Wines (48 View)

Age of vines: about 28 years
Elevation: average 259 meters (850 feet)
Vinification: The grapes are picked by hand and crushed whole. Fermentation with native yeast in
stainless steel tanks with temperature control. The wine is aged in large oak casks (foudres) and
maturing on fine lees until late Spring. Bottled in August the following year of harvest.
Tasting notes: A classic interpretation of this traditional Alsatian grape variety, this wine is dry and has
citrus, stone fruit, and sweet spice aromas.
Alc: 12.5%

Grape Variety: Blend of Pinot Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc Age of vines: about 35 years Vinification: The grapes are picked by hand and crushed whole. Fermentation with native yeast in stainless steel tanks with temperature control. The wine matures for 6 months in tank, then is transferred to bottle, and stored in riddling rack for 12-15 months before disgorgement.

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

92-94 points Jeb Dunnuck
The only barrel sample I was able to taste, the 2021 GSM Santa Barbara County showed beautifully, and if this wine is any indication, this estate didn’t miss a beat in 2021. Giving up pretty blue fruits, peppery herbs, and sappy flower nuances, it’s medium to full-bodied, has terrific tannins, and an elegant yet textured style that will drink nicely right out of the gate.

92 points Wine Spectator
Plush and savory, with sleek raspberry, orange-tinged mocha and smoked pepper flavors that build richness and structure toward refined tannins. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. Drink now through 2030. 1,350 cases made.

91-93 points Vinous
The 2021 GSM is a promising wine. Deep and beautifully layered in the glass, with terrific vibrancy, the GSM is marked by gorgeous purity in its red/purplish fruit and terrific balance. It is the only 2021 that had been racked at the time of my visit, but also a wine that portends well for the vintage if its representative of quality across the range.

93 points Vinous
The 2021 Graciano Portico Hills shows the darker, weightier side of Graciano. Black cherry, plum, gravel, menthol, crushed rocks, dried herbs and incense are all dialed up in this brooding, potent Graciano. The 2021 is going to need some time to soften. (7/2023) Drinking Window 2023-2031

Zac Wasserman is now on his own after a number of years working alongside Joey Tensley.

Chianti Castiglioni features a beautiful ruby-red color with elegant purple hues. Delightful fruity notes immediately emerge on the nose: cherry, blackcurrant and raspberry. Floral and fragrant notes such as violet make an appearance later on. On the palate, Chianti Castiglioni is lively, soft and enveloping. The finish is long and persistent, with the after-taste confirming the fruity aromas previously detected on the nose. Pairs well with full-flavored dishes such as pappardelle pasta in a meat sauce, as well as roast chicken, sauteed beef with vegetables, and medium-aged cheeses.

Remole Rosso boasts a bright and intense violet-red colour. Fruity aromas, such as blackcurrant, raspberry and black cherry slowly give way to extremely delicate spicy notes. On the palate, the warm note is balanced out wonderfully by a fresh vivacity. It is a pleasant wine that marries elegance and balance with great softness. - Winery Notes

Semi Sweet Red

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.

"Framed by firm acidity, this vivacious Champagne is almost crunchy in texture, showing harmony to the flavors of white peach, grated ginger, clover honey and candied lemon zest. Delivers a mouthwatering, chalk-tinged finish. Drink now through 2018. 20,000 cases imported." 90pts WS

"This champagne is a brightly sparkling, light golden yellow liquid with an abundance of fine and elegant bubbles. The nose reveals initial aromas of ripe fresh fruit (white and yellow peaches, apricots), tropical notes (lychee and pineapple). It then opens up with the fragrance of vanilla before developing notes of milky caramel, breadcrumbs and yeast, culminating in aromas of dried fruit and honey. An explosion of freshness in the mouth, followed by strong persistence. The complex aromas of fresh fruit and caramel perpetuate the intensity." Winemaker notes

A cuvee blended from 77 crus, every one unique. The grape variety traditionally used by Mumm, Pinot Noir (45%), endows the wine with structure and strength; Chardonnay blend (30%) that ensures both finesse and elegance. The fruity, sharp and well-rounded notes of Pinot Meunier (25%) complete the blend. A separate pressing and vinification for each grape variety and cru, to ensure a wide range of aromas and taste sensations. 25% to 30% addition of reserve wine which brings depth to the final blend. A residual sugar content of 8g/l to remain constant and true to the Maison MUMM style.

Georges Hermann Mumm is the man to whom we owe the House's iconic cuvee. In 1876, to assert the quality of its champagne, the House decided to adorn their bottles with a red silk ribbon, a reference to the Ordre de Saint Louis and to the Grand Cordon de la Legion d'Honneur. Its success was immediate: a symbol of Maison Mumm's excellence and expertise, the Cordon Rouge cuvee henceforth became a true benchmark all over the world.

Gaia produced a wonderful Greek rose in 2023. This label has shorter skin contact, four to six hours, hence the odd name. It is dry but not at all sharp. This seems solid, filling the mouth, showing power and emphasizing its flavorful fruit laced with some cherry nuances. It's never candied or too simple, though, as it shows off the depth in terms of mouthfeel. The dry finish makes this a lovely food wine.

This has all the hallmarks of an Angelo Gaja wine, power and richness, and yet elegant on the palate. A brooding ruby red color with intricate currant, balsamic, and herbal notes. Incredibly structured and vigorous resulting in great length and persistence. This will develop for many years to come. The name Dagromis pays homage and thanks to the Gromis family, owners of the vineyard grafted to Nebbiolo in La Morra until Gaja bought it in 1995. Now supplemented by those from selected vineyards in Serralunga d?????Alba, the grapes used for Dagromis best express the combination of the two chosen terroirs.

95 pts Vinous
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Heritage Selection, from the back part of the property, is plump, juicy and full of character. Inky dark fruit, mocha, floral notes and spice . All the elements come together so nicely. Picking a bit earlier than in the past helps preserve freshness as well as energy. Time in the glass brings out the wine's volume and resonance. The juicy, creamy style works well here. Inky dark red/purplish fruit, spice, rose petal and new leather build into the resonant finish. I find a bit better balance here than in the Alluvial Selection.

Double-sorted, cold-soaked; whole-berry fermentation for 16 days using native yeasts; natural malolactic fermentation for 3 months; bottled unfiltered and unfined. 20 months, 100% new French oak

The inky/purple-hued 2003 Proprietary Red Wine, a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and the rest tiny portions of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, reveals copious notes of chocolate along with hints of melted tar, charcoal, black cherries, and currants. Full-bodied, dense, and well-balanced... - WA91

Tasting Notes:
Dark fruits, hints of dried herbs and mocha on the nose. The dense palate see's sour red fruits balance out the sweet with a chocolate tannin finish. A fine choice for discerning gent.

Tasting Notes:
Hints of dark fruits dance with a long oak bourbon finish, to complete this delightful blend. You'll notice caramel, char, and sweet bourbon oak aromas. Gentlemen, enjoy.

Organic

Nicolas Millerioux’s Sancerre Blanc ‘Tradition’ exhibits the true characteristics and purity of the appellation with notes of boxwood, lemon and hints of fresh almonds on the nose. The palate is fresh, crisp and with good acidity to lift and enhance the zesty fruit and freshness. This classic Loire Valley white wine is bone dry and extremely food-friendly.

Nicolas Millerioux is a young French vigneron who took over the family estate in 2008. Located in the hamlet of Amigny, just west of the village of Sancerre and south of Chavignol, the Milleriouxs have worked the land here for three generations, eventually expanding to the 15ha they farm today. Amigny is known for its chalky soils, and 95% of the Millerioux's holdings come from a mix of the classic limestone terroirs of the region: "Caillotes" (a hard, shallow limestone full of stones) and "Terres Blanches" (a softer Kimmeridgian marl).

In 2008 Nicolas brought organic farming to the family estate. Today, the work in the vineyards is completely organic (with certification coming) and the soils are worked manually. In the cellar, all of the wines are allowed to ferment naturally and extended lees-aging is used to enrich the wines, which allows for minimal sulfur additions only at racking and bottling. Nicolas’ goal is to define how Sancerre might have tasted earlier in the 20th century, before modern vine-clone monotony and industrial practices in the vineyards and cellar, and if his early work is any indication, he will surely be leading the charge as part of Sancerre’s new generation.

Organic

"A soft, pale, brilliant pink with bluish tints developing over time towards more orangey nuances. The bouquet releases aromas of summer fruits, cassis and redcurrant. Floral notes of rose along with hints of grapefruit complete the picture. The finish is fresh, offering notes of candy. On the palate the impression is fresh and full, with great aromatic persistence and balance." - Gerard Bertrand

Organic / Biodynamic

13% abv

Originating from the usual parcels and raised entirely in stainless steel, it has a brisk nose with Granny Smiths, lime and wet stone. Classic Chablis. The palate is well-balanced, with a bitter lemon entry lending tension. Taut and linear, it delivers a refreshing, spicy finish that lingers in the mouth. Very fine.

100% estate bottled Pinot Grigio from Friuli.

Winemaker Notes
"On the nose, delicate pear and floral notes are backed by toasty almond. On the palate, one finds lively citrus, toast and apple flavors overlaid with persistent effervescence, a creamy mid-palate and a toasty finish."

The Sonoma Brut has been carefully crafted entirely from hand-harvested Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. This brut is dominated by Pinot Noir, a stylistic decision enabling the complex aromatic and palate profile that this red-skinned grape contributes to brut cuvees. Sonoma Brut shows the quality and diversity of our vineyards that allow us to consistently produce cuvees with complexity and clear fruit expression. Aged for a minimum of 18 months, this wine shows delicate pear and floral notes with persistent effervescence and an effortless finish, making it a tremendously versatile sparkling wine.

Intensely ripe, jammy and toasty aromas and equally effusive fruit flavors make this full-bodied wine easy to enjoy. It seems to overflow with boysenberry and blackberry, and has a touch of wood smoke from oak.

A red blend which shows red currant, plum and peppercorns on the nose while the youthful palate is rich with generous berry fruit and spice, balanced with integrated oak nuances. The palate is smooth with firm tannin a long fresh finish.

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!

Winemaker Notes:
Dark purple red with violet hues. Profound and fruit forward, with ripe red berries, sweet spices and a hint of black pepper backed by toasted notes from its oak aging. Structured and balanced, with ripe tannins and fresh acidity that leads to toasted and vanilla hints on the finish.
Very versatile. It pairs well with lamb and grilled beef, spicy food and poultry.

This is rich on the nose, with candied fruit, fruitcake, toffee and maple syrup. Full-bodied and medium sweet, with a brilliant aftertaste of fruit and caramel. Lasts for minutes on your palate. - WS92

Light and fruity, with a slightly nutty character. Medium body and sweetness, with a light, silky finish. - WS81

Organic

A blend of the native Muscat and the non-native but heat-tolerant Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc. Well over half of the cuvée is Sauvignon Blanc, which provides both the body and acidity. Depending on the vintage, either one or both Muscat varieties are used in addition to a small proportion of Gewürztraminer to boost the aromatics. An alltitude of 200-400 meters. Hand harvested, fermented in tank for 3 months.

Bring on white wine season, I’m ready! I need a break from these cool weather full-bodied reds. If you are in agreement, then look no further than Gramona Gessami Penedes Blanco 2021. It’s like Spring in a bottle! Gessami is an organically grown blend of Muscat, Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc, all very aromatic varietals. There is a lovely bouquet of white flowers and orange rind, an interesting combo to say the least. What stands out to me is the texture and fullness of the wine achieved without oak-aging. This is undoubtedly due to the Gewurztraminer. This white is much rounder than a lean New Zealand or French Sauvignon Blanc for instance, but much more refreshing than a full-bodied Chardonnay. Those of you looking for something different to drink this Spring should definitely give this a shot.

Gessami is crafted by Gramona, one of the most prestigious Cava producers. Gramona has a storied history in Penedes, Spain going back to the 1920s! Each generation has brought something new to the estate with Xavier expanding the scientific understanding of lees aging and the inherent properties of Xarel.lo while Jaume has pursued the conversion of all their vineyards – owned and leased – to organic farming as well as converting the family’s vineyards to biodynamic farming as well.

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

2021: "A red wine showcasing the most rustic high elevation sites in the Willamette Valley. A wine that finds its voice in generosity of conversation through space and restraint like a deep dialogue with a friend that listens."

Vineyard: 15 to 30-year-old vines on volcanic basalt and wind-blown mineral soil. Tualatin Hills AVA, Willamette Valley. Soft-pruned double guyot

Making of: The grapes are all hand-harvested and processed with zero sulfur. The grapes are then placed in open-top neutral barrels and tubs that allow for slow fermentation. After 10-30 days (depending on the vintage) of contact with the skins, stems and seeds, the wine is put to rest in neutral barrels. The wine ages on the lees for 18 months in a cave in Oregon’s coastal mountain range. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, with a tiny amount of SO2 at bottling.

Personality: "a pure wine in which I can taste the soil where it was grown. I can taste the wind, the volcanic land and smell the gardens that are next to the vineyards. Bayleaf, tobacco, dark tea, red fruit," Jarad says.

Jarad on this wine: "Days until Harvest was created to bring forth an unadulterated expression of Pinot Noir from the most Northern Vineyards of the Willamette Valley. Our interest resides in the purity and transparency of the specific sites, and their unique texture, acidity, and rustic personality. This is a grower’s pinot noir that celebrates the time we spend throughout the season getting to know these vineyards, their soils, flowers, and fruits. The soils and high elevation are the protagonists here; the wine shows natural reduction and tension from its volcanic parent material. In each site, a small section of the vineyard is chosen to create an honest profile of what we farm throughout the year in our neighborhood."