Wines (24 View)

Organic



93 points Vinous

The 2021 Picaro del Aguila, sourced from old vines in Aguilera, Ribera del Duero, has a light garnet appearance. The nose offers enticing notes of sour cherry and a hint of blood over dried flowers. Light and lean, the chalky texture and faintly juicy palate lead to a compact, flavorful, lasting fruit finish. This is reminiscent of a Burgundy in its weight and overall feel. Drinking Window: 2023-2032

Godello

Wine Spectator:
"Plump and on the sweet side, with golden raisin, date, pear eau-de-vie and peach melba notes, backed by a light twinge of bitter almond that keeps this honest. Drink now. 87,000 cases made."

A distinctive blend of Palomino and Pedro Ximenez grapes. Aged in oak casks for 6 years in the traditional Solera method.

For over 130 years, Bodegas Williams & Humbert have been producing the finest sherries and brandies; as well as a diverse portfolio of spirits, utilizing one of the most traditional methods of ageing, the solera method. Founded in 1877 by Sir Alexander Williams and Arthur Humbert, Bodega Williams & Humbert has been considered to be one of the world’s most prestigious wine producers in the world. They were involved in the creation of the Jerez-Xeres-Brandy Quality Demarcation, as well as the criteria for evaluating sherries. Now owned by the Medina family, two generations work side by side in the creation of the wines and spirits. Located in the heart of Jerez de la Frontera, Bodega Williams & Humbert has more than 1,200 acres of vineyards, and the largest wine cellar in Europe. The family owned and operated Bodega has produced a great variety of high quality sherries, while maintaining the traditional methods of solera aging. Solera is a method of producing wines, where small amounts of younger wines are systematically blended with the more mature wines over a period of time. Bodega Williams & Humbert has a variety of sherry lines, most notably the Dry Sack medium created in 1906, a staple sherry among many restaurants around the world. In the US, Bodegas Williams & Humbert has three lines of sherries - Dry Sack, Don Zoilo, and the rare aged. Each tier offers expressions that range from dry to sweet profiles. Bodegas Williams & Humbert has one of the largest and most diverse offerings of 20 and 30 year old Rare and Very Rare age expressions. The Bodegas Williams & Humbert portfolio also includes spirits such as Gran Duque D’Alba Brandies, Crema D’Alba, and Dos Maderas Rums.

"The dark amber-hued non-vintage East India Solera is essentially an old Oloroso blended with an old Pedro Ximenez, which gives it a sweet character. It offers more mature notes of maple syrup, brown sugar, spice box, raisin and chocolate beer nuts, and its terrific balancing acidity cuts through the sweetness. This delicious effort is best drunk after the meal." 96pts WA

A blend of 12-year-old Don Nuno Oloroso (80%) and San Emilio PX which is also about 12 years old. One of the great icons of Lustau. Its aging process mimics that of some 17th century wines developed during transatlantic journeys to distant Spanish colonies. To achieve this, after aging separately in their own soleras, the Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez that comprise it, are combined and undergo a second aging process in a solera of 33 barrels at the Sacristia de Bodegas Lustau, with its elevated humidity and temperatures that replicate the climatic conditions that the wines would have experienced on their journeys.

Emilio Lustau SA was founded in 1896 by Don Jose Ruiz-Berdejo. In the beginning, Lustau was essentially an Almacenista, a modest estate with small holdings that sold most of its wine to large exporting Bodegas. It was not until the 1950s that Lustau became Emilio Lustau SA, and it joined the prestigious ranks of a select group of exporters of Sherry. In the early 1980s, Emilio Lustau SA, then under the management of the late Rafael Balao, became one of the most innovative companies in Jerez, launching the "Almacenista" line and creating the distinctive bottle that we know today. Lustau is now widely considered one of the finest producers of Sherry, with their Almacenista line breaking new ground in hand-crafted, boutique wines. These Sherries, drawing on rare and marvelous wines held by small producers, are some of the finest Sherries made today.

Lustau offers a wide array of Sherries; bone-dry Finos are wonderful matches with garlic-y shrimp and langostinos. Racy Amontillados balance power with finesse and are wonderful with nuts, olives, cheeses, and jamon Serrano. Powerful Olorosos can be served during a meal and match well with traditional soups and stews. Of course, the wide range of dessert wines from Lustau are unparalleled; the elegant East India Cream Sherry is as soft as silk, the Moscatels offers a delightful citrus edge that keeps the wines lively on the palate while the dark Pedro Ximenez is best served as a "syrup" over vanilla ice cream, pancakes or waffles.

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 ximénez 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 Sánchez Ayala, has become one of the most sought after series of bottlings sourced from, and inspired by the wines of Jerez and Montilla-Moriles. Jesús Barquín, a professor of criminal law at the University of Granda and Eduardo Ojeda, the technical director of Grupo Estévez, 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.

A hint of mushroom here, along with honey and citrus. It's rich and frothy, with a crisp finish. - WS82

A limited-edition Rosé, fresh, fruity, subtle, and joyful, a delicate caress. It is multi varietal made with local and international grapes: Tempranillo (80%), Syrah (15%), and Verdejo (5%). The two red varieties blend perfectly while the white variety provides the flirtatious acidity that makes this wine a breath of fresh air. Frontaura Rosé is an aromatic rosé, which combines notes of red fruit with Spring flowers, resulting in strawberry lips and easy-to-enjoy versatility, vibrant fragrances, with amorous texture, and at the same time a spark of acidity. Cheerful, ready to turn the aperitif into an event.

A powerhouse Toro that was really impressive. Bordeaux and California Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers are going to love this. This is not for the faint of heart!

Listan Prieto (70%), Listan Negro (15%) and Tintilla (15%) grown on Pedro and Antonio's poorest sites (the badlands). Planting these grapes, which are slowest to ripen on the poorest soils is important here; if they were planted in parcels that are too mineral rich and fertile, the plants would produce too many berries on the bunch and grapes could not fully ripen. Aged for 4-6 months in French and American oak.

92 points Wine Advocate
The new young red 2021 El Predilecto recovers Predilecto, which was a historic brand of the house, a wine with less aging than the rest and more fruity character. In this case, they want it to show the fruit expression of the vineyard without oak. They call it the new old concept in Rioja, what the wines used to be before the arrival of the French, pure fruit. It's a blend of 65% Garnacha from Cárdenas and Cordovín and 35% Tempranillo from Samaniego that fermented destemmed but uncrushed (so not exactly a carbonic maceration) with clean and fresh aromas and flavors. It's ripe and hedonistic, with 14.5% alcohol and good freshness. It matured in concrete for five months.

Gonzalez Byass is one of the greatest, historical names in Sherry (and Brandy), as well as the largest in Jerez, and the Tio Pepe brand and image one of the icons of Spain, and the best selling Fino in the world stored in an impressive solera of 30,000 botas. Gonzales-Byass was founded in Jerez in 1835 by 23-year-old entrepreneur Manuel Maria Gonzalez, who exported the first cask of Tio Pepe to London in 1844. Gonzalez was advised by an uncle of his, a man called Jose Angel de la Pena. Uncle Jose had a small bodega with his own solera of Fino, which had direct access to the street as he liked to come and go as he fancied. People called Jose are often nicknamed Pepe in Spain, so the solera of uncle Jose (tio means uncle), or uncle Pepe gave name to the famous Tio Pepe brand. The original bodega del Tio Pepe still exists, is in use today, and in fact holds some of the best botas of Tio Pepe Fino. Gonzalez took different partners, and the company changed names a number of times, like Manuel Maria Gonzalez & Cia or Gonzalez & Dubosc. In 1855, the year the people of Bordeaux were really busy making the classification of their chateaux, Gonzalez sold some company shares to his importers and distributors in the UK, Robert Blake Byass. The name of the company was definitely set to Gonzalez Byass & Co., which has been kept till the present day. Today the fifth generation of the Gonzalez family still own and manage the company. Through the years the company and its holdings have been greatly expanded, and the winery today is akin to a small town of 37 hectares, as it has incorporated some of the streets that connected the different bodegas, La Constancia, La Concha (a unique round bodega attributed to Gustav Eiffel), Los Apostoles, La Cuadrada, and the more recent Gran Bodega Tio Pepe, Las Copas or Marques de Bonanza. As a curiosity, if you visit their premises you?????ll be able to see the largest working weathervane on earth, in the shape of a bottle of Tio Pepe!

Organic / Biodynamic

Grape varieties: Xarel.lo (50%), Macabeu (30%), Chardonnay (15%), Parellada (5%)

Age of vines: 35-50 years old

Farming: Certified organic (CCPAE)

Soils: Clay limestone

Fermentation: Hand harvested, whole cluster pressing, each variety fermented separately in tank

Aging: 6 months in tank, blended, secondary fermentation in bottle, on lees minimum 60 months, dosage 8g/L, suitable for vegans

Additional Information: Imperial is sourced from 13 growers/members of Aliances per la Terra, an organization established to promote organic and biodynamic farming in the Penedes. Currently, all these growers are certified organic, and 12 a certified biodynamic. Imperial is the largest production Sparkling wine at Gramona sourced from 82.5 hectares of vines and can best be described as embodying its house style ? a combination of the precision of Xarel.lo and the creamy textures for extensive aging on the lees. Imperial is a blend of 50% Xarel.lo, 30% Macabeu, 15% Chardonnay, and 5% Parellada aged 60 months sur lattes and finished with an 8 g/L dosage from an ancient solera maintained at the property. 350,000 bottles released in an average vintage.

Organic / Natural

90% Godello, 10% Dona Blanca. A young and expressive white that is fruit-driven with refreshing acidity. The wine displays notes of pippin apples, citrus fruit, and pear, with a stony character, and slightly dry finish. The refreshing acidity is mouth-watering. A savory note compliments the finish?. This is a tremendous value and perhaps too serious at this price point.

Organic / Natural

85% Mencia 15% Alicante Bouschet (and a pinch of Godello). A medium-bodied expression of Mencia with freshness galore and fine tannins. Gregory Perez’s more natural approach to winemaking is evident when first pulling the cork. A bit of gas releasing is common, nothing a quick decant or pouring two glasses won’t fix. Floral in the nose with bright crunchy acidity on the palate. Red fruit is on full display here with an underlying spice. Unoaked.

Antonio Hidalgo, President, is the 6th generation of Sherry winemakers and still family owned and operated - Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana. The winery was founded in 1792 by Pantaleon Hidalgo in Sanlucar de Barrameda, Spain. Surrounded all his life with the wonderful world of wines and wine makers has given him the opportunity to be front line with the changes and evolution of Spanish wines in the last two decades. Antonio envisioned from his native Spain to position wines from his country in the United States and that is how Hidalgo Imports was born in 2006. Over the years, wines from other countries where necessary to cover all of our clients demands and that is how we started to distribute wines from Argentina, Chile, Italy and France. A great amount of Hidalgo Imports wines have received the highest ratings from the most important magazines and specialized people in the industry, obtaining great recognition in the country, proving that his long career and experience play a very import role in the profile of the company.

93 points Wine Enthusiast
Deep garnet in the glass, this wine has aromas of blackberry, clove, oregano and violet. Notes of leather and forest floor slightly outweigh flavors of cherry, pomegranate, star anise and lavender, while opulent tannins power into a lengthy finish. This is a classic, traditional Rioja that will appeal to those who enjoy the style.

Intense primary aromas, fresh and harmonious combined notes from oak aging. Outstanding aromas of candied red fruit and spices are underscored by mineral notes. Sweet, ripe tannins in the mouth. Elegant, balanced mouth. Harmonious, pleasant, long aftertaste. Beautiful nose, abundant spiced rich blackberries laced with leather. Round mouthfeel, good balance and savory finish. Pairs well beef, lamb, veal, and poultry dishes

Grapes are from their Las Encinas vineyard in Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa. Fermentation of destemmed grapes takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 28 ºC to 30ºC. Macerated for 2 weeks to ensure good color extraction and smooth, round tannin
Aged for 18 months in French and American oak barrels and 18 months in bottle.