Wines (48 View)

Organic

91% Cabernet Sauvignon 6% Petite Verdot, 3% Cab Franc. Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from 3 vineyards: the 60yr old Brigantino Vineyard, the 45yr old Wheeler Ranch, and the 75yr old Tres Pinos Creek Vineyard. The Petite Verdot and Cabernet Franc come from Paicines AVA, rocky alluvial deposits above the Tres Pinos arroyo. All vineyards experience warm days, cold nights typical of the Central Coast, allowing these late ripening Bordeaux varieties to be picked at high acidity and moderate sugars. Fermented whole berry with a very light crush in open top fermenters, allowing slower extraction, of tannins into the must and lots of oxygen into the fermentation for polymerization of tannins. Pressed after approximately 20 days. Aged for 11 months on lees in mostly neutral barrels with a couple of active oak barrels sprinkled in. 13.2% abv

The review is on the previous vintage.
93 points Wine Advocate
The 2018 Reserva Vinhas Velhas is all Castelão, aged for one year in well-used French oak of varying ages. It comes in at 13.8% alcohol. The "old vines" designation on the back label means 70+ years here. Tightly wound, concentrated and firm on the finish, this is superb in this tough vintage that destroyed a lot of the winery's Castelão in a vicious heat wave. Winemaker Bernardo Cabral said certain plots were lost and the quantity reduced, but the ones in places that could survive were of high quality. It seems that way to me. This lacks for nothing in concentration, structure and flavor, although it is never a candied and overly simple wine. It does need a little more maturity to acquire some complexity. This grape ages well and the wine is built to age, so that drinking window might be conservative. It's a fine value. There were 6,766 cases produced.

93+ points Wine Advocate
The 2021 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz is creamy and densely packed with flavor (packed!), and the American oak is a core part of the wine, both aromatically and in the mouth. The fruit is from McLaren, Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, Wrattonbully and Padthaway and comprises 53% Cabernet Sauvignon and 47% Shiraz. The cooler season has imbued the wine with a freshness and levity, which, if you asked me prior to tasting, I would have said it was impossible to imbue levity in the Bin 389! But there you have it. Epic intensity, present oak. Give it time. I have tasted 30-year-old Bin 389s in the past that have still been alive and fresh. So, the cellar is the place for this vintage. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.

90pts Robert Parker:
Slightly herbal and leafy on the nose, the deep, currant-scented 2016 Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon blends fruit from five different regions of South Australia. It's medium to full-bodied, with soft, measured tannins and true Cabernet identity. Aged in French and American oak, there are some cedar and mocha notes apparent on the nose and finish, but the cassis fruit carries the day.

92pts James Suckling:
Youthful cabernet style here, showing plenty of blackcurrants and a tarry edge with dried plums, some raisins, mint and sweetly fragrant oak spices. The palate is very smooth and juicy. The fully ripe tannins are super fluid and open-knit, delivering a silky and approachable style. Coonawarra, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Wrattonbully, Padthaway fruit sourcing. Drink now or hold.

91pts Decanter:
Bin 407 is an offcut of Penfolds’ signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Bin 707, and as such it tends to share a similar multi-regional expression - in this case Coonawarra, McLaren Vale, Barossa, Wrattonbully and Padthaway. It's cloaked in both French and American oak, where it spends 12 months, resulting in a youthfully primary, vibrant red in that distinctly ripe, opulent Aussie style. Sweet, blackcurranty Cabernet aromas are accompanied by just a hint of cooler climate leafiness, all the while showing plenty of cassis richness, nice firm tannins and a savoury quality on the finish. Try with a rack of rosemary and garlic lamb. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030


Taste Description:
Colour
Deep and prominent - solid red.

Nose
Where to start? So immediately true to variety. Punchy, not shy.
Beneath: Subtle forest floor earthiness, laced with liquorice, fennel and anise with a sceric of non-aggressive fresh spearmint.
Above: Sugar pastille wafts - somewhat reminiscent of the fruit bon bons of youth- more prescriptively/realistically - blackcurrant jelly bean.
In between: Summer pudding fruit generosity - suggestive of a cherry clafoutis? Or maybe a fleshy red cherry trifle, avec sponge cake? Yes please.
Absorbed: Stylish/coiffured oak - want to say classy, but might sound pretentious? Next time.

Palate
Bountiful red cabernet fruits complexed by cut tobacco (pouch) and darkened spices.
Seamless, with a tightness/tension between acidity and tannins.
These tannins are ripe and friendly - currently perceived as fruit, not oak tannins.
Oak - quite possibly partially contributing to the sweetness apparent on palate?
Flavour and length. Lingers.

93 points James Suckling
An amalgam of redcurrant and blackcurrant aromas with cedary and leafy tones, dark berries and pepper and plenty of oak strut. The palate has a deep vein of black-fruit flavors, as well as plum and chocolate. Bold extract. A blend of Padthaway, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley. Drink now.

#9 on The Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2019!

96 pts Wine Spectator
Offers a lush, juicy mix of blackberry, blueberry and black cherry flavors that appears seamless, integrating with notes of amaretto, clove and lavender. Plush, juicy and very generous on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2034. 1,156 cases imported.

"First created in 1954 (and released in warped, fake dusted bottle), the NV Chateauneuf du Pape La Fiole du Pape (a blend from 2010, 2011 and 2012) gives up classic garrigue, game and assorted sweet red and black fruits. Medium-bodied, nicely textured and easygoing, it’s a solid, Provencal effort to enjoy over the coming 4-5 years." WA

This layered sweet wine displays a deep, glossy brown color and is truly indulgent. The nose features raisin, pumpkin pie spice, tobacco leaf and pure sugar cane notes. The palate is rich, expansive and beautifully balanced with honeyed, almost milk chocolatey raisin and smoke flavors. It is a very long and elegant PX and finishes with expressive coffee, tea leaf and buttered popcorn tones. Fantastic with blue cheese, toasted nuts, dried fruit, poured over vanilla ice cream or for something truly decadent, pair it with chocolate glazed doughnuts, sticky buns or Paris-Brest pastry. - PJ

Oxidative aging. Criaderas and solera system for a period of 4-6 years in oak barrels .

"This shimmers with its flavors of apple and lime, its hint of toast and its soft finish. It's finely balanced, a great selection that is ready to drink now." 94pts WE

"All the lightness of white floral notes: hawthorn blossom, linden blossom and white clover. A fresh, stylish wine with good structure, silky and elegant, based on the mineral notes of the best Chardonnay Grand Crus. The floral, fruity notes give way to subtle spicy hints for a pleasant finish on the palate." Winemaker notes

"(50% pinot noir and 25% each of chardonnay and pinot meunier): Pale, bright pink. A wild, pungent bouquet evokes redcurrant, cherry and licorice, with a suave floral quality in the background. Juicy, penetrating red fruit flavors are braced by a note of blood orange and show impressive intensity. Finishes brisk and incisive, with excellent length." 91pts Vinous

"(50% pinot noir and 25% each of chardonnay and pinot meunier): Pale, bright pink. A wild, pungent bouquet evokes redcurrant, cherry and licorice, with a suave floral quality in the background. Juicy, penetrating red fruit flavors are braced by a note of blood orange and show impressive intensity. Finishes brisk and incisive, with excellent length." 91pts Vinous

"Lively and mouthwatering, with flavors of black currant, graphite, candied lemon zest and smoky mineral, supported by a creamy mousse. A balanced crowd-pleaser. Drink now through 2018. 40,000 cases imported." 90pts WS

Ramato style Pinot Grigio from Fruili. This is a rose colored wine from 4 days of skin contact during fermentation.

Organic

The epitome of delicacy in a Spätlese. It is in no way a dry wine, yet the tart and salty vibrations might make parts of your brain think it is? This is supremely focused and clear, with a slim form attenuated into something almost gossamer. Just outrageous. Again, dinner Spätlese - not for dessert. 7.5% abv

Organic

Another great, great Lauer Kupp Kabi; soaring citrus and stone fruit, a muscular ten grams of acidity slicing open the wine to reveal a super-polished mineral core, salty like an ocean breeze. This is the Saar at its best. 7.5% abv

The uber rare third wine of Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste. Consisting of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot from the superb 2016 vintage. A wine not to be missed by any Bordeaux enthusiast, this is superb! The wine needs about 20-30 minutes in a decanter to fully unfurl. It is drinking in its prime drinking window displaying lovely complexity and an edgeless finish.

#63 On The Wine Spectator's Topp 100 Wines Of 2024!

93 points Wine Spectator
There's a subtle succulence to this graceful Champagne, framing flavors of peach skin, ripe pear, Marcona almond and orchard blossoms. The fine, detailed mousse is raw silklike in texture. Finishes with minerally fleur de sel and oyster shell notes. Disgorged December 2023. Drink now through 2029.

This blend exhibits classic Chenin Blanc character with ripe melon and creamy pear on the nose. The Viognier adds aromas of ripe white stone fruits, tropical fruit and blooming flowers. The palate is off dry, but the small amount of residual sugar helps add body and it also rounds out the wine's crispy acidity. The peach and melon flavors in the mid-palate are very pronounced. Balanced and smooth, this white is delightfully well rounded and finishes clean with the suggestion of citrus zest. With it's off dry notes, great acidity and round clean flavors this wine will pair beautifully with turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and other holiday fare. - PJ

96 points James Suckling
Brooding but fresh nose, with tarry blackberries and fresh blue fruit. Iron, wet stones, violets and a hint of mocha, too. Full-bodied, mineral and broad on the palate with a stony feel, though not heavy at all. A really elegant, nuanced and extremely poised Pintia that you can enjoy now and for the next decade. A really eclectic Pintia showing more elegance and calculation. Drink or hold.

95+ points The Wine Advocate
The 2018 Pintia comes from a cooler and wetter vintage when the grapes were picked between September 20th and October 7th, and it fermented in their new fermentation room where they feel they can be more precise. The wine still has 15% alcohol, with a pH of 3.82 and 4.6 grams of acidity. It had a shorter levage this year and matured for 10 months in French and 18% American oak barrels, 81% of them new. The nose is very expressive, with bright cherry fruit, and the wine is fresher than the norm in the region, with integrated alcohol and oak, reflecting a very cool year, floral and perfumed. The palate is medium-bodied and reveals very fine and elegant tannins. This has to be one of the finest vintages of Pintia. 251,512 bottles, 14,144 half-bottles, 6,543 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in April 2020.

Lithe and vibrant, this graceful Champagne is driven by well-knit, racy acidity, carrying flavors of ripe black cherry, grated ginger, toast point and mineral on the satiny mousse.

92 pts Wine Spectator
A lovely hint of honeysuckle accents the flavors of mirabelle plum, white cherry, anise and grated ginger in this vibrant Champagne, which is finely knit and detailed in texture, with a mouthwatering finish of ripe fruit, spice and chalk accents. Disgorged November 2019. Drink now through 2025.

Ployez-Jacquemart blends wines while respecting the typicality of each grape harvest. Our Extra Quality Brut Champagne can be tasted following ageing of a minimum of three years. Our Extra Quality Brut is a blend of Premier and Grand Crus with a majority of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes (usually 60% black grapes and 40% white grapes). Our black grapes provide greater richness, complexity and roundness. We only use pure Cuvees (first pressings) and the make-up of this blend only exceptionally uses reserve wines when the grape harvest quality is too low.

Ployez-Jacquemart is a family House created in 1930 by Marcel Ployez and his wife Yvonne Jacquemart.

The whole essence of Ployez-Jacquemart rests in our continual search for excellence and our remarkable abilities to make truly fine wines. These skills have been passed down through three generations. Deep-seated pride in our product and heritage are the cornerstones of our traditional approach to champagne production

93 points James Suckling
Ripe and very fresh at the same time. I like the grilled thyme, garrigue, stones and graphite characters laid upon the berries and cherries on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied on the palate with nice tension in the middle, connecting the fresh entry to a mineral, medium-long finish. Delicious now, but will drink well in the next five to six years.

Maceration on the skins for 18 days; alcoholic fermentation at controlled temperature in stainless steel basins; malolactic fermentation in barriques; ageing in 225 litre barriques for 10 months, in cement vats for 6 months and 12 months in bottle.

Vibrant aromas of ripe peaches, pears and toasted bread with a hint of spice fill the nose. The palate is dry with a rich, creamy texture. Layers of flavor include orange rind and spice that persists through an elegant finish. - Winemaker's notes - PJ

Vibrant aromas of ripe peaches, pears and toasted bread with a hint of spice fill the nose. The palate is more round with a rich, creamy texture. Layers of flavor include orange rind and spice that persists through an elegant finish. This is quite good at a very reasonable price.

92pts Wine Advocate:
Straw yellow and with a golden hue in color, the Pol Roger NV Reserve Brut displays a brilliant, perfectly ripe but also fresh, highly elegant and refined fruit aroma on the nose; think of cooked pip fruits like pears and apples, but also quince-confiture and yellow stone fruits, such as apricots and peaches intermixed with vanilla, brioche (pain aux raisins), some nutty flavors and also some white floral notes. On the palate, this medium-bodied Brut is as round (if not pretty sweet) and fruit-driven as it is delicate, pure and very elegant. The mousse is deliciously fine and leads this charming and perfectly balanced fizz to a long, aromatic, stunningly dry and slightly mineral, impressively long finish. This is extremely well done Champagne from equal parts of Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay sourced in 30 different crus. This Reserve includes 25% of reserve wines and was dosed with nine grams per liter.

The "White Foil" is sourced from top quality vineyards in Montagne de Reims (Pinot Noir), Vallee de al Marne and Petite Valle d'Epernay (Pinot Meunier) and the Cote des Blancs (Chardonnay). Pol Roger "White Foil" is traditionally a blend of equal parts Pinot Noir (body and depth), Pinot Meunier (freshness and vigorous fruit) and Chardonnay (elegance and finesse) and is sourced exclusively from juice from the "cuvee" (first pressing). Each final blend contains a minimum of two vintages with the youngest components being a minimum of three years old. Average dosage for the "White Label" is 8g per liter.

The Pol Roger family takes extreme pride in more than 160 years producing some of world’s finest Champagne. Founded in 1849, Pol Roger is one of only a few Grande Marque Champagne houses that remains family owned and operated. Pol Roger owns close to 50% of the vineyards used for their Champagne production, a true rarity in this region of large firms. Using strict guidelines, grapes are sourced exclusively from 1er and Grand Cru vineyards that rate at an average of 95 points on the Echelle des Crus classification system. (In each vintage, the Echelle des Crus system, or ladder of growths, operates on a percentile basis to fix grape prices of each cru, or delimited vineyard area in the Champagne appellation; Pol Roger’s vineyards, therefore, rank close to the highest quality possible among the Grande Marque Champagne houses.) Prior to final blending each lot is aged on its own, separated by village, vineyard, grower and grape variety. Once blended, each bottle of Champagne Pol Roger is hand riddled in the cellars deep below the Epernay chateau. In effect, each bottle of Cuvee Champagne is hand-made. Pol Roger Champagnes are the marriage of power and elegance. "Pol Roger is the 'gentlemen's' Champagne", as Jean-Paul Kauffman wrote in 'Voyage en Champagne'. "It is not surprising, therefore, that Winston Churchill, and even the British royal family should have made it their favorite over the years. This refinement reflects a whole lifestyle. It is also a source of infinite pleasure. Pol Roger Champagne has a soul, created by the union of a family's spirit and the character of a vineyard".

Fun Fact: Champagne Pol Roger is delighted that their Brut Reserve Non Vintage, has been chosen to be served at the reception following the marriage of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales to Miss Catherine Middleton on 29th April 2011.

90 points Wine Spectator
Fresh accents of spring blossom and chalk are layered with ripe red currant and pineapple fruit flavors in this creamy Champagne, framed by racy acidity and a zesty mousse.

90 points Wine Enthusiast
This generous, ripe wine is full of black fruits that have been smoothed by wood aging. Its balanced texture and fruitiness have some of the region's minerality as well as a fresh aftertaste.

Traditionally styled Monastrell, yes that is a thing, from old vines on chalky soils. Vinified in eighty-year-old conofors (think dairy tanks but made of American oak). The wine is filtered by gravity and, following tradition, made in a slightly oxidative style which gives the wine its very unique character. Their Cono 4 is then aged for 10-12 months. This wine represents a great expression of the warm Alicante climate yet is also very earthy and complex. It is approachable, with a certain rusticity and a profile that will remind you of the wines produced in the region some 30 years ago (and even a hint of old-style Rioja!), with developed aromas of earth, berries, tree bark, and forest floor. Dusty and tasty, medium to light-bodied, this is very pleasant indeed. Surprisingly complex for this extremely low price point.

For context on Primitivo Quiles’ winemaking style, Primitivo Quiles is to Alicante what Lopez de Heredia is to Rioja.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This cliche applies well to today’s winery Primitivo Quiles. Señor Don Primitivo Quiles is one of the great figures of Spanish wine. His family ties with wine date back to 1780 when they started growing grapes and winemaking in the lands west of the present province of Alicante. They have been a family-owned winery for over 100 years and maintain one of the oldest soleras on the market, dating back to 1892. Their wines are highly valued treasures in wine cellars all over Europe and a source of pride for the winemaking industry in Alicante.

Prisma Rosé of Pinot Noir comes from 14-year-old vineyards in Casablanca Valley, Chile, at 1,000 feet of altitude. The fruit is destemmed and fermented in stainless steel tanks after a 2-hour maceration to just add a slightly pink color to the wine. This was a big surprise in the tasting, completely new to us but we are glad we found it! The cool climate results in a softer expression of Pinot Noir Rosé. The strawberry-like fruit is so bright it’s practically jumping out of the glass!


The Prisma wines are made from estate fruit from the Lo Ovalle subregion of the Casablanca Valley by Ricado Baettig. This coastal microclimate benefits from fog, diurnal shifts in temperature, and the clay on granite soil. Both the vineyard and the winery are certified sustainable.

93 points Vinous
The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico is one of the most searingly tannic wines in the range. Readers will have to be patient with the 2019, as it is going to need time. As always, Montefico is a Barbaresco built on linear intensity more than size. In 2019, the qualities are quite accented. Time in the glass opens the bouquet nicely, but the 2019 remains quite closed.

98 points Kerin O'Keefe
Alpine herb, pressed rose, new leather and black tea aromas lead the nose on the superb Montefico 2019 Riserva. Showing the impeccable class and intensity this cru is celebrated for, it’s youthfully austere but also incredibly savory. The firmly structured palate delivers ripe red cherry, raspberry compote, licorice, almond liqueur and saline mineral notes accompanied by a firm backbone of tightly-woven, close-grained tannins. Bright acidity gives it great aging potential. (1/2024)

94 points Vinous
The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is powerful, savory and intensely linear, in classico Ovello style, and yet it appears to have enough fruit behind its imposing tannins to develop well over the coming years. In this tasting, the Ovello feels pretty closed post bottling, but its inherent balance and qualities are there. Clean saline notes extend the finish in promising fashion.

96 points Kerin O'Keefe
The 2019 Ovello Riserva is succulent and enveloping, offering scents of dark-skinned berry, forest floor, violet and new leather. Full-bodied with impressive structure and fruit, it boasts ripe raspberry, black cherry and licorice supported by firm, close-grained tannins that provide the backbone. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2029?????2044. Abv: 14.5%

92 points Vinous
The 2019 Barbaresco Riserva Pora is a pretty tightly wound wine, certainly moreso than is typically the case for this Barbaresco, which is often much more engaging in the early going. Dried herbs, tobacco, cedar and earthiness lend notable savory nuance in this decidedly nervy, somber Pora. There's good fruit intensity and plenty of character that makes me want to revisit this in a few months' time.

94 points Kerin O'Keefe
The lovely 2019 Pora Riserva from Produttori del Barbaresco offers delicate scents recalling ripe red fruit, culinary spice, new leather and violet while the refined palate features juicy raspberry, liquor soaked cherry and licorice. Tightly-knit, velvety tannins provide enveloping support. Pora is known for its softer tannins and smoother character thank to its more fertile soil, and the these traits come through even in 2019, a vintage known for yielding wines with youthful austerity. Drink 2027–2034. Abv: 14.5%

The grapes used in this classic example of Gavi grew in the shadow of “Il Forte,” the iconic fortress that towers over the region’s namesake village. Cool temperature fermentation for 20 days, aging in steel through the winter months.

Bright, balanced, aromatic, fruity wine. Floral aromas, with delicate scents of lemon, green apple, honey; notes of almonds in the finish.

Organic / Natural

Lise & Bertrand Jousset of the Loire craft this small production side project Muscadet.

90 points Vinous
The 2020 Malbec Pyros Appellation emerges from the Pedernal Valley in San Juan. Purple in hue, its aromas feature ripe black fruit, plum and cherry, complemented by wild herbs and chamomile. Dry and rich, it offers taut, fine-grained tannins and a supple texture on the palate, lingering long on its black fruit notes.

100 points Jeb Dunnuck
The flagship 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (90% from Champoux Vineyard and 10% from Mach One Vineyard) raised all in new barrels. It's slightly deeper hued than the CVR and has a stunning nose of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, toasted spices, and graphite with a beautiful varietal, herbal undertone that comes through with time in the glass. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and velvety textured, this thrilling Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve for two decades. This is unquestionably up with the greatest vintages of this cuvee ever made.

98+ points Wine Advocate
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon erupts with a classic Quilceda Creek expression. A big, bold and boisterous wine, it presents a fresh, juicy attack with gobs of succulent, ripe, fresh fruit tones complemented by plenty of oak essences. The palate is full-bodied, fresh, layered and complex, showcasing balanced acidity and fine-grained tannins. The elongated finish suggests that while it can be enjoyed now, patience will be generously rewarded with additional years in the cellar. However, keeping your hands off this gorgeous wine will take a lot of self-discipline. The wine aged for 20 months in 100% French oak. 65,520 bottles produced.