seductive, persistent finish.
| | |  | | | | |  | | Despite its still youthful freshness, this rich and at the same time elegant Spätlese (literally: "late-harvest") from the famous Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard shows a fine fruity, floral Riesling characteristic and an underlying hint of mineral from the grey Devonian slate soil.
Serve this refreshing wine slightly chilled! Enjoy it just by itself, if young with spicy dishes and - especially when more matured - in combination with seafood or poultry, but also red meat.
| | |  | | Layered aromas of green apples, peaches, honey and vanilla balance flavors of baked apples, lemon, pineapple and mango. A hint of spiced nuts and a suggestion of toasted oak round out the lingering finish.
| | |  | | Rich and round, with ripe plum, cooked cherries and chocolate flavors. Medium-bodied with a lingering finish.
| | |  | | At Kinton, they are dedicated to producing Syrah from some of the finest vineyard sites in Santa Barbara County. Their wines are dense and concentrated, elegant and sleek. It’s not by accident that Kinton is located in Santa Barbara County—one of California’s most celebrated appellations for Syrah. The unique conditions of their region lets them create Syrahs displaying both intensity and balance.
The 2005 is racy with plum and dark berry, brightened by high notes of cherry, spiced with black pepper, and scented in the essence of smoky dark chocolate.
| | |  | | "The 2007 release of our Sonoma Coast Chardonnay bursts with vivid citrus and fresh green apple aromas, laced with subtle notes of honeysuckle and clove. On the palate, flavors broaden into rich spiced apple and crisp lime zest, with vanilla and caramel tones adding richness and texture on the finish." - Melissa Stackhouse, La Crema Winemaker
| | |  | | | | |  | | Estate grown, produced and bottled, Lancaster Estate's 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon has lush ripeness, with deep black cherry and cassis characters, accented by anise, cacao, vanilla and bittersweet chocolate. Supportive tannins and layers of complexity extend over the long finish. Aged 22 months in French oak barrels, the wine was bottled unfiltered to retain purity of expression.
Budbreak began early with warm temperatures in March, followed by rains in spring and early summer. A long, consistent growing season with temperatures warming in October led to clusters that were full and plump, with excellent flavor development and complexity. Yields were larger than average, showing excellent structure, with dense, full flavors.
| | |  | | Calatayud benefits from a continental climate with vast temperature differences between
night and day. Harvests are much later than in other parts of Aragon (the region
in which Calatayud lies) and the acidity/maturity/alcohol ratios tend to be more balanced.
As most of the vineyards lie on what was (thousands of years ago) an old river
basin, the soil is comprised of brown limestone and loam over slate and gypsum. This
particular soil is also quite good for production of olives, cherries, and other fruits.
The talented Jean-Marc Lafage (of Domaine Lafage in France’s Roussillon) is responsible
for the majority of the bottlings imported by European Cellars including the Las
Rocas cuvees. Working in concert with Eric Solomon, Jean-Marc has helped to convince
the directors of the coop to bottle some of the extremely old-vine material separately
and has helped enormously with attaining proper maturity levels, extraction, and
balance.
| | |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | This wine reveals an immediate generosity reflective of Loyoka's protected, warm site on Diamond Mountain. The aromas convey dark, ripe fruit layered with mint, spice and mocha. On the palate, the flavors are abundant and broad, opening with black cherry and expanding through a lush mid palate into black currant, bittersweet chocolate and ripe tannins.
| | |  | | The wine from Mount Veeder is built to last and this wine is no exception. Powerful blueberry, violet, mineral and coffee characters in the nose and on the palate combine with concentrated tannins and acid to give any wine enthusiast a true flavor experience.
| | |  | | The 2006 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon was crafted from several of Sonoma County’s most prestigious appellations and blended seamlessly to bring together the unique characteristics of each, creating a superbly balanced Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine offers many layers, featuring aromas and flavors of red cherry, blackberry and fresh sage with an underlying dry creek dustiness. Subtle herbal notes are complemented by additional layers of chocolate and vanilla, resulting in a complex, yet easy drinking, wine.
The grapes were harvested at optimal ripeness during September and October, then de-stemmed but not crushed upon arrival at the winery, leaving 20% - 30% whole berries in the fermenter. This process retains the grape's varietal character and minimizes bitter tannin extraction in the wine. Extended skin contact occurred for an average of 6–8 days for maximum extraction of color and flavor. A variety of yeast strains were used to ensure the development of desired flavor and
| | |  | | Artigas is a vintage from vines that are mainly between 10 – 35 years old. Some of the carignan vines are even 90 years old! 80% of the grapes are produced in Bodegas Mas Alta’s own vineyard. The rest come from rented or purchased vines. Their plots are located at altitude and solely on schist soil. The planting stock is taken from sélections massales of old carignan, syrah, grenache and cabernet vines. They do not harvest any grapes during the first three years after planting. Instead, they concentrate on the formation of each vine. They then ensure that each plant is balanced. The aim is to obtain a vine which will ensure quality production. Winter pruning, debudding and thinning are processes that are carried out depending on each vine stock.
A vine is a group of individuals, all of whom are different.
The blend is mainly made up of grenache, carignan and cabernet.
The authentic nature of the regions chosen for the young plantings and the daily efforts of their wine growers make Artigas a genuine and delightful invitation to enjoy their vision of Priorat.
| | |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | With an electric green-gold hue this wine has an elusive and fresh aromatic array of saline, limes, lemon drops, lemon-lime margarita, green apple skin, white currants and white apricots. Even more alluring are the other aspects of chalk, saltwater taffy, angel food cake, gingerbread, seashell, Italian parsley and orange-flower blossom. In the mouth, the wine is ample and fleshy yet remains very chiseled, delineated and crisp.
| | |  | | The G.A.M. Shiraz comes from the Chinese Block vineyard which is located in the Willunga district at the southern end of McLaren Vale. The soils, which are heavy grey loam soils over sandstone, intermixed with black Biscay clay, combined with a maritime climate, contribute to an even ripening period and the development of rich fruit flavours and ripe tannins.
Keeping well within the tradition of the GAM style the nose displays masses of ripe plums, spicy aromatic herbs and lifted freshness. The palate is slightly tighter than the previous vintages, reflective of the slow and evening growing season.
| | |  | | As always, Savitar 06 is the most brooding wine of the lineup. A dark red with a vibrant purple hue, the aromatics are bright, elevated combinations of cassis, tobacco and spice-box yet with freshness and vitality. The palate is full bodied, meaty and complex – well integrated oak and tannin provide elements of structure to the wine and it finishes with impressive length.
| | |  | | Each parcel of fruit for Jester is fermented on skins for 5 to 6 days at a cool temperature to enhance the pure berry fruit. The wine is then pressed and undergoes partial barrel fermentation. A natural malolactic fermentation is completed before the wine is racked.
Dense purple colour and an almost black appearance. Dark chocolate, anise and allspice dominate the nose, supported by hints of French oak, cherries and coffee. A fresh and juicy mid-palate shrouds tannin and length. The wine has flavours of fresh cut plums and licorice with hints of blackberry and espresso. A long and lingering finish.
| | |  | | This wine celebrates Mollydooker's journey in life and their partnership in winemaking. Just as they use their separate abilities to enhance their winemaking, they blend the separate characters of these two classic varieties into a beautiful wine.
| | |  | | The only white wine produced by Mollydooker, it offers ripe fruit with lovely pineapple and citrus flavours.
| | |  | | A clear, crispy and fruity wine with light yellow-green color, bright and transparent. The aroma shows its power and super Sauvignon Blanc character, also showing the full potential of its cold zone origin, with morning fogs, low temperatures and long hanging period. Denomination of Origin: Leyda Valley.
| | |  | | 2003 is yet another great vintage in an incredible lineage of Chardonnay from this historic estate. Like a good Burgundy, Mount Eden’s Estate Chardonnay is always backward in its youth. Because of this they release late to allow the acidity to tame and the flavors to evolve. After two and a half years in the bottle this 2003 is ready to be presented to you.
Classic hazelnut, citrus and toast confront the nose. Vibrant full throttle flavors of quince, lemon, mint and palate-coating minerality which build slowly as the wine is aerated. Drinkable now, this wine will be a pleasure to drink for the next ten years, possibly longer.
| | |  | | Deep ruby in color, the aromas of dried lavender, green olive and savory characters expose a hint of red fruit. Intense flavors of fresh red currants, black plum and cedar are supported by fine-grained tannins, suggesting this wine will age gracefully.
The savory characters of this Merlot would complement beef tenderloin with a mushroom sauce, or more robust meats like buffalo or venison.
| | |  | | The Columbia Valley is a diverse growing region that provides a wide range of fruit expression by variety allowing the winemaker to craft rich, multi-layered wines by blending grapes from unique vineyards throughout the region. Vineyard sources that give this wine its richness and complexity include our estate vineyard, Stillwater Creek, and such well-known Columbia Valley vineyards as Seven Hills and Red Mountain, among others. The Cabernet Sauvignon is aged 20-months in predominantly French oak barrels; both new, and one-year-old.
GRAPE VARIETY:
89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
FOOD PAIRINGS:
Red meats, especially a juicy barbequed steak, grilled and smoked foods
TASTING NOTES:
A richly aromatic wine with layers of ripe plum, red currant and sweet black fruit. This is a classic, full-bodied Cabernet with firm acidity and a long-lasting, concentrated finish.
| | |  | | The wine is a glass-coating opaque purple with a killer nose of mineral, pencil lead, wild blueberry, and blackberry liqueur that roars from the glass. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, dense, and already beginning to show complexity within its layers of spicy black fruits. There is immense power, well-concealed ripe tannin, and the well-delineated finish lasts for over one minute.
| | |  | | | | |  | | This deep, wonderfully well-extracted Syrah vies with its sibling from the Melville Vineyards for highest honors within the Ojai clan. No less rich than the latter, but a bit fruiter and a little less spicy in character, it delivers a wealth of oak-enriched, black-berry fruit with highlights of violets, pepper and chocolate. While it is very full-bodied, it is also exceptionally well-balanced, and its finishing toughness is not out of bounds given its age. As rich and outgoing as it may be at the moment, this one is very much meant for the cellar, and, while three or four years would seem the minimum wait, it could well improve for considerably longer.
| | |  | | | | |  | | Milder winter than 1999. Sunny spring with temperatures within average. A hot and sunny summer and harvest time, have allowed a homogeneous ripening. Thinning of the grapes carried out in July (30% of Merlot and 10% of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes). Merlot harvested in September’s first half. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from middle September to beginning of October. The grapes, well and uniformly ripen, have been hand picked and carried in 30 lb. bins.
Fermentation part in large oak casks, part in stainless steel, with temperatures < 30ºC. Macerated for 20-25 days, than transferred in French barriques (70% new) to conclude the malolactic fermentation. Each grape variety and every parcel is vinified separately. The single varieties have been blended after the first 12 months of aging in barriques at controlled temperature, than the wine has completed its aging with further 6 months in barriques, and 1 year in the bottle.
On the palate notes of ripe currants, berries and cherries. A good balance between silky tannins, acidity and alcohol result in a full-bodied wine with a long finish.
| | | | | | | |  | | A classic wine made for a long life. Togni believes in wines from low yields, indigenous yeasts fermentations, malolactic in barrel and other straightforward approaches to pure winemaking.
| | |  | | Pillar Box Red 2007Displaying a dark color and a vibrant purple hue, the 2007 Pillar Box Red has bright aromas of blue and dark berry fruit entwined with licorice, spearmint and cigar box complexity. The palate is rich and fleshy, with flavors of fresh blackcurrant and blueberry fruit combined with orange rind, dark chocolate and spicy smoky oak characters. Whilst the tannins are full, the palate is round, soft and well balanced, leading into a lingering harmonious finish.
"James Halliday says of Padthaway, 'It is on the way to nowhere. If you can pass through Coonawarra without noticing very much, you can pass through Padthaway without noticing anything at all.' Be that as it may, this is where the Longbottoms added grape growing to their other farming interests and began Henry’s Drive Vignerons. It quickly became clear that high quality grapes could be grown in Padthaway (they became the foundation of the Marquis-Philips line) and, subsequently, The Henry’s Drive, Parson’s Flat, and Pillar Box labels have gained significant traction in the USA market over the last ten years thanks to their superb price to quality ratio." -Robert Parker
| | |  | | In an age instant gratification, the Pillar Box is a stoic reminder of the virtues of patience. The act of writing and sending a letter is matched by the anticipation of the receiver. Their best parcels of Shiraz were selected to create this special wine. Pillar Box Reserve can be enjoyed in its youth, but will reward the patient.
They hand selected some outstanding parcels of Shiraz from the Pillar Box project to create this reserve blend. The colour shows red-black and a scarlet rim, with an attractive mocha, native mint and ripe pomegranate aroma. Tempting cedar, spice and cocoa are incorporated into a complex structure. The fine, rounded silky tannins develop into a luscious, prolonged finish.
| | |  | | Beyond the estate winery and across the lake to the back side of RockRise Mountain lies a 40 acre vineyard block, comprised of four specific mini-blocks, uniquely situated on diverse soils well-suited for growing superior Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Back Forty is a wine with a "true sense of place"...respectfully reflective of this particular site.
Displaying deep aromatics of ripe blackberry and red cherry, Back Forty has a rich mouthfeel that is beautifully concentrated and supple, with silky sweet tannins and a long, lingering smooth finish - a classic Bordeaux-style wine.
The unique diversity of soil composition, extreme attention to detail in the vineyard, high-density planting of French ENTAV clones with their low yields, and the rigorous practice of blending selections makes Back Forty a recipe for success.
| | |  | | Superior Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes are grown on LookOut Mountain to create this premier California-style red blend. Selected blocks are planted in volcanic soil on steep slopes with ideal western sunlight exposure, allowing the tiny berries to ripen evenly, producing a wine with intense concentration of fruit flavors. Slow ripening ensures long "hang time", producing an exotic, sensual wine.
Deep purple in color with a flamboyant bouquet, West Face is a brilliant expression of mountain-grown fruit from specific vineyard sites. West Face will contiune to display consistent characteristics year after year.
| | |  | | Designed to bring the sanity back into your life, Reilly's Shiraz is sourced from low yielding, dry grown vines on their elevated vineyard in Watervale. Hand picking at optimal ripeness and fermentation in open vats has resulted in a full flavoured classic Clare Valley Shiraz. Ripe blackberry, plum and peppery flavours with a hint of spicy oak!
| | |  | | Maturation has changed this wine from bright red to tawny. With this slow transformation in colour has come a change in flavour to the complex, rich and satisfying characters of a mature tawny.
Colour/appearance: Deep mahogany-tawny.
Aroma/bouquet: Bouquet of rich fruit cake with a touch of rancio.
Palate: Complex rich spicy fruit flavours. Hints of cherry syrup and sweet tobacco. Good palate length leading to a smooth finish with notes of rancio.
| | |  | | Napa Valley’s 2006 vintage began with a wet winter that extended into spring, delivering more than twice the average rainfall for March and nearly four times the April average. The precipitation delayed bloom, but once the skies cleared, the vines had good fruit set and progressed slowly and steadily through slightly warmer than usual June weather. In July, a brief hot spell of four consecutive days over 100°F had the effect of putting the vines “on hold” before ripening continued when mild weather returned in August. Lower temperatures extended through September and October, with some fog and cloudy days. Overall, the 2006 growing season was significantly cooler than average, and harvest began generally later. Because we sourced grapes for this blend from several regions of Napa Valley, picking ran from August 30 through October 15 as each vineyard ripened. All the fruit was in the winery before light rains in early November. Crop levels for 2006 were average and thanks to the long hang time, which allowed the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, quality was excellent.
Nearly half the grapes for this wine were harvested from Oakville vineyards, with a good measure from the famed To Kalon Vineyard on the well-draining alluvial bench surrounding the winery. About one-quarter of the blend was sourced from the Stags Leap District. The balance came from several Napa Valley regions with a variety of microclimate conditions and soils ranging from alluvial to lean volcanics. The resulting wine has a complex flavor profile that captures the best of Napa Valley.
| | |  | | Shiraz 60%, Mataro (Mourvedre) 25%, Grenache 15%
Named after Rolf Heinrich Binder, the founder of the family winery and father of current winemakers Rolf and Christa, because of his love of the combination of shiraz, mataro and grenache. Heinrich is an estate wine with the shiraz coming from the Stephanie vineyard, the Mataro from the Chri'ro vineyard planted in 1972 and the Grenache from the Western Ridge vineyard planted in the early 1950's.
| | |  | | Rosemount's Show Reserve wines pay tribute to the great wine regions of Australia and their ability to produce defining examples of celebrated varietals. This range allows them to express the particular regional characteristics of each wine made in the true Rosemount style. Crafted from premium parcels of grapes these wines receive additional maturation in the winery cellars, enabling them to develop the distinctive bouquet and rich varietal flavors for which their region is renowned.
The palate is soft and elegant, combining sweet fruit with well-integrated vanilla and mocha oak, providing for a great balance of flavors. The Show Reserve Mudgee Cabernet Sauvignon is a medium-bodied wine with a long finish, supported by lovely, savory tannins.
| | |  | | Almost 20 years have passed since the first vintage of Romitorio di Santedame - 20 years since Ruffino started its experiments with the extraordinary Colorino on the Santedame Estate. Ruffino was the first Tuscan company to dedicate time and effort to this red grape variety. Romitorio di Santedame is a truly unique wine. It is a symbol of the importance which Ruffino attributes to rediscovery and development of the indiginous Tuscan varieties. Both the bouquet and the tasting profile of this wine convey the splendid nature of its home country: It is volumptious, yet soothing, rustic, yet refined. A wine with character. A unique wine.
Colour: Very deep ruby red with violet hues.
Aroma: The fruity bouquet is surprisingly fragrant with enveloping notes of black currant, cranberries, and raspberries, accompanied by intriguing smoky spices, such as cloves, nutmeg and a cinnamon. The long ageing in oak, followed by an extensive refining in the bottle, ads a pleasant ethereal quality to the bouquet.
Tasting profile: 2003 saw a very hot summer with ripe, healthy grapes full of intense, fruity notes and velvety tannins. The 2003 Romitorio di Santedame is full bodied and elegant, with an impressive balance between all components. Both alcohol and acidity are well integrated in the massive structure and the long-lasting aftertaste features notes of strawberries and coffee, hazelnuts and mint chocolate.
| | |  | | Sassicaia has an intense, concentrated and deep ruby color. The elegant aroma is complex with notes of red fruits. The flavor is powerful concentrated and has great depth with sweet and balanced tannins. In the mouth it is rich and dense, yet harmonious and elegant. The wine has a decisively long finish with significant organoleptic depth and a polyphenolic structure which ensures this wine’s extraordinary longevity.
| | |  | | Sbragia buys these grapes from Dr. Andolsen, their long-time friend and family doctor. They get the fruit from a bowl-shaped area of the vineyard located in Dry Creek's western foothills. The wine it makes has that ripe, rich cherry character that is always associated with Dry Creek.
| | |  | | The wine pops with spice, black pepper, floral and dark black fruit aromas. Rich flavors of black fruits, orange rind, clove and mocha are balanced by structured tannins and good acidity that leads into a long satisfying finish. Howell Mountain has long been of Ed Sbragia’s favorite places to grow Cabernet Savuignon and this wine is no exception, it has wonderful big flavors, with subtle hints of cedar and chocolate and just a touch of minerality.
| | |  | | The wine pops with mint, plum, chocolate cherry and eucalyptus aromas that lead into intense rich fruit and spice flavors with powerful tannins. There is nothing demure about this wine, from its passionate wine grower and cooper, to its big structured tannins and long finish. It is expected to age for many years to come.
| | |  | | The 2006 Gamble Ranch Chardonnay has gorgeous integrated fruit aromas and flavors reminiscent of a perfect French pear taste with a scoop of caramel ice cream melting on every bite. The fruit and citrus flavors burst in your mouth and are accentuated by hints of brown spice, butterscotch and citrus zest. The lushness and creaminess carries itself into a long finish.
| | |  | | After a cold and wet beginning, the 2005 vintage developed into a wonderfully moderate growing season that had plenty of sun and some decent hot temperatures, but contained no really aggressive heat spikes. This helped the grapes to mature very evenly and deeply with beautifully ripe flavors and rich, round tannins and allowed us to pick the vineyard calmly over several weeks when each block had reached its peak.
This wine jumps from the glass with an animated nose of flowers, black cherries and ripe plums liberally inflected with aromas of cedar shavings, cigar box, wet river rocks and graphite. It cascades across the palate revealing rich layers of black cherries, Crème de cassis and blueberries intermixed with generous hints of black tea and cardamom, leading to a reverberant exit of spiced plums and kola nuts followed by a lengthy mouth coating finish. While drinking well now, it will benefit from and open up more fully with some additional time in bottle and should continue to develop more weight and complexity over the next 10+ years.
| | |  | | Winemaker Notes: "We complement this powerful fruit by using only small, thin-staved French oak barrels with which to age this wine. The resulting wine is supple, with flavors of cedar, black currant and dark chocolate. Look also for hints of smoky toastiness and concentrated black cherries."
| | |  | | This 2004 Legacy is the fifteenth release of our Bordeaux-style varietal blend. With this vintage, we selected four lots of wine from our estate vineyard in the Eastern Mountains and hills enclosing the Southern end of the Alexander Valley. Elevation holds the key to this wine’s combination of boldness and elegance.
They complement the powerful fruit by using only small, thin-staved French oak barrels to age this wine. The resulting wine is supple, with flavors of cedar, black currant and dark chocolate. Look also for hints of smoky toastiness and concentrated black cherries.
| | |  | | Intense, dark ruby color with enticing aromas of ripe, black plums and black currants. The richly textured plum and currant flavors are joined by accents of dark chocolate and some vanilla-scented oak. The ripe, vibrant tannins give the wine beautiful structure and an amazingly long finish. This is a big wine for just a little money. Drink it now or over the next few years to enjoy the fruit flavors at their best. It will pair well with traditional Cabernet-friendly foods like grilled or roasted meats.
| | |  | | The grapes that make up the Ball Buster blend are sourced from different vineyard locations throughout the Barossa. Vineyard sites are chosen to ensure that the resultant fruit is intense and that cropping levels do not exceed 3.5 tones an acre; typically these are clay soils on the fringes of the Barossa. Each vineyard site is visited twice a week during the maturing season to ensure that the fruit is maturing slowly and that water is only applied when necessary. Picking is only done when the grapes are physiologically ripe.
Deep Black Purple. Intense aromas of blackcurrent, Stewed plums, Cherry, and chocolate. Full bodied berry palate with a sweet long lasting finish.
| | |  | | Wine critics and enlightened enthusiasts from around the world have raved about the Cheval des Andes. The nose opens out on to warm notes of tobacco, red berry fruit macerated in brandy, cherry stones and home-made jam, with aromas of cedar-wood, and bay leaves coming through. The attack on the palate is full, rich and warm. Silky tannins mingle harmoniously with the oak, making this wine a truly great vintage, beautifully rounded off by a full, long finish.
| | |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | This wine is composed entirely of shiraz, harvested from the oldest, most revered vineyards in the Barossa Valley. It is made in the traditional Torbreck manner. All parcels are vinified seperately. Fermentation takes place in small open vats and "pumped over" twice daily. The wine is then pressed in basket presses and transferred into French oak barriques and hogsheads where malolactic takes place. The wine is racked through a primitive system relying solely on gravity. The Factor is usually bottled after 24 months maturation, dependant on vintage. The individual components of this wine combined, produce an average yield of 1 to 1.5 tons per acre in an area where 6 tons per acres is common. This is world class in every way.
| | |  | | Trimbach's Gewurztraminer Cuvee des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre is produced from clay and limestone soils dominated by Keuper which confer a powerful style to the wine. The remarkable richness and depth of this wine is partly due to a special soil based on marl and limestone. It comes from the ancestral vineyards of the lords of Ribeaupierre and the grapes are never picked before they have reached maximum ripeness. It is only made in exceptional years.
Redolent of roses, lychees, spices, this immensely rich Gewurztraminer can misleadingly seem slightly sweet. This is misleading. In youth, the roundness and viscosity can mask its typical dryness as well as the underlying finesse which is the Trimbach trademark.
This long-living wine makes a fascinating aperitif but truly comes into its own with foie gras or desserts based on fresh ripe fruit.
This rich and powerful but dry Gewurztraminer will match every World Cuisine where various tastes, spices and exotism blend with happiness.
| | |  | | This famous Riesling comes from the choicest slopes of Ribeauvillé overlooking the Trimbach winery which are Geisberg and Osterberg. The sun exposure is south and southeast. The vine's high average age of some 40 years ensures low yields and concentrated fruit. The eldest vines are about 50 years old and more. Its clay-limestone soil contains a high proportion of fossil-flecked muschelkalk, which brings out all the best out of the Riesling.
Cuvée Frédéric Emile is exclusively made from very ripe grapes, selectively picked at the end of the harvest. Dry and firmly-structured, but very fruity, this multi-faceted wine owes its great depth of flavour to the combination of Riesling grapes with ideal soil. After a few years in bottle it reveals a fascinating mineral nuance.
This long-living Riesling bears the name of their great ancestors, Frédéric Emile Trimbach. It is prized for its breed and choiceness.
| | |  | | Lily’s garden is made from a selection of Two Hands finest Shiraz barrels from McLaren Vale. The grapes were crushed into and fermented in open top potters, with regular pump overs twice daily to extract colour and tannin. The grapes were then pressed and the wine was transferred to tank and then racked to barrel for oak maturation.
Colour: Dark purple plum in colour, so dense, it's almost black.
Aroma: The nose shows great intensity filled with plum, mocha and aniseed and secondary notes of clove and mixed spice.
Palate: A dense lush mouthfeel with sweet oozy fruit. Fruit driven with well balanced velvety tannins, sweet dark plums encased in a rich mocha chocolate, supported by subtle vanillan oak.
| | | | | | | |  | | This wine comes from a parcel located on the road leading to Gamay, in front of “Criots-Batard” appellation. In their opinion, it is probably the best wine produced at Verget thanks to a great terroir, low yields and a good work of the vines.
| | |  | | A blend comprised primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon that is articulate and powerful, La Joie expresses the richness and depth of a Pauillac-style wine. It begins with a deep, dense purple color, offering up aromas of black currants, coffee, caramel, spicebox, herbs, and smoke. This is a full-bodied, complex and multi-layered wine with vanilla, chocolate, cassis and black fruits on the mid-palate followed by coffee bean flavors and youthful tannins on an exceptionally long finish.
| | |  | | A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, Le Désir represents the grace and opulence of the best St. Emilion-style wines. An intense purple color is followed by aromas of blackberries, tobacco, roasted coffee, dark fruit preserves and fruitcake. Rich, dense and chewy on the palate, it is smooth in the beginning, showing both black and red fruit, ending with spices, dark chocolate, caramel and coffee on the finish.
| | |  | | What one notices first is the conjunction of concentrated black-cherry Merlot fruit and a texture somewhere between satin and velvet. What one notices last is the broad finish that lingers. The 1998 Vérité can be enjoyed now or cellared for even greater drinking pleasure.
| | |  | | Intense dark red. On the nose there are firm ripe fruit aromas with blackcurrant undertones. Deeply concentrated morello cherry flavours on the palate, rich and strong flavours which go on and on.
| | |  | | Benjamin Romeo has devoted his life to making great wine in Rioja. At this moment he owns 20 plots, with the age of his vines between 45-100 years old. He is currently using about 85% of his own grapes, and the rest he buys from other reputable growers. His goal is to use 100% of his own grapes. Benjamin Romeo maintains very low yields and carries out “green harvest”. Grapes are picked manually, choosing only the best matured ones, but not over matured. The grapes are sorted also by hand, then they are put in small open barriques for fermentation.
| | |  | | | | |  | | Deep red colour, powerful nose, with ripe fresh fruit (blackberry jelly), spicy, chalky and mineral riches and varietal aromas due to the tempranillo (liquorice, floral). Subtle levels of oak producing caramel, roasted and some undergrowth aromas. Tannic balance, with a good density and persistence and a varietal liquorice aftertaste.
| | |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | In ‘05 Williams Selyem winemaker began blending in a small amount of fruit from their Litton Estate vineyards, and almost 15% of this blend comes from specially selected Litton blocks. Medium red, but rich in color, the wine presents a bouquet of ripe strawberries, berry cobbler, plums, anise, clove, butterscotch and toasty oak. The palate is layered with flavors of blackberry, cassis, cherry cola, sarsaparilla, toasted bread, minerals and concentrated ripe tannins. This multifarious and seductive wine shows the true vineyard expressions of this unique area — plus it was a lot of fun to blend.
| | |  | | The soil from 60 million year old geological formation, that looks like a beach, like white beach sand, the locals nicknamed it "the beach". Old gnarly vines, tough as nails, produce incredibly rich and intense flavors of dark fruits, with velvety tannins, yet with inviting perfume of fresh roses.
| | |  | | The color is dark ruby with bright magenta hues. The aromas are massively complex with dusty rose petals, dried lavender, freshly oiled leather, cocoa powder, fennel, licorice and dark cherry. The flavors are rich and mouth-coating. The tannins are big and voluptuous, but silky and lacey. This 2005 High Sands is among the finest wines I have ever produced
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