Events

"The sherry is very dominant and cloying, which is unfortunate. And I'm not crazy about the quality of the sherry (or perhaps even the wood it was aged in). I have great respect for both Highland Park and Binny's, but this is somewhat disappointing for a Highland Park." Whisky Advocate, 55% abv

The iconic Don Julio 1942 Tequila is the choice of connoisseurs around the globe. Produced in small batches and aged for a minimum of two and a half years, Don Julio 1942 Tequila is handcrafted in tribute to the year that Don Julio Gonzalez began his tequila-making journey. An elegant and luxurious Tequila, best served in a snifter.

"This oft-overlooked Speysider has been frustratingly variable in the past, but now seems to have hit greater consistency. Worm tubs and weird stills combine to give a complex malt, but one that needs help from oak to blossom fully. There are hedgerow aromas: black currant leaf, hawthorn berries, and lots of honey. A chestnut note continues on the tongue where, on the finish, a hint of smoke lurks." Whisky Advocate, 43% abv

The Corralijo Blanco a pure distillation of fruity agave creating a rich and characterful spirit despite its lack of aging. Color: pure and clear, Aroma: peppercorns with herbal undertones, Taste: Agave and spearmint. 40%abv

Nose - the smoke is calmed by a marine character with aromas of thyme, heather, ginger and nutmeg.

Palate - there is a noticeable delicacy and softness in texture and style with notes of vanilla, honey and smoked oysters. The finish is smoky, of course, but there is a sweetness that recalls orange, mango and apple. - Rich and Peaty -

Berentzen Icemint is an authentic 100 proof German schnapps. Crystal clear and bold, this SUPER MINT flavored spirit is best served chilled as a shot or mixed to create ultra-cool cocktails.

Distiller Notes
2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Gold.

The Original Ten encapsulates the signature smooth and multi-layered character of Benriach. Three cask matured for at least ten years in bourbon barrels, sherry casks and virgin oak, to create layers of luscious orchard fruit, sumptuous honeyed malt and toasted oak, all interwoven with a subtle trace of smoke. The perfect introduction to our signature style and richly layered Speyside Single Malt.

CAN

This Camus XO Cognac is crafted using eaux-de-vie from the very small Borderies cru, matured in oak barrels for many, many years. Gloriously floral with oaky cinnamon spice, nutty qualities and fragrant fruit - an excellent example of Borderies Cognac!

This deep and rich Hermitage, from a family run operation, displays smoked cherry and berry plus dark roasted coffee, iron and red meat on the nose.? On the palate the wine is exceptionally chewy, with cassis, orange rind, and chocolate notes backed by bacon, iron and smoke tones. Excellent acidity and density make this is well-structured Hermitage worthy of additional aging to fully reveal itself.? Decant for at least an hour to serve now. - PJ

Absolutely compelling in two tastings of this vintage, the 2000 Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. The extraordinary seductiveness, complex aromatics, and purity it exhibits lead me to believe it has reached its window of full maturity. Medium-bodied, with layers of concentration, stunning blue, red, and black fruits intermixed with spring flowers, a subtle dosage of new oak, and a distinctive personality that is elegant while at the same time powerful and substantial, this is a multi-dimensional wine that was extremely approachable and drinkable in both tastings I had of it. The color remains a healthy, even opaque bluish/purple, but there is no reason to hesitate to drink it. It should evolve for another 30-40 years, so there is no hurry either. 100 points - Robert Parker

As one would expect, this is a powerful, concentrated wine with 13.7% natural alcohol (compared to 2005's 13.2%). The pH is quite normal at 3.56, and its relatively high total acidity gives it a classic, fresh, yet backward style. Given how long vintages such as 1982, 1986, and I suspect, 2000 are taking to reach maturity, prospective purchasers of this wine should easily invest in a decade of cellaring, although I suspect it will be closer to 15 or more years before it reveals secondary nuances. A good 40- to 50-year wine, it is a dense purple, full-bodied style of Las Cases, with classic sweet kirsch, graphite and black currant fruit as well as hints of new saddle leather and subtle oak. Backward, layered and multi-dimensional, the wine is stunningly rich, but brooding. Forget it at least until 2020 or later. -WS 95-98

Representing 55% of the production and cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare, Cos d'Estournel's final blend in 2010 is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and the rest tiny portions of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Compared to the massive 2009 (14.6% natural alcohol), the 2010 achieved slightly less alcohol, but also a lower pH, which accounts for its more tannic, backward, huge style. An inky/purple color is accompanied by aromas of damp earth, black currants, blackberries, licorice and charcoal. Firm, thick and super-concentrated, it is another outrageously impressive wine that will require 6-10 years of cellaring. It should keep for 30+ years. It is somewhat 2005-ish in its structure and palate impression. -WS 95-97

"Thirty years after the vintage the two 1976 Gran Reservas still fully express the qualities of their unique terroirs. The outstanding 1976 Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva offers a multitude of tertiary nuances in its suggestions of leather, licorice, coffee beans, earthiness and dried prunes on a medium-bodied frame of notable elegance. It is sweeter and riper than the Bosconia Gran Reserva, with a resonating note of alcoholic warmth that frames the long, lingering finish. 92/Anticipated maturity: 2006-?" 92pts WA

94pts Wine Advocate:
The Lot 38 La Bota de Viejo Cream Bota No is the sequel to the sweet oloroso that was Lot 19. It originates from the blending of a Pedro Ximenez over a century ago when the Solera was started. It has a fairly light bouquet that opens with aeration: hazelnut, macadamias, subtle note of caramel and nougat. The palate is medium-bodied with a lovely viscous opening: a touch of spice, eau-de-vie, caramel and cafe latte underpinned by beautifully judged acidity and a sensual harmonious long finish. Superb.

900 bottles produced. La Bota de Viejo Cream 38 "Bota NO" is a new release of edition 19 in the series: a sweet oloroso that has aged as such in a 9-butt solera under the label "Viejo Cream", never before commercially available except for a few exceptional sacas for British customers. This solera has in turn a bota NO as well as a double NO- of notably higher age and character, and which is where this wine has been sourced, again in limited volumes. This sweet oloroso results from a blending process with top-quality pedro xim??nez that was performed early on, when the solera was founded, likely over a century ago. Harmonious integration during these decades has made the wine finer and rounder, thanks to the patience of several generations of winemakers, reaching today a prodigious balance between the raciness of dry oloroso and the mellowness of sweet PX.

What originally started out as a private buying club for an outstanding Amontillado located in the cellar of Miguel S??nchez Ayala, has become one of the most sought after series of bottlings sourced from, and inspired by the wines of Jerez and Montilla-Moriles. Jes??s Barqu??n, a professor of criminal law at the University of Granda and Eduardo Ojeda, the technical director of Grupo Est??vez, guided by their vast knowledge of, and unparalleled access to, the best wines, cellars and soleras of the region, have since 2005 assembled one of the finest offerings of Sherries in the market. When word got out about their project, what was once a hobby became a full-fledged commercial enterprise. Supply remains limited and demand has only increased. Since that first cask of Amontillado, labeled simply Bota de Amontillado no.1 in honor of the short story by Edgar Allan Poe, each successive bottling as been numbered, bottled en rama, limited in release and quick to sell out. Not content with only exploring the possibilities of fortified wines, Equipo has also released brandies, unfortified Palomino Fino aged under flor, and a couple of PX wines, one dry and one made from raisined grapes. They have also partnered with Dirk Niepoort and Quim Vila to make a Vin Jaune styled Palomino Fino and Sergei Colet to produce a Cava utilizing flor in the secondary aging of the wine as well as Sherry and Montilla for the dosage.

Soft and straightforward, with a pleasant touch of sweetness to flavors of quince, apple and fig. - WS83

94 points Wine Advocate.
The Produttori del Barbaresco 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota is quite powerful and ample but not fully integrated as of yet. This vineyard site is located in a warm growing area, and you do feel the heat of the vintage in terms of the ripeness of the bouquet and the softness of the tannins. This wine paints with broad brush strokes, offering blackberry, plum and spice. It needs another year or two to find better focus

94 points Vinous
The 2020 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo is pretty closed today, which is probably a very good sign for its aging prospects, as this site tends to produce wines that are more open than this. Dark cherry, plum, leather, incense and tobacco offer a decidedly somber expression of Rio Sordo. The 2020 clearly needs time. (Drink between 2025-2035)

94 points Wine Spectator
very aromatic and exuberant, featuring blood orange, citrus peel, cherry and rose hip flavors. Succulent and approachable, with a light coating of tannins, it¡¯s in the line of Pora and Paje, if a touch denser...

Organic

65% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc from 40+ year old vines planted in clay and gravel. This 5th generation Bordeaux house makes classically rendered, dusty, balanced, thoroughly delicious "baby claret.

Organic

•Certified organic
•100% Cabernet Franc
•A single site on a plateau at 60m altitude
•Grown on silt sandstone and yellow limestone
•40+ year old vines
•Indigenous yeast
•Aged in older 6000L barrels for 12 months

Organic

Domaine de Boissan, located in Sablet, dates back to the 18th century; today it is in the capable hands of Christian and Cathy Bonfils, who are fifth-generation growers originally from Burgundy. Their Cuvee Prince d'Orange from 35-year-old vines; aged in oak for 6-8 months, it has hints of hazelnut and pepper on the nose and a palate that is rich and complex with a touch of blackcurrant on the finish.

Organic / Biodynamic / Natural

Gamay-Pinot Noir = Rose
Direct pressing using a pneumatic press. No SO2 added under the press or during bottling. No exogenous yeasts (LSA) added. First fermentation in cold-stopped vats with around 15 g sugar/l residual. Immediate bottling to resume natural fermentation in the bottle. No malolactic fermentation. Residual sugar < 2g

Organic / Natural

100% Espadeiro
These were the last grapes arriving at the cellar. They were sourced from Rui Paiva, nephew and neighbor of our friend, Prof. Fernando Paiva, in the nearby town of Lixa. Upon arrival at the cellar, the grapes were destemmed and moved to a stainless-steel tank to start a pellicular macerarion for three days at 4C. At this point 500gm/kg of ground chestnut flowers are added and mixed into the mass and the grapes are then pressed and returned to the stainless-steel tank for the fermentation to start and dept at 15ºC. Before the fermentation ends the unfinished wine is racked and bottled with 18g/l of residual sugar for the fermentation to finish in the bottle. It is not disgorged and has the natural sediments left in the bottle. There was no SO2 added to this Pet Nat!

95 points James Suckling
A super creamy, delicious and detailed red with oodles of red fruit, silky tannins and a full body. It tastes pure, fresh, almost delicate, offering raspberries, cherry cream, blueberries, cafe au lait and subtle oak toast on the palate. A gentle, layered, pretty wine that seems not at all affected by the wildfire smoke that year. Drinkable now, but best from 2030.

Organic

23% Pinot Noir, 77% Chardonnay.

All the grapes are hand-harvested in early September from vines aged around 25 years old and planted on clay-limestone soils. This Pinot Noir was vinified in oak barrels and spent a year in barrel, while the Chardonnay was vinified in stainless steel tank. The secondary fermentation occurs in bottle with more than three years of aging before being disgorged, which happens three months before being released with a dosage of 10 grams.

Organic / Natural 

Vinhao 50%, Alvarelhao 20%, Arinto 30%
Grapes are harvested by hand and upon arriving in the cellar are destemmed and moved to amphoras (talhas) to start fermentation and maceration. At this point ground chestnut flower is added (500mg per 1000kg) and mixed into the mass.The whole vinification process is very simple with very low intervetion. The red grapes and 10% of Arinto had a five day maceration  then pressed and moved to an amphora to ferment. The other 20% of Arinto was pressed and the must was moved to a stainless steel tank to ferment at 5¨¬C. Atfer 27 days at this temperature, the residual sugar of the Arinto reached 17g/l, was then blended with the red wine and bottled for the fermentation to finish in the bottle.

This Southern Rhône/ Bandol inspired wine shows the elegant and food friendly side of Mourvèdre. Aromatics of lavender, and violets draw you in and are complemented with flavors of plum, blackberry, cassis, lead pencil and underbrush. The wine finishes with strong acidity to complement the bright fruit and will benefit from decanting or time in the cellar. It will pair beautifully with fowl, meat, savory pasta and darker bodied seafood.